Cresswell meeting the parents has been accomplished. One more task to complete (or a few).

To Ask For the Crescent Moon: Part Eight

It started when Wolf arrived at school and the students who parked near him asked questions. He thought it was a fluke until the students by his locker asked him the same questions, and people he passed in the halls to and from his locker. They all wondered about Scarlet planning to smuggle booze to the dance since she would get expelled. It was a rumour everyone believed since, well, it's Scarlet. Spades, it even swayed Wolf when he first heard in the parking lot. He tried texting Scarlet about it but she didn't answer. She was either ignoring him or already expelled. Wolf isn't sure why he preferred the latter. It didn't help that he couldn't spot her car in the parking lot.

"Kai," Wolf calls as he approaches his locker.

"Has Scarlet been caught before she even did anything?" Kai questions rhetorically.

"Is it true?"

Kai shrugs. "Maybe she was considering it since you won't be at the dance so she had to have fun another way?"

Wolf groans as he leans against the neighbouring lockers. When he looks back up, he sees Scarlet's red curls walk past him without even glancing his way. So she was ignoring him. Rude. He deserved it, though. She doesn't look at him until he circles to stand in front of her, forcing her to talk. Scarlet just stares at him with a plastered blank look.

"What gives?" Wolf asks.

"What?" Scarlet questions. "Just come to the dance to stop me."

Wolf scoffs. She did this purposely, didn't she? "Scarlet, you can't be serious."

"Come on, babe, it'll be our anniversary."

Wolf thinks for a second. "It won't."

Scarlet cocks a brow. "Then when is it?"

Wolf hesitates for a second. If the day of the dance really was their anniversary, she would've said so and then he would've considered going. Only consider. "Not that day."

"Well, I'm making it that day."

"It doesn't work like that and you know it." Wolf leans in closer to her. "I'm thinking there's something more fun we could be doing instead of going to the school dance."

Scarlet grins with a small laugh. "Only you, babe."

"What? I can't help that I find my alpha sexy."

"Maybe you can seduce me after the dance." She leans in closer this time. "Or during."

Wolf backs off with a smile, putting up his hands in surrender, and Scarlet proudly pats his chest as she heads to class. No dance agreement yet, but they're still putting up good fights.

-o-

Winter decided to go to school today despite Levana letting her stay home if she wanted. Her hiccups were still there but they were periodic. She could sit through class and hold them in or disguise them in a cough, but they were still there. Mostly, she didn't want to stay home and alone with her thoughts. She would've been compelled to call or message Jacin and tell him everything about the school dance. At least in school, she would be too busy by pretending she was respecting the no cell phones in the class rule. Spades, maybe her hiccups would go away if she called him. Is this guilt manifesting?

That plan seemed genius until she arrived at school. Aside from the posters promoting the dance, everyone around her was talking about it. Dresses, dates, even a weird rumour about Scarlet thinking of spiking the punch.

"Are you sure that would work?" Winter asks, leaning against Scarlet's neighbouring lockers as she rummages through. "Seems like you starting that rumour didn't."

"Admittedly, I didn't think that through," Scarlet says, closing her locker. "After Wolf confronted me about it, I had a nice chat with the principal."

"Wow."

"What? I didn't think it would reach him."

"I heard it in the parking lot."

"Our classmates must really want booze."

Winter shrugs. "Nobody's stopping you."

"Not even Wolf." Scarlet sighs. "I thought he would've taken his chance and gone to try and stop me, maybe dance with me."

"Why do you want to go to the dance with him so badly?"

Scarlet shrugs. "A part of me wants to see him in a suit because they make anyone look better, hotter. We can't deny that."

Winter can't disagree. She thinks about Jacin in his cadet uniform, which was basically a military tuxedo, and smiles at the image.

-o-

After school, Cinder sits in her car in the student parking lot. She scrolls through her phone, waiting for Winter to come out. On any other day, Cinder would be annoyed that Winter was taking her time chatting to teachers or their friends, especially on days when Cinder had a shift at the garage. Now, Cinder was grateful that Winter was wandering the halls since she had an important and secretive phone call to make. Saying that is an exaggeration but, regardless, it's necessary.

If only he picked up his stupid phone. He shouldn't be busy but she doesn't know or care enough to find out his schedule. He has no excuses not to pick up because why else would she call him? Cinder doesn't know how much time she has left before Winter comes out.

"Finally," Cinder says once the dial tone ends. "I need you to fix something."

Jacin Kinda-Maybe-Hate-Him Clay: You must be desperate. Did you run out of duct tape?

"I can't use duct tape on Winter."

Jacin is silent and Cinder knows she got his attention. He's grabbed onto the hook and will be there until she reels him in. Spades, if she hung up now, he wouldn't stop calling her back until he knows Winter's fine.

Jacin Kinda-Maybe-Hate-Him Clay: Where's Winter? Is she okay?

Cinder scoffs just for show, leaning back in the driver's seat. "Don't worry."

Jacin Kinda-Maybe-Hate-Him Clay: Excuse me?

Cinder takes a breath about to reveal everything but curses when she looks up and sees Winter exiting the school doors and heading towards the car.

Jacin Kinda-Maybe-Hate-Him Clay: Cinder, this better not be a joke.

Cinder freezes like a deer in headlights. She hesitates on calling him back but then Jacin would keep calling her or even try ringing Winter. Cinder tries to keep a calm face in case Winter saw her talking through the window.

"This is a sudden request and I suddenly don't have a lot of time," Cinder says, locking the car doors to buy herself more time and make Winter knock on the window. "I'll text you the details later but I'm asking for the moon here. Don't call me back, I'll call you."

Jacin Kinda-Maybe-Hate-Him Clay: Cinder -!

-o-

Winter didn't think Cinder would lock the car doors on her while on the phone. Usually, Cinder would answer the phone on the car's entertainment system and talk as if she's the only one in the car. Winter slung her backpack to her chest and was about to take out her own key but Cinder unlocks the doors as she puts her phone in the cupholder.

"Who was that?" Winter asks as she gets into the car.

"I'm working after school tomorrow, that's all," Cinder says. "I picked up someone's shift."

Winter nods. "That - hic - required locking the doors?"

Cinder shrugs as she starts the car. "Classified work info."