Alpha Girl
Wolfling #1
By Kate Bloomfield
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A Note from the Author
Thank you for your interest in Alpha Girl. Please be
aware that this novel is not intended for audiences
younger than 15 years of age. This novel contains
material that may be offensive to some readers, such
as scenes of a sexual nature, and coarse language.
Alpha Girl pushes the boundaries and explores a
controversial relationship between a student and a
teacher. Please do not read this book if you are easily
offended. Reader discretion is advised.
Thank you.
Regards,
Kate Bloomfield
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This is a work of fiction.
Names, characters, places and incidents either are
products of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or
locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
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Chapter One
My parents would describe me as a happy child:
playful and energetic like most children. I had friends,
was invited to parties, and I did well in school. Overall,
I was a pleasant person to be around.
That was, however, until something terrible
happened to me that changed my life forever.
It all started when I was nine years old and I was
attacked while hiking in the woods with my parents.
No one knew what it was at the time but it left deep
scratch wounds in my left thigh, and teeth marks over
my ribs.
After the attack I was considered a strange child. I
barely spoke, and was disinterested in other people
and their lives. I felt disconnected from the world like I
didn’t belong. Perhaps I was crazy.
Soon I noticed animals behaving strangely around
me, as though they were frightened. Even our dog
Rocky wouldn’t come near me after the attack. It was
as if he could sense that I was damaged on the inside;
scarred internally.
This was when my family started to fall apart.
These days my parents are far too busy with their
own lives to pay much attention to what I get up to.
They’re either working, or having affairs. Perhaps the
stress of my attack was too much for them, and they
began to drift apart.
I barely talk to them anymore. Once a month, if I’m
lucky.
You see, after my attack, I became a sickly child.
Every month, without fail, I would be bedridden for a
couple of days at a time. Because of this my
schoolwork suffered.
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Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Rose
Goldman and I am seventeen years old. I live in a small
town called Halfway, which is popular with tourists for
the great hiking and fishing spots nearby; things I have
no interest in. Not anymore, anyway.
Halfway was named so because it is exactly halfway
between destinations; that little blip on the map where
you stop to fill your car with gas, go for a hike, or have
a picnic, but never stay too long.
My mother works in pharmaceuticals, an extremely
boring career which I have no desire to join. My father
has an equally tedious job as a project manager for a
local building company.
Over the years I have become better at talking to
people, and interacting with other students. I am still
considered strange by my classmates, but at least
there are a few girls who allow me to sit with them
during the lunch hour. I’ve become very good at hiding
my oddness.
I suppose the real story begins on the first day of
the new school year.
9
Tuesday - 21 days to go
‘Hey Rose,’ my ‘friend’ Sadie said, sitting adjacent to
me.
‘Hi,’ I responded, without looking up from my book.
I was a big reader. Books allowed me to escape from
the hell that was my life.
‘Amy said we’ve got a new English teacher,’ said
Sadie, pulling out her pencil case and placing it on the
desk.
I groaned. Having a new teacher meant the class
would be rowdy and intolerable. It was a right of
passage. Students would act up until the teacher had
earned enough reputation points to control the
students. It was a bit like jail in a way. The longer
you’re teaching at the school, the more respected you
are. This new teacher was going to have a very hard
time controlling a group of seventeen year olds.
The new teacher entered the classroom at that
moment and turned to the board. Instantly, an
amazing smell reached my nostrils. It was sweet like
cinnamon, yet musky. Perhaps it was his cologne.
No one ceased talking as he wrote his name in large
white letters; everyone continued as they were, sitting
on desks, laughing and chatting. I didn’t even bother
looking up from the book I was reading.
‘Good morning everyone!’ he called over the
chatter. No one paid him any attention. I felt sorry for
him, but continued reading my book anyway.
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‘Can everyone take their seats please?’ he tried. No
one moved. If anything, the volume of chatter
increased.
Crack!
Everyone jumped a foot in the air as the new
teacher slammed his ruler across the desk. We all
stared, wide eyed.
‘Now that I have your attention,’ he smiled politely,
‘would you please take your seats?’
Every student did as they were told, throwing the
teacher dark looks.
‘Welcome! My name is Mr. Stone. Not Mr. Stoner, or
any other nickname you come up with, all right?’
Mr. Stone looked to be in his late twenties, or
perhaps his early thirties, with a dusting of grey in his
brown hair, as though years of hard work and stress
had aged him prematurely. His eyes were a deep forest
green, accompanied by crow’s feet, which wrinkled as
he beamed at the class. He wore a tweed suit that was
a little too short around the cuffs, like it was tailored
for someone other than him. It looked like the sort of
thing you picked up at a thrift-store.
‘Now, it’s my first time at this school, so I’m hoping
we can lay off the practical jokes, okay? Why don’t we
start by taking roll call? When I call your name, why
don’t you each stand up and tell me a little something
about yourselves, okay?’ There was authority in his
voice, but his expression remained cheery.
Everyone looked at each other nervously.
Mr. Stone smiled and consulted the roster on his
desk.
‘All right … let’s see who is first. Blacklock, Maria?’
A girl stood up and said in a small voice, ‘Um, hi. My
name is Maria and I play the clarinet.’
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‘Great, thanks Maria,’ said Mr. Stone, checking off
her name. ‘Next is Deveraux, Sadie.’
My friend Sadie stood up and flicked her long,
blonde hair over her shoulder. She gave Mr. Stone a
dazzling smile as she said. ‘Hello Mr. Stone, my name is
Sadie, and I am a Leo, which means I’m a little bit
feisty.’
I felt embarrassed for Sadie as she sat back down.
Next was Aaron Ford, then Emily Gaul.
‘Rose Goldman,’ said Mr. Stone, my name rolling off
his tongue like velvet.
I stood up. I wanted to say something memorable,
but nothing had come to mind.
‘My name is Rose,’ I said, staring at Mr. Stone, who
blinked politely back. I found it strange that he made
eye contact with me. No one usually did. ‘And I-’
One of the ‘popular’ boys in my class coughed
loudly, the words ‘wet dog’ clearly audible. It wasn’t
the first time I’d been called it.
I had been about to say I like to read. Instead I said;
‘And no one likes me.’
Everyone in the classroom laughed, as I sat back
down, unabashed.
Mr. Stone stared at me with his eyebrows raised.
‘Well I’m sure I’ll like you just fine, Rose.’
Several people sniggered.
Once the roster had been called, Mr. Stone began to
hand out the semester’s literature; a book called The
Colour Purple.
When he reached me, Mr. Stone placed the book on
my desk and lingered for a moment, staring at the
novel I’d been reading; Memoirs of a Woman of
Pleasure.
‘An interesting choice,’ he said, pointing to my book.
‘Are you enjoying it?’
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‘Yes, it’s very sexy,’ I replied, without looking up.
‘You know it was banned in the U.S for a long time?’
‘One-hundred-and-fifty-two years,’ I said. ‘Between
eighteen-twenty-one and nineteen-seventy-two.’
‘Right.’ Mr. Stone grinned. ‘You did your research.’
Of course I had. I was obsessed with my books.
I ignored Mr. Stone, and he moved along without
another word.
‘Oh my goodness,’ said Sadie during the lunch
break. ‘How good is Mr. Stone?’
Another ‘friend’ Sarah, checked her timetable. ‘Oh, I
haven’t got him until tomorrow.’
‘Sarah,’ said Sadie, through a mouthful of food. ‘He
is gorgeous.’
‘Ew, Sadie, he’s old,’ said Maria.
Sadie rolled her eyes. ‘He only looks about thirty.’
‘Yeah, that’s twelve years older than you,’ said
Maria.
Sarah raised her eyebrows and looked at me. ‘Is he
good looking, Rose?’
I shrugged, noncommittally. ‘He’s okay.’ I didn’t find
anyone attractive, really.
That evening I walked home from school, as usual.
The driveway was not empty when I arrived, which
was unusual as my parents shouldn’t be home from
work for another two hours. Two cars were parked in
the driveway; my mother’s, and a stranger’s.
