Caleb’s P.O.V
“How is she?” I asked as soon as I saw Caroline walk up to my car early next morning.
I had to practice for an upcoming match with the Ellsworth High Football team that was going to be led by Damien, the future Alpha of our neighbouring pack and my enemy since my early teenhood. It was a match I was looking forward to because of Damien’s recent challenge to me, but since I had finished practice really late last night, I hadn’t been able to visit Aurora at all.
I had wanted to apologize, I really had and I knew procrastinating won’t get me anywhere, but I was a bit nervous to face her after what had happened. My wolf was anxious too, but I wanted this to be special. I had stolen her first kiss without her permission…so when I went to apologize, I wanted it to be exactly how she had hoped her first kiss to be.
“A lot better,” Caroline gave me a bright smile, as she answered my previous question. “I did warn her that you might not be able to visit as often as you did before because of the match. You know…just in case she thinks you’re being a dick instead.”
I nodded my thanks and held the door open for her so she could get in. Closing the passenger’s side door, I came around to the driver’s side and got inside my car, starting the engine and driving straight to school.
The whole school was abuzz about the game and as I cut off the engine, I could see several of the students giving me a wave or a nod of approval. It was a lot of pressure this season, since this was my final year as team captain, but I was going to try my best to get that cup.
“Has Aurora told you anything about joining school again?” I asked Care before she could get out of the car. “I mean…school is halfway through and she really should graduate if she wants to have everything she wants to achieve in the future.”
“We tried, Cal,” Care let out a sigh, rubbing the back of her neck. “But she doesn’t want to think about it for now. And with all the shit thrown at her in the last few days, I think school is the last thing on her mind.”
“I know, I just…” I sighed too; worried that Aurora would regret it later on if she doesn’t graduate on time. “Let’s hope for the best, I guess.”
“Hmmm…by the way, you don’t have to wait for me from tomorrow,” Caroline spoke almost absentmindedly.
“Why? You’ve been riding with me since I got my licence!” I frowned. “Are you worried about what Aurora might think?”
“No,” she shook her head immediately. “I’m got my own car now.”
“So? I can still drive you around.” What was up with her getting a car all of a sudden?
My frown deepened as I thought over why she would need to buy a car in the first place. Her father was the beta, so he could easily have someone from the pack drive her around. But he hadn’t done so since Care had been with me all this time. Was this because we didn’t turn out to be mates?
“Some personal space would be really nice, Cal.” The sharpness of her voice surprised me as I turned to look at her, and then I found her brows drawn together in a glare. “I need my own car so I can drive myself around, without you or anyone else monitoring my every move or breathing down my shoulder!”
Woah…Miss Independent was currently in charge, I see.
I sighed, looking back at the school grounds. “You and Aurora have started to influence each other and not in a good way.”
Because not two weeks ago, Aurora had been the one to give me a hard time for the scholarship and now Care? Who was gonna be next? Jade?
When Caroline didn’t answer, I knew that something was definitely going on through her head. Because she wasn’t the kind of person who held grudges; she could stay mad and say something mean, but she usually corrected it immediately afterwards. So her staying quiet and gloomy, it kinda made me nervous. So I decided to change the topic…for now.
“Will you help me bake a cake?”
“What?” Caroline’s head turned in my direction immediately, her eyes wide with surprise. “You? Bake a cake? Whatever for?”
Well, at least I successfully had her attention. “I wanted to apologize to Aurora properly…and to invite her to my game…but I wanted to do everything right this time.” I told her now.
Even though she was my mate, I hardly knew her and she hardly knew me. I wanted her to like me and I wanted to earn her trust. Both of which would require a lot of effort on my part. And I was ready to make that effort; but I also needed guidance on how to win a woman’s heart. So, who better to ask than my best friend?
“Aurora doesn’t like cake. She’s more of a savory person.” Caroline told me after a few seconds of silence, appearing to be deep in thought. “Rather than cake, maybe try to make her dumplings? I think she’d prefer pork and shrimp or even chicken and chives. I’ll help you make them.”
Suddenly, a thought came to my mind.
“You know…I might be wrong on this, but…” I hesitated in completing the sentence. What if I had gotten the situation wrong, and besides, saying it out loud seemed stupid now that I think about it. “Never mind.”
Caroline gave me a side-eyed glare. “You know, I think Aurora would love…never mind.”
“Huh?” I frowned at her as I turned to look at her once again, this time giving her my full attention. “You think Aurora loves what?”
“Doesn’t feel nice when someone leaves you hanging, does it?” She huffed, folding her arms in front of her chest. “Tell me what you wanted to say first and then I’ll finish my sentence.”
I sighed. “Fine.” Rubbing a hand through my hair, I decided to get it over with. “You and Aurora. There’s something weird about your relationship.”
“What?” She frowned. “Weird, how? Care to elaborate?”
“That’s the thing…I can’t.” I shrugged. “At this point, it’s like a gut feeling, but it still feels like you know Aurora better than anyone else does and even though it can be a very normal situation where the two of you just connected on a certain level, but…”
I remembered the conversation I had with Aurora at the gazebo a week ago. They way she explained mine and Caroline’s relationship from Caroline’s point of view…it was as if she just knew things about Caroline that even I didn’t, despite the two of us having known each other our entire lives.
“But? Wait…” This time, Caroline’s expression turned from confused to offended in the blink of an eye. “You’re not…implying that her and I…”
“What? No!” I gave her an incredulous look. “She’s my mate, so of course I’m not saying you and her…well, unless you actually are a secret gay and haven’t come out yet. If that’s the case, then know that you’ll have my full support-”
Thanks to my amazing reflexes, I was able to catch her heavy bag right before it smacked me dead in my face.
“I was kidding!”
“It wasn’t funny!” Caroline snapped, snatching her bag out of my hands and exiting my car. I did flinch when she slammed the door a little too hard.
I followed after her, laughing to find that she was sped walking right into the main building. Mia and Trisha raced to follow her, with Laura following behind in her ridiculously high heels.
I shook my head, watching the girls all speed walk to the school without a backward glance, but even as Jade joined me and we started to discuss about practice, the thought wouldn’t leave my mind.
Aurora and Caroline…something about them was definitely weird. I wouldn’t have raised a brow if they had known each other for a long time, but for two people to supposedly know this much about the other person even though their connection was only a month or so old…yeah…there was definitely something I wasn’t seeing yet.
Or maybe I was just overthinking because I was missing her so much.