Chapter 42 The Invitation
Kristen's POV
It's morning and time for Public Speaking class. As usual, I am in the front pew of seats, waiting for our lecturer to show up, but it's been five minutes late and she hasn't shown up. I have two months left to complete my final semester at school, so I have my hands full aside from being bombarded with different projects.
Someone slides into the empty space beside me, with their sweet-smelling cologne wafting my nostrils.
From the smell, I already recognize the person before turning to meet them.
"Kristen," he calls my name with a contagious smile on his face.
"Hey, Ben," I mirror his expression, "you're a backbencher. Why are you here?"
"I wanted to sit next to you," he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and puts his hand on my shoulder.
Ben Gregory is the son of Alpha Norman from the Green-Valley pack, and the next in line to be Alpha after graduation. We take the same courses at times, he was friendly right from the beginning but kept his distance. Recently, he's starting to show interest in me.
"You have like six extra pens now, do you," Ben gestures at the seven pens on top of my book.
"Oh, I do actually, I brought..." I stop talking when Ben's smile wears off and his face is replaced with a smirk.
"You're mocking me," it's embarrassing to know he finds me hysterical.
"No, what you did is impressive," Ben shifts closer to my side, making me uncomfortable, "you're one of our top students in this course."
I smile a little at his compliment and before he can say anything else, our Public Speaking lecturer comes in.
Slightly startled, my hand brushes off all the pens on the table, leaving me without any. They're far out of my reach.
When I look at Mrs. Smiths, she seems to be in a sour mood already as she looks through each and everyone one of us through her glasses.
At this point, coughing or making any move to stand up will be termed as crossing her, so I just remain in my seat. Cursing myself quietly for being so clumsy.
Someone slides their pen to my side, it's Ben.
"What are you doing?" I inquire, completely puzzled.
"Make use of it, Kristen." He whispers.
"Why? That's the only one you have left," I reply in a whisper because Mrs. Smith is super sensitive right now. If she hears my voice or finds me standing, I'll be kicked out of class.
"Just use the pen, I'll be fine. I can make use of my ears to listen," Ben pushes the pen into my hand this time.
I am left completely speechless.
From where I am seated, I can see Maddy and Sapphire grinning sickly and giving me thumbs up.
And I just roll my eyes in their sockets.
"Ben Gregory is completely into you, Kristen!"
It's Sapphire. We just had the last class for the day so we're walking along the hallway.
"Why are you unusually quiet, you don't find him attractive enough?" Maddy jabs her shoulder in mine.
"Don't just jump to conclusions so fast, he's just being nice to me," I say at last.
"Shut up, he was all over you in class this morning. He couldn't keep his eyes off you. Smiling as he looked at you when you had no idea." This is from Sapphire.
"Maybe he just wants to fuck," Maddy turns to me with that stupid sick grin again.
"No, I think he likes her," Sapphire disagrees, hooking her arm around my shoulders, "He will be Alpha in three months, maybe he wants Kristen as his Luna."
"You two, don't get ahead of yourselves," I push them out of the way as I walk.
"And you ought to be elated that someone like Ben finds you attractive enough to catch his attention, do you know how many girls are dying just to sit next to him!?" Sapphire yells after me.
I stop dead in my tracks when I find the said person leaning on my locker, with his hands folded across his chest. "Oh my god, he's in front of her locker. It's so hot," Maddy and Sapphire gush, fanning themselves with their fingers. "Hey, Kristen. Can I talk to you for a sec?" Ben leaves my locker to catch up with me before I can near his side. "Yeah, sure," my response comes out after I hold his gaze for a few seconds to discern what he's at.
Ben puts his hand on my shoulders and turns me away from my friends. I can hear their whispers. Even girls on this side are jealously glaring at me.
Okay, I'll have to admit that Ben is good-looking. He's one of the most sought-after guys on Campus aside from him being an Alpha's son. Girls adore him, boys envy him. He comes from a filthy rich family.
"What's that you want to talk about?" I ask.
"I...I...," Ben stammers, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. It's as if he is afraid of spilling out the exact thing he has to say.
His eyes are blue but a different kind that I don't find attractive like that of the man who broke me.
"Never mind, we'll talk about it later," Ben brushes this off, and holds an invitation card in my face, "My father is having a yacht party this weekend and I want you to come."
"Really?" I ask quietly.
While he nods.
Blinking for a few seconds, I look away from Ben. Attending this yacht party would mean leaving here for the first time in a month, and I don't know how I'll handle that. I never want to be alone in the midst of Alphas, Lunas, and Betas.
My friends are like my backbone, even though I never told them what exactly happened. They just stormed into my apartment one day, and found it messy, with me looking pale like a ghost, and a complete shadow of myself.
I snap my head in their direction just in time to see them waiting for me.
"You really want me to be there?" I ask Ben after returning my attention to him.
"Of course I want you to be there," Ben barely let me finish with my question before replying to me.
"Two more invitations then," I hold my right hand out to him, "my friends should be there as well."
"As you wish," Ben hands me all three cards and presses a quick kiss to my cheek.
My heart flutters in my chest.
Even Maddy and Sapphire have their mouths gaped, with their eyes blinking in shock.
Why did he even do that?
He's about to leave when he stops and looks at me through his shoulder.
"When packing, include bikinis as well, we the youngsters will have our own kind of fun. With an indoor pool party. Away from my parents and their friends," with this, he winks at me and leaves.
"Did I hear him say a yacht party?"
"Ben Gregory just pecked you?"
My friends literally squeal when they scoot to meet me.
"About the peck, I don't know what message he's trying to pass, but yeah. We're definitely going to that yacht party this weekend." I say, and they burst into peals of excitement.