The Mating Games

Chapter 24- Mornings bliss

forewarning if you don't want sex then skip the end 

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The long windy roads had led us far deeper into the hills that I had ever imagined; rolling picturesque mountains merged together, blending the lines with rows of dense forest and the forever lingering scent of pine. It was truly a beautiful sight and couldn't rip my eyes away from the window. The drive was taking hours and hours, my legs had cramped up long before the last little nowhere town we had driven through and I think I may had lost a toe to bad circulation. April had chatted about how exciting it was going to be about her new life and her future with Collin while I had sat and listened. There was something so mundane about this trip, something so normally boring about four friends on a long car ride that filled me with such joy. In spite of recent situations, I was willing to sacrifice my back and bladder, if it meant for even just a day, that I could be normal.

But the sun had split, bursting with vibrant reds and purples, and the clouds had clotted together ready to turn in for the night. Dusk had fallen like an angel from heaven and darkness crept in from the corners of the world, prowling around the crevices of the ground in wait for its prey. The trip had taken longer than anticipated; we would have made it before dark if it weren't for the food breaks, or the "Hey, take my picture over by this giant coke bottle" breaks. Theo had patiently pulled over at every request, even though I could see the bags under his eyes and the forlorn look pulling at the corners of his lips; he was anxious to get home, to return to some normalcy and feel safe. I couldn't agree more; I was just as excited to get back to his, to unpack my boxes shoved in the boot and start my life over. There was still the problem of Greyson and the shadows following our every move but there was a buffer time for us to enjoy life first; who knows how long it would be until Greyson was up and ready to fight, would he heal faster because of the witch?

I shook my head, I just wanted to stop thinking about everything. The car pulled down a long dirt road, encased on either side by large thick trees; the night air chirped with life and lulled the diurnal animals to rest while the beasts came out to play. The car lurched, skidding on the gravel under the wheels and halted in front of an old style wood cabin. The house was by no means large but it had an airy feel of home, like you could walk in and smell freshly baked cookies. I shut the car door, raising my arms high above my head and listening to the cracks of my back keep rhythm with the crickets; the front light on the porch flickered on, a hazy yellow light casting the shadows away. Theo popped the trunk and started piling the bags onto the space in front of the door before it swung open. He must have known what was coming because before I had even caught sight of anything, he was lifting a small child into the air and swinging her around.

I was dazed, dazed and confused by the scene; he looked so carefree and light, like the world had been lifted from his shoulders just because this little girl was here. Was it bad to say I was envious? That I wanted him to be like that around me? I pushed down the harsh feelings gripping to my stomach and focused on the man in front of me, the man currently beaming and laughing with a girl he was obviously very close with.

"Summer," he called me over, still smiling his 100 watt smile. I ambled over, my legs sore and stiff from the ride.

"Hey," I didn't know what to do, should I like introduce myself? Fuck, I was awful at meeting new people... Mostly.

"Summer, this is my little sister Sophie; Soph, this is my mate," he exchanged names and the little girl curled up more in his arms.

"Hi," I waved to her, feeling very uncomfortable with her lack of acknowledgement. She must have been at least seven or eight, probably too big to be held by Theo but he didn't seem to mind. Sophie glanced over at me, her small dark pools examining me from head to toe before she turned away ignoring me.