Ash stood on the opposite side of the door, feet implanted to the floor and a sheepish grin remained plastered on his face as he fumbled to stand upright. Hesitantly, he withdrew the hand entangled in his Raven locks, which didn't cover the evidence of his nerves as his hair reflected an unkempt mess (no doubt from a hand combing through it one to many times).
"Ahem, uh, hiya Misty." He had to restrain from visibly cringing at his own voice crack.
Meanwhile, a certain bluenette mustered a few shrieks of laughter in the background, if only at her best friends expense, as amusement glinted in the Alpha's midnight blue eyes.
"Would you please excuse me for just one second?" Misty politely mustered, and before Ash's answer could come, he was met with the slam of a door.
"Uhhh, sure no problem..." Ash murmmured at the door, shifting the weight between his feet as he attempted to listen in to try scrutinizing what could possibly be going on.
Though, a few pitches of squeals later, followed by a yelp and a muffled door slam was the only sounds Ash could decipher. Then, moments later, a disheveled Misty cracked the door open once again. A noticeable lack of Dawn anyone near the perimeter of the dorm's living-room was evident. Though, Ash could have sworn he heard faint knocking and scratching sounds coming from the interior of the dorm's closet and Ash didn't dare pursue the noise.
"I'm sorry about that, just had to get rid of a pest. Do you want to step inside?" Misty pleasantly invited the Omega. Charming gestures that were normally never offered to Ash, and though tempting, he politely declined.
"Uh, thanks for the offer, but um, I don't want to intrude, and I have somewhere to be and-" Ash rambled until Misty assured him it was alright.
"So, what did you stop by for?"
"Oh, uh, I just wanted to make sure you were OK. You know, after the whole cafeteria incident, which I truly apologize for. Though, that's not the only reason why I came.."
Ash could practically hear his heart beat... Was this speed normal? Swallowing thickly he continued stammering on, "I was also hoping for a um, favor?"
Misty cocked up an inquisitive eyebrow in Ash's direction. It wasn't everyday that a cute Omega came blundering to her door step looking for a favor... Wait cute? Did she just think he was cute? She wasn't wrong if course, but she just thanked Moltres that she didn't say it out loud.
"Alright, ask away." Misty replied as leisurely as she could.
"So, um, you know how Ursula is hosting a party tonight?" Ash was sweating bullets.
Fortunately, the Alpha seemed to focus more on the fact that if she tilted her head to the left just a little bit, Ash could almost be slightly, kind of attractive after all. Shame the face was on an Omega though.
She was more intrigued than ever.
"Yes?"
Ash couldn't believe May talked him into this.
Approximately 1 hour prior.
"And your head resembles a bush! A bush!" May's last outcry sent Ash over the edge, and before Drew could criticize the Omega on her questionable fashion choices, Ash took it upon himself to end the argument before May could whip out her pepper spray.
"Guys, that's enough!" Ash relinquished, slamming his hand against the wall, the sound rippling in the room as the shelves rattled. The arguing pair finally turned their gazes towards the frustrated teen, their argument coming to a screeching halt.
"You know what? Why don't we all do something tonight?" Ash proposed thoughtfully. Honestly, just trying to fabricate a diversion for his bickering friends.
Suddenly, a cheshire grin began to spread along May's porcelain features, though her contemplations were anything but ladylike.
"You know," May commented. "I heard from the grape vine that there's supposedly going to be a huge Alpha party being thrown at Ursula's house tonight. Whose to say that a couple of Omegas couldn't crash it?"
"May, remember when I said you were crazy? My statement still stands." Drew responded, reciprocating May's conceited smirk.
"Say all you want grasshead, but I think crashing an Alpha party would be a great way to kick start our last festival." May earned herself a glare from Drew, but dismissed it, kicking up her feet in a more comfortable posture. Ash, to Mays dismay immediately shoved her legs off the bed, silently scolding her with a look. May rolled her eyes, sometimes she swore Ash was becoming more like Delia by the day.
"OK, OK fine. Let's to say we were to entertain one of your crazy schemes." Drew spoke, hypothetically of course.
"How do you propose we even get into the party? Waltz in through the front door?"
