The girl who cried wolf

Chapter 19

Melissa sat in the hall, preparing for the school dance. There was a buzzing of excitement among the students, as they hung decorations, prepared fruit punch and set up tables.

Melissa applied for the dance committee hoping for a distraction. Something human and seemingly normal for a teenage girl. Melissa missed normal. She missed innocent teenage things. But most of all.... Melissa missed Clara. Clara still hadn't been found, the search parties were thinning and everyone started to forget. Everyone but her. 

Wolf killings were on the front of the local newspapers. Memorials were set up for the teens who no one really liked in the first place, so they gathered dust in the corner of the playground. 

"Melissa, what colour streamers should we put up?" Melissa looked up from the box of balloons she was blowing up. Taylor Hawthorne stood before her.

"Um, maybe school colours? We'll have a lot of other colours, so it'll be good to stick to our basics as well," Melissa replied, Taylor nodded, her eyes were distant and full of misery. 

Taylor Hawthorne was alone. Her friends had deserted her when she needed them most. Taylor had made her decision, she was not like them. Boys didn't interest her anymore. 

"Are you okay?" Melissa asked, genuinely concerned, despite all that Taylor had said and done to her, she'd been down that path and she knew how hard it was. 

"I'm fine." Taylor lied, but then bit her lip, "Actually... No... I'm not sure if I can do this anymore."

"What do you mean?" Melissa asked, knotting a blown up balloon.

"You're so strong, Melissa." Taylor whispered, "You're going through hell, and here you are, blowing up balloons for a silly dance." Melissa shrugged.

"Clara wouldn't have wanted me to mope about. She'd want me to get on with my life. There would be no way she'd allow to be fussed about." Melissa looked up at Taylor, with a smile.

"It feels like these days will never end. People used to love me, or the person who they thought was me, who I made them think was me. But as soon as I showed who I really was, everyone disappeared. I  went from being a social messiah, to an outcast overnight." 

"Whenever my teasing was especially harsh, or there was a nasty rumor spreading through the school about me, Clara would always say, 'If they don't like who you are, then obviously they don't deserve to know you'." Melissa looked up, "Don't let them push you down, Taylor, you're much stronger then you think." 

Taylor wiped at her eyes, before darting away. 

Melissa sighed and went back to the box of balloons. She had a feeling the school dance was going to be anything but normal. 

Charlotte was in a bad mood. How could she let Ivan slip away? The scene kept playing over and over in her head. If only she hadn't hesitated, she would only have three more werewolves to kill. 

As Charlotte approached her family mansion, an overwhelming scent hit her. A smell of hatred, rage, revenge and betrayal. A smell of werewolves.

Charlotte sprung into action, racing to the back door. Her crossbow by her side, she prepared to open the door. As she opened it, the smell became stronger. A werewolf's blood. She crept in, sticking to the shadows.

"Olivia?" Charlotte called cautiously. "Are you alive?"

"In here..." The girl whimpered. Charlotte found Olivia curled up on the lounge, tear tracks down her cheeks and the stench of werewolf lingering on her.

"What happened?" Charlotte demanded, "Why was there a werewolf in my house?"

"His name is Tim." Olivia whispered. Despite Charlotte's anger, she could sense the girl's broken heart.

"Did he hurt you?" Charlotte asked carefully.

"No, not physically at least." Olivia replied, Charlotte frowned deeper.

"I shouldn't have left you alone." Charlotte muttered, "You have as much werewolf experience as a titanium teaspoon-"

"He did hurt me though, Charlotte." Olivia interrupted. Charlotte was quiet for a moment. 

"Werewolves have no feelings, Olivia. You should know that. Their only goal in life is to survive. No matter what it takes." Charlotte looked at Olivia, who's face was cold and distant. 

"I'm ready to do what it takes to avenge Clara." Olivia stood, Charlotte raised her eyebrows, "Let's get some werewolves."