NOTHING ABOUT KISSING HERE

3 MARCH, WEDNESDAY, BREAKFAST

I joined my family at the breakfast table in a good mood.

"Good morning, goddess." Ki greeted with his beautiful smile. He placed a plate of something that smelled like there was bacon hidden within. For some reason, breakfast had become a highlight to my day! I mean, just the thought of what magical moment might present itself on my breakfast plate was enough to give me the strength to drag myself out of bed, even on a grey day.

I mean, this could also be partly due to how my stomach had more control over me than my brain, but hey, if you can't fight it... ride it.

And if it smells like bacon was involved, it seriously couldn't go far wrong, right?

I couldn't stop the smile, "Morning Ki." And because I was in such a good mood I dropped into my seat with a bright "Morning Fam!"

"Someone's in a good mood." Savy wasn't impressed. She was dressed for school... but it had to be truly Spring now because Savy was wearing denim shorts. The red in her outfit was also downplayed to the halter peeking out of a cream cable knit sweater.

"Won't you be cold in shorts?" I asked.

"You're the one in a mini skirt." Savy retorted.

I looked down at my skirt. I had been folding it at the waistband like the cool girls had taught me, but it did look shorter than I expected. Did I grow? I stood up at the table to check, oh... no... I just folded one too many times. Oops. I readjusted my skirt.

"Sam!" Mum gasped, "Please don't do that at the table. The blinds are up!"

If it was anyone that wasn't Mum, I would have said, "Don't get your panties in a twist."

But this was Mum, so I didn't, because that would really have gotten her panties in a twist. I just quickly adjusted my waistband and straightened my blouse under my school jacket, "It's fine mum. It's not like anyone's outside..."

I turned my head belatedly to check and was startled at Ki standing just behind me. Ah, yes, how could I forget! I had a beta here. Ki had taken the initiative to bodily shield any imaginary prying eyes by standing between me and the glass door. I dropped back in my seat and Ki placed a cup of warm milky sweet tea in front of me. Just the way I liked it!

Mum pressed her lips together but she didn't pursue it.

"Your outfit's cute though." I told Savy, "Very Springy."

Savy cackled, "Like your skirt?"

Humph! That was an accident...

{Like those kisses?} Boo was evil. I quickly concentrated on Savy's springy outfit before I involuntarily do anything embarrassing like turn red.

Actually, now that I was looking, light colors suited Savy's blond hair and silver grey eyes. It made her look even more fairy-like.

"My outfit's cute too." Sabre announced. I was very relieved by the extra distraction.

"You're still in your PJs." I informed the preschooler, and then I quickly added, "But yes. It's cute."

Sabre fed herself more cereal and said with her mouth full, "Mum said that pink is my color, but I like purple, so I wore both."

I nodded wordlessly. I had no idea so much thought had gone into the mismatched pajamas my little sister was currently wearing.

"Your mother and I would be at your school to watch your performance later." Dad informed me without quite looking up from his screen.

Oh right, I needed to catch up on my reading too! I pulled out my surface pro, answering while I navigated to the right document, "Yeah, okay."

I couldn't help but feel the flutter of excitement in my heart. I'm a lot more excited about this performance than I expected.

Surface pro promptly forgotten, I grinned at my family at the thought of playing Bulliet a la sexy Bubbles, "It's gonna be a blast! I'm playing this crazy girl!"

As usual, no one quite understood me. Savy cackled though, "So you're playing yourself?"

Grrrrr...

Ki smiled and informed me, "Your Luna Bell would also be attending."

Wait, what? The first thought was kissing - I mean seeing him again.

"What?" I heard myself ask weakly, "Why?"

The second thought was how I was about to DIE. How could I act as my mate's ex in front of my mate? He was going to kill me!

Ki smiled, "Perhaps Principal Laura had hoped his relation to you might draw him to the tea reception her son would host after the performance."

Dad groaned at the reminder, "Madam Principal is being ambitious. She wants to take advantage of this opportunity to increase her son's political profile."

Dad shook his head, "I've always told her she had to separate her educator duties from her pack's political agenda."

But mostly, I think Dad just didn't want to go. Dad never liked stuffy political social functions. I felt a little honored that he had agreed to attend just to watch my play.

"It would only be for a while." Mum tried to comfort her mate, "We can watch Sam's performance, stay a little while to meet Alpha Stephan, and then excuse ourselves."

Dad grunted something to his coffee cup.

"It's very likely the Alpha Gunter would be present too." Ki prompted, his smiling mask never wavering, "Perhaps Alpha Kingsley might be able to catch him for a few words."

"Hm." Dad considered this, "I did want to ask him about the diadem."

"With so many Alphas present, the press would very likely be present." Ki continued, "Alpha George would likely seek you out. His son, Henry is starring opposite your daughter."

Now Dad had put down his screen too, he looked like a man resigned to his fate, "Alright Ki... what else do I need to know?"

Ki smiled. It was an "I thought you'd never ask" kind of smile and launched into a very quick media brief. Ki was amazing that way - he was a genius at talking my Dad around. I mean, my Dad never had the patience for PR and media stuff, but Ki had just steered Dad into asking for it on his own accord.

Dad frowned at the new information, and then he tried to summarize, "So I have to greet everyone?"

"Ah, not exactly Alpha Kingsley. Only Alpha Gunter and Alpha George would be on the same tier as yourself..." Ki tried to explain.

Because not all alphas were equal and we were wolves so observing hierarchy would be proper decorum.

"Just tell me who I need to say hello to." Dad decided to get to the bottom line.

