I read through my book about werewolves during class, the teacher didn't mind too much since my grades were above average. I've always been in love with fantasy books; I never really know what to read next since there's so much. I just started this famous werewolf book by one of my favorite authors, "Dylan Dusk," or D.D for short. He wrote vampire, mermaid, and his new werewolf book. I already read the first two, they were just as high as the book I'm reading now. A finger taps on my book, I bookmark my spot and look up, seeing my friend Addie. She has long blond hair and pretty blue eyes. I only have brown hair, grey eyes, and glasses, somewhat dull if you ask me. Though Addie says my eyes look like a mist which is mysterious, "Pun intended," she said once. "Sam," Addie says with pleading eyes, "You want me to give you the notes for your next class?" I say as her eyes brighten up. She always asks when there's a test in her next class. I have two advanced classes, so she always asks for my help. No one else does, I'm only really close to Addie. Though Addie is friends with a few other people, she hangs out with me the most.
I go to get my notes, I get them out of my bag and look up to see Addie and the class president glaring at each other, they hate each other's guts. Addie was running a few minutes late to class, and the president caught her, she then was 30 minutes late because she had to go to the office. She tried to explain to the teacher what happened, but she got a week's worth of detention; I'd say that was a harsh punishment but since she's been late five times, I can somewhat get it. Addie blames him for causing her to be late, so they've been at each other's throats for a while now. "Addie," I say, bumping the notes into her shoulder, she looks at me and smiles. Thanking me and going to sit down. I looked back at the president and saw him staring at Addie, and this time he didn't show any signs of hate. It was softer, but I can't tell what. I look away before he can catch me in the act of staring, I open my book and go back to reading.
******
I packed my bag up as I was in my last class; Addie wasn't in this class with me sadly. A figure suddenly approached me, causing me to yelp. Turning to look I see it was the class president, "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you" he says with a bit of worry. I sigh, I didn't even hear him come up. Now that he's close up, I can see how handsome he is. His hair darker than the night with no moon, and his icy blue eyes that could stab you. I clear my throat a bit, "Yes?" I ask as I direct my eyes away from him. He was a few inches taller than I was, maybe 6'1, though I was 5'6. "Do you know where Addie is?" he says, making me look up into his eyes, the look of unsettledness and doubt could easily be seen in his eyes. Whatever he was planning to tell Addie, he was doubting it. "Why? Are you going to bully her?" I say, clutching my book to my chest, in case I need to knock a dude unconscious. He shook his head violently, "No, no, I was just planning on apologizing to her" he says in defense. I sigh in relief, "She should be done with class now, usually, she's waiting for me outside at our meet up spot. I could bring you to her." I suggest as he nods his head in agreement. I sigh again, this is the most interaction I've gotten out of this guy since my freshman year.
We walked in silence, well mostly me, the president was just a mumbling mess. I made it outside and saw Addie leaning against a tree, scrolling through her phone. "Addie!" I say as she looks up and waves at me, but once she sees who's behind me, a sour look molds onto her face. Once we're closer Addie pulls me into her chest, "Watch out Sam" Addie says, glaring at the class president, "There's a rat infestation" the president and I both sigh at the same time, "He's here to talk to you, Addie," I say trying to get out of her iron grip. I get out of her grip as I shove them both in one direction, "I'll be by my jeep" I say as I walk away, I look back to see both of them walking a bit away before stopping. I made it to my Jeep and hopped in and started my car, looking out of the windshield I can sort of see them talking. I can see the president's lips move, I chuckle, "Addie my dear, I'm sorry-" I say in a deep voice, trying to sound like the president, "-and I love you" just then Addie starts speaking, "But class president, we can't!" I say doing the same to Addie. Addie turns to walk away but the president grabs her forearm. "But my love," I say, cackling a bit, "I can't answer you now," I say for Addie as the president makes a face as if he's calculating his next words. "Then meet me at the edge of the wilting forest tonight, I'll be awaiting your answer" I mock as Addie sighs. Looks like whatever they were talking about Addie agrees to.
