Dream Prince Wolf

Chapter 4: Lacking Focus

“We sometimes discuss your trips while we are at school, don't we?" Emile responded to Julietta's question on the other end of the line.

“But, have you heard about anyone specific who is planning on following me?" Julietta asked in persistent concern.

“No, but if the idea can cross my mind then surely it can cross someone else's," Emile responded.

“I do know that you are really just frightening me now," Julietta responded. “If that's what you think then you should pack up your art equipment and start painting from the forest instead of your bedroom from now on," she suggested.

“Is that your solution?" Emile asked in an amused tone of voice.

“Yes, that's my idea of putting an end to worry," Julietta replied. She still did not feel like telling Emile about her sighting of the wolf earlier that evening. It was too precious a memory.

“But, surely the wolf could scare off any peeping Tom?" she asked.

“Let's leave it there for now," Emile responded. “We will chat again at school."

“Yes definitely," Julietta agreed. “Let me join my Mom in the kitchen or she will skin me alive for not helping her."

Julietta returned to the kitchen where her mother was busy dishing up already.

She did not focus on the conversation at the dinner table afterward. She was too excited about her past afternoon.

After supper, Julietta was so curious about the wolf in the forest that she could not focus on the rest of her homework. She had only done half of it at the lake.

“Oh, what the heck!" she exclaimed to herself after a while. “Let me read up on wolves. I can do homework in the morning."

***

Julietta struggled to keep her eyes open during her history lesson. At some point, she imagined seeing one of the wolves that she had read about till late during the night.

“Is everything alright, Julietta?" the teacher asked with a concerned frown on her forehead.

Julietta briefly wondered whether she had made any sudden noises during her hallucination. She quickly rubbed her eyes.

“I'm alright, ma'am," Julietta responded. She could feel a flush spreading up her neck to her cheeks. She couldn't wait for break time.

When break time arrived Julietta rushed out of the classroom before any of the other students could ask questions. She headed straight to the cafeteria where she quickly spotted Emile.

“Hey there!" Emile called when he saw her.

“Oh, hi," Julietta responded absentmindedly. She sat down opposite Emile looking bewildered.

“Don't say you're still disturbed about what I said last night," he asked.

Julietta looked around at the other students instead, wondering if she would have the vision of the wolf again.

“Are you even listening to what I'm saying?" Emile asked when he sat opposite Julietta in the cafeteria later.

“Yes, I'm listening?" Julietta responded with her eyebrows raised inquiringly.

“I give up," Emile sighed. “You must have fallen in love," he said, shaking his head while gazing at her intently.

Julietta giggled and began to eat her sandwich before responding.

“I haven't fallen in love, but you can say that I found my purpose," she responded with an amused smile.

“You mean you've found something which thrills you more than acting?" Emile asked curiously. He then shook his head at her. “You know, it isn't too long ago that you decided to go all out for your Hollywood dreams to be a reality one day," Emile responded, still shaking his head in disbelief.

“It isn't a career choice," Julietta responded with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Oh, no!" Emile exclaimed. “Then you are in love!" he proclaimed with an exaggerated look of shock on his face.

“No, not at all," Julietta giggled in return above the noise in the cafeteria.

Some of the children in the cafeteria glanced in the direction of the raised voices.

“Shh, don't talk so loudly," Emile cautioned in a lower tone of voice.

“I will tell you everything soon enough, don't worry," Julietta responded as she rose from the table.

***

“This is it!" Julietta exclaimed as she perfected yet another scene from her drama. She had decided to go to the lake straight after school.

She twirled around in circles, watching the clouds above her spin as she enjoyed herself. After a while, she finally collapsed happily onto the grass. She lay on her back studying the clouds for a while.

After a few moments, a sudden thought made her sit upright.

“Could there actually be someone out there who is watching me?" she asked herself. She looked around the area of the lake and tried to see into the forest. She did not spot anyone. “Well, I don't think that anyone wants to wait this long to make an appearance. I've been here for quite a while now," she continued.

She then got up and looked around herself. “It's actually getting dark, so where is that wolf?" she wondered out loud. “Come out, come out wherever you are!" she called with her hands cupped in front of her mouth.

“It's not anywhere to be seen," she said as she looked all around herself. “Best go home," she said decisively.

Julietta then picked up her homework and began to walk down the footpath with quick steps.

She hadn't walked for long when she heard something behind her. Was it the wolf or a person who had followed her? She looked over her shoulder, but saw nothing there.

“Run anyway," she told herself. So, she ran almost all the way home.

“Why are you so out of breath?" Mrs. McGreeves asked in surprise when Julietta walked in at the kitchen door. “Did someone chase you?" she continued.

“No, I'm just running," Julietta replied.

“Are you sure?" Julietta's mother asked. “I keep telling you not to come home after dark," she scolded.

“I was so busy that I lost track of time," Julietta responded after she caught her breath.

The next moment there was the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside.

“There's a car outside," Mrs. McGreeves commented with a frown. “Are you expecting anyone?" she asked with a curious look at her daughter.

“No," Julietta responded with her eyebrows raised. She waited expectantly for the doorbell to ring at the front of the house.

“Good evening ladies!" Emile greeted from the kitchen door instead.

“Oh, it's you," Julietta responded with a sigh of relief.

“Oh, nobody's excited to see me," Emile teased with a glum look on his face.

“Hi, Emile," Julietta's mother greeted. “Come inside and close the door behind you," she continued with a friendly smile.

“I guess you just came home?" Emile asked, looking at Julietta with a grimace.

“She keeps coming home late," Mrs. McGreeves complained.

“So, are you sure that you weren't followed?" Emile asked.

“What do you mean?" Julietta's mother asked with an alarmed expression on her face.