‘Hey Mom,’ I said, as I entered through the front
door. ‘You’re home early.’
My mother was in the kitchen pouring a glass of
wine. ‘Oh, hey sweetie.’
‘Isn’t it a little early to start drinking?’ I asked.
At that moment I heard the toilet flush down the
hall, and a strange man stepped into the kitchen a
moment later.
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‘Oh, Rose. This is Mr. Jenson, from the office. We’re
going to be doing some work from home this evening.’
Liar, I thought. It would be another hour and a half
before my father came home.
‘Hello,’ I said, my eyes darting between them. I was
used to strange men coming into our home.
‘Hello, Rose, is it? Your mother has told me so much
about you,’ said Mr. Jenson. He didn’t meet my eyes
when he spoke. Like many others, he found it difficult
to look at me.
‘Has she?’ I asked. ‘Like what?’
‘She’s told me what a bright girl you are.’ He looked
at my mother as he spoke.
‘She lied,’ I said, my expression impassive.
‘How was school?’ asked my mother, clearly trying
to diffuse the situation.
‘Average,’ I replied. ‘We have a new English teacher.
Sadie thinks he’s hot.’
My mother scoffed. ‘Perhaps I’ll have to go to the
student-teacher meetings this year then.’
I shifted uncomfortably, eager to go to my room and
leave my mother with her colleague.
‘Well, I think I might go to my room and read for a
while.’
‘All right, sweetheart,’ she said, glancing at Mr.
Jenson.
Once I was locked in my bedroom I flopped onto the
bed and pulled a book from under my pillow. It was
my escape. I needed to be somewhere else.
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Chapter Two
Wednesday – 20 days to go
‘The Colour Purple is a novel made up of letters,
written by the protagonist Celie, to God. Now, in the
first letter we learn that Celie was raped by her father,
and -’
‘Sick bastard,’ someone muttered. There was a
collection of chuckles throughout the class.
Mr. Stone chose to ignore the comment, and
continued with his summary. ‘Her father tells Celie
that she is forbidden to speak of the encounters, so she
writes these letters to God. Can anyone tell me why?’
We’d read the book in class over the last week, and
were now diving into analysis of its content.
Regardless, no one seemed able to answer the
question.
‘Anyone?’ Mr. Stone pressed.
Everyone bowed their heads, not wanting to be
called upon.
‘Aaron, what do you think?’ said Mr. Stone, perching
himself on his desk at the front of the class.
‘Erm,’ Aaron Ford frowned and seemed to be
concentrating hard. ‘Well … if she didn’t write the
letters, then there wouldn’t be a book, would there?’
Mr. Stone couldn’t help but smile; a wide, broad,
pearly-white smile that reached his eyes.
‘True, I guess,’ he said, ‘but God, in this novel,
represents an abstract, authoritative figure for Celie to
confess to. We see her idea of God evolve throughout
the narrative. Right?’
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No one said anything. I shifted uncomfortably, and
Mr. Stone’s eyes snapped to me.
‘Rose,’ he said suddenly, making me jolt. ‘How do
you think Celie’s perception of God changes?’
‘Um … For Celie, God moves from being an abstract
idea … to being within herself.’ I said.
‘Right,’ said Mr. Stone, smiling at me.
Thankfully, I was not called upon for the rest of the
lesson, but we were given an assignment that day
which was to be turned in within a week. The class
found this outrageous, but Mr. Stone shouted down
their protests.
As I was leaving the classroom, Mr. Stone gave me a
tiny wink, which was enough to turn my cheeks a deep
shade of red.
Okay, so maybe Mr. Stone was good looking. Fair
enough. I was able to appreciate male beauty without
being attracted to someone. However, it seemed most
of the girls at school had a crush on the teacher. They
giggled as he walked past, or hassled him while he was
on playground duty. Sadie was one of the sad girls who
followed him around like a lost puppy dog. It was as if
he was a school-celebrity.
I, on the other hand, was highly unpopular. The only
people who didn’t tease me were the group of girls
that allowed me to sit with them at lunch. Everyone
else teased me because of my messy hair, and
awkward nature. They called me ‘wet dog’. Some
people would even bark at me.
I’d learnt to ignore it.
I wasn’t a particularly gifted student. On rare
occasions I would receive an A, but mostly my grades
were average, at best. I was terrible at math, often
getting C’s and D’s.
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English was by far my best subject as I devoured
books.
I had a part-time job at a local coffee shop as a
barista, working two nights a week. It was shit pay,
and shit hours, but it was pocket money. With it, I was
able to afford the small necessities of life. Not to
mention the ten dollars my Mom gave me each week
for various chores around the house. Sometimes she’d
give me extra money for keeping quiet about her male
visitors. All of this money went towards the car I was
saving up for. I already had my driver’s permit, but no
vehicle. With any luck, I’d be able to afford a car by the
time I finished high school. My parents would rather
jump off a cliff than let me borrow their car.
I had a shift that evening, from four o’clock to eight,
so I would walk there straight after school and change
once I arrived.
I was an hour into my shift when the bell on the
door clanged loudly, signaling the arrival of another
customer. It was a quiet evening, and I was working
with my manager, a young woman in her early
twenties with bubble-gum pink hair by the name of
Estelle.
‘Hello Sir, what can I get you today?’ Estelle asked
the customer.
The customer walked towards the counter, and a
familiar smell reached my nostrils. Usually, the coffee
beans overpowered everything, but this scent was so
strong it was almost intoxicating.
‘Can I please have a medium gluten-free skim latte
to go, please?’
My attention snapped to the customer. It was
exactly what I usually ordered. When I saw who it was,
I dropped the cloth I was holding.
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‘Mr. Stone!’ I gasped, stooping to pick it up. Now I
knew why the scent had been familiar. It was Mr.
Stone’s unusual cologne.
‘Ah, hello Rose,’ he said as he pulled out his wallet. ‘I
didn’t realize you worked here.’
Mr. Stone handed a bill to Estelle, which she took,
giving him the exact change a moment later.
‘Uh, yeah,’ I said, my cheeks turning pink. ‘Two
nights a week.’
‘That’s great.’
‘Funny … about your order,’ I said, grabbing a
medium cup.
‘Is it?’ he said, thrusting the wallet back into his
pocket.
‘Yeah, well … it’s what I usually have. It’s not a
common order.’
Mr. Stone shot me that wide, dazzling smile. ‘Well …
Let’s see how well you can make a coffee, then.’
I’d never taken such care with a coffee before. Once
the order was complete I placed it on the counter with
a shaking hand. I wasn’t sure why, but I wanted Mr.
Stone to like it.
He picked up the cup and brought the coffee to his
lips, taking a sip. He smiled, licking the droplet of
liquid that lingered on his bottom lip. I couldn’t help
but stare.
‘Fantastic,’ he smiled. ‘One of the best I’ve had.’
‘Really? I asked, clutching the cloth in my left hand.
His approval was strangely gratifying.
Mr. Stone smiled warmly and took another sip. ‘I
may be back, Miss Goldman.’
I smiled. ‘I’d like that.’
Mr. Stone swallowed and held the coffee up.
‘Thanks, Rose. I’ll see you later, okay?’ And just like
that he left the coffee shop without another word.
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Estelle stood by my side, watching Mr. Stone get
into his car and drive away.
Estelle was probably one of the few people I
tolerated. She taught me that it didn’t matter what
anyone thought of me, as long as I was true to myself.
She’d been terribly bullied in school because of her
brightly colored hair and piercings. Her uniqueness
was on-purpose though. I, on the other hand, had no
choice.
The rest of my shift passed without incident, and I
left the café at eight o’clock on the dot, stepping out
into the street-lamp lit pathway. I walked everywhere,
as my house wasn’t far from the school, or the coffee
shop. It would only take me ten minutes.
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Monday – 15 days to go
The following week I handed in my assignment on
The Colour Purple, and was eager to find out my
results. I’d tried really hard on the essay, only to be
disappointed.
When Mr. Stone handed back the assignment a
week later, my face fell as I stared at the C+ on the top
of the page. I’d been so sure that I’d get a B+ at least.
