My face is still heated. No matter how many times I tap my cheeks with cold water repeatedly, I won't cool off. I won't calm down.
I like him. No, I don't like him but I like him. No. What if I like the idea of him, not him as in actually him? Like what if I like him physically like he likes me? We both don't know each other that much, not personally and emotionally, but physically, it's safe to say I'm partially well acquainted with him.
That's exactly why my cheeks — my entire body, matter of fact — won't calm down. What the hell!
I dry my hands, shifting back to the restroom mirror and discreetly smiling, not too much for the other two girls in here to think I'm being weird or something. They're busy gossiping about a lecturer that the one has a crush on, but I could care less to eavesdrop on their conversation. I care a lot about the fact that he left a mark; if I look close enough, I can see the dark brownish-red mark below my jaw and under my ear.
I hate how I like how he makes me feel and he doesn't even know me properly for all of this to at least feel right. People around act with their physical attraction and they vibe with that. I need more from him, yet already I'm caught up with the feeling of liking him already. I thought I'd sink into this cold, unfamiliar pool and test the shallow end before moving to the deep end, yet here I am... ready to dive in with my head first right into the deepest corner of the deep end.
I can appreciate the fact that he did ask me out; he first suggested a water park but I immediately declined because no ways will he see me half naked as yet. He then suggested we have a picnic at his house — they wouldn't be training this Friday, and thought having a picnic in the words would be aesthetically pleasing for me. I found it odd; aesthetics and scenery (and low-key food) is my secret obsession, along with other things, yet even the way he phrased and proposed it to me seemed as though... I don't know, somebody gave him the specific information indirectly from me. It checked all the boxes. I was impressed, and I still am, so I am excited for it.
I groan, tapping my forehead before shaking it, and then adjusting the strap of my bag, making sure I look somewhat good before exiting the restroom.
Give or take not even a moment to inhale oxygen, I am basically ambushed by the... she wolf, that is Natasha. There she stands glaring at me at the corner of the hall, leaning against it with arms crossed over her fairly attractive chest and her height being amplified thanks to her heels. Her hair is high in a pretty ponytail and her ears now display the piercings she has.
Before I could utter a word, she narrows her eyes and scoffs. "So, you went against my wishes?"
"Wishes? They came off as threats, if I'm being honest." I come to a stop not too close to her.
"You humans are utterly insane. You just don't listen."
"Look, maybe if you came at me respectfully and we addressed it like female adults, it would have been a different story. Or maybe not. Did you speak to him like I told you to? Or are you just coming to harass me again?"
"Harass you again?" She leans off the wall now and takes a taunting step closer. I'm sure she feels like it's intimidating, I could care less actually. "You don't know harass. I can literally smell him all over you. All over you."
I grin at that. "And if you look close enough, you might see a hickey on my neck because of him." Her lips part in shock, and her eyes greedily drop to my neck. "So, again, speak to him about your issues. Not me. If you don't mind, I have to get to class—"
"What is it? Huh? You into younger men?"
"Kinda seems like they are into me." I sigh softly, deciding to go around her, yet she steps to her left to block me. "Come on now, girl."
"Isn't that a bad look for you? Everyone on this campus will look at you like you're desperate. You can't get somebody your own age so you go for somebody younger. That's sick and pathetic."
I fold my arms this time, lifting my eyes at hers and an eyebrow raises up in question. "Interesting. But really, wouldn't that mean your goddess is crazy? She's the one who made me his mate, afterall, and she knows he is younger than me. Doesn't that make her the..." I pout, faking a look of curiosity. "The sick... pathetic one?"
The girl's eyes almost blaze up with fury and anger. She takes a closer step towards me. "Don't ever, disrespect my goddess like that—"
"If you don't want me to, you'll watch your words, Natasha. Two can play the game of stubbornness and dirty talk. I've been called rude and heartless, I've been told I lack emotion and a narcissist. Unless you want a taste of what I'm like when irritated by people like yourself, you would cherry pick your words, and sugar coat them finely. Now, if you'll excuse me—"
Just as I go round her, the girl finds all sorts of audacity and temerity in her nature to grab my arm and basically throw me against the wall. My hands immediately raise up in surrender despite my grin growing daily quickly. Not going to lie, the push against the wall hurts a bit.
