After my mom went to her scrapbooking party, I headed for Brandon's in a hurry.
"I was on the news," he said as soon as I got out of the car.
"But it couldn't have been you. There wasn't a scar on your right hand."
"What?"
"I slowed down the footage on the TV," I said. "When this creature swiped at the camera, there wasn't a scar." I took Brandon's right palm and showed him. "See? You have a major one."
"How do you know?" he asked, not convinced by my theory. "Maybe it disappears when I turn. I don't remember."
"But I do remember, and it doesn't."
"Are you sure? If it wasn't me, then what was it - or who? Another werewolf?"
"Maybe. Or maybe it was some kids playing jokes. I don't know. I just know it wasn't you."
Brandon breathed a sigh of relief. He placed his arm around my shoulder and drew me into him.
"I've never met anyone like you," he said.
"The sun is setting," I warned. "What do you want to do now?"
"I can't stay in that box forever. I don't know what to do."
I hugged him.
"And more important, Celeste, how are we going to be together?"
"Maybe it's time you go back to the way you were living. Free, like anyone else. Werewolf or not."
"I'm not sure... I'd rather not take any chances."
I admired Brandon's values. With everything he had to worry about, the first thing on his mind was the well-being of the town.
Brandon kissed me tenderly, and I fought off my incredible desire to be locked away all night with him inside his safe house.
As another full moon approached, I met Ivy, Abby, their beaux, and Nash at Wings and Things. If I couldn't be on the end of Brandon's lips, then at least I would be surrounded by my friends.
"That's what I saw," Abby insisted to Ivy when I arrived at their table. "I swear."
"That wasn't a werewolf," Ivy charged. "Werewolves have hair all over their faces."
No they don't, I wanted to say. Brandon sported a handsome goatee.
"Well, this one didn't," Abby stated. "I don't know why you don't believe me."
Ivy paused. "I do. Not that I believe in werewolves, but I believe you saw something," she said sincerely.
I thought Ivy had finally realized that the whole werewolf thing was putting a strain on her relationship with Abby. And she was all about keeping us together as a friendly unit.
"Where have you been?" Ivy asked me.
"I had a million things to do."
"Did you see the werewolf on TV?" Abby asked. My friends were already well into their wings, so I got to pick at their leftovers.
"Yes. Did it look like a hoax to you?" Ivy asked.
"I'm not sure," I said truthfully. I knew it wasn't Brandon, but I didn't know if there was someone else turning at nightfall when the full moon had waned. "I only know it wasn't any of us, since we're all here after sunset."
"I still think that Brandon Maddox might have something to do with this," Ivy observed.
Abby's face lit up. "Maybe it is him. Maybe the Legend's Run Werewolf is Brandon."
Everyone paused.
"I told you," Ivy said. "I saw him stare at those wolves. It wasn't like anything I've seen on Animal Planet. This was like something Dr. Meadows would do."
"There you go again," Jake said. "I think you must have a thing for that guy. It's all you ever talk about... Brandon and the wolves."
"Well, he's also saving dogs," Abby said. "If he is a werewolf, he's a good one."
"What do you think, Celeste?" Ivy asked. "You're always defending the underdog."
"I guess you figured it out. Brandon Maddox is a werewolf."
They all laughed, and this time I did, too.
"Either way, there is something strange going on and it's best we all stick together," Nash encouraged.
"Speaking of that..." Ivy said, "we have to go, but Nash can drive you home."
As if on cue, Abby, Jake, Dylan, and Ivy rose while Nash remained seated.
"I thought you were driving me home," I said under my breath.
"This way you and Nash can have some alone time now that you guys are back together."
"Back together?" I asked.
"Since this werewolf thing, he has really been there for you," Ivy said. "It's just like old times."
My friends paid the bill, and Nash and I got into his car. He even opened the door for me. The way he was suddenly being a gentleman was endearing. But I felt awkward as he drove me home. Though he was usually self-centered, I knew there was an inner side to him that he didn't share with other girls. He parked in front of my house.
"Celeste - " he said.
The car was dark, which only added to the appeal of his handsome features. Normally, he would have leaned into me and I would have gotten a melt-worthy kiss.
But since we'd broken up, we hadn't shared any romantic gestures.
"Yes?" I finally said.
Nash pulled off his class ring. "I want you to have this," he said.
It was sweet. Nash was attractive, by any girl's standards. If this had happened a few months ago, I would have taken it without missing a beat. But I wasn't going to commit to Nash. Even if it were the smart thing to do, even if it didn't make sense to love a guy who I couldn't see at night and couldn't be embraced by in front of my friends by day. But my heart had been taken by such a guy, and I couldn't go against it.
He held out the ring and it shone under the streetlight.
"You can try it on," he said. "It may need to be resized."
I felt so bad. Nash was my friend, but I couldn't give him my heart, and I couldn't take his ring.
"There is a part of me that wants this ring, Nash," I said. "I'd be the luckiest girl at school."
He scooted closer to me and I looked away.
"But..." he said.
"I'm just not - "
"I've seen this in movies," he said. Nash wasn't used to being turned down. He wasn't the kind of guy who rejection was likely to happen to. It tore me up inside to be the one who hurt him - especially since I cared about him.
"I'm not saying I don't care for you. You know I do," I said.
"I know," he said. "I'll just give you some more time."
Nash wasn't used to losing. He made a point of letting me know the game wasn't over yet.
However, in his frustration, he reached to unzip his duffel bag and threw the ring into it.
I saw something dark and hairy coming out of the bag. I screamed.
"What?" he said. He jumped back, too.
"It's a squirrel!" I pressed my whole body against the passenger-side door.
He, too, scooted away. He quickly opened his car door and jumped out. The overhead car light illuminated the inside. Something furry was sticking out of his duffel bag.
"That - " I said. "It's alive!"
"This?" he said, pointing to the bag. "It's nothing."
I peered into the bag and grabbed the dark fur. He tried to stop my hand, but it was too late. I pulled out a wild wig.
"It's an old Halloween costume. Here - " he said, stuffing it back into his bag. "Let me walk you to the door."
Nash had never walked me to the door before. He just didn't want me to see the costume inside the duffel bag, but it was too late.
I got out of the car, and he met me on the sidewalk.
"It was you," I said.
He smiled sheepishly. "Me? What?"
"All along."
He continued to grin a boyish grin.
"Scaring Heidi. And Abby? Being on TV?"
He looked like he couldn't tell if I was going to hug him or slug him. I didn't do either. Instead I just shook my head.
"I did it for you," he said.
"I don't understand - "
"It brought you to me. We've been hanging out together like old times. We've been so happy, all of us together. And you and I... It's just like when we first went out. I told you I'd show you that you needed me, Celeste. I just had to show you how much."
I was furious. Nash had put the entire town on alert and caused Brandon to be locked away for weeks. But then I realized the lengths to which Nash had gone to get my attention. We were hanging out as a sixsome again. For some reason, I was the only one who saw the fear in Nash's face and knew that there was another layer to his superjock image. I knew that is why he needed me more than he needed the other girls at school, and I had to admit that it was nice to be needed.
"Why couldn't you have just been thoughtful, Nash?" I asked. "That's all I ever wanted from you. I just wanted you to really be interested in me and the things I care about. You didn't have to pretend to be a werewolf so you could be the hero."
He took my hands in his. "But it worked, didn't it? We're practically back together."
Before I could step away, he drew me into him and kissed me.
I turned and wiped my mouth off.
He smiled at the success of his ruse.
"This will remain between the two of us?" he asked.
"There's no one I want to tell," I said.
"This is my biggest prank yet," he said proudly. "I might want to reveal it myself."