Sitting at home hearing Rick on the phone to Caroline, I glanced towards my bedroom window. Today was a nice day. Minus the focus point of our topic, it was nice to sit and eat breakfast with Theo. Sadly we couldn't spend the whole day together because he had set tasks already planned.
Not that I was attached or anything... Me, clingy? Pfft. Okay, maybe just a bit.
I could only wonder what his brothers intentions were. A stranger to the pack yet, a stranger that could rule it... or ruin it. The fact that Theo doesn't know why Samuel was kicked out still baffles me. What could he have done that was so bad a father, whose social status and reputation matters, would kick his own son out? Possibly endangering their family name?
Though, we know Alpha Lance isn't the honorable, family man he pretended to be... but it had to be something awful for him to risk that. To publicly announce to the pack this dispute, which weirdly enough, no one had questioned.
Everyone continued on like it was okay. That it wasn't worth asking questions over but I wanted to ask some, because it's weird to me. For Theo to not even know why or what happened...
I don't know if Lance is that trustworthy, but if Theo is siding with his own father that he detests, then obviously Samuel, his brother, really isn't a good guy.
There really is so much that goes on behind closed doors. You don't actually know what anyone is going through.
Even with my family...
I wanted to pay my parents a visit with Rick but so much was happening, it just felt too excessive. They could wait, they're locked up in a jail cell anyway, not like they're going anywhere anytime soon.
It was hard to ease my racing thoughts and unheard questions. Reminding myself that the guy that tried to steal me would be dealt with, that the other pack would face their consequence as would my parents and all of it was out of my control, to stop worrying as if it was my responsibility to solve, but I couldn't help but stew over endless solutions and a desire to fix it all.
I'm not Luna but... when the day comes that I'd have to help with these things, I... I just don't know if I could handle that pressure. That responsibility. I can barely look after myself before I'm resorting to cereal for dinner because I can't cook, let alone an entire pack looking up to me.
I rubbed my face with my hands, sighing to myself. "Oh yeah, baby, that sounds real good. You can come over." Grimacing, I felt disgust hearing that. Why does Rick have to talk so loud? I am not hanging around to hear anything else traumatising.
Getting up, I decided to at least try and solve my own cycle of stressful thoughts with a much needed encounter with Felix.
It's been awhile and he has a lot to update me on.
Him and his mate.
Felix has a mate!
How bizarre.
I can only hope it won't affect our friendship. I'm well aware we can't freely be as involved in each others lives anymore, like how we use to at least with the sleeping over in the same bed and basically being in each others pockets all the time, I get that, but I just... There's a part of me that'll miss it.
Ah well, it's the joy in growing up.
It wouldn't be right to Theo and it wouldn't be right to Felix's mate, Elizabeth. There are just boundaries that form when you get involved with a lover. Boundaries that need to be respected. I wouldn't be conformable with Theo sleeping beside another woman he's friends with so, fair is fair.
Still doesn't mean Felix and I can't hang out, though.
"I'm coming over," I sent Felix a quick text, getting an immediate reply saying "Oh how kind of you ask to ask." I snorted to myself, smiling down at my phone that I shoved into my pocket.
"Hey Rick, I'm going out," I called out, grabbing my wallet and car keys, already rushing down the stairs.
"Bye, take your phone! Caroline is coming over." He yelled back from upstairs.
"Oh I know," I grumbled to myself before raising my voice to say, "I got my phone!"
It was reaching nighttime, the sky a dark washed out blue, not a star in sight. Cool wind brushing against my skin, I refrained from shivering.
The door clicking shut behind me, I walked towards my car, hearing my car keys jingle as I stopped at the drivers door. Tonight really was a still night, extremely quiet.
I paused.
The hairs on the back of my neck raised.
Mouth pressed tight. My stare slid to the side, hand on the door handle of my car.
Might be paranoia but I felt like something was behind me, watching me.
I immediately snapped my head, looking over my shoulder. My neighbours yard.
Hm.
Everything was motionless, in the position it was suppose to be. Their car parked in the driveway, lights on in the house and no one walking on pavements like I imagined. No ghastly figure standing there under the street light. Simply nothing out of the ordinary.
Quickly glancing towards the neighbouring houses across the street, everything also appeared normal and in place. Not a thing worth causing alarm.
