Nicole gently cuts several pieces of carrots on a chopping board, careful not to injure herself. She stops halfway through, lowering the knife and clutches her right hand, feeling how sore it is and still aching. Not broken, but this is a god awful feeling.
"Nicole, are you okay?" Sylvie whispers, coming over to her and laying a gentle hand, cupping her shoulder.
"What? Oh, yeah..." Nicole murmurs. "I heard what happened to your hand, you know? The school called me because my friend Crystal and her husband were at work." Sylvie points out.
Nicole nods and touches her hand again, wincing. "Say, why don't you leave that carrot for now? I'll finish it. I'm just over here, finished mixing cupcake mix. Would you like to help me spoon the mixture in?" Sylvie gestures to a cupcake pan. "Yes, please, Sylvie." Nicole smiles.
"Flamazing, come on over." Sylvia responds, guiding Nicole over. While they pour the cupcake mixture into the pan, they talk.
"Umm, so, Nicole... Have you ever baked before?"
"No, never. And Cooking, even less. Neo usually does anything I need for me, never really done anything for myself."
"Would you like to change that?"
"Do what?"
"More stuff, yourself."
"Maybe."
"Alright."
"Sylvie..."
"Yes?"
"What do you think of wolves?"
"That's an odd question, Nicole..."
"I just want to know where you stand on the topic. Austin, Vanilla and even, Levi don't seem to dislike me."
"Well, at the end of the day, Wolves, Meifwa's and Humans are all the same, but we all just have some differences."
"Aren't we rowdy though?"
"Nicole, I've met many, many people over the years. I've seen the good and bad in people. I don't dislike wolves or anyone, but when someone doesn't behave in a civil manner, it can be unsettling or uncomfortable, perhaps even scary. That's what I don't like about people."
"Everyone says you had a daughter who went missing."
"Oh... You've heard."
"People talk."
"Yes, they do. I did have a daughter, but she went missing when she was a toddler. It's partly my fault as it is my ex's."
"Yours?"
"I was in a relationship with a wolf. Back then, there was a lack of rules, wolves and meifwa's weren't treated equally against us human. But then the laws I changed and while I think law reform can be a good thing, there are some laws that allowed wolves and meifwa's like... I'm not saying privileges, but rather exceptions. You or your friend, Vanilla's family as I'm aware she received a recessive human gene can commit some crimes and receive a lesser penalty or get off scot-free completely.
Anyway, my ex had rights to our daughter, more so then I did, my parents and many people told me I shouldn't fall in love with a wolf too, but I did. I don't hate him for what he did, but he had a minor drinking problem, was upset that our daughter wasn't born a wolf, would sometimes yell at me and he also cheated on me with another wolf. I'm not sure what the other wolf's name is, but I heard she gave birth to a wolf.
How could I really trust or feel safe around him and be confident with him being around our daughter? Us breaking up was inevitable, but I'd never be out to prevent him from seeing our daughter. We could have worked it out I guess, gone to court. People can learn to be better parents with practice. We both were so young then.
Anyway, he kidnapped our daughter and while the divisions for the police department and courts agree that kidnapping isn't okay, they did tell me to look at it from his perspective.
Humans could be very mean sometimes and that was true."
"Do you believe your daughter is out there?"
"I do, yes and I hope we cross paths one day. I'd very much like to see my ex actually too. Hug him, tell him I love them, but also scold him." She chuckles. "Nicole." She adds on, turning to face me. "You have the same name as her actually."
"Oh, I do?"
"You do. If I can ask though, what's your last name?"
"Steel."
"Oh... I see. My last name is Sinclair and my ex's was Jacob."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Sorry, I just get caught up in the past sometimes, wondering what things could have been like if my ex and I made different choices."
"Wishing isn't going to reverse the clock, Sylvie."
"I know, I know, but I just can't help thinking about it anyway..."
"What do you do?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Since what happened years ago, what have you done with your life?"
"Oh, that's what you meant. Well, Nicole, I'm actually the guidance counselor for the city's entire district. When any of the schools in the area need me, they call me in. I'm the only one and I serve human, wolf and meifwa students. Typically they'd have wolves attend to wolves and meifwas to meifwa's, but for some odd reason, there is a severe lack of those races in counseling positions. None ever stay here."
