My secret (English version)

28.

POV: Nic

I slowly open my eyes and blink into the light. Phew, was that just a dream or did it really happen? What I do know is that I'm completely exhausted. I take a quick look at my alarm clock on the bedside table and see that it's already 12 noon. At that very moment, Finny storms into my room and looks at me in surprise.

"You're still asleep? What's happened? You never sleep this late!" (Finny)

I just look at her and don't say anything, I'm not awake enough for that yet. I shake my head briefly, squint my eyes and sit up. Then I look at my twin again and say in an annoyed tone: "What do you want from me?"

"Ey, no need to be angry right away. I just wanted to ask if you've seen my paint brushes anywhere." (Finny)

"ugh, how am I supposed to know where your brushes are? You're the only painter in the family, 

where did you last see them?" I reply, now even more annoyed than before.

She gives me a sour look: "Are you serious? I can't talk to you normally in the morning, honestly." (Finny)

And with these words, she storms out of my room and slams the door, for which she immediately gets a lecture from Dad that she shouldn't do that. I know she's my sister and I love her with all my heart, but sometimes I hate her like the plague. I'm still sitting up in bed looking round my room. It's all so normal, will it stay like this or will it change as I change?

As I get out of bed and change my clothes, I think a lot about last night. It seems so surreal to me. When will this Holly come back? What will the potion show? I have no idea what to do. I'd better have breakfast first. Then I could practise the saxophone a bit. At least I could distract myself for an hour or two.

No sooner said than done, first I go downstairs and have a toast, then I get my headphones and play the background music to the pieces I'm practising. I just concentrate on the music and the notes. At some point, after I've played each song three times, I don't feel like it anymore and pack up. I look at the clock and realise that I've now been practising for two and a half hours. 

It's now afternoon and I'm reading a book when Finny comes into my room and asks: "I'm playing cards downstairs with Dad, do you want to join?"

I think about it briefly and agree. It's not often enough that we do that anyway. So I go downstairs with her and we play safely for the next two hours until it gets dark outside. At some point, Finny says she wants to take a shower and playing with two people is boring, so I go to my room and Dad switches on the TV. When I get to my room and close the door, I almost scream.

"Ah! Dude! Max, how did you get in here? Why are you hiding in the darkest corner behind the door?" (Nic)

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to make sure you were OK. After last night, I really wanted to check on you again." Max says with worry in her voice.

We sit down on the carpet and look at each other. I stay quiet for a moment and collect my thoughts before I start talking.

"I don't quite know how to deal with it, somehow I find it exciting and cool, but also scary. If it really is what you think it is, what will happen? Will I still be the same?" I just speak my thoughts because I know I can trust Max.

She remains silent for a moment, but then she says: "Well, I understand your concerns. But try to look at it this way, we all change over time. For better or for worse. And I think you should just be who you are and if someone else doesn't like that, then you should distance yourself from them. But at the end of the day, you always have people who love you for who you are. So, of course you will change too, but you can also lead the way. And just because you might be a wolf doesn't mean that you yourself will become a completely different person. It would be a part of you, and it would be true to who you are."

I nod and think about her words. She's right, everyone changes over time, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

We just sit there for a while, not talking, but it's not an awkward silence.

But suddenly Max jumps up and floats to the ceiling in the corner behind the door. I'm about to ask what she's doing, but just then my mum opens the door and gives me a pile of fresh laundry to sort. I thank her and she leaves. I close the door completely while Max comes out of the corner again. We sit down on the carpet again and then we both start laughing. I don't think it will be the last time something like this happens, but it's still really funny. We talk briefly and then Max leaves.

As she hangs in the window, she says: "I'll let you know when it's time. I'll come here straight away. It will probably be in three days' time."

I nod and she smiles again to say goodbye and flies off into the darkness. Shortly afterwards, I shower and go to bed, because tomorrow is the last week of school. This week is really pointless, no teacher is doing anything and everyone is already in a holiday mood. We'll probably just play games tomorrow and on Tuesday we're planning to go to the cinema with the whole class.

I'll be in bed by about 10 pm and fall asleep quickly.

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So, Nic has a lot of thoughts. Feel free to write your guesses in the comments.

LG jo_wolve