by Lou Grimes
“So, why doesn’t Arsen ever talk to you while you’re at school?” Cara asked. “I see the looks. Don’t worry. I’m the only one that does. No one really pays that much attention to you,” she assured, not realizing that she was hitting a nerve.
Louvette wanted to be acknowledged, but she understood the reasoning behind it. She just didn’t have any idea how to explain it to Cara. While contemplating it, Louvette was saved from coming up with something when Cara suddenly spoke.
“Uh oh,” Cara said in a sing song voice, staring at a blonde girl purposefully walking toward Arsen.
The girl could have easily given Regina George a run for her money. Her hot pink blouse, white pants, and gaudy pink jewelry were enough to make Louvette almost puke. A knot formed in her stomach.
“Who is that?” she asked, feeling unwanted jealousy rising in her. Barbie put her arm on Arsen and learned in to whisper in his ear. The knots tightened as she got closer to him.
“That’s Emily Bonesteel. She’s a family friend of both of our families. Emily has been dogging Arsen since freshman year. Each time, he manages to resist,” she explained as the blonde’s loud fake laugh could be heard for miles. Louvette gritted her teeth at the offensive sound.
Louvette hurt for only a second. It was long enough for Cara to see, but not long enough for Arsen to catch a glimpse. She was forever thankful that he missed that moment in history.
“I knew you liked him. Now this will answer whether he likes you. She’s about to lean in for a kiss. Will she be received or rejected?” she asked without malice. The two watched the interaction shamelessly like scientists conducting an experiment.
Sure enough, Emily went for the gold. Arsen strategically dodged her advances. Unrequited love was the worst thing to see. Louvette wondered if that was how she looked every time he had to slight her. She prayed not because she didn’t want to look like an unwanted puppy that had just been kicked.
It sent Cara giggling. Louvette gave her a questioning look that said, really?
“What? She brings it on herself. How many times do you have to be let down to realize that a person doesn’t want anything to do with you?” she defended her laughter. Louvette merely shook her head at Cara’s mocking. She knew all too well what it was like to be rejected to want to tease Emily. She couldn’t blame a girl for trying.
“I have a great idea,” Cara shrieked, clutching her friend’s arm out of excitement. Louvette rolled her eyes, waiting for revelation of the supposed good idea.
“What is it?” She sighed, recognizing it in her soul that it would be far from great. Louvette was tired of the confusion of what the topic of Arsen Whitecreek had to offer her. She had decided and even wanted to leave it alone, but Cara had other ideas.
“Ask him out over text,” she suggested, cocking her eyebrow as if to tempt Louvette into making a poor decision.
“No. That’s a horrible idea. I don’t want to get rejected,” Louvette said, trying to put the brakes on Cara’s schemes. She didn’t want to be turned down even if it was for the right reasons. It still hurt. She thought, frustratedly, about what their date would even be like. She was sure it would just turn to Lupine oriented conversation.
“No, it’s not. Invite him out to movies and dinner. He’s going to say yes. The worst that happens is he says no and you’ll have an answer,” she said like an everyday cheerleader. Louvette felt herself caving. She did like him a good deal. This would be a chance to get a clear answer and if she was rejected, the only witness was Cara.
“Okay,” Louvette huffed, yanking her phone out of her pocket. Her fingers hovered over her phone, reluctant to take the plunge. She thought about the best approach to it and decided to just go straight to the point. Beating around the bush could affect his answer if he had time to worry about the repercussions of this.
Louvette: Would you like to go on a date to a restaurant or the movies with me?
She waited for a few painful seconds before her phone finally decided to ding.
“What does it say?” asked Cara as she watched her open her text message.
Arsen: I’d love too. I’ll pick you up at five at your house.
Louvette blinked hard. Anxiety and exhilaration flooded Louvette as she realized she hadn’t gotten shot down. Cara snatched her phone out of her hands when Louvette took too long to respond. Cara squealed and jigged an “I told you so” dance.