"That's weird."
"It is, but when you look at the size of other locations, there is more work there than here. Other cites are like 6x this city's size."
"How long did it take you to become qualified? Why did you?"
"Well, I know what it's like to suffer. I went through counselling of my own for years and helping others find a way to cope with whatever their going through is the right thing to do as well. I'm actually banned from your school though so good luck to them when they need this city's own counsellor that can work for schools. Everyone else in this place is private practice only and few that aren't, don't work in schools.
As for qualifying, it took me a few years. I struggled at first with no income coming in to pay boarding and books, but I needed to pick a career as before, my ex has been the bread winner so Crystal took me in so I'd have a roof over my head and wouldn't have to pay for a dorm room, I helped them out with looking after the house and their son, Austin when they weren't home.
They pay me for my services so I could afford my books and were lenient, wanting me to top my classes at the same time. A few years later, I graduated, was qualified, Austin had grown a bit, recently they brought Levi and his brother, Noah into the family and I was a part of the family too and no one wanted me to leave.
I like being with them. It would be better than living in I and my ex's house."
"Why?"
"Just memories and I rent it out cheaply so anyone who needs a place to live can afford it."
"Where it's located?"
Sylvie describes it and Nicole's jaw drops. "You're our land-lord?" She whispers.
"What?" Sylvie stammers.
"That's where I and Neo live."
"It can't be. I'm renting to a Benji Tuffs. He turned 18 recently and is halfway through year 11, he had to repeat."
"No, I'm telling you we live there."
"So, you're telling me I'm being lied too? Benji regularly pays the rent."
Nicole nods softly. "Neo has a secret friend, but I don't know his name. Whoever he is found us a place to live, said it was cheap, but other than that I'm not involved."
Sylvie looks fuming and Nicole starts to cry, sinking to her knees. "Nicole, what's wrong?" She asks, bending down to Nicole. "Don't kick us out, please! We'll be homeless, have no where to go and I don't want to go back to living on the streets like we did when we were younger!"
"You lived on the streets when you we're younger?"
"For a short time sometimes."
"Oh, sweetie. I wouldn't throw you and your brother, but I need to know who I'm renting to. I need to have a chat with your brother. I'll amend the lease and place his name on it as his emancipated which means I can legally rent to him."
"Thank you!" Nicole cries, wrapping her arm around Sylvie's stomach. "Anytime, it's okay. Say, why don't you go upstairs and play with your friends? I'm not saying I don't love your company, but I have some thinking to do. I'll finish dinner and cupcakes on my own.
Crystal and her husband will be back soon. I'll them know your staying the night and when dinner is ready, I'll call you, Austin, Vanilla, Levi and Noah down. Is Vanilla staying for dinner or even sleeping over? I assume she is..."
"Not sure, I'll ask."
"Good girl, now skedaddle from my kitchen." Sylvie laughs, ushering Nicole out the kitchen who starts to walk up stairs and stops seeing a shadow at the top which quickly darts into a room. She gives chase, someone having been stalking her clearly, listening in to her and Sylvie's conversations.
---
Heading up the hallway, she sees the figure dart into room at the far end of the hall. Standing before the door nervously, Nicole takes a deep breath and lightly rasps on the door.
It opens quickly and a hand reaches out, pulling her in by the neck of her school uniform, the door closed behind her. She's sitting on the floor on her knees and sees someone standing before their bed, back to her. They have solid, black boots on, a pair dark blue jeans and a light grey hoodie on.
"H-Hello?" Nicole stammers and they stop what they're doing, turn around to face Nicole. It's Noah, Levi's brother.
A backpack is sitting on his bed, only packed with the bare essentials. Underwear, warm clothing, p.j's and his wallet and a book or two and some family photos.
"What are you doing?" Nicole whispers. "I could ask you the same thing. Over here when you know this isn't your home and wanting to stay the night..." Noah responds, brushing his raven fringe aside, but it's longer than Levi's.
"Sometimes, living with Neo doesn't feel like home..."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes..."
"Living here doesn't feel like home either. Do you know why that is?"
"No..."
