Kings Pawn Game

by xgoodtimex

The sea of deplaning passengers bustled straight to customs without paying any mind to the singular teenager who had slipped out of the crowd. She knelt on the side of the hall, keeping an ear out for any trouble while she sifted through her backpack. The only items in it were two cell phones, a singular charger, and an inconspicuous black, two-pocket folder.

4. Chapter 4

p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"emYear One: The Night Before Winter Break/em/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""When you asked if I wanted to go to an open mic night," Tala began, staring up at the sky. "I didn't realize you meant you would be performing."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"The temperatures had been dropping and days were getting significantly shorter. At only four-thirty, she had met the blond male beside her outside of her dorm. It had already been bordering pitch black. Now, at nine, the sky was dappled with the starts strong enough to peek through over a city full of Christmas lights./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Cai had invited her to the open mic night because they were the last two of their friends on campus. A singer-songwriter club he and Sara were part of for fun had thrown it together as an activity for students stuck with their last final three days before the holiday. Apparently, everyone deserved something other than packings on their to-do list./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I don't usually," He admitted. "But they asked. Most of our members are already home."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Her eyes stopped trying to pick out familiar constellations and instead fell on him as he walked beside her. She regretted the choice immediately, remembering that she had only looked up to keep from watching him stare at her./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""It was a lovely night." She told him, picking her words carefully and his usual mischievous grin made an appearance./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""That's a good one." He nodded. "I'm going to use one of my favors anyways, since I've been saving them."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He had to rub it in and ruin everything. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"They continued walking through the frigid campus on their way back to their dorms while he thought up something presumably worthwhile to him. None of the shuttles were running, Tala noted, which really sucked in the cold./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Was this a date?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"The question caught her by surprise very literally and she found herself tripping over her own feet. He didn't catch her this time, but she found her own balance again anyways./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""What?" She asked. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He stopped walking as well./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You can't just ask me that, Cai." She snapped./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I think I already did." He pointed out. "Answer?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Was it meant to be?" She asked back, grasping at straws./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""That's not how this works." He shook his head. "You answer me."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You can't possibly be—you're…"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"It was a catch-22. If she said yes, but he didn't want it to be, then he would laugh. He would laugh even if he did want it to be, realistically, but they were two very different circumstances. If she said no, he might ask more questions. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Worse, he might be upset./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""It can be a date if that's what you wanted." She stepped over the answer delicately and hoped for the best./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He pondered it for a moment, searching her face for something—she wasn't sure what. He seemed to find it, though, because he nodded./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I'll accept that." He said finally. "It was emmeant /emto be a date, but I didn't want to drag you off campus when we leave tomorrow anyways. Figured, if you hated it, then at least you can get away from me for a little while."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"The answer surprised her. Mostly, she was shocked he had the capacity to care so much whether or not she hated the apparent "date". That he thought she might need space, even just to process it, was…/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I didn't hate it." She told him and she began walking again. "It would have been more useful if you were upfront when you asked."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You would have said 'no.'"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He was correct./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You didn't want me to say 'no?'" She asked, but it was meant to be an internal thought./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""No. Listen," He caught her by her wrist to stop her again. Tala turned to look at him. "I like you. I think you're very smart. I should have asked you to take my exam for me today because I'm sure you would have aced it and I definitely got a C at best."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He stopped./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You're supposed to tell me I'm pretty, I think." She raised an eyebrow. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I didn't think you'd take kindly to me if I started talking about your body." Finally, his normal smile cracked through the surface again. It made her laugh this time, and then he was laughing, too./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"The conversation became more lighthearted again and they completed their walk to Tala's building, only just barely fighting off frostbite. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I'll see you after break." He told her, offering the same, non-assuming and lopsided smile he had offered when they first sat together in the dining hall. "Let me know if you want to do this again."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""That's it?" Her brow furrowed. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yeah, I have to give you emsomething /emto look forward to."