Page 13 of Ashley & the A-Listers

“I haven’t found a flavor I don’t like,” she pointed out.

“Yet.”

Ashley rolled her eyes and licked up another glob of matcha and cherry swirled ice cream. It did taste a little grassy, but she would die before she admitted it.

Another group of teens arrived, and had the audacity to sneer at Dylan and Ashley’s dark attire, as iftheywere the ones committing fashion crimes, while dressed in khakis and jerseys. Gross.

“Wanna get out of here?” he asked.

“Hell yeah,” she said, and slung her legs off the bench.

She was shorter than Dylan and it was more apparent than ever as they walked side by side, ditching the ice cream parlor and following the sidewalk through the park. No growth spurt, yet. Maybe she’d be like this forever, looking up at Dylan while he towered over her, protective.

Would that be the worst thing?

Maybe Ashley didn’t want to be another person Dylan had to look after. His older omega sister was surely enough of a handful.

For such a warm night, the walkway was mostly empty, so they trekked on in silence. Their hands brushed, and Ashley pretended not to notice.

She peered up at him through her heavy bangs and swallowed the ice cream that suddenly felt like cement.

“I think I’m a beta,” she admitted. The only information she had to base this on was that most of their class had presented so far, and they were among the few left.

“What makes you say that?” Dylan asked, glancing down at her.

Their eyes met and she averted eye contact before he could see her cheeks pinken.

Ashley had no scent coming in, but she was rife with anticipation. “I just don’t feel any different.”

“Do youwantto be a beta?”

Ashley shrugged. Presenting as an omega was special. Presenting as an alpha, as a girl, was almost impossible.

“I think beta is what’s expected,” she finally decided on.

He snorted. “So naturally, you hate that,” he teased.

“Naturally,” she scoffed. Ashley wanted to be special. Who didn’t?

“Who knows, maybe you’ll be the first girl in our class to present as an alpha.”

“Not likely,” she muttered.

“Graduation is in a few months. It’s maybe just not time for you yet,” Dylan mused.

“How do you feel?”

He shrugged. “Not much different. I bet I’m a beta, too.”

“But your dad was an alpha,” she pointed out.

“And my mom was a beta, like yours,” he said. “Who knows what’s going to happen?”

Silence fell between them for a bit as they made their way to the parking lot.

Dylan’s cone was gone, and Ashley was only halfway through.

“You can bring it, come on,” he said, and motioned for her to get in the car.

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