"Of course not, bush-head." May snapped, offended. Drew merely glowered in response.
"I also heard it was a bring one, get the second one free. We simply just need to be invited."
"Oh, yeah that's a real piece of cake." Ash finally piped up, rolling his eyes. The gesture being unnoticed, or ignored, by May.
"Well... I know someone who has gotten quite friendly with the pack leader herself." May, not too subtlety, insinuated.
"Oh, no, no May you're insane. I literally talked to her maybe twice, and one of those times she was covered in my lunch!"
May's grin didn't even falter.
"I'm going to talk to Misty against my will, aren't I," Ash wondered aloud.
Only Drew acknowledged the comment as he spoke, "yeah... You guys can just leave me out of it."
Back in the present...
Ash was seriously dissecting all his life choices right about now.
"Well, I was hoping you wouldn't mind doing a friend of mine a favor. She wanted to know if you could allow myself and her to get into that party." Ash gulped, the lump in his throat swelled as he prepared himself for the let down, though it would probably do him a favor..
Misty's face began contorting into a sly grin.Surely she could have a little fun. She didn't like Ursula all that much anyways.
"Well, Ursula did say the invite was plus one for each person... You know what? What the heck, she's loaded anyways, sure you and your friend can come. Though, you didn't hear this from me, got it?"
Ash smirked, "hear what?"
"Absolutely nothing, Omega. Maybe... I'll see you around?"
"It would be my pleasure," Ash laughed, bowing jokingly. "I shall abid you a due."
Misty giggled and shook her head, shutting the door softly behind her and letting out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. Until she realized she just giggled. She really was slowing digressing into madness.
Once Misty knew the coast was clear, she hesitantly approached her broom closet. Dawn sat expectantly, arms folded as she was perched on one of the buckets that were sprawled over the closet's floor, along with some mops, and her grin was beaming.
"So an Omega, huh?"
"Shut up," Misty sneered, pivoting 180 as she darted away from the bluenette. Though, Dawn remained in the broom closet, howling in laughter as she fell off the metal bucket in her hiysteria.
"We're here," Ash murmured as he put the gear shift into park. Releasing his foot off the break, Ash glimpsed over the monstrosity of an architectural building the Alphas refered to as a house. Silhouettes lining the brightened windows as sounds of music pounded into the air.
"Well, let's get our Alpha party freak on!" May exhilarated, unbuckling her seatbelt on the passaenger's side. The frosty air of the night embellishing her entirely once she slammed the car door shut.
"Yeah, go us," Ash retorted pathetically, pumping an unenthusiastic fist into the air as he began trailing May's advancing form towards the practical castle that stood dauntingly on top of the hill.
"May, why did you even want to go to this party? I thought you despised Alphas and their 'socially demeaning spectaculars,'" Ash quoted the girl in question herself, incredulity laced into his tone as he begrudgingly walked passed the mailbox, which even looked grand by itself.
"Because, what better way to get under their skin than by crashing a party? Besides, two Omegas getting into Ursula's mansion? We'll practically be legends," May glamorized as the two teens closed the distance between themselves and the daunting entrance of Ursula's "home".
Ash smirked, "I thought you didn't care what others thought?"
"Hey, we're in our senior year. I want to go out in a bang," was the brunettes only reply, and by then, it was too late for Ash to retreat back to his car. The entrance to the house was held openly as Alphas staggered in and out of it, alcohol wracking their bodies of all cognitive thought. Outbursts of whooping and chanting gathered as kids danced and played drinking games that contained no innocent movements or consequences. Ursula was either stupid, or plain stupidly rich; perhaps she was both.
"This is gonna be good," was May's last words before she disappeared into the florescent lighting, Ash not far behind.
"Hey, do you really think he'll show up?" Misty inquired to her best friend as she lazily perched herself on top of one of the banisters. Her skirt riding up a bit too high, earning her a wolf whistle which Misty disdained. She had to physically glue herself to her seat to withhold knocking the common sense into the playboy who clearly lacked basic manners. The incident of the first Alpha party was that Misty had an unfortunate run into a drunken Gary too soon and punched him square in the face. People didn't seem to want to bother her after that.
