Mon. cont.
They reach the city half an hour later and before they leave the forest, Maiman changes into her wolf form and Takeshi changes into his human form. As Takeshi walks into class, everyone looks at him.
"Grab a seat," Mr.Norio sighs as he walks in.
"Everyone still coming to the study session?" Nathan asks as he, Ren, Eclipse, Takeshi, and Maiman walk through the hallways after school.
"I'm a bit tired," Takeshi looks at Eclipse.
"But you said you were going to go!" Eclipse glares at him.
"Fine," he lets out an annoyed sigh.
"Ren are you still coming honey?" Nathan looks at Ren as he holds her hand.
"Sure," she shrugs.
"Great!" Nathan smiles.
Takeshi lays his head down on the table as they sit in the library.
"Ok, I'm going to go find that book," Eclipse stands up and walks off.
"Babe, do you want to come help me print some of these papers?" Nathan smiles at Ren.
"No, I'll stay here," she sighs.
"Ok honey," he kisses her cheek before getting up and walking off. Ren glances at Takeshi awkwardly as Maiman laid on the floor, half awake.
"So, what happened earlier?" She studies him. Takeshi stays quiet, only letting out a long sigh. "Takeshi?"
"I'm not one for small talk," his voice rumbles quietly.
"Well, I…" Ren starts.
"Look, we don't have to be friends," Takeshi lifts his head and their eyes lock. "I'm only here because Eclipse and Nathan seem to have become friends and Eclipse is my girlfriend so I'm not going to leave her alone around some random new guy."
"Takeshi…" Ren starts again but he cuts her off.
"I think that it would be best for both of us if we weren't friends, ok? I'm taken and I see you are as well so, there's nothing here. There never will be. And, there never has been," he pauses for a second, his heart twisting inside of him as Maiman looks up at him. "I'll still be nice to you but I'm not going out of my way to be. As you've said before, I'm a monster. Typically monsters and humans aren't friends so why should we be?"
"Then why are you and Eclipse dating?" Ren feels her face turn red in frustration.
"Because she doesn't view me as a monster," he nearly growls.
"Hi honey, everything ok?" Eclipse walks back over to the table with a few books in her hands.
"Yeah, just perfect," Takeshi takes his eyes off of Ren and looks at Eclipse with a smile.
"Ok," Eclipse says as she sits next to him, placing the books on the table. Ren studies Takeshi quietly, her face still red as her hands are curled into fists. She suddenly stands up, pulling a hand to her face.
"I'll be right back, I have to go to the bathroom," she rushes off out of the library, past Nathan who's carrying a few papers.
"What was that about?" He asks as he gets to the table.
"I have no idea, maybe I should go check on her," Eclipse shrugs and stands up.
"No, let Maiman do it," Takeshi whispers into her ear. She looks down at Maiman who looks back at her then at Takeshi before rushing off after Ren.
Ren sat in one of the women's bathrooms on a bench, her hands against her face. Maiman nudges the door open and looks around to make sure no one else is in the bathroom before she changes into her human form.
"Ren," Maiman walks over and sits next to her.
"What do you want?" Ren whimpers, her voice shaking.
"He's struggling Ren. He did the same thing after Vena died. He just pushed everyone away and put this mask on for everyone else," Maiman lets out long sigh.
"So what?" Ren lets out a small growl as she speaks.
"Last Wednesday, when he didn't come to class, he wasn't on an assignment. That Thursday when he came into class with all of those cuts and bruises and the black eyes… Ryland did that and Takeshi basically…" Maiman starts but gets cut off by a female student walking in. She stays quiet and doesn't look at the girl. After a few minutes the girl leaves and Ren looks at Maiman.
"He showed me Maiman. He showed me what really happened with Oliver," tears were streaming down Ren's face.
"I, I know," Maiman sighs. "He told me."
"All of these years I thought he was the monster, and, all the things I said to him when I finally realized that it was him… Maiman I said horrible things," Ren locks eyes with her.
"I know Ren, and you had good reason to seeing as you didn't see the whole picture," Maiman lets out a long sigh.
"Maiman I really did like him, but, now, I don't know what to do," Ren whimpers.
"He just, I don't know. I don't know either, I'm sorry," Maiman looks at the floor.
"Maiman what happened last week? What were you going to tell me about?" Ren looks at her, her face still red.
"Well, basically, Takeshi was going to let Ryland…" Maiman starts but Eclipse walks in.
"I figured you two were in here. Takeshi went home. He started to look really pale and was spacing out so I told him to just go home," Eclipse gives Ren a small smile when she walks in.
"Ok, well, I guess I should go make sure he got home. I'll see you girls tomorrow," Maiman lets out a long sigh before standing up and changing into her wolf form. She leaves the bathroom soon after that, Eclipse opening the door for her.
"Eclipse? What happened last week with Takeshi and Ryland?" Ren looks at Eclipse after Maiman's gone.
"I… he… we can talk about it later," Eclipse sighs. "I'll meet you back in the library."
As Maiman reaches their house, she walks to the back door and goes inside. Takeshi was laying on the couch, his face buried in the pillows. She walks over to him and pulls a blanket over him before going upstairs and going to her own room.