I unlocked my car door and released a deep breath.
-
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"Boo."
"Oh no, it's a vengeful murderer here to kill me," Felix said in a deadpan tone, opening his front door and coming face to face with me. "Please don't. I'm too pretty to die. Please."
"Out of my way," I shoved past him, entering his house. "Where's your mum and dad? I keep missing them!"
"They're out. I told them you were coming so they quickly got ready and left."
"You know, I'm starting to believe that." I raised my eyebrows, nodding my head to myself. "They're never here." Maybe I stink... Nope, I smell fine. Hm... "Do I smell?"
"like a dead person. Nah, they left earlier. At my grans for dinner and helping them set up a computer," He rubbed the back of his neck, closing his front door and sighing. "I dodged that one."
"That's not nice, you should see your grannie."
"No, I'm avoiding the thousands of questions about Elizabeth," He tiredly shook his head, imagining the scene before grimacing at me. "Can you imagine it."
Felix's grandma is a chatter-box. I pursed my lips together, nodding at him. "I could." Crinkling my nose. "Now tell me about Elizabeth."
He dramatically groaned. "You're my grandma!"
"Shut up!" I slapped his shoulder, hearing him whine out an ow. "You should be excited to talk about her!"
A smile growing on his face, he looked at me with a happy glint in his eyes. "I am, Cora. You remember Elizabeth? She use to play with us in the sand-pit back when we were kids."
"Hm," I plopped myself down on his orange lounge, traveling through my memories. "Oh crap, yes! She had glasses?"
"Yeah!"
"Oh wow!" I smiled in amazement. "That's like... some meant to be shit, right there. Wow." I know exactly who he was talking about now. We barely encountered Elizabeth because she was in the highest levels of class, very academic unlike us. "The universe is working in our favour." I never thought I'd say that.
"Has to be," He shook his head. "We went to the movies today."
"Awww-"
"Stop that," I rolled my eyes at his words. "It's still weird to me talking to you about this. Normally it's the other way around."
"Do you want it to be the other way around?" I gave him a knowing look. "Because I could tell you all about last night with Theo. He undressed and he-"
"Uh, NOPE!" He cut me off. "You're right, I'll continue to talk instead."
I chuckled to myself, smiling at the content, happy look on Felix's face. He deserved this. To be happy. To find someone. I was always worried he'd deep down be hard on himself because like me, he never had a girlfriend or a fling... That it would make him negative towards this stuff, but thankfully, it didn't.
"What movie did you watch and was their any hand action?"
His face went bright red, making me grin. Sometimes I fear Theo is rubbing off on me. "We watched ripped apart, and no, there wasn't any hand action."
"Aw damn it!" I grabbed the cushion, dropping it on my lap and smacking my hands against it. Felix gave me a funny look, judging me.
"You are that bothered by us not being horn-bags like you and Theo?"
"What?" I frowned at him. "Oh no, you do that in your own time. I reacted that way because I really want to see that movie!" It was a movie about werewolves that was so terribly cliche, it would make for such a comedy to watch! "I've been trying to get Theo to watch it with me but he says it'll be crap. That they have no idea about wolves."
"It was crap." Felix nodded. "Like, really bad."
"The bad is what makes it good," I said while swaying my head from side to side, leaning forward in my seat. Felix only rolled his eyes at me.
"Not with that movie, but it still startled Elizabeth and she wrapped her arms around mine." He dropped on the couch, smiling up at the roof. "When I dropped her home, she kissed me on my cheek, Cora." Then he quickly cleared his voice, sitting upright. "A good night."
I smiled at him. "Sounds like it. She seems sweet."
"She is."
"I look forward to seeing her."
"She wants to see you too but she doesn't like Theo, and she begged me not to tell you that." I chuckled at Felix's words. "She has no idea how okay you'd be with hearing that, I tried to tell her you wouldn't care but she didn't want me to say anything out of fear."
"That's funny," I shook my head, amused. "I'd hate Theo to. In fact, I DID. Ah, good times."
"Yeah," Felix nodded at my words. "She mentioned how cool it is that I'm best friends with someone who'll be Luna one day." He stared at me with a serious but proud look on his face, something I wasn't use to receiving from Felix. "I forget that you're going to be Luna, Cora. The girl who sprayed food in my face in a fit of laughter will be my Luna one day. It's surreal."