Angry with myself, I stuffed the essay into my bag.
‘How’d you do?’ hissed Sadie, leaning over to me.
‘Okay,’ I mumbled.
Sadie waved her essay in front of my face. ‘I got a B
plus,’ she said. ‘I guess Mr. Stone is a tough grader.’
‘You did better than me,’ I said sourly.
I remained in a foul mood for the remainder of the
lesson.
My shift that evening was a dull one. We hadn’t seen
a customer all evening. It was so quiet that my
manager Estelle left me the keys and went home early,
asking me to lock up. It wasn’t the first time this had
happened. I’d closed the café many times before now.
I spent the evening cleaning, and daydreaming. That
was, until Mr. Stone arrived at the café at a quarter to
eight, fifteen minutes before closing time. He wore the
same, quirky attire as usual; mismatching shirt and
pants that cut off at the ankles, and an old blazer. I
could see his navy socks and lace-up boat shoes.
‘I’m not too late, am I?’ he asked, stepping into the
shop.
I stood up abruptly, wiping my hands on my apron.
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‘Uh, no, of course not,’ I said. ‘Gluten-free skim
latte?’
‘Yes, please.’
Mr. Stone put his hands into his pockets while I
worked on his order, pacing the shop. When it was
done, I slid it across the counter towards him. He
pulled out his wallet, but I shook my head.
‘On the house,’ I said.
Mr. Stone stopped rifling through his wallet and
glanced up at me. ‘What?’
‘No charge,’ I said.
He stared at the coffee. ‘I have to pay,’ he said.
I shook my head. ‘It’s fine.’
‘No,’ he smiled politely and handed me a twentydollar
bill. ‘I have to pay.’
I frowned and snatched the twenty-dollars from his
hand, before thrusting the change back at him. ‘There,’
I said.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked, staring.
I chewed on the inside of my lip, biting back the
question I wanted to ask, but it spilled from me like
molten lava.
‘Why did you give me such a shit grade?’ I asked.
Mr. Stone blinked as if he didn’t understand the
question. ‘I gave you the grade you deserved for the
paper,’ he replied.
‘I think I deserved better,’ I said. I wasn’t sure why
I’d taken it to heart.
‘I think you could do better,’ he replied, picking up
the coffee. ‘Your information was correct, but your
writing was disconnected to the feelings and thoughts
of the characters in the novel. You lacked empathy.’
‘Empathy?’ I repeated. ‘Is that it?’
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I was not good at understanding people and their
emotions. Sometimes I felt like an entirely different
species.
‘Goodnight, Rose.’
He turned on his heel and walked from the café,
glancing back at me as he stepped onto the pavement.
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Tuesday – 14 days to go
‘I’d like a thousand word report on why the
rebellion was futile,’ Mr. Stone told our class the next
day.
The class erupted into protest.
‘But Sir!’
‘We just finished the last essay!’
Mr. Stone held up a hand to silence the class, which
surprisingly, worked.
‘I know, I know,’ he said with a smile. ‘I’m horrible. I
understand, but you’ll thank me for it later, I promise.
Now, I’d like you to devise a modern-day equivalent of
the situation depicted and work it into the essay.’
I was still unexplainably annoyed about my last
English grade. Until now, it had always been my best
subject.
‘Why are you in such a foul mood?’ Sadie asked that
afternoon. ‘I mean … fouler than usual.’
We were walking home together, but would go our
different ways towards the end of the journey.
I shrugged, not wanting to talk about it. I just
wanted to get home.
‘I can’t wait to get home and start that essay,’ said
Sadie. I’d always been better at English than her, but
suddenly she had over taken me.
‘Why?’ I asked. Apparently people like it when you
asked about things.
‘I love Mr. Stone’s class,’ she said with a sigh. ‘He’s
so great.’
I clenched my jaw. ‘I don’t see it,’ I muttered.
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‘Are you joking? Everyone loves him.’
‘He’s over rated,’ I decided, quickening my pace.
Sadie dropped the topic after that.
I wasn’t sure why I was so bitter about Mr. Stone’s
class. He was polite, and charming, but so damn harsh
when it came to teaching. I couldn’t help but want him
to like me, though.
After my usual afternoon routine I decided to make
a start on the homework that had built up over the
past week. I’d start with Mr. Stone’s essay. I was
determined to get a B, at least. I wouldn’t settle for
anything less.
I spent hours on the work, starting, and restarting
the essay. Soon, my bin was filled with scrunched up
bits of paper. I couldn’t get it right. But then, suddenly,
miraculously … an idea formed in my head. It was
crazy … but I was going to do it, and Mr. Stone
wouldn’t like it.
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Chapter Three
Tuesday – 7 days to go
‘When I call your name, please bring your paper to
the front of the class,’ said Mr. Stone, pulling out the
roster. ‘Maria.’
Maria jumped up from her seat and handed her
homework to Mr. Stone, who checked her name off the
list.
‘Sadie. Aaron. Emily.’
They each took their assignment to the front of the
class and placed it on top of the pile.
‘Rose.’
I didn’t move. Instead, I crossed my arms and legs
and stared at Mr. Stone. It took him a few moments to
notice that I hadn’t done as instructed.
‘Rose,’ he repeated, looking up at me.
All eyes turned in my direction.
‘Rose,’ Sadie hissed. ‘Take your essay to him.’
I smiled and stared at Mr. Stone. ‘I didn’t do the
assignment,’ I said.
Everyone was silent.
‘You didn’t do it?’ he asked.
I shook my head. ‘I chose not to.’
Mr. Stone raised his eyebrows and interlocked his
fingers. ‘You chose not to do it?’
‘That’s right.’
Mr. Stone pursed his lips, seemingly unimpressed.
‘Suit yourself. You’ll see me after class.’
Pleased with myself, a leaned back in my chair, a
smug expression on my face.
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‘What’s gotten into you?’ Sadie whispered to me as
Mr. Stone continued collecting the other essays. ‘You’ll
get detention.’
I smiled at her. ‘I don’t think I will.’
At the end of the lesson, the bell rang and the
students filed out. I remained sitting in my seat until
the last of them had left. Mr. Stone did not look up
from his desk. Instead, he ignored me for a full minute.
‘Come here,’ he said, stacking the papers on his
desk, still avoiding eye contact.
I stood and picked up my bag, walking to his desk
and sitting in the chair opposite.
‘Rose, you realize I’m going to have to give you a
zero for this assignment?’ he asked, glancing up at me.
He seemed surprised to see that I was grinning.
‘What’s so funny?’
‘I chose not to do the assignment, Mr. Stone,’ I said,
slowly and clearly.
‘Yes, you told me that,’ he said, disapprovingly. I
couldn’t stand the way his emerald eyes bore into
mine. He needed to understand why I hadn’t done the
essay.
‘In the text, they rebel against the government, but
their attempts are futile.’
‘Yes, I know the text well,’ said Mr. Stone, crossing
his arms.
‘For our assignment you wanted us to show you a
modern day example of why rebellion doesn’t work.
So-’
‘You chose not to do the assignment,’ he finished my
sentence, understanding in his tone.
I nodded and prepared for the explosion that would
follow.
To my surprise, Mr. Stone’s face broke into a wide
grin, his eyes sparkling.
26
‘So, you see-’ I began to explain, but he held up a
hand to silence me.
‘Oh, I understand,’ he said. ‘You’re very clever.’
I raised my eyebrows, shocked by his praise.
‘If I give you a zero-’ he began slowly.
‘-You’ll prove my point,’ I finished. ‘My rebellion will
have been in vain, just like in the prose you assigned.’
Mr. Stone sat back in his chair and observed me,
lacing his fingers behind his head. He watched me, a
slight smile on his face.
‘Clever girl,’ he smirked. ‘Very brave.’
My chest felt tight at his approval.
‘So,’ I said slowly. ‘What are you going to do?’
Mr. Stone leaned forwards and scrutinized me. ‘I’ll
forgive you just this one time,’ he said. ‘But don’t tell
anyone, okay?’
‘Because you know I’m right,’ I said.
