glitch

chapter seven - the ride

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I got a message saying "the car" was outside my house, ready to pick me up and take me to the lake house, but I'd say the black SUV, the back windows tinted so dark I could barely see into them, is exactly what I'd been anticipating. It feels straight out of one of those cheesy "mafia boss falls for a rando barely-legal girl" novels online.

The driver, an intense-looking woman with a long, sleek ponytail, helps me get my two suitcases and a duffle bag into the back of the car before stepping back to give me space to say goodbye to my parents. They aren't nearly as torn up about my leaving as they were yesterday; this morning, they were invited to the Alphas' "parental bonding retreat", or so Ma's been calling it. She's been talking about nothing else since.

It still feels weird, getting swept up so last minute, but I'm glad, at least, that my parents will have the chance to get to know their "future in-laws", given we don't find a way to break the supposed mate bond. According to Dad, they'll get to stay with the Alphas at some luxury beach villa for a while, get to know them, get all buddy-buddy, and afterward, we'll all meet up and prepare for the wedding... or something. I could have been paying more attention, I'll admit.

But whatever, I can worry about that after the two months I have to spend with Lucas are up. Nothing that involves me in any way will be happening until then, so my best option is to simply push it from my mind. No use thinking about what I could be doing and making myself lonely as all hell, anyway.

When our farewells are mostly over, Ma grabs a little cooler bag of Tupperware from Dad, each container filled with two servings of my favorite dishes she makes. The last couple of days had been "kitchen days", as she calls them, and now I finally know why. There are about ten different dishes, from what I can see just peeking in, and for whatever reason, I find myself getting all... emotional and blubbery as she tucks the bag into the car with my other things.

I sniffle faintly, pulling her into a tight hug before she can see my expression. I don't even know why I'm suddenly so teary-eyed, but as Dad shuffles over to join the hug, it takes everything in me not to let it overflow.

I suppose this whole ordeal has been getting to me a little more than I realized, or perhaps I simply wasn't letting myself think about it too hard. I wouldn't be surprised if it were a mix of both, honestly. I just... hate how I really am never going to get the happily-ever-after everyone always talks about when they meet their mates.

But even if I'm going to end up alone for the rest of my life, at least I have my parents. They may get on my nerves sometimes, but I love them dearly. They've always been, and always will be my biggest supporters.

I pull away from the hug, smiling softly as I give them both a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll send lots of pictures," I chuckle as Ma pinches my cheeks affectionately. I don't even brush her off this time.

"You'd better, or you know you'll never hear the end of it," Dad muses, giving my arm a gentle squeeze. "Stay safe; don't do anything dumb, alright?" he grins when Ma gets a little too choked up to say it herself, and I laugh.

"I'll do my best," I shoot back, and before I know it, I'm getting settled in the middle row of seats in the SUV. Lucas isn't here, obviously, so I assume that means I'll have the whole row to myself for the ride there. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to stretch out and nap; it'll be a long drive, about four hours, give or take, so the extra legroom is much appreciated.

A blacked-out screen separates my row of seats from the driver's seat, offering me a sense of privacy I'm not used to in a car. It's almost a bit unsettling, in a way, not being able to see the driver even slightly. Is this how the Alphas get around? Via some poor virtually faceless professional driver? I can only imagine what a thankless job that must be.