Birth Mates

Chapter 7

I quickly make my way to the bathroom. I shut and lock the door as quick as I can. It's getting harder to breathe. My hands start shaking.

Breathe in, breathe out, deep breaths Emma.

It feels like I'm having a panic attack. I've had a few of those when I was younger and have grown to be able to control them, but this one seems a little harder for me to handle.

"This can't be real," I whisper to myself.

"This must be some sort of joke." I continue to take deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

And then it hits me. It hits me like a brick wall.

The reason why I've felt confused these past few days. The reason why my mind constantly goes to him. The reason my body unknowingly reacts a certain way when I am around him. I feel like deep down, I had my doubts but simply refused to believe them.

It seems like what I just saw is engraved in my brain now. As much as I want to, I cant un-see what I saw.

I can't un-see Drew's rose shape birthmark on his upper left rib.

Deep breaths, Em. Deep breaths.

He's my birth mate?!

Of all people, Drew Davis is my birth mate?!

It reassures me in a way that the bond is the reason why I've felt this attraction toward him. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have looked twice at him if it wasn't for the bond. Right?

Wow, Drew Davis. My birth mate.

How can Rose Ivy High's player be my birth mate? I feel tears start to gather in my eyes.

This is definitely not how I imagined this day to go down.

I've been nothing but patient, waiting for my mate, wanting everything to be special and perfect. While I was staying in on Saturday nights reading books and bingeing series on Netflix, he was out there hooking up with girls. Many girls, from what I've heard. A rush of anger hits me when I think of his reputation.

Why does he have to be my birth mate?

Maybe I saw it wrong.

A sudden knock on the bathroom door startles me.

"Are you okay in there?" The simple sound of his voice gives me goosebumps. I shut my eyes tightly. I wouldn't be feeling this way if he wasn't my birth mate.

"Um, yeah, fine." My voice quivers.

"Okay. Well, I'll see you downstairs, yeah?" He calls back to me.

I take a deep breath. Making my way to the sink, I open the tap, desperately needing cold water. I splash icy cold water onto my face to sober up a little, the reality of the situation dawning on me.

"Calm down Em," I take another deep breath. The panic within me slowly fades with each deep breath I inhale.

It feels like my head is spinning, and I am unsure if it's because of the alcohol or what I just saw.

I step backward and lean on the wall behind me. I slide my back down the wall until I sit on the floor, knees to my chest with my arms around them, holding myself together.

What should I do?

I mean, he is my birth mate. I could give it a shot and get to know him better. But this big, angry part of me is telling me not to.

Nonsense. He's Rose Ivy High's player.

The numver of stories I have heard about this guy. 

My big romantic vision of how this day was supposed to go down is being crushed by cruel reality.