"Hey juniors."
I grinned at the sight of Roman, leaning against a wall. His eyes shone with excitement that his face refused to expose.
But I knew him too well to know how giddy he must have been feeling right now.
"Oh will you look at that." Kat spoke dryly. "If it isn't one of the AAP candidates. How do you feel, hot shot?" She teased.
"Careful, Katherine, your envy is showing." Roman easily shot back.
"Lucky for me, I look amazing in green." She spoke with a smile.
Roman rolled his eyes.
He then looked at me and smiled. I smiled back.
"What d'ya think, baby doll?"
"I think you should not call me baby doll." I giggled. "But are you kidding me? I'm freaking proud, Ro!"
"Then show me."
Before I could run into his arms to give him a congratulatory hug, Chris beat me to it and wrapped his arms around my boyfriend.
"You are quite literally my hero, man! The freaking AAP? Point one for the outcasts." He yelled.
Roman tensed up and looked at Chris awkwardly. "Thanks man but I was kind of hoping to get a hug from my girlfriend."
Chris pulled away and shrugged. "You get hugs from her all the time. How is that special?"
I playfully shoved Chris before walking right into Roman's already outstretched arms.
"I'll have you know that my hugs are magical." I spoke as I rested my head on Roman's chest.
"She's not lying." He spoke with a chuckle.
"Gag." Kat announced. "Come on, Chris, let's go before I quite literally barf." She spoke as she pulled him away.
"Get my cousin home safely Roman! No stops in the woods for mischief." She yelled over her shoulder doing the 'I'm watching you' gesture.
I blushed. "Ignore her." I quickly told Roman."
He intertwined our fingers and smiled down at me. "I do plan on doing something with you in the woods. Nothing to do with Kat's perverted thinking though. I think you'll like it."
I smiled like a fool whenever I was with Roman, fascinated by this all, good looking upperclassman with the most rare eyes I had ever seen. And somehow his interest was focused on me.
"Hey, Roman, congratulations, man." A guy who was passing by called out.
Roman gave him a nod of acknowledgement.
"Roman." A girl called out from behind us.
We turned around. A pretty Asian senior girl stood with her hands behind her back and a bright smile on her face. I recognised her as Ashley, the captain of the cheerleading squad.
Also one of the candidates that had been announced in assembly today.
There was group of giggling girls behind her. Probably also on the cheerleading squad.
I looked up at Roman, his eyes were narrowed. "Yeah?"
"We were all about to go get something to eat to celebrate with the other candidates. Wanna come with?" She twirled her hair in between her forefinger and her thumb.
He threw his arm around me.
"Thanks but I have my own plans. With my girlfriend."
Ashley looked so shocked at the sight of me that it was almost comical. Maybe she had thought that I was his sister.
But clearly she didn't think Roman would be with someone like me. She must not even have considered me a threat.
"Oh." She spoke. She composed herself. "Well it won't be the same without you. Catch you later." She flipped her dark hair before turning to leave with her posse.
"Looks like someone is into you." I spoke sounding more humoured than jealous because I was. Roman and I had been together for almost a year now. How did she not know that?
"Doesn't matter to me." Roman shrugged. "I've got my girl already."
"You know you don't have to let me hold you back, Ro. You're allowed to have fun."
He stopped and took his hand off my shoulder.
He turned to face me.
You could always tell when Roman was mad. He tried too hard to show that he wasn't.
"I have fun with you, Crystal."
"That's not what I meant." I sighed. "This is your last year here, I'm just saying, I wouldn't be mad if you started hanging out with other people."
"You mean if I got some popular fake friends?" He asked bluntly.
"They don't have to be fake." I muttered.
He moved closer to me and placed his finger underneath my chin, making me look up at him.
"But they would be." He spoke slowly emphasising 'would'.
"Why is it so hard for you to accept that you're all I want?" He asked.
"I just think you should want more than your girlfriend." I spoke with a nervous laugh to try and lighten the mood.
Roman wasn't amused. "I love you Crystal. And I don't want to be friends with anyone who doesn't accept the ones I love. Whether it be you or Chris."
All day people had been actually talking to Roman.