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He winked before very literally running off, with her half-heartedly yelling insults after him./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"emYear One: Winter Break/em/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Can I talk to you in private?" It was out of character enough that Tala caught her father glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Christmas this year was pack Christmas, but Jesse had come, too. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"And, arguably more importantly, so had Tad. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Her brother-in-law raised an eyebrow out of curiosity but allowed himself to be led from the room nonetheless. Tala picked a quiet safe-room in the basement, out of the way of prying ears, and thanked her mom mentally for the foresight to build-in the stereo system to account for private discussions. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Holiday music at any decibel should be appropriate and functional, so she hit play. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Does this have to do with a half-Fae that isn't myself?" Tad was perceptive baseline, but he liked to think himself attuned to a younger way of thinking. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""When I thank you, do you keep a running tally of debt?" Tala asked, turning to face him. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tad had taken a seat, backwards on a chair with his arms crossed over the back and his chin resting on top. Tad had a way about him where he felt like an older being than he was, but he also looked younger. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Do you want the long answer or the Sparknotes?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tala didn't respond. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""No." He was hiding a crooked smile. "It doesn't work like that, but it's kind of difficult to explain."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Explain."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He laughed. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""First, it's different for everyone. Magic tends to be in the eye of the beholder. It's an older mentality to trade an eye for an eye over a grateful remark. And it's not very exact, anyhow. Mostly it's a bargain."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""How is a thank you a bargain?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""It's the same sort of magic," He shrugged. "It's not so much a debt, though, as it is a tie, or a bond almost. I'm not bound to you the way your pack would be, but I have been there or done something for you and so you will be there for me. But if I invoke that, you…" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tad paused and seemed to rephrase. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""An older, powerful creature would probably smite you for not returning what they see as a mere favour—even if it's not an exact correlation to what they did for you. But there's no contracted magic the way there is in a bargain, that takes two willing parties. So the perceived debt isn't actually binding by any means other than intimidation." He cocked his head to the side. "Of course, like I said, it's all dependent on the individual's magic, how they perceive it. But, if you're looking for the short answer, from a former male college student, he's just flirting with you."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"That had been about what she expected. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""It wasn't anything bad." She told him, assuming that would be his follow up. "He just wanted me to answer questions." /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""And that worked?" Tad laughed. "What I wouldn't give to be young and stupid again."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tala rolled her eyes. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Is that all you needed to run by me?" He asked, "Or is something else bothering you?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Glowing eyes."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I'll need more than that," Tad played with the cuff of his sleeve. "What about glowing eyes?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Does it mean something? Is it a problem?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"This time, Tad seemed to take a moment to really think. His eyes narrowed as if he were picturing the scenario, but Tala suspected he didn't have a good mental image of Cai to begin with. She pulled her phone from her pocket to try and find a photo of his face, but she knew she didn't have one of his eyes doing their weird thing. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Finally, she turned the phone around for him after brightening the screen. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I suppose…" He sighed and passed it back. "Most half-Fae don't have glamour or anything so it's possible that he can't really control it. It would explain why his eyes are just—"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""They're inhumanly pale, you can just say that."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tad laughed. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I would assume, personally, that's probably why. And it's probably why they glow, too. But I don't know, I could be wrong. Maybe you're just seeing through a glamour when they're glowing. Your mom can do that, so that wouldn't surprise me too much, either. That sort of thing is more personal than your first concern, so you'd have to approach it with him."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"She supposed that was the best answer she was going to get, unfortunately. There wasn't much else he was going to be able to help her with. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Do your parents know?" He asked suddenly. "About Cai?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tala shook her head. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I'll keep this to myself, then, and let your sister know she can't overshare."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Probably for the best. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"emYear One: Midterms, Second Semester/em/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""This is not how I thought this would be going," Cai felt his heart pounding out of his chest. "Tala, this is a bad idea."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"She couldn't help the whine that escaped her throat and it made him chuckle nervously. They had been making out in the backseat of his car like the couple of teens they were. What Cai had, naively perhaps, not expected was the strength of teenage hormones. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Everyone else does it." She shot back. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""At risk of sounding like my mother, that's a terrible reason to to something."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"He removed his limbs and pulled away the best he could in the tight space. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I want to." He told her, now finding himself trying to mitigate the disappointment. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Women, he realized, were impossible to win with. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I want to, but it's a really bad idea. We could get caught, that's a problem." He tried to keep it light. "Anyone else on the hunt will know and that will make its way back to people you don't want knowing. I don't have—"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""What's your real reason?" Tala's arms were crossed as she sat, leaned back against her own window. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I think the wolf thing complicates it." He admitted quietly. "And I don't think it's in our own best interests if we rush something like that."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"She groaned and he knew he had won out on this one. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""When did you become rational?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""When did you start to actually like me?" Cai countered with a laugh. "Getting the first few dates was like pulling teeth."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tala had to admit to herself that he was right. She had been impossibly difficult at the start of their relationship two months before. Dating someone who she had thought was just there to keep tabs on her gave her an unnecessary amount of headache and stress. She still hadn't told her parents and so she'd entered midwinter break with them silently questioning who she was texting the whole time. By the time they returned, by now, she had found herself trusting him in a way she hadn't expected. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""It's the moon." She told him and he laughed, actually cracked up, as if she had said the funniest thing in the world to him. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tala smiled, too. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Glancing at the clock, they knew they had to get back on the road soon, but neither of them made any move to get out. In fact, Cai motioned for Tala to come back to his side of the car. It was an uncomfortable squeeze outside of the heat of the moment, but Tala maneuvered herself so she could rest her head on his chest. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Promise you won't have a heart attack on me if I say something." His statement read aloud as an imperative but then he added. "Or get angry."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Tala didn't reply right away./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""It's not a bargain." /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""No, I know." She hummed. "I'm just deciding if I can keep from getting angry."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Another few moments of silence. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Ok, tell me. What's wrong?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I think I love you." He admitted, quieter than before. "And I don't want to fuck things up."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You won't have sex with me because you're worried about your wolf?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""No…yes. I'm worried because I'm aware he likes you." Cai's embrace squeezed a little tighter. "I don't want to be the reason you run. I'm scared if we do something too soon or too carelessly—"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yes." She stopped him. "I understand. It's ok, you were right. It's a bad idea to make any decisions in the heat of the moment."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yeah." He agreed, closing his eyes. "Exactly."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"emYear One: Post Second Semester Midterms/em/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Riley's hair was deep blue these days. Tala had a hard time not fixating on it because of how pretty and specific the shade was. It looked like an illustration of deep water. The change first happened during winter break, but it had been ombré then. Now it was one solid color, she had dyed over it s few times./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"They had opted to stay in this Friday. Sarah was bringing cookies she'd baked in a little while and they would all cozy-up in Tala's room for a movie night. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Do you like scary movies?" Riley was in charge of finding options. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Only bad ones." Tala sat happily on her bed with a pint of ice cream. "What did you have in mind?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Any of the Paranormal Activities?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Can't we do a comedy?" Sarah groaned, walking through the bolted door. Tala hopped up to help her close the door behind her since Sarah's hands were balancing too many trays of cookies for just three girls. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Like?" Riley had three different streaming platforms open and didn't look up. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Meet the Fockers?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""God that movie is so emold/em." Riley whined and Tala laughed./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""So is Paranormal Activity."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"They finally settled on a cheesy, Amazon Prime romcom that loosely resembled Disney's The Little Mermaid but with more adult humor and fewer voice-stealing sea witches. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She's falling for him?" Tala groaned. "He called her slimy!"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She is a fish, maybe she thinks it's a compliment." Sara giggled. "Could you imagine?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I feel like her ex in this one is actually more promising than the love interest." Riley huffed before beginning to chant "bring him back" under her breath. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"It only served to bring the other two girls into fits of laughter so loud that they couldn't focus on the movie anymore. The giggles continued through the night until eventually the girls were all curled up. Tala had a single, but Riley had brought an air mattress and Sara had opted to bunk in Tala's bed with her. