Part 52

It was the day of the midsummer's party and Wes was going to stay over at Kim's again. This year he would stay back at the school for a few weeks to help the janitors, Carmichael and anyone who needed it for a small amount of money. He looked forward to it though. It could be fun. He knocked on Kim's door and it was flung open and before he could even say: "Hi" he was pulled into a tight hug.

"Wes!" Nathan and Otto cheered, of course it was them. They were wearing garlands made of birch and with flowers in them. The garlands were tied with yellow and blue ribbons. When they let him go they put one of those garlands on his head as well.

"Come on everyone else is 'round back!" Otto said happily and grabbed Wes' hand and pulled him towards the door leading out in the yard. When they walked Wes noticed the Wilkins brothers through the door to the kitchen. They were wearing aprons and were scrubbing something.

"The guys got stuck scrubbing the new-potatoes", Nathan explained happily when he saw Wes' questioning gaze. Wes looked even more confused, but they just grinned and they headed outside.

"I see Kim wants to keep that thing this year too?" Wes asked as they walked past the maypole laying on the ground. "Do they have that thing in stock for the rest of the year?"

"Don't know", Nathan said happily and took Wes' hand. "Come let's go say hi to everyone!"

"The seniors from this year and the years before are here!" Otto said happily. "And a special guest that Kim doesn't want us to meet yet!"

Wes looked confused but then felt a pair of hands cover his eyes.

"Guess who", a voice said and Wes' grin got bigger than ever before.

"Jerry!" he cried and flew around and there was Jerry Jonston in all his glory. Jerry was not in Warbler uniform, no one was but there was no mistaking. It was Jerry. He smiled at Wes and the younger boy noticed the tears in Jerry's eyes. Wes knew he himself was crying. He just couldn't help it, he always missed Jerry something awful and was always so happy when he got back. Jerry smiled and struggled for something to say. He opened and closed his mouth a few times and finally said:

"You've grown."

After the words left his lips he found his little brother hugging the daylights out of him and Jerry didn't hesitate to hug him back. He hid his face in Wes' hair to keep the others from seeing his tears. He was trying to show them that he was not the Mama in the Warblers… that was Justine. Or maybe Mark… Mark and Jerry had both cried when they saw each other that Otthan said it was what happens when husband and wife get reunited. Which earned them a few slaps… The other Warblers stayed aside as the Asians hugged, letting them have their moment. Then Mark stepped forward.

"Hey no more crying", he told both Asians and hugged them tight. "It's a happy celebration here remember."

"Darn right", Nathan cheered as hugs were exchanged among the guys. Justine hurried up to Wes and Jerry and hugged both tightly as Nathan spoke.

"Hi guys sorry for the wait", Kim said and hurried up and hugged Wes happily. "I just had to pick someone up at the airport with my dad."

"Who", Wes asked and Kim turned and waved.

"Over here", he called and all the Warblers turned to look at the door. Through the door came a girl that was around 5.65 inches or 172 centimeters. She had mouse brown hair that reached down to the middle of her back. She wore it in a braid though. Her eyes were green-grey and her skin pale, she was also really thin and didn't really have any curves. She smiled and walked up to them.

"Hi", she said. She was dressed in light khaki pants, a green blouse and black summer shoes. She wore no makeup at all.

"Guys", Kim said and put his arm around her. "This is my cousin Emma, she is 19 going on 20 and is staying with me over the summer. Emma this is everyone."

"Hi", she said again and waved.

"Your eyes are a very beautiful green color", Alvaro said, obviously smitten by the girl.

"My eyes are not green", she said. "They are… uh Kim what's the English word?"

"I think it's", he scratched his head. "Uh actually I have no idea. Explain instead."

She rolled her eyes.

"And you're the American in the family", she said.

"Hey I resent that!" Kim said. "I am not American!"

"What's wrong with being American", Otto asked and Emma laughed while Kim tried to get out of trouble.

"Back to your eyes", Mark cut in before anything would happen. "You were saying?"

"Huh", Emma asked. "Oj! Right… um my eye-color kind of change whenever I wear blue, green or grey shirts. I usually say they are grey-blue."

