A Howl In The Night by Lorelei Sutton (life books to read .txt) 📕

"Are you saying that I am stuck with you for the rest of my life?" I ask miserably.

"I really don't know. That is why, after school, I am going to take you back to the mansion so we can find out."

"WHAT?!" I exclaim, my interjection scaring even the birds away. He looks at me, his emerald eyes creasing in sorrow.

"I knew you wouldn't be happy," he comments, his face reflecting my own, "but we both have to work through this. Maybe, in some way, my friends can help." He grabs me once more for a spine-crushing hug, sending electricity through my body. "Why can't you be more accepting of me?" he complains, his voice teasing, "am I not lovable enough?" His face perks up immediately, his tone changing slightly.

Not knowing quite what I am doing, I raise my hand as if to slap him. I bring my hand rushing forward to meet his arrogant cheek, only to be stopped by a blur of movement.  "You have to do better than that," Xavier grins, "if you want to slap a werewolf." He pulls me closer, his hot breath dawdling on my cheek. "Here is your punishment," he places one muscled hand on my chin, tilting my head up slightly. My heart beats faster as he brushes his plump lips across my blushing cheeks.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I yowl, jumping away from his smirking form. Quickly I race away from him, my voice high and screeching. He just smiles at the obvious disconcertment hiding underneath my anger. Without a word, he meanders ahead of me, never looking back.

For he knows I will follow.

***

Matherson Public School creeps upon us until we can see its brick walls and rather drab surroundings. It looms above its students, standing two full stories tall, casting a shadow upon their forms. Weeds sprout in little bursts all over the premises, grass untamed and wild. All in all, it is the rehashed image of a normal high school that stands to be many students' second home.

Xavier pauses so I can finally catch up to him, assuming that my anger would have cooled down by this point. As I unwillingly head to his side, forced by my probable tardiness, I spy his excited face. "Why are you so happy, wolfboy?" I snap, my voice harsh and abrasive. My bangs droop in front of my eye as I slump slightly, shifting into my regular position when I'm around people at school.

He peers at me strangely. "Why are you slumping? I thought you had perfect posture," he inquires quietly. I frown, my eyes narrowing.

"None of your business," I curtly say, looking away from him, "answer my question instead of asking your own."

Xavier seems unaffected even though I've treated him so rudely, an action, or rather, lack of action I have come to predict from him. "Well, you sure did taste good," he smiles brightly, winking at my form. I boil, my eyes now in a squint. Once again, Xavier just looks on, oblivious to my anger and embarrassment. I wonder how he so conveniently shuts out my reluctance, innocently disregarding it.

Suddenly, all conniption evaporates as I survey the huge clock situated on the front of the monotonous school. "Crap!" I yell, watching the second hand tick towards the 12, prompting the minute hand to gravitate towards its next number. I grab Xavier's hand, dragging him along with surprising force. As I run, I spurt out, "Xavier, if not for you I would have gotten to school on time! I can't be late... I can't..."

The doors snap shut as I slide to meet it, barring my way.

I hang my head in utter defeat, my eyes staring towards the floor in shame. I am late. Ms. Penn is going to kill me. I should have just died yesterday.

I forget that I'm even holding Xavier's hand until he grips it tightly; sending electric sparks throughout my body. I hate the fact that I am so aware of him, the smallest touch alerting me and making butterflies flutter in my stomach. Why can't I just avoid him? Why can't I hate him with all of my energy instead of harboring this little feeling of admiration for his beauty and perseverance?

A portly lady with a stomach the size of a beach ball walks up to the glass, staring at our forms. Her practically nonexistent eyebrows–obviously they have been plucked too much–rise as she surveys Xavier's glistening blue hair and sparkling green eyes. Wordlessly she swings the door open, not lifting her gaze from his magnificence.

"Who are you?" she queries, her mouth almost dropping to her knees. He cracks a million dollar smile, melting the woman into slush on the cold floor.

"My name is Xavier, and this is Mona, my ma-" he begins, only to wince as I squeeze his hand in a deathly grip.

"Well, hello Xavier," she grins, her dull, coal black eyes glistening as she absorbs his masculine features. "I haven't seen you before. Are you new?" she inquires, completely ignoring me.

"Yes ma'am," he confirms, "Mona came with me to show me around the school." The fat lady finally turns her laser like gaze upon my form, her eyes narrowing as she takes me in.

"You aren't new, correct?" she asks coldly. I nod in response, not opening my mouth for this witch. "You will be counted tardy," she informs me, my eyes widening in alarm at her words. I yank my hand away from Xavier, feeling a sudden burst of anger.

"Please, miss," Xavier says pleadingly, "she was just telling me about the school, and we lost track of the time... it is my fault." His touch is now comforting, filling me with warmness even I can barely comprehend.

The woman now is flustered, I can tell, torn between her disgust with me and her obvious liking of the beautiful man beside me. Finally, she replies, "okay, if that is all. Please don't do this again. Consider this to be a warning."

