Daniel grinned. Maybe he could use that line in a song!
Right now, though, it was time to finish up No More Puppy Love with his own very special addition: flat-out wolfish howling at the final chorus! He tipped back and let himself loose. As the howls rocked through him, wild and free, a feeling of rightness filled him, just like it had at that first werewolf gathering.
OK, so maybe he’d never planned on being a werewolf. Maybe he wasn’t even anyone’s idea of what a werewolf ‘should’ be. But as the howls ripped through his chest, Daniel knew one thing for sure: he was exactly who he had always been meant to be . . . no matter what anyone else might think about it.
He opened his eyes at the end of the song and found Kyle from the football team giving him a narrow-eyed, suspicious look from the gym floor. He thought he heard the quarterback mumbling beneath the wild applause that seemed to rattle the gym:
‘Very realistic howling, Packer . . . Daniel Packer.’
Daniel kept a goofy grin on his face, pretending that he had not heard what Kyle had said. It took all his focus not to look in his direction – if he did, he knew that Kyle would know Daniel had heard . . .
And then Kyle would know the truth!
Just act normal, Daniel told himself. Whatever ‘normal’ is in Pine Wood.
He bowed to the crowd, still applauding. In the centre of the dance floor, Riley jolted awake, obviously woken by the noise. Daniel heard her gasp as she jerked upright, desperately trying to pat herself back into her normal neat-and-tidy self. Unfortunately, she only succeeded in messing up the fascinator clipped to her hair, so it hung off her head at a bizarre angle, making her hair look lopsided. Daniel choked back a laugh at the sight.
It sure didn’t seem to bother Justin, though. As soon as he woke up and saw her, his grin was as goofy as Daniel knew his own had been. It was tough to tell which twin was more elated at that moment. Daniel thought he would edge it when he heard Kyle talking to his friends about their next game. He seemed to have forgotten whatever suspicions he had had.
Daniel’s first real gig had been a success . . . and so had his new song. As Debi smiled up at him from the crowd, wearing her superhero dress and gloves, Daniel realised something else, too: maybe it was time for him to take more risks.
Maybe it was time to take the biggest risk.
Maybe it’s time to stop hiding the truth from her.
If Debi could accept him being a scruffy, hardcore rocker . . . maybe she would accept him being a werewolf, too.
She was so cool that he was finally ready to believe she just might.
Pine Wood Post
Online Feature
Mackenzie’s Musings
Bringing you all the IMPORTANT news from Pine Wood Junior High
Hi! Welcome to the latest edition of Mackenzie’s Musings, with ME – Mackenzie Barton.
This week, it’s our Homecoming Dance Edition and I just have to begin by saying how FINE I am with not being voted Homecoming Queen. Absolutely fine. You are probably already aware that, in a completely insane turn of events, Riley Carter NARROWLY WON . . . despite the fact that she DIDN’T EVEN KNOW SHE WAS NOMINATED. (Oops! Left the Caps Lock on. Oh well!)
Sadly for ‘Her Majesty’, the dance itself wasn’t exactly legendary. One can’t help wondering whether ‘our’ Queen would have been better off singing with her band, than on the dance floor. Not that In Sheep’s Clothing were TOTALLY bad, or anything – just that I’m not sure all that howling was quite the right choice for a dance that needed more pink and less black.
And speaking of colour coordination, let me tell you all what’s hot and what’s totally not:
* Pink with orange is in: They totally go together. Black on black is out: It’s not matching, it’s just lazy!
* Fascinators: in. Corsages: out. (More plumage, less jungle chic.)
* Strappy sandals: in. Killer heels: out. (More dancing, less falling over – unless you’re Riley Carter, who could fall over when she’s lying down!)
Now that’s out of the way, what else do I want to talk about? Well, there’s the dress that I wore for the dance itself. A pink gown with a gorgeous orange wrap. My fascinator was worn at the side so that if I were to be given a crown, for any reason, my amazing up-do wouldn’t be disturbed. It would have been perfect for a Queen. Not that I’m complaining, of course, but I love-love-LOVED my outfit. I might even wear it a SECOND TIME.
Final Mackenzie Musing – I have, AT LAST, got my Blu-ray copy of The Groves, starring my favourite actor, Jackson Caulfield. I LOVE this movie – so funny and so sweet. And I seriously think people need to calm down on the Jessica Phelps hate – yes, she said mean things at the Bright Star Awards earlier this year, but sometimes it’s brave to speak your mind. My fellow cheerleaders often say I’m VERY brave.
Anyway – if you haven’t seen The Groves, you need to IMPROVE YOUR LIFE immediately and check it out.
It’s time for me to stop, but I would NEVER be cruel enough to let you go without the next eagerly awaited instalment of . . .
Mackenzie’s Murmurs!
Where I, Mackenzie Barton, shine my ‘Torch of Truth’ on the secrets my peers would rather keep hidden . . .
This Week’s Whispers:
* One Pine Wood 9th grader seriously needs a haircut. You know who you are.
* We expect there to be love in the air at a Homecoming Dance, but it wasn’t just the students getting mushy. Numerous reports have come in of two teachers making eyes at each other across the dancefloor. Be careful, Ms XX and Mr XX – you’re not the romantic ninjas you think you are!
* Halloween is just a few weeks away. What’s the betting that half of the football team will go as werewolves . . . again ? Sigh. They should take a leaf out of my book and change it up a bit. Last year I went as a fairy, and so did my cheer squad. The year before it was princesses. The year before that it was fairy princesses. Have some imagination, guys!
COMMENTS ON THIS FEATURE:
DANIEL PACKER says: Mackenzie, I like my hair just fine, thank you.
‘RIGHTEOUS’ MILO says: Are you crazy? That band SUCKED. Who wants to hear love songs at a dance? It was a SCANDAL that they were chosen. A travesty.
Puppy Love! Page 11