The Job Offers

The Mating Ball Is Stupid

I woke up to the sound of the store belling ringing and the smell of different herbs. I yawn going into the back bathroom, and brushing my teeth and combing my hairs few times. I walk back to my room grabbing clothes that look comfortable, which is blue skinny jeans, a black shirt with rainbow skulls on it, and a bra. 'Larissa today.' I think, taking my clothes off and putting on my bra, then as I'm jumping into my jeans, Papa walks in. "Good morning, grandchild." He smiles, "Good morning Papa. How'd you sleep?" I ask, following him out of my room into the kitchen, without my shirt on. "I slept well, and you?" He puts a tea pot on the stove, turning it on. "Surprisingly I slept, like not how I usually do, but I still slept and it was really good." I said, finally pulling my shirt over my shoulders. I then button and zip my jeans up, "Hey Papa, have you seen my beanie?" I ask, turning around in a circle. "Is that a blind man joke?" Papa laughs, shaking his head. "Oh shit, I meant like did I perhaps tell you where I left it?" I rushed out. He laughs again, "Its on the store counter, to the right, by the register." He informs me, smiling. "Thank you!" I yell, going behind the counter. I see my beanie right where Papa said it would be, I walk to the register, about to grab it when the bell rings again. I look up to see the guy from yesterday...Lamb? No, no, um, Lou? Oh shit, its Lan. "Good morning, beautiful." He says walking up to the counter, "Good morning, non-flirter." I laugh, grabbing my beanie and putting it on. "So you ready to go?" He asks, chuckling. "Where we going?" I ask, grabbing my phone and leather jacket, which has my wallet in it. "Uh remember, the mating ball?" He stated in a duh tone, keeping his smile on his face. "Thats today?" I groan in protest, hitting my forehead with my hand. "Yes, thats today. I thought thats why you look like a girl..." He said, confused. I looked at him like he was nuts, then I realized what he meant. "Oh no, I dressed like a girl today, becasue I'm genderfluid." I laughed, shrugging my shoulders. "Fuck, I'm so sorry. I didn't know." He starts rambling, apologizing over and over. "Sh, its ok. It happens all the time, hun." I say, walking around to the front of the counter. "Papa, I'm leaving with the guy from yesterday! I'll be back later! I love you!" I yelled, walking to the front door. " And I you, grandchild. Be safe, and have fun." He said, walking behind the counter. " I will." I smile, and walk out followed by Lan. "So is he your real papa or?" He said, walking to the driver side of his car. "No, but he sure seems like it, huh?" I reply, sliding into his car. "Yeah." He stated, smiling. "What kind of music do you like?" He asks, going onto his phone, while driving. I just roll my eyes, "Anything. But get off your phone while driving." I tell him, looking out the window. "Oh no, are you a good girl? Did I take a good girl to the mating ball?" He says, groaning. "Fuck no, I ain't a good girl. But I ain't a bad girl either." I said, smirking. He just laughs and clicks on something on his phone, making AC/DC blast through his speakers. Its really loud, but its awesome. He starts yelling along with the music, I laugh at him. "Come on, girl! Be loose! Don't be so up tight and insecure!" He yells over the music. I laugh even more and start screaming the lyrics with him. We did that the whole car ride, which is like 45 minutes. By the time we get to a huge place, my voice is horace. Lan shuts off his car laughing, "You are by far, the most awesomest person ever to be in a car ride with!" He practically yells, climbing out of his car and running to my side. I hop out as well, "So are you man, how is your voice not dead?" I ask, laughing at how dead my voice sounds. "Because werewolfs heal quickly, duh." He said, rolling his eyes. He wraps an arm around my shoulders, "So you're a werewolf?" I ask, looking at him. "Oh, well, yeah. Please don't be scared, I won't hurt you or anything." He rambles. "Nah, its all cool fam. Is that why you needed to know if those items from the store were animal safe?" I ask, laughing. "Yeah, we dyed out Beta pink on accident and so we had to get something to get rid of the dye." He laughs. We walk up to the door, when I hear a lot of people talking on the other side. "So, you ready? Nervous?" He says, fixing his tux, that I just now realized he's in. "Yes and no, but no and yes." I reply, laughing. "Same, lets do this." He turns the door handle, pulling open the door and pushing me in first. There was a lot of people in