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Micajah Rye:

- "We're Making Progress."

You know, sometimes, when you're sleeping, you get that creepy feeling that someone's watching you?

You stir awake automatically, feeling somewhat self-conscious and then you open your eyes, only to find your best-friend staring at you with an evil glint in their eyes, which's a tell-tale sign that they were doing that, just to wake you?

I get that feeling that morning.

I slowly open my eyes, feeling shy, knowing damn well that someone's watching me.

I was right.

It's Seneca.

She sitting Indian style in the bed beside me, already showered and ready for the day, wearing her usual ensemble of a top and jeans—the jacket to be thrown over when we go out. Her hair is wet though, a dark reddish brown color owing to the water still dripping from it. It hangs around her face in frizzy little wisps, highlighting the way her eyes are shining a light gray, almost reflecting the happy mood she's in. In her hands is a red mug of coffee, that she slowly brings away from her lips, which are stretched in an occasional grin.

"'Morning." She greets, when she realizes that her creepy staring thing, has waken me up.

I yawn involuntarily, covering my mouth with my hand, and turn around, my eyes searching for the clock.

5:30 am.

I turn back to her, glowering. "It's only 5:30."

She shrugs, grinning cheerfully. "Your cup of coffee is waiting for you." She says, shrugging in the direction of the bedside table. I continue to glare at her, not taking my eyes off her grinning face.

"Seriously?" I ask, giving up glaring and opting to looking at her flatly, when she doesn't show any indication that she's affected by my glare at all.

"Seriously." She replies, smiling mischievously as she takes another sip from the steaming mug in her hands.

I sigh tiredly. "But, I'm in depression!" I whine, giving her a dirty look.

A dark emotion crosses her eyes when my words unintentionally remind her of yesterday's events, but she hides it quickly. Instead of flinching or even glaring like I'd expected her to, she rolls her eyes. "C'mon. Don't be such a baby."

"Fine!" I glare, sitting up. She moves herself back slightly, giving me more room to sit.

But, I'm not having any of that.

"I'm a baby?" I ask, raising my brows as I point to myself.

Seneca smirks. "Yes, you are."

"Ohhh." I drawl as I lean forward and remove the mug from her hands slowly. She looks at me in confusion, but I smirk at her, not saying a word as I crawl around her, making my way through the crumpled sheets to reach the nightstand. I place the half-empty mug beside the other full one—mine—carefully, and turn to her, winking at her lasciviously.

"What—" She starts, but I crawl on my hands and knees to her, placing a finger on her lips to shush her. She looks taken aback.

I raise one brow suggestively.

She raises her brows inquisitively in return.

My eyes flit down to her lips, those lips that are extra red due to the hotness of the coffee she was just drinking.

Goddess...I can kiss them all day, all night...

I look back up at her with now darkened eyes, slowly leaning closer, letting her know my intention. I'm about to close the gap between us when suddenly, she leans forward, pressing her lips to mine.

Okay, then.

I grin into the kiss, opening my mouth wider, letting her dip her tongue into my mouth.

"Mm." She moans, as she places a hand on my thigh, and the other on the back of my neck, pulling me closer.

I place a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back forcefully before things get too heated.

"So does a baby make you moan like that?" I whisper against her lips, opening my eyes.

Her eyes slowly flutter open. She looks disoriented for a second, before she realizes what I just did. Her eyes widen in realization. "You!" She exclaims and shoves me, hard on the chest.

Unfortunately, she shoves me back a little too hard.

I lose balance and fall, my back crashing against the bed. "Ow!" I yelp, but before I can gather myself, she's crawling on top of me with a pillow in her hands, her eyes glinting evilly.

Not bad evil, no, that would make anyone shake in their boots.

It's the funny evil.

And, I'm enjoying it a lot.

"No, no, no." I warn, but a slow smirk spreads across her lips, as she brings her hand back, and then brings down the pillow across my chest, hitting my repeatedly with it. I laugh as I try to shove her hands away, and then she's laughing too, hitting me with the pillow.

Our laughter echoes across the room in unison.

Suddenly, she stops laughing, her lips still stretched wide with a shadow of the laugh still remaining in them, as she looks at me intensely. I slowly fall silent as well, feeling awkward when I realize she's giving me that look.

The look that says that she can have me for breakfast.

