Not as it Seems

Being Me

So I have to admit walking away from Kathy like that made me feel good. Really good. I felt like a boss! Yeah, there was a part of me that was really irritated and wanted to go back there and show her just how bad I could be but a grater part of me could truly care less because I already had Jared.

"Erica!" a deep voice calls after me. I swiftly turn around seeing Joseph quickly walking towards me.

I lower my head a tad in a sign of submission. "Alpha Joseph." He waves me off.

"You can just call me Joseph. You are my beta's mate which makes you practically family." I grin. For some reason I wasn't really surprised by his relaxed attitude.

"Ok then Joseph. Did you need something?"

"I was just wondering went on back there with Kathy. I mean whatever you said to her left her speechless; that doesn't happen often."

I shrug my shoulders not really knowing what to say. "Nothing much really." I heft my book bag higher up on my shoulder and continue walking to my next period. I couldn't wait to see my mate.

"Fine don't tell me. Just know you have my respect. Any body who can get her to shut up deserves some type of meddle." His face was in a sort of awed state and I laugh.

"Now I know your my alpha and all but you are standing a little too close to my mate." I shiver as Jared pulls me to his side his warm breath tickling my ear.

Joseph shrugged of the comment. "Your mate is amazing."

Jared raises his eyebrows. "I know that."

"No I mean really amazing. Erica just did the impossible she left Kathy speechless." I shoot Joseph a look. He was being seriously exaggerated.

"What did you do?" Jared ask puzzled.

"Nothing," I mumble, "I just told her she doesn't intimidate me and can't tell me what I can and cannot do and that I wasn't going to entertain her childishness in her thinking that she owned you because you are already mine." I turn my head away a little embarrassed that I admitted all that to him. I try to step away from him, but he pulls me closer and kisses my temple.

He lowers his voice so only I can hear and says,"I find it extremely sexy how possessive you are over me." I feel my face warm up and a reluctant smile makes it way to my face.

"I'm not possessive. I just want to make sure she knew that you aren't her's," I finish lamely.

His eyes are light with amusement. "Whatever you say sweetheart."

****

The rest of the day passes in a blur. At lunch I got to meet the rest of Jared and Joseph's friends. When Sharon said that my mate was popular she wasn't lying. As I walked to his table which happened to be in a corner surrounded by windows so that light beamed down on it making everyone who sat there glow, (which personally I thought was a bit overrated) I couldn't help but notice everyone eyes following us.

As we walked by people were giving me death glares, much like the first day of school, and others seemed to be in a daze. Jared and Joseph of course didn't seem affected by any of this. Every now and then they would just happen to smile in some random person direction and that person would freeze in shock.

I would not consider my self a shy person with me being use to singing, dancing and even acting back at my old school but I found so many people just staring at me for doing absolutely nothing unnerving. And it just got worst.

When we finally reached the table it was surrounded by upperclassmen. But not just any upperclassmen but gorgeous upperclassmen. I know I'm not ugly and I'm usually pretty secure about myself and I don't get nervous around upperclassmen, but dang. Did Jared's friends have to be so....perfect?

Right away I started to compare myself to them. For starters, beside Joseph,I was the only black person at the table. In fact I could probably count how many black people were in cafeteria right now. Second I notice that my chest was smaller than most of the girls at the table. Thirdly I noticed that they style of clothes here was not like it was back home. At home girls loved there harem pants and there basketball shoes. I never really followed this trend because we didn't have all this money to be spending on the lashes fashionable clothes. Here everyone was wearing some type of summer like clothes oblivious to the coming cold weather. I was dressed in skinny jeans and a sweater and some bear paws (knock off uggs,)

Clearly there were some obvious differences between the people in Colorado and the people where I came from. After taking a moment to silently freak out and be insecure I shove all of that to back of my head. I was not someone who was so easily insecure and would change myself to fit it. If theses were Jared's friends then they couldn't be that bad and I felt like I owed it to myself to give them a chance.

"Everyone I would like you to meet my mate Erica," Jared beams. His face spilling smile was enough to make my heart melt and for a moment I didn't even realize people were talking to be because I was just so focused on him.

"Awww look them. They are so adorable!" a girl with long blonde hair squeals grabbing onto a brooding male. I eye the pair and almost laugh at the moon goddess sense of humor. I could easily tell the two were mates but they were complete opposites. She was like sunshine and summertime, while he was like a thunderstorm and winter days.

"The loud and bubbly one is Brittany and they guy she is next to who looks like death, is Shane the Gamma," Joseph supplies.

Brittany laughs and whispers to me, "Don't worry Shane looks all big and bad but really he's a big teddy bear in the inside."

"I am not," he pouts but this just makes Brittany pinch his cheeks. He feigns annoyance but I could see the faint smile hovering on his lips before he pulls her into his lap and kisses her.

"Can we not scare the new girl away," a tall lanky make with blond hair and blue eyes says disgustedly. He kind of reminded me of what I would think Prince Charming would look like.

A small brunette slaps him upside the head."Don't be such a party pooper just because you mate isn't here."

Childishly he sticks his tongue out. "At least I have a mate."

"There is nothing wrong with not having found a mate yet." When I turn to see who had said that my eyes widened with surprise. He looked like a grown man! He was massive and had the build of a defensive football player. For crying out loud this kid was already growing facial hair! He made me scoot just a little closer to Jared.

"Mr. Blonde and moody is Charles. His mate's name is Jamie and she happens to be out of town visiting some family in Europe. The little pixie is Trisha and the big guy is Emmanuel." Joseph continues making introduction.

After getting past my surprise of meeting everyone I start to relax and really enjoy myself. They made me feel really welcome and they were all so nice even Charles and Shane. There was still a tiny bit of new girl awkwardness but it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be. And having Jared beside me the whole time holding my hand (even though it made it harder to eat) made it ten times better. I think I'm going to like it here, I think to myself.

**************
Jane Note
Thank you all so much for reading my book. Sorry for this taming so long to publish. Writers block is real. And I have been busy with school, Netflix and other tv shows. Lol. If you have any ideas on what you might want to happen between Erica and Jared in the future let me know! Ideas are appreciated though not all of them will be used. Please continue to comment, vote and share this story. And don't forget to check out the other book I'm writing "In Walks the Prideful." <3