The distance between us

Dreaming

I dream of Harper. I stay with her all night, and we watch the fireworks glitter above us. She is so perfect. Her eyes, her lips, her body, even her toes are perfect! I remember ber how we kissed... So tender, yet restrained. People can't know about us. Harper may not be punished as bad as me, but she will be punished. No one can know. My mind drifts back to that evening we met. Her bare back on the grass... our bodies and emotions intertwined. Nathan stop! As amazing as it was, people can NEVER know. Not until I become pack Alpha. And that was a long way off. Father was trained, young and merciless. If he found out that I was seeing an outsider...
"NATHAN GET UP YOU LAZY COW!" My best mate Cody yelled as he jumped onto a sleeping Nathan.
I growled: "Get off me, Cody."
He doesn't get off so I shove him off my bed. He yelps. We both laugh.
"So Nathan. My bud. My bestie! Where did you go last night?"
I look at Cody. I want to tell him, but I can't! If he tells anyone... who knows what Dad will do! 500 lashings? Thirty hours of workout a week for the rest of my life? Exile!? I can't. For Harper's sake.
"Nowhere." I lie. "That's my life now."
Cody stands up and crosses his arms. "Nathannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Please TELL ME!"
"Codyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! I CANT TELL YOU!"
He looks confused at this.
"Why? You used to tell me everything!"
I look at him. I can't. He waits for me to say something, and when I don't, he walks out of my room and closes the door. I climb out from under the sheets and sprint to it, almost breaking my nose on the frame in the process. I stumble into the hallway. He's gone. Only Ariana, my sister, and her friend Ava are there, and Ava instantly blushes at my bare chest. She smiles at me and I wave, before retreating back into my room. I sit down on the bed and run my hands through my hair. Why has this gotta be so HARD!? All I want is to be able to love a girl who loves me, and I can't!! All because of that stupid war that separated the packs. I put my head in my hands. Ava's nice? No Nathan! Harper needs you. She needs you. You need her. I stand up and get undressed and have a shower. The hot water is refreshing, and the steam calms me. I step out onto the bath mat, and I glimpse my six-pack in the mirror. I smile. Harper was stroking my six-pack yesterday. With that thought in my head, I get dressed into my jeans and my favourite grey shirt. I smile again at the thought that that was the shirt Harper removed from me yesterday. I skip downstairs and sit down at the table. The seat next to me is empty, but Cody walks straight past and sits next to Calum instead. Ariana sits down opposite me, and Ava sits down next to me. I smile at her, and she blushes, smiling back at me. Ariana smirks at me. When Ava gets up to go and get her breakfast from the kitchen, Ariana can't resist.
"Ava's nice, don't you think?"
"Yeah. She's nice." She looks at me.
"And?..."
"And what?"
Ariana look deflated by this.
"Ask her out! You need a mate Nathan!"
"I can't Ariana."
"Why not?"
I don't answer, because Ava's back.
She has American style pancakes with maple syrup and strawberries. Looking at it makes me really hungry, so I excuse myself and go and get mine. I ask for three extra rashers of bacon. And extra maple syrup. Ariana for and get hers when I come back, but before she goes, she jabs her finger at me and then at Ava: "Talk to her."
Fine.
"So Ava. How's it going? You have a mate yet?"
She blushes yet again at this comment.
"No... How about you Nathan?"
I don't know what to say. I don't want to lie to Ava, but if I say No, she won't leave me alone until I mark her. Or mate with her. So. Sorry Ava.
"I'm seeing someone."
She looks REALLY deflated by this. But I have to protect Harper and me. Ariana comes back, and Ava pastes a smile on her sweet face. I feel really bad. But at least it keeps Ariana at bay for now. Ariana goes up again because she forgot her water, and I nudge Ava.
"Thanks. You saved me there! You're the only person who knows I'm seeing someone. I trust you won't tell?"
She looks honoured by this statement.
"I promise."
I smile at her and she puts her hand on my arm. I'm
a bit uncomfortable with this move, but I go with it. Ariana finally starts to eat her food, and her boyfriend Jay comes and tries to snatch a piece of bacon over her shoulder. She slaps his hand and growls.
"Never mess with a girls food."
He laughs and kisses her on the neck. I growl at him. He does his best pouty face and high fives me over the table. He whispers in my ear,
"She was a tough nut to crack, but I got there in the end."
He winks at me. "If you know what I mean." He flicks his eyes down towards his pelvis.
I gawk at Ariana she is blushing all over. I run after Jay.
"Oh you son of a-"
He slams the door in my face and sprints upstairs. I turn to Ariana.
"You. Seriously Ariana? You always told me you never wanted to have kids!"
She crosses her arms. "I can if I want to, Nathan. Jay was fine. It just... happened! Honestly, I let him!"
"That's even worse than if u hadn't let him!"
She grins and walks away.
Oh my days. I'm going to be an uncle in nine months time.
I tell up the stairs, "THANKS A LOT JAY!!!"