"You are so cute", Justine said. "Why are you not wearing a dress?"

Emma made a face.

"I despise the person that came up with the dress", she said and crossed her arms and Justine and Mitch gasped. "Now what did I say wrong?"

Kim just looked sheepish and Emma was whisked away to the side to talk to Justine and Mitch about how gorgeous she would look wearing a dress… and Justine would tell her the benefits. When they were out of earshot Alvaro, who was an honorary Warbler after all, turned to Kim.

"You know dude", he said. "You're cousin is kind of cute."

"Alvaro off the market", Kim warned. "I'm not gonna let you go after her. One: because she's my cousin, two: because she's 2 years older than you and three: I don't want to see you hurt."

"Me?" Alvaro asked.

"Yeah", Jesse asked as he walked over to them. "You're cousin is cute, hot even and she's perfectly thin. Why shouldn't I go up there and flirt with her?"

"Be my guest then", Kim said and shrugged. "But it's better if you don't."

"Just watch me", Jesse said cockily and walked up to Emma, Justine and Mitch. He pushed Justine aside in a rude matter and stood beside Emma, leaning on the wall and trying to look cool. Emma looked at him oddly. They could all see on his body language that he was flirting with her. But then something very unexpected happened, something they hadn't ever seen Justine do even. This girl that was the size of a mouse, at least in weight, slapped Jesse hard in the face, punched him in the arm and then kicked him in the groin before storming off. Justine looked as if she had just seen an angel and hurried after her. Mitch grinned and did the same. Jesse… was on the ground groaning. The boys hurried over.

"Oh God", Jesse whined writhing in pain.

"Uh did I tell you she's violent", Kim asked and Jesse glared hatefully at him and the others started to laugh.

"You were too headstrong Jesse", Alvaro said and smirked. "Let me show you how it's done." He hurried off after Emma and his friends… but came back a little bit later, rubbing his now aching arm.

"Kim your cousin is a monster", he said.

"I know", Kim said proudly. "Isn't she amazing?"

"Not the word I was looking for dude."

"Just don't bother her and you'll get along fine. Emma is a 'geek'. She loves Fantasy and Sci-Fi and computer games and TV-games and basketball, lacrosse and badminton. She's such a tom-boy. Oh and she's at uni studying to become a teacher."

Kim told them more about his cousin, simple things the rest they would have to ask her. All the boys were watching her, Mitch and Justine. But Wes looked at Jerry because he had noticed the older boy not speaking for quite some time.

"Jerry", he asked. "What's up?"

Jerry didn't answer. His eyes was locked at the girl that Justine was trying to get to wear a dress… or at least let loose her long hair. She agreed to do that and Wes was sure that then and there… Jerry had a heart attack because the look on his face was not only hilarious, it was a dead giveaway.

"Oh dear", Wes said and face-palmed.

"Attention all citizens", Nathan said that has also noticed this. "We detect longing looks in the area."

"Along with drooling and dreamy sighs", Otto added. "Which can only mean one thing."

"Jerry's in love!" Nathan called and everyone around them laughed. Jerry didn't notice, his mind was occupied with other things… well another person.

A bit later they all sat down by the table and had their food. Wes grinned when Emma sat down between Jerry and Mark. Kim was happily explaining to the freshmen what everything was. Emma looked at Jerry.

"Kim told me you are studying outside of the US", she said.

"I am", Jerry answered nervously. "So uh… where do you study?"

"Växjö."

"Wack-what-now?"

Emma laughed and Jerry blushed.

"Växjö", she said and smiled. "Veck…"

"Veck", Jerry imitated.

"Sh…" Emma said with a smile.

"Sh", Jerry imitated.

"Ö."

"You lost me."

Emma smiled.

"Okay", she said. "The first part is Veck, not too hard. The next sound sounds like the English sh-sound and the last ö sounds like the eu in the French deux."

"Oh!" Jerry said and tried to say it. This time it was easier.

