The Amazing Wolf Boy

Part 74 - The Potion

The next morning, I sucked up my courage and walked into the kitchen. Uncle Bob sat at the table with his coffee and newspaper. A breeze drifted through the window and circled the room.

I stood in the doorway with absolutely no idea what to say—which was funny because I'd played and replayed the scenario all night long.

When he looked up, I stammered, "I-I would like to take Brittany out tonight. With your permission. It's Friday night. I don't want her to get tired of waiting and find someone else to go out with." I thought that last bit was a stroke of genius. Make him feel guilty.

"Where did you plan to take her?"

"Somewhere nice for dinner. Like the Olive Garden. Then maybe hang out."

"Well. I appreciate that you didn't climb out your window." He made a show of turning the page and folding it just right. "I want you back by eleven."

"Yes, sir." I grinned. "I can do that."

I went to school in a better mood than I'd been in some time. Even the mass of kids clogging the hallways didn't dampen my spirits. As I rounded a corner, I ran into none other than Efrem Higgins.

We stood for a moment, staring at each other. His eyes narrowed with hatred. I understood. If I hadn't come to town, he'd still be on the football team, winning girls and terrorizing anyone who crossed him. But with everything going on—the potion, my uncle, the pack leader—I found that what good ol' Eff thought of me didn't matter very much.

I shrugged. "Hey."

He nodded and passed without the traditional slam into my shoulder.

It was a fun topic at lunch with Brittany.

"He didn't have his thugs with him?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"No. He was alone."

"For the first time in his life." She laughed. "He's really changed."

"Because of me."

"He did it to himself. You were a victim. I'll never forget seeing you tied up in that tree."

I closed my hand over her warm fingers. "It's over. He doesn't matter."

"All that matters now is you. We have to get that potion brewing, get you back to normal."

My stomach did a little flip, partially at the prospect of becoming a normal kid again, but mostly because she said I mattered. "I talked to my uncle about letting me out tonight. He said I have to be back by eleven."

"That's great. We'll be done by then."

"I told him I was taking you to the Olive Garden." I looked down at our hands. "So, do you want to? Go to dinner with me?"

A mischievous smile crossed her face. "And do our magic stuff afterward?"

"As magical as you want." My cheeks heated. "It will be kind of like our first date."

"Unless you count the Valentine's dinner you cooked for me."

"Yeah." I chuckled. "I'd rather forget about that one."

"I wouldn't." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me.

I wanted to cup her face in my hands and kiss her right there in the cafeteria. But the bell rang, breaking the moment. I settled for her peck on my cheek as she hurried to class.

After school, I dressed in the clown outfit I wore on Easter, vowing to buy myself new clothes. Brittany picked me up at five so we would beat the crowd at the restaurant. The building looked like every other Olive Garden in the country. Which was a good thing—I knew what to expect.