I shot him a toothy grin. "You're fault for making me laugh when I was eating." Then I went quiet, thinking about it. I can't believe I am going to be Luna... Who is to say I will be? Especially with Samuel's return... Better yet, did I want to be? "Anyway, I think being Luna is a while away now, so..." I really didn't want to talk about it. "Hey! You got any snacks?"
Felix didn't quiz me on my obvious subject change. I know he could tell something was up though. Instead, he said, "No. I ate it all. We can go up to the store and buy some?"
"Yup." I was already standing up, chucking the light cushion at Felix's stomach. He flung it to the side, standing up as well. "Let's go. Hopefully they'll have strawberry cheesecake this time."
-
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"Skittles?" Felix nodded at the red packet in my hands, watching me fling it into the shopping trolley.
"oh sorry, it's my parents." He said, silencing the ringing phone and placing it to his ears. "Hey mum... Yeah? The computer? Ah... Okay, well is all the cords in?" he gave me a 'kill me look' leaning his head back.
I smiled to myself, gesturing that I was going to go the next aisle and leaving him to stressfully stand there, trying to explain what to do as if he was an over the phone technician.
It was always a nice distraction spending time with Felix. His family were all close, in fact, growing up it felt like his parents were my parents. They'd always allow me to sleep over, cooking me dinner, taking us out to the park to play. Go bike riding... I never had that with mine.
I never will.
It was a sad reality. One I couldn't change, not now. They done that. They'll live the rest of their life knowing that their children will never forgive them. I shouldn't feel guilt for that. After all, I never told them to try and sell me for money or to leave.
They punished us in the process because they didn't get the life they wanted and that's plain right cruel.
For awhile, I was feeling guilt, but thinking about it right now, I could punch myself for being that stupid. None of this was my fault. I am their child and while they're my biological parents, that doesn't mean they have to remain in my life, especially after what they did.
Blood or not... Family name... None of that is an excuse to tolerate poor treatment.
Good people who love you don't purposely mistreat you with their own selfish intentions in mind and then mask it with blame or reason. There is no reason to be horrible to someone, especially your own child. Your own person.
I will never do that to my children.
Oh wow, am I thinking about having kids already? What in the- oh crap! I forgot to check if they have strawberry cheesecake.
Pushing my trolley, the stupid wheels going in all directions but the one I wanted it to go in, I pathetically sped walk like an old person, trying to get to the freezer section.
Considering it was past ten PM, it wasn't surprising to see the shops this dead. Who'd be grocery shopping at this time? Besides from a few people getting late night munches or the odd person here and there, it was pretty much empty.
Was empty.
Hearing foot-steps, I didn't pay much attention to who it was as my eyes hungrily searched for a cheesecake. There were plenty of mud-cakes to buy but that wasn't what I was after. Who the hell is buying all these strawberry cheesecakes? Every time I have come here, they are out of stock. It is ridiculous.
I want to know who the person is that are taking my cheesecakes! I am convinced it is one person, it has to be. It doesn't make sense otherwise. Some fool is doing it on purpose to get at me, storing all these uneaten cheesecakes in their freezer in some old, creaking basement. I could cry in agony, what monsters.
Why do I feel like someone is standing behind me?
Closing the freezer door, my eyes widened at what I saw in the doors reflection.
Indeed there was someone standing behind me.
Correction, two people standing behind me, staring at me as I stared at them through the reflection of the glass.
Dumb and dumber?
I turned around, coming face to face with Jeremy and Jordan, aka, the assholes that bullied Nelson and got their faces pummeled because of it. It was awhile since I last saw them, though to be fair, I never really paid attention to them in the first place.
Looks like their faces healed up. Shame it couldn't erase the ugly though... "Hi?" I raised a brow at them both.
I will admit, I was taken back by this. Feeling weary at their sudden presence. I didn't like them and they certainly didn't like me. It was hard to forget the look in their eyes, specifically Jordan's, that day. Especially after what happened to me, I fear I've become more timid and fearful of people, losing my spark and defiance to stand down.
