The Wolf

Ch. 11: Excitement and Promises

~Nico~

I woke up in Alex's  bed, in Alex's  room, in Alex's  house. Now I was in Alex's  bathroom getting dressed. Why am I here and not at my own house? I remember Alex taking me away from the party in his car, then nothing. Doesn't he know where Kyle lives? I mean, it seemed like the two got along, you'd think they knew where each other lived. Not like I would have wanted to return to that house anyway.

I put the shirt on with shaky fingers. My body is weak from yesterday, and so is my mind. I drank too much, and I did something to Alex... My mind drifts to our make-out session. Oh, God, he must hate me now. My head is pounding. My body is aching from all the dancing and stuff I did yesterday. My ribs scream for their medicine. Is this what Cinderella felt like when she got home from the ball?

I open the bathroom door to reveal Alex packing up his backpack. His head turns towards me when I walk out of the bathroom; I just realize I must have taken up a lot of time in there. "Ah, I'm done." I say looking down.

"OK, same here. Let's go downstairs." Alex shoulders his backpack and leads the way downstairs. I follow behind slowly with my aching everything.

We get to the kitchen to see the table has been set for four people, and food was laid out; ready to be eaten. I gulped, I was about to get a delicious, free meal. Alex takes a seat and I sit beside him.

Mirabella flits into the kitchen, squealing when she sees me. Behind her is Alex's dad, James. He grins when he sees me. I get up to greet him. I give him a handshake and a big smile. "It's good to see you, boy. It's been forever." James says, taking his seat. I take my seat as well.

"It sure has been too long." I say.

We all fill our plates and eat our food. "So, Nico, you live with your Uncle Joe, right?" Mirabella inquires.

"Yes, along with his wife, Tanya, and their son, Kyle." I give a forced smile.

"Do you like it there?" Mirabella ask.

"Hm, not really." I say honestly.

"Oh, you don't? Why's that?" James ask.

"I, ah," I take a breath, I couldn't tell them that I get beaten and sometimes molested, "I, just miss home." It wasn't a complete lie, I really missed my home, but that's not the reason I hate it there so much.

"If that's the only reason, surely you should've gotten used to it there by now." James says casually, I bet he could see right through me.

"Ah, that's true." I say with a shaky voice. I can't tell them I got beaten, right?

"What happened to your parents?" Mirabella blurts out, I could tell she was dying to know, so was I.

I look down at my plate, "I, ah, don't know. I thought you guys might know something."

Mirabella gasp, "Ah, I'm so sorry, baby. We haven't heard from them in years."

"Same here." I say, taking a bite of my pancakes.

The table lapses into an awkward silence.

Eventually the silence evens out into small talk about how the pack has been the last couple of years while I was gone. Not like I really knew what was happening with the pack when I was ten years old, but oh well. Anything to distract them from myself was welcome.

I could barely look at Alex all throughout breakfast. I would start blushing if I stared too long. The last thing I want is to be caught staring at him with moon-eyes. Ah, perish the thought, self!