PARTY WITH THE PRINCESS: SHE'S EVERYTHING I WANNA BE

Now that we were all back in the Platinum Lounge, Janice was properly seated on a sofa and given a mirror-gilded box of tissue to put on her lap so she could cry more comfortably.

I caught Henry checking his watch again and swatted his arm so he'd stop worrying about his stupid schedule and focus on his crying date.

Henry was a good friend, but he was proving to be the kind of guy who'd make a terrible boyfriend.

"I'm... I'm so sorry!" Janice apologized for the umpteenth time. Janice was a really nice girl, so she kept apologizing to everyone for everything from "ruining the night" to "making a scene."

"It's okay, Janice." I told her, "We're your friends so we don't mind."

But that only made Janice cry all over again, "I'm... I'm... so sorry Sam! I'm the sorriest to you!"

Yeah, about that... Why was Janice apologizing to me? What had any of this got to do with me? From my POV, Henry was probably the one who should be apologizing, except I can't think exactly what for either. Maybe touching her butt too much. Or at least he should be apologizing to me for making me see that. I think seeing his hand feel her traumatized me.

But of course, I didn't say anything. I didn't really want to hear about not being puppies anymore. But if that was part of growing up, I think I'll much rather stay a puppy forever.

Anyway, Janice was still apologizing to me, "I knew... I think we all knew from the beginning... You and Henry. The two of you..."

The two of us what? Henry and I looked at each other. The way our expression mirrored our confusion would probably be funny if we had not been so preoccupied at trying to figure out what Janice was trying to say.

Everyone else was nodding like they totally understood.

"It's obvious that you and Henry belong together." Janice managed after a shakey breath, "Pearl said as much, and... and... I didn't want to believe it, you had a fiance, Sam! You were out of bounds!"

Yes, yes. I was out of bounds, I had a fiance... Wait, what did Pearl say?

Henry shook his head, he opened his mouth but Zara cut him off, "No need to deny it, Stupid Henry. We all know."

Henry snapped his mouth shut.

"It's only natural." Krystal said knowingly, "The both of you are the most compatible couple in the class."

I blinked in shock. I wasn't sure if this was incredibly funny or insulting. How could they think "Stupid Henry" and I suited each other? In what way was I compatible with Alpha Bossypants Moneybags Stupid Henry?

"They're both rich and good-looking and come from posh backgrounds with fancy cars and bodyguards." Leia told Janice, "They are like werewolf royalty. Peasants like us have no chance."

I wanted to protest, but I realized I did have four bodyguards present right now... All watching the drama unfold with no small degree of interest.

Krystal nodded and lent her worldly wisdom, "Cinderella happily ever afters are a myth. The best relationships are with someone from the same social class as you because these are the ones with mutual respect."

"That's true." Jasmine reflected, "Our Luna is from an omega family. Till today, the elders still give her a hard time. My mum says that's the reality of love between an Alpha and Omega."

"That's just the stupid people." I said. Her Luna need not pay any mind to them.

"That's the real world, Sam." Henry said pointedly.

"The real world is filled with stupid people!" I flared.

"What the hell, Sam." Henry turned to my betas, "What's wrong with her? Why is she... "

"I'm fine!" I was still flaring, "It's the stupid people who are the problem."

Harvey checked his watch, "Apologies Alpha Henry. Our Alpha had a long day."

Read: it's past my bedtime.

"It's like trying to reason with a five-year-old." Henry grumbled.

"Stupid Henry, can you stop fussing over Sam for a minute and listen to your own date?" Zara yelled from the sofa.

Right... Stupid Henry. (And I was not a five-year-old.)

Anyway, back to Janice:

"No, it's okay, Zara." Janice smiled through her tears, "I know... They've always been this way. It's really cute, really."

I flared in protest, but suddenly noticed Henry's expression crack. Hahaha. Must have been the first time he got called cute. Don't worry buddy, you'd get used to it.

"Ac... actually, that was the side of Henry that... that..." Janice fumbled as she confessed, "I... I just really liked that side of Henry but I was okay just watching from the sidelines... I knew... I knew he only showed that side in front of Sam."

What side? Did she mean the side of him that implodes whenever I push him a little too far? Or the side of him whenever his patience hangs by a single thread? Or how about that side of him that's just damn stubborn/stupid?

"He only laughs like that when he's talking to Sam." Janice said sadly, "I knew even when he asked me out that I could never give him that. I knew he was only using me as a substitute because Sam was out of bounds."

Henry was indignant, "You've got it all wrong, Jan. Sam's not... I mean, there's no way. No f***ing way."

I couldn't have put it better myself! Not that Henry was particularly eloquent right now... Quite the opposite. But you know and I know that I wouldn't have done any better than that.

There was just no way.

Janice smiled at Henry, "That's okay, you don't have to deny it. "

"That's why... That's why I went with Marcus at first. I thought it would be better if I went with someone who really cared about me. I'm so sorry, Marcus..." Janice whispered fervently.

I felt very uncomfortable that Janice was apologizing so much.

"It's okay, Jan." Marcus tried to comfort the poor girl, "I kinda already knew."

Wait. What? What was with this knowing all along that everyone was doing? And why didn't I know anything? Wasn't I supposed to be the one with the gift of insight?

"For what it's worth. I had really liked you." Marcus said.

"Me too." Janice hiccupped tearfully.

The cool girls sighed, "Awww...."

Like even Leia. Even though Marcus was her date, her crush, her... you know what? Never mind. I'm officially lost. Human love was way too complicated for me.

