The Amazing Wolf Boy

Part 36 - Caught

Friday, I caught her in the hall outside World History. I grasped her arm so she wouldn't run away. "I'm not going out with another girl," I said.

She met my eyes. "Okay, then. Where are you going?"

"I can't tell you."

"Is it a secret?"

That sounded like a trap, and I hoped that by not answering I wouldn't step into it. Of course, it never turns out that way.

"That's the thing." Her voice rose. "Friends don't keep secrets from one another."

"So what are you saying? I'm not your friend?"

"I have to go."

"You aren't being fair," I wailed. "There are things about me you don't understand."

She pursed her lips, and I faltered. Even angry, she was beautiful.

"Look," I said, "it's just this one thing. I'll tell you anything else you want to know."

Brittany paused. "If I was hiding something and you asked me flat out about it, I would tell you."

I stared at her, knowing it was true. But she didn't have a secret like mine. If I told her, she'd call me a monster and I would lose her. If I didn't tell her, I would lose her anyway. "Brittany, please. Can't you just trust me?"

She wrenched her arm from my grasp and walked away. I stood there dumbstruck in the middle of the hall with kids streaming to either side. I felt like cutting the rest of my classes, but that wouldn't do any good. I stuck it out.

At lunch, I grabbed a Dew and sat alone at my table. I didn't look to see if Brittany showed up. I wished I had someone to confide in. Someone like Uncle Bob, who always listened and never judged.

"Hi," said a voice.

I looked up, trying to place the face. "Jana, right?"

"Right."

"Happy birthday."

"Oh, thanks." She smiled, showing deep dimples. "Are you coming? To my party, I mean."

I shook my head. "Sorry. I'm busy."

"Come on." She swung her hips and tossed her ponytail. "We'll have fun."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Brittany. She walked toward me, then stopped, her face falling. My insides wrenched. She was coming to speak to me, and here I was with this stupid, insignificant—

"Cody?" Jana giggled.

The wolf snapped, and my voice roared. "I don't want to go to your stinking party."

She looked alarmed, then outraged. If looks could kill, I'd be a smear on the table. She stormed away, ponytail swishing.

My head bowed into my hands. Brittany had been coming to see me. I blew it again.

I managed to get through to the end of the day without yelling at anyone else. Just before Shop, Lonnie and Maxwell grabbed me in the hall. The last time we'd spoken, they blamed me for getting Eff kicked off the football team.

I was glad to see them, but feigned disinterest. "Are you two talking to me again?"

"Come with us," Maxwell said.

They led me to the bathroom near the office.

Lonnie pulled out his phone. "Have you seen this? There are new photos on your fairy page."

I took the phone, expecting to see more shots of me posed with the snow globe. Instead, I saw pictures of me tied in the trees. Good photos. Taken with a good camera. With a zoom.