Althena Book 2

102. Break

The next few weeks are relatively calm. The boys start work on the island. I manage to go to school without missing any days. Akmae gets ungrounded. Lila and I go to the zoo overnight with the girls' club. Other than that, we study constantly. There are school tests at the end of the year that everyone has to pass.

"I can't believe prom is already tomorrow." Lila opens her math book. "It seems like the year flew by."

"It did."

"Are you trying out for football cheering?"

"I want to see if I pass first."

"What did Crew say?"

"She's been studying math with me constantly. Doesn't seem promising."

"When are they leaving?"

"Cyrus, Mike, and Dacious are going Monday."

"For how long?"

"A couple of weeks. They need to do some work in Crystal Falls and want to get it done before summer break."

"It won't be too bad. We'll be studying anyway."

"I think that's why they decided to do it now."

"Clayton seemed pissed."

"Yea, he wanted to go too, but they didn't want to wait. I'm going to be trying to figure out things to do over the summer the way it is."

She smirks. "You could do the morning training with Monte."

I know I turn pink. "I don't know if that's such a smart idea. But yea, I probably will sometimes."

"You'll have to take me. I love it there."

"Same."

"I need to go home."

"When are you coming tomorrow?"

"I'll be here around 2. That'll give us time to get ready."

"Fair enough."

I grab a couple of her books and carry them out for her. We get outside and Dacious is standing there kissing Saray. When he sees us, he freezes and looks like a deer in headlights.

Saray jumps. "I came by to see when we're meeting here tomorrow."

I roll my eyes. "Save it. And you both owe me one."

"Yea, we'll go with that. We didn't see anything." Lila tosses her bag in her car and grabs the books from me. "See you tomorrow."

I glare at Dacious and Saray as I walk back in. "I was never even outside."

She smiles. "See you tomorrow at 2."

I slam the door and slam myself down at the dining room table again. This studying never ends.

An hour later, Drogon puts me on his lap. "You need to take a break, babygirl."

My whole body relaxes against his.

Cyrus comes in and moves my books around. "It's time for dinner. Why are you so focused?"

"If I don't pass these tests, I won't pass my grade."

Conner and Mike come in and sit with us.

"You'll have to take more tutoring next year is all that means, baby." Drogon hugs me.

"No. It means I would get held back. Then I would be 19 during my senior year. I would be almost 20 when I graduate. That's too old. I'm not doing that."

"You can't think about it like that."

"Yes. I can. Don't get me wrong, I'm forever grateful I got to go back. It's everything I've wanted since I was 13. I know you worked your butts off to make it possible. But if I don't pass these tests, I have to believe it wasn't meant to be. Maybe I was out for too long. Maybe I'm just dumb. No matter what, I'm happy I got to go back. See what high school is like. Take some classes. Meet some new friends. Eat lunch with everyone. Cheer and be in the choir. It was amazing. But I can't keep redoing it, over and over. That's humiliating."

"It's not, babygirl."

"It is. It was humiliating when I couldn't eat with people. It was humiliating when I was the only person my age who didn't go to school. It's humiliating that I can't take real classes. I have to be with a tutor for 3 hours a day. It would be humiliating to graduate at nearly 20. I'm not doing it. At some point, I have to accept that school was never meant for me. I'm too dumb." I snuggle against him. "But I'm so glad I got to see it again. I got to try."

"You're not dumb, baby." Mike kisses my head. "You've never been dumb. You've been neglected and abused. But never dumb."

"You're not supposed to have to put your mate through high school. You're not supposed to do half the s**t you did, Mike."

"What was I supposed to do?"

"Have your mate. Be happy. Make babies. Enjoy life together as adults."

He twirls my hair. "I have my mate. I am happy. I do enjoy life with you. We'll make babies someday. You being young doesn't change any of that. We just get to build our life together a little early. I get extra time with you. And I'm not going to agree with you not going back to school." I shrug my shoulders. "Put that thought out of your head for now. It's going to add too much stress to you. We have other options. You can take classes during the summer or at college for credits if you need them. We'll get through this like we get through everything. These tests are not life-altering."

Dacious sits with us. He smells more like Saray than Saray does. Cyrus side eyes him. "Leave that girl alone."

"Oh shut it. I made sure she got home ok."

Drogon smirks. "You like her?"

"I do. I can't leave her alone. I have to talk to her constantly and I hate it when she's home. I need to move her out of there. That place is f*****g horrible."

Conner chuckles. "There is a test we can do."

Dacious slams his head down. "I don't know what the f**k to do. I need to get her out of there."

"I have an issue with them." I put my hand up.

"What, babygirl?"

"She's so poor."

Dacious glares at me. "Why is that an issue?"

"Because you're a prince in shining armor. You showed up out of nowhere. You're fixing her issues. Giving her presents that she's never dreamed of before. You're a real life prince. Money is no issue. That girl doesn't stand a chance to do anything but fall in love with you. That's all." They're staring at me. "I have issue with that. It doesn't seem right."

Drogon pats my butt. "You're worried she'll fall in love with the money and not him. That is a possibility. Testing would be a good idea. You should take some time apart first though. Sort your feelings out and get your head on straight."

"I'll be in Crystal Falls for a couple of weeks. We can be apart then, but I hate leaving her in that apartment building."

Conner sits back. "That is a dilemma. You can move them out of the apartments, but it's going to cost quite a bit of money to contract another place for a year. Then you're going to have to pay for her school too. Because she won't be in the district. You're not going to want to put that kind of money into anyone but a mate."

I lean against Drogon. "Can't she stay here for two weeks? We won't have to move her out of her house. It'll calm Dacious down about leaving her in a bad spot. They can each get some space that way. Then test if they want to when he gets back."

He shakes his head. "She won't leave her mom and brother for that long."

"They're not all moving in, woman." Conner shakes his head. "And I can keep an eye on everything, but I'm not going to stay there. Do you want to test before you go to Crystal Falls? If she comes back purple, you can take over her whole life. It won't matter if you move them then."

Cyrus smirks. "If he gets purple, he's not going to Crystal Falls."

"Actually, although it sucks. It wouldn't matter. We have all these stupid tests. The tests don't care if you find your soulmate. You don't get a break for that. Does she feel the same way about you?"

"I don't know." He lays his head down.

"They wouldn't get purple, even if they took the test. They're not there yet. Put some guards on her. Drogon and Conner will check in with them regularly. That is probably going to be the best option." Mike signals for dinner.

"I don't know about putting guards on her. What the hell would she even think?"

Cyrus cracks up laughing. "I put guards on Thena when she was in Eldervale the first time. I asked myself the same question. In the end, I figured out that I really didn't give a s**t what she thought about it. I wanted to make sure she was safe and that's what I was going to do. I felt a lot better."

I smile and wiggle. "I was confused. But guards always make me feel safer. It didn't change anything."

He rubs his face. "I'll think about it. I don't know. Maybe I just need to leave her alone."

Conner fixes his plate. "Guards or move her whole family somewhere safer. You're going to be miserable if you don't do anything. I bet you don't even last 2 days in Crystal Falls. Your ass will be right back here to check on her."

"Fine. Guards."

The boys seem to agree and Drogon makes the phone call.