He laughed, his eyes creasing at the sides. ‘You’ve
outwitted me,’ he admitted.
‘I’ll tell everyone you gave me detention.’
Mr. Stone laughed, and waved a hand at me. ‘Get out
of here.’
I grabbed my bag and scampered from the room,
my spirits high.
Sadie was waiting for me in the corridor.
‘Did you get a zero?’ she asked at once.
I shook my head. ‘Nope.’
‘Detention?’
‘Something like that,’ I said happily.
I left it at that, pulling out my lunch and sitting
amongst the other females within my group of
‘friends’.
27
Wednesday – 6 days to go
I slept badly the night before, and was sad that I
didn’t have English class today. I did, however, have
my shift at the café to focus on the next day. Though
the ominous clouds overhead indicated that I was
going to have a wet walk home.
I wasn’t sure why, but I had a sense of heightened
anticipation throughout the entire shift, as though I
was waiting for Mr. Stone to walk through the doors.
Every time the bell clanged, my head snapped up. But I
was disappointed each time.
Soon, the storm that had been brewing overhead
broke open, and it began to rain heavily. The rain
pounded the shop-front, scaring away any potential
customers that walked by.
Estelle sighed and tucked a tendril of her pink hair
behind her ear. ‘Well, there goes our business,’ she
said.
I mumbled in agreement, adjusting the headband
that kept my bangs out of my eyes.
‘Maybe we should call it a day,’ she said,
straightening up.
‘Oh no,’ I said pleadingly. ‘Don’t cut my shift short,
Estelle. I really need the money.’
Estelle sighed and put her hands on her hips.
‘You’re going to be bored out of your mind, kiddo.’
‘That’s okay,’ I said. ‘You never know, we might get
a few people that are caught in the rain.’
‘Fine, but I’m out of here. Don’t tell the boss, okay?’
I grinned. ‘Sure.’
28
Estelle threw me the keys and left me in the café,
alone. I loved the café at night, especially in a storm.
The rain transfixed me as it hit the pavement.
An hour passed, and I watched as people ran past
the shop, ducking to get out of the rain. Many ran to
their cars and hopped inside, driving away.
Clang.
The door opened just as I began to shut up shop. I’d
already counted the till and placed the money in the
safe. Not to mention the coffee machine was in pieces,
being cleaned.
A sopping wet man entered the café, shaking his
umbrella in the door. Who else would it be, but Mr.
Stone? I think I knew that he would arrive sooner or
later. I could smell his cologne on the wind.
‘Hello, Sir,’ I said, watching him shake the water out
of his hair.
‘Hello Rose,’ he said, putting his umbrella in the
corner.
‘I was just about to close,’ I said, shutting the till and
walking around the counter.
‘Damn.’ Mr. Stone placed his hands on his hips. ‘But
you make the best coffee around here.’
I smiled a little bit. ‘Sorry.’
‘Oh well,’ he sighed, picking up the umbrella again.
‘Next time, I guess.’
‘Right,’ I agreed, sorry that the meeting was being
cut so short.
Mr. Stone rolled onto the balls of his feet, his lips
pursed. ‘All right … well … I’ll see you later, I guess.’
‘Yeah. See you later,’ I said with a tiny wave.
I watched as Mr. Stone opened his umbrella and
stepped out into the pouring rain.
29
Ten minutes later and I was closing the shop.
Placing the keys in my pocket, I pulled the hood of my
jacket over my head, shielding myself against the rain,
but I was soaked within minutes.
I’d barely walked halfway down the street, when a
pair of blaring headlights illuminated the pathway
ahead of me. I ignored the car as it pulled up beside
me, but jumped violently when a horn sounded. I
stared at the driver, slightly offended, but was relieved
to see that it was Mr. Stone.
‘Hey!’ he called through the open passenger
window.
I leaned towards the door. ‘Hey, Mr. Stone.’
He drove an old, beat up Ford Escort. Its red paint
was peeling and the seams were rusted. It looked as if
it was ready for the junkyard. Everything about Mr.
Stone was second-hand.
‘Get in!’ he called over the thundering rain.
I shook my head. ‘No, I’ll get the inside of your car
all wet!’
‘Just do it,’ he ordered, reaching across and
unlatching the door, letting it swing open.
I obliged, jumping into the passenger seat and
closing the door quickly so no more water would get
into the car.
‘You’re drenched,’ Mr. Stone commented as I began
to wind up the window.
‘Sorry,’ I mumbled, removing the sopping Jacket
and stuffing it into my bag.
‘Don’t be sorry,’ he laughed. ‘You’re going to catch a
cold. Don’t you have anyone to pick you up after
work?’
30
I shrugged. ‘My parents are busy,’ I said as I pulled
my brown hair from my face and tied it into a messy
bun at the back of my head. Mr. Stone watched me as I
did this, his hands on the wheel. We hadn’t moved
from the curb since I’d gotten into the car which
vibrated rather violently as it idled. I wasn’t sure the
car would make it to my house.
‘Where do you live?’ he asked. ‘I’ll take you home.’
‘It’s only a few blocks from here,’ I said. ‘On Maple
Street.’
‘That’s near me,’ he replied, putting the car into first
gear with a loud crunch and pulling away from the
curb.
We sat in silence as he drove. I watched the
windscreen wipers go back and forth, as though they
were playing an absurd game of tag. They screeched
loudly with each swipe as the perished rubber scraped
against the windscreen.
I wanted to say something intelligent, but I knew
nothing I said would be good enough.
‘It’s interesting what you told me,’ Mr. Stone said
suddenly, ‘That first day in class.’
I tried to recall what he was talking about. ‘What?’
He frowned as he drove, glancing sideways at me.
‘You said that no one likes you.’
‘So?’
‘Well that doesn’t seem true.’
‘It is. Everyone thinks I’m a freak.’
‘I’ve seen you sitting with that group of girls at
lunch time.’
‘They tolerate me,’ I said. ‘But they don’t actually
like me.’
‘Why not?’
‘Maybe I smell bad.’ I’d been accused of smelling
like wet dog before, but I was extremely hygienic.
31
Mr. Stone sniffed the air mockingly. ‘You don’t smell
bad,’ he reassured me. I wanted to tell him that he
smelled amazing, but thought it would be
inappropriate. ‘You seem to have quite a sense of
humor. After that, and the essay-’
‘I wasn’t trying to be funny,’ I replied, shifting
uncomfortably. My work shirt was soaked through,
and clinging to my body like plastic-wrap.
Mr. Stone glanced at me, but quickly focused on the
road ahead. It was a wonder he could see at all; the
rain was so heavy, it was like a grey veil had been
placed over the windshield.
‘I think you’re an intelligent girl,’ he said after a
minute. ‘You just seem distracted most of the time.’
I didn’t respond. I just sat there, with my hands
curled in my lap.
‘Is this your road?’ he asked, turning onto Maple
Street.
‘Yes, number eleven.’
Mr. Stone pulled up in front of my house and peered
through the window. The lights were off, and the
house was dark.
‘Is anyone home?’ he asked, checking the time on
his dashboard, which read eight-fifteen.
‘Probably not,’ I said. ‘But I have keys.’
It seemed he wanted to say something else, but he
kept his mouth shut. I sat there for a few seconds as
the awkward silence stretched onwards.
‘Well, thanks for the lift Mr. Stone.’
‘See you at school, Rose.’
I got out of the car and slammed it behind myself,
running up the driveway without glancing back at Mr.
Stone’s car. Once inside, I hurried to the window and
peered through the curtains, watching him drive away,
until his headlights vanished down the street.
32
I had been correct in my assumption; no one was
home.
Just the way I liked it. Just the way I was used to it.
33
Chapter Four
Sunday – 2 days to go
After the attack, I never cried. Nor did I play with
the other children. I was absorbed in my own world,
contained entirely within my head. I didn’t need to
interact with others to have fun.
Apparently I was unnerving; I’d sit perfectly still,
my eyes glazed over. My parents had even taken me to
a psychologist to find out if there was something
wrong with me mentally. The shrink decided that I
was perfectly fine - to an extent.
