If this were a story, I would call myself the extra.
I'm that extra who is beside the small-time villain in the book.
If this is a high school love story, I would consider her the main villain, but it isn't.
Why am I behind someone who has a bad reputation?
Well, because I believe she can change for the better.
If Brenda can hear my thoughts, she would laugh until she rolls into her grave.
We all know I'm here because I'm greedy.
"What do you want?" Rosalina question.
Ever since Jenny came here, they haven't seen eye to eye. It's simple. Rosalina doesn't like Jenny because she's a pretty face with a strong personality. The pretty face isn't the part she dislikes. She actually likes pretty things. It's the strong personality.
Jenny's eyes went around us before it lay back on Rosalina. "We need to talk." It seems like everyone needs to talk nowadays.
"Fine." I didn't expect Rosalina to agree so quickly. Something is not adding up.
"Privately."
"Follow me." Rosalina walks, and so does Jenny. Brenda and I followed. If it means skipping class, I'm all for it.
"Why are they following us?" Jenny question.
"They're following me." It didn't take long for Jenny to catch up. The reason why we're here.
"They can't protect you from Dylan."
"But, they can hold him off for me long enough so I can run away."
Brenda and I started sweating. So, that is the reason why she keeps us around.
When we reach an empty classroom, Rosalina says: "Open it."
As you command my bank account.
I unlock the empty classroom.
"Wait out here," she says.
"Alright," Brenda replies.
When they went inside, Brenda and I exchanged looks. I remove the gum from my mouth, spit it into the plastic stuff in my back pocket, and press it in the hole.
Rosalina thought she closed the door, but with a tiny push, it opened again.
"You told me you would get him off my back," Rosalina said.
"You think it's easy to get a beta to walk away from his soulmate?"
"You're an alpha!"
"He's not in my pack."
I suspect that Jenny had a hand in helping Rosalina get away from Dylan.
"That fucking psycho," Rosalina says. "My soulmate?! He's only doing what he thinks is best for me? Well, he isn't wrong! He is doing what he thinks is best for me. Do I fucking look like Lana to him?"
"You seem to hate her alot."
"Please, drop the act. We both know you hate her to the core too. I mean, why else would you help me?"
I'm assuming they have a mutual bond over hating Lana.
But is Lana that bad?
A bit too cowardly and righteous - or what she thinks is righteous - for her own good.
Jenny growls, "That girl is destroying everything. If she weren't the stupid chosen one, I would've bitten off that arrogant head of hers."
It seems like Lana caused some trouble over break.
"You said you were going to talk to your friend. What did he say?" Rosalina asks.
"He won't help. His pack had been neutral for generations. He doesn't want to break that."
"Coward prick."
I have a feeling Jenny and Rosalina are planning something. Something Mrs.Rodriguez isn't aware of.
"Those two out there," Jenny says. "Can they be trusted?"
"Of course not," Rosalina responds.
Well, that hurts.
"They're the type of people who would do things in their own self-interest."
Rosalina isn't wrong.
Jenny chuckles, "Sounds like your kind of people."
"Please. They're easy to read. To manipulate."
As long as she keeps writing us checks, she can think whatever she wants.
When I looked at Brenda, she had a flat smile on her face. She noticed my looks and gave me a thumb up. Indirectly, she is telling me she's not taking anything Rosalina says to heart.
"Are you fine with this?" Jenny question. "What we're doing is going against Dylan. You don't feel it now, but if anything were to ever happen to him. It will hurt you."
I've read stories about it before.
Even if you never met your soulmate in your lifetime, you would feel this indescribable loss if something happens to your other half.
If you've met your soulmate and tangled with them, the pain only worsens.
It is worse when you're a werewolf since you have a stronger entanglement with the bond, but it doesn't mean humans don't feel it too.
One day you could be gardening, and then you suddenly cry out of the blue. Many think its stress, but there are a very few moments when it is believed that your other half is in unspeakable pain or they left.
"He can have tea with Satan for all I care."
I can see that Rosalina is one of those people who doesn't feel that way.
"You really hate him."
"Yeah. Got a problem with that?"
"Nope."
Then, it went quiet.
Brenda and I look at each other.
She shrugs.
I did the same thing.
She points at the door.
I nod.
We turn our heads and peek inside the classroom.