"Because this isn't the life I want to live. Family's have just never worked out either. Despite what my brother might say, being a happy family's is something his always dreamed of and...
I'm dragging him down too."
"What do you mean?"
"It's my fault were in foster care."
"No, it's not."
'It is. I, Levi and Mum & Dad argued. Mainly I, Mum and Dad more than Levi. I had been skipping school and Levi's grades were failing, he was starting to follow my 'example.'
They went for a drive to clear their heads while I looked after Levi. They never came back, drunk driver.
I blame myself for it everyday."
"But it doesn't mean you don't have a home here."
"I don't want another family, Nicole."
Nicole looks to his bag. "You're running away aren't you?"
"And?"
"Where are you going to live, sleep, what will you eat, how will you afford medicine if you get sick? What about your brother, he'll miss you terribly!"
"And I'll miss him back, but no matter how far apart two people from one another, the other will always be in the others heart. Plus, he has a home here. Sylvie is a fantastic caretaker and Crystal and her husband are amazing parents. Plus, Austin is the brother for Levi that I could never be.
I'm a terrible role-model."
"And how will you survive?"
"I'll figure it out."
"But-"
"Now, allow me to ask you some questions. I'm leaving in five minutes and I may be the first and last opportunity you ever get in your life to tell someone the truth."
"What do you mean-"
"You're human and your brother's a werewolf. Your parents are missing and your brother treats like you shit somewhat. Does he really even care about you? He broke your wrist for god's sake and you blamed it on my brother!"
"I'm sorry!"
"It's okay, we don't hate you. You did what you did to received first aid. Had you ignored it, you could have had a weakened wrist for the rest of your life, it constantly making up a popping and clicking sound or something..."
"You understand..."
"I do. Now, tell me about how you and your brother are in the situation you're in."
"Well... It goes back to when I was a toddler actually. I don't remember it well, but Mum and Dad left me with Neo in the car. They got out and they didn't come back. After that, it was just us and Neo took it upon himself to take care of me. I'm his sister, he loves me and I'm love him back. While he isn't the world's best brother, he tries at the end of the day.
Making me happy is the only thing that matters to him. Without eachother, we'd both have nothing."
"Have you moved around alot?"
"Yeah, we have..."
"And what is the plan now?"
"Finishing our schooling here, get good jobs I guess, I don't know. Do you think we have to figure it out?"
"I'd say yeah, but you don't have eternity, Nicole."
"Thank you-"
"But before I go, why are you a human? Your brother's telling everyone your a wolf. Your classmates are wolves, haven't they realized you smell off, let alone not showing your floofy ears and tails?"
Nicole shrugs, unable to find an answer for most questions. "Maybe I just lucked out like Vanilla did. Received a recessive human gene and when you're born into a family that's a particular species, I guess, it's shameful."
"And how was talking to me?"
"It felt good."
"Cool. And Nicole?" He says, pulling his backpack onto his back and walking over the window, a leg half out.
"Yes?" She murmurs, clutching her hands together nervously.
"Maybe think about opening up one day, to anyone you'd call a friend. It could do you a real world of good."
And then Noah jumps out the window, climbing down a lattice and his gone into the night pretty effortlessly. Like his been out the window at-least a hundred times.
"NO!" Nicole cries in a panic, leaping forward to the window, but his gone into the dead of the night.
"Noah, something wrong?" A voice calls out and Nicole looks over her shoulder to see a stunned Levi with headphones sitting around his neck a game controller in his hands.
Then Levi falls the floor, dropping the controller and begins to cry into his hands. "No, no, no, no!"
Nicole struggles to hold back her tears and wraps her arms around Levi who pulls her into a close hug.
"Hey, what's going on?" Austin calls, coming down the hall and pushes open the door, Vanilla in tow.
They're both covered in ribbon, stickers and glitter, but neither cares right now. Austin sees the open window, the curtain blowing in the wind, but it's not a storm yet.
He then looks to a crying Levi and and Nicole. Levi sniffles. "M-my brother..."
Austin tells Vanilla to stay with them who hugs the door, nervous and he races off downstairs to tell Sylvie to call the police and Mum and Dad.
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQo9oBdr8N