Janice wiped her eyes, carefully as if to avoid messing up her mascara. TBH, the mascara was a lost cause by now, and the black was smeared around her eyes really badly, but it didn't seem to be the time to tell her. She took a deep breath and braved a smile, "I guess that's life. I'll be okay."

She wasn't lying, but she also made it sound like if she just wiped off the dark smudges around her eyes, all the hurt in her heart would wipe off too. Did human hearts heal so quickly?

"Sam. I hope you and Henry will always be happy together." Janice told us.

Wait, what? Why did I have to be stuck with Henry? I shook my head, "He's your date. I don't want him."

"I don't want you either." Henry said.

"Well, I don't want you more." I told him.

"I didn't want you first." Henry said.

"No, I didn't want you first!" I don't mean to be calculative, but I did say I didn't want him first.

Janice giggled a little behind her hand, "There they go again."

"It's like watching a romantic comedy." Zara commented.

"There is nothing romantic going on here!" Henry glared.

"Or funny either." I added, "This isn't funny at all."

And our friends laughed.

"They love each other, but they don't even realize it." Zara explained.

"They don't realize it yet." Krystal corrected with a knowing look.

"Stupid Henry." Zara nodded as she rubbed Janice's back soothingly, "Hurry up and realize you love Sam. Then you'd stop breaking hearts everywhere you go."

To the other cool girls, Zara complained, "That stupid Henry is such a player. First Abigail, now Janice."

And then back to Henry, Zara scolded, "Do you think girls are like your expensive cars? You change one every month?"

No, Zara, I'm sure Henry changed girlfriends more often than he changed cars. And that Henry actually loved his cars.

"It can't be helped." Krystal shrugged, "Henry's the player-type. That's why it's so hard for him to recognize love when it hits him."

"I hope Sam breaks his heart." Leia decided, "That'll teach him a lesson."

"Yah, yah, yah!" Zara nodded enthusiastically, she turned to Harvey, "I'm still rooting for you, Harvey! Don't give up! You still have a chance."

Hahahaha. Harvey's face! Okay, I really should be more mortified, but you should have seen Harvey's face!

This led to the cool girls discussing my love life the way they discussed their favorite romantic dramas. Since they're been bingeing on Korean Dramas after the exams, my love life took quite a distinct plot. They even painted me and all the guys in it so that we'd into the most popular stereotypes - it was like a drama starring every dream guy type.

IF SAM'S LIFE WAS A K-DRAMA SERIES:

EPISODE 1: Meet Sam, a rich innocent kind girl who wasn't particularly capable in anything. Her grades were good, but she was too innocent and nice so she was easy to bully. Luckily, she meets a group of cool girls who take her under their wing and help her navigate public high school life.

EPISODE 2: Sam's first love interest was a childhood friend. He was the son of her father's business partner and a fantastic guitarist. He had been in love with her since they were in elementary school or something. He was smart and capable and cool and was working hard to take over the company and take care of Sam.

"Oh, I had no idea." Jasmine said.

Neither did I... or Harvey either, if his expression was anything to go by. Hahahaha. I had never seen Harvey look so concerned before in my life.

EPISODE 3: Unfortunately for Harvey, Sam was engaged to the heir of another business. He was rich and good-looking. Harvey decided to step back for Sam's happiness, but vowed to remain by her side and support her no matter what.

Zara sighed, "That's the kind of man I want to fall in love with."

"It's the childhood friends who make the best lovers in the end." Krystal affirmed, "Because they know you longest, so they know you best."

In that case, shouldn't that be Ben? O.o What a traumatizing thought. Luckily, my friends didn't know about me growing up with Ben or how he was now regarded as the local expert on Sam's evolving wolf - oh, but this wasn't because of any romantic reason, he was just my true beta so his wolf was really attuned to mine, and because Ben was super smart. Anyway, I wasn't going to every tell any of them about Ben.

EPISODE 4: The rich playboy in class falls for Sam by accident. It was like an "opposites attract" kind of thing. Sam being too innocent to recognize love, and Henry being the player who had become too jaded to believe in love. They clashed a lot in class because of their very different characters, but over time, Henry realized that he just can't help worrying for this girl, and Sam finds herself repeatedly rescued by the handsome, rich, playboy.

"Just kill me." I muttered.

"Ditto. Except you'd probably be the death of me already." Henry smirked.

How could he still joke? Couldn't he tell that the cool girls were really getting into their story?

Somewhere in between, Sam and/or Sam's friends were bullied by this b**** named Abigail, who secretly liked Henry and was just really jealous because it was obvious that Sam was everything Abigail wanted to be.

"She's everything I wanna be too." Janice sighed wistfully, and then burst into tears again. Zara hugged her, "Don't cry, don't cry. We are all in the same boat."

And eventually, they exact revenge on Abigail - like on her birthday at her party in front of everyone. Abigail had tried to humiliate them, but Sam and her cool friends were going to turn the tables on the birthday girl and give Abigail her just desserts. Which was literally chocolate cake, by the way.

At this point, their story was becoming alarmingly real. We were going up to Abigail's birthday party, and smearing her white dress with chocolate cake. After that, Leia planned to say, "Opps, sorry. Let me help you wash it off."

And Leia would push Abigail into the freezing swimming pool - not the indoor one, the one outside on the rooftop.

The only thing that helped me keep my head on was the realization that this plan had to be purely fantasy. I mean, the dining hall was indoors. It would be quite a stretch to get the birthday girl all the way from the cake to the pool outside just to push her in.

The real world and all the inconvenient realities of distance and time were not always a bad thing.