"What are you doing here?" Theo looked amused before turning suspicious when he noticed the 17 year old that was following me.
"Writers block."
He nodded in understanding before raising an eyebrow and looking between me and the kid.
"Hey what's your name?" I asked, turning to him after realizing that I didn't even know it.
"Zero."
Theo mimicked my expression of disbelief, we shared a look like 'can you believe this guy?'.
What type of name was Zero? Reminded me of that one movie with Antonio Banderas and he wore that black mask and had a sword.
What even was that movie?
"It's a normal name." The weird boy stated, clearly knowing that it was indeed not normal and we were very confused.
"Is that what your mom named you? Like did she look at you and go 'yup looks like a zero'?"
"No, it is a nickname. Zero family you asshole." He replied seemingly fed up with my cynical behavior.
"Yeah I assumed." I simply said before turning to Theo. He raised an eyebrow with the hint of a smile on his face.
"I'm going to stop by at the Wilson's, maybe they feel like taking in another orphan."
Theo looked amused though Zero appeared disgusted.
"I'll see you at home?" I asked, slowly walking away from him and the campus.
Theo smiled again and then put his hand threw his hair, effectively messing it up but still somehow it looked good.
"Yeah, tomorrow we have that get together with the pack for Jason's mate so, we will plan it when I get home."
The grin that appeared on my face was probably so big. I loved that he said 'we'... it meant he was slowly accepting me to be part of his life. Though I had always been part of it, I was never in charge of anything. This was exciting.
I waved to him as I started to walk back to the Wilson's with Zero slowly following me.
We were almost there and though he was silent for a large portion of the trip he spoke up near the end.
"Why are you being so nice to me? You and Theo? I heard horrible stories of the Alpha of this area."
Grimacing at the mention of Theo's reputation due to his father, I tried to ignore that part of the question and focus more on why I was helping him. Maybe it was because I was bored, or I knew that his story would make a good one for writing. To be honest though, I remember being in a situation exactly like him. So, though I tried to keep up my cold, sarcastic act, it was obvious I have always been a softie.
At least softie for the last few years of my life.
Even though Kieran forgave me, I didn't entirely forgive myself. No matter how much I kept telling myself it needed to be done I still felt like it was the wrong choice.
Of all my years, wandering from place to place, I had never done anything like that. It just shows how much caring can cause you to do. I never cared enough to take action yet when I was so young, I found people that deserved it.
It's crazy the things you do for the people you love.
I decided not to answer Zero. Not because I didn't know how but I just didn't want to admit it. For Theo I'll confess to being as tough and strong as a feather but no one else.
Well, maybe Marie.
Or Kieran.
Fuck this caring thing.
"Mrs. Wilson!"
Opening the door of the house that had been my home for 7 years, I greeted the family that had took me in even after everything.
"About time you visit, I know it has only been like 2 days but it feels like forever. Who is this?" Mrs. Wilson appeared with a dish towel over her shoulder, it was obvious she was just washing dishes and probably cleaning the entire house. Every once and a while she would go on huge cleaning sprees. They were horrible.
"Well, I got another orphan for you." Stepping aside I presented Zero with my arms stretched out and a huge smile on my face. "So you won't miss me too much."
Mrs. Wilson seemed shocked I spoke how I did until she realized how comfortable it made Zero. That somehow being completely direct appeared to make him more at ease.
He was like a male version of me.
She smirked before raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms. Mrs. Wilson leaned against the post of the doorway and inspected Zero.
Before she was able to make that joke of saying she wanted him out and then hugging him and welcoming him to her family I decided I was going to leave. Too much Mrs. Wilson predictability in a day was exhausting.
"Merry Christmas!" Running out the door, in a similar way to how Marie did earlier, I heard Mrs. Wilson call out that it was only October.
The grin on my face grew as I saw Theo watching the exchange. He waited at the end of the pathway of the Wilson's house.
"Hey stranger, its been awhile." I said, walking pass him and down the street to his house. He caught up to me in 3 steps. Theo was tall and his pace of walking/ length of his strides proved that.
"Forever." He replied as he put his hands in his pockets and started to slow down beside me.
We walked on the street at an unhurried pace seemingly enjoying the quiet of the neighborhood.
"So where are we doing the met and greet?" I asked as I swung my arms beside me and started to walk in a weird line that always happened when I tried to walk slow.
Theo put another hand through his hair and I rose an eyebrow. "Probably at the park, the one that has that huge building, the museum."
I keep saying Theo didn't talk much but he did to me but this conversation was eerie to another time. When he saw me the first time after he turned 18.
He wasn't speaking much which was normal but he often was great at getting his point across with only a few words. He seemed to be stumbling in finding the right words. Plus he almost never touched his hair and he had done it twice now.
"You okay?" I asked, really hoping that whatever was bothering him wasn't about me.
Theo tensed and I could feel myself start to panic as soon as he did.
All these thoughts of him admitting that he doesn't want me as a mate and him saying he would like to go back to our weird friendship again flew through my head.
Taking a few deep breaths I tried to calm myself down.
He stopped walking and faced me. Theo's eyes were downcast and I knew that the thing bothering him was weighing heavily on his mind.
Normally I made jokes in tense situations but in this particular moment I couldn't think of anything other than remembering to breathe.
It was terrifying how much control Theo had over me. Just thinking of him leaving me was killing me.
"I just... I..." Theo started but he groaned and wouldn't make eye contact.
Please be about Jason, or the pack or literally anything else but us.
"This is so difficult to admit to you." He finally said as he apparently decided to firmly hold me gaze. Whatever was holding him back before seemed to be pushed aside.
I closed my eyes and expected the worse. Theo moved so he was closer enough I could hear his racing heart.
Perhaps he was just as terrified as me.
Which wouldn't make sense since he was probably the one breaking up with me.
With a deep breath he finally stated what was bugging him.
"I can't shift."
There was an hesitation of silence before I realized what he said.
"I know it's pathetic but ever since we went out that one day I haven't been able-"
I stopped him from talking anymore as I jumped up and kissed the shit out of him.