It's That 'I Hate You' Kind of Love

Chapter Nineteen

Trooping down the stairs I asked Bailey what she wanted to eat.

"Pizza of course. You should know by now that it's my favorite post crying food. Get with the program, Char." Then she slid on her neon socks into the kitchen, nearly colliding with the fridge.

Glad that she was acting normal again I followed after her, leaning against the counter as she pulled out a frozen pizza and slid to the oven.

Dramatically I groaned. "Ug, how could I forget! I always get it mixed up with post period barbecue and post test toast. Stupid Charlotte!"

Peeling off the plastic and cardboard holding the pizza, Bailey shook her head side to side. "Bad Dobby! Bad, bad Dobby!" She mimicked in a high pitched voice.

I rolled my eyes. I walked right into that one. While Bailey was setting the oven to preheat I noticed a small piece of blue paper on the counter. I slid it closer to me with two fingers.

C-

Needed more food. Gone to market. Be back in an hour.

-Ben

"Ben's gone to the market." I announced, crumpling the note and throwing in the trash can beside me.

Bailey nodded, hopping on the counter, swinging her legs and mumbling a rap song under her breath. I never understood how she liked that genre so much, but I guess to each their own. The odd thing about this however was not the song, but the fact that she wasn't blushing. Any mention of my brother and cue the pink cheeks.

"Bails," I said. This is a tad awkward. "Do you...er, still have, um, feelings for my brother?"

She paused and looked at me. Realization crossed her face, her mouth forming a small "O".

"No I haven't. Now that I think of it, any guy I've looked at this week made me think of J-Jay."

"Hmm." I said thoughtfully.

Bailey outwardly shuddered with a gagging noise. "Gross. What if I'm always attracted to a poodle?" She sighed. "I don't even want to think about it. Just as I was getting into a good mood."

I couldn't help but grin at the thought of Jay being a poodle. If only he had heard that statement! Secretly I was feeling a little down hearted though. Does that mean that I can never have a relationship with another guy because of Carson? Not that he would let me.

Just the thought made me want to start crying like Bailey had. But no, I had to be strong.

"Not only does he control my actions, when I see my family, who I hang out with, where I go, what I eat, but now he controls who I love." I mumbled as Bailey placed the pizza in the oven and set the timer on the microwave.

She went back to the counter, scowling. "Carson's a bastard for controlling your life like that."

"Jay's an asshole for controlling your emotions." I added, sitting on the counter beside her.

"They're both jerks."

"Demons."

"Scum."

"Dogs."

"Mutts."

"Butt-sniffers."

"Good one."

"Thanks."

"Char," Bailey said her feet making a rhythmic thumping against the cupboards as she swung her legs. "It felt really good to tell someone about having a mate. Like a weight off my shoulders. I just, I want to tell my family, do you think I should?"

My immediate answer was No, but I kept it to myself with a small shrug. "That's a decision you're going to have to make for yourself Bails."

She sighed sadly. "I wish we could go back to before this ever happened. Before we ever got stupid mates. I would've never gone to Town Hall law or not if I had known that I actually had a mate. I knew Carson wasn't going to claim me, I got this feeling."

"I did." I whispered and she looked at me surprised. "At least sort of. I got this feeling that something was going to happen. Bad. And it did. Nothing is ever going to be the same."

"At least we have each other."

"Yeah, until I go back to the Pack House." I said gloomily.

"Right." Bailey muttered.

A few minutes later a repetitive Ding Ding Ding! came from the microwave and Bailey, wearing oven mitts, took out the pizza placing it on a tray I had set out. She quickly cut it causing steam to rise with the smell of fake cheese. Grabbing a bag of chips we moved to the living room settling the tray of pizza and chips on the coffee table. We sat beside each other on the rug with our backs leaning against the front of the couch. I flipped on the TV to some Adam Sandler movie and set the volume low so it was background noise.

"I've been meaning to ask you this. What happened after I was claimed?"

Bailey's hand dove into the bag with a Crackle! before she answered. Her eyebrows scrunched a little as she tried to remember. "Well, the alpha dude said some speech after your guy got away from him and then all the humans and us started filing out. The werewolves left right after that, I heard."

"What about school?" I pressed.

