14. Olive
14
OLIVE
I groaned when I replayed how I’d awkwardly fled from the three alphas who were currently working inside the lighthouse. Easton, Lars, and Finn .
Finn, the large broody alpha with big hands, angular jaw, and dark hair that fell lazily in his face.
Finn, whose fingers had been inside me mere hours ago.
Finn, who had pretended not to know me .
My little omega heart was all pathetic and crushed. I’d run to the living room, plopped down in an outdoor chair I’d found in the shed, and wrapped myself in blankets until only my eyes were exposed. My omega wanted to be closer to the alphas… even him , which told me everything I needed to know about her judgement.
Last night I’d stripped off my clothes the second I got home, throwing the dirty sweater in the trash.
And then I’d burst into tears.
My omega had panicked, needing the mystery alpha’s scent on us. So I’d fished the sweater out of the trash and tucked it into my nest. I didn’t want to admit that I’d slept better than I had since I’d moved here, surrounded by the sweet scent of maple candy. Now that alpha was just feet away, separated from me by a single door.
The moment he’d looked me straight in the eye like I was a complete stranger replayed in my brain, and my tears quickly morphed into fury. How dare he treat me like that? Discard me after he’d gotten what he wanted? My omega was incensed, too. Finally, we were on the same page.
Something vibrated against my leg.
And again.
I groaned when I realized it was my phone. Hardly anyone contacted me except for the occasional scam call or political fundraising text. It took me a minute to free my arm enough to grab it out of my pocket.
Unknown Number
Hi Oli. This is Lucy. I hope it’s ok that I got your number from Easton. I wanted to apologize the other day for the welcome wagon.
I stared at the text. It was a group chat, with two other numbers.
Unknown Number 2
Yeah, that was probably really overwhelming. (This is Ivy)
Unknown Number 3
Did you like the pho?
Lucy
^ that’s Summer
I chewed my lip. Why were they texting me? They didn’t have to do that. Unless… unless Lucy had been serious when she said she wanted me in their group. To be friends . I had no experience with this. I’d always been painfully shy, and kids could be mean. Once I hit third grade, the bullying had intensified. My classmates made fun of me for being quiet. They stole my stuff, shoved me at recess, and laughed at me in class. After coming home crying for weeks in a row, my dad announced he couldn’t stand seeing his girl cry for one more second and that I would not be going back. I’d done an online school program, and my parents helped teach me as much as they could. They’d asked several times if I wanted to try school again, but I didn’t. Online school allowed me to spend my days on the boat, which was the only place I really wanted to be. But it meant I didn’t have practice with real friends.
Olive
The pho was amazing. Thank you
After living off instant ramen, the soup Summer made me had literally featured in my dreams.
Olive
Also you have nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry I was so rude.
Lucy
Oh my gosh not at all! I just hope you still give us a chance. Omegas need to stick together!
Oh god, that was so nice. Suddenly, a craving to not be alone hit me. It shocked me with its intensity. I’d barely left my crappy studio apartment the past five years, had moved to this lighthouse to be alone, and yet… maybe that’s not what I wanted. Was I allowed to change my mind?
I stared at the group chat, anxiety rising in my chest. I needed to say something. Something friend-like. I remembered reading a research study ages ago that said people viewed you as a warmer person if they held a warm beverage while talking to you. Maybe that’s why Lucy liked me. She’d had a warm beverage at the coffee shop. But that strategy wouldn’t work over text. I did a quick search to get more tips on how to make friends. One article said that you should ask people for a favor. It seemed counterintuitive to me, especially growing up in fishing communities where self-sufficiency was viewed as a strength. But the article said people would feel more connected to you if they did something for you.
Olive
I need help p
Shoot. I sent the text before I finished writing it.
Lucy
Oh my gosh what is it? We’ll do anything!
Olive
Plotting revenge
Our messages came through at the same time, and I cringed. Maybe I should have started with a more normal favor. Fuck, I should have just asked for more pho.
Seconds ticked by without a response and then…
Summer
Well this just got interesting. I’m in. What’s the revenge?
Okay, that was a promising start. I pushed forward.
Olive
I need ideas for how to get revenge on Finn
Ivy
Oh no, what did he do?
My cheeks heated, and I wasn’t sure what to say. I decided to keep it vague.
Olive
We met last night at the late-night movie showing. Today he came to the lighthouse to start the renovation and he pretended not to know me
Summer
What a jerk
Ivy
That seems unusual for Finn. He’s usually really sweet. He’s been going through a hard time lately, though
Lucy
That’s no excuse to treat Oli like that! We ride at dawn!
Olive
Where are we going?
Lucy
lol to revenge land. Ok, I pretty much grew up with Finn since he’s been best friends with my brother for ages. He hates pickles and Pride and Prejudice, the movie
Ivy
The guys were all in the class ahead of me, but one time we all went on a field trip together and Finn’s socks got wet and he had a bit of a meltdown about it
Summer
When was that?
Ivy
2nd grade. Maybe he’s gotten over it by now
Lucy
No one likes wet socks
Visions of me tying Finn to a chair and force-feeding him pickles while I doused his socks with water and played Pride and Prejudice at full volume danced before my eyes. The image was equally hilarious and satisfying.
Olive
Umm ok. I think I can work with that
Summer
If those ideas don’t work, we can always just throw him off the top of the lighthouse
I snorted a laugh, my chest feeling lighter than it had in ages.
