Surviving Specter High: Werewolves 101

14 ~ The Doghouse

Duran was absent for the entire week, so Saturday came much sooner than expected. Maybe he wouldn't come back. One could only hope. But it didn't matter because today, I was going to meet Rusty's family for the first time! Now that we were becoming closer friends, I was curious to see the town where he grew up as a child.

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, but I wanted to leave a good impression, so I changed into a pink pleated dress and fastened my favorite toggle coat. Lastly, I slipped into a pair of fur-lined boots and hurried out of my tower to meet up with Rusty. His familiar black Jeep Wrangler was already parked outside of the gate, and he leaned against the door with his arms crossed.

"Hey, Rusty!" I picked up the pace and rushed to his side. "I can't wait to meet your family."

"Trust me, they're more excited than you," he joked.

"Really?" A grin crossed my face.

I could have sworn he blushed. "Yeah. Anyway, hop in."

He opened the door for me, so I slid into the passenger's seat. He then sat behind the wheel, and we cruised down the familiar road. Once again, his tail rested on the glovebox and gently brushed my hand. His fur touched the thermos in his cupholder.

"So, can you not fit your tail in your seat?" I asked.

"No. If it's botherin' you, I can just sit on it. Or roll down the window and let it fly in the wind."

"No!" I objected, a little too eagerly. "I don't mind. Really."

He narrowed his coppery eyes at me. "You wanna pet it, don't you?"

I froze. "Nooo . . ."

He then blushed and shifted his gaze to the road. "I don't mind. But only you can do that."

Really? He trusted me that much? I couldn't believe we had reached the petting phase, so I stroked his fluffy blonde fur with my fingers.

"Wow. That feels nice. Thanks."

"No problem." Suddenly, my finger touched a firm bead that turned out to be an enormous tick, so I plucked it off his tail. "Oh, no! A tick."

His shoulders slumped. "Seriously? I swear, I don't normally have ticks, but you always find the one that jumped on right before I come and see you."

"Well, that's why you need me. To pluck off the bugs." I then rolled down the window and flung the tick into the deadly wind.

He just laughed and continued to drive down the mountainous road. The dense pine trees towered to the sunny blue sky, but soon, we took a left and emerged into a town similar to Howling Oaks. The rustic cabins blended into the surrounding woodland, and snow-capped mountains soared over the horizon. Eventually, we passed a moon-shaped sign that read: MOONLIGHT PEAKS.

Werewolves were strolling down the weathered cobblestone and carrying wicker baskets of fresh produce. The older ladies donned crochet shawls and long dresses while the men dressed in baggy pants and jackets. The teenage girls, however, strutted around in ripped skinny jeans and t-shirts of their favorite screamo bands. I even caught a glimpse of Ms. Wolfsbane from our Lycanthropic Lore class! The leopard-print stilettos were noticeable from a mile away.

The town may have looked small, but there were several steakhouses brimming with customers. However, all the log cabins disappeared when we drove into downtown, which was full of graffitied metal buildings. Teen wolves were skateboarding down the cracked sidewalk, and others spray-painted the dumpsters.

The abrupt contrast made me do a doubletake. There was even a cheesy arcade that must have been built in the '80s. The orange metal roof was lined with colorful strip lights, and a cheesy neon sign in the shape of an arrow pointed to the faded red door. The walls looked like purple scraps of tin tackily nailed together. I could only imagine what kind of games were on the inside.