CHAPTER 2 – What if we are not mates?
Catherine's POV
My heart pounded out of my chest as I entered the doors to Dark Moon High. Everywhere I looked, massive balloons hung all around the halls.
Brian spotted me, and a broad smile played on his lips as he stalked toward me.
"Happy birthday!" He whispered, "Do you like it?"
"Wow!" I managed to gasp out the word. I never suspected that he would go this far. "Double wow!"
"I guess you liked it then," he said, pulling me to his broad chest.
"Yes," I answered, "I do. How did...?"
Brian turned toward Sarah and Jimmy standing behind me, both with big smiles on their faces.
"I got some help..."
"That's why you didn't want to tell me," I asked Sarah, and she nodded her head.
"This... this... this is a major surprise! Thank you...!"
"Not as big as those pretty new wheels you got from your parents..." Brian commented, "But I did try to compete!"
"Well, I assure you," I said, "this is so far the best birthday I ever had!"
"Well, it is not over yet," Brian said, and his light brown eyes, with specks of gold, lit up, excited. I knew what he was hinting at, and I prayed to the Moon Goddess that we were indeed mates; otherwise, this could end awkwardly.
The first bell rang, and we all rushed to our lockers to get our books for the first period. The rest of the morning passed so fast that Sarah hooked her arm in with mine when the second period ended, and we headed to the cafeteria.
Brian waited for us at our table, deep in thought. He lifted his gaze the second he noticed us.
"And?" He asked, "How was class?"
Brian and I didn't have any classes together, which only gave us time to meet and see each other at lunch and after school.
"Same old, same old," I answered. "English was long and boring; we were busy with Macbeth; and science was interesting..."
"Mr. Davenport blew up the lab again," Sarah commented, annoyed.
I chuckled under my breath, noticing the annoyance on Sarah's face.
Sarah loved science, and she could get a bit grumpy when things didn't go as they should. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing things blow up, except if they smelled like rotten eggs.
"How was your class?" I asked as Jimmy handed me my lunch.
"Boring," he answered with a pout, "I would have enjoyed it more if I was with you."
"You are such a flirt..." Jimmy said, taking a seat, "What are you guys going to do if you are not mates?"
Brian's gaze met mine, asking the silent question. We have spoken about it, yet we couldn't decide what to do.
"I don't know," I said, feeling annoyed that Jimmy would spoil my good mood. Yet I felt scared as well. Brian and I fit together like a hand and a glove. I loved him, and he showed me numerous times how much he loved and cared for me too.
"Well," Brian said, smiling, trying to break the tension at the table, "we can always decide to be chosen mates."
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding; that could be the only option, but what if we found our mates after that? Would our chosen mate bond be strong enough to withstand the fated mate bond?
The bell rang, breaking my chain of thoughts, and we got up to leave for our next period.
The rest of the day, my mind was occupied with what-ifs.
I didn't concentrate in class, and when the teacher asked a question, Sarah had to mind-link the answers to the questions. She could see that this mate-subject was slowly eating me alive.
When the last period ended, Sarah pulled me into the lady's washroom and locked the door.
"Kate," she said sternly, "we have been friends for a long time..."
That I knew... We have been friends since kindergarten.
Sarah was the girl that everyone ignored because her parents were new members of the pack. I, on the other hand, found the fragile little girl exciting. Her strawberry-blond hair was always neatly braided, and her hair would flame up when she was angry, but the most interesting part of her anger was her eyes. Her forest-green eyes would glow against her porcelain skin.
Sarah pinned my gaze, her face full of love, yet she was serious.
"Stop this now!" She said, "If you and Brian are meant for one another, the goddess will make sure you end up together."
She sighed and took a step back, suddenly looking tired. She turned and walked toward the sink.
"You are my best friend, Kate," she said, staring at herself in the mirror, "but I will not allow you to freak out about something like that."
She turned her head toward me. Her gaze was a bit softer than a second ago.
"I really like Brian, and you two are good for each other, so don't misunderstand..."
She lifted her eyebrows and dropped her gaze. "If you two are not mates, do not decide to claim one another as chosen mates."
"Why not?" I asked, feeling almost betrayed.
"Because," she lifted her head, "my parents were chosen mates..."
"Wait, what?" I asked, shaking my head, confused.
She let out a deep breath before she continued.
"It's a long story, Kate, but know this: I saw what happened when my father found his fated mate, and it isn't pretty."
"Is Helen..."
She nodded her head.
"Yes, Helen is my stepmother," she answered. "My mother couldn't handle the rejection, and the bond between my father and Helen was so strong that he couldn't get it over his heart to reject her."
Tears filled Sarah's eyes, and I walked closer to comfort my friend.
"I'm sorry, Sarah, I didn't know..."
"I know," she said, "I was ashamed..."
"Don't be..." I answered. I could understand why Sarah never told me. This was big. No, it was huge.
I wiped my friend's face and grabbed her hand in mine.
"Let's go home," I told her. "We need to get ready for my party."