by Lou Grimes
The girls exchanged numbers before the day was over. Louvette had almost decided that she liked Cara. Cara was the first girl whose company she had found truly enjoyable. Many of the past acquaintances were more out of survival than of finding a compatible companion.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. They proceeded to the parking lot where her mother was waiting for her at the pick-up section. Cara and Louvette said their goodbyes as Cara went to the student portion. The pick-up line was almost empty save for a few freshmen that couldn’t bum a ride off their friends. The Grand Am was the oldest one in the line, though.
A soon as Louvette’s rear hit the seat her mom turned to her. Her mother was dressed well in a skirt and white button up. She had on some black flats and couple of pieces of jewelry. It was her go-to interview outfit that she normally used. It was classy.
“Well, how did it go? What happened to your arm?” her mother grilled her in shock at her bandage.
“I think it went good, actually. Don’t throw a party just yet. I fell down and scraped it,” she said, hoping her mother wouldn’t delve deeper than that. Thankfully, the deliverance of her mother’s own good news distracted her from the arm.
“I got a job as a waitress at the Great Northern Bar & Grill. The hours aren’t ideal. I’m on the evening shift so you’ll have to find some way to get home. I won’t be home until after 2 am. The tips will be great though,” she shared as she was beaming.
“That’s okay. I’ll ask this girl who was my guide today. She seemed pretty cool,” Louvette decided. She knew Cara would give her a ride if she asked. It would give her more conversation time to fill Louvette in on everything.
Louvette and her mother headed home. They cooked spaghetti and meatballs for dinner to add a little Italian zest to their lives. After dinner in the privacy of her room, Louvette flopped on her bed, mentally drained. Lying still was peaceful and she rested for a few minutes, but something nagged the back of her mind. She remembered Arsen’s words. Louvette rolled over and texted him.
Louvette: I’m texting you, now tell me what you know about my father and grandfather?
Arsen: I can’t over the phone. It will be better in person. When can we meet?
She paused at this, still not sure if it was a promising idea. But he was the only one offering answers about Wilder and Declan. Her mother hadn’t shown any changes that made Louvette think she was going to get anything out of her. She exhaled and responded.
Louvette: Tomorrow. After school, my mom is working the night shift.
Arsen: Sounds good to me. I’ll talk to you then.
A thought struck Louvette. She hastily replied before he fell asleep.
Louvette: Will you give me a ride home? I was going to ask Cara, but if you’re headed to my house anyway, I thought I’d see.
A minute passed and the dots appeared that showed he was responding.
Arsen: Sure. Meet me at the parking lot after school.
Louvette: Thank you. I’m going to bed. Night.
Arsen: Good night.
She turned over on her bed, deep in thought. That turn was the first of many turns that night. Her mind was troubled with what it could be that he had to tell her. She didn’t even want to know why his eyes went crazy. The truth was begging to be known. However, once it was opened, there would be no closing it. There would be no way to put back in what she had released.
Exhaustion finally overtook her and she passed out. No dreams plagued her that night. She could not enter REM sleep due to the worry Arsen had incited.
Chapter 4
The time to wake up came too soon for Louvette. But, once she was up, she was a flurry of emotions. They were just snowballing as she picked out her breakfast. This morning, she chose a sticky bun. Her mother took her to school cheerily. They got to the gate for the second time. The same security guard inspected her I.D. closely.
“Good choice,” he commented before handing it back. Her mother’s mouth twitched, the displeasure running deep. The gate opened and they drove in before Louvette’s mother could lose it.
“Have a good day. I’ll see you late tonight,” she said as Louvette exited the car. Cara was waiting for her at the front doors. She smiled as she caught sight of Louvette.
