Chương 188: NOT ON MY WATCH

The rest of the school day continued but with a heavier atmosphere. I saw Henry again after lunch. He looked more irritable than usual, so I decided to leave him alone for a while. Marcus, who continued sitting next to him, suffered most of it. Mrs. Henderson also came in after lunch. She accused us of ruining her day and said that she was extremely disappointed in us. I guess Cruella De Vil spoke to her. Liam was also in a dark mood. All his easy charm dissipated after what happened in the morning. It was strange.

Mate could also be cold and angry and sulky (and he often was), but I personally thought he wore the expression well. Yes, he looked like the whole world owed him money, but in general it suited his dark and brooding personality. It was his don't f*** with me face. Maybe I was biased, but it was, uh... I wonder how to say this without embarrassing myself, but I always thought Mate looked cool like that. Even Ben—when Ben got mad—he was ten times cooler. Or Henry, or Dad...

What I meant was that some guys had a cool vibe when they got mad. Others, like Terrence, for example, looked ridiculously silly. And Liam... while he didn't look ridiculous or silly, it didn't really suit him either. I wondered which category I fell into? I spent Geography imagining myself as super cool when I got mad. My hair would flare and my eyes would glow and everyone would tremble in fear and admire the coolness of my wolf! Muahahaha. Before I knew it, the bell rang and school was out. Whew.

The atmosphere in class had been heavy since Cruella De Vil visited, and everyone was even more glad to leave than usual. Pearl appeared in front of my desk again.

"Let's go home together, Sam!" She flashed me her usual wide smile. I liked Pearl's smile. Yes, it was a little forced, but I think she had to put in a lot of courage to keep smiling like that every day.

"Yeah, okay," I said. I stuffed everything into my bag and we left the class together. We left quite quickly, even missing the after-school crush, but strangely enough the guys weren't at their usual place on the train platform. I couldn't believe we missed them, though. We were really early today. Oh well, guess it was just the two of us on an empty-ish train. I felt pretty lucky that it wasn't more crowded. Pearl's mouth turned down when she realized the guys wouldn't be joining us today.

She looked at me and sighed. Then she shrugged it off.

"Why do you take the train back?" Pearl asked.

"Cos it's the most direct way home. I would need to change three buses if I didn't," I answered.

"Bus changes are time-consuming, and the bus stops are narrow and crowded. I always prefer the train to the buses." Pearl shook her head with an air of impatience.

"No, I mean why don't you get Ki to drive you?" Oh. Why was Pearl so... unhappy sounding? Maybe she was in a bad mood after today. I tried to keep my answer light to counter it.

"This is more fun. Plus, it's a waste of time for Ki to drive all the way out and back again."

"Do you think Ki will buy you anything for Valentine's Day?" Pearl wondered. What's with the sudden switch in topic? Hahaha, and was everything about Valentine's Day now?

"Nah." I brushed it aside.

"There is no reason for him to."

"Bet you get lots of gifts at home," Pearl said. She was flashing me her wide smile again. I thought of the gifts we received after the fire. And the gifts from the Lorents that included a fruit basket that Beta Lucas said we shouldn't eat. I almost nodded when I realized she was probably talking about something Valentine's Day-related again.

"You mean like Valentine's gifts?" I clarified.

"Yeah, duh," Pearl said.

"I haven't really celebrated Valentine's before," I told her.

"Really?" Pearl narrowed her eyes at me. I nodded.

"Will you be getting a boyfriend this Valentine's Day?" Pearl asked.

"You know, like Krystal and Zara?" I laughed at that.

"Humans are so funny." Pearl managed a weak laugh too.

"Yeah... So you aren't going to get a guy to spend Valentine's Day with?" I shrugged.

"I don't really care either way. What about you?" Pearl looked wistful as she answered me.

"Oh, I don't know. I just think it would be romantic."

"Shouldn't you wait for your mate?" I wondered if this conversation meant that Pearl wanted to date a guy on Valentine's Day like the humans did. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Pearl gave a sad smile as she answered me.

"Some of the doctors don't think I would be able to live past my 18th birthday. So if I could have a chance to experience love, I would take it."

"But a single date on Valentine's Day isn't love!" I argued. Pearl made an exasperated sound, and then she spoke in a scolding tone.

"I need to be realistic. Even if I do live, would my mate want me? And even if he did, it's not like he's going to be a rich and handsome Alpha or Beta." I frowned at that.

"Why would you want to mate an Alpha or Beta?"

"What girl wouldn't like to be the Luna? Be treated like the princess of the pack, wear pretty clothes, and be driven around in fancy cars..."

"Alphas are really bossy," I told her.

"Many of them have what Mrs. Henderson calls anger management issues." I thought of my Dad and Mum. Dad's anger, while fierce, had always been controlled. But Mum still had lots to do—serving the pack, comforting, encouraging, helping everyone who called her Luna.

"Even if the Alpha is a really good one, the Luna has to be strong to serve and care for the pack with him. Plus, I'm told raising Alpha pups is a horror in itself." I grinned.

"And Betas are always busy..." Now I was thinking of Beta Lucas and Mrs. Beta.

"Their life is their work. Everything else comes after. The Beta's mate has to be strong. She has to raise the kids and help her mate and assist the Luna." As I said this, I realized how the adults in my life had always been modeling for me the way things should be. They didn't just talk about serving or sacrifice. I felt somewhat humbled. I had always taken the adults in my life for granted. How many times had I dissed them or complained about them?

"It's better than being a normal wolf, driving an old beat-up car, living in a small apartment..." Pearl rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked.