They walk in different directions as Addie comes towards my Jeep. She hops in as I put the Jeep in reverse. "So, what did you guys talk about?" I say, trying to keep in my laughter. Addie had a look on her face as if she really had to think about it. "He was just talking to me about being late and how he was sorry," she says, "anyway, I still can't believe you got a car before me," she shouts, pinching my shoulder as we drive out of the school's parking lot. I turned 17 two months ago and got my car a week after getting my license. I've known Addie since 5th grade, she always brags about how her dad said she will get her a car when she gets her license. She has tried five times and given up on it.
"It was the only birthday gift I got for my birthday, somewhat worth only having this" I laugh as I turn down a street, Addie's birthday had already passed a few months ago. Even though she didn't drive she wanted a car. Addie turns to her phone and starts texting people. We come to a stop at a red light. The street had no cars in sight, Addie lives on the rich side of town, so her neighbor's house is a few minutes away. Though there is also a forest near her house, people at school call it the wilting forest. Rumors went around after a couple was found dead in the forest. The rumors were about the couple and how they still haunt the area, and that if you go there to confess your love the ghost will help to make it a guarantee. It was a stupid rumor, but this was a small town, people did anything to get gossip and action. I started the drive and made it to Addie's house in a span of nine minutes. Addie gets out and thanks me, but before leaving she calls for me. "Um, do you think you can pick me up around 10 pm?" she says, picking at her nails a bit. A thing she does when she's nervous. "Sure, why? Are we getting snacks for-``''No Sammy!" she says loudly, calling out my full name. I stop my words and give her a weird look. "I just need you to pick me up" I wanted to shout at her and say 'no' but the look on her face told me she could read my mind and was begging me to say yes. I sigh as she smiles, "Fine, but don't think shouting and interrupting me is okay now." She knows perfectly well how much those two things irritate me. I'm only doing this because she's a close friend. She nods her head and apologizes. She turns away and runs up to her door, opening it and going in. Sighing, I reverse the car and start my way home.
*****
I look at my wristwatch as the time hits 9:50. I had to lie to my mom about going and hanging out with Addie, she also has to lie to her mom about hanging out with me. I had on short jeans which don't fit me anymore, and a dark green hoodie with a random cap. My short brown hair tickled my shoulders a bit, maybe I should cut it again. "Bye mom," I hear Addie's voice. I look up to see her waving at her mom. As Addie makes her way to me, I notice how she isn't in her usual colorful wear. She's wearing black jeans with a black long sleeve. Her hair up in a ponytail with a black cap. She looked like she was a spy breaking into a museum to get their finest art. I think I saw a taser strap on her waist. She gets in and I give her a weird look, "What?" she asked, I just shook my head and started driving.
We were silent while driving, Addie was looking around in the general area. As if we were being watched and she knew. "Addie?" I say as she jumps a bit. I keep my eyes on the dark road, only visible with my car lights. "Where are we going? I have sort of been driving in one direction for a while." I comment as Addie lets out a nervous chuckle. "To the wilting woods," I started to cough. "What?" she says in defense. "Don't tell me the president asked you out!" Was my mocking a future prediction? Addie looks at me weird and then it hits her as if she forgot about the whole tale. "Yeah," she says pausing while looking out of the window, "He did" How can she be so calm about this?! I was freaking out. Believe it or not but Addie only had one boyfriend and that was during middle school. Usually, middle school relationships aren't too much of a big deal, but they were. Addie's parents were relaxed so they allowed her to go and hang out with her boyfriend. Everyone wished they had parents like Addie. They were very serious. The last four years, he broke up with her a few months into freshman year and then suddenly vanished in thin air.
