Nicole follows behind Neo, gripping his hand desperately. It's dark outside, but not super late. They're attending Quinlain's surprise birthday party. Austin's house is not too far away from theirs so they were going by foot rather than having to bike and it was raining too, now.
One can't hold an umbrella while riding a bike. Neo held the umbrella for both of them as they walked down the well lit street, but Nicole was shivering from the rain. "Hey, I'm sorry I couldn't get you a coat." Neo speaks up, apologizing. "Don't worry about it." She sniffs. "It's not you're fault that the charity store was closed by the time we got there."
"I know, but still, you're cold..."
"Neo..." She whispered, halting. "What's wrong?" He questions as tears flow down her face. "Shit, maybe we should go home while we can, were only a block away, but I wanted to make you happy, but you're cold.
We'll we go back home and I can light the fire-"
Neo doesn't get the chance to finish his sentence as a car pulls up beside them, the window being rolled down. Nicole and Neo glance up. "Buddy..." Weston gasps. "Is she okay?" Quinlain asks upon seeing Nicole's tear stained face.
"What do you think? It's raining and were cold." Neo grumbles, shaking his tail and ears lightly to get the ran off of it.
"Why are you out? No one should work at night alone." Quinlain responds.
"The party, duh." Neo scoffs. "I don't know these streets well."
Quinlain eyes widen and she looks to Weston before sighing. "I told them all that I didn't want a party. They made you be the one to guide me to the party, didn't they?"
Weston nods slowly. "Climb in, it's raining." Quinlain says gently, opening the back door of the car which Nicole climbs into, thanking her and Weston as Neo closes their umbrella before following and climbing in after her, pulling the door shut. Quinlain starts the cars engine again and they take off the rest of the way to Austin's house, driving carefully as the road is very wet.
---
Quinlain breathes a sigh of relief as she parks the car and they all file out, following Weston so he can take them in the back entrance down a small flight of stairs to the basement. It's dark when they walk in and as expected with surprise parties, the lights turn on and balloons and confetti rain down and people jump out from their hiding place, screaming: 'Happy Birthday'.
Quinlain isn't impressed, arms folded. "I told you, Lucy and Vanilla that I didn't want a party." She says shortly, stepping further into the room. "Weston and I saw Neo and Nicole walking. Someone get them a towel, they're drenched." She says hastily, going to stand in the corner of the room and pulls out her phone, checking it, wanting to be alone as the party kicks into full swing.
"Ooh, Overload!" Nicole squeals upon seeing it on a table. She looks up to Neo with the biggest grin. "Go ahead then, you've earned it I guess..." He says and she runs over, excited, taking a can while Neo heads to the nearest wall and pulls out his phone, texting someone.
"Hey." Colin says, walking up to Neo. "Oh, are you serious?!" He hisses. "What are you doing here, 'Alpha'?"
"I got invited, who wouldn't want the Alpha of Wolf Class at their party? It will generate hype and be the talk of the School for the next few days among Human, Meifwa and Werewolf students alike, especially if photos are posted online. It's a strategic move, but hey - free Overload. Who could say 'no' to that?" Colin smiles. "Whatever." Neo scoffs, turning back to look at his phone.
And then a camera flashes in the corner of their vision. "What was that?" Neo asks with worry, looking up. A girl with light brown hair, pink streaks entwined with fake cat ears and a tale, runs away from Nicole with their phone out. "What happened?!" Neo worries, running up to her. "S-She wanted a selfie of us..." Nicole trails off while trying to drink her drink. Neo shakes his head, turning to look at Colin. "Is this photo taking really needed?"
"It's the Human's party, not mine and anyway, why so shy around a camera unless you got something to hide?"
"Who said I do?!" Neo growls in response to Colin's statement. "No one." Colin responds, walking away with a smirk on his face while he's busy texting one single number repeatedly, worry starting to show in his eyes. A new music track gets selected on Austin's phone that's connected to a speaker by Lucy who makes her way over to Nicole who's sitting on a couch with her drink of Overload.
"Hey..." She trails off. Nicole looks up at her with worry, although noticing what kind of style, Lucy's into it. It's very bohemian and Lucy pulls the sleeve of her shirt down more to cover a bandage that is taped around her hand.
"No one knows, you'd get detention if I told and you're new so... I figure I might as well give you a free pass one time only, just don't do it again. It hurt, you know?" Lucy whispers.