Laughter drew her eyes off to the side. Arsen’s group of friends were cutting up. The group was compiled mostly of boys, but there were one or two girls. She looked right at Arsen, but he met her eyes for a millisecond and then turned back to his friends. The movement was unnoticeable to everyone around expect her. It ruffled her feathers, but she had spent her years at school pretending that nothing could touch her. She did the only thing she could think of and headed to class. As she went through, she caught a tiny glance of him staring at the ground. His jaw was clenching.
She was boiling when she reached first period. Cara was gossiping to her, but she couldn’t focus on it. Louvette just nodded and agreed when the conversation dictated. In class, she sat down and stared at her paper. She wouldn’t give Arsen the satisfaction of looking at him.
The air changed to a more hostile environment and she swore she could feel him staring at her. Her heartbeat sped up. She sucked in an inaudible breath as he passed. Time moved again.
Mr. Mitchell, the teacher, began the lecture. Louvette was only half listening when he proceeded. Her mind was elsewhere, but the topic captured her interest after only a few words. Her vexation toward Arsen fled as she actually listened to the teacher.
“Officially, Whitefish was founded late in the game due to the arrival of the Great Northern Railway. Unofficially, a bizarre mixture of traders, trappers, and immigrants settled here long before the official naming of Whitefish. These people came from Europe and took up new names start fresh. There were seven families. Their last names were Blackwood, Rivers, Whitecreek, Valleys, Redbears, Bonesteel, and Hollows. Each of these families had a niche in the beginning of their town. Redbears fished. Blackwoods hunted. Valleys farmed. Bonesteels mined. Hollows logged. The Whitecreeks trapped,” Mr. Mitchell said, making Louvette sit up. Her hair rose up on her neck at the familiar names.
“They survived everything from conflicts with wolves, bears, the harsh winter elements, and all manner of opposing forces,” he revealed. Louvette raised her hand, not satisfied from the answer.
“Yes, Louvette?” Mr. Mitchell asked.
“How did they survive?” Louvette wondered.
“A good question. They were all expert hunters and trappers. An unverified claim was made that they trapped the wolves and domesticated them as hunting dogs. This claim was from an outside source that originated from the Blackfeet Indians. The Blackfeet were Whitefish’s allies. They often traded together. There were even multiple reports from the Blackfeet Indians that the wolves walked around the town like our pets do now,” the teacher said.
“We actually have the privilege to learn beside and be taught by several of the descendants of Whitefish’s founding fathers,” the teacher pointed out.
His words faded in Louvette’s ears as she stared at her desk. The history of her family was laid out. It was strange to think they’d built this place from the ground up. Every road, every building, and many of the inhabitants were thanks to the founders. They wouldn’t be here if not for them. Louvette wouldn’t be here without her family’s involvement in Whitefish.
She could tell that Arsen’s eyes were on her as she asked her questions. They went through the awkward tango each core class. Arsen would seek her eyes when he thought no one was paying attention, to apologize, but Louvette wouldn’t meet his gaze. Somehow, she managed to avoid him for all of the classes they shared.
At lunch, she pushed around her food more than ate it. Her food was mashed potatoes, meatloaf surprise, and some peas. The mashed potatoes were far too lumpy. Louvette didn’t need to know what kind of surprise was in the meatloaf. The horrible food wasn’t the only thing that put a bad taste in her mouth. It didn’t help that she could see Arsen hanging ou
t and having fun.
The combination of anger and lack of food proved too great for Louvette. She decided against riding home with Arsen out of pride for herself. She would have to find whatever he knew out on her own. Cara was her last chance out.
However during the last class, Cara raised her hand after about twenty minutes into doing an assignment. The movement startled Louvette because she was so focused on the wrong thing. Cara shot her an apologetic look. Louvette could tell that Cara saw her flinch at the motion. She gave her a smile that meant they were cool.
Louvette couldn’t be mad at her for being so in her own world. The history of her family and Arsen’s actions were throwing her off fiercely. She wished she had skipped school today. Arsen would have never been able to ignore her.
