Chapter 12

ChapterTwelve

Ihad personally always hated the last day of a vacation. It just indicated that a really good time was about to come to an end and you must enjoy it while it lasts. Why couldn’t every day be a vacation? Okay, now I was starting to sound just like a ten-year-old instead of the proper functioning adult I was supposed to be.

A sigh puffed my cheeks out. The day was so melancholic even with Clare going on and on about her trip to Europe. I really wanted to listen, wanted to know everything, but at this current point in time, my mind was far away in that particular guest room in Millerville.

The warm breeze, the grilled cheese sandwich I ate this weekend with everybody on Aunt Audra’s dinner table. Clare was unaware of everything that had happened during the vacations which led to her not paying any heed to my usual sad expressions.

I missed him. A lot.

Like I’ve always said; goodbyes are hard but they’re harder when you’re lying.

The white shirt I was wearing still smelled a lot like him or maybe my sense of smell was just too strong nowadays. "He gave me a ring." she smiled and my attention finally returned to her.

"A ring?" I confirmed. "As in an engagement ring?"

"No silly." Clare laughed, the kind that ringed through your entire being with how bright it was.

"Then what?" I inquired, since I was feeling curious for the first time in a while.

"A promise ring. You know, he stays out of the city most of the time so it’s like a reminder to say that he’s here for and with me even when he’s physically not." She blushed and tried to hide her smile, but I smirked and nudged her shoulder even more.

"I see you got yourself a permanent seat booked into his heart." I laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. Clare happily hummed and leaned into my side.

"You should find yourself a boyfriend too. Trust me, it’s like the best thing in the world." I sighed at her dreamy words. Of course, I knew what it felt like. We all have our priorities don’t we?

The only regret I had was that even though, I understood Asher and his ways of thinking; I couldn’t help but feel like things were unfair to me at the moment. I had lost everybody I ever loved. Being away from Asher only settled the same feelings deeper into my soul.

"What did you do during the vacations?" Clare finally asked.

I sighed and relaxed further into my seat before speaking up.

"Nothing too major, I was busy catching up with all my friends and my aunt. She’s a very sweet lady, even dropped me off at college two days ago. You weren’t back from the trip at the time, otherwise we would’ve gone out for coffee together." I smiled brightly.

Aunt Audra was very supportive through everything after the big fight with the Vampire King. Fortunately, I knew I could always rely on Asher for backup. He had cut the idiot’s head right off but in my state of the unconscious, I couldn’t figure out what exactly had happened.

She even insisted on buying me clothes. We eventually ended up going shopping together with combined funds. Asher wanted to tag along, but we figured we needed some time away from his naturalistic Alpha brooding personality no matter how gentle he was.

Is.

A smile crossed my features and I found myself giddy with the feeling of love even at the slightest mention of Asher. I just couldn’t get him out of my head no matter how we had ended things. He was right at his place. I knew that.

We both knew that he could never leave the pack. What would the members think? What would he think of himself? The son of the Alpha leaving the pack alone when his father was just starting to grow old enough for him to take over? It would sound like he was running from responsibility.

"Can you leave me then?" I had asked stubbornly and when he lowered his gaze, I knew I had my answer with me. He was there when I packed my bags to come back. He was there when I cried. He was there when I complained about missing everybody.

He was there to catch me each time, risking everything, and yet I never understood him.

"You look like you didn’t want to come back. Am I right or am I right?", Clare winked, her freshly dyed purple streaks brushing against her shoulders made me wonder if I would look that good with my hair dyed.

"You’re right and wrong both." I laughed. "What if I tell you I actually got myself a boyfriend during my vacation in Millerville?" Raising my brows, I shot a challenging look to Clare who gasped and lunged onto me for details.

"Tell me everything about him. I’m so happy for you," she squealed.

"Okay, okay." I patted her hands to get her to move a little away from me. "His name is Asher Chester, a total gentleman and very handsome. Oh, God, I don’t even know where to begin Clare. He’s just so gentle and caring, but dominant and assertive at the same time!"

"Wow, he already sounds really cool," Clare said with another dreamy smile.

"I know right? And he’s six-foot-four-inches tall. I look like an Oompa Loompa in front of him and his Greek god body." I flushed, finally being able to talk about Asher in front of somebody who wasn’t himself.

"I’m really happy for you," she confirmed, squeezing my hand. We went on to talk about Asher a little more. I couldn’t stop talking and she looked like she wanted to keep listening, too.

