"Before you start screaming at me, the twins are asleep. So if you want to do something then, well, wait until we get outside." He said calmly.
I wanted to smack him.
To his credit, he did look distressed. He was wearing a huge shirt and jeans and his feet were bare. HIs hair hadn't been combed and was flopping everywhere.
He looked almost as tired as me.
"Fine," I spat. "We'll do this outside."
We walked downstairs, which was empty and back outside. He barely shut the door before I began the speech that I had come up with on the drive here.
"Archer, I've known you my entire life. Literally. And I understnad if you don't want to jeprodize that good thing that we have going."
"Phoebe--"
"I'm not done," I growled. The rain fell harder, splashing my eyelashes. "I understand that, but what I do not understand is why you would leave me like that, you idiot. Do you enjoy seeing other people's pain!?! Huh!?! Was this some kind of sick joke, because friends DO NOT do what you were doing to one another!
"I know I'm not pretty, or smart, or funny, and you probably couldn't love someone as messed up as me, but you could've at least let me down easily you stupid, rock eating, maschonistic--"
"You're my mate," he blurted.
I looked at him warily. "That's not funny, Archer."
"I'm serious. You're my mate. This was supposed to be told to you with flowers and a huge date and happiness, not standing in the rain, getting soaked with you mad at me. My parents and just everybody on this freakin' planet has managed to do that, but somehow I've managed to screw this up."
I was still staring at me. "What?" I asked dumbly.
It all made sense now. His attitude toward me and my boyfriends. The avoiding. The mood swings.
If I were his mate, he would've known as soon as he had shifted. After the fight. And my dad, my dad would've been furious...
"That was it, wasn't it? The big secret that you all were keeping from me. I was your mate and no one ever told me..."
He caught me as my legs gave out. The rain mixed with my tears as he held me close. "I'm sorry, you were just too young, we all agreed..."
"Get away from me." I hissed, shoving him away.
"Phoebe--"
"No." I stepped away roughly, feeling my entire frame began to tremor with unshed rage and hurt and disbelief.
"I can't believe you people! ALL OF THIS TIME YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MINE AND you--you--how could you!?! How could you keep something that important from me, when I'm one of the main people involved!?"
"Phoebe, I--"
"No! Don't 'Phoebe' me!" I screamed. "Just stay away from me. All of you can go screw yourselves, my father included."
He stared at me, then his eyes went wide. "Phoebe, babe, you're shifting. You have to calm down or it'll hurt more--"
"Don't TELL me to calm down, Archer Jack Connor!" I yelled.
My entire frame shattered.
YOU ARE READING
By Your Side. (Sequel to Art Girl and Wolf Boy)
Teen FictionPhoebe Castro has known Archer Connor for her entire life. Literally. He's her rock, he's the one who speaks up for her, and she's slowly but surely falling in love with him. The problem? He's two years older than her and thinks of her as a "little...
