My Clichéd Love Life

Chapter 7 The Attack

"Should we make ourselves scarce, give them some privacy," Ashley whispered in Chloe's ear.

"Where are we supposed to go?"

"Let's say we are going to get firewood, that seems believable right?"

"Okay."

"Lena we are going to get some firewood, you both talk or whatever," Chloe said nonchalantly as both my friends got up to go fetch firewood.

"Why don't I go? Elena can accompany me." Aaron recommended.

"Sure that works too." Replied Ashley with far too much eagerness.

"Come on, let's, go," Aaron called me.

When the campsite was out of sight. I heard Aaron ask,

"You weren't present at the class today, did something happen?"

"There was a commotion at school, So I ditched classes with my friends," I told him. We kept strolling side by side at a steady pace. We had reached quite a distance when my curiosity got the better of me.

"Can I ask you something?" He turned his head halfway and smiled. I took it as a cue to continue my Inquisition.

"I was told long ago that adolescent wolves turn involuntarily every full moon until they reach adulthood. Then they can control the change. The process is said to be very painful for the first few times. Is it the same with you?"

He stopped in his tracks after hearing my question. I realised I should not have asked such a personal question.

"I am sorry. I should not have asked you something so personal. It was wrong of me". He stood there quietly for some time making me feel all the more regretful of my presumptuous behaviour. 

"It is not a secret that I was turned. It's just that no one has ever asked me whether it was painful. It is considered a right of passage amongst shifters. Even for those who have turned".
He told me with a wistful expression. I noticed since I met him this was the very first time that he looked so desolate. Despite his mood, he continued, 

"I do have to turn every full moon but it's not as agonizing as before. Who told you about me? Though the details of my past are not a secret they are not
common knowledge either."

"My sister, she wanted to know if I was serious about you or it was just mere infatuation that I held towards you."

"Hmm so which one is it?" He asked solemnly. I looked at him and instead of replying to his query. I asked, 

"What do you think?"

"Though I don't know a lot about celestials. I do know, 
Like all magical beings, they have predestined mates and I am very sure. I am not yours. So even if I were to accept your feelings, one day you would find your mate and undoubtedly choose him as your life partner, but the thing is. I don't think I can ever let go of someone I love. Mate or no mate. I may be a shifter but I still believe the person I spend my life with should be someone, I love not someone who is destined to be mine, that is why I can't return your feelings however genuine they may be."

"You know this is the first time in my life that I am so enamoured with someone that I can not even think about anything else. I understand where you are coming from but I am not going to ignore my feelings because of a probability. You can take your time deciding whether you feel the same way or not. I can wait for you to decide." I suggested, trying to hide my disappointment.

"We should get back. We have been gone for far too long and haven't even collected firewood so we should hurry." Then I started searching for dry wood.