You know how I said this town was boring and nothing really happened. Well rumors spread about her break up and how unlucky and how unfortunate she was that they titled her "The queen of bad love" again, stupid name, but people went along with it because they were bored. How this affected her was no guy dared to ask her out, no guy even wanted to be friends with her. Though most girls do, knowing their boyfriends won't go after the prettiest girl in school. Sadly, she knows this, and everyone does. Though she plays dumb about it. That's why I'm so happy for her right now. We're seniors and she hasn't dated anyone for three years. Granted I haven't dated anyone in my whole life, but she has and understands the feeling of love. So, I'm happy for her. "Why aren't you happy right now?" I ask her as we near the forest. She shrugs, "I feel as though there are more guys out there. And once I leave this crummy town, I'll go find myself a real boyfriend" she says as if this has been her plan for years. I smiled, I'm glad she's optimistic about this. I made it to the forest, it had a pathway leading into it, which means it had a parking lot. I parked and Addie got out, though I look around and don't see any other cars. "Where is he?" I ask as Addie has her back to me, "Oh he's here" I look to see where she's looking and saw a figure walking towards us. Stepping out into the parking lot, the one lamp in the parking barely lighting up the forest, was the class president. Though he looked just like Addie. Black jeans, black shoes, and blacktop. He makes eye contact with me, and I swear his eyes glowed. Or it could be the poor dimmed light. I clutch my wheel a bit tighter. "You brought her along? I thought I said to come alone" this worried me, the president wasn't talking as if he was embarrassed that I know he's confessing, but as if she broke a promise, she swore her life on. "She's my ride, and my best friend." Addie says in a tone like 'try anything and I have a witness' kind of tone. A shiver went down my spine, I always get shivers when something isn't right. "Addie, come one, I don't feel comfortable in this place" tell her as I look at my watch. It was a quarter past 10 and we told our moms we were watching two movies. "It'll be quick Sam, don't worry," she says, walking off with the class president into the forest.
I leaned back in my seat; I was about to let my guard down once the hair on my neck started to stand a bit. I sit straight back up and lock my doors, I reach underneath my seat and clutch the wooden baseball bat I had with me. I didn't play, just had it for safety. I feel like I'm being watched. My eyes start to scan the area until my eyes start to burn in a certain area of the parking lot. It was the darkest part. Unlike the other areas, the poor lamp light allowed me to see a little bit of the forest. Though that certain part, I couldn't tell if a trail is over there or if it's just straight-up trees. Over in that area, it felt as if someone was watching me from over there. I kept looking into the area, that's when I looked down at my watch and 30 minutes had already passed. I looked back to that area and the sensation was gone. Maybe I'm paranoid. I look back down at the time. I grab my bat and get out of the car. If this was a confession, it doesn't need to take 45 minutes. I don't care if they're making out, I have a bad feeling about this whole thing. I walk into the forest; I pull my poorly broken phone and turn on the light. The light was kind of broken, so it didn't help too much, but enough to watch where I was going. I think I walked for five minutes until I stopped because of some growling, thankfully it wasn't pointing at me. Though I'm worried about who it is. Addie and class president were standing in the middle of an opening, though for an odd reason there were two other people. A lady and a young kid. What the hell is going on? I stepped on a small twig and shot down behind bushes, after a few seconds I heard a lady's voice, "What's wrong Pete?" It was quiet again until I heard a kid's voice, "nothing, I thought I heard something" "well" the lady says "keep your eyes on the vermin" after a few seconds I peek my head up to see them all facing the wolf in the clearing. Then two more showed up. Growling. President had Addie behind him, though I could make out their faces, I can hear it in his voice. "I told you to only bring two, not three," the president says to the wolf. Why, is he. Don't tell me that, those are- no it can't be.
I watched quietly as the wolf growled in response, "a whole pack?" I heard him say. Just then 10 more wolves step out, causing Addie and the others to be shocked. "It's an ambush!" Class president yelled. Though it was too late. The little boy had two wolves on him, the same goes for the lady, though Addie and class president had four wolves on them. I stood up, clutched my bat, and ran towards Addie with all my haste. Everyone was shocked when I ran out. No one moved, wanting to see what I was going to do. Addie was shocked and as I reached her, I grabbed her wrist and dragged her with me. Growls could be heard as I and Addie made our way down the path. "How long were you there?!" Addie shouted, I glared back at her and kept running. We made it to my car, and I unlocked it. Getting in we locked the doors as I started up the car, "but the others!" Addie shouted, looking into the forest. I put it in reverse and high tailed out of there. "I don't give a rat's butt about the others, you're more important to me" I shouted. Addie got quiet and was about to say something until the car swayed a bit. Looking in the rearview mirror I saw three wolves running after the car. "How in the hell?" I whispered as I took a quick turn down a larger road. The wolves followed in pursuit, not giving up. The run-up to the side of my jeep and start ramming their bodies into the side. "Addie, grab the wheel!!" I shouted as Addie looked my way to grab on to the wheel as I picked my bat up and opened my door. My door flung open, allowing me to see the wolf completely. It bared its teeth as it tried to snap at me. When the wolf got close enough, I raised the bat quickly and put all my force into swinging it down. Once the bat came in contact with the back, a crack could be heard, and the wolf fell to the ground. I close the door and take back the wheel. One of the wolves went back for the other while one ran up on Addie's side, its teeth were close to the window. It's saliva smearing everywhere.