the place, like A LOT. Lan rewrapped his arm around me, "This. my dear non-believer, is what a Mating Ball looks like." He states, moving his other hand in like a presenting motion. "It looks so boring..." I mumble, looking around. He laughs, "Thats because we're here early. And we haven't gotten to the juicy part." He states, smirking. "I do not ever want to here the word juicy come out of your lips when you're smirking." I laugh/demand. "Oh come on!" He yells, throwing himself on his knees. We were in the middle of everyone, so everyone was looking at us. "Please, say I can say juicy again! Juicy is my life!" Hes full on yelling, making others lightly laugh around us. "Nope." I replied, laughing at the horror on his face. "I will do anything! Just say I can say it again!" He grabs my wrists, looking at me with pleading eyes. "Fine, you may say it again," His face lights up, "But you must now go jump into a pool." I demanded, laughing. "Would you like me naked or fully clothed?" He asks, smirking. "I don't want you, the pool does. And I say..." I look around at everyone, who smiling ear to ear. 2 little kids run up to us, "Naked!" They plead, looking like they love pranks and being little demons. "Your fate has been decided by these young wise children." I tell Lan, trying to look serious while putting my hands on top of the 2 childrens heads. The children are giggling as Lan bows to us, "Yes, oh dear non-believer and wise children." He runs off behind a bush, the children start pulling me to the balcony, pointing to the pool. Everyone follows suit, standing on the balcony, laughing. "Look! There he is!" One of the children yell, pointing to Lan, butt naked. Everyone laughs, including me and the children. "I shall get my precious word back!" He yells, belly flopping into the pool. A buncn of oooo's and ow's are heard across the crowd of people. Lan pops up a couple seconds later, "May I say it now, non-believer?!" Lan yells, I nod in response. "This is going to be one juicy party!" He yells, smirking. Right when he said that music turned on and lights started going crazy inside. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Mating Ball!" A lady, dressed in all white, announced. 'She is beautiful.' My mind was saying, she had long red hair, freckles and vibrant purple eyes, and was wearing a white dress that followed behind her on the floor. Evryone cheered and then I saw Lan, in only his boxers, with a towel wrapped around his shoulders. I walked up to him, "Quite a show, young man." I stated, laughing. "I had to start this party somehow, non-believer." He said, chuckling. "Ooooo, come on, I want you to meet everyone." He said, grabbing my arm and dragging me. "Everyone? I can barely remember YOUR name." I stated, laughing even more. "Ouch, that one hurt. Now, since you said that, you have to meet my parents." He smirked. "Oh were already meeting parents? Damn, this is going by pretty fast." He rolled his eyes, "Look, there they are!" He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, dragging me towards a man and woman who looked like Lan. "Mom, Dad, I would like you to meet non-believer. Non-believer these are my parents." He said, motioning us to one another. "Good morning, m'lady. Good moring, sir. I'm Larissa." I said, holding out my hand for a handshake. "Good morning, Larissa. I'm Lilian and this is my husband Ray." Lilian said, grabbing my hand lightly. "Its a pleasure to meet the both of you." I told them, shaking Rays hand. "Holy shit, non-believer can be formal?!" Lan, practically yelled. "Yes I can be formal, my mother did raise me right, you know." I said, rolling my eyes a laughing. "Watch your language, Lan Dera!" His mother, Lilian scolded him. Ray and I laughed lightly at the two, "So how do you know our son, Larissa?" Ray asked, grabbing a champaigne off of a tray. He motioned to it, asking if I wanted one. "No thank you, I'm too young." I said, "Well your son came into my grandfathers shop, and I was working behind the register and we kinda talked. And here we are." I said, motioning to Lan. "How old are you, dear? People above 16 are aloud to have champainge." Lilian asked, walking by a pouting Lan. "Oh, I'm 14." I informed them, shrugging. "How have we not seen you around at other parties and Mating Balls? You're 14, which means that you have been coming here for at least 5 years now." Ray said, looking confused. "Oh I've never came to a Mating Ball actually." I stated, getting slightly uncomfortable. "Oh no, why not? Were you mated that young?" Lilian said, looking at me in pity. "Ahem, I'm sorry Mom and Dad, but I must steal Larissa away. Friends to meet and food to eat!" Lan said, dragging me off with him. "Thanks, man." I said, patting him on the shoulder. "Hey, no problem. I got you." