Moonlit Silhouettes

Staring Death in the Face

Alejandro bit his lip, glancing from Tala's accusing face, back to where Nick was seated with the others. "I..."

She crossed her arms. "He deserves to know, only thing I can't figure out is why you haven't told him yet."

Alejandro became defensive. "Look, I don't need you to come along and judge me, alright? I can tell or not tell whoever I damn well please!" He sighed and rubbed his forehead, lowering his voice slightly. "How did you know, anyway?"

She shrugged. "You know how sometimes dogs can sense diseases? Well my kind get that sometimes. So what is it? Cancer?"

Alejandro tapped his head. "Brain tumor, inoperable. Doc says I'm staring death in the face, probably have half a year at the most."

Tala softened. "Why haven't you told Nick?"

"I don't want him pitying me or treating me any different than he does now." He held up his hand as she was about to protest. "Don't try and tell me he wouldn't, I have to live with my parents." He shook his head, muttering. "They can't even look at me without getting that pained look in their eyes."

Tala crossed her arms. "So what then? You're just going to wait until your condition takes a turn for the worst and leave Nick to deal with the shock and pain of losing his best friend?"

Alejandro stared guiltily at the floor.

"You realize that would leave him with no closure, no opportunity to say goodbye, and no way to try and prepare for the loss of his best friend? You can't do that to him, Alejandro, you care about him too much."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah...I guess part of it was me being in denial." He chuckled bitterly and shrugged. "Because Nick doesn't know...I don't know, I felt like I was perfectly healthy around him. I could forget about the time bomb in my skull and just enjoy life."

Tala was quiet for a moment. "Look, I won't tell Nick anything, that's up to you."

He smiled slightly. "Thank you."

She held up a hand. "I'm not finished. It is your choice...but he deserves to know, keep what I've said in mind."

He nodded. "I will." There was a moment's pause, then a different song began to play, and Alejandro laughed, turning to Tala he wiggled his eyebrows. "Yo wolf girl, so how about that dance?"

Tala laughed and nodded. "What the hell, let's go."

At first Tala was unsure of herself, she'd never really learned to dance and wasn't sure what to do with her hands or feet.

Alejandro just went all out and began flailing around the dance floor, drawing a laugh from Tala.

As the song hit the chorus, Tala closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. The club seemed to slow down around her, the lights, movement, and music all blended together, and as the bass thrummed in her chest, she hit that primal instinct hidden within her and let the music guide her body.

Alejandro laughed and nodded in time with the song. "Not bad, wolf girl!"

She grinned and her eyes flashed silver as the lights reflected off them.

Alejandro slid closer to her so she could hear him over the music. "Who said you couldn't dance?"

She shrugged. "I've just never really learned how."

He grinned and wiggled his shoulders. "Who needs lessons? You can tap into that primal wild side and just let the music tell you what to do. Kind of an unfair advantage, us humans have a harder time finding that."