Of course, my parents knew that I was not normal.
So I often hid my daydreaming, and only did it when
I was alone. However, I slipped up quite often,
especially during class.
I wasn’t sure if I was imagining things, but I always
felt as though Mr. Stone’s eyes were upon me
whenever my attention was focused elsewhere during
class. I’d look up in the hopes of catching him, but was
always disappointed.
Soon, I was looking forward to his classes; looking
forward to seeing him. Mr. Stone was delightful, and
was the first person I’d ever actually liked.
34
Monday – 1 day to go
I was sick again. It had been twenty-eight days since
my last ‘episode’.
‘That time of the month’ my mother referred to it,
but the sickness had nothing to do with my period.
I broke into cold sweats, and shook violently. I’d
vomit until my stomach was empty, and I wouldn’t be
able to eat at all. This was the only time my parents
were around to take care of me.
It got worse at night.
I’d scream and thrash, completely delusional with
fever. The first time this happened I was nine, and my
parents took me to the hospital. It hadn’t been long
since I’d left after my attack.
The doctors said my temperature was a record
high; I should have been dead, or at least brain-dead.
I had no diagnosis and they expected me to die
within the hour. They advised my parents to take me
home and make sure I was comfortable, which they
did.
What a load of shit.
I experience this living hell every single month, and
it doesn’t get any easier. Luckily for me the worst of it
only it lasts between fourteen to eighteen hours,
though I can feel the effects beginning a day before,
and it usually takes another full day for me to recover.
I would be forced to miss three days of school, and
two shifts at the café. My teachers were used to my
absence. At first they’d assumed I was bunking-off, but
a letter from my parents quickly set things straight.
35
Tuesday – 0 days to go
‘Mom, it’s starting,’ I croaked.
‘It’s all right sweetheart. ‘It’ll be over before you
know it.’
She held my hair back while I vomited into a bucket,
splashing chunks everywhere.
‘Make it stop,’ I begged in between heaves.
‘I wish I could sweetie.’
Sweat drenched my brow, and my clothes clung to
my body. I felt cold, but my temperature was well over
one-hundred-and-six degrees. I shook violently as my
mother stroked my hair.
‘Stop fucking touching me,’ I snapped at her. She
was used to my foul mouth when it came to ‘my time
of the month’.
‘Come on sweetie, it’s time to take you downstairs.’
She was right. I couldn’t hold on much longer.
My father carried me into the basement where we
had a makeshift room for this specific occasion. The
room had been made soundproof, reinforced with
steel and a heavy door when I was a child and the
sickness began.
‘Mom, I’m cold.’ My teeth chattered as my Dad
placed me on the steel-framed bed.
The time was getting closer. I could feel my skin
prickling and I knew the worst was about to come.
‘You have to do it now, Mom,’ I wheezed.
36
‘Let’s get these on you then,’ said my mother, taking
my hand. She secured the restraints around my wrists
and tightened them so I could not get free. My father
secured my ankles.
Soon, I was strapped down to the bed, unable to
move in any direction.
‘Wh-what’s the time?’ I asked.
My mother checked her watch. ‘A few minutes
before sundown.’
‘It’s starting,’ I said through gritted teeth.
My parents didn’t need telling twice. They left the
basement so they didn’t have to witness the worst of
my affliction.
37
Monday – 23 days to go
The following week I eagerly awaited my shift at
the café, in the hopes that Mr. Stone would turn up.
When it came close to closing time, I always offered to
stay back and clean up to Estelle’s delight.
Mr. Stone arrived late, as usual.
‘Am I too late again?’ he asked, stepping through the
door.
‘No,’ I shook my head and walked around the
counter with a coffee in my hand. ‘I already made you
one.’
Mr. Stone raised his eyebrows as he took the cup.
‘You made this for me?’
I shrugged.
‘How’d you know I was coming?’ he asked.
‘I was hoping.’
He scrutinized me for a moment, before smirking.
‘Ah. You made it for yourself, didn’t you? We have the
same coffee.’
‘Nope.’ I held up a second cup. ‘This is mine.’
‘Oh.’ Mr. Stone glanced at his cup before looking
around. ‘So, are you finished for the night?’
I walked past Mr. Stone and flipped the sign on the
door so it read ‘closed’ from the outside. ‘Now I am,’ I
said with a smile.
He smiled and shifted a little awkwardly, the cup of
coffee held loosely in his hand.
I moved across the café and sat in one of the booths,
sipping my drink.
‘Aren’t you going to join me?’ I asked.
38
Mr. Stone looked out of the café window at the dark
street outside. ‘Uh … I thought your shift was over.
Aren’t you going to close up?’
‘I can have a coffee if I like,’ I said. ‘Why don’t you
join me?’
He stood in the middle of the room for several
seconds deciding what to do. He must have decided
that coffee with his student wasn’t so bad, because he
sat opposite me a moment later.
I held my coffee tightly in my hands and stared at
Mr. Stone as he sipped his rather nervously. He sat
hunched over with his elbows on the table, his eyes
darting outside as though he feared we were being
watched.
‘What’s the matter?’ I asked.
‘Nothing,’ he said a little too quickly. ‘I just … it’s
strange sitting in here alone.’
‘With me?’ I asked.
He threw me a glance. ‘Well, some people might get
the wrong idea.’
‘It’s only coffee,’ I said.
He exhaled loudly, his shoulders loosening up.
‘You’re right.’
As he drank his coffee I observed what he was
wearing today. It was no different to the usual. He
wore a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches. It was
a little too big for him. The shirt underneath had an
ugly paisley pattern on it.
I did not hide my gaze as I looked around the table
to see his pants, which were a type of brown velvet. He
wore the same lace-up boat shoes as usual, this time
with no socks.
‘What?’ he said a little embarrassed as I scrutinized
his attire.
39
‘You dress so strange,’ I said, leaning back against
the booth and observing him.
He smiled and sipped his coffee. ‘Do I?’
‘Yeah … it’s eccentric. Like a mad professor.’
Mr. Stone chuckled, his emerald eyes twinkling,
reflecting the streetlights outside. ‘Don’t you like the
way I dress?’
I frowned, considering it for a moment. I liked it
very much, indeed. ‘I think it suits you,’ I said.
‘Would you like to know a secret?’ he asked, leaning
forwards.
‘I’m not good at keeping secrets,’ I replied.
Mr. Stone raised an eyebrow, his expression
unreadable. ‘I do all my shopping at the thrift-store.’
I feigned a look of shock. ‘Really? I would never
have guessed.’
He laughed. ‘All right, no need to get smart.’
Perhaps Mr. Stone is poor, I thought. After all, he was
a little rough around the edges, not to mention his car
was about to fall apart. It would be rude to ask though.
‘I promise not to tell a soul,’ I said, tracing an ‘X’
over my heart.
Mr. Stone rolled his eyes and drained the rest of his
cup.
‘So, um … sorry that I missed two of your classes
last week.’
Mr. Stone placed his empty cup on the table. ‘Did
you?’ he asked.
That hurt. ‘You didn’t notice?’
‘I had a couple of days off last week,’ he admitted.
‘Is everything okay?’ I asked.
He waved a hand. ‘Just the common cold,’ he said.
‘I’m afraid it defeated me.’
‘Yeah, me too,’ I lied. ‘Must be going around.’
40
Mr. Stone gave me a strained smile. ‘So have you
always lived in Halfway?’
I nodded. ‘Born and raised. What about you?’
‘I was born here, but moved away when I was
eighteen to go to college,’ he said, leaning on the table
and looking out of the window.
‘Why’d you come back?’ I asked.
‘Do you wish I hadn’t?’ He smirked.
The corner of my mouth twitched as I tried to hide
my smile.
‘After I graduated from college I got a job at a high
school in the city, where I taught for six years,’ he said.
‘I liked it there.’
‘So why’d you leave?’
‘I got sick,’ he said simply, ‘during a visit with my
parents here in Halfway. They thought I was going to
die.’
This story sounded all too familiar to me.
‘After I got better they asked me to stay in Halfway.
