Page 13 of Sweet Heat

“Too big.”

“Too small.”

“Too ugly.”

Despair fills me. There’s nothing here. My parents’ refusal to let me buy clothes that aren’t ‘modest,’ meaning they don’t cover me from head to toe, is ridiculous. I’m thirteen, and they still act like I’m five—in fact, I had cuter clothes back then. Just as I’m about to give up, my fingers snag on something pink and shiny.

“Oh, my goodness, yes!” It’s a pretty pink dress, complete with all the shiny sequins that make my heart happy. It will also make the mean girls swallow their tongues. Thank you, Emma, for forgetting that you lent me this one.

“POSIE!!!!” The loud roar, combined with a fist pounding on my bedroom door, makes me jump and squeak. “Get your ass out here. We’re going to miss the draft if we don’t leave RIGHT THE HELL NOW. If you aren’t downstairs in two minutes, we’re leaving without you.”

“Coming! Cool your jets,” I yell back, knowing my parents won’t let him leave without me. Ever since coming into his Alpha,Owen’s been bossier than ever. I quickly slip into the dress and take a look at myself in the mirror.

“Hmmm do these shoes work?” A light from my window catches my eye, and I peer out. The limo is huge, and as I watch Miller, my brother’s best friend, and his parents climb in, Owen does, too. Shit. Better hurry.

With a quick swipe of lip gloss, I take one last look at my reflection and bolt for the door.

“Earth to Posie,” a voice sings in my ear, and a small squeak escapes my lips. Emma drops into the chair next to mine, her blue eyes scanning my face and missing nothing. “You okay?”

My clammy skin and shaking hands give me away, but fortunately, she won’t call me out on it.

“All good.” Slamming my laptop closed, I make quick work of sliding it into my bag before clamoring out of my seat with a quick glance at my watch. The class has only been out for a few minutes, not as bad as I expected. Emma, Mari, and I have a standing lunch date after my physics class. We all meet here because it’s closest to the Student Union. “What are you thinking for food today?”

Emma’s mouth turns down at the change in topic, but she goes with it. I know it’s only a temporary reprieve, but I’ll take it. My legs are wobbly as we climb the lecture hall stairs and make our way out the door into the bustling hallway.

“I’d kill for a BLT and fries,” she says, waving to Mari, who appears closer to the doorway.

“Sounds like a deli day,” I agree, forcing the last of my memories away. That day, and my selfishness, changed all our lives. Ruined so much for so many people.And it was all my fault.

“I’mup for a sandwich.” Mari nods, slipping her arm in mine like she knows I need comfort and contact. I swear my bestie’s going to reveal any day now with how empathetically in tune she is. Her touch helps me rebuild the walls around my heart and shake off the negative emotions as we make our way through the groups of other students and over to grab food.

Fortunately, the line is quick today and we’re seated at a booth before I know it.

“Sooooooooooo…….” Mari looks at me expectantly. “Did you do it? How did it go? When are you moving in, roomie?”

“Seriously, I texted you a hundred times yesterday,” Emma exaggerates with a dramatic pout, but it quickly morphs into a grin as she leans forward to find out.

“Not great, but not terrible,” I say, launching into the breakfast saga. The girls listen with rapt attention, Mari getting visibly angry when I tell her about my dad barking at me. I consider telling them about Miller. His possessive posturing and the save on the staircase, but my feelings are so confused about him that I keep it to myself. Instead, I end with my dad’s ultimatum about driving.

“Jeez, girl, that’s kind of a lot.” Mari frowns sympathetically, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand.

“No, this is amazing! We just need to make driving your bitch. I can teach you easy enough!” Emma promises, bouncing up and down in her seat. “And we’ll be really careful about it.”

Appetite long forgotten, I push my lunch away and toy with the ends of my hair, not ready to meet their eyes. Gnawing at my lip, I struggle with how to express my thoughts.

“I love you, but it’s not a good idea, Em. You’re too important… I couldn’t live with myself…” My words choke off, a ball of emotions lodging in my throat and making it impossible to speak. Understanding, Emma bumps me with her shoulder, then slings an arm around me, and pulls me into a hug.

“Say less. We’ll find you a good driving school. One with a billion different pedals in the car so the instructor can take over anytime.” Her nearness calms my panic. The way she so easily accepts my limitations and loves me, anyway. There’s no one in this world like these girls, and if I never find a soulmate, it won’t matter because I have soul sisters.

The booth we’re sitting in lurches, and a looming presence shadows our booth.

“Hey, omega,” a voice booms, “I’d love to teach you to drive stick.”

Scoffing at the thinly veiled innuendo, I roll my eyes and twist to face the eavesdropping jerk. Being an omega, even on a big campus, brings a level of notoriety. Most Alphas don’t bother with me anymore. After a few ill-fated attempts at dating during freshman year, I’ve taken myself off the market. And as if by magic, word spread through the school. Most days, no one bothers me, and I appreciate it.

But I guess today is not that day. A man with shaggy blond hair and a round, youthful face looms over us, a goofy grin on his face. His eyes hold no malice, and I relax a fraction. The cheeky grin he tosses my way urges me to play along, offering a distraction from the heavy moment.

Pursing my lips, I tap a finger against my chin.

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