"Hey. Long time no see mo-cha-cha." Court said to me when I sat down at the lunch table.
I smiled at him.
"Yeah. Courtney and I have been kind of worried about you." Leslie said in a quiet voice.
"I'm sorry guys. I've just been-"
"Boo!" Kyle yelled in my ear, cutting me off.
I turned and glared at him and he just laughed and sat next to me.
"What's goin on guys?" He asked everyone at the table.
Everyone smiled and just shrugged.
"So. You're the one who's been stealing Lucy from us." Courtney states, staring curiously at Kyle.
I stiffled a laugh behind my hand. He looked totally calm.
"Um... I wouldn't call it stealing. More like hanging out and stuff."
I knew what his "stuff" meant. I rolled my eyes at him while he smirked at me.
It was so awkward when we brought the groceries in the house. His mom knew what we were doing, I could tell. She acted polite but I knew she felt weird about disrupting our moment. She asked me if I was going to stay for dinner and I agreed. It was even more weird sitting with his parents at the dinner table. We ate our food in silence only talking every so often when Mr. Camden asked about the pack. After we ate, Kyle drove me home and disapproved of my living situation which we got into an argument about and i stormed out of his jeep with him calling my name.
"Lucy!" Someone shook me and I came back to the present. I mentally shook myself and seen it was Courtney. Everyone at the table was staring at me so I just smiled.
"Um. Huh?" I asked.
"I said... Do you want to go get some food with me?" She asked me impatiently.
"Um. Sure."
She looked at Leslie, Meagan and Amber and said, "You three wanna come with?"
They agreed and I told Kyle that I would be right back. He just nodded and turned his attention to Court and Adam.
"So. You and Kyle?" Courtney asked, giving me a cocky look.
I smiled and said, "Yes. We are together. Kind of."
She looked at me with a questioning look in her eyes and when I turned to Leslie, Meagan, and Amber, they had the same look.
"What?" I said with a little annoyance.
"Nothing. It's just. He looks at you like you're more than just "kind of" together." Courtney said using quotation marks with her hands.
She had no idea.
"So. What are you getting?" I asked all three of them.
We returned to the table with food on our trays.
Kyle looked at my food and picked a few fries and put them in his mouth.
"I bought them for you." I told him, shoving the box towards him.
He gave me a quick kiss and started eating the fries. I smiled at him and started eating my salad.
***
"So. I wanted to talk to you about something." Kyle said to me as we were driving towards his house.
"Oh yeah." I said, looking at him. "And what would that be?"
"Well. How do you feel about moving in with me?" He asked looking at me with pleading eyes.
My jaw dropped and I shut it again. "I would think that would be a bad idea."
He looked hurt. "Why?" He asked defensivly.
"Um. Because. My social worker would disapprove and I can't leave Joseph there by himself."
He rolled his eyes. "Lucy. You're going to have to leave him sooner or later. And my dad can handle your social worker. I already talked to my parents about it-"
"You what!? Kyle, why would you do that?" I said to him, getting slightly angry.
"IM JUST TRYING TO HELP LUCY!" He yelled at me and banged his fists against the steering wheel.
I stared at him in disbelief. I have never heard him yell like that before. My mouth went dry and I felt like I've been punched in the stomach. I felt tears welling in the corner of my eyes.
I turned and looked out the window and we were silent for the rest of the ride to his house. I wanted to just have him drop me off at home but I couldn't get the words out.
He stopped and turned the jeep off and put his head on the steering wheel. I looked at him, not knowing what to do or say so I just sat there.
"I don't understand." He said quietly, almost to where I couldn't hear him. He looked up and stared at me and said, "I don't understand what's so important about this kid."
I went to say something but he put his hand up to stop me from talking and said, "You've been through so many foster homes with so many foster kids, but this one you just have an attachment to and I dont get why."
"Don't you want a stable home Lucy?" He asked me with frustration.
"Of course. But Joseph means too much to me." I said calmly.
"AND WHAT ABOUT ME?!" He yelled.
I didn't say anything.
"Well Lucy? DO YOU EVEN WANT TO BE WITH ME?" He started yelling again, turning red with anger.
I looked into his eyes and silently started crying.
I thought about the way he makes me feel. How he makes my skin tingle and heat rise all through my body. How I want him in more ways than one. About How much I love him.
"Yes." I said quietly.
He looked at me.
"Yes." I repeated louder. "I'm in love with you Kyle. I would chose you over anyone."
He looked at me again. And then I ran out the door, and let my wolf be free for the first time in too long.
***
I realized how good it felt to be in my wolf form. I could be like this forever but I knew I had more important priorities than to play around all night, like talk to Kyle.
I went towards Kyles house and went to the back porch. There were clothes sitting on the step so I returned to my human form and put the clothes on. They must be Kyles because they smell just like him. I had apair of his flannel pants on and a white t-shirt that was big but comfortable.
I walking in through the back door and screamed when I saw Kyle's dad sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen drinking a beer and reading the newspaper. He looked at me and said, "Have a nice run?"
I nodded my head and looked down at the floor.
"Do you like reading the newspaper?" He asked me.
I looked up in shock and looked at him. He wasnt even looking at me though. He was sipping his beer and reading the paper.
"Um. Not really." I replied quietly.
"Wouldn't expect you to." He said with a laugh. "It's internet with you kids these days."
I didn't know what to say so I just looked at the floor. I heard him turn around to look at me and he said, "My son's in his office. I think he's expecting you." He nodded towards the hall leading towards the foyer. "It's the first door on the left." And with that he turned around and went back to his beer and newspaper.
I followed his direction and knocked on the door I believed was Kyle's office.
"Come in." I heard Kyle's voice say from the other side of the door. I walked in and stared at him. "Oh. Lucy." He said, closing his laptop.
I stared at him. "Your dad said you wanted me."
"We're adopting Joseph." He said.
My jaw dropped. "You're what."
"Well. You said you cared about him and that you wouldn't leave him there alone and I don't want you living there so I convinced my parents to adopt him since I can't." He explained to me.
I smiled at him and ran over to him. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
I kissed him so hard that I almost broke my lip open. "I love you so much."
He laughed and said, "I love you so much too. Thats why im doing this."
I kissed him hard again and then I hugged him; realizing I never wanted to let go.