Of course I was acting childish; I knew that.
I ignored her and hurried along the garden path.
My mother bellowed at me. ‘You’ll be back within a couple of hours,’ she said.
I marched away from the house, with my mother screaming at me. Neighbors poked their heads out of doors and windows, wondering what the commotion was. I ignored them all and rounded the corner so they couldn’t see me anymore.
I walked for fifteen minutes, until I reached a local park, where I sat down on the swing set, my body aching. I was exhausted after the episode last night.
My mother was right; I had no friends or family I could stay with. I couldn’t go to Mr. Stone’s house; he’d never allow it.
Storm clouds were forming overhead, and I could hear thunder in the distance. Just my luck; of course it was going to rain. I checked my watch; it was still several hours till Tom finished work.
I almost called him, but changed my mind at the last second. I called Estelle instead.
The phone rang three times before Estelle picked up.
‘Mmmh? Hullo?’
‘Sorry, Estelle. It’s Rose. Did I wake you?’
‘Huh? Oh, yeah. It’s okay. What’s up?’
‘Are you busy?’
She paused. ‘Uh … busy sleeping.’
‘Besides that,’ I rolled my eyes.
‘I’ve got my shift at the café at four … but apart from that, nothing. Why? What’s wrong?’
I licked my lips nervously. ‘Estelle … do you think you can pick me up?’
‘Oh … yeah, okay. When?’
‘Now.’ Thunder rumbled overhead, and I shivered.
‘Now?’ she repeated. ‘Where are you?’
I looked around. ‘I’m at the park on the corner of Helena Way.’
‘I thought you were sick? What are you doing outside? It’s freezing.’
‘I’ll explain when you get here,’ I said. ‘Please?’
‘All right, all right.’ I heard Estelle shuffling about on the other end. ‘Give me five minutes to get dressed, and I’ll be there soon, okay?’
‘Thank you so much,’ I breathed.
‘Yeah, yeah. See you soon.’
After Estelle hung up I began to swing back and forth on the swing-set. It took twenty minutes for her to arrive.
As soon as she pulled up on the corner I jumped off the swing, grabbed my bag and ran to the car.
‘Hey,’ I said, opening the door. ‘Can you pop the trunk open?’
‘What’s in the bag?’ she asked at once.
‘It’s all my stuff,’ I said.
‘Your stuff?’ she said with wide eyes before I ran to the back of the car and threw my bag in. ‘I thought I was just picking you up!’
‘You are,’ I said, slamming the trunk shut before jumping into the passenger seat.
‘Why do you have all your things in it?’ Estelle asked.
‘I’m leaving home,’ I told her, closing the passenger door.
‘Leaving home? Girl, you’re only seventeen. Where are you going to go? You can’t stay at my place. I’m renting with three other girls, there’s no room-’
‘Don’t worry,’ I said, waving a hand. ‘I’m not staying with you. I just need somewhere to hang out until Tom finishes work at four.’
‘Tom?’ she repeated. ‘That teacher?’
I nodded, and Estelle stared at me, a weary look in her eyes.
‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?’ she asked cautiously.
I sighed exasperatedly. ‘Can you please let me hang out at your place until four?’
Estelle sighed. ‘All right … but I don’t agree with this.’
My phone was ringing off the hook the entire day. My mother and father left over thirty voice messages, and fifty text messages. I ignored them all. I’d had enough of their superficial life, and wanted nothing to do with it. Mr. Stone was the only real person in my life at the moment. He’d help me; I knew it.
I tried calling him during the lunch hour at school, but he didn’t pick up his phone.
Understandable
, I thought.
Maybe he keeps it off during school hours.
I decided to leave him a voice message to listen to when he finished work.
‘Um … hey, it’s me, Rose. I need a favor … can we meet tonight? I won’t be at home, so if you can pick me up at Estelle’s place I would really appreciate it.’ I left her address for him before hanging up. Hopefully he would call me back as soon as he finished work.
