MATE AND HIS LOVER 5

3. I'd surprise her

I stretch my arms at the sky. It feels good to get out of the house on a sunny afternoon like this.

I'm waiting for Nina outside our favorite ramen place. This is where we used to eat lunch when we were in school. She told me she still eats her lunch here everyday. I want to surprise her.

Feeling I might've to wait longer, I get inside and sit at our regular table.

Soon, the waitress, Lisa, comes to my table. "Daisy, good to see you. It's been a year, right? How's college?" she asks.

I'm impressed by her memory. Although the establishment doesn't get a lot of customers, there's always been enough loyal patrons, thanks to the decent food and excellent service, who made this a classic joint to eat in.

"College is good. How is business?"

"Business is swell. We still get some regulars from your school, like you and Nina were. You saw her yet?"

"No, I haven't. In fact, she doesn't know I'm back. Thought I'd surprise her."

"She coming here, too?"

"Doesn't she everyday?"

"What do you mean?" Lisa says, looking confused.

"She eats lunch here everyday, right?"

Lisa shakes her head. "No, she hasn't come here since you left."

That's not what Nina told me. Why did she lie?

"What do you want to order? It's on the house," Lisa says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I order from the regular menu, and return home after eating.

I take out my phone to call Nina but put it back in. I still want to surprise her. I'll go to her house later.

In the evening, Nina's mom welcomes me in like an old friend. However, soon, I find out Nina has moved out of her parents' place.

Nina never told me that. I get her address from her mom and drive there. I don't like she lied and withheld things from me.

I ring her doorbell restlessly. I want to confront her about everything.

A half naked guy opens the door. "Yeah?" he lazily says.

"I'm here to see Nina," I say.

I hear a pair of rushing footsteps come to the door.

"Daisy!" Nina exclaims in shock. But the person really shook here is me. I'm looking at a girl with a lean and athletic body.

She doesn't look like the Nina I knew. The Nina I knew was chubby. I liked that about her.

She wasn't like the other werewolf kids who played games that I couldn't keep up with. Nina preferred to stay in her human form and didn't run around in four paws.

She also liked to eat. The other kids sometimes teased her for her chubbiness but her appearance never mattered to me.

She was funny, honest and a loyal friend.

"You're back and you didn't even tell me?" she shouts while hugging and lifting me off my feet.

When she puts me back down I say, "Surprise!"

She sends the guy away and makes me sit. "How long are you staying?" she asks.

"I don't know, probably for a few weeks. I hope grandma gets better by then."

"Don't worry. She's tough."

I smile. "What happened to you by the way? What did you do to my cute and chubby friend?"

Nina shyly rubs the back of her head and says, "I just wanted to lose a little weight."

She was never "over weight" to begin with. But it's not my place to tell her how she should look. If she's happy with her appearance, it's enough.

"Is that why you stopped eating at the ramen place? And when were you going to tell me you moved out?" I ask her.

"I didn't want to upset you by telling I wasn't visiting our favorite restaurant anymore. And I was going to tell you about the move but I was so busy I forgot to."

She sounds sincere but I'm not satisfied. She had changed.

"Who was the guy earlier?"

"A friend," she says.

Since when friends hung out with their clothes off behind closed doors?

I don't press her further. It's been long since I last saw her. By interrogating her like this, I don't want to push away my only friend here.

We stay away from topics of change and reminisce over school days.

I don't notice the time slipping till my mom calls and tells me to be home for dinner.

I drive back feeling bittersweet. The friendship Nina and I shared is still there and still the same.

But she has changed. I might have, too.

When I enter the living room I see Rick. "Hey," I say, smiling. We're not the hugging type of siblings. "Hey," he says back, "where have you been all day?"

I resist the urge to say that's none of his business. I don't like when he questions me like this. It makes me look like I'm someone who has to "answer" to him, our future Beta. I've always been jealous of my brother.

I tell him about Nina.

"People change," he says, "but keep your distance from her. I don't think she has a good reputation."

Irrespective of her reputation she'll still be my friend. It's not like all of my brother's associates have a good reputation, either.