I scurried off the beach as gracefully as I could, tripping numerous times on the steep sand dune before finally reaching the road way. I looked back towards where the wolf was, I'd bet my life that it was there. But nothing looked back this time.
I faced the water once more and took a deep breathe of the salty, whipping air. The waves were surprisingly rough for a lake, and part of it could be attributed to the wind tunnel created by the cliffs on either side of the lake.
On the right side there was nothing, only stiff pines towards the top of the cliff and colorful changing trees closer to the campus and town. It would probably take a day just to hike up and down the whole thing.
Then, on the left, towards where the wolf came from, there was a similar steep cliff, but with mansions nestled all along the cliff. There were maybe three of them that I could see.
The other day at lunch with Jess and Kiera, Kiera had mention that one of those mansions was her family home, another belonged to the Town Council as a community center of sorts, and the last was the Arenthe Estate. She had said this because there was to be a party at the latter, tonight, and she had pleaded that we both join her. And I wanted to. Even if it made me anxious that I'd have to actually interact with youth.
I tore my gaze away from the mansion and made my way to my last few classes of the day, which were all uneventful compared to History.
When I made my way back to my dorm after dinner, I put in my AirPods and started to listen to Spotify. I was lost in my own thoughts about this party, trying to work out my fears and rationalize away my anxiety, which never actually worked. I could hold a conversation with anyone. About politics, their family, my family, philosophy, whatever topic they threw at me I caught it. It was second nature. But as soon as I was in a situation where I'd have to make friends with people my age, or mingle, or god forbid flirt, I tapped out there and then.
I kept making up stupid scenarios and how I would respond, probably looking like a cheap Tiktok cosplayer with my facial expressions. I needed to stop doing the "Uh, yeah" Willy Wonka face.
Just as I was turning the corner towards my dorm, I collided with on coming traffic. I always thought it was cute when girls would "hit a hard wall," that wall being their crush's chest, and they would giggle and be like "oh gosh I'm sorry I'm so clumsy."
That's not how I reacted.
"Fuck! Oh my god that hurt!"
My nose stung and I reached up to feel the smallest trickle of blood from where I banged into... who did I just break my nose on?
Looking up while still pinching my nose I noticed Kolt looking slightly concerned if not bored, and to his left, the culprit of my bloody nose, Wick.
"Oh my god, I am so so sorry. What can I do for you? Can I get you some ice, maybe a bandaid?" As he continued he yanked his sweatshirt off and shoved it towards my face.
"You can't use a bandaid right now what the hell am I saying. Fuck. I'll get you ice, Rose, hold on."
And with that he ran, fully sprinted away, leaving me and Kolt to wonder what the fuck just happened. Me, still holding his sweatshirt and wondering if he actually wanted me to use it as a personal blood rag.
"Are you okay though?" Kolt asked, looking slightly amused, as we watched his friends retreating form.
"Yeah, I mean, it's just a little bloody nose. Is-is he okay?" I pointed to where we'd seen Wick run off to and Kolt just laughed.
"Don't worry about him, he has always overreacted when it comes to you-your-uh ya know, people's injuries." Kolt coughed and looked increasingly uncomfortable and before I could now ask if he was okay he said:
"Hey listen I'm gonna go catch up to Wick, don't worry I'll tell him the bleeding stopped and you're fine. Um Kiera said you might be coming to Wick's party later?"
Before I could respond he was already walking away and he flashed me a smile and a wave before he too ran away.
I unlocked the door to my room and was met by a scream when Jess saw my bloodied face.
"What happened? Did your debate in International Relations get that heated?!"
Jess led me over to the small sink we had in our room and proceeded to clean me up. She really was a good friend.
"No, not again. I just rammed right into Wick Arenthe when I was coming back just now... it was so awkward dude, he gave me his sweatshirt, like why would I use this to wipe my blood up-" Jess stopped her wiping and gripped both of my shoulders.
"He gave you his sweater?!"
"It's just polyester?"
"Do you like him?" Jessica searched my face for any inkling of a clue. I pulled away and walked over to my desk.
"I mean obviously he's like the most attractive human I've ever met in real life, but I don't know anything about him. We just met this morning in my History lecture."
"Ugh he's so dramatic," Jess grumbled from her bed.
"Wait you know him?" I turned to look at her and she froze for a second. I watched the dust particles in the sunlight between us dance around before she finally said:
"Ya, sort of, I guess. He's Kolt's best friend and since I've been spending time with Kiera I've hung out with him a little too." She seemed uncomfortable, and I chalked it up to her thinking I'd feel left out that she was making a friend group without me.
"Oh, okay yeah I get that." And I did. I had thought that Jess and I would make the same friends, but I was okay finding my own way, even if the little insecurity demon tugged on my mind.
"Anyway, why don't we start getting ready for that party tonight? Maybe we can all spend some time together and you can bond with Kiera and Kolt!" Jess crossed the room to her closet and started to find something to wear. I could sense that her offer was genuine so I too began the hunt for something to wear to my first college party. As I started peeling through my closet, I found a dark blue crop top with one sleeve and was reminded of the crashing waves on the beach. The salty air. And the-
"Jess! I saw a wolf today!"
She stopped. Her hands in mind swipe, entangled in her clothes. Her brows furrowed and then relaxed. Jess muttered a quick "oh?" before continuing her search in a robotic, lazy way.
"Yeah, it was in the woods, and it stared at me. Like really looked into my soul. It was wild."
Jess turned towards me, all playfulness from minutes ago gone as her features contorted into fear and worry.
"We need to be careful, Rose. This place, it isn't like New York. Up here, attacks happen all the time. Back home in Vermont people would go missing from my pa- my town every year."
She was so serious I could only nod solemnly in response. I felt naive. That wolf could have hurt me. Easily. Even though I felt with such certainty that it wouldn't...
"You're right. Let's just get ready to go. Whoo Hoo! Partay amiright?"
Jess laughed at my forced dorkiness and continued her search through her stuff, although I could see the gears still turning in her head.