Liberation: Oscar's Story

Chapter 19: Pt. 1

"A date, eh?" Kathie chuckled. Her arms were crossed casually over her chest as her dark eyes swiveled back and forth, following the tiny figure that zipped around the room. "It makes sense, now that I think about it. The only time I've ever seen you so frazzled is when your aunt comes to visit."

"That's true." Ananya blushed, scrambling around the room as quickly as she could. She wrapped a towel around her waist and frantically searched for her dress. "I just want today to go perfectly, Kath. I haven't been on a date in a long time."

"I can't blame you. Dates can be boring," Kathie said. "But this is new. I mean, this date isn't a regular date."

"Why not? We're just going to the movies. I think that's a pretty common date."

"Common? Sure. It's normal amongst teenagers, not usually twenty-something-year-old girls," Kathie teased. "But I was talking about the person you're going out with."

"Oscar?" Ananya stopped moving around. She held a dress in her hands, but she didn't pay attention to which one she was holding, as her attention was directed toward her tall, laid-back friend leaning against her door. "What about Oscar?"

"Come on, Ana, think about it," Kathie said. "I have no problem with you dating him. He's a decent guy and he doesn't seem like a bad person. But you're a human, and an outcast at that. Dating him - a werewolf whom nobody trusts - is like openly betraying your town."

"I'm not betraying anyone, though," Ananya said. "And it's not like my dating Oscar is going to hurt someone. We're just going on a casual date."

"That's the point. You're already an outcast as it is. There's no changing that, according to Bourdier." Kathie's lip curled into a sneer. "Even if there was a slim chance, it's effectively gone once you establish a relationship with Oscar. He's the Boogeyman of Bourdier. Everybody either despises him or fears him."

"They just don't know him. If they'd give him a chance, they'd see that he's not such a bad guy," Ananya huffed. She pouted for a moment, then shrugged and slid the dress over her arched body. "I appreciate the worry, Kathie, but I'll be fine. I trust Oscar, and if we're having fun on our date, that's all that matters to me." She smiled and twisted her body in front of the mirror. "How do I look?" She lifted two ends of the cotton dress and observed her rectangular figure.

"You look good," Kathie said with a nod. "But I hope you don't plan to go out like that."

"What do you mean?"

Kathie's gaze traveled down, and she nudged her chin at Ananya's feet. At first, Ananya thought that she was motioning toward her shoes, but then, with a yelp and flush, she realized that she still didn't have any pants on, and was dancing around her room in a towel.

"You're very bold, Ananya," Kathie teased. "Already trying to entice him on the first date. That's rare."

"Kathie!" Ananya whined. "That's mean!" She fixed her friend with a pout, though she felt her mouth trembling with an unrestrained giggle. "You're right. I can't go out like this. And technically, this is our second date. I'm considering our lunch at Dhrys to be our first date."

"Whatever you say." Kathie knelt and pulled the pants up Ananya's legs. Once the waistband was at her mid-thigh, the blue-haired girl helped her friend stand from the bed. The towel fell to the ground, and Kathie folded it while Ananya hoisted her pants up her waist.

"Kathie, I look okay, right?" Ananya wiggled her toes and studied herself in the mirror. "Do you think it's too little? Should I try and look more...alive?" Her finger dragged across the dark circles under her eyes.

"If you're asking me if you should wear makeup, my answer is no. You look fine." Kathie patted Ananya's head. "Don't worry. I don't think he'll care if you're not wearing makeup or fancy dresses. He's seen you in slacks, Ananya, and he still kissed you. I think that what you're wearing will be lavish enough for his tastes."

"I hope you're right." Ananya bounced on her heels, humming nervously. "What if he cancels, Kath? What if he decides that he doesn't want to go out with me anymore? I mean, he said we were mates, but what if he was wrong? What if we're not meant to be together? Or what if he decides that he can't be with a human? What if he wants a physically adept girl?"

Kathie watched her friend titter anxiously, and after a beat of silence passed between them she shook her head, a fond smile fixing itself upon her lips. "Ananya." She placed her slender fingers on Ananya's shoulder. "Calm down. None of that will happen. He cares about you, Ananya. I think he really loves you. I've seen him. He can't keep his eyes off you, and sometimes you don't even notice. I know...I know after what you've heard and what you've been told, it's hard to believe it, but Oscar genuinely cares about you." She smiled. "And if he hurts you in any way, he'll have all of the tenth district to deal with."

Seeing Kathie's determination made Ananya laugh. "Thanks, Kath," she said, and the heavy thumping of her heart lightened. "That helps." On her bed, her phone buzzed.

"Is that him?" Kathie grabbed the phone and was about to hand it to Ananya when her gaze caught the number flashing on the screen. She froze. "Shit," she hissed.

"Seriously, Kath? You need to use kinder words," Ananya giggled. "What is it? Who's calling?"

"Er..." Kathie hesitated. "It's...your aunt." Her chest deflated.

Ananya's head tilted. "Oh? I wonder what's going on." She reached for the device, but Kathie pulled her hand away.

"Are you sure you want to answer it now?" She warned. "You know how your aunt can be. She'll hound you with questions and criticize you. Just ignore her and go."

"I can't ignore her. She'll keep calling me if I do," Ananya sighed. "Come on, can I have it, please? I'll make sure the conversation is quick." In all honesty, she didn't want to talk to her aunt either, but her curiosity overpowered her trepidation. She worried, mostly, that something had happened to her uncle.

"Fine." Kathie tossed the phone to her and on the last ring, Ananya picked up.

"Hello--!"

"WHAT KIND OF GIRL MAKES HER MAUSI WAIT!" An ear-shattering shriek tore from the other end of the receiver. "DID I RAISE YOU THIS WAY, ANANYA!"

"Mausi..." Ananya finished her previous sentence with a groan. She heard a distant ringing in her ear, and she wondered briefly if she'd finally gone deaf. When she heard Kathie curse under her breath, though, Ananya realized that she still had her hearing intact, which she wasn't too happy about.

"Ananya, it's very rude to keep people waiting!" Rutuparna said crisply. "What were you doing?"

"I was getting dressed, Mausi," Ananya responded softly, taking care to keep her voice at an acceptable level. Should she raise it just a bit, she'd get another earful for 'talking back.' "Is everything okay?"

"Of course. Can't I check on my niece? What are you getting dressed for? It's two pm there, isn't it? Where are you going?"

"Just...erm, on some errands," Ananya said. Her fingers dug into her palm as she spoke the lie. The pain served as a distraction from the guilt that gnawed her brain. "I was in my pajamas for most of the day..."

"Chi! That's disgusting. What kind of manners are those, hm? That's not how I raised you. You should know better." Rutuparna scoffed. "It's that Kathie girl, isn't it? She's a bad influence on you, Ananya. I'm tired of tolerating this misbehavior."