It was an uncomfortable few hours at Estelle’s little house. Many people visited through out the day, including sleaze-bag Spider, who didn’t seem to recognize me as that woman-dressed-in-red at the house party. True, I looked a mess; my hair was frizzy and my clothes (or rather, Mr. Stone’s) didn’t fit.
‘Oh, it’s you,’ said Spider when he realized who I was. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘She won’t be here long, and neither will you,’ said Estelle, who was getting ready for her shift at the café. It was three o’clock; the time Mr. Stone would finish work at school. I was anxiously waiting for him to call me back.
Estelle and Spider retreated into the kitchen together while I sat in the living room watching awful television shows. I could hear every word they were saying.
‘You got the stuff?’ Spider muttered.
‘Yeah.’ There was much rustling and shuffling about. ‘Four ounces.’
I could hear a plastic bag being shaken, and the rifling of money. Was I really hearing a drug exchange? I knew Estelle smoked weed every now and then; there was a huge glass bong on her bookshelf, but I had no idea she sold the stuff. Did she grow it too?
‘Great. Hey, what’s with the kid? Is she buying too?’
‘No,’ Estelle replied. ‘She’s doing the teen thing and leaving home.’
Spider chuckled. ‘She can stay with me if she likes.’
Estelle made a disgusted noise. ‘Ugh. You idiot.’
At that moment my phone began to vibrate, making me jump. I had been so absorbed in eavesdropping; I’d forgotten that I was expecting a call. At first I thought it would be my parents again, but I was ecstatic to see that it was Tom. I answered it almost immediately.
‘Hello!’ I said, far too breathlessly.
‘Hey, what’s going on? You sounded upset in your voice message.’
‘Yeah … um … are you able to pick me up?’
‘I’ve got a lot of homework to grade,’ he said slowly. For a moment I feared he was going to say no.
‘Please?’ I asked, my voice breaking. ‘It’s urgent.’
He seemed to sense the desperation in my voice, because he agreed.
‘Okay, okay. I’ll pick you up on my way home.’
‘Thank you,’ I said.
‘See you soon.’
‘I … yeah. See you.’ I’d almost said
I love you
before hanging up the phone, as a reflex. What a disaster that would have been.
Just as my phone call ended, Estelle and Spider emerged from the kitchen.
‘Hey, kid,’ Spider said, standing in front of the television and watching me.
‘Hey, you,’ I smirked. I had not forgotten the move he had played on me at the party. ‘How’s your face?’
Spider glared. ‘I had a black eye for days. You can tell your friend that if I run into him, I’ll return the favor.
I chuckled. ‘Stick around, tough guy. He’ll be here to pick me up soon.’
‘Maybe I will-’
‘All right, all right,’ Estelle said, shoving Spider towards the door. ‘Get out of here.’
‘Bye Spider,’ I said with a laugh, waving at him.
He scowled as he was marched from the room.
Once he was gone, Estelle came and sat by me on the sofa.
‘Why are you hanging out with this teacher so much?’ she asked.
I shrugged. ‘He’s a nice guy … he’s my friend.’
‘Is that all?’ Estelle asked, her dark eyes searching mine.
I wanted to talk about my complicated relationship with Mr. Stone so desperately, but I worried that no one would understand. After all, he’d asked me to keep it a secret.
‘Yes, that’s it.’ I lied. ‘A completely plutonic friendship.’
Estelle went to get changed into her work uniform while I remained in the sitting room, eagerly awaiting Tom’s arrival. I jumped up from the sofa when I heard a car horn sound on the street. Peering through the window, I was ecstatic to see Mr. Stone waiting for me.
‘He’s here, Estelle!’ I bellowed, running across the living room and grabbing my bag.
Estelle hurried into the room and peered through the window too.
‘Gosh, he is adorable,’ she said.
‘Thanks for letting me hang out here,’ I said. ‘I’ll see you at work on Monday, okay?’