“I knew it. Aren’t you glad you listened to me?” Cara fished for compliments.
“Yea, but why would he say yes to me over text, but not in person? Is that bad?” Louvette shakily asked. She hadn’t expected a yes. She had expected a no. However now, she and this guy who she was crushing hard on were actually going on a date together.
“Maybe he wants to get to know you first outside of school. Do you have anything good to wear?” Cara asked.
“I’m going to run to the store really quick after school. There’s a green sweater that looked great on me. I hope it’s still there”, she said.
“I’m going too to make sure you don’t look like a grandma or a schoolteacher. You can look like a hot teacher, but not an old one.” Cara invited herself along.
***
“That dress was made for you. I’m going to be honest, on the mannequin, I absolutely hated it. It looked like something my grandmother would knit me for Christmas that I’d never wear. But on you, it’s a completely different story,” Cara honestly said when Louvette spun around in it, showing it off.
Her sweater dress was forest green and had long sleeves. It flared at the bottom to give a twirling affect. She’d be wearing black warm tights and black leather boots that came up to the top of her calf.
“I saw it the last time I was shopping and loved it, but it wasn’t a necessity for school, so I resisted its call,” Louvette smilingly declared. She was just happy it was still here and even happier that she was going out with Arsen.
“I guess it was just meant to be, like you and Arsen,” Cara agreed cheekily. Louvette chose to ignore that comment until she had gone on a couple of dates. Then, she might put more stock in the statement.
“What’s your plan for tonight?” Louvette asked Cara while they browsed around lazily, not really paying attention. Just enjoying a little simple girl talk.
“We are having a big family dinner tonight, not just my main family. All my distant relatives are coming, too,” she responded. Cara was inspecting an item halfheartedly in the same manner that Louvette was.
Louvette dissected Cara’s statement that gave her a tiny glimpse into the life of a girl kept in the dark of her family’s true heritage. It made her realize how thankful she was that she knew now. She could only imagine what it would have been like if this had happened and she was on her own. No one to guide her or give her any kind of information.
“I’m sure you’ll have fun,” Louvette said, noticing Cara’s downcast face. Louvette was highly skeptical of the chances of Cara enjoying her night from her expression. She wished she had kept her mouth shut and just changed the topic to something uplifting for Cara’s sake.
“I hate these things. I always feel like the black sheep. No one really talks to me when I’m there,” Cara admitted sourly as she met Louvette’s eyes. Mixed emotions flickered across her face like a projector at a drive-in theater. Her tone and words could have easily been perceived as bratty, but Louvette knew differently.
“I’m sorry. Feel free to text me if you’re too bored. I’ll text whenever I can,” Louvette consoled. She truly was sorry for her and the situation she was in. She knew what it was like for no one to notice her.
“No, enjoy your date. I’ll be fine. Don’t screw it up. I worked too hard for this.” Cara pretend sniffled, dropping her head like a sacrificial animal without hope. Louvette snickered at her dramatic acting antics.
“I don’t intend to mess it up,” she assured, placing her arm on Cara reassuringly while leaning toward her conspirator.
Louvette paid for
her dress and they went their own ways for the night.
***
The doorbell rang while she was touching up her eyeliner. When Louvette descended the stairs, she had perfect curls. Well, perfect curls in her world, which meant she didn’t have the consistency of a poodle. Her lips were glossed, eyes smoked and lined, giving her just a hint of seductiveness.
The boots on her feet were sensible since Arsen had been nice enough to warn Louvette that she might want to select some footwear that was more appropriate for the level of activity tonight. They were more of stylish hiking boots than anything. The jagged ridges of the soles were cut deep to maximize traction. Louvette needed all the traction control that she could get. She wasn’t used to this much snow and ice.