"Give me that taser," I tell Addie as she reaches for her taser and then gives it to me. "Lean back" I suggest as she leans her seat back. Doing so I rolled down the window and not even seconds later the wolf had jumped and clung onto the side of the car, his head and front paws inside my car. He growls and tries to bite Adie but she's too far back. Quickly turning on the taser, I put it on blast and touch the wolf with it. It whimpered and slid out of my window. Putting the window up and locking the door, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw the wolf laying limp on the road. We quickly drove off.
*****
10 minutes had passed, and I was on my way to my house, since the forest wasn't too far from Addie's house, I didn't want her staying there in case wolves show up or the class president. "So" I start, my voice already irritated. Warning her to tell me the truth. "I can't tell you" I glare at her, "yet" she finishes in defense. I'm still upset that she lied to me, where is all this coming from? Just earlier today we were living normally, I mean I probably am, what has she been doing this whole time? I had so many questions, I hope she'll answer them all and don't plan on invading them. We pull up to my house and get out. I lock the door and take a look on the outside of it. "How bad is it over there" I ask Addie as she looks. "Just a few dents and scratch marks'' she says walking away, it was the same on my side. I hope my mom won't question it too much. As we made our way to the front door, my mom was already leaning on the doorway. "I already called Addie's mom, she was kind of upset but is glad to know where Addie was'' my mother says as we walk in, she grabs me by the ear, making me come to a halt, "I would also like to talk to you" she says, her face displaying anger. I understand. It was past the time we were supposed to come home. Addie went up to my room while my mom took me to the kitchen, I sat at the island that was in the middle of the small kitchen. "Where were y'all, I know you guys weren't at no movie, or at least wasn't at first" my mom says crossing her arms, gosh why does she have to be spot on. "We did go to the movies, but" I say scratching my neck, it hit me "but, someone wanted to confess to Addie, and they took a while to get to the wilting forest" I say with my nose high. I was half right cause honestly, I didn't know what was going on, so I didn't completely lie. My mom scanned my face and once she didn't see a lie her face softened, "Next time tell me please, and stay away from that forest, it's creepy" my mom says which honestly confuses me. Now that I think about it my mom never really talked about the forest before which is the first. "Hey mom, what's your thoughts on the wilting forest? Do you believe in that kind of thing?" I ask as we both make our way up the steps. She thinks about it for a bit, "I say even if it were real people should leave those spirits are rest or bad things could happen" and with that vague answer she walks into her room and closes the door once we're upstairs.
She didn't even get a chance to listen to my questions. I walked into my room and froze when I saw the class president spacing the room and Addie sitting on my bed on her phone as usual. They both looked up once I walked in, "Sam, do you have any change of PJ's?" she asked as I kept my eyes on the class president. She basically ignores his existence. "Sammy, I'm here to explain a few things, but I can't tell you everything," he says as I close my door, as I muster up a threatening look. Must work since he also froze it one place. "Well you better start off on house you get into my room, which is on the second floor surrounded by no trees to climb, and-" I say as I stalked a bit forward, naturally causing him to step back a bit, "you better tell me what the hell went down in that forest that almost cost my life and my friends" I snap causing Addie to sit upwards. She doesn't like it when I snap at other people, because sometimes I let my mouth spill more than I need to. "I'll tell you everything you want to know, well-" I walked closer and stepped on his shoes, crushing his toes. He makes a pained expression, "No, I don't think you get the jest of this, you're telling me everything you hear?" I say pressing harder on his foot. "Okay, alright, OKAY!!" he says tapping on my shoulder. I move my foot as he limps back and leans on the wall.
"Where should I start?" he ponders, "Oh, well for starters, I'm a vampire" he says motioning to himself.
A what?