The Nerd Is My Mate

CHAPTER 4

Amber's fingers tightened around the book in her hand. She let out a long, shaky breath. Slowly, she lowered herself to the damp ground of the woods, the cool moisture seeping into her jeans. Her mind kept showing her the events of just a few minutes ago, like a movie playing over and over. She gently touched her full, untouched virgin lips, and a soft smile bloomed on her face.

"Lucas... oh, Lucas," she whispered his name again and again, the sound swallowed by the trees. The sky was dark by the time she finally reached home. A knot of worry tightened in her stomach. Dad was definitely going to be angry. What could she even say to him? Would his eyes be stormy with fury?

She pushed the door open carefully, stepping into a house filled with deep shadows. Maybe he's already asleep? The thought offered a small bit of comfort. She sighed heavily, letting her bag slide off her shoulder and land softly on the small table by the door. Quietly, she walked towards the light switch. But the moment she flicked it on, Amber jumped back, surprised.

"Dad! You scared me," she exclaimed, her hand flying to her chest. She walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, her throat suddenly dry.

"Young lady, where on earth have you been?" he asked, his voice sharper and angrier than she had anticipated.

"Dad, why are you so mad?" Amber asked softly, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck.

"You just don't listen, Amber," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you." He held her tightly for a moment before she moved to the empty seat beside him.

"But Dad, you can't always protect me, can you?" Amber said, her voice a little louder now. "I'm almost eighteen, for goodness sake! You've taught me so much, why don't you trust that I can look after myself?" she pleaded, taking his large hands in hers.

His grip tightened on her hands, his gaze intense. "I... I think I might go crazy if I lost you, like I lost your mother," he confessed, his eyes filled with a deep sadness.

"You won't lose me, Papa," she said, her voice full of reassurance. "I'll always be here with you." She leaned over and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, Amber," he said softly, his voice a little shaky.

"I love you too, Dad," she replied, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

The warm water cascaded over Amber's skin as she stood in the shower. Even after she turned off the faucet, she could still feel a lingering warmth spreading through her body. The shower had been so relaxing; she wished she could stay there forever. A soft beep pulled her from her thoughts. She reached for her phone, the screen lighting up with a message from Vanilla.

"Hey girl! My birthday is coming up soon. Wanna go shopping with me?" the text read.

She walked over to her bed and flopped down, grabbing a soft towel to dry her face. Vanilla's birthday too? It seemed like everyone had a birthday coming up. She stared at her phone for a moment before typing a reply.

"Yes, I'd love to come!" she sent back. After hitting send, she changed into her comfortable nightgown. Walking over to her window, she rubbed her arms as a cool night breeze drifted in. She strolled closer and pulled the curtains closed. ‘What could Lucas be doing right now? Would he be asleep, or maybe lost in one of his boring books?’ She frowned slightly. “Why do you even care?” Amber muttered with a groan.

She pushed the thought of Lucas away. Soon, she would find her mate, and then she could finally forget all about him totally.

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"I really like this one, what do you think?" Vanilla said, twirling in front of the mirror in a vibrant red gown.

"Hmm, yeah, it could be perfect," Amber replied thoughtfully, tilting her head. "But look, the strap here seems a little loose."

Vanilla examined the strap and nodded in agreement. "You should definitely get something too!" she exclaimed, gently pushing Amber towards a rack of clothes. Before Amber could protest, Vanilla had already picked out a dress and was ushering her into a dressing room.

The dress Vanilla had chosen was tight, making it a little difficult for Amber to breathe comfortably. She peeked through the gap in the curtains and saw Vanilla happily scrolling through her phone.

"Hey," Amber called out, "why didn't you tell me your birthday was coming up?" She stared at Vanilla, a little surprised. Amber stood frozen for a moment, unsure what to say.

"Uhm... how did you know?" Amber finally asked, reaching for her phone that Vanilla was holding. On the screen, she saw a birthday countdown notification that she had set as an alarm.

"Why were you looking at my phone?" Amber asked, the question coming out sharper than she intended.

"Whoa, girl, why are you so mad?" Vanilla mumbled, looking a little hurt. Amber sighed, rubbing her forehead. She walked over and sat down on the empty chair next to her best friend.

"I'm sorry, Vanilla. I've just been a bit stressed lately," Amber explained, hoping Vanilla would drop the subject. Thankfully, she did.

"Well, I'm actually really happy I found out early!" Vanilla exclaimed, her face brightening. "Maybe we could even have a joint birthday party since our birthdays are on the same day! I mean, we're practically best friends now, right?" she asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Amber's eyes widened in alarm. Vanilla was human. She couldn't let her find out about her real identity. Vanilla would be scared, and she might tell everyone at school. Besides, humans were so fragile and quick to judge things they didn't understand. "Oh, um, I'm really sorry, Vanilla, but I can't have a joint birthday," Amber said quickly, hoping she sounded convincing. "My dad and I always have this tradition of celebrating my birthday together, just the two of us."

"Oh, okay," Vanilla said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "But you can still come by my party if you want, right?" she asked, giving Amber a hopeful look.

"I'll try my best," Amber promised. Before she knew it, Vanilla had pulled her into a tight hug. Tomorrow night was the night she would find her mate. Amber didn't want anything to mess that up. She had waited for this her entire life.

Vanilla and Amber had bought almost everything on their shopping lists. By the time they were done, Amber felt completely drained. She arrived home to find her dad busily hanging colorful balloons and streamers all over the living room. She couldn't believe it was actually happening tomorrow.

"Dad?" she called out, and he turned, a huge, happy smile spreading across his face.

"You're back so early?" he asked, and she nodded, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Dad, you really don't need to go to all this trouble for my birthday. It's just going to be like any other birthday," she mumbled, helping him untangle a string of fairy lights.

"Nonsense, my dear! This is a very big day for you, and I want everything to be absolutely perfect. If your mother were here to see how grown up and beautiful you've become! She would be so incredibly proud of you," he said, his smile filled with love.

But as she looked at the decorations, a wave of anxiety washed over Amber. Would tomorrow really be as perfect as her dad imagined? What if her mate rejected her? What if he didn't like her at all? What if she didn't even find her mate tomorrow?

A silent plea formed in Amber's heart. “Please Moon Goddess, let me find my mate soon,” she thought. So that Lucas can finally disappear from her mind for good.