Maybe, we shouldn't.
When they finished, we went back to our usual stance.
Not too long after, the door opens, and Rosalina walks out. Jenny went the other way. I grab the piece of paper with the gum inside and shove it into my pocket before walking.
"I'm not in the mood to go to class," Rosalina says. "Let's go to the mall."
Brenda and I are still in a state of shock.
We nod.
I don't remember how the day went, but I know I somehow got home with many bags in my hands. Rosalina insulted how terrible our clothes are and brought us new ones. Then, she insulted our faces.
I was waiting for her to insist on purchasing us new ones.
Disappointingly she didn't.
After movie night with Kai, I got ready for bed. Ever since Kai got more comfortable around the house, he learned how to sleep on his own bed.
When I finished showering, I could hear a sweet melody from Kai's room. Dad was hanging by the doorframe. When I inched closer, he placed a finger over his lips. I peek inside to see mom singing to Kai.
The longer I look at them, the warmer my chest feels. I remember when I was younger, mom would sing me to sleep whenever she's at home.
It was nice.
But, the older I got and the longer she spent away from home, the harder it got to hear her sing.
After the incident, she stopped singing entirely.
No.
There was a time when she sang before.
But, whenever she gets to that one part-
"Safe and sound-"
She would always stop singing.
Mom bit her lower lip, and her grip tightened on Kai's hand.
Dad's eyes cast to the carpet.
They're doing it again.
"You're in my arms," I sang.
When they look at me, I smile and continue singing. One step after another, I walk until I reach Kai's bed.
"Please, my child
Don't cry anymore."
I wipe away mom's tears.
It's difficult, and no amount of therapy could ever fix what happened.
But, we all know the past can't be changed.
After Kai fell asleep, we all went back to our bedrooms. After a few moments, I remember I left my phone inside Kai's bedroom.
I sneak into his room to grab my phone.
"Julia?"
I turn to see Kai lying in bed. He rubs his eyes.
"I forgot something. Go back to sleep." I pat his head.
Kai grabbed my sleeve, "Did something happen?"
"What do you mean?"
"You all look sad. Did something happen?"
"No. Nothing happened."
"You're lying." He's such a keen boy.
I exhaled softly before I sat down at the edge of his bed. "When I was younger," I said softly. "Something bad happened to me."
Kai took a few blinks, but he didn't respond.
"And mom and dad, they felt bad that they weren't there to protect me."
Kai's eyes cast down for a moment before it went back up, "Safe and sound?"
He's such a smart boy. "I wasn't safe and sound."
Kai nuzzles the blanket closer to himself, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry." I tuck the long hair back, "It's the past. Right now, I'm safe and sound."
Kai takes a few blinks before his lips spread into a smile. He wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles close to it.
After Kai fell asleep, I went back to my bedroom only to hear a faint cry. It wasn't difficult to pinpoint the source of the tears.
"It's over now. It's all in the past," dad said softly. "You saw how she looked when she sang earlier. Remember how happy she looked."
I hid my hand behind my back, and my head rested against the wall.
"It's okay. She's safe now. We're doing a good job," he whispers.
Those words aren't only meant for my mom, but for him too.
No matter how many times I tell them I'm fine, they won't allow those words to sink into their hearts.
I released a light breath and made my way back into my bedroom. Once the door closes, I fall into bed. My hands hover over my face, and the tears sink.
It's one of those nights - a breakdown.
It's not foreign in my family.
Once in a while, we would have a breakdown because of something. It could be anything that reminds us of a once happy time in the past.
Tonight, it's the lullaby.
The lullaby reminds us of how my parents would always protect me.
They couldn't.
And maybe that's why they could take in Kai so easily.
It's not only because their precious daughter wants to rescue this unknown child.
It's also a chance for them to repent. To do what they couldn't have done before.
Kai's situation humorously parallels mine.
Someone knocks against my window. When I looked outside, I saw Marcelo. Quickly, I wipe away the tears and open the door.
Marcelo steps inside the room.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you." I'm glad he didn't mention my red and teary eyes.
"Why?"
"The house is too loud right now."
I'm under the assumption he's talking about the lakehouse they're all staying at.
With all the obvious tension felt at school, I would be surprised if things are peaceful at the lakehouse.
"Can I stay here for a while?"