WHO? | The Alpha (Book One)

IV

"What?" I ask and raise an eyebrow.

He shakes his head and sighs. He looks away and pulls a coffee lollipop out of the front pocket of his black sweatpants.

"E-me-rald A-le-xia," he tilts his head and reads the name out loud.

"Oh?" he exclaims, "It's her birthday today?" He opens the lollipop.

"Yeah," I reply without glancing at him. My fingers fidget at the grass.

He puts the lollipop in his mouth.

"June 11," he says out of the blue. "It's almost one week since I moved here."

I stand up. "And you still lose your way back," I look at him

He looks at me as well. His sapphire gaze falls a bit lower.

I thought he was looking at my chest. So I ask, "Why are you looking–" I'm about to cover it when he suddenly speaks.

"'She's best'? What does that even mean?" he asks. His eyebrows furrow. He stares at my black statement shirt, like a code he has to decipher.

The memory of Emy comes back in my mind remembering the exact reaction I did once I received this t-shirt.

"She's best?" I asked her and frowned. "What does this mean?"

"Yes, And mine is 'My friend'!" Emy answered. Her brown eyes were full of enthusiasm.

"Yours sounds good. Mine sucks," I said, looking at my oversized black tee tucked in distressed mom jeans.

"She's best," I muttered.

"Stop complaining," she said while tying the hem of her white shirt.

"So we should stick with this position when we wear this. If we switch places, it will be 'my She's friend best'," I said to her.

She didn't answer. She was busy tying the hem of her top.

"Is this the most creative friendship shirt that came into your mind?" I asked, looking on our way to the mall.

"Come on! Can you please shut your mouth and cooperate?" she asked while pouting.

"Everyone is looking at us," I said through gritted teeth.

"I know!" she said happily. "Because we're pretty," she flipped her bob-cut hair and walked like she owns the sidewalk.

I brush off my thoughts and look at Emy's name. I put a box of chocolates beside the white roses.