Becoming the Luna

We had gone for a fun filled drive but I kept on getting distracted by how scanty the entire place was, Virgil was ecstatic about his new car, a silver-grey GMC Acadia, which was perfect for a place like Pine Creek.

They all left to go back to their homes which was a little surprising but it made sense a little, at least with Dale.

With a new avenue to pour in their anger and pain at the death of their only daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Aston's relationship with their son had gotten a lot better.

I hadn't gone to any of the hearings so I still haven't seen either of his parents but I wasn't exactly eager to.

That's why I'm all alone today, Mae and Shana had gone for another date? I think, that didn't seem likely but I wasn't about to ask why she wasn't going to come over for all of the next day.

Dale also had some things to do, as well as Virgil and that's why I'm sitting on the sofa and staring out the window into the sun filled woods with a dozing Apple laying on my lap, an abandoned paperback to the side.

I've been trying to read the novel all morning, it was some billionaire type romance but I keep getting distracted, it's late afternoon now and I haven't gone ten pages in.

I wasn't lonely or at least that was what I tried to tell myself, my mom was upstairs in her room, most likely taking a nap.

Somehow my grandparents had heard about the wolf problem that Pine Creek had and my Grammy had freaked out.

My mom has been on the phone all day, explaining and yelling if she had to but my Grammy obviously wasn't budging, she had eventually given up and thrown her phone away, making sure to put it on silent. It still kept on ringing though.

So her nap was very much expected, she was most likely mentally exhausted and knowing my Grammy she would just keep calling until my mom cracked or if she didn't, she would come down here herself to try and convince her.

I sigh at this, hoping that the wolves would go very soon.

Idly, I wondered if it was the same kind of wild wolves that had hung around the forest reserve in the city and had attacked Jade, I shiver at this thought. It's no wonder Dale was seriously shaken and made me promise him never to go in the woods at least until all this was over.

He didn't need to tell me that for sure, I wasn't about to encounter either the wolf or Leon, I'm not sure which is worse. Although I'm still a little bit worried that he went back into the woods even though a wolf was obviously there.

He seemed like the type to be able to take care of himself though, besides yesterday, calls kept coming in Virgil's phone and I'd heard the name Leon a couple times so he's definitely still alive.

I tear my eyes away from the window after talking myself into seeing a wolf run past my eyes, it was ridiculous because the wolves never come so close to the town, I couldn't even hear their howls at night so that was one thing that couldn't be possible.

I pick up my novel again, Apple had bothered me all day by pawing at me and climbing up me to lick my face with her bumpy tongue, it got even worse when she discovered my hair. She had climbed up the backrest of the chair and just stayed there clawing at my hair.

It hurt and I kept pushing her down but it seemed like she had a mind of her own, it was so relieving when she finally fell asleep.

The last thing I remember is lifting up my book to continue my reading but I must have dozed off because I wake up much later to the subtle sounds of camera shutters, I wink open an eye slowly to see my mom giggling and taking pictures.

I smile slowly at her, happy to see her back to her bubbly self, she had a dark cloud hanging over her all day so this was really pleasing to see.

Turns out that I had fallen asleep as well, my novel thrown to the side, a hand underneath my head for support.

Apple had snuggled into the side of my neck, settling the rest of her body on my arm and the crook that had been created while I curled around her.

"Why don't you go take a shower." My mom prompts me and I carefully get up, making sure to not wake Apple with hurried movements. "I'll heat up dinner." She offers, flouncing up to her room first to no doubt go through the photos before she would begin the heating.

I take my time going up the stairs, a tired yawn leaving me as I stretch out the stiffness in my body.

The time for school to resume session was drawing close and I couldn't say I was excited for it, I hadn't exactly left under the best of circumstances but now I had four friends to help me live through it, besides it's our final year and I'll be eighteen soon.

Again, I still hadn't thought much about college, it's apparently worse than high school so it wasn't exactly high on my list of things to do.

There were no colleges in Pine Creek so that was out of the question, plus knowing my grandmother she would probably take me to some obscure, snotty rich, private school where I wouldn't be allowed to leave except at Christmas or something.

I slowly twist the knob of my room's door, apprehension blooming low in my stomach, it's ridiculous, there was nothing in my room.

I fling open the door and heave a sigh of relief at the sight I see, a well made bed, and an almost too well arranged room.

I shake my head, going in the quiet and very empty room, it is unlike me to spook myself so my reaction is a bit surprising.