Wolf and Wishes

-2- Wonderland's Haberdashery and Tea Shop

Raven meets me by the doors of Wonderland's Haberdashery and Tea Shop.

"Once again, glad you could make it. Promise you I'll help with you're assignments," she smiles and tugs my arm, pulling me inside.

The Haberdashery never ceases to amaze me.

Maddie greets me with a maniac smile and offers me a cup of tea, which I decline. Raven takes hers, and I spot Hunter and Dexter near the row of hats. We head over to them, just as Dexter takes a purple Fedora hat with a purple feather sticking out of the rim off one of the racks, and asks Hunter- 'Do you think Raven would like this?'

I wouldn't have heard it if it weren't for my stellar hearing, thanks to my wolf.

Before Hunter can reply, we join them. Hunter smiles at us, and I can feel my heart doing back flips. Or is that my stomach? I'm suddenly glad I didn't take Maddie's tea...

"Hey," Dexter squeaks, like he's nervous. He holds the Fedora behind his back, and I don't think Raven notices it. He'll probably buy it when Raven isn't looking, my guess.

Raven and Dexter launch into a conversation about whatever it is they talk about, surprisingly quickly, so I turn to Hunter.  I point a finger at them and roll my eyes. Hunter laughs and it's suddenly hard to contain my smile.

"So, we're meeting the Gossamer girl here, right?" I ask, but Hunter shakes his head.

"I think Dexter just wanted to get something for Raven," Hunter says, and I check to see if Raven or Dexter heard, but they're too busy talking. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure we're meeting the new girl at Hocus Latte."

"Cool beans," I mutter, and instantly regret it. But Hunter just grins and Raven suddenly announces that we should get with the 'shopping'. Hunter doesn't seem to happy about this, but Dexter seems too happy to have the chance to sneak off and buy the hat. Just before he reaches Maddie, I tap him on the shoulder and say-

"Raven will love the hat."

He spins around, and he blushes. Like, blushes. The darkest red I've ever seen, darker than my hood. He stutters. "Y-you won't... tell her, w-will you?"

"Course not. Your secrets safe with me," I smile, and he mumbles a 'thanks', for keeping the secret, or telling him Raven would love the hat, I guess I'll never know.

In one of the many hat aisles, I find a small top-hat, which looks incredibly cute, with a red ribbon that wraps all the way around and forms a bow at the front. It has a thin, red leather headband attached to it so it can fit properly.

Raven appears at the end of the aisle, and when she sees me with the hat, she immediately bounds towards me and places it over the top of my hood. She knows about how I'm part wolf, and I mentally thank her.

"Oh my God, Cerise! You need to get that," she chirps, and I smile slightly, about to take it off, but Raven stops me.

"I don't know, it's weird," I begin, but Raven cuts me off.

"No, it's cute, and if you don't believe me, ask Cedar," Raven disagrees. "Or, better yet, Hunter."

Once again, she knows me too well. "Fine," I give in, and head off to find Maddie, sure I'd seen her talking to Dexter near the front doors earlier.

Instead, I run into Hunter. When he sees the hat, he grins, his stunning smile, which makes my legs feel like jelly. "Nice hat," he says it likes he's teasing me, but his smile is genuine, so I say,

"Thanks. Have you seen Maddie?"

"Nah. You know, sometimes I think she's related to Kittie, cause I swear she disappears at the best of times."

"Too true," I laugh, and Hunter's smile grows wider... Like an adoring smile. But before I can think anything of it, he glances over my shoulder.

"There's Maddie," he says, and I thank him, turning around. Maddie is trying to convince Dexter that he can have a discount, but with all of his princely charm, he's not accepting.

When I approach Maddie, she looks up, shoves the Fedora and Dexter's money into his hand and bounces towards me. "Do you want that?" She asks, and before I can say anything, she's speaking again. "Great! Don't worry bout the money, you're my friend! Besides, it'd be a crime to not give that to you for free, it looks so good on you!"

Once again, before I can argue, or even make up my mind that I want to pay, she bounds off to greet another customer.

Raven sidles up next to me and kind of squeaks. "Guess what time it is? Time to meet the new kid!"