THIS WAS LOVE RIGHT?

3 MARCH, WEDNESDAY, AFTER SCHOOL

Life was unfair. I was really having a lot of fun at school today, but the bell rang, and for the first time in my life, I felt sad that school was over. I know right? Someone should check the temperature in hell, maybe open a winter apparel business. But jokes aside, it was a very real feeling of regret that my last days at Winderhill were going by so quickly... until I remembered that most days, we would be having lessons, which were far less fun.

I didn't have time to dwell in my disappointment at the last bell though, because we had to rush down to Henry's place for rehearsal, and wolfie was immediately up for the fun ahead.

I had pretty much forgotten all about the rehearsals Henry had booked into my schedule through my betas. And while I was a little miffed that he had done this over my head, I could only feel grateful now for the extra time to play with my friends. As I watched the guys load up our instruments and stuff into a black Land Rover, I felt Boo surface, {So fun.}

"Good afternoon, Alpha." Harvey opened the car door for me in front of the student foyer. We were parked just behind Henry's car - which happened to the be the dark red Peugeot we gifted him at his inauguration. It was quite funny, both our cars, one red and one blue - but otherwise the same make, parked one in front of the other with matching motorbike escorts.

"Hey, Harv. My place." Henry Bossypants called over just before entering his own car.

"Yes, Alpha Henry. Will do." Harvey responded in his usual cool calm way.

Harvey was always grown up like that. The adults often said the Morning Light Beta boy was mature beyond his age. Unfortunately, his Alpha was me... the girl the adults often said was "slow" for my age.

I yelled back, "Race you, Hen!"

And then I popped into my car and slammed the door shut behind me so I wouldn't be able to hear Henry's "What the hell, Sam!"

Henry yelled it so often, one would think that was my full name!

I waited impatiently for Harvey to get into the car and wondered if it was possible to get a head start by overtaking Henry's car in the school driveway - motorbike escorts or not. The driveway was not too narrow for two cars to pass each other comfortably, but would our motorbike escorts be able to maneuver the pass without riding into each other? I eyed Neil's large frame on the warrior sized bike.

Anyway, Harvey didn't come straight to the driver's seat like he usually did. Marcus had stopped him and after a short discussion, Harvey led Janice over to his side of the car, opened the door, and pulled up his seat for her to get into the back seats.

"Hi Sam, thanks for the ride." Janice said as she looked around the car, and then gingerly pulled on the seat belt.

"Oh! You're riding with me?" I liked Janice. She always gave me cookies. In a spur of the moment, I popped my door open and hopped out. Harvey who had just righted his own seat to get in immediately straightened like a meerkat popping his head up over the car.

Hmm... how did the seat work?

My good meerkat, I mean beta, quickly assessed the situation and walked over in two seconds to assist me. He pulled the latch on the side of the front passenger seat to let me pop into the backseat with Janice.

Sorry, beta, but you must know by now. Your Alpha would sooner sit with a pretty girl than with you. Muahahaha.

"Yay! We can ride together!" I settled into the seat and belted up. Funny, I had never ridden in the back of my car before. Not only was it a little troublesome to access the backseat, there was also less leg room. I looked about my car from the new perspective.

"I've never sat in such a fancy car before." Janice laughed nervously. "Is it new?"

"Not really..." But now that she brought it up, I realized I only got the car this year, "I got it a month or two ago."

Janice laughed again, "It still smells new."

Oh. I realized she wasn't wrong about this either. I sniffed the air around me. My car did still smell distinctively new. It also smelled like there were chocolate chips...

"Did you bake cookies?" I couldn't hide the hope in my voice.

Janice giggled and patted what I thought was a lunch bag, "Yes, I thought we could eat them together during our rehearsal break with everyone."

Did I tell you how much I liked Janice?

And then Janice clutched the lunch bag a little, "I really hope... you know, we could eat them like we used to. I know Henry's still mad at Marcus and its all my fault!"

"Henry's always mad at someone." I brushed it off, "You don't have to mind it."

"But... you don't blame me?" Janice asked.

What should I be blaming her for?

"I shouldn't have said yes to Marcus." Janice said softly, "I mean, I was flattered, and I... I like him, but in the end, I only made him suffer."

"Marcus is always suffering." I waved it off again, "That's the life of a beta."

