Charity Moon

by Deanna Kinney

  “That sounds good. I would like to go home with you after school today. Irena and I need to work on the wedding plans.” I turned to get up and moaned in pain.

  Levi jumped over the bed and was in front of me in an instant. “Why don’t you take some pain medicine? I would feel a lot better if you did.”

  “Well, it might make you feel better, but it’ll make me groggy. I’ll be fine once I get moving.”

  “Okay then, I’ll be back to get you soon. I love you.” He kissed my forehead and though he’s big, slid effortlessly out my window—my eyes trailing longingly after him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  In the few seconds it took for us to cross the parking lot, my group of friends grew from six to twelve as Levi and his friends joined us.

  Delaney kept her eyes on the new guys while also managing to keep one eye on Toby and his growing irritation. Toby kept his eyes on Delaney while also keeping them on the guys she was flirting with. Stacy kept hers focused on Jordan. Ashley kept hers fixed solely on Josh, and Levi and I kept ours honed in on each other, with Missy trailing closely behind. What a bunch we are.

  Levi was very much aware of the pain I struggled unsuccessfully to hide. I gave him a reassuring smile, and though he smiled back, the concern never left his eyes.

  Later, as I made my way to the cafeteria, Ashley came bouncing happily down the hallway toward me. “What’s up? You seem perkier than usual,” I remarked.

  “Oh I am. You’ll never guess what’s happened.”

  “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s happened?”

  “Levi just promoted Josh to beta of the pack. That means he’s second in command. They’re going to have a ceremony initiating him in after the dust settles from the wedding. Isn’t that exciting? I’m so happy for him.”

  “Yes, actually that is exciting. He deserves it.”

  “He does—doesn’t he?”

  “You really like him—don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I really do. Do you think he knows?”

  “Ash—you wear your feelings on your sleeve. He’d have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to—and then he still would. Besides, he probably just heard you anyway.”

  “I know, right?” She giggled.

  When we arrived in the cafeteria, I noticed my friends gathered at our usual table. Ashley skipped alongside me as we approached them. “Listen guys, Levi and I are an item now, so we’ll be joining them from now on.” I picked up Toby’s tray and carried it across the room, sitting it down on the table next to where Levi and his friends were sitting. As my friends picked their seats, Delaney, enjoying Toby’s annoyance, chose the seat in the center of the guys. Levi motioned for me to take the seat next to him.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I got your lunch for you.” He took my hand and gently pulled me down beside him.

  “Thank you,” I said as he pushed the tray of food in front of me. People had started to murmur as they studied us sitting together, hands intertwined.

  I picked up a cheeseburger and took a bite. “So, what are they saying about us?”

  “Well,” he said, wiping mustard off the corner of my lip with his thumb, “the girls are jealous of you, the guys are jealous of me, and everybody else is just jealous.” He smirked, bending his head down and kissing me, just to give them something else to talk about I’m sure. “Mmm, raspberry mixed with cheeseburger, an interesting combination,” he teased.

  “I heard about Josh’s promotion.”

  “I was just about to tell you that. I guess Ashley told you.”

  “Yeah. She’s very excited for him.”

  “Well, he’s my best friend and a very loyal one at that, and his combat skills are excellent.”

  “I’m glad you have him to watch your back. It makes me feel better.”

  “I wish I had someone to watch yours.”

  “Hey! Have you seen my combat skills? I can take Josh on my worst day.”

  He laughed. “You know, I almost believe you.”

  When we entered Art class, Mrs. Reed had our portraits displayed about the room. “Now class,” she began, “before I give you a chance to go around and observe each other’s work, I would just like to say that all of you did exceptionally well, so well in fact, this class won the contest.”

  Cheers spread throughout the classroom.

  “However,” she continued, “there are two of you whose work has stood out above the rest. I would like to acknowledge them in front of the class. Levi and Charity, would you two come up front please?”

  We both looked at each other in astonishment as we rose from our seats, taking our stance in front of the class. I have to admit I’ve never been acknowledged in front of my peers before. It felt strangely satisfying.

  “Can I ask you, Levi, what inspired you to do such amazing work? I mean you made Charity look like an angel.”

  “Well,” he said as he looked at the class and smiled devilishly. “She is an angel.”

  The class began to laugh and, for a brief moment, I actually blushed.

  “And how about you, Charity?”

  “Um, well I just listened to my heart and drew what I saw. And it didn’t hurt that my subject is a hottie.”

  The class laughed again, including Mrs. Reed. I myself stifled a laugh as Levi’s tanned face turned an adorable shade of red.

