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~Aria

I plucked at the lining of the car seat, irritating Elaine, the woman who has been paired with me. Apparently, it was her job to make me win this entire thing; which basically meant she would get a hefty paycheck if I did so.

Little did she know, I wasn't going to be here for long. At least I don't plan to be.

"This car is expensive," he whispers harshly, still keeping a smile on her face as she said it. The cameras were off - the man behind it wiping the lens with the corner of his shirt - so we weren't expected to keep up with any facade.

So, I took it upon myself to relax, propping my leg up under me, despite wearing a dress. The blue fabric bunched under my breast, to flow nearly down to my knees. This is the first time I've had the chance to wear something that pretty, despite the snow falling gently outside. Elaine had my faux fur coat on her lap, ready to wrap it around my shoulders when it came to it.

"Good to know Malik put his money into something," I whisper back, and she scolds me with a sharp gaze, but no words.

Honestly, I am bored mindless; wanting to get out of the car I have been trapped in for over two hours now. The outside was covered in snow. Every ounce of land was drenched in it, giving off that bland look I have gotten used to over the years. So I rested my head against the window and wished silently that time would go by faster.

We weren't going straight to Malik's. I was to meet the other girl who had been selected from the Love Pack since we are all expected to get along, and I suppose they think this is a good place to start. As a Love Pack member, I think I live up to our name, trying to love anyone and everyone possible.

Including my mate.

I may not know where he is right now, but I wish I did. Then he could sweep me away, straight out of this competition. But Grey...He haunts my mind every second it wanders. This is something I can't escape from, and just the idea of that makes my heart sink. I'm like a puppet on the edge of a string.

It was too bad this girl, Macie North, lived far from where I did. Our Pack is one of the largest, spiralling into the endless countryside that usually is coated with a thick layer of snow. And to think, despite this drive, Macie and I are meeting in the middle.

The moment we got there, Elaine turned to me.

"Listen, you need to look as if you care for at least one second, can you do that?" she questions, tossing the coat onto my lap. The camera people were getting out, reading to film the first interaction. "And try to appear friendly. Important people will be seeing this."

I knew who she meant. Malik and his family. Instead of arguing, which would have caused more hassle than there already is, I nod and try to imagine who this is going to go down.

Who knows what she is like...Or what she looks like. She is bound to share features like mine, considering we grew up in the same Pack. Although, she might despise the idea of love, although that's hard to believe. Maybe she will be like me.

Elaine stepped from the car, the door blowing shut by itself.

The instant she was out of the car, a smile was on her face. From what I have noted thus far, she is very good at maintaining a constant facade, that even I would believe in at first glance. She looks like she was born and bred for this kind of thing; her hair is always neat, even when she walks into the beginnings of a snow storm, and her outfit seems fit for what a Luna would be expected to wear.

Quickly, I shrugged my coat on, glad for the instant warm grasp it provides. This is it.

I'm quite a shy person. Alexa always did the first impression thing, while I waited to see whether the person was worth talking to. Now, it's primarily me making the decision, having to take the full brunt of their personality, no matter how different it may be from mine. It made my heart flutter nervously, my stomach tying itself in knots at what is to come.

I was told to stay in the car until they had fully set up. Already, the entire camera thing is getting on my nerves, and I hope I don't end up being one of those people that lash out when a camera gets too close. I'm wary of what everyone will think about me when the camera's come out more...

Honestly, I've realised I couldn't care less if Malik sees what I am like since I'm not going into this as someone I'm not. If I do, he surely will discard me without a second thought.

I'm a terrible actor.

Deep in thought, I flinch dramatically when Elaine knocks on my door. Her cheeks are reddened from the cold, and she suddenly wears a winter that suits the cream of her outfit. She almost blends in into the snow dusted trees in the background.

When I step out, I am immediately hit square in the face the bite of winter wind, threatening to blow the skirt of my dress up. Pressing it down with frigid fingers, I sidle a little closer to Elaine, hoping some of her warmth would spread onto me because with a lack of covering on my legs, I might just collapse into the mounds of ice beneath my feet.

"Remember, act happy," Elaine reminds me in my ear. "You meet, we film it, and we head straight to Alpha Malik's afterwards."

She says it as if seeing him straight after would somehow quell all my nervousness, or irritability, from the cold. In fact, it made things a bit worse, knowing I wasn't going home to my books and comfortable bed. And meeting an Alpha...And all those girls.

My nerves set in deeper, and it becomes chronic, as I watch the other girl step out of the other car.

Her hair is dark, whipping around her face in a way that makes me glad I tied mine back. Her assistant was a male version of Elaine. He was dressed top to bottom in a brilliantly tailored suit, but my eyes only barely brushed upon him. They were focused on the girl, who stumbled through snow, probably looking at me, but I could hardly see the distance between us.

There was no script. We were meant to meet, make it somehow enjoyable for people to watch, and move onto the actual competition.

