Sierra took one look at her face and snicker, “You got caught sneaking in by your mom, didn’t you? I told you, mothers know everything.”
“Yeah,” Natasha nodded. “It’s like their super power.”
“Stop, I do not want to talk about my mom, right now.”
“Okay.” Sierra’s blond head bobbed in tune with Natasha’s brunette one. It’s scary the way they did that, but both of them have been friends since they were practically in the womb—both of their mothers are also best friends—and being friends for so long they had picked up habits from each other, and finished each other’s sentences. It was kind of freaky really.
Lei joined them on the bench and scowled at the grass stains on her shoes. “It’s not like she hasn’t got time to get used to it. I mean, we’ve been going camping for years. I have no idea why she’s making it such a big deal now.”
“Probably because you’re all grown up, dear.” Natasha said while fixing the barrette on her shoulder-length hair.
“What does that mean?”
“That you’re a high school girl going out camping with three high school boys. One has to wonder what you guys are doing out there.” Sierra pitched in with a wicked grin. She laughed and lifted her hands in a pacifying gesture before Lei could blow up at her. “Not that we’ve ever wondered. We know what’s what ,but other people? People who don’t really know how you guys are with each other?” She shrugged. “We’ve all grown up camping or hiking or sailing or fishing, there’s nothing else to do around here. I go hiking with my family but even I quit ever since I started high school.”
Natasha scoffed. “You mean, after you’ve grown boobs and boys start paying attention to you?”
“Yes, exactly.” Sierra admitted without shame.
“I like the woods. And I like their company. And I don’t care what other people think. They could think we do ritual sacrifices and orgies for all I care. I’m not stopping just because other people can’t seem to mind their own business.”
Natasha patted her shoulder. “Good for you, sweetie.”
Sierra sipped on her thermos of tea before sliding Lei a look. “So, no orgies?”
Lei rolled her eyes but grinned. “No orgies.”
“But what do you guys do?”
She shrugged and picked out a slice of apple from the container on Natasha’s lap. “We talk, tell scary stories, and roast marshmallows. We hang out.”
“But that’s what you always do and you can do it here. You don’t need to hang out in the woods.”
“I like the woods. We like the woods.”
“It’s scary and there are bears and wolves.”
Lei sucked on her apple slice. “No, really?”
“Yeah, my brother saw one a couple of weeks ago. Said it was huge.” Sierra’s eyes went wide and her arms gestured wildly.
“The bear or the wolf?”
“Both.”
“Tell me, did he see a little boy with them, possibly a panther and an orang utan?”
Sierra scrunched up her eyebrows. “What—there’s no way—“
Natasha grinned. “Did they dance and sing songs?”
It took a few seconds but Sierra finally got the Jungle Book joke. “Oh, ha. Ha. Very funny. I’m being serious, guys.”
“I know and I love you for caring, but you don’t have to worry, we always stay close to the camping trails and we know all about the dangerous critters and what to do if we meet one. Besides, can you see any bear winning against Channing?” Lei pointed and watched as her two friends found Channing’s wide shoulders across the quad.
“It's possible that Channing can win against a bear.” Natasha conceded.
“Is it just me or is Channing growing even bigger since I saw him last week?”
Lei ate the last of the apple slice. “I could never tell with Channing.”
Both girls made thinking noises as they watch her three boys.
“So, tell me again how it’s possible that you’re always around three of the hottest guys in school—“
Sierra cut Natasha off. “In town.”
“—and are still just friends with them?”
Lei groaned. “Really? This again?”
“It just boggles the brain, is all. I mean look at them.”
“Seriously, Lei. Look at them.” Sierra poked her in the stomach.
“I’m looking, I’m looking. Sheesh.” Lei rolled her eyes and stifled a yawn. “What am I looking here?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the rippling muscles, the mane of glory, the rock-hard abs?”
“The sexy smile, the come hither eyes, those hands—“
“That butt.”
“That—“
“Please, stop. I just ate.” Lei couldn’t help but laugh at the affronted look on their faces. “Besides, if you guys like them that much, why don’t you ask them out?”
Natasha grimaced. “I don’t know. They’re kind of—“
“Intense. And they’re very—“
“Exclusive.”
Lei scoffed. “No, they’re not.”
“Lei, have you ever seen them with people that are not in their inner circle? They’re a fairly close-knit group, you know?”