I guess they were scared of losing me.’
‘Understandable,’ I said.
‘But I ended up losing them,’ he said stiffly. ‘They
both died a month after I returned.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘It’s fine. They were getting on in age, I suppose.’
Something told me that Mr. Stone did not want to
talk about this.
‘But that was five years ago,’ he said.
‘Five years ago?’ I repeated. ‘Did you teach at all
during that time?’
Mr. Stone shook his head.
‘Why not?’ I asked. ‘What did you do for five years?’
Mr. Stone shifted uncomfortably. ‘It’s … late.’
‘What? It’s only eight-thirty.’
41
‘I’ve got a lot of homework to grade,’ he said. ‘What
do I owe you for the coffee?’
‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘I’ve already emptied the till.’
He sighed and slid out of the booth. ‘Next time,
then.’
I wasn’t sure why I was so crestfallen at the
prospect of him leaving.
Mr. Stone fastened a button on his jacket, seemingly
stalling for time. ‘Would you like a ride home?’ he
asked.
My heart shot into my throat. ‘But … it’s not
raining.’
Mr. Stone buried his hands in his pockets and
rocked on the balls of his feet. ‘It’s dangerous at night.
You can never be too careful.’
I stood up too and slung my bag over my shoulder.
‘All right, then.’
We exited the shop together, and he watched as I
turned out the lights and locked the door. We walked
to his car, and to my surprise he opened the passenger
door for me.
It took several attempts for the car to start, with Mr.
Stone muttering apologies under his breath as he
turned the key in the ignition.
‘Did you get this at the thrift-store, too?’ I asked,
trying not to smile.
He ignored my jibe, and exhaled with relief as the
car roared to life.
‘Yes, good girl,’ he said, patting the dashboard.
42
We pulled away from the coffee shop and drove
along the darkened streets. I didn’t say anything for
most of the way. Mr. Stone had the radio turned right
down so the classical music was almost
indistinguishable, but still he drummed his fingers on
the steering wheel and hummed to himself. It was as if
he was from another time. I’d never met anyone like
him. Classical music, old clothing, and a beat-up car;
something told me that Mr. Stone was not like other
men.
Being so close to him, I could smell his cologne. I
inhaled deeply, the scent calming me.
‘What is that cologne you’re wearing?’ I asked,
suddenly.
Mr. Stone’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.
‘I’m not wearing any cologne,’ he said. ‘Why? Do I
smell bad?’
‘No,’ I said. ‘You smell good.’
‘Really?’
I nodded.
I watched as he drove past my turn-off, and didn’t
say anything. He took the long route to my house,
through the backstreets. I didn’t mind; I felt safe.
Maybe he was lonely, or perhaps he’d just forgotten
the way. Regardless, I didn’t direct him.
‘Are you married?’ I asked after a long silence.
‘No,’ he replied stiffly.
‘Have you ever been?’
He took longer to answer this time. ‘I was engaged
once.’
‘What happened?’
His jaw tensed. ‘It’s not important.’
‘Did it end after you got sick?’ I asked.
He ignored me and I dropped the subject after that.
43
When we finally pulled up in front of my home, the
house was dark once more. He didn’t ask about it this
time. Instead, he looked straight ahead, unblinking. We
hadn’t spoken for the last ten minutes.
‘Thanks for the lift,’ I said, clutching my bag in my
lap. I reached for the door handle and let myself out of
the car.
‘Goodnight,’ he said.
Once I’d closed the door behind myself I leaned into
the window. ‘I work Monday and Wednesday nights,’ I
said quickly. ‘If you ever want to talk.’
Mr. Stone stared at me, his eyes darting across my
face.
I wasn’t sure why I had said that so I turned on my
heel and quickly marched away from his car, towards
my front door. Mr. Stone had already driven away by
the time I’d reached for my keys.
44
Chapter Five
Tuesday – 22 days to go
I had to attend mandatory counseling at school
once a month. My teachers seemed to think I was
depressed and would do myself harm. I wasn’t sad; I
was empty.
I barely spoke during the sessions with the
counselor, Mrs. Harvey. She was a hundred-and-eight
year old moth, with enormous spectacles, and smelled
of cabbage and cats. However, if I didn’t go a note was
sent home to my parents.
I didn’t see why they forced me; I wasn’t a threat to
the other students. Not while I was healthy, anyway. I
took days off school when I was … sick.
I knocked on the counselor’s door on Tuesday
evening, hearing shuffling on the other side. A moment
later Mrs. Harvey answered the door, squinting at me
through her bottle-glass spectacles.
‘Ah, Miss Roland, welcome.’
‘It’s Goldman,’ I corrected her, stepping inside the
office.
‘Yes, that’s what I said.’
I sat down in my usual chair and waited for Mrs.
Harvey to take her seat, which took a while, as she
didn’t walk very fast.
‘So how are you then, Miss Goldman?’ Mrs. Harvey
asked, lowering herself slowly into her chair.
‘Fine,’ I said.
‘How is your school work going?’
‘Fine.’
45
‘Excellent. I noticed you had a few days off school
the other week. Are you feeling better now?’
‘Yes.’
Mrs. Harvey chewed on the inside of her cheek.
‘Mmmh … I see. How are your parents?’
I shifted uncomfortably. ‘Fine, I guess.’
‘You guess?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Why not?’
I shrugged. ‘They work.’
‘You don’t talk to them after work?’ she asked.
‘Sometimes,’ I said.
‘All right. What about your friends? Boyfriends?’
I folded my arms across my chest. ‘I don’t have a
boyfriend.’
‘No one takes your fancy?’ she asked.
I thought about Mr. Stone and electricity shot
through my body, making me jerk. This did not go
unnoticed by Mrs. Harvey.
She smiled, showing her pearly-white dentures. ‘I’ll
take that as a yes.’
‘You can take it any way you like, Mrs. Harvey.’
‘Rose, I know you try to make yourself emotionally
unavailable because you are afraid of getting hurt-’
‘That’s not right at all,’ I interrupted.
‘Isn’t it?’ Mrs. Harvey asked. ‘Then why do you
refuse to open yourself up to friendships and
relationships?’
‘I’m not worried about getting hurt,’ I said. ‘I’m
worried about hurting others.’
Mrs. Harvey peered at me over her spectacles. ‘Do
you sometimes imagine yourself hurting others?’
I sighed exasperatedly. ‘No, nothing like that.’
‘Then what?’
‘I’m tired of this conversation,’ I said. ‘I think I’ll go.’
46
One thing I noticed about Mr. Stone was that he
always wore the same lace-up boat shoes. They were
worn, and the canvas was frayed so I decided to buy
him a new pair. I wandered through many shops along
the main street of town, but nothing seemed very
‘him’. Finally, I came across a thrift-store I’d never
entered before. My mother and father did not like to
shop in places like these because they considered
themselves above it.
I loved it. I walked straight to the shoe-section and
looked for something that screamed Mr. Stone. There
wasn’t a lot of variety. Most of the shoes were of the
cowboy variety. If not that, then worn joggers that
smelled funny.
Then I saw them, a pair of classic English shoes
made of brown leather. They looked like something an
old professor might wear, and they looked almost
brand new. A bit of a polish and they’d shine up nicely.
They looked to be the right size too. I grabbed them
and checked the sole for a price tag.
Five dollars. I quickly purchased the shoes.
47
Thursday – 20 days to go
I decided to hang back after English class to give Mr.
Stone the shoes that had been stuffed inside my
backpack. I packed my things more slowly than the
rest of the class, until it was only Mr. Stone and I in the
classroom. He was dusting off today’s lesson from the
blackboard, so he had his back to me.
‘Hey,’ I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder and
weaving through the desks until I reached him.
Mr. Stone looked over his shoulder as he put the
duster down, his mouth curling into a smile as he
realized who had spoken.
‘Hello, Rose,’ he said, wiping his hands on his wornout
jeans, leaving dusty handprints on the thighs.
‘What can I do for you?’