I caught Harvey's lips twitch at that, as if he thought I said something funny.

Janice didn't seem to feel any better though, "Henry and Marcus were such good friends... you know, I've always admired your friendships. Even though you guys fight and argue, you always stand up for each other too, so I was really happy when Henry asked me to join the Last Hurrah. I didn't know it would end up like this."

Okay, wait! Pause! Stop! It was at this point I realized I was in girl talk waters - and it was the deep end too.

I pressed my lips together. I was really the worst girl to talk to about this kind of thing, Janice! And then I realized, I was the only other girl in the band, so it was all on me.

"I'm thinking of breaking up with Marcus after our performance." Janice confessed in a whisper, "He'll be transferring to a different school... I heard the girls there all looked like super models and film stars anyway. Maybe he would be happier if he were free to date those girls... and maybe Henry won't be mad at him anymore."

I wished I had something understanding to say at this point, but I didn't. So I only blinked owlishly at Janice.

Think Sam, think! But for the life of me, I couldn't make sense of Janice's logic at all. She liked Marcus right? So why would she want to free him to date other girls? And how would that make Henry stop being a grouch? I really tried, but my brain felt like a waterlogged sponge and I couldn't connect the dots, much less figure out the appropriate answer.

Janice sounded really sad.

"Haha, sorry to offload this on you." Janice perked up suddenly, "You don't have to let it bother you."

Did I look bothered?

"Sorry, I think I'm spoiling your mood." Janice apologized, "Just forget what I said."

She forced a smile for me, "I'm probably just overthinking it. Anyway, Marcus is leaving Winderhill and long distance relationships are hard, so... this probably isn't going to last anyway."

But Janice wasn't good at hiding her feelings at all. This "long distance relationship" thing was just an excuse. Like sour grapes.

I really wanted to help her.

"What do you think, Harvey?" I decided to try picking on a beta brain for some clues.

Janice gasped and covered her mouth with both hands, "Did you hear everything?"

I know she was whispering, but Harvey was a wolf and we were in an enclosed space. Of course he would have heard!

"Pardon, I did overhear a little." Harvey admitted.

Instead of looking relieved that a beta was here to help solve her problem, Janice looked quite mortified. Maybe asking Harvey wasn't the right way to help?

"Answering Alpha," My good beta continued in his calm and polite professional tone, "I think it is important to consider what you want from this relationship and have a direct discussion with Marcus about both your expectations. Only then, can you explore and compare your options definitively, before deciding on a course of action."

Why did Harvey sound like he was giving career advice? This was LOVE. L.O.V.E. LOVE, right?

"No, no!" I know I asked for his advice, but that was rubbish. I mean, this was the guy who wanted to marry his beta job and never get mated, "The real question here is: Do you love him?"

"Well..." Janice hesitated, "I don't know... but I like him a lot."

"That's not enough."

"But he's so nice." Janice said, "And he's cool, and strong, and considerate, and mature, and has such deep thoughts..."

Wait, we're still talking about Marcus, right?

"He really makes me feel special." Janice clenched her fist over her heart.

"You are special, Janice." I blurted out. Why would she need Marcus around just to feel that way?

"What would you do Sam? Like if you were me?" Janice asked.

I didn't even have to think about it (perhaps I should've before answering), "If I were you, I wouldn't have gotten into a relationship with him in the first place. If he isn't your soulmate, he isn't worth the heartbreak."

"So you're saying I should break up with him?" Janice looked devastated.

No! You were the one saying that! But technically, yes, because Marcus was a wolf, so no matter how sincere he was right now, he would be turning 18 in a few years, and then he would dump you for his soul mate.

"You're right." Janice took a deep breath, "I'll break up with him after the Talent Time Contest, but please don't tell him yet. Maybe this is selfish of me, but I just want to enjoy the last few days by his side."

"Why?" I didn't get it. Wasn't it better to just cut off ties with him and move on?

"Because even though I've always known we were worlds apart and our relationship would never work, I just really like him and want to be with him." Janice explained, "Even if its just for the rest of this term."

That sounded a lot like love to me.

Was it the same way I just wanted to enjoy the last few days at Winderhill?

Wait, did that mean I loved Winderhill? I loved my high school? Nah! Can't be! I was probably imagining it.