"Sorry..." Nicole whispers back. "That's okay. You're apologizing now which is the most important thing. So, you're an Overload fan?" Lucy asks with a raised eyebrow. "You Wolves are always chowing down on that stuff. It's not for Wolves only, but it's certainly more popular amongst you're kind than mine or even Vanilla's. I myself though? Not a fan of the stuff."
"Yes, I don't get to have it often." Nicole responds in a small voice.
"Nicole... Can I call you, Nic? Like Neo does?"
"What?"
"Is it just a nickname or is it special?"
"No, he just calls me it sometimes. When he says Nicole more instead, then I know he's angry with me..."
"What? How often does he get angry? What does he do?"
"Nothing, just forget I said anything." Nicole stammers hastily, trying to back track and getting up, heading over to Neo, leaving Lucy behind with a weird expression on her face. Neo is standing alone, although awkwardly with Colin, neither of them talking to eachother.
Oh, hey, you're back! How was the Overload?" He wonders. "Good." She says in a small voice, wrapping her arms around Neo for a hug. "Just good? Nothing else?" Neo responds, returning the hug which Nicole just nods to, burying her face into his chest.
"Is she okay?" Colin speaks up, slipping his phone away in his pocket. Nicole shivers. "She's cold, did you buy her a coat?" Colin growls with an eyebrow raised, an eye twitching.
"I-I tried too! The store was-"
"I don't want to hear it, Omega." Colin says annoyed and walks away from Neo and Nicole when the music is halted and everyone turns to look at eachother as someone is yelling.
It's Quinlain, on her phone. "How dare you just let Josh go with a friend from soccer practice for a sleepover? Heck, what are you doing out late?!
I don't know if you've realized, but it's your own Daughter;s birthday and you didn't even remember! Heck, maybe you don't even care about me! At-least my brother, texted me, 'Happy Birthday, Sis!' and says his a gift waiting for me at home.
My own friends threw me a party, that's where I am now!" Quinlain screams.
A voice on the other end is desperately trying to explain, but doesn't get far before Quinlain becomes enraged again. "WHAT?! Don't you dare! How dare you be on a date with some divorced Mum you met at Josh's soccer game?!
You leave right now! I will not just accept another woman enroaching on our family! Don't you dare think it's okay to date again, Mum was your wife and I'll never let anyone replace her! No, I don't want to hear your excuses! I'll see you at home sometime and I'll be getting drunk and high, I don't care! And nothing you say will stop m!" And then Quinlain ends the call.
"There's drugs and alcohol here? Where?!" Neo worries. "There isn't, she just said that to scare her, Dad." Vanilla whispers quickly. "Quinn can be rebellious, but she's not a risk-taker or stupid. I've never ever seen her even drink a sip of alcohol. She goes to church and refuses too, even there."
"Woah, what happened?" Colin probes while Quinlain is visibly fuming with anger. "Quinlain?" Lucy and Vanilla speak with worry, heading over to hug their friend when she pushes them away and storms out of the room to the backyard and pulling the door off it's tracks in the process. Everyone is shocked.
"I think she needs some time alone..." Weston stammers. "Yeah, I think so too." Austin responds while Levi remains silent. "Although, now we have a damaged door... Mum and Dad won't be angry, but..."
And then a voice calls down the stairs. "Oh, that's Noah, Levi's brother. He probably heard the screaming and so did our parents. They probably asked us to find out, what's up. Please excuse us. C'mon brother!" Austin says with glee, dragging his brother up the stairs for the main part of the house while he protests to Austin that they're not related and that him and Noah will never be anything more than 'foster children' in his family which Austin ignores, responding that he loves them as brothers.
And then someone starts sobbing. "Vani-" Lucy begins, turning around only for everyone to notice it's Nicole instead. "Hey, Nic - What's wrong-" Neo begins going to hug her, but she pushes past him and runs upstairs. He goes to go after her, but Colin holds him back.
"Give her space, people yelling can be scary."
"But-"
"Leave it, she'll be fine. She knows where to find you if she wants you."
After some time, Lucy heads upstairs with Vanilla as they both need the bathroom, Weston having left the room some time ago while Colin and Neo stay downstairs, looking at eachother before awkwardly before hoping onto each of their phones, respectively.
Colin's yet again trying to text someone special and Neo's just playing Ice-Cream, Melts on his phone.
---
Vanilla uses one of the bathrooms and Lucy heads to the other end of the house in search for another spare bathroom. Austin's parents house is huge. She finds one and turns the door handle going in, but it shocked to find Nicole inside, curled up on a fluffy bath-mat, crying in the dark, shaking. She quickly turns the light on and locks the door, going up to Nicole slowly.
