The Masquerade

The Excluded

-Sophia-

“That is not going to do the trick, you hit him very hard.” Sophia sat on a patio chair, annoyance bubbling up in her. Julian had Mackenzie filling a bucket up with water, but was also trying to mess around and get her wet. Mackenzie wasn't having it, but Julian kept trying. Mackenzie's shorts were soaked, and shades darker than they had been.

Sophia, while used to her brother's unbelievably moronic method of wooing girls, was getting irritated on Mackenzie's behalf. She could already tell the girl was not going to fall for his Peter Pan-like maturity act.

Sophia thought her brother was quite clever, even if she practically loathed what he'd been doing for the past forty years. He would always find a very vulnerable girl, someone who he knew would trust him with her life. Then he would show off the juvenile persona, making sure she thought he was harmless. And then, after he'd eased himself into her life, he'd make the reveal. She would foolishly think that she was in love and overlook his nature. Maybe she would allow him to feed on her, maybe she would allow him to deflower her. It did not matter, the ending was the same every time. Julian would leave and Sophia would follow. The girl was always heartbroken, but after a while Sophia no longer cared about their feelings. They were weak. They had allowed it to happen.

But as Sophia watched Mackenzie's shoo away Julian's hand on her back, she knew the chances of her falling for his schtick were very slim. She didn't know if this was good or bad. On the one hand Julian needed this challenge and rejection to wake him up. He'd been moving from place to place and playing this game for too long. But on the other hand, his meddling in this poor girl's life had already caused some strife. Maybe if she was too much of a challenge to him, he would leave her to deal with this mess alone. He would leave her to die.

Julian took the water bucket after Mackenzie barked an order at him. They made their way back to the gazebo where Sophia was watching warily. Julian smiled, carrying the bucket as if it were filled with feathers. Mackenzie's arms were crossed at her chest, her soaking legs shaking from the breeze. Sophia felt the urge to do something as mundane and silly as pat her shoulder in a gesture of comfort, but she knew that it wouldn't really do anything to ease the girl's annoyance.

“It may have been easier to just use the hose. You didn'tt have to fill the bucket,” Sophia pointed out.

“I like the image of the bucket pouring water on his head,” Julian exclaimed, striding to the boy on the table. Sophia stood and backed away to avoid getting water on her clothing.

“I'd like the image of my foot going up his ass,” Mackenzie hissed. Sophia nodded, which made Mackenzie laugh for some odd reason.

“Okay, somebody give me a drum roll,” Julian said. Sophia and Mackenzie shared a look.

“Just fucking do it,” Mackenzie said. Julian sighed, but slowly started pouring the liquid over the boy's head. Sophia became fed up and stepped forward, slapping the back of the bucket so that it all dumped in a quick second.

There was a moment where everyone held their breath, but eventually the wolf boy's eyelids fluttered. Sophia stuck out a hand, indicating that Mackenzie should stay back, and waited to see whether the werewolf would be upset when he woke up.

He twisted, and his eyes shot open when he caught sight of Julian. The boy shot up, flinching and grabbing his head for a quick second. Once that was over he scooted himself off the table, almost falling to the ground.

“Get away,” He shouted. His green eyes were wide and frantic and his soaking dark hair fell in his face, creeping into his mouth when he spoke. He needed a hair cut.