A Bit of Wolf in Her

1. Kevin Bacon

There was a weird buzz around Seaford High School the morning Winnie Miller walked in through the doors. The last time she could remember an atmosphere similar was when she had arrived a month earlier. The buzz had something to do with another newcomer - Winnie was sure of it.

"I heard he's on parole, but Jenny-Lee says that she'd heard from Alex that he got some girl pregnant at his last school and had to transfer."

Gabriela tucked another stray curl back into place as she bounced up and down on her heels next to Winnie. She found her friend's excitement amusing, though she could do little to muster any of her own.

The mysterious return of Elijah Delaney to Seaford seemed to have the entire school in a spin.

According to Gabriela, he'd transferred to another school, but what made it interesting to most people was that he just disappeared one morning. His family offered no explanation, and that was the last they saw of him until that morning. Winnie's experience with other members of the Delaney family had been limited since she came to town herself. Noah Delaney sat next to her in AP English, but that was it.

"Do you think any of the rumours are true?" Gabriela asked as they headed to the cafeteria before first period.

Winnie shrugged. "Remember the rumour about me dating Timothée Chalamet a few weeks back?" Gabriela nodded and Winnie continued. "Well, if that's true, who knows what else might be?"

The two girls snickered, walking arm in arm, but another presence interrupted them, blocking their path further down the hallway.

"Hiya Winnie."

Albert Hall gave the two friends a half-smirk, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans and blonde hair falling into his eyes. Gabriela let go of Winnie's arm.

"I'll see you in the cafeteria," she said, shooting Winnie a meaningful glance before leaving her with Albert.

Winnie turned to the football player in front of her. "Hey Bertie, what's up?"

She knew he hated being called that, but Winnie liked the look on his face each time she did. His cheeks flushed, and he rubbed the back of his neck, looking slightly embarrassed. Like the nickname made him forget he was an almost six-foot five football player, with the entire school kissing the ground he walked on.

"Still with the nickname?" he groaned.

"This coming from a guy who called me Winona Ryder my first week at Seaford, Winnem Dafoe after that, Winzel Washington after that."

He rolled his eyes, but a small tugged on the corners of his mouth. "Okay, okay, I get it. Touché." Albert lifted his hands up in surrender. "There's a party this weekend to kick off the football season and I know parties aren't your thing, but I kind of hoped you'd come."

Bertie must have senses her hesitance because he continued. "It won't even be that big of a party. It's just the guys from the team and a few other close friends. It's more like an intimate get-together."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her other friends make a dramatic show as they passed by them on their way to the cafeteria. Gabriela's brother Miles pulled a face and Winnie resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Sorry Bertie, I'll have to pass." The disappointment on his face made her feel bad, but not bad enough. Winnie smiled at him, patting him on the shoulder, and left before he could try to change her mind. She caught up with her friends, who didn't even try to be subtle about their eavesdropping. Stella, who had been her first friend at Seaford, raised a sculpted brow at her questioningly.