Chapter 10 - Unexpected Arrivals, Part 1 of 2

Maddy checked the clock on the classroom wall for the 52nd time. Five minutes until freedom. Except it didn't quite feel like impending freedom. The butterflies behind her belly were stubborn creatures, fluttering about as she thought about having dinner with Rhydian's parents for the first time. Rhydian sat next to her at the desk, caressing Maddy with his eyes. The idiot had been doing that all day long—even flashing a ridiculous smile practically at random. Of course Maddy knew—none of it was random. Much of it had to do with a certain text Maddy had sent Rhydian last night.

Maddy glanced over at Rhydian to confirm her suspicion. The fool can hardly keep his hands to himself. The wolfblood girl grinned as Rhydian fidgeted at his desk. Mr. Jeffries was just finishing up a preview of the upcoming history exam.

The bell rang and Rhydian bolted upright, clutching Maddy's hand.

"Right. Time to go. You ready?" As their schoolmates filed out of the classroom between buzzes of conversation, Maddy nodded just when the three K's sauntered by.

Kay and Kara's eyes immediately went to Rhydian and Maddy holding hands and the teasing started immediately.

"OOHH! Rhydian's got a girlfriend. Rhydian's got a girlfriend! OW!" Two of the three K's jumped with matching yelps. Who or what had just smacked each of them in the butt?

Katrina graced Maddy with a smile. "Hi Mads. These two aren't bothering you, are they?" She trained a fierce glare at her two girlfriends, which could have come right out of The Devil Wears Prada. As glares went, it also could have melted metal. "Are you two done bothering Maddy and Rhydian, because if not, the next place I'll be smacking you has a lot less protective cushioning!"

Maddy and Rhydian burst out laughing as Kara and Kay hustled out with a disbelieving look at their friend. Katrina gave Maddy a wink as she followed them out.

Rhydian looked a bit shell-shocked. Maddy waved a hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Rhydian…anyone home? You all right?"

The blonde boy blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah Mads, I guess. Has Katrina been possessed or replaced with a non-evil twin or something? She's acting so…weird."

Maddy shrugged, smiling as she remembered the time she'd spent with Katrina during half-term. "She's actually not so bad. While you and the rest of the pack were off on your camping trip, Kara and Kay were gone to Brighton too, so I spent some hanging out with her. I feel like she sees me differently now…and I'd say the same for her. It's all Jeffries' fault too—he made me go shopping with her." Maddy wrinkled her nose, then gave Rhydian a reluctant smirk. "It actually wasn't so bad."

Rhydian laughed as he gave her a look of 100% skepticism. "Sure, Mads. Whatever you say. I'd rather be put in front of a firing squad than have to go shopping with any one of the three K's. You can quote me on that."

Rhydian and Maddy soon waved to Jeffries, who had just finished helping out a few students with exam-related questions at the front.

"Don't forget, Maddy. I'll be by promptly to pick you up at 9pm," Jeffries called as they left. Then they hurried outside, cutting through Bradlington High's courtyard, walking towards Ceri and Gerwyn's house. They hadn't even left school grounds when Maddy sniffed, catching the unmistakable scent of wolfblood.

A scrawny man with a scratchy beard, doleful eyes and a shrewd face walked up to them, hands in pockets.

"Dad?" Rhydian said. Gerwyn's face broke out with a conspiratorial grin.

"Hey, son. Surprise! I'm here as escort. Just in case." He rolled his eyes. "Your mother's orders…though to be honest, I wanted to do it. I may look like a mangy mutt, but if Damian's pack tries anything reckless I'd rather be on hand…" He gave Maddy a bow and produced a blue flower seemingly out of thin air, which he offered to Maddy.

"For you, my dear."

Maddy smiled. "Thank you."

Rhydian groaned.

"Dad, this is embarrassing. Can't you just scout ahead or something?" They were still on school grounds and stares were starting to come their way. Rhydian loved his dad, but like any self-respecting teenager, he had no desire to have a parent within a ten-kilometer radius where his schoolmates might see. Plus, Gerwyn did have a mangy look and sometimes Rhydian felt a little self-conscious. Truth be told, the former orphan had never forgotten the way Jimi and his mates had teased his mom for looking homeless. He hadn't cared at all what those arses thought—but he did worry about what the teachers and the school staff might think. Rhydian's foster mum didn't know the truth about Gerwyn being Rhydian's real father either.

"We're having a hog roast that would make the Queen herself die of jealousy. So Maddy, I hope you're hungry," Gerwyn said, walking alongside. Maddy nodded shyly.