Roman had a few friends around school none too close but friends none the less. But everyone in school knew him. Not only because he was a halfling but because he was... him.
Roman wasn't like Chris and I. He was a halfling who could easily pass for a full werewolf.
He was good at literally everything and let's face it, he was hot. Any girl would love to be with him.
Problem is, for some reason, Roman was so hell bent on being considered a halfling, he never considered for a moment that he could actually be considered a normal - maybe even popular guy around here.
"You just said the 'l' word." I spoke quietly.
Roman looked taken aback.
For a minute I thought he would take it back.
I thought he would realise that those words had been a mistake, that I had been a mistake. Because even though I was infatuated with Roman Desirèe, he couldn't possibly feel the same way.
A smile suddenly grew on his lips.
"I guess the truth is out now."
I stared at him, stunned.
"Are you going to leave me hanging?" He chuckled uneasily.
I pulled his face close to mine.
"I love you too." I whispered before pressing my lips to his.
"Hey delinquents! No liplocking on school grounds." I heard a sharp voice yell.
I pulled away from Roman quickly and felt my cheeks heat up.
"Sorry Ms Marin!" Roman yelled at the old lady who was on the second floor narrowing her hawk like eyes at us.
"Let's get out of here before we get detention." Roman whispered in my ear.
The minute we were outside the premises of the school, he placed a kiss on my cheek.
I giggled and pushed him playfully. "Delinquent." I told him teasingly.
He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him, my back hit his chest and I giggled as he held me in place and placed yet another kiss on my cheek.
"About that thing in the woods? I wanted to ask you something. I want you to accompany me to the AAP ball. That's if you don't mind going with a delinquent."
Another kiss.
"Well I'd have to get a dress -" another kiss. "But yes, I would love to."
"Ephesians chapter six, verse eleven. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Terry scrawled down the verse on the white board as he spoke it.
He turned to face us and placed the marker down on his desk.
"What do you guys think war is? In your own words?"
"It's what happens when a couple of men with huge egos disagree." Bea announced, she turned to give Joshua - who was sitting next to me - a sharp look.
"Seriously?" Joshua whispered to himself he gripped a pencil so tightly, his knuckles begun to turn white.
I guess they were still arguing.
I had spent the whole day with Joshua.
Since he wasn't allowed to take part in any physical activity, he even attended my physical class. Which I had with mostly freshmen.
He was so utterly unimpressed and maybe even disgusted that I thought he would just leave and risk getting shocked.
"Hey, chicks can start wars too!" Andre spoke.
"The fact that you just used the word 'chicks' right now stresses the whole stupid males point." Courtney scoffed.
"He's right, actually." Allison spoke up in a small voice. "Queens were more likely to wage war, especially between 1480 and 1912."
"That's actually true. Take Queen Isabella for instance and her strategies to unify Spain by taking Granada." Joshua added.
Bea turned to glare at him. "Queen Isabella had gone through 36hours of labour to deliver twins only for one to not make it. What are you trying to say? She was too emotional?"
"None of those words came out of my mouth." He spoke gruffly.
"Doesn't matter." Bea shot back.
The class was silent.
I saw Andre lean closer to Alison. "Are we still talking about war?"
"Um... thank you Bea, and everyone." Terry spoke awkwardly.
"Now what does putting on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes, mean? That's your research question of the night."
Andre groaned. "Do we have to write a paper, Mr G? Both headmaster Forbes and May have already given us work to take home."
"Well I guess since I'm the fun professor -" he paused with a huge smile on his face waiting for our reactions.
We all stared at him blankly.
His smile dropped. "Do you kids want me to give less work or not?"
Andre was first. "Oh you're the coolest Mr G!"
"Totally!"
"Most definitely."
"Without a doubt!"
We all spoke.
Terry rolled his eyes.
"Kiss ups. But, whatever, I'll allow it. You'll do this as a presentation with your partners."
"Hell yeah!" Andre yelled.
Terry gave him a look.
He cleared his throat. "Sorry, Mr G, carry on."
Of course he was excited, he was partnered with smarty pants Allison who he actually got along with. Where as my partner and I just recently learnt to be in each other's presence.
I turned and gave Joshua a hopeful smile but I was instead met with Bea's clear blue eyes glaring at me.
