Chapter 2-Revon

“Sorry about that, I did not see you coming. My fault entirely. Are you okay?”

I blinked, trying to stop my head from ringing. Did I fricking run into a wall?

But then I realized the wall could talk.

I looked up.

And bit back a groan.

Of course, it had to be him.

Tall, dark, and handsome, with a body every boy envied and almost every girl (and some boys, let’s be real) wanted. There was an apologetic smile on his All-American face. His dark hair was swept back with a single curl falling over his forehead, as if he were cosplaying Clark Kent minus the glasses, and his blue eyes had laugh lines under them.

To say Adam Kennedy was a golden boy would be like calling a gemstone pretty. He really was all that. Alpha, Old money, Star Quarterback, straight A student who was definitely going to be the valedictorian in the future, student body president, and everybody’s darling. The son of the richest man in Caveat city. He was also the first boy in our grade to present as an Alpha.

You’d expect someone with that much popularity to be a douche, but to make matters worse, Adam was actually decent. In fact, ever since he joined the football team and climbed the ranks, even the bullying calmed down a little.

Everyone loved him and loved to envy him, and I’m not different. I’m human, after all. In the very least, I’d love to have his grades.

But I was also a realist; I knew I could never be like him and never run in the same circles as him. The hierarchy prevented that.

So did my brain. Who could even get straight As like that?

So, I’ve never interacted with him before. Some might even say I took steps to avoid him, and they won’t be liars.

And now here he was, standing right in front of me, looking down at me with that handsome, apologetic smile.

Wait, what?

I scrambled to my feet, my cheeks flushing.

“N-o, it’s okay, I was just walking,” I stuttered.

As soon as those words left my mouth, my mind filled with disbelief.

What the hell was wrong with me? Why was I getting flustered in front of him? I never got flustered!

“Um, yes, I noticed that,” Adam replied. “And I bumped into you, making you fall. So, sorry.”

Only then did I realize what I actually said.

My cheeks reddened even more, and my heart started to race. I didn’t know what on earth was happening to me!

With so much effort, I moved my lips, hoping to conjure my usual carefree smile. But my lips stretched further than I wanted, and in the next second, I was grinning at him like a loon.

Adam looked concerned.

“Ayyyy, no problemo homie, we’re cool, we’re cool!” What were those words coming out of my mouth! “You just hang in there, buddy! See you around.”

With that, I quickly rushed away before he could reply.

Only to find my best friend recording my humiliation. Avery Silva was always like that, waiting to immortalize any embarrassing incident that happened in front of her. Even I wasn’t spared from that.

“Oh, my God, Rev, what was that?” She grinned. “You’re cherry red! I bet I can cook on egg on your cheeks.”

“Shut up!” I hissed. “You’re making a big deal about nothing!”

“Hell I am. That was so precious, seeing a smartass like you tongue-tied,” she grinned, wickedly. “What’s got you so red? Do you have a crush on him?”

I scoffed. My designation might be Omega, but I was not the type to lust after Alphas. In fact, I’ve never been attracted to them.

Besides…

“You know there’s only one person in my heart,” I muttered.

Avery rolled her onyx eyes. “Yeah, yeah. And she’ll never know if you don’t ask her out already.”

“Avery, you just can’t rush these things.”

“Why not?” She inquired, putting her things into the locker. “You said you were waiting until you confirmed your designation, which you were gonna do yesterday. How’d that go by the way?”

A cold sweat settled on the back of my neck, and I hesitated for a moment. Avery had been my best friend since we started high school, and I’d never lied to her. She was one person I could be myself with without fearing judgment.

But Dad’s words rang in my ears, and the threat was clear.

“Swimmingly,” I replied. I couldn’t meet her eyes, so I busied myself with my own locker. “Turns out, I’m not any sort of late bloomer. I’m just average.”

Her eyes lit up. “Beta?”

I swallowed a ball of nerves. “Precisely.”

Avery grinned. “Awesome. I’m happy for you, dude. Being a Beta is the best, no unnecessary drama.” She was a Beta as well.

I smiled, hoping it reached my eyes. “I know, right?”

“Your parents must’ve been pissed.”

“Nah, they’d expected as much. I am not Alpha material.”

“Or Omega material,” Avery replied, and I tried not to flinch. “I cannot for the life of me picture you being an Omega. Not with that mouth.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, I’m not.”

She smirked. “You know what this means, right? You got no more excuses to stall.”

My cheeks pinked, but unlike before, I didn’t panic over it.

“Avery…”

“Oh, stop being coy. If you wait anymore, someone else is going to snatch her up.”

“I don’t know if she’ll accept.”

“The worst she can do is say no, dude. And you’ll never know unless you ask. Look, there she is now. This is your chance. Go and seize your moment!”

My eyes darted towards the edge of the hallway, where she was standing.

My heart warmed, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach.

There she was, radiant like the sun and beautiful like a rose.

Annalise Westley, my childhood best friend and the love of my life. I’d had a crush on her for years, but never dared to do anything about it. Last year, she presented, and we learned that she was an Omega. She’d been pretty before, but after that, she became gorgeous.

I wanted to follow Avery’s advice and ask her out, but I was afraid. That would be a dangerous gamble. After all, even though I did not feel like it, I wasn’t a true Beta. Omega-Omega relationships were not taboo anymore, but still very rare. And most Omegas always went for Alphas or Betas.

I didn’t want to lie to my childhood best friend.

But I didn’t plan to ever live like an Omega. I’ve always wanted to be a Beta. An average life, a good job, a wife and kids, someone who I could grow old with. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

There was no pretending; my future was set. I would pretend to be a Beta until the day I die.

So, why not take advantage of that? Why keep denying myself this?

Annalise would understand. She’d always been so nice and friendly to me. I was certain that she would reciprocate my feelings.

That moment on the rooftop just a few months ago cemented it.

“You know what?” I said, straightening. “I’m going to do exactly that. I’m going to do it now!”

Before Avery can reply, I strode towards Annalise, watching the way sunlight glinted off her auburn curls, the way her ruby red lips curved, and green eyes, darker than mine, glittered like emeralds…

Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw him, and her smile turned genuine.

“Revon! Hi there. Auntie Elizabeth said you guys went to the hospital yesterday. What was that about?”

My mother was close with hers, best friends, even. That’s how we’d met.

“Just to get my designation officially checked out.”

She perked up. “And how’s that go?”

“Beta to the core.”

She snorted delicately. I never knew a snort could be ladylike before I met her.

“No surprise there.”

“Yeah. Hey, listen, Anna, are you free this Saturday?”

Annalise cocked her head, puzzled. “Yeah, sure, why?”

Suddenly, I grew nervous. This was the pivotal moment.

“I was wondering if we could visit that new ice cream place downtown? The really chic, I*******m famous one? If you’re free that is.”

There, I’ve said it. My breath caught in my lungs.

Annalise stared at me for a moment.

Then, to my utter surprise, she barked out a laugh.

“Are you…Revon, are you asking me on a date?”