I'm The Alpha's Challenge

6

I decided to wear a long sleeved bright blue V-neck shirt and jeans with flats for school the next day. I was a little reluctant to confront Jake, but the thought that someone would actually talk to me...was...amazing. I was humming as I brushed my hair and fixed breakfast for my family. I slung my bag over my shoulder and strolled out the door, grinning.

A huge black SUV stopped beside me on the road, its window rolling down. I pulled out my iPod and put it back in my bag. Josh smiled back at me. "Hey! What're you doin'? You need a ride?" he asked.

I blushed, glancing behind him into the passenger's seat. A blond haired boy stared at me with pale blue eyes. He was young, maybe about eight or so, and I could tell he was going to be a cute teenager. I smiled, stilling blushing, and nodded shyly. Josh whipped around, smacking the boy lightly in the shoulder.

"Levi!" he said. "Get in the back."

"But Josh-" The boy, Levi, began, but Josh interrupted him again.

"Now." He ordered.

The boy huffed and slid out of the seat, leaving it wide open for me. My cheeks were still hot with blood as I slipped around the car, stopping at the open door. "So this is the girl who don't talk?" a female voice asked from the back. I got into the car, turning around to study her more deeply. She was pretty, with highlighted straight brown hair and big, soft brown eyes. Her figure was perfect, with curves in all the right places, and she showed it off with tight clothes.

Josh rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Yea. Danny, this is Iya, Iya, this is Danny."

Iya smiled at me. "Nice ta meet ya." She said, smiling.

The young boy coughed. "Are you forgetting someone?" he asked with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Nah," Josh waved his hand in the arm, turning around to face to wheel again.

The boy pouted. "My name's Levi." He said proudly, sitting up a little straighter. I smiled at him, laughing slightly.

"Ya littl' squirt," Josh teased, smiling at him in the rear view mirror. Josh turned his smile to me. "He's my little brother, and she's my cousin. We have ta take squirt here to the elementary school first, it that's okay, but Iya's a sophomore, so she'll come to the high school with us." He kept the window down as he pressed on the gas.

Iya huffed. "I'm supposed to be a junior, but I missed the cut off day. It's stupid, really." She said. I smiled and chuckled.

"I'm one of the oldest in 3rd grade." Levi said proudly.

"Usually, Josh's younger brother, a-" Iya started before Josh shot her a dark look. "He's usually here with us, but he's sick." She finished. I couldn't stop smiling. I ran my fingers through my hair several times as we drove.

Levi tugged on Iya's shirt. "What, Levi?" she asked.

"Guess what we're learning in class!" he said, slightly bouncing in his seat.

"What?" she asked, humoring him.

"We're learning about animals. Isn't that cool?"

"Totally," Josh interrupted, "what else are you learning in class? They teachin' you anything good?" he asked in that horrible grammar of his.

Levi scowled. "Yea. Mrs. Freshwater's teachin' us the multiplication table, and Mrs. O'Neill's sayin' my grammar ain't good."

I laughed along with Josh and Iya. "She's just sayin' that 'cause she's jealous of our southern ways." Iya joked.

"I swear this town's never had a southern family in their midst's." Josh said, scoffing. I shook my head at him. His eyes widened. "You haven't? Really? Oh, wow." I laughed; this town was way too small. I stared at him for a while, watching how the smile across his face light up his eyes even brighter, how his laugh echoed through my ears. That little stubble across his chin that I wanted to run my hand across, and through his hair, just to feel its texture. I loved his posture in the driver's seat; calm, relaxed, hands loose but ready at the wheel, like he hadn't a care in the world. The white t-shirt he had on showed his dark skin and muscles clearly, especially when he ran a hand through his hair to tame it from the wind. Since the windows were still down, my hair was flying everywhere also. But I had learned not to bother with it. Iya wasn't messing with hers either, but it seemed like hers had more spray in it. I noticed how Josh's free hand was on the holder in between the two chairs, as if waiting for someone to clasp it.