FERRIS WHEELS AND FIREWORKS

21 FEBRUARY, SUNDAY, CONTINUED

I was just feeling like I've gotten used to walking out of the Langston, with the two rows of bowing uniformed staff and the photography club on the sidelines on the short walk to the car. I would never had believed I could get used to it. I suppose this might be what the animals at the zoo might feel about the viewing window of their enclosure. Maybe one day I'd just walk out of the Langston in my PJs and scratch my butt while getting into the car.

Just joking. I don't scratch my butt when I wake up. I just said it because on TV, when a guy wakes up he has to scratch his butt or his bed head. I don't have bed head either thanks to my magic blue hair.

I also got used to having all my stuff - from my luggage to my coat, and this time a few boxes of ponies, being handled by someone else. I used to actually be responsible for my own stuff. Sometimes it felt like becoming an alpha was like regressing into my three year old state. I could do whatever I wanted, nobody scolded me (because I didn't know any better), I could make any demand (whether or not the adults chose to meet it or laugh it off was another matter... but everyone was kinda still doing that to me now), and I had no responsibility whatsoever except to show up and be Sam.

Either I was born an alpha, and was naturally assuming my alpha role since I was young, OR everyone was still treating me like a three-year-old.

I was all dressed up in the more mature and sophisticated me too!

I got distracted at his moment because Mate's car pulled up, the only white car in our convoy. He got out of the car and in all true Lorent fashion, had to pose, just a few seconds at his own appearance. The camera's starting going off in the background, but I barely noticed it. How could I forget Bell was going to drive me home today! Yay! ~ ❤️

I ran the last few steps over and jumped at Bell, who caught me by the waist and put me back down on my feet and opened the car door.

"You're here!" I exclaimed happily.

Bell nudged me gently to go inside, "Where else would I be?"

I could think of a few other places.

Anyway, he had shut the door so I had to wait for him to walk over and enter the car from the driver's side. He took his time at it too, like he was totally unhurried, or he was purposely giving the paparazzi a chance to fill up their camera's memory cards. Hahaha. Well, no, mostly, he was waiting for the boxes of ponies to be loaded into his boot.

And did I mention he was so real? This was no longer a dream! The moment he got into the car next to me and shut the door, his scent just... wow, Bell was the happiest smell I ever smelled. ~❤️ Okay, it wasn't the first time I was smiling salted caramel, but on Mate it was perfect. On Mate, everything was perfect. ~ ❤️

Oh, and would you look at that? I think I was getting used to swooning over Mate over every little thing too. I'm coping with it by just pretending the random sappy thoughts did not happen, and ignoring the little hearts that I am compelled to draw everything a little sigh of happiness escapes.

It was just the mating bond/crush... I had no idea what it was anymore.

The car ride was... quiet. Our car was wedged in the middle of our convoy, just behind my parent's car, so Bell just followed whatever the car in front of us did. Left signal, right signal, break... To be honest, whoever was driving my parents (I felt sure it wasn't Beta Lucas) was very clear about signalling what was about to happen. He even indicated whenever we were approaching a traffic stop with the break lights.

I was quite surprised Bell did it too. I mean, I always thought he was more of the rebel type than the type to signal early.

And because it was getting really quiet to a level of awkward, I tried to make conversation, "Why are you signalling everything?"

Bell looked surprise, "What?"

"Like every break and turn and lane change..."

"Oh... We're in a convoy, so signalling will help the cars behind follow." Bell said.

Wow, Bell was so thoughtful... oh, wait, no. He was just following standard procedure. Which would explain my parent's car prompt signalling - it was also just relaying the message from the car in front.

I tried to think of something else to talk about, but my mind just drew a blank.

What were you supposed to say to your boyfriend when you were alone in the car?

"So urm... How is the underground doing?" Yes! Good job, Sam! That's a good start!

"It's alright." Bell shrugged. And that was it.

More silent driving. I took the opportunity to study Mate's profile while he tried to ignore me staring at him. Bell's profile was strong. He gaze was steady, his lashes were so long, I think they were longer than mine.

And then Bell spoke, "Princess, can you sit back and lower your hair? You're in the way."

I pressed myself flat against the back of the seat, "Like this?"

"Yeah." Bell said, still driving.

I folded my arms and sulked. I mean, I rode on the passenger side all the time and had never ever been told that I was in the way when I was belted up in the car before. Not once, not by Harvey, or Ki, or even Ben!

But that wasn't the point, I mean, the point was: I was in the car, with Mate. I'm not sure what I was expecting about sitting in the car with Mate, but this wasn't it.

I tried again, being careful to keep myself pressed against the back of the car seat, "You know, you're the only one who'd ever needed me to sit back against the seat like this."

"It's your hair." Mate said to the windshield, "It's like driving with the a lot of helium balloons."

Which was what Ki did, with me AND a backseat full of helium balloons and he didn't have any trouble. Or at least he was smiling throughout and I assumed he didn't mind at all.

"You're a driving hazard." Mate continued, "It's very distracting and I can't see my blind spot."

Either it was because they were too polite, or they didn't need to check their blind spot, but none of my betas ever gave me such feedback. Okay, I know I wanted conversation, but not like this either.

Bell shut up after that, and I didn't try to speak to him again for a while. I was trying to figure out what just happened. I thought he WANTED to drive me home? And I knew I wanted to ride in the car with him, I was always happy to ride in the car with Bell, and it wasn't because I particularly liked his car. My wolf just liked to be near him.

