Blue Moon.

Chapter 23

I sat fidgeting in my lunch seat, too nervous to even eat the pear sitting on the table in front of me. I was waiting for Liam to show up, though a part of me worried that he wouldn't come. I was afraid that he was still angry, and that he had chosen to either find somewhere else to sit, or decided to skip lunch all together.

However I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I saw a head of wild blond hair come my way. I suppressed a smile though, telling myself I shouldn't over do it today. I waited for him to sit down in the chair diagonal from me like he used to, but like the last time we ate lunch together, he sat beside me.

He sat his tray down, full of French fries, two hamburgers, and a ranch covered salad. He had a Gatorade bottle in his hand and didn't look at me as he unscrewed the cap and lifted the bottle to his lips, sucking down a long drink. When he finished, he put the cap back on the bottle, unwrapped a hamburger, and angled his body in his chair so that he was facing me.

He took a generous bite of his sandwich, all the while his eyes observing me. "You're not scared of me?" he said after swallowing what was in his mouth. He said this with the least amount of emotion possible, and my face softened.

"Nothing has changed." I said with a small shrug, and he continued to stare at me, chewing thoughtfully on his sandwich.

"You were scared the night it happened." He pointed out glumly, and my face turned a little red.

"I was overwhelmed. I didn't know what I had just seen, I thought I was going crazy..." I sighed, looking down at my lap.

He didn't say anything for a second while he finished his hamburger and then picked up the second one. He unwrapped it, took a bite, swallowed it, and then took a breath. "You're not crazy. It really happened. I'm a werewolf, and I'm sorry about this morning." He said quietly, and I raised an eyebrow.

On top of looking completely sincere, it seemed genuinely hard for him to say this. He looked uncomfortable, and I noticed he was leaning away from me a little, though he kept his body turned towards me.

"It's okay." I answered, and he glanced at my arms. "They don't hurt, don't worry." I told him tenderly, knowing he was worried about how hard he had grabbed me.

"I was just... I was ready to come to school and find everyone disgusted with me. the whole entire day after you saw me, I was waiting for the police to stop by my house. I was waiting to come to school and find out I gave you some kind of heart attack. I was so scared of coming today, you can't even imagine."

I watched him carefully, guilt twisting around in my stomach as I watched him speak. "I'm really sorry I caused you so much trouble. I swear I wasn't spying, I was just on a walk and well... the mansion you live in has always been something I admire, and I only meant to stop by to look at it for a second..." I felt myself reddening as I told him part of the truth, but never would I tell him that I had known he lived there, or how long I had staid to watch.

The more I thought about it, the more embarrassed I felt.

"It's okay. Part of me wanted to tell you anyways. I just wish you hadn't found out that way. I thought you would never talk to me again..." his eyes flashed to my face when he saw it pinch together skeptically. "Aubrey, I am a monster. You can't tell me that if it had been anyone else, you wouldn't have been disgusted by them." he said lowly, making sure that only I could hear.

I twisted my lips to the side in thought. If I hadn't gotten to know Liam so well before I found out what he was, would I still be sitting next to him today?

I felt muddled by the truth; no, if I hadn't known Liam so well, I'd have avoided him at all costs. I may have even told someone what happened, anyone, and perhaps I would have gone straight to the police.