When the doorbell rang, I waited a couple of minutes before getting up and opening it. If I had to bet it was probably a girl scout or someone who wanted to sell me something. Joke was on them since my parents took their wallets.
I opened the door, ready to politely tell them to go away, until I saw the person waiting on the porch.
"Hey, Maddy," I was very surprised to see Landon standing there, a friendly smile playing on his lips.
"Hi, Landon. Are you looking for Cassie?" Of course he was. She'd been talking about him nonstop.
"Is she here?"
"No, she's with Drake right now," I was surprised he hadn't known that since I knew they all talked to each other, "But you can wait inside until she comes back if you want."
Cassie had texted me after lunch that she was going to meet up with Drake once school was over and not to wait up for her. She gave me the car keys before heading into the English room.
"Thanks, if you don't mind," I held the door open as he walked inside, "Nice house,"
He passed by the den, looked around, and followed me into the kitchen. I continued doing what I was doing and filled a pail with tap water.
"What were you doing before I got here? Netflix?" He leaned against the island and stared at me curiously.
"Gardening." I shrugged sheepishly. Taking care of plants had been something I'd always done. I'd started when I was seven, when I planted my first seedling. It's in the backyard but still hasn't blossomed yet.
"You're an old soul, aren't you?"
I raised an eyebrow, "I'll take that as a compliment." Even if he was basically calling me old. "What about you? No bars in need of a bartender today?"
"I only bartend on the weekends or if the pack's in need of some extra funds."
"Do all wolves in the pack have jobs?" I asked.
"I'd say about half have a human job. Like I'm a bartender, Flora's a farmer, and Drake's a substitute teacher."
I started watering the sunflowers on the kitchen table and began to head upstairs to water the plants in my room when I paused.
It felt impolite to leave Landon by himself so I asked him, "Do you want a tour?"
"I'd love one."
"This is the bathroom, my parents' room, guest room and me and Cassie's room." I said, walking into my bedroom and watering the moonflowers. They didn't really prosper in the winter so I had to give them as much water as possible.
"Cassie's side?" He looked at the explosion of clothes in the left corner and I nodded. "I can tell."
"The mess?" I joked.
"And the pink." He looked over at my side, which was almost the complete opposite of hers. While Cassie's side of the room was girly, messy and her shelves full of nailpolish, mine was simple, sparse and full of books.
"Can I ask you a question?" I asked suddenly, the question long on my mind.
"Shoot." He nodded.
"Can you tell me about the Moon Goddess?"
Landon was happy to answer, "The Moon Goddess is the heart of werewolf culture. Legend has it that she was one of the most powerful and most beautiful immortal beings on Earth back when it was first created. She was rumored to have long white hair and black eyes though only the healers may be gifted the ability to speak with her in their dreams. She was the Goddess who created the mate bond between two wolves."
"Was she a werewolf?"
"No, at least, not according to the myths," Landon shook his head, "Werewolves existed before her but they didn't have mates."
"So mates are like soulmates? Have you found yours yet?" I asked curiously, wondering if Cassie was too late. Although, it didn't seem like he had a girl at home.
He smiled bashfully, "No, but when I do find her, I'll make her the happiest girl in the world."
I could see why Cassie liked him. He had a nice smile and a kind, genuine heart.
The door opened abruptly and Cassie walked in on us.
"Hey, Maddy, I have news—oh, Landon," Cassie widened her brown eyes when she saw him. She didn't say anything, she just stared between us.
"Hey Cass, I didn't hear you come in." I said, trying to fill the awkward silence. "How did your chat with Drake go?"
"Maddy, can I talk to you in the bathroom?" She said through gritted teeth. She let me walk infront of her and when we got to the bathroom, she nearly slammed the door. Slamming doors was her trademark.
"What the hell is he doing here? And why did you bring him up here?" Cassie seethed.
"I thought you liked him." I said in a timid voice as I was afraid to make her even more mad. I failed miserably.