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. We met a bunch of different people and its already night out, 'Well damn, time sure does fly when you're having fun.' I thought, the we heard a microphone being tapped on, "One two three, non-believer, one two three, non-believer." We heard through the mic, 'Oh no, whats Lan doing now?' I think, walking to the stage. Everyones looking around for whoever non-believer is. "Ah, there you are non-believer! Ok everyone this Is Larissa, shes a non-believer! So will all the allegible bachelors please come and line up." He demanded. A bunch of guys walked up and lined up, from tallest to shortest... "Lan, what are you doing?" I hiss at him. He jumps off of the stage walking to me, "Well you are going to walk up to everyone on of those men and shake their hands. And if you feel a connection then you will have to say that 'Lan is awesome and really juicy' until I feel its good enough." He stated, bringing me over to the men. "Lan, I'm not doing this. This is stupid." I said, rolling my eyes. "Larissa, just do it please. If you don't feel anything, I'll leave it alone... for a couple minutes..." He mumbled the last part, but he was pleading me. "Ugh, do I have to?" I whined, "Yes." He stated. I rolled my eyes once again, "Ok now shake this mans hand and look into his eyes." Lan said, I looked at Lan like he was crazy."Are you fudging kidding me? Whats that gonna do? Take my soul?" I chuckled lightly at my own joke. "You seriously don't know anything about mates, do you?" He asked with pity in his voice. " Don't pity me, mates have never been a part of my life and they never will be." I said, rolling my eyes. "Just shake their hands and look into their eyes, please, for me?" He pleaded, giving me puppy eyes. "Ugh, fine." I mumbled, and I kid you not, Lan squealed in happiness. Making everyone in the room groan/growl from the sound. I laughed and rolled my eyes. I shook the first guys hand and looked at Lan, "So what is suppose to happen when I do this?" I ask, "Well, my dear, you should feel complete and like there are sparks flying everywhere." The lady in the white dress said, "Sparks really? This is so cheesy.." I mumbled. I looked into the first guys eyes, while shaking his hand. Nothing. I released his hand, "Well that was a lot of nothing, can I be done now?" I asked, taking a step back. "No, you must do that with every man up here." The lady said, smiling. "I'm sorry, but who are you? I don't really know you and you seem like a big deal around here and I mean no rudeness or anything but I'm honestly curious." I asked, looking at her in curiousity. I heard a few gasps here and there, "I'm Xora, the moon goddess." She said, bowing a little, "And you are Larissa or mostly known as Lukas, you are 14, and you do not believe in mates, correct?" She stated, smiling at me still. "Moon goddess? Woah, do you mean like THE Moon Goddess? No way!" I said, atonished. Everyone laughed, "Yes, THE Moon Goddess." She replied, "Um, should I bow or shake your hand, uh what do I do?" I started rambling, she laughed once again. "You don't need to do either of those things, we met when you were younger, so theres no need to be formal." She informed me, "Wha-"  I was interrupted by a huge crash, everyone whipped there head to look at what it was. There, on the ground, was Lan fighting some huge ass wolf. "What in the fuck?!" I asked, getting a little scared. Xora just focused on the fight, so I did as well. I look back and then I heard bones cracking and skin tearing and Lan turned into a wolf as well. "Lan Dera! What do you think you're doing?!" Lans mother, Lilian, yelled. "Whats going on?" I asked Xora, "No need to be afraid, Larissa. Lan is fighting a boy named Xavier, they are really good friends. Don't worry." She said, putting a hand on my shoulder, smiling. Eventually the other wolf, Xavier, pinned Lan down. Xavier was a black wolf and Lan was grey. Lan huffed, and growled a little. Xavier was glaring at Lan, when he suddenly started smelling the air. He growled and his head whipped towards Xora. He jumped off of Lan and bolted towards Xora, who I was standing behind. Everyone yelled and moved out of his way, he skid to a stop in front of Xora, making me stumble over my own feet and trip backwards. I wrapped my arms around my head, preparing myself for impact of the ground, when I fell on fur and heard a grunt..