“May I be excused to go help Mrs. Valley?” Cara asked. Louvette blinked hard at this question. Her own work was only at about halfway done. Honestly, she’d spent a large portion of her time thinking about Arsen, his secrets, and her life.
“Yes, you may Ms. Rivers. Will you be returning?” the teacher questioned. Louvette almost laughed. The teacher was having problems similar to Louvette’s. She was sure their assignment was just busy work so the teacher didn’t have to check in today.
“No, I don’t think so, unless she has nothing for me to do,” Cara said. The teacher nodded her acceptance of Cara’s statement. Louvette sat back slowly, giving her hand a break from the little writing she’d done. She was busy watching the exchange. Everyone else was as well.
“Have a good day, Cara. See you tomorrow,” the teacher answered, releasing her from having to check back into class. The teacher leaned over her desk to lazily scribble something on her attendance book.
Cara got up with her bag, waving to Louvette. She left. Realization hit Louvette. Louvette was so caught up that she had forgotten to ask Cara for a ride. She barely stopped herself from cussing or getting up. She resisted. That was a surefire approach to land herself in the principal’s office. Louvette could sense it was easy to get into the school, but she didn’t know how easy it was to get thrown out. She didn’t plan on finding out.
She didn’t want a ride from Arsen after what happened. She’d find the truth some other route. Eventually, her mother would give in to her questions. She’d fold, but it would take some time.
Finding out the truth came faster than she realized. After school, Louvette looked for Cara in the parking lot, but knew she was already gone. Cara must have been released early from the registrar that she helped. Louvette had no clue what to do about a ride. She knew one thing. She wasn’t about to call her mom. Louvette would not make her late for her first shift at her new job.
Louvette scanned around for the buses, but they were gone too. She had spent too much time looking for Cara. She could perceive that no one was just going to offer the new girl a ride.
She wouldn’t make it home before the sunset walking. Louvette’s main concern was walking home when it got dark. She had no method of defend herself against wild animals or unsavory characters on the road. Her only choice home would be walking to her mother’s work and waiting for her to get off. It was a shorter walk through town and she could hole up in a store nearby until dinner came, then explain to her mother what happened when she noticed her daughter at the restaurant.
“Hey, are you ready to go?” a familiar voice called from behind her. She gave him a look over her shoulder that said she wondered about his sanity, her forehead scrunched up dubiously. She checked the student parking lot, searching for another ride home. Her eyes darted back to Arsen like they had a mind of their own.
“Do you not remember how shady you were this morning?” she dismissed him out of stubbornness. Arsen’s grin drooped guiltily at her statement and changed into a small frown. His face hardened out of determination.
“I’ll explain when we get to your house. It wasn’t out of embarrassment over you. I was trying to help you,” he explained earnestly. The sincerity seemed true, but Louvette was not so quick to forgive. He’d hurt her feelings this morning.
“You completely ignored me,” she scolded as she turned back toward the road. The idea of walking was becoming a grander idea as each word came out of Arsen’s mouth. Louvette didn’t desire to hear it. Not during the drive home or at her own house.
“If you won’t trust me, then trust that I know some stuff about your father and grandfather. Stuff that you need to be told. You specifically need it,” he said in a tone that made Louvette question her level of intelligence. She gave him a sharp look, calculating the situation. She sensed herself wavering. Louvette didn’t wish to crack like Humpty Dumpty, but he had sadly hit a weak spot.
Louvette pursed her lips as curiosity got the better of her. She needed to know. She was tired of living in the dark. Tired of being handed only half the cards on the table. She wanted answers. She just hoped they were good enough to satisfy her feeling of loss.
“Okay, let’s go,” she gave in. “Since you seem to know everything, do I need to tell you how to get to my house?”
He laughed, shaking his luscious curly brown hair. Louvette couldn’t help but smile as one lock remained in his face. The urge to brush it was almost too great to bear. However, he snagged it back into place before her fantasy could come to life.