"I mean, he seemed real interested," the girl mused in response, her eyes lethargically trailing the marble floors below for the uptenth time, looking for the mystery Omegas. "Although, you seem to be real interested in something alright, and I'm not talking about this party," Dawn simpered.
"Hey, you can't accuse me of anything. Besides, Ursula has had this coming. I mean, letting anyone waltz into your house? Risky move if you ask me. Besides, watching her get riled up is never a bad thing," the pack leader defended, Dawn humming in response.
"That's true, I mean, you've always hated her to begin with."
"Hate's a strong word, more like, strongly dislike," Misty huffed defensively, not enjoying the accusations being thrown at her.
"Yeah, just like I'm sure you 'strongly disliked' when she took that photo of you and Gary in that janitors closet and posted it all over her blog page," Dawn mocked, watching as Misty shuttered at the memory.
"Well, she made it seem like we were doing something in that closet, when we certainly were not!" Misty fumed with disgust at the mere though of.. doing anything with the distasteful and flirtatious Alpha. "Gary tricked me into going in there when we were on clean up duty."
"Yeah, yeah," Dawn waved off dismissively, grin set mischievously on her face. However, as Dawn continued scanning the house, a spiky haired brunette sauntered up to a couple of girls at the punch bar.
"Speak of the devil," Misty hissed in distain, eyes narrowing as if they could harm the Alpha in anyway. The pack leader watched as Gary took a swing of the fruity alcohol drink, downing an entire cup full. A few Alphas that Misty semi recognized as being daughters of coperal heirs couldn't seem to unstick their gazes from Gary's face. Misty was beyond appalled by the sight.
"I bet you Gary is going to challenge Paul to another race like last time," Dawn snickered to herself.
"Oh yeah, I remember that," Misty snorted, the amusing story rushing back to the forethought of her memories.
"Gary won, but not before throwing up at the finish line because he was drunk off his ass."
"Speaking of, where is Paul?" Dawn murmurred to herself, her eyes looking for a glimmer of purple hair.
"What, did I miss attendance?" A gruff voice responded, succeedingly startling the Alpha as she spun around only to face the leering Alpha.
Once regaining herself, Dawn replied, "of course not, it's not like I was purposely looking for you."
"Yeah, sure," was the males only comeback before dipping his head in acknowledgement to Misty who smiled in return.
"So, what are you guys doing up here anyways?" Paul inquired, tilting his gaze twoards Dawn unconvincingly.
"We're just looking for a couple of Omegas," Dawn grinned, her eyes falling on Misty. Paul raised an eyebrow.
"Remember that Omega who crashed into me during lunch? He asked for a favor to come here," she replied hesitantly, using her peripheral vision, Misty continued the search for the formentioned Omegas.
"This is to get back at Ursula, isn't it?" Paul stated, Misty's nutorious temper flared, "She had this coming."
A drawled "Riigghht..." was the purple haired Alpha's only response as he took a look past the banister himsf, sweeping his inspection over the room below. Surprisingly enough, in a mere couple of seconds, his sight locked onto a brunette girl in ripped jean shorts and a red halter top snickering at the boy he could only presume to be the one Misty was looking for. Said Omega attempting poorly to spit out the contents of his red cup. Paul gestureed to the scene unamusingly, "are they the ones who you guys have been stalking?"
Misty nearly fell off the banister, leaning practically half of her body weight off the side of the railing, "where!?"
Paul lifted his hand to gesture twoards the left side of the bottom of the stair case, Misty took notice immideately, jumping off the banister eloquently before racing down the slabs of marble.
"She's totally infatuated," Dawn giggled, watching Misty run boundlesy down the stairwell before racing after the girl. Paul layed back before turning twoards one of his football teamates, deciding it was best not to interfere.
Ash gagged once again, the sting of tequila still on the tip of his tongue.
"Woah, that's so strong!" Ash coughed, staring at his beverage in disgust. Since when did they make alcaholic drinks so strong? May continued laughing at his mistake.
"Well, I would think whatever they are serving here is stronger than that beer we found in your mom's celler," May teased.
