Althena Book 2

24. Do Not Say It

I spend Saturday afternoon staring at Mike's closet. I wanted to go to the dance, but now I don't think so. It'll be awkward alone. Everyone else has dates. I still don't know a lot of people. I guess I could get dressed up and go to the beach resort. Get another massage and watch the water. The boys won't think anything of it if I leave dressed up. Honestly, they probably don't remember the dance is tonight. I can stay home and watch TV.

I go to dinner in my sleep shorts and t-shirt.

It takes Mike 3 seconds to ask, "You're not going to the dance?"

I guess they did remember. "No. I don't want to."

Drogon looks at me over his papers. "You got a dress. I thought you wanted to go?"

"I changed my mind. I don't want to go."

"Woman, I will take you. It's not a big deal."

"I don't want to go, Conner."

"Fine."

Drogon shakes his head. "I'll take you. I'm taking you to prom. I can take you to all the dances. I don't mind them."

I slam my cup down. "I DON'T WANT TO GO." I guess I'll call that beach resort. They are not going to stop.

"I want to go." Everyone looks at Cyrus. "We don't have dances at schools. Nobody dates. Why would anyone want teenagers to go on a date and dance? What do they do there?"

Mike nods and keeps reading his paper. "Eldervale is different when it comes to dating."

Conner smirks. "They mostly make out."

"I'd like to go." He looks at me. "Can I take you?"

I burst out laughing.

Conner jumps up. "NO. WHAT THE f**k, ASSHOLE?"

Dacious nods. "You could have waited until someone said something else. That was bad timing."

"THE ASSHOLE JUST WANTS TO MAKE OUT WITH HER."

"That's not why I want to go." He looks at me and smirks.

"Do not say it." Dacious doesn't even look up from his phone.

"Fine. I've never been to a school dance. I'm interested in seeing what happens. Do they have activities and things? I want to go with you for that reason. We could look around and leave if you want." He shrugs his shoulders.

I grab a cracker. "I'll take you. I've never been to a school dance either. We can figure it out together. I'm wearing red. So, wear black. I don't want to clash with you. Black and red look good together. I'm going to do my hair now."

"Thank you." He has tears in his eyes and seems shocked.

Mike helps me up and kisses my head. "Do you want some help with your hair?"

"Maybe a little."

"Let's go."

I stare at myself in the mirror. This is going to take a miracle. I wash my face and hands, then empty the makeup drawer onto the counter.

Mike sprays my hair. "It means a lot to him that you are taking him."

"Why? It's just a dance."

"You didn't like him when you came back from Eldervale. When he first got here, you spent weeks pretending he didn't exist. Slowly, you started to acknowledge him. Then his presence didn't bother you anymore. But now you're willing to spend time with him. It's not a simple dance for him. It's a chance to spend some time with you. He hasn't done that in a long time."

I think about running around in the woods as wolves with him. That was fun. Then sitting in the living room just talking. Or having dinner together. Everything was so simple in Eldervale. "Do you think he's my mate?"

"It doesn't matter what I think. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. All that matters is how you feel. Don't worry about other people's opinions. They'll only get you confused. Go to this dance and have fun. Introduce him to a few people, walk around, make him dance with you. It'll do you good."

"Do I have to make out with him?"

"No." Mike rubs his stomach. "Don't do that. Don't listen to Conner."

I giggle then laugh at him. "You know. Amber and Josh broke up suddenly, my stomach felt like it flipped. I wasn't ready for that break-up. It was very sudden. Now I know how you feel when you do that."

"Yea it's not pleasant."

"Sorry."

He smiles and kisses my cheek. "Go get your dress."

I stand up and take my shirt off carefully. Then I let my shorts fall.

"Woman, you won't get out of this room."

I giggle and run into his closet.

My strapless red dress is short and tight. But it has a see-through layer that goes to my shoes. With a slit all the way up to the main part. I put on my heels and stand, so my leg sticks out the slit.

Mike looks me up and down. "You make me want to get between those thighs, woman."

"Good. I miss you between them."

"I'll be between them very, very soon." He puts a necklace around my throat and kisses my neck while he clasps it.

I put my earrings on and straighten the dress. "I feel pretty."

"You are pretty, babygirl. Let's get you downstairs."

The entryway is slightly confusing. Drogon, Dacious, and the 2 helpers are telling Cyrus what to do. I'm not sure why he needs instructions.

Mike rolls his eyes. I don't think he knows why Cyrus needs directions either.

Cyrus sees me and smiles. I like that smile. He looks good. He has a black suit on. His button-down shirt is black. Then he has a red tie and pocket thing. They match my dress.

Drogon kisses my head. "You are stunning. Have fun."

Cyrus and I get outside. "What was that about?"

"I apparently can't dress myself and Dacious felt the need to tell me not to be stupid 400 times."

"What would be stupid?" We climb into the helicopter.

"I have no idea. But you look so beautiful tonight."

"Thank you. You look good too. We even match."

"Yea, the omega's attacked me. They told me to wear all black. Then they had the red tie. They got it to match your dress but didn't know who was taking you. Or if anyone was, so they never said anything."

"That was nice of them. I didn't realize they do stuff like that."

"Normally they don't. I think yours actually care about you."

"That's a nice thought. They do a lot for me. I should do more for them."

"You do a lot more than you realize. Rose and Arrow miss you."

I suddenly realize he hasn't been home in a long time. "They probably miss you too. Don't you miss home?"

"No. I would eat dinner with my family once a week. Watch a game with my brothers every couple of weeks. And do nothing else other than work. I was lonely a lot. I didn't realize how lonely I was until you showed up. Then I came here. I have no time to be lonely."

"You have no alone time." I laugh. "I guess you miss alone time?"

"Surprisingly, no. I work in my own office. But one of them is always banging on the door. If I really needed some time to myself, I could go to a resort or just shut myself in my room. I don't even do that."

The helicopter lands and he helps me out. "We made it." I fix my dress.

"What do we do now?"

"No idea."

"Where do we go?"

"Still no idea."

He smiles and puts his arm around me. "We'll roam around until we figure it out."

We walk on a red carpet. Nobody else is near it. But this seems right. We go around a corner and I see flashes go off ahead of us. "The press is here?"

He smirks. "No idea." He pulls me closer to him. "You cold?"

"No. Nervous. I don't know what to do or what to expect."

"They have 2 entries. 1 from the parking lot. The other from the helicopter landing area. I'm assuming they're going to stop both entrances when we get up there."

"Why?"

"They're going to want pictures of us. I don't think they're the press though. Do you have a school newspaper?"

"Yes."

"I think it's pictures for that. There are no press vehicles here."

"That's not so bad. I wonder if they'll take a picture with my phone, so I can put it on evo?"

"We'll get Lila to take one inside. I'm sure there will be some decorated spots for that."

"I hope so. If not, we're going to the beach to take some. I didn't get this dressed up to not take a picture."

He chuckles. "We do look good."

Security closes the parking lot entrance when we get closer.