"Dad, I mean it. Scout ahead. You're making me look bad!" Jimi and some of the others had started to take notice of Gerwyn. Rhydian picked up the pace as Gerwyn nudged Maddy. A rainstorm brewed in the distance, typical English weather that promised a drizzle of rain but nothing too awful.

As a few stray droplets began to fall, Gerwyn spun around, spreading his arms as he sang, doing a passable Gene Kelly impression.

"I'm singing in the rain, singing in the rain…" Rhydian's face turned bright red as Gerwyn skipped a few lines. "I'm laughing at clouds, so dark up above. The sun's in my heart and I'm ready for love," Gerwyn finished, giving Maddy and Rhydian a meaningful glance.

"God, will you please go away!" Rhydian hissed desperately. As the red shade of Rhydian's face resembled a tomato more and more, Maddy couldn't help herself. She started to giggle.

"See, your girlfriend gets it. My real mission isn't to escort you. It's to embarrass the daylights out of you, Rhydian—like any good parent. Am I right, Maddy? Would you like to help me embarrass Rhydian? Come on, I'm sure he's teased and tormented you plenty of times. Now's your chance to get your revenge, and I'll help ya."

Rhydian glanced at Mads, whose eyes suddenly sparkled as a smile full of mischief appeared out of nowhere.

"Maddy, don't even think about—"

Maddy spun in a graceful circle, singing at the top of her lungs as Gerwyn resumed the song.

"I've a smile on my face. I walk down the lane with a happy refrain! Just singing, singing in the rain!" Maddy belted out, and now over a dozen schoolmates were definitely looking their way. Rhydian's mortified face cried out for mercy as Gerwyn took Maddy's hand, spinning her around as they danced a little, starting in on another verse….

Before they had left school grounds, Maddy discovered the many hues of red Rhydian's blushing face was capable of, and it made her smile so much her face almost hurt. Once they were finally walking along one of the cobblestone side streets, Rhydian huffed at them both.

"That wasn't funny. You made me into a total laughingstock. You embarrassed yourselves too," Rhydian added.

"I don't think Maddy sees it that way," Gerwyn said, throwing her an easy grin which she returned.

Suddenly those butterflies in her stomach weren't so fluttery after all. Right then she decided that Rhydian's dad was pretty awesome.

"Gerwyn…" she ventured.

"Yes, Maddy?"

"Do you think we can gang up on Rhydian more often?"

Rhydian just about screamed in frustration as Gerwyn gave her a thumbs-up. "It would be my pleasure, dear girl. The boy has an ego as wide as Hadrian's Wall. With your help, who knows, maybe we can take him down a notch." Rhydian endured Gerwyn's endless riffs and Maddy's good-natured rejoinders as they walked on. If you asked Rhydian, Maddy and his dad were getting on a little too well. Maddy could tell it judging by the rising frustration on her boyfriend's face, so finally she relented, lacing their hands together and just walking quietly side by side.

Their route to Ceri and Gerwyn's place took them right by the Smiths' old house. As they started up the street, Maddy felt a pang of emotion. Maybe I don't want to live there now…what with the memories of my parents still too fresh, with it hurting too much. I can't just leave it though…it wouldn't be right. Letting it go to the weeds felt too much like letting the ugly side of life win out. Despite the tragedy of losing her parents, their house held so many cherished memories. She knew that there had to be a way to save it for the future. It had been in her family for generations. Surely she couldn't just abandon it? Maddy reminded herself to have a talk with Jeffries about it.

When the three of them walked by the unassuming, quaint stone-work of the old house, Maddy was surprised to see that someone had clearly been maintaining it. The lawn was perfectly cut, the weeds under wraps. Not a speck out of place. Maddy wondered…Who's been taking care of it? She knew Jeffries didn't have the time as head teacher, no way. So who was it? She made a mental note to find out as they walked the rest of the way to Rhydian's parents' house, which was about a 30-minute jaunt outside of Stoneybridge. Then they saw it on the horizon, Ceri and Gerwyn's new place…

Maddy tried not to think of the resurging butterflies twisting up her guts. Had Ceri changed as much as Jeffries claimed? Guess I'll find out.

A/N - Hi Wolfblood fans, I hope you liked the build-up towards the Big Dinner :) Yes, the next chapter is the long-awaited dinner... Ceri and Maddy will finally confront their past. In fact, the next chapter is going to get a little crazy. Maddy is about to be put to the ultimate test.