The Alpha’s Curvy Cinderella - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Jordan POV
I’m so tired that my eyes are blurry and I’m yawning as I walk my way to school. I had a training session in the early morning and my father had not been gentle about it. The only redeeming factor in that session was that there were other shifters there too and he didn’t have the time to just focus primarily on me. Sarah as usual was excused from the training session. Clear favoritism. She had come home upset and teary the day before but when asked about it, she’d snarled at me and told me to ‘leave her the hell alone.’
I heard a honking sound behind me. I ignored it, thinking that it was Sarah being her usual annoying self or some other student trying to make fun of me. But the honking persisted and it was bloody annoying. I turned around to yell at whoever was making that horrendous noise and stopped in my tracks. It was Jaxon in a Suv. He pulled over to the side of the road and put his window down.
“Hey,” he yelled, eyes sparkling “Want a lift?”
Did I ever! My muscles were protesting with every step I took. I was envious of how awake he looked. Not to mention he was dressed and perfectly groomed. It wasn’t fair. He looked like a model. I was extremely aware of how I’d dressed like a slob, with track pants and a shirt with hoodie, and sneakers. My hair was in a messy ponytail and I didn’t wear any makeup.
“Sure” I shouted, eagerly making my way to the passenger door and opening it, before sliding inside and buckling up my seatbelt.
I saw him eyeing me with a chuckle. “You really love your hoodie don’t you” he commented shaking his head. “Hey,” I said insulted “it’s comfortable.”
Not to mention it hid my chubbiness. He gave a shrug. “Personally I think you would look gorgeous in a mini skirt with those legs of yours and a fitted top. I don’t know why you hide yourself” he said sighing.
I just shrugged nonchalantly. There was no way I’d be caught dead in a miniskirt. The very idea of it made me shudder. I’d keep my uniform. At least it enabled me to blend in the background. Although now that Jaxon was friends with me, that was proving harder and harder to do.
“I like my pants,” I said lamely “Plus it’s cold” I lied.
He shot me a glance that proved he didn’t believe a word I said. He gave me a crooked grin. “You don’t have to lie” he chided “I can tell when you are. You have a tell” he exclaimed.
I did? I was giving it away.
“You grit your teeth when you’re angry or lying,” Jaxon said easily, switching lanes “I noticed it when I first spoke to you. It’s cute,” he said blithely.
I gaped at him. He knew me so well and we’d only been friends for a short time. It was both impressive and slightly creepy. Oh well, what’s creepiness amongst friends I thought.
He pulled into the school’s parking lot and found an empty spot near the front of the school. Thank god. My legs were cramping from the exercise I’d done earlier. Before I could get out, Jaxon had appeared and was opening the passenger door for me. He extended a hand. Geez. He was like an old-school gentleman. I took his hand and got out, wincing slightly from the pain. I grabbed my backpack and swung it over my shoulder as the students nearby openly stared at the both of us. I began to walk towards the school and heard Jaxon’s voice behind me, sounding quite puzzled.
“Why are you hobbling like an old lady?” he asked, coming to my side and eyeing me sideways “Did you get lucky last night or something?”
I huffed out a laugh. “Ew, no,” I said swatting him on the shoulder “Not that it’s any of your business” I grinned “but I had a training session this morning and it was extremely hard going.”
“Ouch” he sympathized “Personally I like to train” he enthused “especially in the morning when you can see the sun coming up. It’s so pretty,” he said.
I frowned at him. “You’re one of those annoying early morning people, aren’t you” I demanded heatedly, stopping and poking him in the chest “You know the kind that is cheerful while the rest of us can barely keep our eyes open, let alone function like a normal human?”
He smirked. “Something tells me you’re not a morning person.”
I shook my head. I would rather lay in bed, cocooned in a blanket by a warm fire. But I was up early every morning to make breakfast or train and it was very tiring for me. I needed extreme amounts of coffee some days in order to appear like a normal human being. Coffee was my one luxury and luckily Father and Sarah didn’t see any need to prevent me from drinking it, except on the occasions when they denied me food.
I stopped at my locker. To my surprise, Jaxon opened the one next to it. “How did you get that locker?” I asked confused” That’s always belonged to…”
“I’m an Alpha. I can have any locker I want and I chose this one” Jaxon said a little cockily.
“Do you see that, he chose the locker next to her” came a voice across the hallway.
Several girls were openly glaring at me with hatred. It was kind of amusing how much they hated the fact Jaxon was spending time with me. If only they knew they were wasting their time trying to go after him. They didn’t have a chance in hell. I would feel sorry for them if they weren’t all such bitches.
