Lone Wolf

Chapter 10

When I finally get the chance to break free from my family I make my way in town.

In the distance I see Willow. She's alone.

I follow her back to the subway.

"Um, hey."

"Aren't you supposed to be with your family?"

"I managed to give them the slip, what about you?"

She doesn't reply. Her silence leaves the air feeling hollow.

"Um, anyway. You choosing a new spot to paint on?" I try changing the subject to bring some life to this dead air.

"Yeah." She replies.

"Well um, maybe that one?" I point nervously hoping she doesn't reject my choice.

"Ok." She willing accepts my suggestion I begins instantly.

After sometime painting we go back to sitting in silence.

"Sooo, who taught you how to paint?"

My voice cuts through the silence like scissors cutting through paper.

".............. My father." Sorrow fills her tone.

" He must be some artist."

"He was." She is no longer portraying her intimidating persona and emotions slowly break through her voice.

"W,was?"

"My parents.......... They died when I was ten."

Stunned by this discovery stutter my words, trying to apologize.

"I'm...... I'm so sor.........."

She cuts me off, revealing an underlying feeling of anger in her voice.

"Don't say it. I don't want your petty."

Despite being told not to I still can help but apologize. " Sorry."

".........Thanks anyway." To my suprise she still ends up excepting my condolences.

"Well um........ What did your mother do?"
I try diverting the conversation without straying to far away from the subject.

"She was an author. These books are the only thing I have left of her." I watch as she slowly removes thick books from her satchel.

"Can I see them?"

"No. " She replies aggressively.
Though I am not surprised.

"You should probably go." I appears she does not want my lingering presence around anymore.

"Yeah, um, I'll see you around."

As I walk away she calls back to me. "Hey."

I look back, confused yet hopeful.

"If you tell anyone about this I'll drain all your blood and feed your body to rats."  She then reverts to her normal intimidating self.

"Um, right." My family is probably wondering where I am. I should get back.

I then see Duncan, he's with his family.

I shouldn't disturb them.

As I turn the other direction Duncan notices me and like a puppy to it's owner he makes his way towards me. " Mom and Dad, this is Lycan I told you about."

He's been talking about me. I don't like that.

"Nice to meet you, Duncan has told us lots about you." His mother embraces me with a warm hug.
"Um, nice to meet you too."

"It's good to see my son's finally fitting in." His father however greets me with a firm hand shake.

After a few back and forth banter I leave. Small talk is something I rarely entertain.

I see Catherine. She's with her family too. Strange, I thought her entire family was as colourful as her but it's not.

I take deep breaths in and out while I wait till she notices me.

Now.

I wave my hand to her.

She sees but she doesn't wave back

Her parents notice me as well. They don't seem amused.

I watch as they walk away.

They don't like me.

They probably want her to stay away from me.

When I finally get to my family they seem unfazed. I guess they don't really notice when I'm around.

Eden, my sister then asks me to head to the stores with her, she'd like to buy a few things before they leave tomorrow.

I agree, reluctantly.

As she shops she asks questions, digging out information like a miner looking for gold.

"So, got any friends?"

"Just one, if you could call him a friend." I reply.

"What about girls?"

I look at her unamused by her foolish question. " I don't know if you noticed but I'm not exactly what girls deem approachable."

"C'mon, there has to be at least one." My mind thinks back to Catherine.

"Ok there is one but we're not exactly talking anymore." And just like that she wants more information.

"What happened?"

"Let's just say I wasn't the right guy for her."
She turns back at me handing me all her items she's about to buy.

"Maybe that's what you think. I mean if you weren't the right guy why did she like you in the first place?" She then walks to the cashier with me following behind.

"Who said she liked me?"

"Lucky guess." Her perception is too good for my liking.

When we get back my father looks grim, but then again, when doesn't he look grim.