Taking the cup from Ash's hand and disposing it onto one of the glass tables lining the interior of the room.
Just as Ash was about to make a sarcastic remark on the hideous rug they were standing on, he felt a jerk on his right shoulder.
"Finally made it, huh?" Misty greeted idly, nudging the boy's shoulder back in what she could only hope seemed nonchalant, but wasn't so assured by the clumsy reaction of the Omega, whose eyes flooded with slight panic, almost as if he was repulsed by her touch. She didn't consider herself a typically insecure person, but it was hard not to feel the plummet of her stomach as Ash clumsily seemed to want to do anything but, look at her.
Ash, on the other hand, seemed to be fighting his own mental battle as he could only inwardly curse his jumpy nature and lack of ability to untie his tongue. The area of his shoulder Misty's hand had once came in contact with felt as though it were burning, searing so hot he could jump into Ursula's alleged pool and still have fire igniting on his right arm. Yeah, Ash wasn't going to be speaking any intelligently created, coherent sentences anytime soon.
"Yeah, uh... wouldn't miss a chance to crash an Alpha's party, right?" Ash coughed nervously. Damn that could have gone better. The calm façade he was trying so hard keep seemed to crumble until it shattered ceremoniously onto the floor, along with his dignity.
Misty's wandering eyes and un-eased posture wasn't very assuring either.
Meanwhile, May couldn't help but snicker to herself from her temporary hiding spot under the grand stairwell as she continued to gaze at the pitiful exchange of little words between the two teens. She knew Ash would be pissed by the fact she had ditched him so casually, but May rationalized that him flopping around like a fish for a while wouldn't be oh so bad. Besides, leave it to only Ash to get tongue tied in "dire" situations.
Now, May didn't exactly share his... enthusiasm for Misty, but even she had to admit there was something admirable about the Alpha. Misty Waterflower, who was labeled top Alpha and annunciated as the fastest runner in her class, even when the odds were stacked against her what with the proficiently male dominated Alpha population. May never depicted Ash as the type of guy who would even find interest in someone of the female species like that, but yet here he was, fumbling around like an idiot.
Still, that didn't mean May didn't despise the Alphas. Quite the contrary, their pitying glances and snide remarks were enough for her to hold resentment for an eternity. Not to mention, for kids who were practically binging their way through wads of stacked cash, their alcohol sucked. No seriously, where were they getting their booze from? May couldn't even fathom describing the sheer volume of disappointment when she sipped the remaining red liquid from Ash's cup. Wait, what was she thinking again??
So, as Ash wallowed away for his depleting fortitude and May sulked internally, a bubbly bluenette flew down the marble slabs, hoping two stairs at a time. Successfully startling the Omegas as the girl began her thorough examination of the boy, her eyes racking up and down his stature before smiling in approval, a mischievous twinkle flickering in her eyes. The only thing Ash could rationalize as he reeved his head back in muted shock was the blatant lack of subtlety and personal space the stranger possessed.
"You know, for an Omega, you don't look half bad. I'm Dawn, by the way," she exclaimed exuberantly, extending her arm out with intent of someone shaking it. May ended up doing the honors, firmly shaking Dawn's hand politely.
Dawn, even when occupied with May, didn't quite miss Misty's nostrils flaring in protest in her peripheral vision, undoubtedly a reaction to Dawn's flirtatious comment. Dawn brushed off the silent threat easily, instead smirking in amusement as she watched a crimson tinge spread across Ash's face.
"Hi, I'm May Maple. I'm his plus one." May finally remarked casually in an attempt to dissolve some of the tension, jerking her thumb back as to gesture towards Ash, who wasn't exactly thrilled with the attitude of her tone.
May's comeback had snapped Misty away from her internal simmering after Dawn's reckless comment as she glanced back at May apprehensively. Misty didn't exactly suppress Omegas the way her peers did, but she was, nonetheless, alarmingly aware of the Omegas despite for Alphas. Though her agreeing to invite the Omegas was a bit reckless, but Misty wasn't oblivious to social hierarchy. She was well assured by the sneering of Omegas when they saw her. But that didn't mean she couldn't at least offer a bit of an olive branch every now and then.