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Tala?" Riley called quietly in the darkened room, sounding every bit as exhausted as she was. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yeah?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You're going to marry Cai. I already know."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"There was a funny sort of magic scent that tickled Tala's nose as she said it, making the young wolf wonder idly if maybe Riley had something in her that Tala hadn't previously recognized. Something that gave her a sense of foresight or a natural gut feeling. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""We'll see."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"emYear One: Post-Finals/em/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"The uhaul was nearly packed full, which was weird since it was significantly larger looking than her dorm. Tala was bringing down the last of her things to move off campus. She had opted for less expensive housing closer to a perfect center point between campus and Emerald City's warehousing—which gave her space to run when the need arose. She hadn't anticipated how much it helped with her own stress levels until she was exasperatingly limited due to the travel time from campus and back. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I can't believe you're moving in with Cai." Riley teased. She and Sara had helped pack the worst of it. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"The two of them would remain on campus the following year as roommates. Part of that made Tala sad. She had an irrational fear in the pit of her stomach that them rooming together would mean they'd forget about her. It was the first time in her life she felt anxious about that sort of thing. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""We aren't moving in together." Tala shouldered her playfully. "He's moving nearby. It's just more convenient for us."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yeah yeah," She waved her hand and even Sara was laughing. "We know it's so you can have sex in the comfort of your own home."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""They had singles—" Sara began, but Riley cut her off. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""They can't possibly have sex in that tiny bed. If you do it, you're brave. I'd roll the fuck off."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" "Shhh." It was actually Sara that hushed them as they exited the building and approached the truck. Tala was grateful she had the wherewithal to remember Warren, a member of her father's pack, was the one driving the truck to its new home where Tala's parents were already beginning to unpack. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Cai wasn't a secret on campus and her sister knew, but she didn't need her dad poking his nose into her romantic life. Even Jesse had agreed with her on that one. On the flip side, his parents knew. Or, at least, she was under the impression they knew. They had taken her out to dinner before finals to celebrate the end of her first year. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Ready?" Warren asked as they approached./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" Tala nodded before turning back to her friends. Riley all but tackled her while promising to keep the groupchat active with funny TikToks and screenshots of her family groupchat. Sara rolled her eyes but told Tala to please keep in touch so Riley wasn't the only form of communication. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Your friends seem fun," Warren told her as they drove. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yeah." She found short answers worked best with most of the wolves. Kept them from overstepping. Problem was Warren specifically because he was good at getting anyone to talk. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I take it your first year went well then." He nodded, smiling to himself. "You and your family attract the funniest folks."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"She wasn't sure what that meant other than being in reference to Riley's hair, but she nodded. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""How are Tom and Moira? Is he still driving you to hunts?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Sometimes," Tala decided on the spot to answer that first so as to try and narrow the direction of that potential conversation before answering the first part. "I don't see Moira much, but Tom is good."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Good." Warren was smiling again. "He's good. I know Moira must be about your mother's age, maybe a little older."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Aging of family or mates was hard for werewolves. She knew that just generally speaking, but her father struggled with it in regards to Jesse specifically. And no one knew for sure what her mom had in store, either. It made things…complicated. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Have you been taking an Uber, then, when he doesn't take you?" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Sometimes. Sometimes I hitch a ride with someone else." She volunteered extra information to kindly request he back off. "Just depends."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Your parents probably won't mention it, but he's been texting you." Warren nodded to the phone she had placed in the cup holder. "I'd turn off your notifications if you're going to have that in eyesight of someone else."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"That was something she hadn't anticipated. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Since I presume they don't know, because I'm sure Tala dating at all would have made headlines, I'm going to ask two questions. Do you care to guess?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""He's very kind, I can take care of myself." She mumbled, flush across her face. This was the other reason her father's pack wasn't a good home, everyone was a parent. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Good. And are you being safe?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""We aren't having sex."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Warren's smile turned into a grin. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Well then, just make sure you're safe when the time comes."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 12px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I will, I will." She covered her face with her hands. "Just don't bring it up again."/p