Beloved

1

"Stop squirming, G." Lucas gently applied color to Gaia's closed lids. "You are going to look so gorgeous, he won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"Ha! I'll trip over my own two feet, or stutter, and he'll glare at me like he always does, if his highness deigns to notice me at all," Gaia answers sourly. "He doesn't turn eighteen until next month anyway." She was sitting as still as she could under Lucas' brushes and Darla working magic on her hair. But it tickled.

It was completely unnecessary for the friends to voice the names of whom they spoke, heavy insinuation and dramatic vocal emphasis declared identity to those in the know. Gaia's 'him' was future alpha Dante, for Lucas it was future head warrior Brent, and Darla's heart beat for Beta Colton.

And getting ready in Darla's room for a night out and a sleep-over was their long held tradition, just like nights in with movies and a sleep-over happened at Lucas' house. Occasionally they'd stay at Gaia's house, but they'd spend their time with her mom, catching "mama Shel" up on everything she missed since Michelle was in school and worked part-time, and was only home weekends.

"It's so cool your birthday is the night of the spring dance this year," Darla chirped, pinning half of Gaia's long curls away from her face, leaving a slender wavy tendril at either temple to frame her friend's sweet heart-shaped face. "Too bad your eighteenth isn't for another year." The two girls poked their tongues out at each other.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Girl, put your tongue back in your mouth, I don't need you mucking up my canvas."

"My mouth is your canvas?" Gaia opened her eyes slightly to peer at her handsome friend.

Darla snickered. Gaia tried to keep a straight face, failed miserably.

"Ye-NO! Grr! You know what I mean." He huffily set his tools down and hooked his thumbs in his pockets, shaking his head and mumbling about the two women he got himself mixed up with, waiting for the giggling to run its course. Soon enough he was finished with their makeup and everyone's hair was styled. He slipped away to the bathroom to change into his suit, while the girls stayed in Darla's bedroom to change into their dresses.

Gaia had met Lucas just before the school year started. His family lived just two doors down and across the street from hers. He was excited to have a new classmate and neighbor, and his excitement helped her feel welcome. Most of that first year, if she wasn't taking care of her mother or at the restaurant with her grandmother, she could be found at Lucas's house.

Darla lived in a different neighborhood of the territory, but already knew Lucas from school. She was delighted to make a new friend, and soon encouraged her family to meet Gaia's grandmother and mother in order to arrange sleepovers.

Hair styled, makeup on point and dressed in the evening's attire, the three friends climbed into Lucas' car, as he was the designated driver for this venture.

The gymnasium was decorated in the theme of a full moon night in their school colors of silver and black. A DJ was manning a portable music booth, choosing tunes dedicated to encourage dancing. There were balloons bobbing on their tethers, and sequins draping banners. The dance floor was filled with people, most were grouping into their cliques, though a few were taking advantage of the music.

The three friends stepped into the room, following Lucas to a space from which to get their bearings.

"Cheesy."

"Ooh, where did you see cheese," Gaia asked hopefully, craning to peer around Lucas, who was nearly a foot taller than her.

"I didn't see cheese, I said 'cheesy'. As in these decorations need some wine and crackers."