"Hey now, hey now." Her unoccupied hand lifts up in a fist, moments away from letting it come down onto my face. I flinch.
"Natasha," we both glance at the voice that calls her name. There stands a boy, leaning against the wall not far from us, and he has a silly, amused smirk on his face. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
I recognise him. He's one of the two boys I've seen Micah with. Blond hair in thick curls, and as I examine him now, technically moments from receiving a good hook, I see that he has light brown eyes. He's quite a tall person himself, and one might assume he does sports because of his build.
Or that he's a wolf, considering suddenly everyone is a wolf.
"But you're not me." She spits right back, fist lowering slightly and she takes just the slightest step back.
"Trust me? The feeling is mutual about that." He now leans off the wall, dropping his hands to stuff them in his black sweatpants that seem a bit too tight in my unnecessary opinion. "But you've got to think smart. Don't put your hands on her or it will cost you."
Natasha, as pretty as she is, scoffs and rolls her eyes at the both of us. "She's just a stupid little human who doesn't know when to back off."
As if I didn't try backing off in the beginning of this craziness I'm in!
"I can see she's a human, so you have a point. But what do you think he'll say when you reason so stupidly. So you think he's going to giggle and say 'yeah, Tasha, you're right baby; go ahead, smash her face'? Come to one of your senses, if not all of them."
"Like he would care—"
The boy takes steps closer, slowly, casually as if he doesn't have anything better to do. He eyes me a bit before looking at Natasha, cutting her off by saying; "Oh, trust me. There's nothing he cares about more than the girl you're about to harm. I wouldn't get on his bad side. We've seen it and, I think it's fair to say we both don't want to get on that end of his emotions, do we?"
That perks my interest, because this is news to me and I'd love to see this apparently well known side of who I'm presuming is Micah. I eagerly grin at Natasha. "On second thought, hit me so you do end up on that side of his emotions. I wanna see—"
"Hey! Do you want to get beat up?" I glance at him in time to see the amused smirk on his own lips.
"I've been abused and bullied in high school, I think I can handle a few taps."
"A few taps?" Natasha instantly takes a step closer and lifts her fist once again, ready to bring thunder down to my face.
"Natasha! Hey, listen to me. Back up, and I promise I'll tell him you were on good behavior." The both of us glance to see him wiggles his pinkie with a grin. "You know he has his eyes on you. Be a good girl, won't you? For him?"
The babe hesitates and then releases me after moments of contemplation. Meanwhile, I stare at her with an eyebrow up. I mean, her attachment to him is so great that the thought of being a good girl on good behaviour is enough to stop her from harming me? Seriously?
She lifts her eyes at me, narrows and piecing right into my soul. "Stay away from him." She mutters, and after sparing the boy a glare as well, she turns away from us and disappears behind a corner.
Dramatically — but also thankfully because I genuinely did not want to be a victim to a bully today of all days — I huff loudly, adjusting my top before dusting myself off nicely, then adjust my bag straps as well, before glancing at the boy.
He stands closer now. Not too close to burst my personal bubble, but close enough. His eyes are definitely brown, and they are nicely framed by dark lashes which makes me wonder if he perhaps dyed his hair or if it's natural. He grins, baby lips pulled back to show off his perfect teeth. He has a silver stud on his left ear lobe.
"You love trouble, don't you?"
"Trouble is attracted to me, what can I say?" I sarcastic say this, despite a small smile growing on my face.
He laughs a bit, then sticks his hand out. "I'm Matthew. You can call me Matt. Matt, short for Matthew. Not mat as in the mat for the ground, or a door mat. I'll know when you're saying it wrong."
Amused by his words, I shake his outstretched hand twice. "Well, I'm Gertrude. Gert is what you can call me. Rhymes with dirt but don't call me dirt."
"I'm glad to officially be in your presence, Gert. I have to ask him for permission to call you Gert, though. You know, tradition and everything."
"Tradition? What else would you call me if not my name?" I fold my arms over my chest loosely.
"Luna." He confidently states. "That's the respectful title for you."
