That night Ben's mind buzzed as he tried to drift off to sleep. What would the Lon'en Academy be like? Were there others there his age? Would they teach him how to control his power, or would he be seen as a freak for both it and not knowing how to properly control it?
Unsurprisingly, his mind also went to Eileen.
She'd held him tonight, and it had felt like heaven.
Ben wrapped his arms around himself, trying to cling to the sensation.
Touch had always been really important to him. As a child touch had been freely given, but as he'd gotten older, people had become more distant, less physical. That was one of the reasons he and Dustin had gravitated towards each other; Dustin enjoyed pushing and scuffling as much as he did.
But it was so different when it was Eileen touching him.
Down the hallway he heard his parents' lamp click off. Soon the house would be quiet.
Would Eileen be online tonight?
When he heard his parents beginning to snore he tiptoed downstairs and booted up the computer, waiting impatiently for it to finish its starting cycle.
"Shhh!" he whispered to it when it beeped. Then he grinned at himself for being an idiot.
When it finally loaded, he double clicked the icon for messenger, eyes scanning his friends list.
Graygirl78 was on, but she was idle.
Should he message her?
Wildcat86: 'Sup, Gray?
Wildcat86: You there?
Wildcat86: Gray?
Wildcat86: Hello?
Graygirl78: Oh, hey, Wildcat. I didn't think you'd be on tonight. You've got a big day tomorrow after all.
Ben's eyes widened. What did that mean?
Graygirl78: What I don't understand is why you lied to me.
His heart sank. Crap, crap, crap! How'd she figure it out?
Wait, maybe she hadn't.
Wildcat86: What do you mean?
Graygirl78: Well, Wildcat's own number 86, I had Robbie write down your username for me today just in case the Lon'en Academy allowed you guys to use the internet, but I didn't check it until I got back from our walk.
Graygirl78: Why didn't you just tell me it was you?
Robbie told her his username? Ben started panicking. They'd just sorted things out between them, and she'd just started hugging him again!
Wildcat86: Are you pissed at me?
Graygirl78: Yes!
Graygirl78: ...and no?
Graygirl78: Honestly, I was. But I've been reading through our old messages for the past few hours.
Graygirl78: Anything about your identity I just assumed and you went along with it. You never outright lied to me
Graygirl78: although I can see now why your mom gets so mad about your omissions :-\
YOU ARE READING
The Reluctant Cougar (Rise of the Alpha King's Heir)
Romance*Complete but still subject to edits* Ben Cougar and Eileen Grau have been best friends since they were kids. For the young cougar-shifter, it was love at first sight. For the ostracized Vampire girl, it was good to have a friend--even if he was s...