Elaine pressed on my back, staying behind me as I took a tentative step forward.

What she wore instantly made me envious. Not because it was any lavish colour of fabric, it simply looked warm, and right now, I could beg for it. The closer we got, I noticed how the dark grey of her outfit matched her eyes almost perfectly. It wasn't every day you see a Love Pack member with grey eyes, but it wasn't impossible.

She is just one of those unique cases.

The girl grinned at me warmly, tilting her head in a way I could only describe as coy. She looked a little younger than me - a youthful exuberance dancing in her eyes, that I failed to mirror. I even happen to notice that she wears golden high heels, which sink deep into the snow.

How she manages to pull that off, I have no idea. If it was me, I would be lying face first in the snow back to the car.

"Macie North," he the girl introduces, sticking her hand out. There are covered in black gloves, whereas mine is bare to the elements, almost unusable. The tip of her nose is bright red, and I'm sure she notices that mine is the same.

I shake her hand, trying to ignore the cameras. "Aria Quade."

"I love it!" she exclaims brightly as if my name is winning lottery numbers. Or maybe even the key to Alpha Malik's heart...

Taking me by surprise, she grabs my shoulders, thrusting me toward her for a hug. At first, I'm stiff, unsure of what she is doing. At least she is warm, sealing the gap between myself and the wind, but I can't say I am used to people being so forward, especially with me. She whispers in my ear. "It looks good for the camera."

Glancing at the camera lens, incredibly close to us, I see what she means.

When we pull away, she is smiling broadly, and I try my best to replicate it. She seems to find this part of the entire thing a breeze, while I am more awkward than I have ever been. Surely whoever is tuning in, or will tune in, will instantly see some Luna qualities about her. Especially since she is from the Love Pack, with a charismatic, outgoing attitude, she will be a favourite.

"Nice to meet you," she says. "I can't wait to see what these few month will bring."

Clearly, she believes she is going to last that long, and even I do too. Something about her is so likeable, and despite myself not knowing her fully yet, I have the feeling she might be one of the better girls to hang around with during this competition when I'm not stealing from the Alpha of Love.

"You too," I say, wishing I wasn't as shy as I am. That damn stutter in my voice is deciding to rise, but I hope people will excuse it as the cold.

So, it took me at least five minutes to realise that Macie enjoyed being able to take control of a situation. The moment she began demanding that she and I arrived at Malik's estate where we would be staying in a car together, she reminded me of Alexa. It seemed as though she had decided that there was no way we would be separated, her arm clung through mine so Elaine couldn't tug me away.

"We are friends," she announces after the cameraman started his job up again. "And we are going together."

Why she had decided to do this, ignoring every kind of director that stated otherwise, I don't know. It is slightly intimidating, so I just stand beside her, letting her point to the car we were going in like there was no other choice. She wanted us to go in the car I had arrived in. At least I could be assured I would be entertained on the drive there.

Much to Elaine, and Macie's own assistant's disgust, she got her way, and soon we were being bundled back into the car, with her in the middle, and Elaine and I on either side.

"So, you excited?" Macie asks, as soon as we had settled into our seats.

I shrugged. If I am going to at least try to be her friend during this, I might as well be honest. And anyway, maybe she would see me as less of a threat if I told her how little my interest in Malik spanned.

"Not really," I tell her, and her smile falters slightly. "My friend pressured me to enter, and I guess I happened to get picked."

If Macie didn't appreciate my nonchalant attitude, she didn't show it. In fact, her eyes gleamed at every word that I said. At least I was honest when I said I was pressured into signing up for this...By Alexa. And also by an unknown rogue organisation, I'm still not sure about.

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that," she says, grabbing hands. The sincerity in her eyes took me back a bit.

I wasn't about to admit that this girl seems a little over confident. Maybe I am too used to being friends with someone who is exactly like her. Am I naturally drawn to people like that?

"This is probably going to seem weird..."

Oh great.

"But I think Malik and I are meant to be together," she whispers like it would be a sin if anyone else would hear, when they clearly can. "Like...The fact that I got picked proved that he and I are in love."

I stare at her, trying to make sense of her words. She seems so serious, I had to hold back my giggle with my entire being. As far as I was aware, Macie had not yet met Malik, and yet thinks they are in total love...Okay, maybe she and I won't be so close if she thinks so heavily about the situation.

"And the other girls?" I ask warily.

Not once did Macie's smile fade. Not even for a second. "They don't matter. I'm going to win, and I am glad to know that you're going to agree with me."

I turn and look out the window, trying to regain my composure. If Malik is as much like her, then they will be perfect for each other. But something tells me, that he might be as surprised at this girl as I am. Seemingly beautiful on the outside, but terrifying when she opens her mouth.

What have I gotten myself into?

💜••💜

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midikacrane

Midika

~Midika 💜🐼