"Looks like your protector isn't here, isn't that cute?" Jordan snickered, turning and looking at Jeremy. The were both beefy looking boys. The type to run on a football field, colliding their heads against the ground and bouncing back up like nothing happened type of beefy.
"Aw. Poor little Cora, aren't so tough now?"
I straightened my shoulders, holding my breath while trying to maintain eye contact with them. Great. Trust me to land myself in this situation. I wasn't going to let them see my worry, it was bad enough to have both fat-heads towering over me without them thinking they got me cowering... even if I was ready to shit my pants.
"What is your definition of tough?" I offered them a nice smile. "Bullying someone? Then being the same pair of dickheads to get beat up by one guy? Two against one and you both still lost. That's pathetic."
The look of spite crossed their features, Jordan's eyes narrowing in a very harsh way. Not a look that I liked, that was for sure. I unintentionally stepped back, my hand brushing against the glass door behind me.
I guess I still don't know how to shut my mouth after everything, that's one thing I haven't lost.
"You stupid slut," Jeremy hissed out. I couldn't help but pull a face at that. Slut? "Because of you, we got fucking bullied."
"Because of me?" I glanced around, looking for some camera to pull a face at, The office style. Is this guy hearing himself? "You fucking moron." I laughed. "You got beat up because you're a gutless turd who was bullying someone and got caught. Get real."
"Shut the fuck up BITCH!" Jordan got right up into my face. I pulled my head back, taken back by his outburst.
"Get a fucking mint." I gritted at him, still trying to stupidly hold my ground.
I am sure some employee who hates their job or Felix with a phone pressed to his ear will round the corner... any minute now.
Okay.
I think a minute has passed.
Shit.
"Chewing gum works too." I guess that was his final straw.
"I am going to hurt you and Theo isn't here to help."
He roughly grabbed my arm, shoving me back into the door, the back of my head banging against it. Ow. Feeling slightly dizzy for a second, I barely had a chance to rationalise what happened when Jeremy's hands were wrapping around my neck.
This is definitely not the context I wanted to be chocked in. Where the fuck is Felix? Where the fuck IS THE WORKERS? This is the worst grocery store ever.
First, they never have strawberry cheesecake.
Second, I am getting chocked against a freezer door by a stupid piece of shit and not one single person has walked down this aisle.
Thirdly, I am going to die in a grocery store.
"Bro! stop!" Jeremy said in a panic, obviously not expecting his psycho mate to, well, go psycho on me. "You're going to kill her!"
I kneed him in his squirrel nuts, fear pumping my adrenaline as I thrashed my legs about.
For a second he let go, my body sliding against the door, down to the ground as I desperately gasped for air, protecting my sore neck with my hands. My throat was burning. Barely having time to catch my breath, I noticed Jordan immediately stand over me, shoving Jeremy away. I felt physically weak.
Not again. I wouldn't have told him his breath stinks if I knew he was going to try and murder me over it! Exhausted, I could barely hold my head upright, my throat aching as I stared up at Jordan's dark, beady eyes.
"I am going to kill you. Maybe I should have fun with your body first." He looked me up and down in a sickening way. "Drag you outside and-"
In seconds, he was thrown against the other glass doors across from me. My eyes widened, mouth agape as I watched his solid body land on the ground, shattered glass falling everywhere. Head angled downward towards his gut, he was knocked out with one throw. The impact that strong.
Jeremy nervously put his hands up in a surrender motion, spluttering out a panicked, "I didn't know he-he was going to do that... He, we were just going to scare her, we-no"
He too was thrown against the wall, sinking down the broken door with more shards of glass clinking against the ground, landing perfectly beside Jordan. The two of them slumped on the floor, out cold.
I blinked, slowly raising my legs as my stare landed on the figure with a black hoodie on. He turned around, facing me.
Samuel.
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Author's notes:
hello.
I am not sure what to write here. my coffee is getting cool. sipping it, feeling kinda mature writing and drinking coffee at a desk... it was about time I uploaded. Its pretty hard for me lol, i have this bad habit of starting things and never finishing them.
not sure how this chapter will go. I always get a bit unsure if it will be something i will be content with or will have to go back and edit at some point. with luck, it'll feed your hunger for the time being and get ya excited about whats to come. hopefully Cora. ha ha kidding. okay. i am going to go finish my coffee now. bye. i adore you all <3