Chapter 136 136. Happy Hour
Tabitha’s POV
I end up going to the restroom after all. It takes a while because my hands are shaking and my thoughts keep spiraling. I stare at my reflection and breathe until my chest finally settles.
Wilson’s reaction keeps replaying in my head. My hunch is right. He and Mom are tangled in something they should not be. The way he panicked earlier says everything. If that is not guilt then I do not know what is.
After at least ten minutes, I wash my hands and leave the restroom. I head back to the arcade.
There are more people inside the arcade room now. At least seven others crowd the room while the brothers are already deep into their games. Reed and Luca are still racing in the simulators while Jace is shooting hoops at a basketball arcade game. I also spot Evren hammering buttons on a fighting game that looks like Mortal Kombat. Or maybe Street Fighter? I’m honestly not sure.
Just as I scan the room for another game to play, a light gun shooter catches my eye. Perfect! After my brief confrontation with WIlson, I really want to shoot someone right now. So, I grab a pink gun from the rack and start playing.
I focus on the screen and pull the trigger without mercy. Targets pop up and I take them down one by one. It helps. A little. Just as I am deep into the game, someone steps beside me. I glance at him and then return my eyes back to the screen. He looks familiar but I can’t quite put my finger on it.
“You’re Tabitha, right? Tabitha Huxley?” the man asks.
“Yeah,” I reply.
He laughs. “Damn. I really thought they were joking. It’s true after all.”
I frown and turn to him. He smiles and sticks out his hand.
“I’m Ren. We went to the same school. Silver Hills High? I was two years ahead of you.”
Oh. That explains why he looks familiar.
“I see…” I say, turning back to the game.
Instead of leaving, the dude stays right there.
“My uncle is the beta of the Stormblood pack,” he continues. “I even went to Alpha Emery and your mom’s wedding. I couldn’t believe it when I heard the Aldairs’ new stepsister was the same Tabitha Huxley from our school. You used to look so…”
“Fat?” I supply.
He raises his hands and laughs.
“Hey, I’m not trying to call you names. I’m just surprised. You changed a lot. No one from our school would even recognize you.”
Because I used to be really fat, but I’ve lost so much weight over the years and now I suddenly look easier in the eyes, huh?
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I say lazily.
Three guys nearby who are playing the Pinball Machines laugh. I catch them gesturing something to Ren when I glance at their direction.
“Come on, Ren!” one of them yells. “Have you asked for her number yet?”
Ren curses under his breath and shoots them a look. I keep firing at the screen, ignoring them. But then, the guy—Ren—turns back to me with a red face. I can see his flushed face even through my peripheral vision.
“Sorry about that.” Ren flashes a boyish grin. “So… do you mind if I get your number?”
“I do,” Evren declares in a chilling voice as he steps beside me, blocking Ren’s view of me. Reed joins him and crosses his arms.
My lips twitch into a small smile before I rein it in and refocus on the game on my screen.
Ren stiffens. I don’t need to pay full attention to him to know that he is visibly intimidated by the sudden presence of Reed and Evren.
Well, that’s the effect of Alphas on other ordinary werewolves that do not belong to an Alpha family. But I commend Ren for still forcing a smile despite the apparent wariness in his eyes.
“Evren, Reed…” he nods at the brothers. “I was just having a lovely chat with Tabitha.”
“Yeah?” Reed asks, sarcasm dripping in his voice.
“Y-Yeah, man. We were just catching up! You know, former schoolmates and all?” Ren forces a smile and flicks a glance between Reed and Evren, clearly hoping for one in return, but neither of them budges and the confidence drains from his face. “Look, I was just… I just want to be friends with your stepsister.”
Reed scoffs.
“I’ve been watching you, Ren. You’ve been staring at my stepsister’s ass since we got here. I don’t think friendship is what you’re after,” Reed mutters, his voice edged with contempt.
Heat rushes to my face and I tug at my dress even though it is not revealing. I suddenly become a bit self-conscious. My dress is not even that revealing!
Ren blushes… in embarrassment probably. That doesn’t seem to sit right with his friends because they suddenly walk over as if to come to rescue.
“Come on, man,” one of them says. “It’s just a number!”
“And you’re not getting it,” Reed replies sharply.
The guy groans. “You can’t decide that for her!”
“Yeah!” The other one agrees and looks at me. “Why don’t you decide, sugar? Will you give us your number?”
Reed tenses and for a moment, I am pretty sure that he is about to punch someone but Evren puts a hand on his shoulder. Then, Evren turns to me.
“Do you want to give them your number?” he asks calmly.
I look at Ren and his friends. Then I place the pink gun back into the rack.
“No,” I say.