The Books that Never made it

Howled

The lake rippled calmly as a light warm summer breeze rolled past. I sat on the wharf letting my foot dangle into the warm water.  I looked over my shoulder and with a grin; I slipped my jacket off, bringing my tank top over my head. After tossing my bra and shorts off to the side, I quickly slipped into the water, closing my eyes joyously as it washed against my bare skin. I sunk under the water, looking into the dark mysterious depths.

I floated on my back, looking up at the stars that twinkled gallantly overhead. It felt as though I were in an oversized bathtub, just floating like a rubber duck.

          I jerked up suddenly with surprise as I heard the bushes rustling over a couple feet from the wharf.

          “Who’s there?” I choked.

There was silence—but then finally a dark silhouette came out dusting himself off.

          “It’s only me,” Luca said coming from the bushes, picking the leaves out from his blonde hair.

I breathed with a sigh of relief and let my head drop. That’s when I realized I was showing off more flesh than I needed too. I quickly submerged so my neck and head were visible from above the water.

          “What are you doing out here so late?” he asked walking across the wharf towards me, disregarding the pile of clothes that was beside his feet.

          “Just enjoying a nightly swim, I guess,” I said trying to compose my face, even though I became worried he might be able to see me under the water. “Doesn’t Charles usually have you working late at the auto shop?” Charles was Luca’s older brother.

Luca nodded, his shaggy hair falling into his eyes. “Yeah, but he let me go tonight because—yeah…” he faded out.

          Luca probably meant Charles let him leave early so he could go and shift before the night was over. One of the things Luca found most irritating being a werewolf.

          “Oh,” I said splashing around in the water absent mindedly.

My heart did a fetal leap as he glanced down at his feet almost sheepishly, gazing down at the discarded clothes, his eyes narrowing before coming back to me with a smirk.

          “You mind if I join you?” he said reaching for his buttoned up dark shirt as if he was eager to jump in the water without my consent.

          “Uh,” I stuttered.

I hadn’t even said anything before a wild grin spread across his face and he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, tossing his jeans off so he was only in his boxers.

          Quickly dog paddling away, I was just in time to watch him dive head first into the water in front of me. After the wave subsided and the water was calm, he resurfaced, his hair wet and slicked.

          “Wow, its warm in here!” he mused bobbing closer to me.

          “Wait!” I said holding my arm out, stopping him from coming any closer—or seeing anything more.

He frowned and stopped. “What, what is it?’

I sighed and glanced away, feeling my face getting hot. “I—you can’t come any closer.”

          “Why?”

          “Because I’m…,” I drawled, “A bit…naked.”

His face was blank for the first bit, until he looked away biting his lip. “I know.”

I looked at him incredulously.

Luca shrugged, looking at his fingertips checking for wrinkles. “I saw the clothes. You never told me you skinny dip.”

I felt my faze start to blaze with heat.

          “It doesn’t matter, I’ve seen you before.”

I frowned. “You have not!”

He let out on of his angelic chuckles. “We’ve been friends since second grade. I’ve seen you in your under pants before.”

          “Yeah, but not anything less,” I accused.

          “We’ve taken baths together.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, that’s when it didn’t matter, I’m older now.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, and your still flat chested.”

I gawked and leaped over to him, smacking him on the forehead and kneeing him in the chest.

          “Asshole!” I growled as he laughed and held my hands, dodging the blows.

He chuckled warmly and brought me close to him. I suddenly remembered I wasn’t wearing a bathing suit and quickly backed pedaled. His hands grabbed my wrist, dragging me to him.

          “No!” I ordered. “Don’t.”

          “Its fine, I won’t look,” he said with one of his famous smiles. His blue eyes gleamed down at me, sparkling mischievously.

I could feel my face going red again. I didn’t dare look at him; I knew he was looking at me with those haunting eyes.

          “Alice?” he asked his voice innocent, just like when he was five.

I couldn’t help, but gaze at him. It was like his voice beckoned me.

          “What?”

His eyes shimmered and his lips parted, arm wrapping around me bring me closer to him. I could feel his breath on my lips, as his nose bumped into mine.

          “Alice I…” His voice faded out as he jerked away from me, his eyes squeezed shut as if he were in some kind of pain.

          “Luca?” His back was facing me, his shoulders rippling.

          “Luca?” I said again, laying my palm on his shoulder.

He winced and faced me, his eyes a smoldering gold and his fangs protruding from his mouth. I screamed and fell back into the water staring at him incuriously.

          Luca lifted his head up to the moon that had snuck past the clouds and hung there in the sky beckoningly and howled.