Chapter 16 Bonfires #2
“I’m not really special,” I said, like a secret. “There are other omegas in other Packs, but there aren’t many of us.”
“Why?” she asked.
Good Goddess, where were this child’s parents, guardians, anyone?
“I’m not sure,” I lied.
“Maybe, maybe it’s because you’re special?” she suggested in childish logic.
“I think you’re right,” I agreed. “Do you see your mummy?” I asked and looked around.
“Hey, Isobel,” Darren said, greeting the child excitedly.
She ran towards him and hugged his legs. He held out his plate with a hot dog and a burger on it for me to take.
I took the plate, and he bent down, picking Isobel up and sitting her on his shoulders.
“What’s the weather like up there?” I asked, and she laughed, gripping Darren’s hair.
“Ouch,” he said and made an exaggerated painful expression. “Do you know how long it took to coil my hair this morning, young lady?” he joked. But with how perfect his hair was, I knew he had to spend a good amount of time on it. But his carefree smile said he didn’t really mind.
Isobel laughed and patted his head as if to make it better.
“I’m the tallest,” she announced loudly.
“Can you see Mummy or Daddy from up there?” he asked.
“That way!” she said, pointing across the crowd.
“Are you coming?” he asked me.
“Of course,” I answered.
The crowd was thickest nearer the unlit bonfire and grill stations. Darren held Isobel steady with one hand and reached back, taking my hand with his other, to keep me with them as he exaggeratedly honked like a car past people.
Isobel was laughing high-pitched and loudly, beeping with him.
I was aware of the amused stares we were getting.
“Isobel!” Ophelia yelled, turning at the sound of the girl's loud laughter.
“Mummy!” Isobel yelled excitedly.
Darren released my hand and lifted Isobel from his shoulders, handing her over to Ophelia.
“Where—when—you were right here,” Ophelia stammered, looking over her daughter.
“I met Harriet; she’s the omega,” Isobel said in answer.
Darren laughed awkwardly.
Ophelia looked sick.
“I’m so sorry if she said anything offensive. She’s at that age when they ask endless questions and—”
“You don’t have anything to worry about,” I interrupted to reassure her.
“Mummy, can I get ice cream?” Isobel asked.
“Sure, let’s find Grandpa first,” Ophelia answered. “Thank you so much for bringing her back to me. She was right beside me. I didn’t even know she had wandered off,” she continued to Darren and me.
“It’s no problem,” Darren answered for us. “Are you sticking around for the party after the lighting of the bonfire?” he asked.
“I wish, but this one needs to have an early night. You’re going to the Insect Zoo with school tomorrow, aren’t you?” she said, looking down at Isobel, whose hand she held onto.
“Yes!” Isobel sang and jumped up and down in excitement.
“Oh, cool,” Darren said, kneeling to her height. “I went when I was your age and held a spider bigger than my head,” he told her.
“A spider?” she asked, moving to hide behind Ophelia.
“Huge spiders,” Darren continued excitedly, oblivious to the fear on her face.
“I’m sure they have other insects too,” I said and nudged him.
“Yeah, like pretty butterflies,” Ophelia offered, communicating her thanks with a smile.
Darren seemed to catch on then that spiders probably weren’t what most children were excited by.
“Oh yeah, a lot of pretty butterflies. They land right on you,” he said with just as much enthusiasm as he had for the huge spiders.
“I can pet them?” she asked.
“Maybe not,” Ophelia answered. “Wait and find out tomorrow.”
Darren stood back up.
“It was nice seeing you, Isobel, but try to stay beside Mummy from now on, or a big spider will get you tomorrow,” he said, far too pleased with himself.
“Darren!” I chastised, shocked.
“What?” he asked.
Isobel looked like she might cry.
“I think we should go find Grandpa now,” Ophelia said, her smile a strange mixture of amusement and strain at the same time.
“Did I do something?” he asked after they walked away.
I handed him his plate of food back, and he took a bite of his burger.
“I don’t know much about children, but threatening them with giant spiders, I’m guessing, probably isn’t the best way to get them to behave.” I laughed.
“Huh,” he said around his food. “It would make me behave.”
It wasn’t long before the bonfire was lit, to roaring cheers.
It was like osmosis the way the crowd changed, families leaving as others arrived, and the music switched from clean radio pop to something with more bass and rhythm.
We had switched from soft drinks to hard. Red cups filled with frothy alcohol.
“You two make the cutest couple,” a woman in her twenties, dressed in a cute pink cardigan that didn’t seem appropriate for the cold, said.