Natasha pursed her lips in thought. “They are very particular about who they’re friends with.”
“Are you calling them snobs?”
“I don’t mean it that way. They’re perfectly nice, especially to us since we’re friends with you, it’s just that I don’t think they’ve ever made a new friend. They’ve always hung out with the same kids, you know?”
Lei did know, as she also knew the reason for it; those kids were werewolves, those kids were pack. In the 240 students studying in Greenlane High School, 27 of them are pack kids and they stay close together as a sub-pack should.
Lei took a sip out of Sierra’s coffee. “Their families have been friends since forever so it’s only natural that they hang out together, like you guys.”
Sierra and Natasha did a ‘that’s possible’ shrug and moved on to more interesting matters; gossip.
Lei kept her ears on them and her eyes on the crowd across from them. She caught Channing’s eyes who grinned and started miming much to her amusement. It took her a while but she finally guessed what he was trying to show her; of himself wrestling a bear. She scowled and tapped her ear; they had talks about them listening into her conversations.
Channing shook his head and pointed to Colin who put on his innocent face; batting his ridiculous long lashes at her.
Lei crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him.
Colin finally managed to look contrite before scratching his tummy; the motion lifted his T-shirt to show off his so called rock hard abs. The grin on both Colin and Channing’s face told her that they had been listening to everything she and her friends were talking about, but before she could figure out how to sign her displeasure, Kai had reached out his arms and hit his two brothers’ behind the head with the flat of his hands. And it was no love tap either.
The sub-pack snickered as Colin and Channing rubbed their heads. Lei grinned and blew a kiss to Kai who winked back at her.
She looked back to her friends only to see them watching her. “What?”
“Seriously, just friends?”
Lei groaned.
“At the very least, with Kai.”
Lei groaned again.
“I mean, it just doesn’t make any sense. It’s not natural.” Sierra shook her head and took a final gulp of her coffee.
Lei repressed the urge to say, ‘no, it’s Supernatural’. “We’re just friends, guys. I know, it’s a shock for both of you but boys and girls can be friends. Deal with it.”
“But speaking of Kai—“
“No, no. No more questions.”
“Is he a monk or something? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him on a date, or with a girl unless it’s you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of him…you know.”
“Maybe he’s gay.” Lei quipped quickly.
“He’s gay?” They repeated with a good dose of shock, dismay and disappointment thrown in for good measure.
And since she saw both Channing and Colin started laughing like crazy, she quickly backtracked before they told Kai what she said. “No, of course not. He’s just very private, that’s all.” And he only dates werewolves.
Sierra pursed her mouth. “I guess that’s admirable.”
“Is keeping secrets a habit with you guys, I mean, it took, what, four months for you to tell us you’re not a virgin anymore?”
Lei didn’t look at the werewolf table, not even when the sound of a resounding crash echoed in the quad and drew everyone’s attention. She was too busy gathering up her things and ushering her protesting friends into the school.
The school bell rung.
Lei grimaced at the thought of the classes she would have with Kai for today. It wasn’t like she intended to keep it a secret forever; she just thought that it was none of their business. Not that they would ever see it that way. To the werewolves, to the pack, everyone’s business is everyone’s business. And it’s not like she was ashamed of it, instead, she kind of cherished her first time, it was sweet and romantic... in between the pain and embarrassment. But she had chosen well for her first time. Nathan was respectful, fun, experienced and gentle and they were friends which made the experience even more special.
Every summer, Lei and her mom spent time in Newport with Mey's old friend, Meine. Nathan was the boy next door that befriended her. He was athletic, energetic, loud and flamboyant. His motto was “go big or go home’ and that spilled over all aspects of his life. Blond, green eyed with golden skin, he was everything her boys were not. It was… refreshing.
They spent their days with his friends, spending hours sailing; enjoying the smooth motion of the sea and the stinging of the salt air against their skin.
Yeah, her first time would always be special as Nathan would always be special to her…which was why she didn’t want her boys to ruin it for her. Not that they would, but, boys were often weird about sex, especially when a girl that they cared about was involved.
And she’d rather like Nathan just the way he was. With his head on his shoulders…and alive.
Lei nodded to herself, yeah, I’m going to them that it’s none of their business and they’d just have to deal with it.
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