Never Mine

The Howl

“Those guys did scare you a lot,” Reed asked me.

“Not all of them, just that one guy.” I had to reveal.

A booming sound outside caused me to jump a bit on my seat. It was followed by a bright flash of light visible even through my block curtains. “Besides, it’s raining hard, it wouldn’t be safe to go back to the university. You can wait out till morning here.” I had to say that, to justify why Reed needed to stay.

“I am not saying no but I have an early 7:30 am class tomorrow. I need to go back early to the dorms. You know, get washed and change.” Reed was almost done with his coffee.

“I can wash your clothes. I have a dryer here too. They’ll be ready before morning.” I was saying the truth. I could load up a few of my clothes to clean too.

“So you want me to stay overnight and be naked as you wash my clothes?” Reed squinted his eyes on me, a naughty smile on his face.

“You wish. Of course, I have extra clothes you can use.” I was not certain of that. But maybe one of my larger shirts would fit him. Some of Dad’s old clothes were still neatly tucked in my closet. Maybe Reed can fit in one of those.

“How do you feel about ramen noodles for dinner?” I asked after sipping my coffee mug dry. “I have bread somewhere in the cupboard too.”

“Ramen would be nice.”

“Here, please add some water. I’ll just look for something you could wear.” I placed the cup noodles on the table together with the last few slices of my bread. I really need to go to the groceries tomorrow.

“Where was that shirt? Ah, here.” It was tucked in between my old school uniform from last year. She pulled it carefully. It was Charlie’s Van Halen shirt. I didn’t even know who the band was but the print was so good that it became my favorite shirt, well it was my Dad’s favorite shirt.

I tucked it close to my heart, hoping that I could still smell his scent, make me remember how it felt to be close to him again.

But I knew it was impossible. He was long gone now. And I have washed this shirt several times already. His scent was long gone too.

I proceeded to look for a shorts that would fit Reed. Here, my old jogging pants from last year’s PE class. It was too big but I barely attended PE so it wasn’t a big deal. It was stretchable too. Maybe this would fit him.

“Here,” I handed him the shirt and the pants. “I am not sure about the pants but I am certain that the shirt would fit.

Reed took them and looked at the shirt differently. To my surprise, he moved it close to his face. Was he smelling it?

“Why?” I could not help but ask. “It is clean, but it’s my Dad’s”

Reed nodded. “Yeah, you don’t look like a Van Halen fan. I thought it was your boyfriend’s.” He added.

“Nope,” I kept my answer short. I didn’t want to discuss further. “The bathroom is the blue door on the right. Go and change so I could wash your clothes. I opened my Ramen cup. It was already done. “And this one is done too, we can have our dinner.”

Reed only took around a minute or two to change. Good thing the pants fit, although it was shorter. It only covered up to his knees. Reed stood there showing off his outfit.

I grabbed his clothes and dumped them inside my washer with a few of my clothes too. After adding soap and turning the machine on before heading back to the kitchen table. “Come, let’s eat.” Handing out a pair of spoons and forks to Reed.

“You leave alone? I mean, does your Mom visit you here?” He began asking. He was mixing his noodles, maybe it was still too hot for him.

“No, she kicked me out of her house a year after Dad died so I don’t expect a visit anytime soon.

“Sorry to hear about that.” Reed tried to catch my eyes with him but I was used to avoiding them. Especially from people who feel bad after hearing what my mom did to me.

But I wouldn’t blame her. We lost everything when we lost dad. Literally everything. And she, being a homemaker lost more than I did. She was forced to work, to find a way to pay for the mortgage. 

I was happy when she found someone who would finally take care of her. Even if that meant that he was taking care of her alone. I was not included in the package.

But I was almost an adult so I just grabbed my bags and go. Good thing she didn’t argue about Charlie, my truck. She knew that Dad had long promised to give me that truck when I turned 16. And he did. It was two years ago already but it still felt like yesterday.

“So, how did you afford this? The car?” He was obviously trying to make light conversation.

“The car was a gift.  I had it when my dad gave it to me as a present when I turned 16.” I took a bite from my piece of bread. “This place, I got from the prize money that I got from a writing contest.”

“Really, that explains why you took creative writing, right?” He was pretty enthusiastic. I looked at the clock. It was almost 11 o’clock, an hour before midnight.

“Although I am thinking of joining another contest soon, hopefully, I’ll manage to win and add it up on my savings. College can be quite expensive.”