Bailey shoved the chips in her mouth, holding up a hand until she swallowed them loudly. She dug back into the bag. "Nothing much by the teachers. But everybody was talking about you, and I mean everyone! People kept coming up to me, Stacy and John asking if it was true. So annoying. I reckon they would've bothered Brianne more and saved us the trouble, but she wasn't there. By the way I have your diploma and gown at my house."

My ears had perked and I barely heard her last sentence. "Bri wasn't at school? You know she wasn't at Town Hall either."

Bailey froze mid chew. "Whwat, bwut wasn't evewywon supwosed to bwe thwere?"

I placed my fist under my chin. "Yeah, that's the problem. Her name wasn't called too."

"Thawt's," Bailey swallowed her food. "Weird."

Nodding in agreement I couldn't help the curiosity and suspicions bombarding my thoughts. Bailey continued eating, but suddenly I wasn't so hungry.

No, not three people. Three people in the same grade, same class, same school, around the same time, not possible. It couldn't be possible.

Two of my friends.

Was this some kind of joke?

You know, maybe I'm wrong. Yeah, I'm wrong. That's way too much of a coincidence for me to have two friends with...that.

Bailey's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Is it time for Prisoner of Azkaban, yet?" She asked with a sheepish smile.

I chuckled breathily, a tad dazed from my previous thinkings. "Eh, I guess so. You've only made me watch it a billion times. What's one more?"

"Hey!" Bailey mock protested with pizza breading on her cheeks, still pink from crying. "Don't blame me! Blame the all holy writings of J.K Rowling and the magic of Warner Bros pictures."

Her expression had moved into one of awe and I had to hold back a laugh. Groaning as I got up from my seat on the floor I took out the movie of choice. I slid it in the DVD player and plopped down next to Bailey.

As I hit play she grabbed another piece of pizza, picking a little at the cheese when she spoke.

"Thanks again Charlotte." Her voice was nearly a whisper. "I really needed to talk to someone. Usually my dad, but I, I'm not sure he would understand."

I stared at her as she spoke. I knew how close Bailey was to her dad. Unlike most teenagers she confided in her parents, if something was really troubling her. But there was no doubt in my mind that Mr. Tyler wouldn't take the news well.

"I think John and Stacy were getting suspicious sometimes by how normal I was acting. For the first few days of dreams I couldn't even force a smile, I did get better at it though. Just, being a werewolf's mate, I never thought it would happen to me."

Bailey didn't look at me, but I knew her eyes had dulled. Immediately I poked her arm so she'd pay attention. I was right about her expression.

"Let's forget about them." I said. "No werewolves. No Jay, no Carson, no mates, no claim. It's just going to be us and Harry Potter. This one is your favorite right?"

Her lips lifted in the ghost of a smile and I mentally breathed a sigh of relief. By the things Bailey has said it sounds as if she really thought she was going mentally insane. Sometimes I even thought I was going crazy.

But who wouldn't? Suddenly you have all these "instinctive" feelings for a different species, mutants, werewolves.

"Yeah this is my favorite." Bailey admitted. "I think I could watch it forever and never get tired of it."

I opened my mouth to tease her about being obsessed, but she was suddenly throwing a handful of chips at me and hissing. "Shhh it's starting!"

Rolling my eyes playfully I settled back into the couch and let myself fall into the world of Harry Potter.

ITIHYKOL ITIHYKOL ITIHYKOL ITIHYKOL

I am never watching Harry Potter again.

My thumb was frozen on the pause button of the remote, blood running cold as my eyes were glued to the halted screen. The glow of the TV was the only light in the darkening room and my loud breathing the only sound. Beside me Bailey was as pale as a corpse, form unmoving.

There it was, Lupin in werewolf form with a shattering snarl, baring his long, gleaming teeth at a cowering Snape, Ron, Harry and Hermione.

Lupin in werewolf form.

Werewolf.

My eyes wouldn't move away from those yellowing K9's. My body flinched without warning at my remembrance of last night's dream. Those teeth had been whiter, but just as menacing if not more. And his eyes; black little eyes. The color Carson's had often turned.

Demon black.

Soulless black.

Werewolf black.

Always shining.

"Turn it off." Bailey whispered, her voice raspy. I couldn't move. My thumb was glued to the pause button and my brown eyes to the screen. "Turn it off!"

