Sly as a Fox {Book One}

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Compromise

noun

-a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.

I sighed and rested my chin on my hand while pushing down the urge to growl out of irritation; I didn't want any more eyes on me than there already were.

Even as I sat at the table, I couldn't believe I had been dragged into an awkward Lupo family dinner. Most of them barely acknowledged my presence, and those that did openly gawked at me. It was as though they had never seen a Volpe before. Though in all fairness Volpes were in the minority, that still didn't give them the right to stare at me like some exhibit at the zoo.

After eventually finding "Tiffany" again, I told her what had transpired with Blithe and I learned that she was his little sister. After her use of a few choice words for her brother, she handed me her phone so I could call my parents. Knowing Serena, I was certain she had spun some dramatic, harrowing tale of what had happened and it would've been a miracle if my mom hadn't called the police by this point. When I got through to them, however, I was shocked to find that, while they were relieved to know I was okay, they were more than pleased with the situation. They insisted that I even stay for dinner "to be polite". Granted, I didn't divulge all of the dirty details of my mate's specism, but it was perplexing nonetheless. I knew they wanted me to  "find happiness", or whatever other crap they claimed, but to abandon me at a stranger's house - a Lupo's house, at that - was crossing multiple lines for me.

Blithe's little brother tapped on my shoulder and, with food already stuffed in his cheek, asked, "You gonna eat that?" He pointed to the uneaten piece of chicken breast on my plate, the small dark waves of his hair hanging over one of his eyes and reminding me of the picture I saw of Blithe when he was younger. He was the only family member to sit remotely close to me, only making my situation more uncomfortable and accentuating the fact that I was an outsider. I get enough of this at school, I thought, getting the urge to get up and walk myself home.

I looked at him, repulsed by his forwardness to a complete stranger, "Uh, knock yourself out, kid." I turned my nose up at how loud he swallowed the food he had just chewed before stuffing his mouth with the chicken he stole off my plate. And they call me a 'chicken-snatcher', I thought cynically. There were a lot of specist slurs used towards Volpes, but that was one of the more popular ones.

As much as I had wanted to skip "family dinner", I wasn't able to weasel my out of it. And trust me, I tried, but after Tiffany told me again and again that their father wouldn't be coming home tonight, she wouldn't accept any answer but yes. According to her, it was the least she could do to make up for her "dick of a brother".

Blithe's brother wiped his mouth against the sleeve of his shirt, all his wealth apparently not good for teaching manners. His voice was raspy when he spoke to me again, "Blithe made me call an Uber to pick me up for school because of you, you know."

I looked to the pup utterly confused, but he continued as he grabbed another piece of food, his appetite obviously ravenous at this age, "We were out for a run this morning and then he just disappeared. He came back to tell me to just 'Take an Uber to school, Griffin, it's not that big of a deal' and then he took off after you and left me!" I started giggling when I realized the teenager was serious, but also seemed open enough to engage with me. He rolled his eyes, a playful manner to the action, and looked at me as he started to stand from the table now that his plate was empty, "Tell him when you see him that he owes me twenty bucks."