Little Red Riding Hoodie

The Big Bad Wolf

Scarlet couldn't believe it. Her fate, Hunter's fate, was now in the hands of the notorious Mara Wolf.

"Look you can't tell anyone," Scarlet whispered, feeling fear clench her heart. "Please." Hunter would have a total meltdown if she knew someone had seen them.

"I won't," Wolf whispered back, leaning forward. Wolf's face was dangerously close to hers, and every cell in Scarlet's body wanted her to retreat. "But," Wolf continued, "you have to do some things for me." Her green eyes flashed then, and Scarlet felt a wave of something move through her.

"Uh, like what?" Please nothing weird. Please nothing weird. Please nothing weir—

Wolf instantly eased up. "Guess we'll find out, huh, Red?" She winked, that same infuriatingly smug smile on her face. "Catch you later." And with that she entered the school, hands tucked in the pockets of her jacket, night-black hair flowing behind her like a river.

Scarlet stayed outside, the panic inside her still welling up. What was she going to do? If Wolf told anyone... the entire town would know by nightfall. Her life would be over. Hunter would never speak to her again! Hunter's life would be ruined!

Scarlet tried to calm down. Deep breaths. Wolf said she wouldn't tell as long as Scarlet did some things for her, whatever that meant. How bad could it be?

The redhead was suddenly aware of what felt like a thousand pairs of eyes on her, and she turned to see groups of students walking by, all staring at her and whispering.

Oh, right. She had been seen walking to school with Wolf, of all people. This day was quickly becoming a nightmare.

A flash of blonde caught Scarlet's attention and she saw Hunter sitting on a picnic table, a posse of her friends excitedly chattering around her. Blue eyes slid to the side, meeting with Scarlet's hazel. Scarlet felt like a deer in headlights.

Hunter's eyes narrowed, and then she looked away again.

Damn it. Hunter had seen her with Wolf too.

***

The cafeteria was loud as ever, with students all chatting wildly about their schoolwork, about their home lives, about who was dating who, about each other.

Scarlet stared down at the peanut butter and jelly sandwich with disdain. She couldn't remember grabbing it, or paying for it. She was in a zombie-like state ever since her encounter with Wolf that morning, and it had completely killed her appetite.

"I heard you were seen with Wolf!" Mike said, shoving a slice of soggy pizza into his mouth. "Hah did tha happen'?" He asked, trying to speak around his mouthful.

"Chew your food, you ingrate," Hannah said, glaring daggers at her boyfriend. She then turned to Scarlet, eyes wide. "I heard that too! You have to tell us what you were doing with her."

"She was visiting her grandfather at the nursing home when I was visiting Nana," Scarlet said simply. She tried but she couldn't get the mental image of that annoying, smug grin out of her head. "We were just walking in the same direction together. It was no big deal."

"No big deal?" Mike asked, incredulous. "That's Mara Wolf. She's evil incarnate."

Scarlet made a face. "She didn't seem that bad to me." Annoying, scary, and sort of dangerous, but not that bad.

Mike shrugged. "I heard she's a huge dyke, and that's why she keeps turning guys down."

Scarlet nearly choked on her water. She wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand and stared at Mike, eyes wide. "Really?" She asked, trying not to sound too interested. "She's gay?"