"Nic, what's wrong?" She asks gingerly, helping Nicole to sit up and hugs her close, wiping away her tears. Nicole sniffles. "Quinlain scared you, huh?"
Nicole nods, still whimpering like a puppy. "I'm sorry, she can have a temper." Lucy adds on.
"I-I don't like people yelling." Nicole cries. "You said Neo yells before, didn't you?" Lucy clarifies and Nicole nods.
"Does he do anything else? Why does he get angry?"
"...W-When I don't behave like a-a Wolf."
"That doesn't fully answer my question, but okay. It's modern times now, Nic. Wolves and Humans are starting to become like one, Meifwa's too. No one in the Wolf class has to behave like one if they don't want too, neither do Meifwa's in Cat class. You can still have your quirks, but-"
"I-I understand."
"Good."
Lucy goes to say something further when the sound of metal and glass, hitting the floor. Nicole's head shoots up with panic and she jumps to her feet, trying to ignore the voice in the back of her mind that's talking to her.
'Sheep!" Lucy says under her breath and both girls go out together, following the noise that has died down. It leads them to the kitchen where Austin's parents are, accompanied by a familiar woman. One who brought a sandwhich instead of Green Tea Pocky.
Some cook books, a baking tray and a glass cup that is smashed are lying on the floor, scattered while Sylvie sits at the bench nervously, clutching a mug of tea that is slowly going cold while Austin's parents are busy restraining a firey tempered Quinlain.
"Quinlain, listen to us! You're Dad still loves you, there's no doubt and forgetting you birthday was an accident, I'm sure he will make it up to you, but you can't behave like this.
You're Dad needs to move on from losing you Mum and so do you, car accidents happen... I know it doesn't make the loss any less painful, but, your family-" Austin's Dad tries to say when his wife cuts him off. says. "Darling, you should talk to your Counselor about your anger if it still troubles you. Your GP can prescribe something to help if need be." Austin's Mum intervenes. "Just let go of me!" Quinlain screams. "Oliver, Crystal, I think you should call her Dad..." Sylvie whispers.
Nicole starts to get down on all fours and starts to bark as best she can to everyone's surprise while a hiding Austin and Levi are nearby, hiding in the hallway, watching. Quinlain quietens down stops and focuses her eyes on Nicole, them widening by the minute as Nicole keeps barking.
"W-what is she doing?" Quinlain worries, having calmed down and both of Austin's parents let go of her. "I think she wanted you to stop, you were upsetting and scaring her. I found her curled up in tears, Quinn, in the bathroom.
This is her way of expressing that, the only way she knew how to stop you." Lucy states when all of a sudden, a louder bark over-rules and challenges Nicole, scaring her slightly. She growls back, but then backs down and slowly climbs to her feet. Neo does too, having made Nicole stop when Lucy slaps him one.
"Was that really necessary?!" She yells at him. "Pathetic human, keep out of werewolf affairs and you should be afraid of me." Neo scoffs at her, rubbing his slightly bruised cheek. "Well I'm not." Lucy responds when a footstep is heard.
It's Sylvie, standing right infront of Nicole. She slowly reaches her hand out to cup Nicole's face when Neo pulls Nicole away, into a hug. "Were leaving. Goodnight, thanks for having us. The hospitality was great, we enjoyed the party and the Overload." He says, heading to the door with Nicole.
"Wait!" Vanilla cries out. "It's late!"
"Were Wolves and we will be just fine, thank you. You're the chew-toy!" Neo shoots back as her, teasing her for wanting to a cat and Nicole leaves out the door with him, leaving everyone stunned. Tears fill Sylvie's eyes and she takes off down the hallway to her room, slamming the door closed behind her.
"I'll go check on her..." Crystal says in a hurry, going after her friend. "Uh... I'll drive your car home, Quinn. I don't want you driving will you're in no state too. I'll sleepover at your house so you're not alone too, tonight." Lucy urges gently, leading a slightly calmer, but emotions still running high Quinlain outside who willingly gives up her car-keys.
Oliver turns to look at Weston and Vanilla. "Get your things, kiddo's. I'll drive you both home. It is late. Austin, Levi? Stay here with your eachother and your brother, Noah. Your Mum and Crystal will be pre-occuppied for a bit... I'll be home soon, dropping off your friends won't take long. When I get back, I want to see the a cleaning attempt having been made on the basement and all three of you in bed." He says, ushering Weston and Vanilla out the door, grasping his car keys off the bench in the process, walking them out the door to his car in the drive-way.
152Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmNVAOxFec
