My Best Friend's Werewolf

Eye Issues Again Part 2

Breakfast is awkward.

Though maybe only for me. Hanna sits next to me, and Travis is diagonal to me, next to his mom. He lifts an egg filled fork to his mouth, staring at me. He has yet to inform his sister of our date. Does this mean he'll have to tell his parents as well?

I feel my cheeks heating up, and I duck my head, cutting another piece of my pancake off with my fork.

Oh and that's not the worst of it. Every minute Hanna pokes her finger into my leg. The message is clear to me. If she sees anything or if I say anything that even remotely suggest me telling her parents about Travis missing last night, she'll reveal the false atrocity of me wanting to kiss her brother while he's sleeping.

I mean, do I look like a creeper?

Mrs. Briar dabs her cloth napkin at the corner of her mouth. "How are you enjoying yourself, Addy?"

I lower my fork that I was moments away from placing in my mouth. Hanna jabs my thigh, her nail digging into my skin. A piece of bacon hangs from Travis' mouth.

"Yes. Last night was so sweet of you. The weather was wonderful too."

Coughing, Hanna returns her glass of juice to the table. "Even if the evening was weird."

"They were only my friends," Travis says.

"Seemed more like freaks to me. " Hanna sloshes the purple liquid around in her cup before taking a sip. "I mean they went chasing after that wolf.

Mrs. Briar shoots her a reprimanding look. "Hanna."

"Sorry."

Their father folds his hands, resting his elbows on the cherry red dining table. "What are you kids doing today?"

Hanna and I share a sidelong glance. I haven't had much luck with the woods and we seem to be unwelcome at the beach.

"Hanna, could you and Addy make sure you don't plan anything together Saturday evening?" Travis scratches the back of his neck. "Addy and I are planning on going down into the town then."

My face drains of color. He couldn't have waited till we had Hanna alone?

She grips my hand from where it is on my lap and squeezes. "By all means. We'll just go to the mall Sunday."

I turn my head. "There's a mall?"

"A few towns over. It's not big, but the whole place is having a sale."

Travis absentmindedly drums his fingers on the edge of his white ceramic plate. "I'll be staying at Hunter's Friday night."

Friday's the night of the full moon. He and Hunter better not be contriving to mingle with any gangs. Or try to stop them for that matter.

I try to conceptualize Hunter and Travis facing a gang in the woods. But I can only visualize the gang as the Mafia, wearing pin stripped suits and cooking up Moonshine. And then I see the two boys knocking it over and being chased up the mountain. A laugh breaks its way out of my mind. In return I earn confused stares.

"Is there something funny about me going to Hunter's?" His tone is icy. I swear he's becoming more irritable as each day passes. And him being mad at me only serves to make this more awkward as we are supposedly going on a date in everyone else's minds.

"No, I just remembered something funny."

Before he can respond, Hanna breaks in smiling at each one of us, and I can see the four year-old in her seeping out. "You can do whatever boring stuff it is you do today, Travis. But Addy and I have plans to build a fort."

"Excuse me?" I don't recall this.

"I already have all the pillows and sheets gathered up." She grins proudly. "I even took the liberty of claiming the couch cushions."

We all, except Hanna, who is sitting stock-still in her seat, looking smug, turn our heads simultaneously to look at the cushionless couch. The blue trim remains, but the rest of it is a meshy tan material.

Hmm, sounds fun.

I try to smile creepily at Hanna--like she often does--but it probably strikes more as a clown. I guess that's the look I'm trying to achieve anyway. "I'm in."

I hope you're enjoying the story. I'm really trying not to make this so cliche, and I hope it's working. Thank you for reading. I think the next chapter will be when the full moon finally takes place.