She answered the door to reveal all six feet of Arsen. Arsen’s attire was a white button up and jeans. All of it was dewrinkled. Black winter boots peeked out from under his pant legs. An expensive black leather jacket topped it all off. He was the perfect formula for the bad boy that all girls dreamed of.
“Wow. You look beautiful,” he smoothly complimented, showing his pearly whites.
“Thank you. To be honest, I’m surprised you said yes. Why did you?” she asked, uncertainly. Louvette didn’t just want to know why. She needed to know.
“I am, too. This whole time since I first saw you, I wanted to be with you, but it would only draw attention to you. But I don’t have that much control around you and that’s why I said yes. I couldn’t say no. I wouldn’t,” Arsen said, leaning forward to snag a curl around his finger. His eyes danced across her face as if to memorize every aspect of it.
He released Louvette’s curl and she released the tiny breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. He smiled at the escaped sigh like the effect he had on her was a prize. A newly won prize at that.
“I didn’t think you liked me either since I’m the horrible asshole who tore open your arm,” he said softly. The uncertainly in his words dazed her. It took a few seconds before she could correct him.
“I needed it. I would have exposed myself as a wolf,” she said licking her dry lips. Arsen eyes followed that movement.
“Let’s go have dinner,” he murmured, tearing his gaze away from her mouth as if it took every ounce of willpower to not act on his impulses. Louvette almost wished that he hadn’t been able to resist.
“Sounds good to me. Where are we going?” Louvette asked. The question earned her a secretive, sexy smirk.
“You’ll see. It’s the best place in town,” he commented. Her interest was piqued as she contemplated where it could possibly be. She trusted him, she realized with a small smile.
***
“I thought it’s the best place in town. Town’s the other direction,” she said. She was confused to say the least. They’d been driving further and further away from Whitefish. The town was quickly becoming a distant memory.
“Well, technically it’s not in town. Just trust me,” Arsen filled her in as he continued to drive toward the mountains. The low tones of his choice in music were calming though she had no clue what type was playing.
She attempted to hear it as she focused all her efforts on it. At first, she could understand none of the lyrics. Louvette’s ears began to burn agonizingly to the point that she wondered if she was the subject of someone’s conversation at that moment. The murmuring of muted music slowly came into clarity and she could hear the lyrics of All or Nothing by Theory of a Deadman playing. She turned her head and smiled out her window, pleasantly surprised for once.
It fit effortlessly with their predicament. She wondered if he knew that fact or if he just liked Theory of a Deadman. Louvette didn’t believe in coincidences at this stage in the game. She was done ignoring her instincts. That had almost gotten her and her mother killed.
They turned off the highway onto a private road, climbing farther up the mountain with each curve. When the two of them had gone so far up the mountain that she was sure they were at the top, Arsen pulled off the road and parked at a heavily treed area.
“Is this where you kill me?” she teased, looking around. There were no houses around for miles. No one to hear her scream, or anyone else for that matter. It was the perfect spot for him to go all Dexter on her.
“No. That’s far more trouble than you’re worth. If I’m going to go to jail for killing someone, I want them to be worth it,” he mocked Louvette.
Louvette got out as Arsen did. Arsen went to the trunk of his car and popped it. He dragged out a bundle of blankets.
“Do you need any help?” she asked politely with her hands tucked into her pockets.
“Nope. This is everything. Are you ready?” he asked as he took in the area around them.
“For what? A hike?” She laughed, glancing at the environment. Louvette was a little reluctant to take another hike after what happened last time. She knew that the thing was dead, but she wondered what all passed through the forest that she didn’t have a clue about. The “what all” being of a supernatural nature.
Arsen had neglected to tell her what else was out there to spare her nightmares. It wasn’t something that could be summed up in one conversation from her understanding. He had taken several classes on the different types of supernatural. She couldn’t help but wish he had revealed more to her about the supernatural.
“Not much of one, city girl,” he poked fun at her. He came beside her, offering his arm and a cheeky smile. She had to remind herself that she was walking into a completely different situation. Arsen was here this time. Louvette doubted he’d let anything happen to her willingly. She mentally shook off her excuses.
