The way his face shone red like a ripe tomotoe and the way his eyes darted to and fro in nervousness made her think he was just too cute to ignore.
"H..h..hi." He stuttered and backed away when she came close. She stopped and hid a smile.
"I'm sorry am I intruding?" She pretended to sound sorry and hurt by his actions.
Regretting the fact that he backed away like she was a pestering bug, he quickly replied while coming close to her, waving his hands in the air.
"N..no no. Infact I love your company..." He blushed at his words, especially when a sweet smile broke out on her face. "N…no...I mean..."
"No? So you hate my company?" She finished for him. She knew it wasn't what he meant but she couldn't help but want to tease him the more.
Another round of stuttering ensued.
She suddenly giggled and he reddened again, all the while complimenting himself in his head, giving himself a pat on the back for making her laugh like John had made her. Maybe he was close to making her like him?
"So what are your ideas for a fun filled field activity today. I'm thinking tug-of-war. What about you?" Her voice was enthusiastic as she forced him to start a conversation with her while he just wanted to hide under a rock.
Dora looked across the pool and on spotting the two, she rolled her eyes and looked back at Nancy with dark eyes when she realized she was still talking. She was saying something about being bummed for not being able to rule something blah blah blah.
Why does she talk so much, she thought.
"Me?" He began stuttering again till he finally said, "I don't know." In a low voice.
"How old are you Jephthah?" Talia suddenly asked, curious. He acted a lot like Nancy but while Nancy was actually more childish and talked alot with so many people, he was always lurking in the shadows.
Feeling like a criminal being investigated, he lowered his eyes, fully aware that her gaze was fixed on his face.
"20 and ... you?".
Not expecting him to ask back, she blinked before replying.
"I'll be turning 18 by October."
Jephthah noticed that asides Brittany who already found her mate, the other girls were yet to turn 18. Soon they'd be able to find a mate. At the thought of Talia finding a mate, someone asides him, he became bummed.
There was another round of silence. He forced himself to start up a conversation. Say something damn!t. But he was left staring at his feet, fiddling with his shirt.
"Talia...come and hear this." Nancy yelled excitedly from the other side of the pool.
Talia rolled her eyes at having to stand close to Dora who she hated so much. That girl was such a proud drama queen. She however went over for Nancy's sake, wondering what Dora was telling her with so much spite in her eyes.
Jepthaph finally looked up when she turned away from him, feeling angry with himself for letting this opportunity of talking to her slide off his fingers.
"Mum's playing boring chess games with the others while having a chat and the Omegas are all busy in their homes. Please Naomi." Brittany pleaded while Naomi who had just dressed up after a shower was vehemently bent on refusing to go to the fields later in the day to drop a basket of lunch.
It's not like she didn't want to make it. It's just that she wasn't willing to face all those people. People of respectable families and names. And she wasn't willing to face Dora after their fiery encounter or Daniel who always acted weird around her. Like she was wearing his perfume or something.
After much pleading however, she couldn't bear to see her friend beg and finally agreed to drop off the basket at noon.
"Thanks Naomi. You're the best." She gave her a quick hug and ran out the door.
Naomi's smile wavered once the door shut close. She'd have to wear her mask. But how would she explain to Brittany that she couldn't reveal her identity because Daniel thought she was dead.
"Whoa." Brittany gasped with a smiling face. "Did I miss something."
All the girls had apple juices in their hands, being presented to them by the men respectfully.
She blushed when Royce handed her a box of apple juice, bowing like a squire adhering to a princess's commands.
"Where have you been. Did the Alphas' drag you into their boring game of chess and row of boring chatter?" Daniel asked in a lazy tone.
Brittany laughed.
"No...I was actually with Nao…"
"Are we going to the fields or what? It's almost noon!" John said and a loud cheer erupted from everyone in approval.
"We're taking a hike. No cars. Besides, the field's just after the forest". Daniel explained as they walked past the mansion gates with the others behind him.
They grouped themselves in twos.
Daniel who had Nancy still stuck to his arm was having a lively chat with Royce, his arm around Brittany's waist.
John and Talia were involved in a playful argument about something while Jephthah stayed on the sidelines just observing with a long face.
The last pair was Barton and Dora who were walking side by side. While Barton made attempts to talk to her, she ignored him, her whole gaze fixed on Nancy the entire time they went hiking through the forest till they climbed a small hill before arriving at the fields filled with lushy green grasses, so soft they could serve as a bed while the beautiful flowers were in varies of species and colors and compliment the field really well.
There were trees on the vast land of greens, just about three huge ones, existing for the sole purpose of serving as a shade Incase there was a lot of sunlight but it seemed like the weather had other plans today.
**
The girls were lounging around a heap of mud, chatting lively under the heavy clouds, their lazy eyes constantly moving to the boys who would disappear into the forest and reappear with tins of mud.
They had found several tins lying around in the forest and were using it to gather some mud in the Forest, piling it up in the fields one after the other to make a mud pit for the game, tug-of-war.
The boys queued up one after the other, piling the disgusting blob of brown nonsense on each other much to disgust of Nancy and Dora. But for a Tomboy like Talia, she was simply elated, imagining the look of the boy's faces when the girls would eventually win and couldn't wait to see mud splashed on everyone. Brittany was interested in knowing where they got the mud from, being tired from just lying on the grass, she went along with them. Most of them however knew she just wanted to be closer to Royce who didn't mind and even gave her a pggy back ride. The girls were envious a bit and couldn't wait to find their mates soon enough so they'd enjoy the life they've been dreaming about with them.
While Talia and Nancy chatted about their future love lives, Dora just listened with a smug smile, confident that Daniel was her mate. Come on. They've been close friends for so many years. The moon goddess would even approve of their bond.
Her gaze moved to Daniel who came down the hill along with the Beta twins. They poured in their tins of mud one after the other. It's not like the girls didn't do anything. They contributed to digging the shallow but widespan hole for the mud. Except Dora of course who claimed that the dirt would ruin her nail-do.
"Where's Brittany and Royce?" Talia asked.
John only made kissing noises which made the girls laugh along with Daniel when they got the joke.