"It would be ideal for Night Leaf's representation in the media if Alpha is able to be seen with the following Alphas - preferably in this order: Our Luna Bell if he did not join you from the start, Alpha Gunter, Alpha George and his Luna (although only briefly to praise his son's acting), Luna Laura (if she had not sought you out yet). She would likely introduce you to some people..."

"Some?" My Dad interrupted, a growl escaping with the word.

"Well, she would try." Ki smiled, "If Alpha does not want to oblige..."

"I do not want to oblige." Dad was very quick to decide.

"Then it might be a good idea to make it clear to her that you do not intend to mingle. She would probably know to only introduce you to her son, and at most one or two other people." Ki advised.

Which would be exactly what Madam Principal would do. She liked to push the boundaries like that.

"I hate these things." Dad grumbled.

Ki looked to my Mum, who took it as her cue to step in, "Thank you, Ki. I don't know what we'd do without you."

"Leave straight after the play." Dad knew.

Mum only laughed like she thought Dad was being very witty, "Well, it's convenient that Alpha Gunter would be there."

"I did want a word with him." Dad remembered all over again.

"And I did very much want to see Sam in her high school." Mum said wistfully.

"You will see that I will be exactly like what you see now." I told her bluntly. My mum can be quite imaginative at times and I wanted to avoid being featured in it at all costs.

But the moment I heard myself say those words, I imagined I would be acting as Bulliet, the Bubbles that would morph into Ruby, and Bell would be there. And everyone would be laughing EXCEPT FOR BELL. What if he decided to reject me?

Outside though, I heard Harvey's pickup pull into the driveway. We watch him drive up to the garage.

"Looks like your ride is here." Mum prompted, "Have fun with your friends. I'll see you tonight."

Eh? Was Mum going out later?

Ki gathered my things to the door for me, my bag, lunch bag, and jacket - today it was a lightweight dark blue trench coat.

Because Spring was here.

"Break a leg, Sam." Savy called from the table.

"Why?" Sabre asked.

"Thanks and bye!" I yelled before stepping out.

I wasn't going to just break a leg today. I was going to DIE. Bell was coming.

If I played the entire performance for laughs (as Henry and I had agreed on), would Bell think I was making fun of his ex? = Instant death

If I played the entire performance dramatically, would Bell think he was about to mate the makings of a mad woman? = Instant rejection

In both these scenarios, I pictured Bell storming up to me and killing/breaking up with me right in front of the whole school. I really couldn't decide which was worse.

I stepped out onto the porch worrying my lip.

"Good morning, alpha." Harvey greeted with his usual wry smile and polite bow.

"Yo Princess!" Fluffy, EJ, Neil, and Owen called from their bikes.

It was a nippy morning. I grinned, the cold air making my cheeks freeze a little, "Morning!"

I couldn't help it. My wolf was happy to see them.

Harvey opened the car door for me, and I sat back and waited for him to walk around the car to get in from his side.

As he made his way around the front of the car, a sudden gust of wind swept past him and lifted up the sides of his jacket, and whipped up his tie. Normally, I'd expect the scene to take a hilarious turn, but instead of getting flustered, he caught his tie in one hand and calmly tucked it back into his jacket, and then did up another button to hold it down. Pausing at his side of the door, he ran his hand quickly down his short curls and let himself into the car.

Enter my good beta, cool as a cucumber, minty with a touch of Spring in his scent. Harvey buckled up and lifted the handbrake.

"I know what to do now." I told him.

"Pardon, alpha?" Harvey eased our car down the driveway, our motorbike escorts slid smoothly along the car's body to take their moving positions. Another one of those strange new proceedings that had become ingrained as part of my daily life, and my wolf only registered the uniformed bikes sliding too near past my window as the usual scenery when we depart from our driveway.

I shook my head, "Nothing. I just figured out something I was thinking about."

What did you expect me to say? I was freaking out that Bell was going to watch my performance as Bulliet and it would change the way he saw me so much that he might decide to kill/break up with me, AND NEVER KISS ME AGAIN?

I stared hard at the Surface Pro I was still holding, just because I didn't want to make eye contact with Harvey. OMG. Why was I suddenly remembering Bell's lips? I tightened my grip on the screen in my hands, just so I don't do anything humiliating like touch my lips and blush. Gah!

"Ah." Harvey nodded when he caught sight of the screen on my lap, "By any chance... could alpha mean the alternations to the building plans at Princess Town?"

The what now? Not at all! Even though I've been gripping my surface pro and staring blindly at the document reporting exactly on that topic.

"To be honest, I'm still conflicted." Harvey admitted.

So conflicted that he recognized the document in a glance... how long had he been worrying about it? To be honest, I hadn't read more than the first line.

"How so?" I asked anyway.

Plus talking about work was just easier than talking about kissing Bell.

"I mean I understand the practicalities involved." Harvey explained, "But... I've heard you talk about your vision for this town, and the practical solutions that had been recommended by the New Town Committee seem to paint quite a different picture. I've since discussed this with Ki and Ben, they both pose convincing arguments and I find myself caught in the middle."

They would. I don't think Ki and Ben saw eye to eye on many things.

Harvey flipped the indicator switch to turn left, "Has Alpha thought of a good way to overcome the new challenges we face?"

I don't know, Dad didn't say... Oooohhhhh.... Harvey meant me. I was the Alpha.

Unfortunately, when I said I knew what to do, I wasn't thinking about very alpha things like the construction of the Princess Town. I was thinking about Bell.

I was going to act my heart out and win the audience's laughter, and then I was going to act like my cool beta caught in the wind. At curtain call, I would just wipe off the crazy act and come out as cool as a cucumber, sweep my hair back, take a bow, and act like it never happened.

But dealing with a high school dilemma is quite different from dealing with decisions regarding the construction of a new town.