I'll Be Back
Flow of Things

Everyone was staring, and he hated standing out.

Worse, his cheeks and ears were heating up as Wanda continued holding onto his arm, pulling him towards a table. His throat itched from panic. "Wanda…"

"Just go with the flow," Wanda whispered. "Trust me," she continued whispering. "You looked absolutely miserable, but none of your so-called friends were standing up for you."

"So you won?"

"No. Just…" She tugged him into a seat. "Do you have a lunch today?"

"Yeah. My brother made it," he said, watching her get out her own lunch, not moving to get his out.

"You need to eat," she said, keeping her voice low.

"Wanda, this morning…"

"I know, but Spector and Normal weren't going to make a move to help you out," Wanda said, pulling out her sandwich. "Eat, Maddie, else I tell your brother that you didn't."

"You're cruel."

"I'm being nice, actually, because I know you won't eat unless told because you're upset," Wanda said. "And…" She took a bit of her sandwich, chewed, and swallowed. "I couldn't help but overhear what Emily said during Magical theory. You're better off without all the drama." She took another bite. "And sorry for sitting by you yesterday. She might have actually defended you had she not connected the two of us the way she did."

"It's fine."

"It's not fine," Wanda said. "You're quite observant unless it's something you don't want to notice, so you didn't notice both of them were watching. They still are."

"Wanda," Wolfie sighed, leaning into his hand, closing his eyes, not wanting to eat.

"Eat, Maddie. And as your girlfriend, I get to use the cute nicknames."

"I'll bite," Wolfie said, both his food and listening to what she'd observed. "What's going on?"

"Let's see. Hector Spector is, of course, sitting with his friends."

"Not surprised."

"And glaring at you because you got Winnie again. Those two have major crushes on each other, by the way," Wanda said, eating some more of her food before shoving some of it into his mouth when he opened his mouth.

"That's not…" He bit down on the food she'd shoved into his mouth, then swallowed, glaring. "That's not new. They've had crushes on each other since elementary school."

"See. You're quite observant when you want to be, but do you understand why he's pissed with you?"

"No, I don't."

"Oh, and you didn't just so happen to, yesterday, try and play knight and shining armor to the girl he has a crush on. And no, he wouldn't have done it himself because—well, you were the one always standing up to me, weren't you? So he's bloody jealous."

Wolfie frowned, finally taking a bite of his own food before shaking it at her. "Well, that's only part of it, right?"

"Well, possibly. Is there something else that happened that I don't know about?"

"Like, he told me to leave him alone, and he's convinced that I don't like sports. But he reminded me he'd wanted to try out for football with me, and…"

"Oh my gosh!" Wanda let out a laugh. "That is so childish!"

"Wanda," Wolfie let out a sigh.

"I'm not trying to make fun of him, but it is absolutely and completely his fault that the two of you stopped being friends."

"Maybe," Wolfie looked at his food but then remembered something. "No. He was right that I was very open about my home life with him."

"I…" Wanda stopped, the look on her face—

"You're angry. Specifically, that's the face you make when you want to pick a fight."

"Did you want to tell him?"

"Yes. I did. Eventually."

"No. I mean, did you want to tell him about your home situation. Because you did end up telling him details. And you told him before you were ready to discuss all the junk going on in your life."

"To be fair, I didn't tell him I was moving away," Wolfie said, taking another bite.

"To be fair, he cornered you by bringing that up, and you flipped and told him about your aunt losing custody of you guys. Which was none of his business until you were ready to tell him, and he didn't one bit deserve it until he and you were actively friends again."

"I'm not sure you're right."

"You're a nice guy and will let people push you around. But let's move onto Emily." Wanda took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about that. That's my fault that she doesn't want to approach you and thinks you're…"

She stopped speaking, tensing up. Wolfie frowned, eating some more of his food, his eyes narrowing. "What? What's going on?"

"Johnson."

He stiffened, hearing Emily's voice, the food dropping from his mouth onto the table. "Normal?"

"You—are—a—liar," she said.

"Why are you calling him a liar?"

"You didn't tell me it was you yesterday to spare my feelings, but you're dating her because you weren't just talking to the enemy."

Wolfie let out a sigh, glaring at the table. "You're the one holding a grudge, Emily?"

"What?"

"When is the last time she's bullied you?" he asked, looking at his food, that urge to defend others kicking in even though it made him tired. He tilted his head up to see Wanda lift her eyebrows. As if she were curious what the answer would be.

"I—I don't remember," Emily stammered.

"Then why are you holding it against me, talking to someone who's actually willing to speak to me."

"Because you shouldn't have known that, dummy!"

"It's one of the first things we talked about when he got back Normal," Wanda said. "And I was going to keep my distance because I knew he really wanted to be friends with you guys. Albeit none of you three are still friends, are you."

"We went in our separate directions, but we still talk. And…" Emily clenched her fists. "You lied about you two dating, Wolfie."

"I lied, and I'd appreciate if for his sake you'd keep up this charade so that bitchy witchy will leave him alone, albeit I am honest when I say I'm actually interested in dating him, have told him as much, but won't push it until he's actually ready. Or if he wants to date someone else. That girl is not though going to get to bully him. Which…" Wanda pointed food at Emily now. "Where were you when he was getting bullied after he always defended you and Winnie from me back in elementary school."

"That…" Emily glared. "He…"

"He did what?"

"Told me off when my mom couldn't make it for career day, and I was upset that I was stuck with my dad, that I was lucky," Emily said. "And I told him to shove off."

"You did what?" Wanda—

"Hey. Tone. Wanda. Please," Wolfie said.

"You stupid, wimpy werewolf," Wanda muttered. "Why can't you ever defend yourself?" She said, then turned to Emily. "And you're an idiot. A jerk. A…"

"Oh! Now you've gone back to bully the two of us?"

"Tell her! I know you don't like talking about it, but still! If you don't…"

Wolfie shook his head.

"For crying…" Wanda rolled her eyes. She then pointed her finger at Emily. "You need to think about how you treat him because you've treated him like absolute crap, yet he still wants to be friends with you! He's just that much of a softie."

"I don't want to be…"

"He doesn't have any parents, you brat!" Wanda said. She let out a sigh. "Sorry. I'm sorry for saying something when I know you don't like talking about it, but he's not had parents since elementary school. And he doesn't like talking about it. So yes, Emily Normal, you were a jerk, and he was right. You're lucky to have your dad, no matter how embarrassing he makes you. Because some people aren't that lucky."

"I'm—uh," Emily looked away. "I'm sorry."

"Good," Wanda said. "Care to join us for lunch?"

"Care to…" Emily frowned. "But…"

Wolfie looked up. "Please?"

Emily fidgetted. "I don't…"

"Hey! Johnson! Can we join you?"