Wolf and Wishes

-4- Danger Alert

Raven is leaning against the sink basin, staring at her reflection in the mirror, while I rant.

"I'm telling you, she's a wolf!" I whisper-shout, and I wince when my voice echoes in the bathroom. Before Gossamer had said another word, I had stood up and asked Raven to accompany me to the toilets. When we were inside, I checked under all the stalls to make sure nobody was in here already, and locked the door. I assume Dexter and Hunter sorted everything out about the tables.

Raven sighs, and she's leaning so close to the mirror that her breath makes it fog up. "Listen, Ri, I believe you. I really do," Raven begins, and I can tell what she's about to say. "but... that doesn't mean she's dangerous. I mean, you aren't dangerous."

"She could be dangerous, though! Would you have even spoken to me when we met if you knew I was the daughter of the Big Bad Wolf?" I ask, trying not to let it show that my thoughts are jumbled.

Raven laughs, but it's a sad sound, with no humor. It's lonely. "Cerise, I'm supposed to become the Evil Queen and attempt to kill my friends. I don't think you can get worse than that."

And I can tell the conversation is over, which makes my stomach feel tight. I want to tell Raven and the others that I'm sick and need to go home, but I can't leave them around a wolf. I have no idea what Gossamer could be like.

So when Raven unlocks the bathroom door and heads out to join the others at our table, I follow her.

"Hey, guys," I say, sliding into my seat next to Hunter.

Gossamer is twirling her hair at Hunter, smiling flirtatiously, which annoys me. Really annoys me. Annoys me so much I want to leap over the table and- wait... Definitely my overprotective wolf side showing up...

Thankfully, Hunter doesn't notice, or maybe he just doesn't care.

"Welcome back," Dexter squeaks, as if he's embarrassed. Why would he be embarrassed? I cast a quizzical glance at Dexter, and then one at Gossamer, who has lost interest in Hunter.

"So, Gossamer, I'm Cerise," I say, smiling as sweetly as I can manage. Part of me, deep down, is raging, maybe my own pit of Hell, and in that small part of me, there is a small section reserved for Gossamer and her stupid wolf-self and hair-twirling finger. Huff. "Daughter of Little Red." I point to my hood and kind of sideways smile, the way they do in the books and the movies. "Obviously."

Gossamer's eyes land on me, and she seems annoyed that I'm speaking. When she opens her mouth to speak, her words come out snidely. "Oh, Cerise. Red. It's a play on words, huh?"

Before I can bite back a retort, Hunter speaks up.

"I don't think there is any play on words with 'Hunter Huntsman'," he jokes, and they laugh, while I kind of smile nervously. Raven notices, and she kicks me in the shins with her shoe beneath the table. I shake my head subtly at her, as if to say I am not calming down, Missy.

"Isn't that an unfortunate name," Gossamer purrs- yes, she purrs- with a sickeningly sweet voice and inches towards him.

"What's unfortunate is being the younger sibling of... shudder... Daring Charming," Dexter laughs. "And I say 'sibling', because I'm not yet convinced he's a guy..."

"Aren't you forgetting about me? Supposed Queen of all Darkness," Raven piques up, and she glares at me, as if telling me to get over it.

So I plaster on a fake smile. "Nah, I think that's reserved for Duchess, wouldn't you say?" And I giggle, Hunter snorts- sooo cute- Dexter kind of laughs/squeaks, and Raven smiles at me appreciatively. Gossamer doesn't laugh. She wouldn't get the joke, having never met Duchess, but she also seems annoyed that everyone is laughing about a joke I made.

"Sooo, Dexter, aren't you gonna ask me about my story?" She says, are high-and-flirty. Raven is instantly narrowing her eyes when Gossamer starts speaking. Of course, she doesn't think anything is wrong with the new girl until she is all over Dexter.

"What's your backstory, Gossamer?" I butt in, and Raven shoots me a 'thank you' look, while I smile innocently.

Gossamer glares at me, and I swear she growls. Instead of pointing it out, though, I listen to her story. "My Mom is a spider. She used to do something like trap children in her webs and eat them. But I don't want to be like her, and I guess she saw that, which is why she transferred me to Ever After."

"She ate children?" Hunter exclaims, horrified.

"She used to," Gossamer shrugs, then smiles, and reaches over to- OMG- pat Hunter on the head. Just like that. I am seething. I want to scream at her. Like, scream at her. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Why aren't you screaming yet? Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream doesn't even sound like a word anymore. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. Scream. What the hell is wrong with her? Scream. Scream. I mean, seriously? Scream. Scream. Scr-

"What can I get you, guys?" The waitress chooses that moment to appear at our table. Just as I had been working it up to scream at Gossamer. Dammit. Maybe another time...

Raven shoots me a sympathetic glance as she orders.

"I'll have a choc-mint milkshake, extra foam and froth, please," I speak monotonously. Hunter and Dexter both get a hot chocolate, which Gossamer teases them about, and I can tell Raven's storm is brewing too.

Hunter nudges me with his elbow. "You okay?" He whispers, while the others chat. I grit my teeth and turn slightly so I can look up at him. He is so much taller than me- and that's saying something, because I'm one of the tallest girls at Ever After.

"Kind of..." I whisper back, and he smiles sadly, as if he wants to help me but he doesn't know how, which is sweet. I shake my head slightly and turn my gaze back to the table. But then Hunter does something- so squee worthy- like, say, I dunno, puts his arm around my shoulders.

Oh. My. God. Ohmigawd.

Of course, this draws everybody's attention to me, and I'm probably freakin' red but I don't care because- OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD.

THIS IS SO SUPER SPECTACULAR AWESOME! NEVER HAVE I EVER BEEN SO HAPPY, AND ALIVE- AND, AND, AND ANYTHING, REALLY!

Hunter smiles, and I stiffen when he leans in to whisper to me- and only me;

"Ashlynn and I broke up."