“No. It’s a small town. Everyone knows where you live. Secrets aren’t secrets for long,” he ominously said as they headed to his car. Louvette hoped so, otherwise she’d never find anything about her father and grandfather. At his words, he appeared in despair as he had just realized the full weight of that statement.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Louvette could feel the water swirling dangerously beneath her as she questioned him. She knew one wave could drag her under.
“Nothing,” he said. Louvette was thankful he shut down when she’d asked. Though thankful, the curiosity still lingered there. It was unsatisfied.
He remote started something in the parking lot. Louvette’s gaze followed the pointer. She rolled her eyes at what they landed on. She stopped herself from inappropriately commenting.
It was a blacked-out Chevy pickup. He opened the door for her, earning Louvette a surprised look. She slipped in. The smell of leather flooded her nostrils and she breathed it in like it was the ocean air. The other door opened, and he got it. He pushed started the truck and they were off, pulling out of the parking lot and heading up the mountain toward her grandfather’s home.
The whole time he drove, he stayed over 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, reducing speed occasionally for the mountain roads. They were to the house in record time compared to this morning, when her mother, unused to the roads, had driven like a grandmother.
She got out and motioned him up the steps and inside. They went straight for the kitchen. She was parched.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked out of habit. Her mother had taught her to always offer some refreshments when she had guests. The rules for unwelcomed guests were regrettably the same.
“Coke,” he said. Arsen looked thrown off, unsure of himself. Not the usual swagger for the future king of Whitefish High prom that she had heard he was a shoe in for.
Louvette handed him a Coke and snagged herself a green tea. She popped the lid off and sipped the blast of refreshment.
“Now, get to it. What do you have to tell me?” she wondered as he popped open the Coke and took a long drink. So long, she almost expected him to say ah at the end like they did in the commercials. Shake the ice around in the glass to make it more tempting to the audience.
“Okay, but first I have a question for you. Do you remember how you felt when you were at the café and you looked at me?” He called up her memory. She made a face. This wasn’t where she desired to start. Louvette was just here for her father and grandfather. Truthfully, she had pushed what happened that day to the back of her mind like it never really happened. It was easier for her to process.
“I didn’t like it. I was out of
control. It was like I wasn’t me,” she confessed, getting sidetracked from her current mission. Louvette needed to learn more control.
“Exactly! You weren’t you, or at least not completely. You saw how my eyes changed? So, did yours,” he informed her excitedly, like a teacher talking about his favorite topic in class. His eyes were bright, but not in the terrifying manner that they were before. Louvette closed her eyes to get that image out of her head.
“Come on. Be serious,” she scoffed. She rolled her eyes at his immaturity. She got up to let him out the door. She didn’t want any more of his games. He had nothing for her. Nothing that she couldn’t find out through her mother. She’d just have to more persistent than before. Louvette didn’t relish the thought of straining their relationship since they were getting along so well.
“Mr. Mitchell was talking about it today. The reason ours changed is because we are both descendants of the founding families. My founding family was and is Whitecreek. Yours is Blackwood. There’s a local legend that all the founders were werewolves. It’s true,” Arsen revealed.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me right now. Werewolves?” she said, losing her last strand of patience. If she were strong enough, she would have thrown him out of her house. Arsen needed to be admitted to a psychiatric ward. Louvette wondered if she was safe being alone with a raving lunatic.
“Well werewolf isn’t the proper term, and many people take offense. Lupine is the term we prefer,” he disclosed. Louvette was at the point of no return. She had to have evidence. She couldn’t believe this fairy tale story without a shred of solid proof.
“Prove it,” she dared.
“You asked for it,” he said. The second he finished that sentence came the sound of exactly 206 bones breaking as the top half of his body fell forward. Thick hair grew out of nowhere. He elongated to the size of a full grown male polar bear. His features became more wolflike until one did stand before Louvette. His hair had the same coat as a grey wolf.