Sunday came quickly. Troy could hardly sleep the night before. He tossed and turned in his bed, rising with the sun. He picked out three different outfits, tossing the unsuitable clothes on the floor like carcasses. He finally settled on a basic blue t-shirt and jeans, better to look like he didn’t try at all to look desperate.
He bounded down the stairs, taking the two at the bottom with a jump. His older brother, Brandon, looked up from the kitchen.
“Where are you going?” Brandon asked.
“Movies,” Troy said, pushing past his brother.
“Wait!”
Bekah bolted down the stairs pulling on her socks.
“You promised to take me to the movies,” she said.
Troy thought about Blake and how much he wanted to be alone with him in the dark theater.
“Bekah,” he said, “I’ll take you some other time.”
“No way,” she said. “You promised.”
Brandon reached into the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs. He cracked a few in a bowl, added a dash of milk, and started to stir. Troy watched with envy as Brandon’s forearms bulged with each stir. His older brother was the true alpha, strong, good looking, and a leader. Their father as so proud of him.
Even baby Bekah was showing alpha qualities. She carried herself with confidence unheard of in such a young girl. When she spoke to people, they listened. She was athletic and bright. Troy knew she would be a heartbreaker when she grew up.
Troy, though, he didn’t have the same qualities. He was slighter than his brother and shy. Quieter than his sister and not as charismatic. People usually looked past him. Their father worried he was an omega in a family of alphas. Sometimes, Troy worried too.
“How did she get you to promise that?” Brandon asked, pouring the eggs into a pan.
“You know how she is,” Troy said, “she’s just bossy.”
“I’m not,” said Bekah. “I just get what I want.”
“Okay,” said Troy, grabbing his keys and wallet from the bowl by the door. “But you have to promise you’re not going to the same movie.”
“Why are you and John going now?” Brandon asked, giving the eggs a stir. “He’s never awake before noon on weekends.”
“I’m, um, not going with John,” Troy said.
Before Brandon could ask any more questions, Troy pushed Bekah out the door.
“See you later!”
The door shut and Troy let out a sigh.
“Are you dating someone?” Bekah asked eyes narrowed. “Because even I know a midday date is not very romantic.”
“No, god, I’m meeting a friend. The tickets are cheaper, okay?”
“Okay,” said Bekah, “but I won’t tell Brandon if you have a girlfriend, I swear. Also, I want to see the new Harry Potter movie, so you have to see something else.”
Troy unlocked the car.
“Deal.”