Fear

Jerome took me to my dorm, and left.

I don't know why but he kind of rushed out of my room after getting me there. He didn't say much on the way either. "he seemed really on edge" I thought aloud. As I put away the lotions and nose plugs, I glanced around my room. So plain, my pale blue sheets and blankets, small wooden dresser, and large desk with a small shelf on top to hold textbooks. All rooms looked like this, from my understanding that is. My memory flashed to this morning, in Jeromes' room, the way he looked at me as he put the lotion on me. Like he was in pain. 'what did you look at me like that for?' I thought. My phone rang and I was brought out of my thoughts. "Hello?" I answered. "Sweetie the school called me, are you better now?" it was my mother. I smiled "yes mom I'm better now" she sighed on the other end "Good at least you're taken care of" I chuckled in response and moved to sit on my bed "How's dad?" I asked. My mother went silent. Something must've happened that she didn't want to tell me. I heaved a sigh "Mom" I could hear shuffling coming from my mother. we hadn't talked in a week or so but a lot can happen in that time. And my mother gets so stressed sometimes she doesn't call. "He had an accident at work, and he's in the hospital" she finally answered. I gripped my sheets "is he-" she cut me off "he has to have surgery"

After the call with my mother I decided it was high time to get dinner. As I made my way downstairs to the cafe I saw Jerome, I didn't make the mistake of calling for him. There's no way he'd want to be seen with me publicly. I guess he smelled me though because he stopped and waited, and when I caught up to him Jerome tried to make conversation. Not giving two shits about the glares we were getting from his friends I chose to indulge his desire for attention. "So the smells gone down, I think the hardest part is over Dahl" I shot him a glare "I guess it is" raising his hands jokingly he said "sorry I thought the suppressant shot would make you less of a bitch" I knew he was joking, but it started to feel like it used to. I liked when Jerome was nice, it was kinda like we were friends. "hey, don't look like that Dahlia, I realized yesterday being a dick back to you wasn't going to get me a friend" I scoffed as we got to the bottom of the stairs and made our way into the hallway. "you wanna be my friend and for four years you thought that was the way to do it?" he deadpanned and flipped me off "I thought matching your attitude was how I was gonna win you over, clearly I was wrong" we finally set foot in the cafe and got in line "I was just trying to protect myself, I knew me being an omega wasn't gonna make me many friends, so I chose to make none" I said. Jerome grew silent and we ordered quickly before the cook got angry, but then he placed his hand on mine "well too bad you have one now, with the way you were this morning it looks like you need one anyway" we both laughed, remembering my delirious state from this morning "it's not my fault, I just didn't know what was happening" I said, grabbing our food as Jerome had picked out some drinks for the both of us. He grabbed my wrist and dragged me to an empty table. "I don't blame you, the first time is difficult, it doesn't really get easier either" he said as we sat down. I gave Jerome a look and remembered his face this morning. "Jerome? did I- hurt you this morning?" I asked, picking up my fork and stabbing the steak I'd ordered. Giving a pained look, he slowly answered "you kind of started my rut this morning, and I'm so afraid I'm going to hurt you" I looked at him, confused as I cut into my food, I had never even heard of alphas having a cycle. Let alone an omega being able to start one. Jerome sighed as he began to explain just what he was talking about.

After Jerome had finished explaining, and we finished eating, we got up and began the walk back. "So alphas have a cycle too?" I said

"yep"

"and alphas and omegas can set each other off?"

"yes"

"I started yours this morning?"

"uh huh"

I tapped my chin and gasped "so that's why you hit the teacher" He laughed and stared at his feet, apparently having forgotten telling me he punched the teacher. "yeah like I said, we get pretty violent, I didn't realize you'd started my rut until I dropped you off" we talked some more as we made our way up the stairs, Laughing occasionally. It was almost like we'd been friends the whole time. Suddenly some girl walked up behind us and chose to butt in. "Jerome, why are you talking with her? you know I don't like it when you talk to other girls. Why are you here you bitch? don't you know who I am?" Jerome almost immediately shut her down "Listen Lacey, you and I? we were never a thing, just some drunken one night stand during summer break at my brother's party, so why don't you leave my friend here alone and go find some other alpha who would actually want to talk to you" I watched as his face formed the same look he'd taken with me every day except this was him being serious. Now seeing it I could notice huge differences, the softness in his eyes when he'd spoke to me, the slightest upturn of his lips, he actually disliked this girl. And had never actually hated me. Lacey scoffed and turned away, walking towards the girls dorms from where we had stopped at the top of the stairs. I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed "I guess I'll be going, kinda gotta get to bed soon" he nodded and waved "see you tomorrow" he said as we parted. I headed to my room, head full of excitement from finally making my first friend.