: Chapter 19

I walked down the hallway on my way to my next class. We had been grouped according to the color of our marks. Ryan and I were in the same class. I was happy at the thought that I would have plenty of time to be with him but I guess I bore him now. He no more talks to me that much instead he's now talking to his ex.

I never liked her.

She was too obscene and full of herself. She put layers of makeup that made her look ridiculous. Maybe it was just me who didn't appreciate her choice in heavy makeup but you could mistake her for a doll. I don't get what Ryan saw in her -maybe her ass. To be honest she does have a seductive body but still...I was better anyway.

These days he never even greets me. Two days ago I spotted them kissing behind a shelf of books in the library. He was cheating on me with his ex! I felt heartbroken. Luna always told me that he was an asshole but I never listened to her. I was just too blind to see it myself -madly in love with him. I should have listened to her. He was a distraction anyway. My grades had been dropping the past 6 months and mom and dad are very disappointed.

Luna...she is a good sister...and a good daughter. She is always on the top of her class and is always there by my side. I don't recall ever helping her out in her troubles. Right now she has a mate -an alpha, she is transferring to another school and....she is powerful -a hybrid. I sometimes wish I were her but I can never be.

I enter the class to be greeted by an amazing scent. It was a mixture of coconuts and dark chocolate plus a sweet scent I couldn't recognize. It did things to my insides. I spot Ryan who was sitting on his desk all alone. He was reading a novel.

"Hey Ryan," I whisper.

He looks at me and gives me a warm smile. He scans me up and down and says, "Hey Liana. You look nice today".

"Thanks," I whisper I couldn't help but blush. When I got near him the smell got stronger. Intoxicating my nose.

"Uhhh..Ryan. Did you put any perfume today?," I ask.

His smile smile disappears and says, "Yes, I always do".

"No, I mean...I know. It's just that today its strong," I stutter not trying to make him angry.

"You too," he says.

We stare at each other without saying a word. I step back preparing to go to my seat but I trip and fall on his laps. His hands were on my waist mine on his chest. I knew that at that moment my cheeks were already red. We look into each other's eyes as this scene reminded me about our first meeting. He smiles and puts his hand on my cheek as he gently rubbed his thump on my mark. His shined bright and I saw his eyes getting wide in shock. Mine was shining too. Yesterday we had a lesson based on mates. The scent, the marks shining when you and your mate touch....they were all the things you witnessed when you find your mate. So mine was Ryan. I quickly stand up and hid my face.

"Y...you're my mate," he whispers.

"I..I'm your mate" I stutter with a bit of happiness in my voice.

He stands up with a frown on his face, "Yeah right, like anything like you would be my mate, too ordinary, too boring, and too… unattractive," he says. I felt my heart clench as tears rose unwanted. I didn't want to be hurt by his insult. Everyone looks at us as the room goes quiet. "You can't, I'm not ready. I..I..you...it wasn't real," he continues.

"Ryan," I whisper.

"No Liana. I know we are dating but I no more feel the same. It was just...for fun. I still like Reya. I...I can't be your mate," each word was like a blow to my stomach, a stab in my heart.

"Are you rejecting me as your mate?" I ask.

My whole body was now shivering.

"I'm sorry Liana. I want to be Reya's mate not yours," he says.

I hear the door opening behind me and it was Reya herself. I watched as he wrapped his arms around Reya -the arms that were meant for me. I watched as he kissed her cheek and then her nose and eventually her mouth. I watched as Reya dragged her nails through his hair and as his hands slid down to her waist. I watched them intertwine with each other unaware that the sight was literally breaking me into pieces. He was my mate not hers -although he wants her. After a few minutes their lips parted and I felt relieved because I was about to kick that ass of hers back in.

She looks at me and snaps, "Didn't you hear him? He doesn't want you but wants me, so scram!" she shouts.

"You..he's my mate!," I yell.

"No I'm not. She is, not you," Ryan says, "Stop forcing it Liana, I'm not your mate, just....go away".

I was on the verge of letting out tears. "Ryan..you can't," I whisper as tears run down my cheeks.

"I can and I have. Just leave us alone," he shouts.

His voice was deep and livid. It was as if I had been slashed by a woop. Reya's face looked ugly as she stared at me then hissed, "You heard him, scram!".

I couldn't bear it. People stared at me whispering with pitiful faces, some were laughing at me. If it had been anyone else I would have attempted to punch their face in but because he was from an honorable family and my mate I just swallowed my pride and walked to the door, trying to stop the tears that were now rolling down my cheeks. I turned around and froze. I saw them kissing. Not only had I been rejected, but I had been replaced. And standing here as I watched them I realised I had been totally and completely neglected. I was just too blind to realize it, wasn't I?

I run down the road as tears streamed down my cheeks. I no more wanted to live. I wanted to end it all. I couldn't bear the fact that I had been rejected by my own mate. I saw a car coming towards me. For some reason I just stood in the middle of the road and waited for the car to come and bump into me. When it was almost near me I felt someone pulling me aside. I fell into someone's embrace. 'Why did you save me?,' I say to myself.

"Let me go!," I shout shoving him away, "Why did you save me!".

He looked confused as he said, "The car almost bumped into you".

I frown and ask, "Did I ask you to save me?".

"Look here, I wasted my time to save you and this is all I get," he complains.

I roll my eyes and tell him, "Did I ask you to waste your time on me? No. So you may as well go and continue doing what you want and leave me alone," I turn around to leave but I'm stopped by an arm around my wrist.

I'm again pulled into an embrace. It reminded me a lot about Ryan. I couldn't help but let my emotions take control of me. I began to cry. "Shhhh," he whispers, "It's alright. I'm here". I get out of his arms and wipe the tears that were on my cheeks. "Let's go sit down and talk," he says. We enter a nearby café and take a seat by the corner. I order a boba while he ordered a cup of coffee.

"So...what happened?" he asks.

"I..my mate rejected me," I tell him.

"Thats...terrible," he says. "I know, but it's still fine," I say as I put on a fake smile trying my best not to cry. It was hard.

He sighs and says, "Look, I know it's hard but you don't have to kill yourself just because some shitty asshole rejected you. There are many fish in the sea. Move on".

I wish it was that easy but it isn't. "It's easy for you to say," I tell him, "You have never been rejected".

He laughs and replies, "Who said I haven't. I mean not by my mate but by someone I loved. It was hard but yeah I went through it and now...I met someone else".

I smile and felt my heart warming up to him. Time passes by as we chat. After two or three hours we parted.

'Wait. He never told me his name' I turn around to find him gone. 'What a mysterious guy,' I say to myself as I smile, 'There sure are many fish in the sea'.

I walk home to meet Ryan and Reya. They were in a red sports car, their music on full blast. They drive past me splashing muddy water on me as the car sped away. I just froze there as though glued to my tracks. They reversed it and I thought they were coming back to apologize but I was wrong. They just wanted to insult me. After saying their harsh words I run home. I wanted to get there like an arrow from a bow. I reach home as tears ran down my cheeks. I rush and hug Luna tight. We fall together on the ground as I bury my face in her shoulder. I began to cry.

"What's wrong?" she asks putting her arms around me.