Lucy
Summer! No murder
Summer
Boring
Ivy
We should get lunch sometime. Oli, have you been to Rosie’s?
Olive
Not yet
I didn’t admit that I’d barely stepped foot in town besides the market.
Lucy
How about the day after tomorrow?
Ivy
I’m there! We have a half day at school
Summer
I’ll be there
Olive
That works for me
That sounded nonchalant, right? Something a normal person would say to a lunch invite.
I let out a startled shout when Felix jumped onto my lap.
“Oh my god, where did you come from?”
He just stared at me, and I frowned.
“I’m mad at you. Those three alphas are here because of you,” I hissed.
Felix looked completely unbothered. He nudged my hand until I showed him the group chat with a huff.
“I need revenge on Finn. Something pickle-related.”
When Felix stayed silent, I continued. “How am I supposed to trick him into eating pickles? They brought their lunch today. I saw Lars carrying a small cooler. Also, I’m a terrible cook. Although… maybe that’s a good thing in this instance.”
Felix fixed me with an expression that was a mix between this girl is helpless and must I do everything myself?
He jumped off my lap and pranced away.
“Okay bye,” I said, rolling my eyes.
A few minutes later, I heard shouts outside. I frowned and ran to the window, making it just in time to see Felix. He was a streak of orange and white as he ran past the house towards the water, the cooler in his mouth. Easton ran after him, shouting, until he stumbled on the sand and rolled down the embankment.
My lips twisted in a smile when Easton popped back up the hill, looking sandy but unharmed. Felix had somehow stolen a cooler twice his size and run away with it, all for me . I couldn’t stay mad at him after that.
I took a deep breath and headed out the door. The three alphas were all outside, peering out at the beach where Felix seemed to have vanished.
“What happened?” I asked.
Easton spun towards me, a broad smile spreading across his face. “Olive!”
My cheeks heated. I couldn’t believe he was always so happy to see me.
“Felix ran away with our lunch,” Lars said, shaking his head. “He’s been acting so weird lately.” He looked down at his watch, and I couldn’t help but notice how thick his forearm was. He was in a black t-shirt that spread tightly across his huge chest. I bet I would feel so tiny in his arms, and I usually didn’t feel tiny.
“We’ll just have to head into town to get lunch,” Lars continued. “Want to join us?” The way he said it was so hopeful, like he actually wanted to have lunch with me, and it was almost enough to make me forget my plan.
But I couldn’t let Felix down now.
“I could make lunch,” I blurted out.
Lars’s lips parted, Finn furrowed his brow, and Easton jumped up with a whoop. “You would do that for us?”
“We don’t want to inconvenience you,” Lars hedged.
“Umm, it’s not a problem. I mean, I can’t cook anything fancy.”
Shit shit shit . Easton and Lars seemed so excited at the idea of me cooking for them. Probably because they’d never eaten anything I made. Now I had to make sure I made them something really good. My eyes flicked to Finn. He was standing in silence, a shocked expression on his face. When he caught me looking, he glanced away.
“Just give me thirty minutes?” A realization crashed over me: if I was making them lunch, it would make sense to invite them inside. Into my space. I wasn’t ready for that. Felix was the only one who had been inside my home.
“It’s a nice day. We can eat outside,” Easton said. My lips parted as he winked at me, and I had the strange feeling that he’d read my mind. Or maybe he’d just noticed my body language. My omega wanted to preen at how much Easton seemed to see me.
Before I did anything ridiculous like run into the alpha’s arms and scent mark him, I turned and went back inside. I leaned back on the door and took a deep breath. One day, I would stop running away from people.
The three alphas sat on the sandy bank leading down to the beach. They all looked a little more rumpled and sweaty than when they arrived this morning, and I felt a warm spark of something deep inside me. I took a deep breath, steeling myself as I balanced the plates on my arms. I walked over to them slowly, carefully, giving me more time to take them in.
Lars’s hair was tied in a topknot, and he laughed at something Easton said. Finn was sitting a bit apart from them. Had he told the other two about the movie theater? Based on how he was sitting, all hunched over and silent, the wind ruffling his somehow-perfect dark hair, I doubted it.
All three guys looked up as I got closer. I nervously handed Easton his plate first. He looked down at his sandwich with what could only be described as stars in his eyes. I’d made him and Lars grilled cheeses. Nothing fancy, but I added tomato and bacon to it and two types of cheese, so it was basically the fanciest thing I made.
I gave Lars his plate next, mumbling, “I hope you like it.”
Then I handed Finn his lunch, which consisted of two cold slices of bread. And sandwiched in between? Three large dill pickle spears. Unsliced.
Finn looked at the sandwich and then back at me, finally meeting my gaze. I arched an eyebrow. Lars and Easton took in our silent standoff.
“Oh, Finn doesn’t like—” Easton started to say, but was cut off by Lars elbowing him in the side.
Finn picked up the sandwich, slowly bringing it to his lips. His gaze locked with mine, and he took a large bite. The pickle crunched loudly and his eyes watered as he chewed. And chewed. Apparently, the pickle sandwich didn’t quite want to be swallowed. Finally, he did it.
“Thanks,” he croaked.
I smiled sweetly, feeling seconds away from letting out an evil cackle. “You’re welcome.”
I turned around, flipping my hair dramatically over my shoulder. “Enjoy your lunch.” And I flounced away.