Jaxon heard the voice as well. His eyes narrowed and then he gave me the biggest smile he could muster. I eyed him suspiciously. Before I could move away he grabbed my hand and kissed it, staring into my eyes lovingly.
“Ah, Jaxon,” I said uncertainly, feeling the heated stares at me and thanking god that shifters didn’t possess the mind power to burn someone alive “What on earth” I began as he winked at me.
“Let me escort you to your class,” he said loudly, “I miss you so much when we’re not together” he added laying it on thick.
“Oh my god, did you hear that?” whispered a girl to her friend, “they’re already a couple.”
“It’s not fair, what does she have that we don’t? Are his eyes in the back of his head?” another one said nastily.
I winced at that but Jaxon just held my hand tightly and began to walk through the crowd, his eyes twinkling as girls openly gaped at the both of us.
“Jaxon” I hissed “now everybody is going to think we’re an item!”
He looked unrepentant “I know” he teased “but don’t you think I’m a catch?”
The crowd parted to let us through. I bit my lip chagrined. His face turned serious. “Look, let them make their assumptions. If anything, it should protect you against the bullying” he said pointedly “and I have no objections to them thinking I’m dating a gorgeous creature such as yourself” he said cheerfully.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever” I mumbled “You’re weird” I added.
“Ah but I’m wonderful as well” he commented with an arched brow “And aren’t those the best type of people?”
He had me there, I mused.
He stopped suddenly in his tracks and face-palmed himself. “s**t, there was something I wanted to ask you,” he said ” How would you feel about coming to my pack and spending a night or so there? My parents would love to have you and you could see how my pack is run in comparison to yours” he coaxed.
I thought about it. But my heart skipped a beat when I realized that there was no way my father would ever agree to it. I had never been allowed anywhere besides school. God, I wanted to go so bad. The way Jaxon talked, his pack sounded like a sanctuary. I sighed, a deep suffering sigh, and slowly shook my head.
“My father would never allow it,” I said reluctantly “and if he found out it was to visit a boy…” I added a bit stricken.
If he found out, I would probably be put in the hole, I silently told him in my mind and who knew what else. I had bruises on my body from my father hitting me after the training session. He’d been angry at my lack of progress when it came to fighting.
“He would what?” asked Jaxon interested, narrowing his eyes and regarding me with his arms folded across his chest ” Besides aren’t you almost eighteen? A little old for him to be so overprotective don’t you think?”
It’s not that, I wanted to tell him but of course, I couldn’t bring myself to say what really went on at home. “He just wants what’s best for me,” I said weakly.
Lame. Really lame. I was sure he’d see right past that excuse. He looked a bit thoughtful. “Your father is a gamma, isn’t he?” he asked.
“Yes,” I stammered. Where was he going with this?
He smirked. “Then how about I come home with you and request that you stay the Friday night? He can hardly refuse an Alpha, can he?”
Oh boy. I marveled at his confidence, even as I fought to keep my hands from shaking. “I um,” I said, shakily, knowing how my father would take that request and inwardly trying not to break down in fear “I don’t know,” I said uncertainly.
He looked pleased. “It’s settled then. I’ll come home with you this afternoon and you can show me around your pack and we can talk to your father together. I’m sure he’s not as bad as you’re making him out to be” he said beaming “and my mother and father can’t wait to meet you” he added, making me feel guilty.
There wasn’t going to be any way to change his mind. I gave a quick nod, and he dragged me down the hallway to the gymnasium. I groaned. I had forgotten that I had gym class today.
“No” I wailed dramatically as Jaxon erupted into laughter “Why today, why me” I complained.
Jaxon had gym class too, but he looked excited about it. He gave a snort of laughter as we walked inside the gym. He patted me on the shoulder with fake sympathy.
“Just remember that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” he said as I scowled at him “and when in doubt, pretend to be injured. It’s gotten me out of gym class more times than I can count.”
“You’re an Alpha, all you have to do is refuse to participate and you wouldn’t get in trouble,” I said in dismay “So what’s the point of pretending to have an injury?”
“It’s more fun and besides on occasion, the nurse happens to be a hot guy. Or at least in my other school, there was” Jaxon said cheekily.
“Our nurse is female,” I said making him glum “so you’re out of luck.”
“Oh well. Good luck and if you’re still alive afterward, I’ll take you to your next class” he called out over his shoulder as he headed towards the male locker room. I flipped him the finger and then made my way to the female locker room, my stomach in knots.