Joshua noticed my smile drop and turned to look at Bea.
He sighed and clenched his jaw before turning back to the front.
He muttered something incoherent
"Here's one thing to consider about war. They're always two different sides. Both believe that they're right. But how does anyone know for sure?" He paused and looked at us as if that should have meant something.
And I had a feeling it should have.
"Okay, that's all for today, guys. Have a good night." He nodded at me. "Lady Luna."
I stood up awkwardly.
Apparently the Luna was supposed to rise first in a room or whatever customary rules there were.
Everyone started to rise as well.
"Need some help getting to the parking lot, man?" Andre asked Joshua, as he watched him use his crutch to pull himself up.
"I'm good." Joshua replied gruffly, waving him away.
He definitely did not look good, you could see the pain on his face that he was trying to hide.
"Okay, man." Andre spoke not seeming convinced. "See ya lady Luna. Come on A, I'll walk you home. We can talk about our presentation."
He nodded at Allison who was gathering her books. He took them from her quickly.
She smiled at me. "Goodnight." She waved before walking out with Andre.
I looked at Joshua carefully.
Peter would deactivate our bracelets exactly at 8pm and we still had seven minutes.
Joshua limped ahead and I followed walking beside him.
"Can you drive?" I asked already knowing the answer.
"May's taking us home." He spoke. He obviously didn't like talking about his pain. Or maybe he just didn't like talking about it with me which was understandable.
"Wait, us?" I asked in shock.
"You're having dinner with us tonight. Didn't Tristan tell you?"
'No he did not!"
You would think the Luna deserved more information.
"Anita already counted you in so I don't think you can back out of this." He shrugged. "She gets offended easily."
I sighed. "Okay, I'll tell Aunt Sarah."
Aunt Sarah because Uncle Victor definitely wouldn't take this well.
I took out my phone and thought of what to text.
Aunt Sarah was also a lady who didn't take kindly to anyone missing her meals.
"Can I ask you something?" Joshua spoke.
I looked up at the star filled sky. Last time we had a one on one conversation, it didn't end well. I tried to hide my nerves.
"Only if I get to ask you something."
He didn't respond, he just stared at me.
"I think I deserve it." I added.
He had been a huge jerk to me afterall.
He relented. "Fine. Why did you reject my brother?"
I looked away from Joshua. I had a feeling I would be getting that question a lot.
"Um, honestly, I don't know." I told him.
My reasons seemed juvenile now.
Unreasonable. And I didn't want to repeat them at the risk of seeming that way.
Why did I reject Tristan? Easy, I was scared.
But Joshua Melrose probably wouldn't get that.
"That's how I know you couldn't have been a spy afterall." He spoke in a small voice.
"Rejected or not, the mating bond wouldn't have allowed you to betray Tristan without hurting you."
True. If I had intentionally hurt Tristan, I would have felt it too. The mating bond carried an obligation to your mate.
"I'm sorry for all the crappy things I said to you back there."
I hadn't received an official apology yet and I didn't think I would.
"It's fine." I told him even though my chest still stung from the words "I actually wanted to ask you about some of the things you said."
He rose his brows at me. "Really?"
I nodded. "How - how did you know that stuff about me. Or rather my family situation?" I played with my hands nervously.
"Oh." He spoke. "You can't tell T, though."
"My lips are sealed." I assured him.
"They're files on all foreign born wolves in the pack like your uncle. And well - during the whole Roman investigation, T had a bunch of them in his study all the time so when he wasn't looking, I took a peek or two or eleven." He scratched the back of his head.
"Why?" I asked, suddenly feeling angry again. Joshua Melrose probably now knew things about me that I would rather have kept hidden.
"I - I thought you were working with Roman." He spoke defensively. "Look, I'm sorry."
"No you're not." I snapped. I looked away from him.
Tears were brimming at my eyes. "You shouldn't have invaded my privacy like that." I muttered. "You didn't have the right."
I could only imagine what he must have read. How he must have looked at me now.
His words came back harsher than ever.
...And weren't you brought here for the same reason? Because apparently your family didn't want you?
"Crystal - "
"Just don't."
At that moment I saw the headlights of an SUV.