Part of the pack

20 || Girls talk

Why do women spend so much time talking to their female peers? The answer can again be found in the process of the biological evolution of the human mind. Just like the evolutionary expression of aggression in men, gossiping is an evolutionary feature of female psychology. Women trade various secrets from their personal experiences through gossiping to create connection and intimacy with their female peers.

- Abhijit Naskar

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The diner was situated fifteen minutes away from the mall, with countless familiar faces and strangers lined up to get the local brunch consisting of waffles topped with chicken drizzled in maple syrup, three pork sausages, and one sunny side up egg along with bacon and hash brown.

With a bright neon green color, Grandma's diner, and a picture of the first generation owner of the diner, a middle-aged woman was seen with a spatula on her right hand. It was one of the early diners that took refugee in this small town and have been here for over fifty years. 

The building itself was historical, the decors were still the same though it has its modern touches. The smell was tantalizing, nonstop chatters from the employees and the customers emerge as we sat on a three-seated table.

"Good afternoon and welcome to Grandma's diner! Here's our menu today and you can just call me whenever you're all ready to order, have a nice day!" A cheery waitress greeted us and gave us the menu that almost weighed like a book, a big one.

"I like it here" Luna expressed, her eyes glimmer against the soft gentle light of the chandelier.

"Mmm, me too" Hati agreed, and soon we all decided to take our orders. The two of them chose a lot of meat on their plates while I only got myself the usual pancakes and chicken but with just avocado on toast and has brown.

The cheery waitress placed our food and we all thanked her, Hati went on and grabbed her phone and took pictures murmuring under her breath how she would show this to the others. Luna checked the food, smelled it and tasted it, and then nodded in a good mood.

"Selene"

"Yes?" Hati's eyes shimmered in tease and I could feel the pit of my stomach clenching for what she's about to say.

"How's yours and Lukka's relationship now?"

I almost bit my tongue, thankfully the food I was chewing on has finally entered my stomach. I do not want a repeat of the past dinner with them.

"Hati" Luna warned, she was like a mother who always looked out for her child. "You don't have to be afraid Selene, your secret's safe with us. So, how is it?" Hati burst into laughter and I almost wanted to cry but was left with no tears.

Just as I've said, Luna was like a mother, she also has that nosiness that mothers have when they feel curious about their children's relationship with someone, especially to the opposite sex.

"We're fine, he's um... kind and although he doesn't talk much he... he's really kind"

I heard Hati snort while Luna set her eyes on her, she just shrugged it off. Maybe they think I'm sugar-coating things but I'm not so I explained in detail.

"He's really kind. He allowed me into your world, waited for me when we walked out of the forest, and accompanied me in the forest"

Hati's eyes darkened and my heart felt like it was being carved by a dagger. Did I say something wrong? Even Luna has this contemplating look on her face.

"Do you know that Lukka never acts like a gentleman, that he never waited for someone and accompanied anyone? He never talks to us and just used you know? Mind link" she said the last words in a whisper and continued. "He would never let somebody enter our world and he did that to you" Luna on the other side nodded her head, her eyes also held pure curiosity.

I blushed beet red, it's as if she was insinuating something, I'm not stupid to not see the signs she's giving me but I'm afraid.

I'm afraid that he was just being too kind to me, that he was like that to everybody else no matter how ridiculous it was for his intimidating presence. That maybe he's one of those guys in a romance book that plays with a young girl's heart even though it's far from reality. 

It never occurred to me at the beginning that I was being specially treated by him, that his every word and action was different from how he's with me and when he's with his family. It was the first time that some guy would do this to me and it's terrifying, moreover, he wasn't just some simple guy.

Something in my head screams that everything will be alright but then the other says I've made a mistake.

I was about to refute her when my stomach growled, I hid my face for the wrong timing of my stomach and pretend that I never heard them giggled at me.

"Okay, okay, let's eat first or soon this hateful of food will turn cold" Luna suggested and j didn't even retort anything and just busied myself over my food as if to forget the talk that we just made.

I wolfed down the food on my plate and almost turn pink seeing the graceful movements that were reflected in their manner of eating, I was like a starved ghost in front of these two royals.

"This is good, it's been so long since I've tasted home-cooked food" Hati moaned, even if she licks her finger off of maple syrup she looks like a goddess seducing everyone, I can already see some men turning their heads to her. Well, she's a natural head-turner.

"I think the boys would like it" Luna reaffirmed and I'm glad they liked this diner after all I always go here whenever I'm in school. I would rather spend an extra dollar here than the cafeteria.

Thank goodness they didn't talk about Lukka and I's relationship. I don't think I could even continue it anymore. I wiped my lips with a napkin and arranged myself before savoring the sweet berry pie that was famous in this diner.

"Selene! How's the food?" I look up to see Mark, the head chef of this diner, he was a very friendly man who loves to get real responses from the people who eats his food.

"As always, it's perfect Mark" he chortled, his voice big just like his frame but he's a straight-up sweet guy.

"Oh, you have some new friends here, how's the food?" His eyes turn to Hati and Luna who already finished their food, not even a speck of dust was seen on their plate.

"Magnificent, I would like the recipe for this berry pie but I think there would be money involved, isn't it?" Luna joked making Mark burst into fits of laughter again.

"Oh no! I can't tell you or else my Nana would kill me. Well, I'm still needed in the kitchen and since you're new here, I'll give you some free slices of pecan pie!" Hati claps her hand while nodding, Luna on the other hand thanked Mark and me, I watched them on the sidelines.

I still can't quite believe that these two people beside me are werewolves, a mythical creature that everyone in this town thought to be a gimmick for tourism and feared on the other hand. To see them communicating with humans, seeing them act just like us, and even look more human in ways makes me feel like we're just the same.

We are all just the same.

We acted like humanized beings with reason, who have feelings and sometimes does mistakes. The animal in us was just hidden, lurking in the shadows until we decided to let it reign on our minds.

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Chapter 20 is out! Hope you like this chapter!

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