“You’re an ass,” she scoffed as she took his arm and they headed into the trees together. They hiked up a little part of the mountain until the area was rockier. They came out onto a large ledge with a clearing through the trees that showed the sun setting. Navy blue clouds splashed the sky from the cold front, bearing snow that had come in the week before that now blanketed the forest.
The ledge overlooked the rest of the mountain, valley, lake, and town. Snow and ice covered the mountain. Whitefish sat in the picturesque shadow of the mountain. The lake seemed unnatural. The shades of blue were impossible to replicate in any picture, painting, or description.
“Oh wow. It’s so beautiful. This is much better than a movie,” Louvette said as she gazed out. The gorgeousness of the nature that surrounded Whitefish was astonishing. It continuously amazed Louvette.
The sound of a blanket snapping out drew her attention back to her temporarily forgotten date. Arsen wasn’t someone that people forgot about, she thought, smirking. She turned sharply to him. He was opening a large basket that had been hidden in the red flannel blankets.
“My mother made this, so before you start telling everyone I’m the best cook you’ve ever known, I’d appreciate you give the props to my mom instead,” he warned like a gentleman, pulling out the different containers. She watched him strategically place all the food containers. A little smile crept on her face.
“Food is served. On today’s menu, we are having fried chicken, gravy, rolls, and green beans. Desert will be blackberry cobbler,” Arsen announced, handing her a plate.
“That sounds perfect. This is amazing,” she complimented him.
They sat together and ate until they were stuffed. The sun was almost done setting and the stars were about to take over the sky. The degrees dropped as the sun set. Noticing her shiver while it grew dark, Arsen moved closer to her and wrapped a blanket around them. Her shivers receded at the trapped body heat in the blankets. She snuggled up closer as his arm went around her shoulders.
“I’ve never eaten so much in my life,” she sighed, full and happy. She enjoyed the sounds of nature as she relaxed next to Arsen. An owl hooted as a sign that the daylight was coming to an end. Twigs broke as a squirrel ran through the trees. A steady drilling sound played in the background as a woodpecker worked over a neighboring tree.
“The Lup
ine gene causes us to have a faster metabolism, so you might find yourself eating ridiculous amounts of food from now on,” he informed her, looking over at her with a satisfied look.
“This was so much fun,” she said, staring at the twinkling stars.
“Yeah, I had a blast. Maybe next time, we’ll try shifting,” he hinted playfully.
“Does it hurt? Is there going to be a next time?” Louvette dared to ask, peeking over at him.
“It shouldn’t. Unless you plan to move on to bigger and better things, I think so,” Arsen said. Louvette could almost smack him since his tone made it cleared that there was no better thing out there that she could move on to. She hated to admit it, but he was right.
“Well, I might meet Jason Momoa,” she teased.
“Oh, Jason Momoa doesn’t have anything on me,” he bragged. “What time do you usually get up in the morning?” he quizzed her, changing the topic to something more of interest to him than Jason Momoa.
“5:45, why do you ask?” she asked as her head tilted slightly.
“So, I can send you a good morning text for you to wake up to,” he said sweetly, but Louvette didn’t quite buy it.
“It’s getting late,” she pointed out reluctantly.
He sighed, downheartedly. “Time to get Cinderella home before you turn into a pumpkin.”
“Yes, I look terrible in orange. You might end up regretting this date,” Louvette teased.
“I might have some regrets, but this will never be one of them,” he admitted without a drop of shame on his face.
They packed up and headed home. Her mom was due to arrive in five minutes of the time they got to her house. Arsen got out of the car to open the door for her. Leisurely, they walked to the front door. As she unlocked it, she turned to say good night but a kiss smothered her words.
She had been kissed before, but never kissed like the world depended on it. This was right, like nerve endings firing right. The kiss ended too soon as he stepped back.