  “Well, I’m very proud of both of you, and your work will be featured in a special section of the last edition of our school e-letter. Now class, you may take some time to go around and observe each other’s work.”

  I walked straight over to Levi’s work, anxious to finally get a glimpse, and was in total awe. He did make me look like an angel. The only thing missing was the halo. “Levi, it’s amazing. How could you make me look this beautiful when I was being so awful to you?”

  “Well, I have to admit, on the day you had the gum it was real hard.” He laughed. “But the truth is, I was already so in love with you that this is how I truly saw you.”

  “Have I told you how much I love you?”

  “Not today.”

  “I love you so much.”

  He smiled at me. “Now, I want to see what you’ve done.” We walked across the room, holding hands, to where my work was displayed.

  “Charity, wow! It looks just like me. I never realized you were so talented, although,” he paused, then smirking added, “I can see where you erased the horns on my head.”

  I laughed. “Thanks. My father was an artist in his spare time, so I guess I take after him. Do you really think it’s good?”

  “It’s amazing. Have I told you how much I love you?”

  “Not today.” Then we both burst into laughter.

  After school, Ashley followed us to the Drake House, following a little too close for my comfort. She’s such a tailgater.

  We were deep into the forest when Levi pulled down his visor and hit the button, allowing the forest floor to drop down just in time to usher us into the garage. I can’t even describe how cool that was.

  Irena was very happy to see Ashley and I. She had already started on the planning and was more than thrilled to show us her ideas.

  “Okay,” Levi said, “I have business to attend to as well, so I’ll leave you ladies to it.” He gave me a kiss on the forehead and vanished out of sight.

  We spent the next two hours going back and forth on ideas until we had most major decisions settled. The Drake House was paying for the entire wedding. We decided on a simple, but elegant, wedding. Their chef, Chef Barney, as they call him, was handling the food, and I was happy with his ideas, once my ears adjusted to his thick, Italian accent, that is. An older lady named Nell was baking the cake. She owned a bakery in town, and I had always heard that her creations were out-of-this-world delicious, though personally I’d never had an occasion to try any.

  Levi and his father entered the dining room and eyed the mess we had scattered about with curiosity.

  “Okay, Charity,” Irena said, approaching me with her tape
measure in hand, “the last thing I need to do is get your measurements.”

  “Um, measurements, why do you need those?” I asked with genuine curiosity.

  “For the dress silly.”

  “What do you mean? Can’t I go shopping for one?”

  “Of course not! This is a secret wedding—remember? If you go shopping for one the gossip will spread like a fire ant colony.”

  I grinned. “Oh yeah, I guess I forgot about that.”

  “Didn’t Levi tell you I was a seamstress? I’ll make your dress myself. You just look through some of those magazines and give me an idea of what you want, and I’ll get to work on it right away.”

  “Sure, and thank you.”

  She put the measuring tape around my breasts. “Thirty-five,” she said, jotting it down on her notepad. Levi’s head popped up from the homework he’d been working on. I suddenly felt slightly embarrassed, and then she put the measuring tape around my waist. “Twenty-two. Charity honey, you’re too thin. Werewolves like a woman with some meat on her bones.”

  “Well, I think I’m big enough in certain areas to keep Levi’s interest.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Levi commented from across the room. “I mean about the interest part, of course.”

  Ashley piped in, “Charity, your butt alone is big enough to keep Levi’s interest.”

  “No you didn’t. Don’t make me come over there.”

  Irena put the measuring tape around my hips.

  “Oh no, here we go,” Ashley teased. “Are you sure you have enough tape for that?”

  “I’m getting ready to pummel you,” I responded, shaking my fist at her.

  “Thirty-four,” Irena said, writing it down.

  “See, that’s not too bad.”

  “Yeah, not if you want to pose in Playboy. You know, Charity, you should consider that. I hear they pay pretty well,” she laughed, taking off running as I started after her.

  At once, I stopped and grabbed my ribs in pain. Levi was instantly at my side.

  “Charity, are you all right?”

  “Yes, I’m fine,” I mumbled.

  “Josh, can you go get some pain medicine from Doc?”

  It’s funny, but I didn’t see Josh anywhere in the room. Levi must’ve known he was close enough to hear him—creepy, but convenient.

  “Levi, do you think her rib will be healed up enough on its own by Saturday, so she won’t be in so much pain?” Irena asked.

  “Saturday? What’s Saturday?” I asked.

  “Why don’t you heal her yourself?”

  “What’s Saturday?” I asked again.

  “She won’t let me.”

  “What’s Saturday?!”

  “The wedding silly,” she finally answered.

  “This Saturday?” I asked, horrified, while pulling out my lip balm from my jeans pocket and applying a generous coating.

