The Alpha Mate

1 . The Move

 Melanie's POV

  I swayed my hips following the rhythm of the upbeat music playing on my stereo, jumped and turned for countless times like a kid while I tried to organize my things inside my crimson red suitcase. I could be the happiest girl alive right now and nothing could be more perfect than this day. After 5 years, my family is finally moving back to our hometown---back to where we undoubtfully belong. A wide grin spread across my face. Oh yes! We are finally going back!

  Five days ago, was my debut. It was even the battle of all ages when I insisted I did not want any celebration and my mom made a big deal out of it. We just had a normal dinner, the three of us seated on a round table where my mom prepared all of my favorite dishes. Fortunately, remnants of the battle completely subsided and we started talking. That was when they dropped the BIG news.

  I turned down my speaker's volume as I heard knocking on my door. That would be my mom. My dad bid goodbye earlier today and took off to his office to get the necessary paperworks and have his resignation letter signed. As much as I wanted to comfort my dad for voluntarily quitting the job that he loved so much, I just couldn't afford it. I don't want to look stupid and say things in front of my dad like I am even the slightest sorry when in fact I am over the moon happy. I am 101% sure though that my dad would be able to look for a replacement job there in the first place. That's how good he is, that even his would be ex-boss was kind of hesitant to let him go.

  There is only one thing that keeps on nagging my insides though, 5 years ago, both mom and dad were so adamant in going out the place and insisted that we move out sooner. They wouldn't even bother to listen to my pleas no matter how much I tried. I begged, cried a river even washed my clothes but they were as unmovable as a rock. I wasn't even able to see my friends. But now, my dad was so much willing to resign just so we could go back to the place where they were so perplexed on leaving years back.

  "The door's open mom!" I responded and went packing for my toiletries.

  I heard heels clicking on the tiled floor just in time I smelled her designer perfume. She lived extravagantly and nobody would dare oppose her for that. I mean she is the queen.

  "Oh no leave them honey," I backtracked as I heard my mother and curiously looked at an unmistakably angel in her presence,"we will just drop on our way to buy those,"

  I swore I could see a halo right above my mom's head. Am I missing something here? They were all being super nice and considerate to me right now that I couldn't help but feel a little suspicious.

  Maybe they were just as excited as I am.

  Oh crap I have to phone Ali!

  "Mom, can I just phone Ali? I want to see her before we leave,"

  "Of course! I just came by to see how you are doing," I could see through my peripheral vision that mom was only trying her best not to crinkle her nose. As much as I hated to admit it, I was not making a progress at all. All I could do was daydream and nothing else.

  "Mom...mom," halting her from picking up the undies scattered on my bed,"I can handle this---just don't touch those,"

  "Oh yes! You are right! You can do things on your own since you are eighteen now but baby you are far from being done! Look?" she exasperately looked around the room. Like that is a big deal now.

  She started picking my undies and stuffed them inside the suitcase, zipped it and went on to the next suitcase.

  "Melanie baby, no matter how old you got, you will always be my darling,"

  Ugggggh. I couldn't help but feel like laughing and hug my mother. And that was what I did. So many vague emotions were welling up inside me but one thing is for sure, the love I feel for my parents were unfathomable. They might have made decisions that I didn't understand but the road ahead of me is so long that I just knew they were for my welfare.

  "I love you honey. One day, you'll understand why we did things in the past,"

  "I know mom," I smiled inwardly,"and I love you more,"

  For the first time being here, I was silently thankful we even moved. It was such a breather for me to see new faces and new places. I admit it was hard at first but everything just fell back into place as time went by. There are so many questions inside of me but I set them all aside for now. I'm sure they could wait. But first, i'll just start with packing my things so there won't be mama-picking-my-undie anytime soon.

****

  "How about I go there once a month and vice-versa?" I cringed my nose upon hearing Ali's absurd suggestion

  "Are you nuts? You'd seriously travel for 5 hours just to see me?" she grunted that I had to bite my tongue. I must be the one being nuts here. I silently cursed myself for being so insensitive.

  She threw the nearest stuff toy she could grab and it landed perfectly at my face. We were now inside her room and sprawled on her king-sized bed.

  I laughed in response and jokingly pull the ends of her curly blonde hair. Ali is a one hell of a gorgeous gal. With looks that could sail a thousand ships, she would definitely make a pass on Hollywood. And those green eyes of hers, such a turner.

  We met right after we moved here. She was well---this...mean girl in the school I have to attend to and I happened to be mean to mean girls too. Like hey...I don't back down from whatever that's on my way. After some time, we got along and we even called each other bestfriends. Just when I thought about moving out back to our hometown and Ali, I can't help but be sad. Like sad sad. She has been my rock on everything and it pained me to see how it hurts her that I am leaving---permanently. We have been through a lot also and she knows every little thing of me. She is like my soul sister.

  "Hey I didn't mean it that way. It is just that I do not want to exhaust yourself. Our city is far away and now that I think about it, I don't know if it has been the same place I knew all these years." There...there. I said it. Where did all my excitement go? I, too have my doubts. It was not that hard to adjust and continue living life here. Now, I am not so sure if that would be the same case there. Why, I could possibly do that in just a period of time. I have lived there. What could have been so hard to just go on like a big change of everything has not happened?

  Little did she know that in just a liitle amount of time, she would wish they never went back.

  You are in denial.

  I am not in denial. I am just being positive.

  I was busy on battling with my conscience when a palm landed on my face.

  "Are you even listening to me??" an irritated Ali got up and sat across my body

  "Melanie---just text, or call or videocall me when you got in trouble and I will back you up," I swore that I just saw her winked. A mischievous smile plastered on her face when I suddenly remembered our conversation 3 years ago.

  "What do you mean all men?"

  I gave her the 'duh' look and went on licking my dripping ice cream. We went to an ice cream parlor after we finished cleaning her safe haven---her room. More like I cleaned her room. She did nothing but stare in front of a mirror and rant why no boys, not even from our school, were asking her out.

  "Every household has only 3-4 women and the rest were all men," even myself couldn't still grasp this one fact about my hometown. And if you were asking, yes, they were all uber handsome.

  She nodded her head in agreement.

  "I see."

  "What,  you are not shrieking?"

  "Why would I? In fact I know a place where the situation was reversed. Men shortage,"

  I snapped back to reality when I heard my phone ringing and blared Miley Cyrus' We Can't Stop.

  "Dad,"

  "You must get home," he used me his tone. The one that says hurry-or-your-pretty-ass-will-be-sorry. I abruptly got up and finger brush my hair," we need to talk,"