‘I wanted to talk to you,’ I said, perching myself on
the edge of his desk and crossing my legs. Mr. Stone’s
eyes traveled along my calves before snapping to my
face, his expression guilty.
‘About the lesson?’ he asked, a little too quickly.
‘No,’ I smiled, opening my backpack and digging
around. I pulled out the thrift-store plastic bag
containing the shoes and handed it to Mr. Stone.
‘What’s this?’ he asked, holding the bag.
‘Open it,’ I prompted.
Mr. Stone untied the handles of the bag and peered
inside.
‘Shoes?’ he asked, looking up at me.
‘For you,’ I nodded.
48
He pulled them out of the bag and inspected them.
‘You got these for me?’
I smiled. ‘You always wear the same shoes, and I
saw these and thought they would suit you.’
‘They’re really nice,’ he said, touching the leather.
‘Probably a bad thing.’
‘Why?’ I asked.
‘I can’t have nice things,’ he smirked. ‘They don’t
last long.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘Just try them on, will you?’
Mr. Stone looked troubled. ‘Rose … I can’t accept
gifts from students.’
‘But I’m not just any student, right?’ I gave him a
smile, which Mr. Stone returned.
‘No,’ he said slowly.
‘It can be our little secret,’ I said. ‘I promise I won’t
tell anyone.’
Mr. Stone grinned and sat down in his chair, before
pulling off his shoes and slipping on the brown leather
loafers.
‘Do they fit?’ I asked at once.
‘Yes, they do,’ he said, standing up and taking a few
steps in them.
‘Do you like them?’ I pressed.
He looked down at his feet. ‘I do.’
My chest swelled with pride. ‘I thought they were
very you.’
‘Do I look like a mad professor now?’ he asked,
smirking.
‘You did, anyway,’ I laughed.
‘I hope you didn’t spend much on them, Rose. They
look a little expensive.’
‘I spent a fortune,’ I lied. ‘A whole five dollars at the
thrift-store.’
49
Mr. Stone threw his head back and laughed. ‘You
can find some amazing things at the thrift shop.’
‘You’re telling me. I bought an entire wardrobe for
twenty dollars.’
He smiled warmly. ‘Thank you very much, Rose.’
‘You’re welcome.’
‘Now, get out of here and go to lunch.’
I grinned. ‘See you at the café on Monday?’ I asked.
I smiled guiltily. ‘It’s a date.’
50
Monday – 16 days to go
The shop was busy and we had extra staff working
that evening. Estelle said something about an event in
town, so it seemed we were getting a little extra
business. I was happy when the café was filled with
customers; it meant the shift passed quickly.
At six o’clock Sadie Deveraux entered the café,
grinning widely at me.
‘Hey Rose,’ she said, bouncing towards the counter.
‘Hey,’ I replied. I didn’t have much time to chat as I
was currently working on several coffees at once.
‘It’s busy in here for a change,’ she noted, looking
around.
‘Yeah.’ I wiped my brow with the back of my hand.
‘Did you want a coffee?’
‘A hot chocolate, please. I don’t drink coffee.’
I added Sadie’s order to the list and gave it to her on
the house. Estelle wouldn’t mind; it was only a few
cents worth of ingredients.
‘What brings you here anyway?’ I asked her.
‘There was a show on in town,’ said Sadie. ‘Aaron
Ford asked me to go with him.’
‘Aaron asked you?’ I raised an eyebrow. ‘I didn’t
know you two were so close.’
Sadie rolled her eyes. ‘We’re not, but I took pity on
him.’
51
Sadie was an average looking blonde girl who was
quite popular with the boys at school. However, I
believed this was only because she’d developed rather
large breasts at an early age. At only eighteen years
old, she already wore a D cup bra. She didn’t tried to
hide it either, often wearing low cut tops.
I, on the other hand, was average. Not big, not small.
I didn’t mind.
Clang. Another customer entered the shop. I looked
up, hoping to see Mr. Stone, but of course it wasn’t
him. I’d been getting my hopes up all evening. My
disappointment must have shown.
‘Are you waiting for someone?’ Sadie asked, looking
over her shoulder at the door.
‘No.’ I shook my head quickly.
‘Well, I’d better get going,’ she said, checking her
phone.
Clang. I looked up and my heart jumped into my
throat. Mr. Stone. I was about to say ‘hello’ to him, but
Sadie beat me to it.
‘Mr. Stone!’ she waved frantically. ‘Hey!’
Mr. Stone’s eyes fell on me first, but then slid to
Sadie. ‘Ah, hello Sadie. How are you?’
‘Great!’ she beamed, clutching her hot chocolate
with both hands.
Sadie watched as Mr. Stone ordered his coffee with
Estelle. ‘Can I please have a medium gluten free skim
latte please?’
‘Hey, that’s really weird,’ she said, standing next to
him. ‘That’s the exact same thing that Rose gets.’
‘Is it?’ Mr. Stone pulled a crisp bill out of his wallet
and passed it to Estelle. He knew perfectly well that it
was.
Sadie nodded. ‘Yeah. How weird. I don’t drink coffee
though.’
52
‘I thought you were leaving?’ I asked Sadie as I
began to make Mr. Stone’s coffee. I hoped she would
leave.
She shot me a furious look. ‘No, I was just about to
have a seat,’ she said. ‘Would you like to join me, Mr.
Stone?’
He glanced at me before looking at Sadie. ‘Um … I
was just about to be on my way, actually.’
‘Oh, don’t be silly!’ Sadie rested her hand on Mr.
Stone’s arm. ‘Sit with me!’
I slid Mr. Stone’s coffee along the counter to him,
my jaw set tight. My eyes darted between the two of
them, waiting for his response. He gave me one last
glance before nodding at Sadie.
‘Sure.’
My skin prickled with jealousy as I watched Sadie
and Mr. Stone share a booth, sipping their drinks.
Sadie laughed and toyed with her hair as she chatted
away happily. He listened, smiling politely, but I
caught him glancing towards me a couple of times.
They talked for over half an hour, long after their
beverages had been consumed. I was too busy to
eavesdrop on what they talked about.
Eventually, the shop became quiet, until it was only
Estelle, Sadie, Mr. Stone and a few other lingering
people in the café.
‘Well, I’d better get going,’ I overheard him say to
Sadie. ‘Lots of essays to grade, after all.’
She looked visibly crestfallen. ‘Oh, all right. Um. Can
I get a lift home, Mr. Stone?’
He paused, halfway through buttoning up his
blazer. ‘What?’
‘It’s getting dark,’ said Sadie, pointing outside. ‘And
I’d have to walk home.’
‘I’m not sure that-’ he began, but Sadie interrupted.
53
‘Please? It’s dangerous at night.’ Sadie used the
same excuse that Mr. Stone had to take me home.
His jaw tensed, and I saw a vein throb in his temple.
‘All right, sure.’
I watched as they left together, and Mr. Stone
glanced back at me before leading Sadie to his car that
was parked on the street. He didn’t open the
passenger door for her like he had for me. At least that
was something. I burned with jealousy as I watched
him drive her away. It made me dizzy to see it.
‘Rose?’ Estelle waved a hand in front of me. ‘Rose, I
need a caramel latte.’
‘Oh, right. Yeah, sorry.’ I shook my head and focused
on work once more.
I couldn’t help but feel that Sadie had stolen my
time with Mr. Stone. My time. The thought rang in my
head like bells. Had I really become so possessive over
a man I barely knew? Not to mention he was a teacher!
What had got into me?
54
Friday – 12 days to go
My homework had built up over the last few days,
and I was very behind in everything. I knew Maria, a
‘friend’ in many of my classes stayed in the library
after school hours to study, so she asked if I wanted to
join her. I agreed, as I didn’t have work that afternoon.
It was terribly boring. We sat in silence, scribbling
away. She helped me with a few of the questions.
Maria was a straight ‘A’ student.
‘What a way to spend a Friday afternoon,’ I
grumbled.
‘Have you spoken to Sadie recently?’ Maria asked,
flipping through her math book.
‘No.’ Honestly, I’d been avoiding her for the last few
days. I was mad at her, but she wasn’t to know that.