"What's wrong with being a normal wolf?"

"Normal wolves are poor, for one thing." Pearl made a jaded-sounding laugh. I thought of the wolves in our packlands.

"Not all of them."

"How would you know?" Pearl said to me.

"You're the Alpha's daughter. You're always surrounded by good-looking guys who pamper you like a princess! You go everywhere driven in fancy cars. And you know what's the worst thing about it?" I shook my head wordlessly, half stunned by the vehemence in my friend's voice, the other half confused about her perception of me.

"You are NICE. And not just pretend nice—you are really nice." She said it like it's a bad thing.

"You are so nice you are completely oblivious to everyone's faults and motives. You just live each day blissfully ignorant and happy, and I can't even hate you for it." WHAT? I laughed at that.

"You don't hate me because we're friends, and because you're nice in your own way too." Pearl stopped and stared at me.

"Pearl, you're brave and strong. Every day you live with a smile even when it hurts. I know everyone says I'm slow and kind of stupid, and it's probably true since you noticed it too. But even so, as oblivious as I am, I could see how courageous you are from day one. And I admire that. I think your mate will admire that too. So you just gotta live long enough to meet him and show him," I told her.

"And if he doesn't appreciate you, I'll come over and knock some sense into him for you." Pearl went teary at first, and then she smiled.

"See, how can I hate you when you're like that?" I sighed. I had expended enough emotional energy for one train ride.

"Why do you have to hate anyone?" I asked.

"It's a waste of energy."

"I bet you're going to get lots of gifts on Valentine's Day." Pearl smiled bitterly at me.

"I bet we all are." I shrugged.

"No one has dared to write their name on the board yet." Pearl laughed at that.

"At least that's one less worry for me. Here's my stop. Bye!" I waved as Pearl stepped off the train. Was she worried about not getting anything? Okay! I decided. I knew what I had to give all the girls in class. I needed to give something big and showy, so none of them needed to go home without showing everyone else that they were loved. I wondered briefly, what could I afford? Balloons. All the girls get balloons. And I knew who to ask. I texted Killion. Eh? Someone had upgraded him to B. KILLION on my phone.

So he was officially my Beta now? YOU ~Ki! Can you help me buy balloons for all the girls in my class for v-day? It has to be helium. ~But don't bankrupt me over it. ~I need to get stuff for the guys too. T. T B. KILLION ~Your wish is my command, goddess. ~Leave it to me. ~BTW, not that I mind, goddess, but why didn't you just mindlink? Oh right, I could mindlink. Why didn't I just mindlink? Stupid! So I decided to mindlink Savy. {Can we make Vday chocs together this year?} Savy answered immediately. {Sam? Whoa. Love really changes people.} I could hear her cackling over the mindlink. {Sure, if you don't mind Lizzy joining us too. Its so unlike you to be interested in V-day. Is it because of you Luna?} Right, I guess I should make some for him too. {Yes, and the guys in my class and my betas and gammas...} {Sam! Are you going to make chocs for the whole world?} {No... yes... no.} I faltered, before deciding. {No.} There was no way I could make that many. I looked at my list again and contemplated it.

Maybe it was a little too ambitious. Savy gave me a brilliant suggestion though. {You could make some of it, and buy some of it.} {Good idea. Thanks.} I didn't bother to hide my relief. {Looks like my big sister is growing up.} Savy teased. {WHAT? What's that supposed to mean?} Savy only cackled. I cut off the mindlink. That's why I didn't mindlink. It only exasperated me. But it looked like V-day this year was pretty much settled. Killion would get balloons for my class girls.

Savy and Lizzy would make chocolate something with me for the class guys, my betas, gammas, deltas, and my gang, and my mum and dad and Beta Lucas and Mrs Beta, and Gamma Harry, and Laura, and Esther... And urm... Maybe a few extras in case I forgot someone? Yeah, the whole world. And then I just need to write the cards and buy Savy and Lizzy something. Actually, I probably should look for the easiest chocolate thing to make. I googled it and got a three-ingredient no-bake chocolate fudge recipe.

How bad could that get? I texted it to Savy. YOU ~[Link to No Bake Chocolate Fudge Squares] ~I am going to bake this. SAVY ~There is no baking in this. YOU ~I know. Genius right? SAVY ~I suppose even you can't mess this one up. YOU ~Exactly. Back to Killion YOU ~[Link to No Bake Chocolate Fudge Squares] ~I need chocolate chips, condensed milk, and vanilla essence. Like a lot of it. B. KILLION ~For Vday too, goddess? YOU ~Yes. And assume I would blotch some of it. B. KILLION ~Lol ~I can help, goddess. YOU ~ No!

I need to do these myself. B. KILLION ~ Is this for your Luna? YOU ~And for the rest of the guys in my class. B. KILLION ~ I can make the ones for your class. YOU ~ Then those would be nicer than the ones I made myself wouldn't they? ~ I refuse. ~ I will make them all equally bad. B. KILLION ~ Understood. I'm not sure exactly what Ki understood since I was just making up the excuse on the spot. Scrolling up to look at it, it wasn't even much of an excuse.

I just didn't want Killion to end up making his own Vday gift. Sigh. But okay. Job done. All I needed now was to buy the gift bags and cards and small gifts for Savy and Lizzy. Maybe I should have just raised my hand and asked Henry to include me as one of the guys. But overall, I was rather proud of myself. Not bad for someone who just went with the flow! Granted, the entire reason for the existence of this plan was because I got sucked into the entire V-Day thing at school, but whatever.

Nobody in my class was going to go home and cry because no one bothered to appreciate them. Not on my watch.