Three Alphas, Three Mates

Chapter 10 - Tomorrow

I knock twice on the frame of Megan's door. "Hey," I smile, stepping in. "How was your day?"

She looks at me and I flinch. She's wrapped in covers, cocooned around her tablet. She looks like a ball of pre-pubescent angst and rage, and the vibes she's giving off gas me out of the room. I resist the urge to swat at the miasma as I stumble backwards.

I thought I had a bad day.

"Is dinner ready?" she asks, of course in her commander voice.

I nod.

She looks away. "Alright then." She turns herself and her cocoon away from my presence. A silent command to leave her be. I can only assume she's coming down soon. Assume being the operative word.

I comply. After all, that's how I was just two hours ago, and Michael's antics didn't make it any better. As I'm leaving, I hear her resume her usual facetime chat with her old friend. They've been close since two or three moves ago, which is good. It's a sign that the friendship will last. Megan sighs, "Girl, let me tell you. These men just want a piece of me or something."

My eyes fly open.

"Girl, I've been trying to tell you. They're only after one thing."

I nearly fly back into the room. I barely keep myself back from the doorway. What do these children know?

"What's that?" Megan asks.

Her friend, Peggy, laughs. "I don't know. The girl didn't say it on Enchanted."

I sigh, my faith in humanity restored. I can't take anymore "surprises," so I keep moving quickly. I make my way downstairs, following the path Michael already took the second Mom screamed, "Dinner's ready."

I'm still getting used to the house, the way it takes some time to. I remember with the old house how quickly I could run down the stairs on autopilot. My body naturally anticipated every step, avoided every creaking part or chip or nail. It just knew. I just knew.

Now, here, I carefully take each step one by one. I hold the railing. I stare down at my feet, watching myself. I can't trust myself to walk. I turn, knowing where everything is but at the same time not quite knowing where everything is. It's like my body is thinking, "Okay this is nice, but when do we go home?"

There, it would've been a left to get to the kitchen from the bottom of the stairs. Now it's a right.

Somehow it makes me sad that in just a few more days, I'll forget the change. I'll get used to the steps. I'll let go of the railing and trust myself in this new place like I'd never known any other home or town or place. And in a year, I'll do the same thing when I leave here. I've mastered the art of moving, and I hate it somehow.

I nearly step on Charlie's legos. They're littered all across the hallway.

"Mia, that one," he smiles and reaches his hand out.

I shake my head and laugh. "Aren't we supposed to be eating?"

"But Megan's not down yet," he pouts.

I do as he asks, bending down and grabbing a red piece.

"Blue!"

"Oh, sorry," I reach for a piece not far away from me. I stand up and walk towards him.

He shakes his head violently. "I changed my mind. The red is better." He smiles innocently.

This is how it always starts. I hold onto the blue lego and grab the red one as well. I bring the red one to him.

He narrows his eyes. "... Mia, are you stealing my lego?"

Omg. "No, I'm holding onto it in case you change your mind."