  “Um, yes,” she answered cautiously, sensing my alarm.

  “But that’s just five days from now!” My breathing came fast and hard as the panic attack threatened to swallow me.

  “Does someone have a bag?” Ashley called, rushing to my side. “She has anxiety attacks from time to time, and sometimes her breathing escalates to the point of passing out.”

  “Everything will be okay,” Levi encouraged while rubbing my back, “we’ll help you with the wedding.”

  “I’ll go find a bag,” Irena said before disappearing.

  “Can you help me with everything else too,” I breathed.

  “I’ll help you, Charity,” Ashley responded.

  “Ashley, you can’t help me. Oh, who am I kidding? I can’t do this!” I got up and walked out of the dining room, my breathing instantly beginning to regulate. Levi was right on my heels, following me down the hall, with Ashley close behind him.

  “Charity, please.”

  “I’m sorry, Levi, but I have to go. I have to think. Ashley, can you take me home?”

  “No, don’t go! Charity, please! What can I do?!” he pleaded.

  I spun around to face him. “There’s nothing you can do! I’m just not ready to handle all of this! You’re pack deserves someone who’s stronger!” I put both hands on my temples and rubbed hard. “I mean, do you even have any idea what this is like for me?!” In my exasperation I became angry and attacked. “Do you know what it’s like to have to choose a life I’m scared to death of just so I won’t lose the man I love?! Of course you don’t, because you don’t have to sacrifice anything for me! Ashley let’s go.”

  “I understand what you’re going through,” Ashley finally said in the car on the way home.

  “No, Ash, you can’t know.”

  “Josh told me everything.”

  “Oh, well did he tell you that if Levi dies I get passed to Wesley for him to do as he pleases with me for the rest of my life? Oh wait! No—that’s right—if he dies then I die.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Okay, besides that.”

  “Did he tell you that if I don’t have a son he has to take another wife?”

  “Okay, besides that.”

  “He also said that vampires might target me in order to get to him, possibly even turning me into one of them.”

  “Okay, that’s alarming. Charity, he clearly just wants you to know all of the pitfalls beforehand. That’s good. His society is different from ours, more morally based and honorable. Things go a little faster with them—they have to, and you have to accept that. They’ve been doing it this way for centuries, and it works for them. Don’t let the way our society works sway your decision. Besides, can you honestly say you can give him up because you’re scared of the ‘what if’s’? Every marriage has risks.”

  I gave her an incredulous look.

  “Okay, clearly not of this magnitude, I realize that. Oh come on, Charity, he’s a great guy, and he’s mad about you. If he had to choose someone else it would destroy him, not to mention you. Look at it this way; you’ll probably have a healthy son as your first child. Levi and Wesley will most likely die before you. Levi will never let those vampires near you, and on the full moon you can just hide at my house.”

  “You make it sound so easy, but it’s not.”

  “It’s what you make it, Charity. Stop being so pessimistic.”

  “Can you honestly say this will end well and I’ll live happily ever after?”

  “Well, let me ask you this—can you honestly see happily ever after without Levi?”

  The truth is, I knew the answer to that. I could never see life without Levi, not in that moment, not ever. It was far too late for that.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I expected Levi to show up after I got home, but he didn’t. In fact, he didn’t show or call all evening.

  My heart sank when I pulled into the parking lot the next morning and spotted Levi leaning against his car talking to Patty Cramer. So this is how it’s gonna be, I told myself. I guess he’s looking for someone who’s ready. I didn’t let him know how much it hurt. As a matter of fact, I acted like I didn’t even see him, walking through the parking lot like all was right in my world, but inside my heart was breaking.

  In Calculus we didn’t look at each other the entire class.

  When Ashley and I got to the cafeteria, our friends were sitting at the new table. “What are you doing sitting here?” I asked in disbelief.

  “You told us to. You said you and Levi were an item now.”

  “Well, today we’re clearly not an item. He’s working on filling that position.”

  Levi’s eyes flashed to mine.

  I narrowed my eyes, giving him a stern glare. Without further hesitation, I picked up Toby’s tray and carried it back to our old table.

  “Gee, who peed in your Pops this morning?” Toby asked.

  “I’ll give you a hint, it starts with an L and ends with an I, and today I’m wearing his name on my butt.”

  He laughed. “That’s a good one, Charity.”

  “I live only to amuse you
,” I said, taking a bow.

  In Art class we didn’t speak either, though it was harder to ignore him since he sat right in front of me, but I did my best. At least my outward appearance showed I was oblivious to his presence, but every time he shifted in his seat his scent made its way to my nose, driving me mad. Did he know what he was doing to me?