The rest of the dinner went by easily and everyone sang and ate happily. Wes noticed that Emma wasn't drinking and since she didn't… neither did Jerry. Wes guessed he was trying to impress her. When they were about to eat dessert when Bastian Nolan hit on his glass and all eyes turned to him.

"Okay guys", he said. "I was gonna do this last year but I didn't get the work done in time."

"Do what", Otto asked with a grin.

"Well last year Austin got his books published and we all sent congratulation-cards and small gifts… except me."

"It's okay Bastian", Austin said, blushing. "You don't need to get me anything."

"Yes I do and thanks to our youngest member I finally figured out what to do."

"What did I do", Wes asked.

"Had a perfect hallucination", Bastian said with a grin. Wes groaned.

"Not this again", he said and everyone that knew of it laughed. It wasn't everyone.

"Qué", Alvaro asked.

"I'm with baby 2", Emma said and smirked as Alvaro paled in fright. "What?"

"Last semester something tragic happened", Jerry hurriedly explained. "But it's okay now. Anyhow it caused a lot of the boys getting sleep-deprived and kiddo here was the worst." He nudged Wes.

"Well excuse me for being tired, emotionally drained and nearly falling off a roof", Wes grumbled.

"You what?!"

Wes' eyes widened when he realized everyone but Nathan was staring at him.

"Did I say that out loud", he asked.

"We'll talk about that later", Jerry scolded. "Now during that time Wes here got a hallucination where the active Warblers of the time, raise your hands gentlemen", they followed orders "appeared in front of him as wolves, he was one too but his focus was mostly on Austin, the alpha-male at the time."

Wes grumbled something under his breath and Emma laughed. Alvaro snorted and looked at Austin.

"Don't look at me like that", he said. "Jesse ticked me off."

"It's not my fault you hate me", Jesse said, drunk as a skunk.

"Then who's fault is it?"

"Down boy", Justine told him and kissed his cheek.

"Right… sorry. Continue Bastian."

"Of course", Bastian said with a smile and hurried up to the porch and got a package that was flat but big as a desk. "I hope you'll like this Austin…"

Austin got up and walked up to him and removed the brown paper… and then he gaped. Everyone looked and were awestruck. It was a painting with a forest glade and in this glade was 29 wolves that were more or less visible. There were nine wolves that looked stronger and older than the rest, seven wolves that were just slightly smaller than the biggest, six wolves that were even just slightly smaller, seven wolves that wasn't quite grownup yet and one tiny pup.

The wolves were gathered underneath a small hill and on top of that hill was two of the biggest wolf and one of the slightly smaller ones. The one in the middle was a bit higher up than the other two. It was a big black wolf with burning amber eyes. He was snarling in anger at a white quivering half-pup below the small height. The white half-pup had its tail between its leg as the three leaders were snarling and lecturing him. The reason?

The rest of the wolves were either looking at the lecture or a wounded wolf that seemed to be badly injured. It was lying on the ground with a wolf lying beside it, licking its face while a slightly bigger and female wolf was resting its head on the injured ones', looking sad. The wolves closest to the injured wolf looked sad or worried while the ones closer to the white cowering half-pup looked angry.

The tiniest of them, the pup, was on the height with the three leaders and was snarling as well but instead of looking scary it looked so frickin adorable. It was grey with white stomach and paws and with a bushy tail and black eyes. It was so damn cute it was hard to take it seriously, but it stood between the black leader wolf and a wolf with chocolate brown fur and green eyes. The sky above the glade was dark and full of starts and clouds and in these clouds were other wolves, where one was gigantic and there were two obvious former alphas there.

"Bastian", Austin said. "Oh my God…"

"I thought it suited", Bastian said and smiled. "Maybe you can make a story out of this."

"Thank you so much", Austin said and hugged him. "I love it."

Bastian grinned and hugged him back, his arms around Austin's waist.

"Hey Nolan keep your hands where I can see them", Justine called and everyone laughed. "I mean it! Don't you make a move on my man."

"Justine it's nothing", Mitch soothed her and everyone else just laughed.

"Are you having an exhibit sometime in the future", Mark asked watching the amazing painting.

