Finally Her Turn

Chapter 17: John

Late Saturday night, I’m lying in my bed but still wide awake, unable to fall asleep despite the hour or so that I’ve been trying. I’m still stuck on what happened with Marissa earlier, replaying it over and over in my head and letting my mind wander and come up with all sorts of scenarios that explain it, even though I know I shouldn’t be letting myself do it.

I’m used to going out with Serena on Saturday nights, but of course that wasn’t going to happen this time. I thought it might be nice to do something with Marissa instead, so after we’d been texting back and forth for a while, I threw out the suggestion of having our first phone call. I made it sound like a casual, no pressure request, but she went quiet for a bit. When she finally texted me back, it was to explain that she randomly got called away to go to some party with Aly.

But that excuse sounds just far-fetched enough that I can’t help but worry that it was just her way of turning me down. I also can’t help worrying that it’s true though, and I don’t like the idea of her at a college party without me. I hate the images in my head of drunken human creeps putting their hands all over her.

I get the sense that she’s kind of shy and even Tyler called her reserved, but what if a little alcohol changes all that? I’ve seen how Serena gets when she’s been drinking, the shifter-strength booze anyway. She pretty quickly changes from the girl next door into a shameless flirt who will rub up on anyone who’ll give her the time of day, and as much as my gut tells me it isn't true, my head just keeps picturing the same thing happening with Marissa.

It doesn’t help that multiple hours passed between when she told me she had to head to work and when she sent me a quick text that said she was back in her hotel room but completely exhausted and going to bed. I played it cool in the texts I sent her, but on this end, I was driving myself crazy with worry and jealousy. I actually went over to the house and played board games with my parents to keep myself occupied for a couple hours. I’m 24, and it was Saturday night, and I spent it hanging out with my parents of all people.

Thankfully, we have a really good relationship, and I don’t keep secrets from them. They know all about Marissa, and they’re even excited that I might be bringing her home next weekend. My mom’s already planning our wedding even though she hasn’t even met Marissa yet, but I think she’s mostly just glad that it’s not Serena. She likes Serena well enough as my friend, but she hated the idea of her as my mate. I think that’s because she and my dad are a bit classic and old-fashioned, and they have a hard time accepting the idea of a chosen mate.

When I showed up at their place with my hair all disheveled from how much I’d been running my fingers through it while fretting over what Marissa was up to, my mom seemed to instinctively know that it was mate troubles on my mind. And then when I told her what was going on, she seemed more confused than anything. I think she gets stuck on the fact that Marissa’s a warrior, which doesn’t compute with her.

“Is she butch?” she asked me when I first told her.

“What? No. I don’t think so. I don’t really even know what that means,” I answered, just as confused by her question as she was by what I told her. “She’s strong and fit, but I like it. I think she’s gorgeous.”

“Well, hopefully once she gets away from New Horizon for a bit, she’ll come around.”

And quite honestly, though I love my mom, I was annoyed and offended on Marissa’s behalf throughout that particular conversation.

I don’t care if Marissa wants to try out some other career path here, but I also think it’s kind of cool that she’s a warrior. There were two female warriors here when I first joined up, though I never worked with either of them, but the second left to become a stay-at-home mom, and now there is only one. I’m sure she’ll be glad to have a female partner again, and I bet there is a lot that she and Marissa can learn from each other.

But that’s all beside the point. Though Mom was confused about Marissa being busy with guard duty, especially on a Saturday evening, she was supportive of the fact that I was missing and worrying about my mate, and it was her that came up with the idea for us to play games to distract me. Both of my parents stayed up with me until I got Marissa’s goodnight text, which was enough of a relief that I was finally able to drag myself home to bed.

And now here I am letting my overactive imagination have its way with me again. I’m just about to give up and go play some video games until I feel sleepy, but my phone suddenly dings on my nightstand. I’m hoping its Marissa, and can’t help feeling disappointed that it’s only Tyler. I mean, I like the guy, but he’s not who I want right now.

Then I open it, and all is right with the world again. He sent me a picture of Aly, Marissa, and some other girl, explaining that Aly took a selfie of the three of them dancing together at that party, and he knew when he saw it that I had to have it too. I’m so glad he did. Marissa’s the one in the middle, and the sight of her laughing and having such a good time with her friends nearly brings me to tears.

I’ve never seen her look so happy and relaxed, and I think she might even have styled her hair and put on a little makeup. I suppose that could explain the deafening quiet between when I sent her the request for a phone call and when she finally came back and told me that she had to work. Even better, it’s obvious that she’s with Aly, and they’re at a party, just like she said. The best part is the lack of men with them.

I’m sure that Tyler has no idea what he just did for me, but I thank him for it anyway. I tell him that he made my night, but what I really mean is that he made it so I can sleep tonight. Well, assuming that I can get over the guilty conscience that’s creeping up on me now that I realize that I was freaking out about nothing.

My mom told me earlier that it’s normal for mates to start feeling restless and paranoid when they’re separated, and that the longer the separation lasts, the worse it will get. That’s why it’s a good thing that I intend to bring Marissa home with me in only one week now. Even better would be if I could finally bring myself to tell her that that’s my plan.