"Hi, Im-" "Misty Waterflower," May cut in smoothly, "no need for the introduction. I'm pretty sure there isn't a single kid in Woodland Creek who doesn't know who you are."
If May's voice was condescending or not, Misty couldn't decipher. But, one thing that she was confident about was that messing with an Omega was not one of her ideals of fun, so she overlooked the girl's slightly aggressive undertone. Talking to an Omega was like walking on eggshells. Dawn shifted her weight uncomfortably as she instantaneously caught onto the tension filtering among them.
"Right... No need for the formalities. If you guys need anythi-"
"Well, well, well what have we got ourselves here?" A voice contemptuously greeted from behind Misty, the Alpha feeling her skin crawl with unease as she cautiously turned to see Gary stagger his way over to her. Misty took three steps back.
"Gary, can't you go harass literally anybody else?" Dawn uncharacteristically snapped, Dawn didn't feel like dealing with his unreciprocated flirtatious advances tonight. Not if she could help it.
"Yeah, go slither back from whatever crsuty place you came from," May added, already not apprexiating Garys obnoxious attitide.
"Dawn, how rude of you," the Alpha scolded dramatically. "Besides, you know I cant resist the temptations of being with Waterflower," Gary purred arrogantly, leaning towards his targets of affection. Misty could only squirm in discomfort as she tilted her head back in repulsion.
"And as for you," Gary directed at May, face cold, "Why don't you be a good little kitty and walk your fellow mut home," Gary challenged.
It took all of May's dignity and will not to slug Gary right then and there. 'think about the party, think about the party' May grumbled internally to remind herself not to be hasty.
"Gary, you're drunk," Misty stated impatiently, the accusation supported with the stench of tequila seeping out of her former childhood friend's breath.
"So, why don't you join me?" Gary slurred, his offer only being a red plastic cup, it's contents a twinning mystery red liquid. The only traces of his character that Misty could see was his appearance, handsome as ever sure, but he had become the asshole of Woodland Academy.
A low and farrel growl escaped from the back of Ash's throat as he heard the disgusting words spitting out of Gary's mouth; a fiery pit escalating in his gut the more Gary continued to speak. The feeling was foreign, yet welcomed as adrenaline surged into Ash's veins.
"Did he just-" Dawn started, but before she could finish her question, Gary had stepped up to to the challenge.
"Does the mut want something?" Gary snide venomously.
"What did you just call me?" Ash replied darkly.
"Did I stutter?" Gary jeered.
"Hey! Stop being such a jerk, Ash didn't do anything to you... Yet," May screeched, earning her a few curious looks as people began crowding around the group.
"Repeat that again kitty?" Gary instigated aggressively.
"Why I outta- mmpff" May was muffled before she could finish her threat as Ash clamped his hand over her mouth.
"I'll just... Wait till she cools down." The Omega conceded, wincing in pain as May attempted to bite his hand.
"Gary, you're causing a scene, I suggest you go," Misty chastised, pointing towards the twin double doors that lead to the backyard.
"Misty my dear, I'm not going anywhere. If anyone's leaving, it's them," Gary glared, gesturing towards the squirming May and Ash. "Who invited them anyways? They're Omegas! They shouldn't even be here."
"I have no objections to punching you in the face right now Gary," Ash hissed, finally achieving in calming May down to the point that she was no longer eagerly flailing in his arms, instead making some unkind gestures directed at Gary as Ash let her go.
"Ha! I'd like to see you try Omega!" Gary cackled condescendingly. Smirking in satisfaction as Ash could only glare in protest.
That's when Ash snapped, the irking feeling lingering in his gut had finally manifested into a blur of red. A fire flickering in his eyes and electric currents of adrenaline coursed its way through his body, Ash hooked his arm up, tensing his hand back in anticipation for his fist to come into full contact with Gary's mirth filled eyes.
Can' believe I'm back. I know, I know, it's been a hot second but hear me out. Between juggling a job and college courses it's been hard to find the motivation to continue writing. However I am determined to complete this story one day no matter how long it may ultimately end up taking me, so please be patient if you're still interested in reading.