"Hey look! The new kids have arrived." Clare clapped her hands. "Did I tell you? The professor said at least ten to twelve new students had enrolled into our classes during the Spring break. How exciting is that?!"

"Really?" I pouted. "That just means a lot more noisy classrooms and lecture halls."

"Oh, come on! Don’t be a bummer now," she groaned, shaking my shoulder side to side till I was laughing along. "Hey, look! Look that one kid looks really hot." Clare whistled softly.

"Please! You have a boyfriend who just gave you a ring and I have one, too," I exclaimed, not bothering to look up from where I was picking at the sides of my cuticles.

"No, but look! He’s actually very pretty too. Come on let’s go become his friend." She shakes my arm. I click my tongue and wave her off in dismissal. "Uh, Elaine?"

"What’s up?" I sighed, finally picking my head to look her in the eye. Clare kept cocking her head to the side to signify something, but I couldn’t catch it. "What is it? Are you okay?"

"The hot guy," she whispered hastily. "He’s coming our way! What do I do?"

"Who even—" My mouth hung open as I stared at the gorgeous man in front of us. He bent down with both palms pressed on top of my side of the desk and winked mischievously.

Oh.

Oh.

"What are you doing here?" I half-smiled, half-blushed.

"What are you doing here?", Asher retorted with a tilt of his head. He swooped in and stole a small kiss from my lips. "This is a college, right? Don’t people usually come here to study?"

My lips parted, but I quietly stared at him with a slack jaw. Slowly, tears started to fill up my eyes and my heart thumped loudly against my chest. "I’m sorry." I sniffled softly.

"Come on now." He playfully rolled his eyes. "You know I don’t like to see you cry."

His statement made me chuckle, so I nodded, and wiped my tears away. When I looked back up, everybody was looking at the two of us with surprise morphing their facial features.

Obviously, including our dear Clare.

"Is he— IS THIS HIM?!" She screamed all of a sudden.

All I could do was nod dumbly.

"Good to know you’ve been talking about me." Asher laughed, sitting on top of the desk that was in front of ours. I wanted to tell him that this was rule-breaking, but Asher would never cared about that. "Are you really going to keep staring and not talk at all?"

"No," I argued, scowling at him through my unshed tears.

"Come on then, take me out on a coffee date. It’s been quite some time since we’ve been out for one." His bright smile dazzled me and without paying any heed to even Clare, I stood upright.

Grabbing my bag, I tried to fight the blush on my cheeks. "Are we doing everything again for the first time or what?" I asked as he slipped his hand into mine with a nonchalant shrug.

"Maybe we are, maybe we’re not," he teased.

"I think we’re just doing things our own way," I clarified, squeezing his hand. He squeezed back. We shared a delicate moment of reuniting before snapping out of it and running towards the exit of the class under everybody’s watchful gaze.

I would just tell Clare everything later. Maybe not everything.

Asher’s car was waiting for us outside the campus and both of us hopped in as if we were in a hurry to be away from everybody and alone with each other. Which was true, but still.

"I missed you," he said once we were at least a few kilometres away from the university.

"I missed you, too. A lot. It’s just been a few days." I smiled, toying with the fingers of his hand, which laid possessively over my thigh. "Can we pull over for a second?"

He frowned at my request, but agreed nonetheless. "What’s up? Everything alright?"

"Of course, of course. Never been better," I assured, and snapped my seatbelt open. "I just want a little time alone with you. Away from everybody, in silence."

"Ah, I see." Asher smirked. "Hey listen, I’m sorry for not saying anything when you asked if I could leave you. I knew I couldn’t choose one out of you both."

"Don’t." I stopped him, placing a finger against his lips. "Don’t apologize. I was the one who did wrong. I should’ve understood you when I had my chance. I’m really sorry and really glad you’re here right now. We can deal with everything else later on."

"Yes." He sighed softly and tugged me closer to once again kiss me on the lips.

"I love you," I confessed, and saw how Asher’s breath visibly hitched.

"I love you more," he murmured back with a wide grin. "Also, hey! I have something for you."

"What?" I asked with a slight chuckle as he struggled to pull a box out of his jeans.

"This is," he began, and then I saw the pendant dangling from his fingers. "A promise of love."

"Cheesy," I commented but leaned towards him. "Put it on me."

The necklace hung around my collarbones. It was that of two wolves, one filled with white ceramic and the other was silver, both twisting to form a small heart.

It was perfect.

"Do you like it?" He snickered before delivering the joke he must’ve been holding in forever. "The best part is that this one won’t suppress your Lycanthropy."

"I love it, and I love you."

The End.