So maybe this was just it. Now I'm near him. I'm right next to him. He was my mate. We were wearing mating bands! I mean, this was what old wolves did! So why didn't I feel as happy as I felt I should be?

And suddenly, I remembered what Savy said to me about understanding my mate and falling in love and I figured out what was missing!

"We need to ride on the Ferris Wheel!" I announced.

"Princess, don't lean forward suddenly like that!" Bell scolded.

Then how would I see his expression when we talk? But I flattened myself back against the chair, and said again, "Can we go ride on the Ferris Wheel together?"

I tried to remember what Savy said, "Like at night. With fireworks."

I can't believe I was doing this. It sounded so dumb. But I was desperate. Maybe the humans had the right idea. Maybe what we needed was to ride a Ferris Wheel and watch the fireworks.

Because I got it now, it wasn't enough to just be soul mates. I'm not sure why or how I got so greedy, but I wanted Bell to fall in love with me, for me. Not just put up with me because I was his soul mate, or because he was my luna.

Mate didn't look terribly excited about the plan, "You want me to take you to the amusement park?"

I nodded, "Yeah... A date!"

"A what?" Mate didn't sound like he understood.

"I want to go on a date to the amusement park - at night." I added, because it had to have fireworks.

Mate frowned, "They only have fireworks during summer."

"Then let's go in the summer." I nodded. It definitely needed fire works. I'm sure Savy said other things too, but all I remembered was Ferris Wheel and Fireworks, so we'd just have to run with that until I got home to check my diary. I'm sure I wrote it down somewhere.

I'm not sure why, but Mate looked kind of clueless, but he agreed easily enough, "Yeah, alright."

"Then it's a date!" I decided, "You promise right? You better not break it! Or... or I'll break you!"

Bell cracked a smile then, "I've never been asked on a date like this before, Princess."

I folded my arms and settled back against my seat again.

"If you want to go out on a date so much, how about we do something together after your exams?" Bell suggested, "We don't have to wait till summer."

Ooooooohhhhh, was HE asking me out on a date?

"I've never been asked on a date like this before either." I informed him, unable to stop my happy grin. Oh, I'm seriously too easy to please.

Bell was silent for a moment, "Then how do you usually get asked out on dates?"

Actually, I've never been asked on a date before, ever. Even the last time, when we had dinner of Vday - Bell never actually asked me. I laughed and shook my head, "I don't. I'm not really the kind of girl guys ask out."

I mean, that was my only explanation for it.

Bell smiled now, "Good."

Eh what? Oh! He was testing me? How sneaky! Well, two could play that game!

"And you? how do you usually get asked out?" Hahaha. Let's see how you answer that!

Bell paused before shrugging, "Just very normally. Usually for something in the weekend, and not like six months in advance."

I narrowed my eyes when he laughed. How dare he laugh at me!

"Definitely without any threats about being broken either." He added.

But his deep voice had the usual warmth again, the feeling like he was happy again and not like... whatever he was feeling earlier.

This was when I realized that it wasn't about me, or our mating bond, or falling in love... Bell had just been in a bad mood.

"Did... did something happen just now?" I asked tentatively.

"Why?" Bell's tone hardened just a little around the edges again. For a moment, I regretted bringing it up. DOPE! I'm stooopid. He was smiling and laughing and he even asked me out! Why did I have to open my big mouth and ask?

"Just sensing your mood earlier... was kinda dark." I said quietly. I was half hoping he didn't hear me.

"Oh, that." Bell nodded, he was speaking to the windshield again. Maybe he was hoping I didn't hear him either, "It's nothing, Princess. I was just... its my old man, as usual."

And then he added under his breath, "Sometimes he acts like he wishes I was never born."

Oh... well, I'm sure that's not true. But at the moment, I was too stunned to answer anything coherent, so I said, "Uh huh."

And that was it because our convoy had pulled up the Alpha House porch, "I'm heading to the Lorents now. Will be going to the underground from there so I won't see you for a while."

Eh, eh, eh! Don't wait till the last minute to announce this kind of thing! My wolf protested and my hair flared. It was a good thing the car was stationary.

My parents had just gotten off outside, and Lizzy, Savy, and Sabre had come out of the front door. Mum was hugging Sabre. Around them, warriors rushed about, unloading the luggage while our betas directed where everything had to be moved to.

Someone opened mates boot and raided it of pony boxes. And then someone else dumped in a few black duffle bags.

Ki opened the door on my side, "Welcome home, goddess."

Didn't he just get home himself?

To Bell, he said, "The supplies are loaded in your boot. Remember to bring them to the underground with you."

Bell only replied in a curt nod.

I got out of the car. Ki shut the door after me, "Would you like a snack before lunchtime, goddess?"

I let him lead me into the house.

"Sam!" Mum rushed over, "We're late! Sam! Stay home and don't get into any trouble."

I saw Dad pass us, only stopping to kiss Mum on the cheek, "Bye, darling."

"Have a good meeting, dear." Mum kissed him back.

Eh? Where was Dad going? But he was out the front door. I heard a car leave our porch.

Mum grabbed her shawl and noticed that Savy had dressed Sabre for her, "Oh, thanks, Savy. Come on, let's go. We musn't keep everyone waiting!"

And then they were all gone. I guess I was home alone... with Ki. I wandered into the kitchen to see if he was really there. Yeah, I was kind of peckish. Maybe a snack before lunchtime would be nice.

Oh wait! I didn't even say bye to Bell! Sigh~ This mating thing was harder than Mum and Dad made it look.