‘Okay. Be careful!’
I agreed and quickly left her house, towing my heavy bag along with me.
When Mr. Stone saw me carrying it, he jumped out of the car to help.
‘What’s all this?’ he asked, meeting me halfway up the drive.
‘I’ll explain everything in the car,’ I said as he took the bag and carried it for me. ‘Thanks.’
I went onto my toes to kiss his cheek, but he leaned away, his expression apologetic.
‘It’s heavy,’ he said in an attempt to take control of the conversation. ‘What’s in here? Potatoes?’
‘Something like that,’ I smiled.
I let Mr. Stone carry the bag to his car where he placed it in the back seat as I buckled myself in. I waved goodbye to Estelle who was watching us from her sitting room window.
‘How was work?’ I asked as Mr. Stone slid into the driver seat.
‘A nightmare,’ he sighed wearily. ‘I’m exhausted.’
He did look extremely tired; large, dark circles were under his eyes.
‘Me too,’ I said, reaching over to take his hand. I couldn’t be sure if he did it on purpose, by he slid his hand out of the way before I managed to touch it.
‘Let’s go,’ he said, and together we rumbled down the street.
‘I missed you,’ I said, watching him for a response.
He scoffed. ‘It’s only been a few hours, Rose.’
‘I know.’ I felt foolish.
‘So what’s with the bag?’ he asked.
‘It’s all my stuff,’ I said.
‘All your stuff?’ Mr. Stone raised an eyebrow. ‘You going somewhere?’
‘I can’t stay with my parents anymore, so I left.’
Mr. Stone swerved the car, narrowly missing another vehicle in the opposite lane. ‘You
what
?’
I scratched the back of my head nervously. ‘Um, yeah. I thought … I could-’
‘You thought you could stay with me?’ he asked.
‘I’ve got nowhere else to go,’ I said, with wide eyes. ‘My parents don’t have time for a – a - a … werewolf daughter. I want to stay with you, and be free when the full moon comes. We can be together, like a – a -’
‘Like a pack?’ he finished my sentence for me.
I nodded. ‘Don’t you want that?’
He sighed, exasperated. ‘Of course, Rose. I’ve wanted to share this with someone for many years now … but you have to go home to your parents. At least until you’re eighteen.’
I knew he was right, but refused to admit it. Mr. Stone saw my watery eyes and caved at once.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, reaching over and holding my hand.
‘Can’t I stay, just for a couple of nights? Until things at home mellow out?’
He appeared to be considering it.
‘One night,’ he bargained. ‘That’s all, and then you can go home to your parents.’
‘Okay,’ I agreed, thinking that I could try and extend the stay in the morning.
Mr. Stone drove me to his house, looking extremely paranoid. He was afraid we were going to be caught. I told him numerous times not to worry, that no one would pay us any attention. This did little to calm his nerves.
Mr. Stone carried my bag into his bedroom and placed it at the foot of the bed.
‘I don’t have a spare bedroom,’ he told me. ‘So you … uh … you can sleep here if you like.’
I nodded.
‘I’ll sleep on the couch if you want me to,’ he said, rocking on the balls of his feet.
‘No,’ I said. ‘We can share.’
He smiled, and finally embraced me in his arms now that we were in the privacy of his home.
‘I’m sorry,’ he sighed against my hair. ‘I wish there was more I could do. It's just so difficult. If I could have it my way, you’d never leave.’
‘Really?’ I asked, pulling away and looking up at him.
‘Of course,’ he said with a charming smile. ‘Don’t you know I adore you?’
‘I worry sometimes,’ I admitted. Mr. Stone’s hot and cold attitude towards our relationship was extremely confusing.
‘Let’s run away.’
He smirked. ‘And where would we go?’
I shrugged. ‘Anywhere.’
He laughed. ‘Shall we live in the woods, naked and free?’
I slapped him playfully. ‘I’m serious.’