Free Me From the Wolves

[14] All Bark, No Bite

I didn't see Ryder for the rest of the weekend. Aside from the "good night" thoughts he presented to me the next two nights, I hadn't contacted him at all. In regards to Stella and Carol, Stella had texted me Sunday morning informing me that Ryder didn't tell Carol about Stella's wolf possibility because there was only a fifty-fifty chance of her even turning and he didn't want to worry her about something that wasn't guaranteed to happen. Which I guess made sense. I just didn't know how things were going to turn out and the full moon was coming up.

"So what's going to happen with Aaron?" Stella asked on Monday before school started.

"I don't really know," I told her. Apparently, Aaron was out on the streets because he wanted to go to the hospital (Preston's new home) and was stopped by Colin. And considering most adults kept an eye on the troublemaker that was Colin Bourne, Carol spotted Aaron by association.

"You haven't talked to Ryder?" she asked.

"No, have you?" I asked and then she frowned and began to shake her head or nod, but then looked past me. I turned around and saw Stormy walking up to the school. She looked pissed. Stella and I simultaneously sighed to prepare for whatever she was going to scold us for.

"Where is your boyfriend?" she nearly barked at me.

"I don't know," I said. Stormy looked over at Stella.

"And yours?" she asked. Both of us frowned.

"I don't have a boyfriend."

"Right, right. Hasn't happened yet..." Stormy stammered, making us wonder what fortune telling herbs she was smoking this weekend. "Look, just tell Ryder I need to talk to him, okay?"

"A lot of people do," I mumbled. Stormy turned to leave and nearly ran into Andrew while saying: "I needed you forty-eight hours ago. I don't need you anymore so thanks for nothing."

"Wait, who's my boyfriend!?" Stella yelled as Stormy walked off and merged into the crowd.

"I didn't know you had one," Andrew commented as he sat down at the bench with us.

"According to the witch, maybe I do," she said, beginning to stand up and pull the strap up on her shoulder. Then, Bailee began walking up.

"Did I just see Stormy over here? I know you're friends with the love of your life's girlfriend, but now Stormy? Hmm, senior year is full of surprises," Bailee commented to Stella and then the three of us just looked at her in silence. "I'm sorry. That was dumb. I don't know—"

"It's fine," Stella forged a smile and then left. Bailee's face twisted as she took Stella's seat on the bench. I exchanged a look with Andrew who I guess was here to talk about something werewolf related and couldn't now. Bailee suddenly looked up.

"Wait, are they friends now? Because being friends with her and Stella would be so much easier if they were friends too," she suddenly rambled. I could only laugh.

"Yeah...I'll see y'all later," Andrew decided at Bailee's outburst and she simply pouted.

"Where's Evan?" I laughed.

"I don't actually know," she frowned. "He dropped me off and said he had a family emergency or something, but I mean Rose still came to school so I don't really know what's going on. I'll call him later."

Tell Bailee that Evan is with me, Ryder thought to me, making me wonder how he was able to just phase in and out of my living perspectives and cognitive interpretations throughout the day. Maybe he just had good timing.