Imperfect Life: Arc 7

Chapter 20

The next day, Brandon and Crys made their way back to school almost as if nothing had happened the day prior. The first batch of classes for the day were dull and tedious, then it was time for lunch.

As Crys and Brandon took their seats at the lunch table, they saw Tomas and Emma already there waiting for them.

As soon as Crys got seated, she spoke up. "Emma." She said, sounding a little out of it, but much more like herself. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what I said yesterday... and to you too, Tomas.I-I shouldn't have been so mean to either of you. I'm sorry."

Tomas gave a glance to Brandon, but his expression didn't clue him into anything. "Thanks, Crys." He said.

Emma gave a little nod of acknowledgement. "All is forgiven." She said.

"So... what happened with you yesterday?" Tomas asked. "I heard you almost broke Connor's wrist."

"How'd you hear about that?" Crys asked nervously.

"Connor said something about it and it spread around." Tomas said flatly.

"Oh..." Crys said glumly.

"Is it true?" Tomas asked.

"Yeah, it is." Crys replied.

"Why'd you finally do something? I thought you were going to try and just ignore it, then yesterday you just snapped and threatened to fight him in the middle of lunch." Tomas asked, genuinely interested.

"Yesterday I- well, uh..." Crys trailed off, not really having an easy way to put it without also revealing what had been going on.

Tomas furrowed his eyebrows, confused.

"She had a rough day." Brandon spoke up in Crys' place.

"What happened?" Tomas asked, getting a little more serious.

Crys sighed. "Look, I'm fine... Yesterday I just, couldn't control myself. I uh, um..." She struggled.

"Alright, what's going on?" Tomas asked, knowing something wasn't being said.

"Tomas, it's just-" Brandon started to say.

"I want her to tell me." Tomas interrupted, rude, but not as rude as he could've been.

Crys struggled to find the words. "I... I uh..."

"Crys, quit keeping things from us, it isn't fair." Tomas said.

"I-I know you and Emma hate when I keep things from you, but right now-"

Tomas scoffed. "Of course there's an excuse..." He said, frustrated.

"Look!" Crys exclaimed in a hushed, serious, tone. "I can't tell either of you. Neither of you are safe, okay? If either of you know what's going on, then you'll both be in serious trouble."

"We can help, Crys!" Tomas replied in a similarly controlled volume.

"No you can't!" Crys replied with a tinge of fear in her tone.

"You don't know that!"

"Yes, I do! Please, just this once, believe me when I say that you're safer not knowing." She begged. "I can't let either of you get hurt, and if either of you know, then both of you will get hurt."

"But he can know, right?" Tomas said in reference to Bandon.

"He didn't have a choice!" Crys said harshly. "I'm living with him, and since he knows I'm a werewolf, he's already in huge trouble! It's a miracle nothing happened to him yet!"

"Crys, both Emma and I know you're a werewolf already, doesn't that mean we're already in danger?" Tomas responded.

"He doesn't know, and that's what matters. If he knows you know, then you'll both be in just as much danger as Brandon." Crys muttered.