Xavier flashes another heart-melting grin, stunning us both, although I desperately try to fight it. "Thank you," he bows, taking her hand and brushing his lips across it.

I can't explain the anger flooding through me at that moment. I hate him. I want him to disappear.

He elegantly stands straight as the woman embarrassedly orders us to follow. Her face is flushed as she wobbles down the hallway, obviously affected by his alluring gentlemanliness.

Xavier chuckles a little, grabbing my hand once again as we follow her. I jerk my hand away again, anger rushing through me. "Don't touch me!" I demand. Now there is full-out laughter. I shake with irascibility, my emotions running hot through my veins.

"Mona, you are jealous, aren't you?" he asks. I try desperately to contain the blushes, but it still spreads all over my cheeks. I don’t understand why I am behaving this way. "Don't worry," he whispers, leaning in, his breath dancing across my ear, "I will only kiss you from now on." His intimacy distracts me, destroying my defenses. Briefly, I enjoy his sugar sweet words, his flattering promise.

Then I remember that I hate him.

"As if I'd let you," I snap at him, carefully veiling my guilty pleasure. He seems to sense it, though, a smile stretching across his features.

"I didn't know that you would come to love me so quickly!" he says happily, only to receive a jab in the stomach.

"No you idiot!" I protest angrily. However, my feeble comebacks are useless against his unrelenting grin and assurance that I am in love with him.

The lady leads us both to a tiny, narrow door. "This is where you will get your information," she directs Xavier, a hint of redness still dusting her plump cheeks. With a flirty smile, she says, "I am the school nurse, Mrs. Teal. Please come to me if you ever need anything." Walking away, she deliberately sways her hips, hoping that the enticing man will watch her.

I am ashamedly happy to say he doesn't.

Xavier grins at me, and then swings the door open so that we both can enter. The most cluttered, disorganized place I have seen in my entire life lies before me, shocking me still. "Wow," I whisper as I survey the mess: the collage of papers, staples, pens, and sticky notes that buries everything else.

Reclining right behind the disastrous disorder is a stick-thin, rather short lady with a beehive hairdo that climbs about seven inches into the air. It is a masterpiece, reminding me slightly of those wigs in the medieval times, and rather typical of an elderly woman like her. 

Her voice is nothing short of hysterical. "Hello children," she squeaks like a mouse, her words almost indistinguishable, "how may I help you?"

Xavier once again takes the lead, leaving me cowering in his shadow. "I am new here," he informs her, flashing a smile at the minuscule, shriveled up plant that just happens to have a voice and a towering hairdo.

Her facial expressions unchanging, she reaches down to the floor to pick up some forlorn papers. "Ah, the new student. I have your schedule in this stack... somewhere..." she comments as she places the pile in her lap. A truly monstrous pack of papers… I wonder how she can possibly sort through all that junk.

However, in a record time of three seconds flat, she whips out a thin sheet of paper, distributing it to Xavier as we look at her in complete and total surprise. The lady glances at our faces, unblinkingly. "You need some passes, correct?" she inquires quickly, shuffling through the papers like lightning. After another blindingly fast search, she pulls out five or six passes and hands it to him.

"Thank you, Mrs...." Xavier searches the lady's clothing for a name tag, "Miss Lori." There is a slight, almost undetectable crease in her forehead as she turns to her computer, annoyance flickering in her features. We stand for a minute, and then Xavier pulls on my hand. "Come on, let's go," he urges, dragging me out of the doorway.

When we finally escape the messy room, I burst into laughter. Xavier tries to compose himself, but soon he is chuckling with me. "Her voice..." I nearly moan, drowning in a fit of giggles, "her hairdo..." When the crap did I start to laugh with him? What is wrong with me?

"Now Mona," Xavier gently chastises, "let's not make fun of others..."

"Look at you," I tease, "striving to be the perfect gentleman." I get swept into laughter, temporarily forgetting myself.

"Shut up." In one swoop, he swings me into his arms, cradling me in his firm embrace. His arms surround me, squeezing me tightly. "I'm your gentleman," he laughs, "and I won't let you go until you admit it."

Alarm, awareness, and pure electricity shoots through my body all at once as I realize how close he is to me. His grin is inches from mine, his breath dancing on my cheek.

If I tilt my head towards his even slightly, I could taste his warm, fresh lips.

Quickly I hold myself back before I give into temptation, resistance regaining. I remind myself once again that I hate him. I am not supposed to get along with this crazy, beautiful man. I stiffen, rebuilding the walls around my heart as quickly as they had fallen.

I also notice that we are in the middle of the school hallway.

He seems to suddenly notice my hesitation, and asks quietly, "what's wrong, Mona?"

I look away from him as I emit these next few words, each one harsh and bitter. "Let me go," I demand, my voice firm.

I am afraid to look into his eyes, lest they betray the truth to him.

He releases me, and I step away from him, my head still bowed. "What happened?" he persists, "you were just fine a few seconds ago-"

"Let's just get you to class," I mutter, not wanting to listen to his dissection of our previous conversation, trying to seed out the offensive words he must have said. Swiftly I snatch the paper