In a Situationship with Mr. Wolf

Chapter 7: No is no

Over a cup of coffee, I watched Tiffany tell me a story about the legendary wolf with her hands. She looked like my Math Teacher who instructs with both her hands agreeing on what she’s supposed to teach, her expression told me that she teaches the lesson already for years, she got a firm and steady eye as she talks and a loud high-pitch voiced that show confidence and never falter.

The difference between Tiffany and my math teacher was she doesn’t want to be a math teacher. She failed the entrance exam at a known university in another city and falls into a college she didn't like. She entered the only available course there and became a math teacher. Her demise did good for her in the end, but the people she knows and her closest friends and family laugh at her secretly as she walks. She’s just another stupid girl who thinks the world revolves around her, but alas! She’s slapped with the truth; no matter how much time you spend on building your plan, it’ll crumble down. I bet she ended up crying at night for weeks asking why her dream didn’t get carried out.

Tiffany looked so arrogant at some point, she held her head with confidence and her smug face confirmed the difference between her and my math teacher. She’s lucky that she can help the legendary wolf. She could come to him and have a conversation, her eyes trusted him much more than he trusted her.

“You can say I’m the maid of this household, but it’s more like I’m the apprentice of the wolf,” she said with a sly smile. We’re in her room. She has a huge walk-in closet on one side and a toilet and bath on the other, it shouts luxurious, her headboard was made of cream materials and her bed looked like it came out of a five-star hotel with a linen satin and pillow cases that looked so soft and fluffy. Her room was clean, nothing too fancy, but it contained only hotels had. I can confirm it because I was on tour when my family went out to tour an eastern country. It’s nothing fancy but it spelled luxurious on every inch, the smell of lavender and pink petals danced on my nose when she swung the door open. Just like the time we did on our tour. It’s a family trip now. It’s never going to happen again.

“So,” I raised my head to Tiffany, who tapped her lap slightly, “anything that you wanted to ask?”

I searched for the appropriate words to ask, the legendary wolf was definitely not just a legend. As per what Tiffany said, she'd live with him and become his apprentice when they both have this house. Does that mean they met mom? But no, I did not come across a human now. They’re wolves, and wolves can eat humans. I should choose the words that come to my mouth well. I don’t want to get to their bad side. I still want to return to the town in one piece.

I shrugged. “Nothing more.” I suppressed my lips and squeezed my hand into my lap. I don’t know much about wolves except for the legends circulating that I learned throughout my life; wolves only have one mate; wolves walk together in packs, and wolves can eat humans if they want to.

“Well then.” Tiffany cleared her throat and stood up, she walked to the door of her bathroom. I thought she needed to go there and just took it lightly even though she left me alone in her room. I roamed my eyes once more and thought of how I should get away from this area. The legendary wolf must be around and there’s a big chance I could run into him. Tiffany’s room was on the same floor as where she caught me.

But I hadn’t contextualized my escape plan yet when Tiffany walked in with a first aid kit in her hands. “I’m going to be the one asking questions.”

She went up behind me and put the kit on the coffee table, my hair stood on my nape when she suddenly pulled my hair up, revealing the side of my neck that I didn’t want anyone to see.

I wanted to stand up but the best I could do was to try to cover it while pulling my hair back.

“Stay still,” she commanded, and my hands went into my lap. I straightened my posture on the seat and let her touch the red-swollen skin that I got when my stepfather pulled mom’s scarf away.

“I want to treat it.” I let Tiffany get cotton balls from the kit and alcohol. The stinging of my skin was bearable, it was just a bit of redness on the back of my neck. I wouldn’t take it lightly if there’s blood spilled in there.

“So, what’s your question?”

Tiffany’s cold compress made me shiver down my spine but it felt so good, it was like a rush of fresh wind was coming to me from the back of my neck. It's calming and beautiful.

“How did you find this house?”

I stopped inhaling the fresh air. My mind recalls the rumors I heard recently. Somehow, no one has ever entered or located the house of the legendary wolf. People tried to find it but they always ended up with dizziness and body aches. Tiffany said I was in the legendary Wolf’s house; I saw it and I entered it. How?

“I just followed the map, thinking of what house I would inherit from my mom. I saw this, and the key fitted. I don’t know why it did.”

“Oh,” Tiffany hummed suspiciously. “Don’t you want to know what the wolf’s doing in the room talking to a tomb?”

“Why would I want to know?” I chuckled nervously, that’s not my business.

“But you got here, don’t you think that is your business?”

I turned around to Tiffany, she was holding a cotton ball in one hand and my hair blew in place as she let go of the hold of it. My brows were knotted as I eyed her suspiciously. Why does she want me to know? If anything, I want to go out of here and leave these embarrassing memories in the woods. She caught me peeking at his door. Was that why she ‘s asking me that question now? I turned to the window beside her, tall trees were circled in the forest like they knew where they stood and no one dared to step into the perimeter of the house. It’s true that the rotten house I inherited looks like a storage house that has been forgotten with age. I don’t want it. I still want this house but the Wolf said it was his house, so I might as well forget that I have inherited a house. Let the wolf’s house be his house. I’ll leave it at that.

I shook my head daintily. “No.”