I'm a bit confused. My eyes shift away from him in slight thought, and then I tilt my head. "Isn't Luna your goddess? Why would I be called Luna?"
I watch Matthew physically freeze for a hot moment, eyes wandering about as though trying to think of a good thing to say. He shrugs, scoffing to play it cool and then runs his hand through his hair, a habit too similar to his friend's.
"Oh you know, traditions and stuff... you wouldn't understand it, anyway. Don't mention it to him, to Micah. I'll call you Gert."
I turn slightly, hoping he gets the idea that I actually need to go to class, so soon after I take steps away from him, he follows suit. "I shouldn't mention that you... that you felt it would be respecting traditions if you called me Luna?"
"Look, I'm sure you know Micah well by now. He's crazy, impuslive, can be ruthless and emotionless at times. Can even lack sympathy, that boy. Does as he pleases the way he pleases. Tends to speak with authority— which! If I may respectfully add, isn't his to use and own until he does things the right way officially, so basically he is abusing power. Cares about no one and at the same time cares about everyone. Does things in ways that aren't of our tradition and culture. Irrational at times. Immature, but somehow he also tends to make a lot of sense—"
"Wait." I raise my hand, shaking my head in confusion because this is news to me. I can get the immature part, and maybe one or two things I feel I can kind of agree to, but the rest is all news to me. "Are we talking about the same Micah? I don't know this Micah you're referring to."
Matthew grins, flicking his head so his hair moves away from his eyes. "Gert. Oh, Gertrude. Of course you don't. You're his desired mate, so of course he is going to put up this font just to win you over. However, considering I am his best friend, and fingers crosses," he literally wiggles his crossed index and middle finger; "soon to be his Second in Command if he actually does things the traditional way... coming from that perspective of knowing him, I can confidently say that the Micah you know and the Micah, soon to be Alpha, are two different Micahs."
"Oh. So he's a fake?" I don't know why I feel a bit uneasy about that.
"No, no. Not a fake. Just very cautious around you for your sake, as he should be. I mean, it makes sense that he acts the way he normally would in front of you, but you're a human who is still on the edge of my kind. He is protecting you, if anything. I'm sure once you get used to him completely, you'll see how different he is... or at least how different his role is with his pack compared to the role he has being your mate."
We turn a corner, and we're only a few seconds of walking away from my designated lecture hall. I see a few people still linger outside, so I know the lecturer isn't there as yet.
"Okay, so, I mean... okay, this is kind of confusing, considering yeah, you know him and you know how he really behaves. Should I be concerned or something?"
"I wouldn't say so. He knows what he is doing, at least I can presume so. You're in good hands."
That's what Andrea said, except she didn't add to the fact that he has a whole... other side to him contrasting the one I know right now.
I nod slowly, sighing as I lick my lips and my hand lifts up to press out the lingers of the frown I once held. The one word Matthew said sticks to mind. "Okay and, so, you mentioned Alpha. Him being an Alpha, or soon to be. I had a conversation about something about Alphas, and how everyone else in the pack are valued the same but the Alpha is higher. He said the mate of an Alpha would be..." I now stop slowly, lifting my eyes to the light brown eyes of this boy. He raises an eyebrow. "The mate would be referred to as a Luna... is that why—"
"Woah, hey!" Matthew suddenly laughs, raising his hands up as though surrendering. "I should not be answering such questions. If the man never said anything, I have no place addressing anything with you about this."
"But you're the one who brought it up. You revealed that to me."
"And we agreed you wouldn't tell him that I did, didn't we?" He squints his eyes with a pout. "He'll have my head on a silver platter... both of them."
I cringe ad scoff at him, shaking my head. Besides, Micah is too sweet to cause him harm, I'm sure of it "Just back up a moment Micah is—"
"Again. Address it with him. Now... I suddenly remember that I have very important things to do... that may include me disappearing for a few weeks because I am not convinced you can keep this secret to yourself."
"I won't tell him, I won't." I step closer to this Matthew guy. "Unless you answer my one question."
The blondie narrows his eyes further and tilts his head. "Okay... what's the question?"
"Are you telling the truth? Is Micah an Alpha?"