The guy with her put his arm around her waist and drew her near.
“We make a cute couple, too, babe,” he said, kissing the side of her head with a tad too much force, and she looked at him as if she was a little disgusted by him.
“Ugh,” Darren said, scratching the back of his head. “Thanks?”
I elbowed him, and he didn’t even pretend to feel it.
“Thanks, but we’re not a couple,” I said.
“I told you, babe. They can only be with alphas; it’s like biology,” the guy said, speaking against her ear as if we couldn’t hear him.
His—reluctant?—girlfriend pushed him away from her.
“I told you that’s not true,” she said stiffly. “Is it?” she asked, turning to me.
“Ugh,” I said, mimicking Darren.
“That’s right. I mean, wrong. I mean, it’s not like an alpha dick is a magic key or something…” Darren defended and turned to me. “Right? Biology’s biology,” he said.
“Is this seriously a question?” I asked. I couldn’t smile my way through.
“No. No, it’s not,” Pink Cardigan said, looking angrily between her boyfriend and Darren, and both men acted reasonably chastised.
I looked at Darren and shook my head. He wasn’t her boyfriend.
“Look, I just wanted to come over here and do some introductions. We saw the two of you holding hands in the crowd, and you two look like a couple.” She waved her hand at us as if it was obvious.
“I just thought… But look, if it’s not official or whatever, we’re not too inquisitive.
I’m Nina, this is Rory,” she said, waving in her boyfriend's direction dismally. “Josie—"
“Josie?” Darren asked excitedly.
“You’re not a cheating dog,” Nina said.
“What? No. You know Josie? She told you about me? What did she say?” he asked quickly.
“He means that he’s single, he enjoyed his time with Josie, and he must have the wrong number for her because he’s been texting with no reply,” I said for him. Nina was clearly a friend of Josie.
“Yes, that,” Darren agreed.
“You got with Josie!” Rory said, holding his hand up as if he expected Darren to high-five him.
“Dude, you’re striking out tonight,” Darren said, shaking his head.
Rory looked to Nina at that and lowered his head.
“There’s going to be a party after the blue moon. I know it’s a while away, but Josie will be there. She’s dealing with some personal stuff, but I know she wants to see you there,” Nina said, and took her phone from her back pocket and turned to me. “I can share the details with you,” she offered.
“No phone,” I told her and pointed to Darren.
“Sure,” she said, looking at me. “You’ll be there too,” she added as she handed her phone to Darren. “Enter your number,” she instructed and accepted her phone back once he had.
“Am I invited?” I asked.
“Of course,” she said, like it was obvious.
I just nodded.
“Good, I’ll see you around,” she said and walked off.
“Bye,” Darren and I said in unison.
Rory followed her, looking scared and confused.
“I like her,” I said after they were out of earshot.
Darren laughed.
“You would,” he said.
“What do you mean?” I asked. Her bitchy vibe might have thrown others off, but you knew a girl’s girl when you met one.
“You like them mean and bossy,” he said, grinning as he had a drink from his cup.
“I’m still confused,” I said.
“That’s why you’re so into Cole.” He giggled like a child.
“You’re drunk,” I told him and pushed his shoulder away.
“That doesn’t mean I’m wrong,” he said.
“Doesn’t mean you’re right either.” I laughed.
It wasn’t long until Darren was dragging me out to the dance floor. I couldn’t remember the last time I had danced. I used to love it.
The night had wound down eventually, and Darren insisted on walking me home.
“My jacket stinks of bonfire,” I told him.
“You worried Cole will know where you’ve been? Hate to break it to you, but I’m pretty sure she’ll guess you were at the bonfire,” he said.
“She wasn’t even on my mind,” I told him. “I was saying, I smell like a bonfire and I kind of like it.”
We reached the bottom of the driveway, and Darren held open the pedestrian gate.
“You had fun?” he asked.
“The best,” I answered.
He put his hand to his chest. “I’m so pleased.”
I nudged him with my shoulder as I walked past.
“You meant that,” he accused.
“Meant what?” I asked, walking backwards to face him.
His smile faltered.
“Hi, Auntie,” he said.
I spun around.
Cole was about a dozen steps away, just standing.
“Auntie?” I questioned him in a half-whisper.
“I panicked,” he said.
“Did you two have fun?” she asked casually.
“I’m just going to be going home now,” Darren said and waved to Cole.
“You’re leaving me,” I hissed after him.
“Bye, nephew,” Cole called.
I heard Darren’s laughter down the street.