Her eyes darken a shade of gray as she lets the pillow slip from her fingers. She gazes down at my lips as she leans forward, placing both of her hands on my wrists, locking them down to the bed, as she straddles me.

I gulp.

"Now, who's in control?" She smirks against my lips, the victorious edge to her tone obvious.

I'm too nervous to speak.

When I don't say anything in answer, she shakes her head, her lips brushing against mine, and then pulls back an inch, staring into my eyes.

"I-I have morning breath." I mumble, the excuse sounding pathetic even to my own ears; considering we were just kissing a few seconds ago.

She rolls her dark eyes, once again. "You think I care?"

I suppose she doesn't.

She shoots me one last look, before she loses control and slams her lips to mine, starting a make-out session that takes hours to finish.

♛ ♛ ♛

"Ehrm, you know, Alpha? There was a girl named, Seneca. She used to be grumpy all the time, never smiled, always yelled at her best-friend. Never followed his wise advice. Too proud 'cause she was an Alpha. Hm? You've seen her anywhere? Please tell her that her Beta is looking for her."

Seneca rolls her eyes at him.

Seriously, she rolling her eyes way too much.

Beta Ezra chokes on his chicken.

Seneca rolls her eyes, yet again, not moving from her place. I sigh and stand up from my chair, reaching for the big glass jug of water, pouring it in a glass for him. His eyes start tearing up and I rush forward, patting the top of his head and back hard, and quickly placing the glass in his hands.

He shoots me a grateful look, and accepts the water, gulping down the cool liquid greedily.

I sit back on my chair, going back to my own breakfast.

Beta Ezra finishes the glass and places the empty tumbler on the dining table with a 'clang'.

I cringe at the loud noise.

He turns to Seneca with raised brows, "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"Maybe, I did." Seneca answers impassively, her eyes taking on that competitive glint that it does, whenever Beta Ezra pushes her boundaries, and challenges her.

He looks at her silently for a few moments, studying her pursed lips and arrogant tilt of her jaw.

"You've changed." He comments, looking back down at his food.

"Well." Seneca says, shoving a forkful into her mouth as well.

"Well, what?" He asks through a mouthful, biting down on his chicken.

"Do you like it?" She asks, as if the question is obvious.

He turns to her, chewing silently, "I do." He says, but I get a feeling that something's not quite right.

Something is...wrong.

Something is...out of place.

I take another look at Beta Ezra's calm face, wondering what might be wrong.

And then the answer comes springing to me.

He's feeling left out.

Like a third wheel.

Because of me.

I look up at Seneca's face, observing her, as she eats her bacon quietly.

And I get the feeling that she doesn't know.

I should do something about it.

As soon as possible.

♛ ♛ ♛

"Hey! You left without a word!" I say accusingly, as I sit beside Nicole.

Her dark hair is piling around her face in springy little curls, half-covering the café au lait skin of her face. There are bags under her eyes, and she looks like she hasn't slept in a few days.

She looks at me with an embarrassed look. "Sorry, Micajah. There were...things to take care of. I had to go." She says vaguely, her eyes dull.

"Oh." I say, not pushing it further. If she wants to tell me, if she feels comfortable to tell me, she will. I can't push her too much.

"Yeah...How was your day?"

"It was fine..."

I wonder since when became the friends that discuss the weather.

♛ ♛ ♛

"Are you okay?" Seneca asks, shrugging her bag higher on her shoulder as she looks at me with concerned eyes.

I ignore the pang I feel when yesterday's events come rushing back to me.

"Yes." I say, pushing down my feelings as I scramble for words to change the subject. "I was wondering, why are you and Beta Ezra redoing your Senior year?" I ask, looking at her with a curious expression.

She stiffens when she notes my obvious attempt to change the subject, but doesn't comment on it. "I didn't do my finals well." She replies my question, looking away.

I startle for a second.

"Excuse me, but you didn't do you finals well?!" I exclaim, my eyes wide in shock.

"Yes." She answers curtly, still looking straight ahead.

"But how?!"

"My father died."

I feel like an ašs now.

"Oh. I'm so sorry." I apologize earnestly, looking at her with pleading look that begs her to understand my mistake.

That earns me a small smile from her.

"It's okay." She grabs me by the arm and leads me in the direction of my next class, and I shake my head, smiling back.

Little baby steps.

We're making progress.

I can feel it.

♛ ♛ ♛

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