Astrid

Chapter 27 - Back to Reality

     Astrid was currently loading her bags into the back of Andrew's SUV. The past two weeks had been gag inducing and for once she couldn't wait to get back to the academy.
After they met for coffee, Pierce and Achilles had become inseparable. Stupid mate bond.

     Achilles had stayed on Silvis Territory for much longer than Astrid would have wanted, but it made her happy to see Pierce in a good place. It looked like he was finally starting to get his life together.

     At the same time, this meant that Astrid couldn't hang out with her best friend anymore. She tried to be the bigger person, so her, Pierce, and Achilles went to get lunch at a cafe. The whole time Pierce and Achilles kept making googly eyes at each other. I lost brain cells watching them.

     After that she started to hang out with Jules. She was so desperate that her old friend seemed like the perfect distraction. But even this had its downsides. Jules dragged her along to every pack meet and party in the last two weeks. Astrid thought it would be nice to get to know the people she would rule over one day, but she was met with side eyes and whispers.

Now it was back to reality.

Since Achilles was mated to her best friend, Astrid assumed things would change back at the academy. No more competition, no more hostility.

Astrid just wanted to finish off this term. Hopefully by the time this school year ended she would convince Andrew to send her to her old school for senior year. She missed her old friends and teachers.

Plus she had changed. Right?

"Ready Astrid?"

Astrid pulled away from her thoughts and closed the trunk. Achilles had her parents drive her back to school, so Astrid would be alone with Andrew for the ride.

"Yeah let's get going."

Settling in, she started her playlist and put in her AirPods. Andrew knew better than to interrupt a teenager while they were listening to music. It wouldn't end well.

~~~{     }~~~

The next hour was spent watching the trees blur by.

"Can we stop somewhere? I have to pee."

"Yeah sure there's a rest stop up ahead."

Astrid had gone into the rest stop while Andrew sat in the car. She did her business and excited the bathroom when she bumped into a cute guy.

"Oof sorry. I'm so clumsy." He smiled at her, his charm shining through. He was tall and tan with a head of curly hair, kind of like Andrew's hair.

"No problem. I should have been watching, especially with such a pretty girl in front of me."

Oh wow a compliment.

"Ummm thanks." Astrid's face started to get red. "I um, I have to go." Astrid smiled at him and ran towards the exit. The only boys she had talked to in the last few months were Andrew, Pierce, or random classmates. Not attractive strangers who compliment her.

She walked back to the car and tried to look natural.

"Why do you look so tense?"

Damn it.

"Tense? I'm not tense." Astrid fake laughed and started putting her AirPods in. Andrew reached out his hand to stop her.

"Astrid I've known you your whole life-" Please stop reminding me that. "so I think I know when you're tense."

"I may have met a boy who complimented me." Astrid whispered it, hoping he wouldn't get offended.

Andrew threw his head back and let out a laugh. He could see on Astrid's face that she was mortified. Oh how the tables turn.

"Astrid on your first day of school you had already made a boyfriend and now you're mortified that a guy complimented you."

Astrid looked at him weirdly and then started laughing. So he's not mad?

"I'm not the person I used to be I guess."

"That I can see. At least I won't have to scare off any more boys."

"Your competition has been eliminated." Astrid had joked, but it didn't go well with Andrew. They soon fell into an awkward silence and Astrid casually started listening to music again.

Another two hours had passed and they were pulling into the gates of the school. A banner was strung above the gates welcoming back the students. They had left the house late, so not a lot of people around.

They had unloaded the car and Andrew helped Astrid bring her bags back to her room. On the way they she spotted Achilles and the girl she was always with. Achilles gave her a small smile and a wave which Astrid returned.

Things will be different.

Andrew left, giving her a hug and a kiss on the head.

The bell for dinner rang and Astrid made her way down to the dining hall.

While waiting on line, Astrid saw the weird stares from everyone. Well this is just like the pack.

One girl had the audacity to fake cough and spit out the word slut.

"Excuse me?" Astrid was confused as to why everyone was treating her so weirdly. Wait a minute-

"I called you a slut. You know, since you're sleeping with an older man and all."

Astrid's first instinct was to smack her, but as she raised her hand she remembered the last few times she used violence to settle her problems. Instead she used her tongue.

"At least he calls me. Unlike the boy that you lost your v-card to." Astrid knew that was a low blow. At the same time she needed to assert her place. She wasn't going to do this again with these people. This wasn't going to be like her pack.

Astrid hadn't noticed, but the girl had walked away with tears in her eyes.

Whoops?

"You won't have to worry about that. I'll fix it." Achilles walked up to her and put her hand on Astrid's shoulder.

"You mean the problem you caused."

"Astrid I don't want to be your enemy anymore."

Is she serious?

"If you weren't dating Pierce you would still be a raging cunt."

Achilles looked guilty which made Astrid sigh.

"I thought things would be different."