Suffocate Me

“Hello,” I choked, doing my best not to let any of my anxiety show.

Here she was right in front of me, my destined other half, but right across from her was my girlfriend. This was the type of situation you see in sitcoms.

“Hey, babe,” Juliet said, patting the seat next to her,”This is Olivia.”

I hesitantly sat, looking up at the brunette across from me.

“Nice to meet you,” I said,”Andy Biersack.”

“Nice to meet you too. You’re in the band I’ll be photographing?” she asked.

Good Lord, her voice is so soft.

“Yes,” I answered, calming myself a little,”I’m guessing Nina sent you.”

“Yes’r, she did,” she laughed,”do you know Nina personally?”

I chuckled at the memory of the girl. She was a ball of energy for sure and I faintly remember her bruising someone’s arm over a rude waiter. Recently, she had become a good contact with John and she knew us enough to text us personally when she was sending someone.

“Not personally, but we have had business meetings before,” I answered,”and I’ve gotten to know her personality a bit.”

I couldn’t think of a way to get Olive alone right this second, but as her closeness began to calm me, I began to think clearly again. Regardless, this wasn’t going to be easy. First, I would have to break it off with Juliet, then I would have to explain myself to Olive and even then there was only a fifty percent chance Olive would have me. I hate the fact that she can only feel a fraction of what I’m feeling, but she seems aware enough. When I walked in, she had given me a doubtful look before motioning to Juliet. It was subtle, but I caught it.

“Well, either way, I’m here for the following three days,” she said, pausing to glance out the window,”let’s hope everything goes well….”

It got really quiet and even Juliet seemed to sense the tension. Jules proceed to get up and walk away, saying she was going to go get the others. I wasn’t paying attention, all I knew was Juliet was leaving me alone with Olive. This was my chance. I could ask her!

Juliet left. I cast a glance to Olive. She was staring at the camera in her lap. She seemed to be thinking.

“Are you…?” Olive started to speak but stopped when she caught my eye.

She looked away quickly and I could tell she knew, she knew why I was here. She looked more than a little flustered and part of me wanted to pick her up and comfort her, but I held back.

“A werewolf.” I finished her question for her,”Hell yeah I am, and something tells me you are too.”

Words formed in my brain, yet not all of them were coming out of my mouth. I felt like she was unsure more than shy.

“Perhaps I am.” she laughed.

“What do you want me to do?” I asked,”I mean, I hate to be blunt, but you’re my mate and I’d like to have you.”

Olive’s face fell and she faced me head on. As she became serious, her timidness vanished.

“I want you to prove yourself.” she said,”I’m willing to overlook the human girlfriend with or without explanation, I just want to be sure of you.”

“Fair enough.”

“But there is one condition to all this.” she said, still facing me with a fire in her eyes.

“And that is?” I asked, feeling a little uneasy.

“I will not so much as look at you as a mate as long as that human girl is your ‘girlfriend.’”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Guys! The new photographer is here!” Juliet called into the dressing room.

“Wait, really?”
“Wow, okay, we’re coming.”

“Isn’t she a bit early?” John asked.

He was leaning on the wall next to the dressing room playing on his phone. When Nina had told him that she had got him one of her most trusted employees he had made big hopes, but this was a nice surprise.

“Well, I suppose, but that’s a good thing, right?” Juliet said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Yeah, definitely, I’m just surprised.”

Juliet smiled and nodded, satisfied.

“How did you know we had a photographer coming?” John asked, putting his phone away.

Juliet stopped and froze. John swears to this day that he saw some funny glint in her eye, but she just laughed awkwardly. Her hand swatted at him playfully.

“Andy told me,” she cooed, waltzing down the hall and making her way back to the bus.

They don’t know anything, she thought, no need to get antsy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I will not so much as look at you as a mate as long as that human girl is your ‘girlfriend.’”

I stopped. That means I had a time limit. Once mates find each other and acknowledge each other, the female has twenty-four hours to decide if she approves of the male. It was like this to make sure that everyone had a say in their lover, but the time span was to short.... If I suddenly broke up with Juliet it would cause a stir, but then immediately dating another would make it worse. Olive wasn’t messing around here.

“Is there no way around that? Does this all have to happen today?” I asked.

“...I’m sorry, but those are my conditions. I decided them long ago and I promised myself to them. If you want me by your side, you’re going to need to agree.”

I ran my fingers through my hair.

Maybe, I said to myself, I can do it. I need too.

My senses thought it would be a good time to remind me of her fragrance and how aware of her I really was. With her sitting just a foot or two away, it was hard not to feel strong and able. It was hard being this close and not touching her, not making her mine.

I can do it.

“I…” I took in her scent with a deep breath and lean a little closer to her, just so I knew she could smell me,”I will agree.”

Notes