66. Chapter Sixty-Five
Chapter Sixty-Five
Scarlett
What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve spent so much of my life wishing I wasn’t born an Omega, so much time wishing I could be a Beta like most other girls.
But now that I’ve had the smallest taste of what it feels like to perfume, I don’t know how I’ll cope if I lose the physical abilities that were making my closeness to Trick feel so good.
It’s like finding out magic exists and then being told I can never use it.
I don’t know how to deal with this.
It’s a lot, and it’s confusing.
So, I sit there in silence watching Kian pick a marshmallow out of the bag and put it onto a skewer. Once he puts it over the fire, it only takes a second to become mesmerised by the flames as they flicker and lick at the sides of the sugary treat.
I bring my legs up, rest my chin on my knees, and wrap my arms around my shins while I wait.
Memories from my childhood surface while I watch the fire.
I smile as I think about me and Sapphire eating toasted marshmallows and making a crazy mess with S’mores until Mom took over that prep.
“Did you ever go camping as a kid?” I ask Kian.
“Once when I was young. My parents were always working so it never became a regular thing. I got the chef to show me how to toast these. That was the part I remembered liking the most.”
He smiles as he turns the marshmallow. “How ‘bout you?”
“We did the backyard camping thing. We had a fire pit, and we would sit around waiting for Dad to make the marshmallows and Mom would make some of them into S’mores. One time we tried to take some up to our treehouse and all we really did was make a big mess.”
“Sounds like fun,” Kian says.
“It was. I always loved having a sister. We don’t see each other as much as I’d like now, but I’m gonna make an effort to spend more time with her. I’ve missed her.”
“It must have been so cool to have a twin when you guys were kids. I bet you fooled your parents all the time.”
“Yeah. Our parents had a hard time with it sometimes. But Sapphire always kinda hated switching places with me, and I didn’t really understand why until … Well, until you used her name when you were flirting with me. I realized how much it could hurt then.”
I still feel like a moron for that.
She tried to tell me it hurt, and I just couldn’t see it until it happened to me.
I owe her a big apology, with a present that’s way better than ice-cream and vodka.
“I get it,” he tells me. “You were pretending to be her, so it felt like I liked her. Not you.”
I smile at him, lifting my head and moving my legs back under me.
“I knew you would understand. I thought I couldn’t say anything, but not being myself was driving me insane. Sapphire is way too quiet and reserved. And that dress was kinda stifling.”
He laughs, and I join in.
“The dress wasn’t so bad, but I’m guessing it’s not your style.”
“It’s way too corporate for me.”
“Makes sense,” he says. “Here, this is ready.”
He hands me the end of the skewer.
I take it, and I feel like a little kid again, sitting in the backyard on a summer night.
The marshmallow is so beyond good. It’s better than I even remembered.
“Well?” Kian asks. “What’s the verdict?”
“Mmm,” I mumble around a mouthful of heaven.
He smiles at me and it’s so bright and sunny.
I’m glad he’s the one here with me right now.
“It’s amazing,” I gush, when I can finally talk.
“Glad you approve.”
“I will never not approve of marshmallows.”