“Yeah, that’s why I joined the varsity team. I can’t imagine having to be completely dependent on student loans. There’s no coming back after that.

“I agree with that.” She was done with her meal. “Water?”

“Yes, please,” He was done too.

I grabbed my bag and sat on my bed which was just a few inches from the floor. I only had pallets as my bed frame so I really did not have much to offer Reed. I tapped on the space behind me so he could sit with me.

“I really don’t have a lot to offer but I do have a nice camping bed and a warm comforter. I can sleep there, you take the bed.” I was the one who was asking him to stay as a favor so I could at least make his stay comfortable.

“No, you take the bed. I don’t mind really. I am actually that you trusted me enough to ask me to stay.” He looked at me like how those lead actors in the movies look at their love interests. Or maybe I was just assuming. With the line of girls following him at school, I am pretty sure he often gives that look to others.

“The guy was really weird. There’s this air of arrogance in him, maybe even something more. I just can’t explain. Thinking of it actually scares me.”  It was true. I tried not to imagine his face. The guy was good-looking. Slightly dark-skinned with very dark hair. It was tied like a bun behind his head. He had this huge build, almost twice as that of Reed. But his eyes were just scary as hell. As if it was the eyes of a killer. I could not help but shiver.

“Hey, you cold?” Reed noticed.

“A bit I guessed,” I answered as I pull my comforter close to my body. “Can you hand me my bag?” I pointed to his left side.  It was sitting neatly on top of my side table.

“Here.” Reed handed me my bag. I quickly grabbed the journal inside and began flipping the pages.

“This again?” He smiled a bit and moved closer to my side. I offered him my comforter to which he obliged. Our backs were both leaning on the pillows under my makeshift headboard. He covered his lower body with the comforter that I offered. I could feel his legs slightly brushed mine as he extended and relaxed his feet. 

“I kinda like reading it. Do you mind if I continue reading? I am still quite full with dinner.”

“Me too. I guess smelling all those food inside Sucos made me feel mostly full while staying there.”

“Yeah, same here. But the owner is great and the pay is decent so whom am  I to complain right?”

I began reading again while Reed sat by my side. He began reading at the page where I stopped earlier.

“What are you doing here Amaris?

“Just like what I have told you, I was about to wash these clothes in the river.”

“This is one of the most dangerous sides in the forest, you shouldn’t be here,” Lycaon warned her.

“I have already seen far more horrors in this world than a lonely river in a forest. Nothing scares me anymore.” Amaris said, with confidence.

“Why did you run away from me?” I taunted her.

“You were naked. What am I supposed to do, watch you get out of the water in all your naked glory?” She blurted out.

Fair enough, Lycaon thought.

“I should be going now, I will leave you be.” Lycaon told Amaris.

Amaris nodded

“Oh, but how about this towel,” Lycaon asked.

“Take it, you shouldn’t go walking around naked in the forest.” Her voice scolded him a bit.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give it back to you, I promise,” Lycaon said before he started running in the opposite direction. When Amaris turned he was already several meters away from where she stood.”

A loud howl from outside made me jerk, my hands automatically holding on to Reed’s chest.

“Dear God, what was that?” I could feel my body shaking again. Just the way it shook earlier because of that man at Sucos.

“Change of plans,” I told Reed. He was holding my hand too. “Can you sleep beside me instead?”

Reed nodded. Maybe he knew that I was just really frightened.

---

It was hard to pretend not to know what was happening. Good thing Elara decided to ask me to stay. If not, I really didn’t know what I would do so I could stay by her side. Maybe I would end up camping out of her apartment.

Things were happening so fast. Back at Sucos I immediately felt that something was wrong. I could smell Damian’s pack behind all that oil and smoke in the cooking area. I didn’t have to peek outside. I was certain.

And back when his gang was following them, I tried my very best not to be too obvious. I wanted to shift and attack right there and there. But I knew it was not possible.

Especially during the moment, Damian blew air on Elara’s face as he paused beside her. Elara failed to notice but I didn’t. I wanted to tear his throat right there and there.

I need to move Elara away from this place. It was not safe here anymore. The howling outside was Damian’s minions. They were already marking Elara’s place.

I grabbed my phone and sent a message to my pack. A few more minutes and more howling filled the night outside. I could feel Elara moving closer to me.

I pulled her arms a bit so she would move closer so her head would end up leaning on my chest. She did without any retaliation. Hopefully, the sound of my heart beating would drown the sound of the howls outside.