"Yes actually", Bastian said. "Just before school starts… August 15 to August 31."

"Where", Jerry asked.

"A small gallery in Philly…"

"Send us pictures if we can't make it?"

"Of course… uh we?"

"Asian Camp", Wes and Jerry said at the same time. Matt rolled his eyes.

"I never felt the need to go there", he said. "I'm adopted so it didn't really feel right."

"Aw but you'll always be one of us", Wes teased and Matt got up and ruffled Wes' hair.

"Good", he said. "Now you'll stop growing you hear? We can't have you outgrow everyone in the hobbit league."

"Hobbit league", Emma asked confused.

"Matt Jonson, Malcolm Nolan, Mitch Magnuson, Isaac Newton, Juan Ferrera, Brad Raymond, Brad Sullivan, Oliver Webber and Wes Montgomery", Justine said. "I am also included, well my male side Justin Gideon."

"Wow quite a few hobbits… who's Frodo?"

"Mitch", all the other 'hobbits' said. Mitch stuck his tongue out and everyone laughed.

The rest of the night went down smoothly but Justine was still sure that Bastian was somehow making the moves on her man and therefore she made sure to keep herself between Bastian and Austin at all times. Austin was enjoying this jealous streak in her because it was usually the other way around and Bastian was just thinking that his little sister, well not biologically, was hilarious when trying to be scary. Wes was doodling on a paper they used for a game. He was making this little story about the lioness worrying about a cheetah making the moves on her lion. Emma appeared by his shoulder.

"That's really good", she said and Wes jumped high in surprise. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay", Wes said. "Um… I have a question."

"Shoot", Emma answered and sat down beside him.

"Why aren't you drinking?"

Emma sighed.

"Because I don't like the taste of alcohol and neither what it does to people", she explained. "My friend in high school got drunk during graduation week and slapped me in the face. The next day she didn't even remember it. People change and a lot of the times for the worse when they are drunk. I also want to be able to remember what I do all the time thank you very much. I hope you aren't drinking."

"I'm 15 and Jerry and the others aren't allowing it… even though the freshmen are all drinking."

"Don't rush it, you'll be old enough to drink soon enough."

"Well seeing the effect it has on people during all our parties makes me wonder: why bother?"

Emma smiled and then sighed.

"Can you explain something to me", she asked.

"Yes", Wes said. "Well it depends on what."

"Why is that Jerry guy staring at me all the time? Why are all boys staring?"

"Because 97% or something of this group is straight and you are the only non-taken girl. Kim isn't very wise to drop you into this hormone pool."

"Oh I'm safe", she answered with a smirk. "I just can't say that about them."

Wes laughed and as if on cue Alvaro came up to them and draped his arm around Emma's shoulder.

"Hi cutie", he said happily, obviously drunk.

"You again", Emma said. "Qué quieres?"

"Tú."

"Pft no estoy en venta."

"Por qué?"

"Porque no soy mercancías."

"Estas seguro?"

"Sí."

"Eres pequeño… como un ratón."

"Tienes el cerebro de un ratón."

"Eh? Eres decir."

"No soy lo siento."

"Besame?"

"No."

"Un pequeño?"

She looked to be deep in thought and then smirked evilly.

"Bueno", she said. "Pero tienes que cerrar los ojos."

"Bien", Alvaro said and closed his eyes… awaiting the kiss. Then he screamed as Emma grabbed his lip between her fingers and pulled forcefully.

"I wouldn't kiss you even if you were the last guy on Earth!" she yelled and pushed him away. "Go hide under a rock or something." Wes stared. He had no idea about what they said in Spanish but he had recognized the wicked gleam in her eyes. Emma looked at her nails in a satisfied way. Alvaro hurried off, to ice his lip.

"You're pretty violent", Wes told her.

"Thank you", she answered.

"It wasn't a compliment…"

"I took it as one." She gave him a hug and hurried off and Wes noticed Jerry looking in their direction. Looking jealous.

TBC Guess who was who in that wolf-painting ;)

Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:

Lissi47 - They are 15 and I have a few friends that did it when they were 13 :P