The TV went black.

We sat in the dark and I tried to relax my scattered heart beat laden with fear. Bailey's breathing picked up to one of hyperventilation, but again, I couldn't move. The two of us had watched this same movie at least a dozen times, (much more times in Bailey's case), and we knew it was something not to be feared. It was one of our favorites and the dark atmosphere didn't matter.

Until now.

Both of us prided upon the fact that we were fine with watching horror movies. Throw at us the creepy

dolls who laugh in the dark and we'll be fine, except for the occasional surprised scream and goosebumps. Always afterwords we would laugh it off and reassure ourselves that it was just a movie.

But this was different.

"L-lights." Bailey mumbled. "We need lights."

Unsteadily, I rose on my feet and made my way to the lamp beside the couch. With a Click! it cast a warm glow throughout the room. But there were shadows and not before long I was turning all the lights on in the living room, hallway, kitchen, and dining area. When I returned Bailey had moved to the couch and was nestled in a bundle of blankets and pillows, her expression blank.

Cautiously I sat beside her, wrapping my own cold self in a fuzzy yellow blanket. We didn't say anything. There was nothing to say that would help in any way. You could've heard a pin drop.

Or a door open.

"I'm back!" A male voice called from the entry. There was a chorus of shuffling and then four light thumps of sneakers hitting the wall and then falling to the ground. A jingling of keys and the crackling of paper bags before Ben moved to the kitchen.

He swept back the fringe of black hair as he collapsed in the faded chair. "Hey, sorry. I got delayed by Mrs. Griff in the market. Damn that lady can talk. She seems to have this idea that I didn't know how much I've grown since I was three."

His voice was teasing, a sort of odd cheerfulness.

For the first time I took notice of the hair falling into his eyes and the dark stubble on his chin. But he wore a smile, that turned into a concerned frown. Ben looked between us curiously. "Did something happen?"

Bailey shook her head and I said something about a horror movie.

My older brother narrowed his eyes and rested his elbows on his knees, leaning foreword. "What movie?"

We didn't say anything and after a moment of looking between us Ben sighed, grabbed the remote from the floor and turned on the TV. He hissed through his gritted teeth upon seeing Lupin. Then the image was changed to one of The Big Bang Theory. I visibly relaxed and Bailey blinked twice.

"You shouldn't watch stuff like that."

"We forgot." I muttered. How could we have forgotten?

Ben furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the pile of pillows and blankets. "Are you okay Bailey?"

She was still pale and practically frozen. But I couldn't tell Ben the real reason why she was in this state. Not after the way he acted after he found out that Stacy was related to a claimed person. He had had enough nightmares already. I don't think he could handle a third person in this town having a mate, especially one of his friends.

Bails cleared her throat. "I'm fine. Just...worried about Charlotte."

My brother looked at her suspiciously before shrugging and turning back to the TV. Bailey and I shared a glance before focusing on the sitcom.

Except for the occasional snorts of laughter from Ben we were quiet. Until the commercial break.

"So," My brother began, propping his feet on the coffee table. "Are John and, uh, Stacy, coming over too?"

I froze. So it was a lie, I hadn't told my family exactly everything. I may have skipped the part of what happened with John and Stacy. It would have only make him and Mom more upset.

"No, we're not really friends anymore." I said quietly, staring at my hands rested atop the blanket. "Stacy and I kind of had a falling out."

Ben's eyes widened, but for a second I caught a bit of relief. Stacy always made him uncomfortable. Before he could say anything Bailey added;

"John followed her."

I shrugged. "Should've seen that coming though. It doesn't matter if she's wrong or not, he'll go where ever she goes. It's always been that way."

Ben's expression darkened a little."A man will do whatever it takes to keep the girl he loves."

Staring at him in surprise I couldn't help but notice the hollow note in his words. It sounded as if he had gone through something. But surely he would have told Mom and me about it?

Come on Charlotte, haven't a lot of people been keeping secrets and acting different lately? Ben could be no exception.

This is all Carson's fault.

"Ben?" Bailey questioned, sounding a little concerned. "You okay?"

He closed his eyes tightly and then opened them, forcing his fake smile. "Grand." He waved his hand at me. "Now tell me about this falling out."

