Secrets of the Willow

Chapter 16 - While we hide.

I had spent the last two days since the attack festering on my own anger. In fact, I spent most of the time walking around with a scowl on my face causing my friends to be cautious and walking on egg shells around me. We’d all been to see Cyran and although he was recovering, the slashes across his stomach was definitely going to leave deep scars and you could see it written all over his face how terrified he was about being discharged from the hospital and being back on campus.

He had told us that the Sheriff and the mayor had been in to question him several times, and to all of our disappointment, especially mine, even Cyran didn’t get a proper look at what attacked him. He told us all, he ran and as he turned around to realise he was alone, something dashed past him out of the dark and swiped his stomach. As he fell to the floor he could hear the deep growls above him and was certain he was going to die until the sound of a howl seemed to spook it and it ran away before Cyran was able to get to his feet and make a run for it. Those wolves out there were saving us, I knew that for a fact and as much as I wanted to tell my friends about it, I didn’t want it getting back to the Sheriff and the mayor.

I was actually surprised when Sheriff Burke rang me this morning to let me know that he’d managed to convince the mayor to announce another curfew on all campus’s within a two mile radius. It didn’t necessarily deal with the problem we’d had for years, I thought, but it was better than nothing, and in this small town, you had to grasp at the little things.

As we’d all been on edge since the attack, we’d decided instead of spending every evening cooped up in our rooms, Josh had the idea that we’d all sneak into the library as soon as classes were finished and spend the night keeping each other company.

We all hid in the mythology section of the library where no one ever seemed to venture to, all with our overnight bags stashed beside the dusty bookcase. As soon as the librarian closed up for the night, we all turned on our torches and hand held lanterns and began arranging our sleeping bags out across the floor.

“Who else wishes Cyran was here?” Luke said with a thoughtful sigh as he sat on his sleeping bag and rummaged through his backpack.

“I think we’re all thinking about him, especially tonight”. Yas chimed with a remorseful look. “Doesn’t feel right that we’re all here together and he’s stuck in that hospital alone”.

“Try not to feel too bad”. Darius said to her as he encouraged her to sit down next to him and took her hand in his. “I went to see him again today, before my last class. His sister is sleeping there tonight, so he won’t be alone. She got there just before I left, and she said she’s tried countless times to convince her parents to leave town and to just enrol Cyran into a different college. She’s been saving for years apparently. She’s determined to leave and take Cyran with her”.

“Sounds like that’s something we should all be doing”. Natalie spoke up as the rest of us all began to sit down in a circle facing one another. “I mean, really… why would we ever want to stay? I’m beginning to think these attacks and all these deaths will never end”.

“Perhaps we should just hike it out of here and leave together!” Josh suggested with a scoff. “We might not have much money between us, but at least we wouldn’t have to hide away as soon as it starts to get dark!”

“Hey, let’s all stop being downers and spice up this sleepover”. Darius chirped with a smile.

“Well what do you suggest we do? We’re in a library! So unless we’re all going to start brushing up on our mythology facts, you got any ideas?” Luke grinned.

“How about we have a game of truth or dare? We might get a few laughs at least” He suggested, and we all reluctantly nodded in agreement.

Darius grabbed a half empty glass bottle of water and placed it in the middle of our circle, looking at us all mischievously as he began to spin it. Yas groaned as soon as it landed on her as the rest of us felt relieved we didn’t have to go first.

“Ok, Yas. Truth or dare?” Darius asked.

“Dare”. Yas sighed.

“Ok. Then I dare you to….” He paused with a thoughtful look. “I dare you, Nat and Eva to have a three way kiss”. He said with a wide smile.

“Eww, you’re such a perv!” Natalie squealed with a chuckle.

“How shocking you came up with that idea”. I added sarcastically as the rest of the boys all laughed with amusement.

“Well, what’s it going to be?” Darius probed at Yas.

“Hmm… well, I never turn down a dare, and fortunately for me, both of my girls are incredibly hot, so I have no problem kissing them both”. She replied playfully as she looked at us both with a grin.

Both me and Natalie sighed before the three of us leaned in toward each other, as Darius stared at us excitedly, but the moment our lips met, we all burst into giggles and pulled away.

“What was that?” Darius chimed as his mouth fell wide open with disappointment.

“Perhaps you should word your dares better hun!” Yas chimed smugly. “You forgot to say how long you wanted it to last”. She taunted him as we all laughed.

“Damn it”. He responded as he shook his head.

“Ok, my turn”. Yas said as she spun the bottle, and to her satisfaction the bottle landed on Darius.

“Oh crap”. He groaned as Yas’s clapped her hands together with a squealing chuckle.

“Ok, Mr perv! I dare you to strip naked and run through the library!” She commanded as we all burst into laughter.

He shook his head and hesitantly got to his feet as he begun taking off his clothes, causing us all to playfully whistle at him while he tried to cover his c**k and balls in his hands.

“Now run naked boy!” Natalie chimed as we watched him turn around and run around the seating area, his bottom wobbling as he weaved past the tables while we all sat in fits of laughter.

As soon as he came back and got redressed we continued the game as he spun the bottle, and it landed on Josh.

“Ah, for f***s sake”. Josh moaned with a sceptical smile.

“Ok, Josh, matey, truth or dare?”

“f**k the dares, I’m gonna go with truth”. He replied.

“Ok, is it true that you did sleep with Lisa?” He asked with a cheeky grin, causing Josh to sigh and groan.

“Lisa?” Natalie voiced, looking at Josh in shock. “Lisa Wilkins?”

“That’s the one”. Darius answered with a chuckle.

“But I heard she was only into girls!” Natalie responded as we all looked at Josh in confusion.

“Well, maybe Josh can shed some light onto that matter”. Darius chirped as we eagerly waited for Josh to dish the dirt.

“Ok, ok. Yes we slept together”. Josh finally admitted.

“Hmm, maybe she just likes both”. Yas chimed.

“Yea, I’m not too sure about that seeing as she kept calling me Joan and not Josh while we were f*****g”. Josh responded and we all gasped with amusement and roared out in laughter. “Alright, alright.. it’s not that funny”.

“Don’t get moody with us Joan”. Conall jested causing us all to laugh even more.

“Damn, I’m never going to live that down am I!” Josh shook his head as he ignored our laughter and spun the bottle.

Conall tutted when it landed on him. “I’ll just go with dare”. He said instantly with a heavy exhale.

“Good, cause I’ve already got one in mind”. Josh replied with a wide grin. “I dare you to kiss Eva”. He instructed and my mouth fell with surprise and annoyance that I was dragged once again into a dare.

“You’re an i***t”. Conall voiced in amusement, but he didn’t argue it as he looked at me and moved closer into the circle.

“Ooooh, go for it Eva!” Yas chimed with a giddy smile.

I knew I couldn’t back out, but I’d already told myself I wasn’t attracted to him because of his mysteriousness and moods… even though that was a lie I told myself considering I actually thought he was incredibly gorgeous.

“Ok, fine”. I smiled even though I was really feeling slightly nervous.

I leaned in, closing my eyes as he did and the moment I felt his soft warm lips on mine, I just wanted to melt into him as my stomach erupted into butterflies and a spark of delight ran through my body. Our lips slightly parted, and the tips of our tongues gently moved across one another as our lips stayed practically glued together, I could hear the voice in my head screaming ‘WOW’.

If it wasn’t for the sudden whistles and coos of the rest of the group, I definitely could have kissed him for a lot longer, but we reluctantly parted our lips away, and for a moment we stayed where we were and looked into each other’s eyes. It was the most magical and confusing moment I’d ever had with a guy.