"You know what, I don't even care, just get your suitcase and meet us downstairs, William is already stressed about everything as it is, he doesn't need your spontaneous as adding to it," Darla said as she walked past him and headed to the lobby but she couldn't keep the smell of bloodshed he had on him out of her nostrils.
The car ride to Barbara's family house was the perfect description of awkward, William was angry with Anderson and Darla kept giving Anderson weird looks through the front mirror, he knew she was still gonna talk to him about the blood on his hood but he definitely wasn't telling her anything she didn't need to know, but he confessed that he was more affected by Willy agreeing with him because he was his best man, and part of his job was to keep the groom in a good emotional state but instead he was doing the opposite and stressing him out.
The awkward silence went forty minutes long before they arrived at Barbara family's house, there were alot of cars already in front of their courtyard, the pack had already arrived as he recognised his dad's old rusty Nissan trust he named Draco for reasons known to him. They were probably here to perform the rituals done whenever a werewolf from the pack was getting married, they would do a bonfire called the mahote night where they drank homemade lunches and snacks made by parents of both couples before they got wedded the next day.
Parking behind a flashy black Porsche probably owned by some of the show-offs in his father's pack, they all started towards the house until William called him to stay back.
"Anderson," William said, resting on the door of the driver's seat.
"William, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to stress you out, I know it's a big day for you so I would make sure not to be so self centered," Anderson apologized avoiding eye contact with William, being friends with William thought him one thing, apologized before you are apprehended.
"Tch, you really just had to be so attention-seeking," William said, giving him a straight face, waiting for the usual excuse he always gave.
"Look, I wish I could tell you what I was doing but I can't tell you," Anderson felt bad he couldn't tell his closest friend what he has been doing for the past six months.
"I don't even what to know okay,"
"It's okay alright, you are my best man, just act like it, and the wedding is 8 am tomorrow at the local church, I need you to be awake by 6 am Andy," William warned because he knew Anders's bad sleeping habit, he would always sleep pass the time.
"Alright," Anderson replied, leaving.
"I'm serious Anderson,"
"Do this for me please," William begged.
"I swear, I won't let you down," Anderson said, heading to the back.
"Go meet your wife-to-be," Anderson said smiling at him.
"I thought that was bad luck??" William replied laughing.
"Only if it's the wedding morning, you have like," Anderson checked his watch, it was just 7:45 am, "Four hours tops to be with her, go find her," Anderson said going to the back of the house, the smoke and laughter really gave their location
He planned to do a little greeting, a lot of eating and a bunch of punch drink before he went back to the Guest inn they rented for the night before the wedding. He saw William's father, his and Barbara's dad talking and laughing, and his mom serving food around, his mom and Dad could be scary when they are with the pack but when it comes to tradition like the mahote bonfire, they are all happy and smiling, his train of thoughts were disturbed by someone covering his eyes but he did need a soothsayer to tell him it was his cousin sister, the always had a scent of sandal woods on her.
"Zoey," Anderson said, turning around hugging her.
"How do you always know?," Zoey hugged him back, he never missed once whenever zoey tried to spike him and never told her what gave it away.
"I just knew," Anderson said smiling.
"That's what you always say Every time,"
"Well lets just say you might never know,"
"How was your flight," Ander asked her.
"It was good, I see you have been working on your British accent," she nogged his shoulder.
"It's great, yeah innit," Anderson said, smirking.
"It's terrible, please stop, there are kids here who are actually British," Zoey said laughing.
"Well, I would be heading out now, tell uncle Joethat sorry I couldn't catch up with him," Anderson said, hugging her again.
"So soon??,``Zoey asked, a tad disappointed.
"We were going to do the family karaoke of a thousand years from twilight,"
"Can't you just stay a bit, I promise, it will be worth it, and besides this jeremy dude has been trying to hit on me all night, it is tiring," Zoey begged.
"Sorry girl but I can't stay,"
"Barbara has pretty cousins, trust me, you would love them so much I swear," Zoey begged again.
"Zoey you know I can't stay, best man duties, got to sleep early so I don't oversleep," Anderson explained, trying to loosen the tight grip Zoey had around his arms.
"I don't even get to spend time with you any more," Zoey sulked.
"I promise you will, I'm done touring now, we will be able to have as much fun as we want,"
"Promise??,"
"Promise." Anderson gave a final hug before leaving the backyard and headed to walk all the way to the guest inn, he didn't even bother to find a cab because they were twenty minutes out of the city, nothing happens here just farming and old supermarket stores with a run down gas station ten minutes from here.
On heading out he saw Darla sitting on the front porch staring into the nothingness of the night. She had a big band tee and oversized jeans always with the tomboy look no matter how much complaining she got from home.
"What got you looking at this time of the night?," Anderson asked, sitting beside her.
"I got to wear a dress tomorrow," Darla said looking straight ahead but he could tell that wasn't what didturbed her.
"And???,"
"A dead body was found all turn up in a Dumpster close to the hotel Anderson,"
"Do you know anything about it?," Darla asked, staring at him straight in the eye searching for evidence that will point directly at him but his stone cold face and dead eyes gave off nothing.
"Poor kid," Anderson said, he was beyond feeling bad for what he did, they all deserved it.
"That's all you got to say?," Darla asked, getting quite frustrated at him.
"Unfortunately...yes,"
"I got nothing more to say, may whoever soul rest in perfect peace," Anderson said standing up.
"Don't you worry yourself about it kid, there's always gonna be another dead person somewhere," Anderson said.
"Now goodnight, I have to get to sleep, best man duties tomorrow," Anderson said, waving her behind.
"But you wanted to say something to me earlier," Darla said, staring at him curiously.
"Oh yeah, I was thinking, we should organize a little competition within some small bands here in New Jersey, and one in California, then we can just select the best drummer and sign another band under our record label," Anderson said, staring at her waiting for her take on it.
"That's cool, when do you think we should do it?,"
"A week after the wedding should be ok,"
"Alright then, see you at the wedding," Darla said, waving him off.
But Darla couldn't shake that feeling at the pit of her stomach that linked Anderson to this dead body.