"He's been ignoring my texts and calls." She scowled.
"Well, he came over because he wants to talk to you."
"Really? Because it looks like he's talking to you." Cassie said in a cold voice. Usually when she got angry, she'd blow up and yell. But this time was different, her face was emotionless and hard to read. "He was smiling at you, really smiling, before I so rudely interrupted."
"Cass, don't be mad—"
"I'm not mad, not mad at all," Cassie shook her head, "I mean, I was the one who saw him first and I was the one who liked him first."
"He was just telling me about the Moon Goddess, the person you're supposed to be." But she wasn't acting real goddess-like right now.
"So that makes it better?"
"We were just talking, he's only been here for like ten minutes. And he came here to—"
I heard a knock on the door.
"Hey, I'm going to get going now, Alpha Ares needs me. Sorry!" Landon apologized and I felt bad for locking him out.
"Wait, don't you want to talk to Cassie?" I tried to make him stay while she kept glaring daggers at me.
"I'll stop by another time," Landon said quickly, "See you guys later."
I didn't want him to leave, I wanted him and Cassie to talk.
"See what do you did?" She shoved me out of her way and I was left staring at my reflection in the mirror.
.•*•.
"Come on, you have to come to the bonfire tonight!" More and more girls tried to persuade Archer and Zack, which I had the displeasure of eavesdropping on.
I was putting my books in my locker when Julie, Kaitlyn and the usual entourage showed up to talk to the "twins". They literally pounced on them as soon as they saw them.
"It's a school tradition, you have to come," Julie was saying.
"I don't have to do anything," Zack was a second away from snapping at them, I could tell. But his temper didn't phase them; they must've been distracted by his looks.
"It'll be fun! We'll watch the sunset, sing songs, roast marshmallows. Come on, what do you say, Archer? Please?" Kaitlyn asked kindly.
"I guess it won't kill me," Archer said. Zack just crossed his arms.
I wondered if Cassie was going. After all, she always went to the January bonfire to celebrate the end of the month.
Three o'clock rolled around and everyone was getting ready for the bonfire in the Appleby town center. Lights wrapped around trees like vines and illuminated the sidewalks. Sunset was a little after four so everyone stayed at the school. It saved me from a silent car ride with Cassie.
Speaking of Cassie, I had to tell her that Landon liked her and not me. I spotted her outside talking to one of her friends and walked over.
"What do you want?" Cassie asked sharply, "Waiting to see the next guy who talks to me so you can steal him, too?"
What was with her?
"Cass, Landon came over to see you."
"Then why did he leave the moment I walked in?"
"He had to go back, Ares needed him." Why didn't she believe what Landon had told her?
"No, Maddy, he was lying. He just used that as an excuse because he didn't want to talk to me," I opened my mouth but her mind was already made up, "Just leave it."
She walked away and joined her other clique of friends.
I sat down on a bench, watching the sun get closer and closer to the Earth.
"Maddy? You okay?" I turned to see Kaitlyn walking over, a beanie over her curly hair and a candle in each hand.
"I'm fine, why?"
"Maybe because you're sitting here all alone and look really down," Kaitlyn shrugged and sat down next to me.
"Thanks," I said as she handed me a candle.
This would be the first time I'd be blowing my candle out with someone other than Cassie. And with Kaitlyn Calbury, no less. I wouldn't have expected her to be the one to talk to me at all, not after the way she'd been all over Archer and Zack.
"Get ready, thirty seconds," She looked at her phone.
I watched as the sun melted even lower and gently kissed the snow blanketed land, a kaleidoscope of coral and amethyst shades blending to reveal the winter sky. I shivered at how shockingly beautiful and ethereal the scene in front of me was.
"Five. . . four. . . three. . . two. . . one!"
I blew out my candle as everyone cheered for the end of January with their friends.
Here was hoping everything would turn out okay.
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