The Golden Lycans (Ella) novel Chapter 28

The Footbridge-Part 1 

***Ella*** 

Claim 

“Ella! What the heck are you doing out here?!” a familiar voice says above me, as I am being shaken awake. 

I open my eyes to see Freya leaning over me while I still lay on the rooftop in the warm/morning sunlight. I had fallen asleep out here yet again. 

“You’ve only got an hour to get ready!” she exclaims as I sit up, now remembering my dream rather clearly. 

What was it about? I rub my eyes and then stand up. 

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out here,” I tell her a little groggily. I don’t feel tired at all, but I do feel a little confused. 

“I can’t say this would be my top choice for places to go when unable to sleep, but each to their own,” Freya shrugs, making her way across the roof to the bedroom window. I hurry behind her, butterflies erupting in my stomach as I remind myself… Today is the day of my first ever date. 

I get myself dressed in the outfit Freya had picked out for me last night and I study myself in the mirror. My grandmother’s necklace sits delicately on my chest, the yellow stone in the little sun appearing to glow slightly in the daylight. I looked chic but still casual. Perfect for a daytime date, I figure, not that I had any idea about dating at all. 

The nerves begin to set in the longer I stare at myself. 

What was I doing? 

What would I say? 

What if I said something stupid? 

Oh goodness…what if he actually tries to kiss me, I’d never done that before… What were his expec tations? 

“French plait? Half up half down?” Freya offers behind me, unaware of my internal meltdown, armed with a hair brush and accessories. 

“I really don’t know,” I exclaim nervously, wringing my hands, “Freya I’ve never been on a date before!” 

I suddenly blurt out, my eyes wide. 

“Yeah I figured that out weeks ago; but don’t worry about it,” she says calmly, starting to work on my hair. 

How could I not worry? 

“Look, I’m not stupid. I know my brother is by most girl’s standards, pretty hot. I’m not daft or blind. But, as I hope you would’ve figured out by now, that despite how much attention he gets, he isn’t standard in the way he is with girls. He has huge amounts of respect for women, and I know, categorically, that he is just stupidly excited to be taking you out whether you’d been on zero dates or fifty. He won’t care. So, just relax. Be yourself, and just have fun,” she says kindly, expertly moving parts of my hair around at the back. After a few minutes she hugs me a little from behind. 

“There, a waterfall braid. You seriously have the best hair for all sorts of hairstyles, I have so much fun with it,” she sighs happily. She uses some hair straighteners to put some waves into my hair and I admire my friend’s excellent handiwork in the mirror. 

“It looks so beautiful Freya, thank you so much!” I tell her as I pull her into another hug. 

I get up and slip on my grey peacoat. 

“I’ll see you later,” I tell her, exiting the bedroom, my nerves fully awake as I walk a little stiffly down the corridor. My boots were new and I was not used to wearing much of a heel. 

I can see Austin waiting for me down on the sofas in the atrium, as I stand at the top of the staircase. If it weren’t for the casual clothes I was wearing, I would have felt like Cinderella from the intense look he gives me. He sure was my Prince Charming today, even dressed casually himself in black jeans and a burgundy sweater. My heartbeat kicks it up a few notches as I get closer to him, his smile widening as I step towards him. 

“Good morning,” he says, looking me up and down with his dazzling green eyes, “you are truly beautiful; do you know that?” 

I am really not sure what to say in response to that, for I don’t think I’d ever not seen Austin looking like a model from one of the large billboards in London, whether he was sweaty after the gym or looking polished in his uniform. 

“That is very kind of you to say,” I say quietly, feeling my heart beat even faster as I wonder what else to say, “I uh…I have been looking forward to this all week.” 

He smiles again and then takes one of my hands in his for a moment, stroking the back of it lightly with his thumb. It feels so sweet and I am quickly enveloped in his familiar blanket of calm and comfort. Any nerves I had promptly disappear entirely. I was inexperienced, but that didn’t matter…not when the guy in front of me is looking as excited as he does. 

“Well if we had done things my way, this could be our twelfth date, but…I am simply glad it is happening,” he teases, gesturing with his head toward the doors before he leads me out of the chool doors. 

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