I narrowed my eyes and he rolled his.

"Seriously, talk Char. I need to figure all the people I'll be beating up."

"Yeah. Alright." I scoffed.

Bailey snickered as Ben slapped a hand to his heart with a dramatic gasp. "I have feelings you know?" He said in a girls voice that made Bailey crack up laughing. I grinned.

"Hmm if I didn't know better, it sounds a little like you're having..." I hushed my voice and leaned forward. "Identity issues."

Ben snorted. "Sure, I'm the one with identity issues.Ms. Mustache, or should I say Mister?"

I crossed my arms with a scowl. "That has nothing to do with gender identity! What young girl doesn't wear a fake mustache for two weeks?"

"Uh, normal one's?"

By this point Bailey was laughing so hard her face was bright red. "You-you wore a m-mustache?"

Stupid brother for bringing this up.

"It was soft!" I defended myself. "Don't diss it to you try it."

Ben tried to hide a smile.

"Yeah, it was soft until you started eating and it got all stained and gross. The thing smelled like a dead mouse."

Bailey began laughing harder and I glared at them both. Though I have to admit it was good that Bails was in good spirits again.

"Changing the subject now!" I announced. "Do you want to hear the story or what?"

Ben smirked. "Whatever you say Mr. Monopoly."

This kept my friend in hysterics and after what felt like ages of her laughing, she finally stopped.

"O-okay I'm g-good now." She giggled and I dove into the story.

As I described the way Stacy had been suspicious and mean, Ben's frown darkened more and more until it was an angry scowl. When I was done I blinked back an approaching tear and took a deep breath.

"She acted like a bitch." Was my brother's immediate words and I shrugged meekly.

"Maybe, but she has a reason to. Werewolves tore her family apart. She thinks her sister betrayed her." I sighed. "And I mean, I did kind of give her a gigantic bombshell without warning."

"You were angry." Bailey said reassuringly, her hand diving back into the bag of chips and pulling out a handful of crumbs. "You were both just mad"

Ben's face was livid. "She was still being a bitch. I'm sure her sister wouldn't want her-"

"Maybe we should do something else besides focus on the past." I interrupted, holding up a hand. I was tired of recapping. There's less than a week left before I go back to the wolves and I want every second to be as happy as possible. As worth it. "Let's play a game or something."

Ben clenched his jaw before he took in my pleading expression and nodded. "Why don't we play cards or something?"

Bailey sat up straighter. "Yeah! We should play cribbage! I always want to play, but my brothers are such whiners."

I raised my eyebrows. "Even Danny?"

I seriously loved that kid. Out of Bailey's twelve-year old twin brothers he was definitely my favorite.

She tossed a hand as Ben grabbed the cribbage board and cards from the low cabinet. "Dan's fine. It's just Trevor's influence."

Ug, Trevor. But I didn't say anything as we sat in a circle on the floor and pushed aside the coffee table.

"Ready to lose ladies?" Ben teased, shuffling the cards.

"I think I should be the one asking you two that question."

Bailey cocked an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Obviously the fact that I beat a werewolf at Candyland." I grinned.

"Hmm, well. We'll see about that."

ITIHYKOL ITIHYKOL ITIHYKOL ITIHYKOL

"You'll never take me alive!" I screamed, standing on the couch, brandishing a pillow.

"Then I'll take you dead!" Ben bellowed and grabbed my legs so I collapsed was dangling off his shoulder. "You freakin' cheater!"

I swung from his shoulder when he started to walk to the hallway, pounding on his back as Bailey watched with wide eyes.

"You guys are really competitive, aren't you?"

My arm stretched out toward her and I gave her pleading eyes. "Bails, help!"

She shook her head with a sly grin. "Sorry, but you did cheat."

And as I was glaring at her suddenly Ben was walking down the hallway and shoving me outside in to the breezy summer night. He slammed the door shut when I launched for it.

Sore loser! I did not cheat! So I was losing and then suddenly winning! That does not mean I was cheating.

My toes were cold on the porch. Fuming, I banged my fist on the door so hard it seemed to shake. "Ben! Let me in! Sore loser! I'll kill you!"

He just had to act like a kid right now!

