The Bond

15

"So what, are you guys some kind of couple now?"

"What? No, I don't think Sebastian and I will ever be a couple. It just wouldn't work. Trust me."

"Good, at least you're being pragmatic."

"Yup. Okay enough about me what about you? You never told me what happened with that guy who was abducted and your story."

"Oh that? I decided to give up the story in exchange for the guy. He was an idiot, but I don't want a dead body hanging over my head."

"Does that mean you can tell me what the story was about?"

"No. I still plan on rewriting it."

I stop looking through the shelves of food and stare at my best friend in disbelief.

"Guy gets kidnapped due to your story and you still want to write it? Why?!"

"Because it'll get my family off my back. You have no idea what it feels like being pressured to do something you don't want to do. This story will be the only alternative and will just get them to shut up." Vanessa says with an annoyed expression.

I shrug. I may not know what it feels like to be pressured from your family but I do know that Vanessa's family has been pressuring her to enter the family business since she turned 16 and have expected it from her since before she was even born. So I at least understand why she feels the need to get them off her back.

"Ugh, what why do they have the bad brand of apple sauce?"

"What's wrong with it?" Vanessa asks as she looks over at the label.

"This brand is too sweet. Where's the organic ones? Those are totally delicious."

I'm somewhat of an apple sauce addict and over the years I have acquired a liking for a very specific taste of apple sauce and only one brand offers that kind. It just so happens that they don't sell it in Stop & Shop.

"I seriously don't understand why you're so picky over these things. " Vanessa comments before turning the aisle in search for sweet potatoes. I'm carefully reading the label of another brand when Vanessa comes back around, grabs my elbow and pulls me out of the store.

"What's going on?" I ask her, looking back at our cart of food.

"We have to leave." She mumbles as she picks up her pace. Before we reach the parking lot she stops abruptly, reaches into her pocket, turns around and releases whatever she held in her hand at the person behind us. He screams in agony as the purple dust touches his face.

"Who was that?" I say in fear as Vanessa quickens her pace.

"A werewolf."

"What? Why was he following us?"

"I don't know, be quiet they can hear us." Vanessa mumbles again as she looks around the nearly empty parking lot. Because it's the middle of October, and it's cold as hell outside nobody really wants to shop. The only time we'll see people shopping is next week for Halloween.

We quickly walk towards Vanessa's car and we almost reach it until a group of men pop out from behind some of the cars, guns in their hands.

"Aaah!!!"

Vanessa ignores my scream as she continues to throw the purple dust at the men. Her face relieved of fear as she concentrates on hitting their faces.

"Lia run!" Vanessa yells.

I turn to run but I bump into another man, but this one is smiling arrogantly.

"Hello." He says in a calm voice, I hear a hint of a Russian accent.