"Oh yeah. I'm definitely going to let you back in the house now that you said you'll kill me." Ben's teasing voice answered. "Cheater."

"I did not cheat!" I yelled, banging my fist on the door until it was throbbing. "Let me in damn it!"

"What're the magic words?"

"You're so annoying!" I kicked the door. Great, now my toe hurt too.

"Nope. That's not it."

"I'm totally disowning you."

"Well that's not it either."

Stupid brother! I was definitely going to get revenge once I got inside.

Bailey's voice drifted through the door sounding a little worried. "Are you going to make her stand out there all night?"

"Just until she says what I want," Ben answered. "Come on Char, it's only one little sentence."

I gritted my teeth, squeezing my eyes shut as I pressed my forehead to the hard surface. I hated saying this sentence, ever since I was little and needed my brother's help or forgiveness.

With a deep breath I rushed out,"Ben is the smartest, nicest, coolest, brother in the history of the universe and time, and I wish I was him because being Charlotte is being less awesome. There, happy?"

"Hm, not quite. Bailey's a loud breather, you'll have to say it again."

Liar! I ground my teeth together.

"I am not a loud breather!" My friend protested while Ben was chuckling.

"Whatever Darth Vader."

There was a Whap! and a male voice yelping; "Ow!"

I grinned evilly, that's the Bailey I love. But that thought was banished as they started bickering. Ignoring me completely.

"Hey, let me in!" I yelled, but they paid me no attention.

"The only Darth Vader like person around here is you." Bailey said sassily. "I'm clearly more of a Yoda."

Ben scoffed loudly. "Yoda? You? Hell no! You're like Jabba the Hutt! If anyone's Yoda it's going to be me!"

"I called Yoda first!" Bailey taunted. Her voice paused however as if she just realized something. I heard her gasp. "Did you just call me by the big, fat smelly green guy with rolls?"

I face palmed and slowly shook my head side to side slowly. Star Wars? Seriously? They have to fight about this now? My fist knocked on the hard surface so hard the door should have swung off it's hinges and split into a billion trillion pieces. Yet, it didn't budge like I hoped.

Charlotte: 1

Door: 1

Damn it door.

"Shut up and let me in!" I demanded through their argument. For a second their voices halted and my hope rose. It didn't last long.

"Not with that attitude." Bailey said a little snappishly from her argument.

"We're having a serious conversation here." Ben said. "It's rude to interrupt."

"You're not wise enough to be Yoda!" Bailey declared.

"Then why the hell are you? Huh?"

I let out a growl and kicked the door as hard as I could. Clenching my teeth from the now throbbing pain in my poor little toes, I stomped to the edge of the porch with a huff .Crossing my bare arms I gracelessly sat on the top step. The gray-painted wood was cold and hard compared to the warm, comfy couch waiting for me inside.

Besides the talking inside and the peepers hiding in the grass singing away, all was silent. It was kind of peaceful in a way.

Somewhere down the street a dog started barking.

Breathing in the sweet summer air for a moment was nice. My eyes closed automatically as a chilly breeze swept by sending goose bumps up my arms and my loose hair into tingling spasms.

The dog stopped barking with a distant call of his owner.

Silence.

I could faintly hear my heart beat.

Peep, peep, peep, peep.

Crack!

The noise was miniscule, something that barely just reached my ears. It could have been nearly drowned out by the peepers, but for some reason my eyes flew open. My breath caught as my gaze found the wolf's. It was standing just there in the empty street under the yellow glow of the streetlamp. It's pure, steely-gray fur glistening and rustling a little in the light breeze. It stared back at me with it's dark eyes.

My brown eyes closed shut as I waited for it to come closer. I couldn't move.

Peep, peep, peep.

Cautiously I peeked up from under my lashes. I drew in a breath and sat up straighter, transfixed to that spot.

He was gone.



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Hi. Let's talk updates. I'm sorry to say that there will be fewer of them. School is on full swing already, (I mean I have three tests Monday) and the play has just started up so I'll be busy with Drama Club. As well as that I have a ton of health issues going on...So I'm going to say I'll try to update every weekend, but no promises. :( I miss writing!

Love you all -Faith

(PS. If I messed up any Star Wars references, I apologize, it's been awhile since I watched the movies. Jabba the Hutt on the side :D )