‘She’s been telling everyone that Mr. Stone gave her
a ride home on Monday.’
My grip tightened around my pen. ‘Oh.’
‘She said he couldn’t stop staring at her tits.’
‘She’s lying,’ I said at once.
‘How do you know?’ asked Maria.
‘C’mon,’ I rolled my eyes. ‘You know Sadie. She’s
always flaunting them. It’s hard to not look at them.’
Maria smiled sheepishly. ‘You’re right, I guess. I
hope she doesn’t do anything stupid.’
‘What do you mean?’ I asked, putting my pen down.
Maria shrugged. ‘You know what she’s like. If she
wants something, she gets it.’
This annoyed me greatly. ‘Well Mr. Stone isn’t an
idiot. I bet he can see right through her.’
55
Maria shrugged. Clearly she wasn’t as interested in
the topic of Mr. Stone as I was.
‘I have to go,’ said Maria, stacking her books. ‘I have
clarinet practice in half an hour.’
‘Oh, all right. Thanks for your help,’ I said,
remaining in my seat.
I watched as Maria stuffed her textbooks into her
bag before slinging it over her shoulder. ‘See you later
Rose. Bye Mrs. Finnick,’ she added to the librarian, a
sweet old lady in her sixties.
So I was left in the library. Slowly, the other
students began to pack up and leave until there were
only a few stragglers left.
‘The library will be closing in ten minutes, dear,’
said Mrs. Finnick, bustling past with an arm full of
books.
‘Okay,’ I said. There was no more I could do. I began
to pack up my things, stuffing my pen and whiteout
into my pencil case.
Now it was only myself and the librarian left, but
she was currently out of sight, stacking books upon
shelves. I could hear her feet shuffling along the carpet
somewhere at the back of the library.
The doors opened, and Mr. Stone entered with a
book in his hands. I watched him as he placed it into
the ‘returns’ chute at the front desk. I wanted to call
out to him, but I was still embarrassed about our last
encounter. He must have felt my eyes upon him
because his gaze suddenly slid towards me.
The grin that broke across his face was heart
melting. He was usually smiling but this was different;
he looked genuinely pleased to see me.
He crossed the library, walking towards the desk I
was sitting at.
‘Catching up on homework?’ he asked.
56
I nodded, swallowing hard, as if something was
stuck in my throat, preventing me from talking.
‘What are you working on?’ he asked.
I looked down at the textbook that was sprawled in
front of me. ‘Math,’ I said.
‘Ah. I’m afraid I can’t help you there,’ he smiled.
‘Math was never my strong suit.’
‘Me either,’ I sighed, leaning back in my chair. ‘I’m
terrible at it.’
‘I’m sure you’re not that bad,’ he said, leaning on the
back of a chair.
I rifled through my papers, pulling out my most
recent math test. I handed it to him and he looked
down at the grade written in big red letters.
‘D minus,’ he read. ‘Okay, so maybe you are terrible
at it.’
I laughed. ‘It just doesn’t stick with me,’ I admitted.
‘Maybe if you didn’t daydream so much,’ he said,
handing the test back to me.
‘I don’t daydream,’ I lied.
He cocked an eyebrow, his expression sardonic.
‘You get this glazed look over your eyes all the time.
Sometimes I worry you’re having a stroke.’
I rolled my eyes and continued packing up my
books. As I slung the bag over my shoulder, Mr. Stone
looked around to make sure we were alone.
‘Can I give you a ride home?’ he asked.
My knees felt weak. ‘Are you sure that’s wise?’
‘Everyone has gone home for the day,’ he replied.
‘I’ll drive around the corner and you can meet me
there.’
There was something about his desire for secrecy
that made my skin prickle. ‘Okay,’ I agreed.
57
I left the library before Mr. Stone, who exited a few
paces behind me. He walked towards the teacher’s car
park as I exited through the front gates.
58
Chapter Six
As I walked along the school’s road I felt as if I was
in a dream, or a visitor in another person’s body. I
couldn’t feel my legs as I walked. Perhaps I was
floating. I had to check my feet to make sure they
weren’t transparent.
Mr. Stone’s car rumbled past and turned the corner
where I knew he’d be waiting for me. I glanced around;
the school’s street was almost deserted. Only a few
students lingered out the front of the school but they
hadn’t paid me any attention.
His car idled beside the curb, and I quickly ran to it,
jumping inside and closing the door. I felt as though I
was breaking the law, simply by being with him. He
pulled away at once and sped down the street a little
too fast for my liking. I gripped the door-handle,
feeling extremely tense.
‘You took Sadie home on Wednesday,’ I said as we
trundled along.
‘I know. I was there,’ he replied.
I didn’t smile at his joke. I was jealous, but I didn’t
want him to know that.
‘What did she say to you?’ I asked.
‘Nothing important,’ he replied a little too quickly.
‘Yeah right,’ I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
‘What was I supposed to do?’ he chuckled. ‘The girl
wanted a lift home-’
‘You could have said no.’
‘And let her walk home in the dark? Any decent
person would have obliged.’
I glared at him, and for the first time since I’d got in
the car, he glanced my way. Seeing my expression
seemed to slacken his resolve.
59
‘She talked about class,’ he said finally. ‘And how
much she enjoyed the way I taught.’
‘She likes you,’ I said at once.
Mr. Stone shifted uncomfortably, but did not
respond.
‘Did she flirt with you?’ I asked.
He chewed the inside of his lip. ‘I think so.’
‘You think so?’ I repeated.
‘I don’t know,’ he said, a little annoyed. ‘I don’t have
a manual on the way girls mind’s work.’
‘Well, what did she do?’ I asked.
‘She kept doing this.’ He indicated to his chest,
trying to represent breasts. ‘She kept pulling her top
down to reveal more … cleavage.’
I almost laughed at how awkward he was. What
grown man couldn’t talk about breasts?
‘She does that,’ I said. ‘She’s very popular with the
boys.’
‘She’s just a girl,’ said Mr. Stone. ‘A child.’
A child. Sadie was two months older than I. Did he
think I was a child too?
‘She’s had sex,’ I said. ‘Most girls in my grade have.’
‘Have you?’ he asked.
I stared at him in disbelief.
‘I shouldn’t have asked that,’ he said at once.
‘No,’ I said.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘No … I mean … I’m a virgin.’
Mr. Stone glanced at me quickly before focusing on
the road again. ‘You’re not like the other girls,’ he said.
‘You’re different.’
‘Am I?’ I asked, my fist curling around my backpack.
Why was he torturing me like this?
60
He nodded, and I could see beads of sweat forming
on his brow. He was not comfortable with me, or this
conversation. He looked like a frightened puppy,
trapped in a room with a violent owner.
His silence made me feel dizzy. I wanted to reach
over and place my hand on his, but I was a coward. I
wouldn’t be able to handle his rejection.
Before I knew it, we were at my house, and I was
disappointed to find that both of my parent’s cars
were pulled into the driveway.
‘Looks like someone is home,’ said Mr. Stone,
shrinking in his chair.
‘Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘They never pay me much
attention.’
‘You don’t talk about your parents very fondly,’ he
said with a frown.
I shrugged. ‘They’re … busy.’
Busy cheating on each other, I thought.
Mr. Stone leaned across me and opened the glove
compartment. I watched as he dug through the
assortment of unusual things in there; a bow tie,
sunglasses, breath-mints, crumpled receipts, pens, and
a notebook. He grabbed the notebook and tore out a
page, scribbling something upon it. He handed the
page to me and I looked at what he’d written.
‘It’s my cell phone number,’ he said.
I stared at the digits as though they were the most
valuable things I’d ever seen.
‘If you ever need someone to talk to,’ he said.
‘Thank you.’ I pocketed the paper.
‘I’ll … see you on Monday,’ said Mr. Stone, chewing
on his lip.
‘Thanks for the lift,’ I said.
‘Anytime,’ he replied.
Be careful, I thought. I may take you up on that offer.
61
I hopped out of the car and gave him a last wave
before running up the garden path.
When I entered my house I could hear talking
coming from the dining room, so I went to find my
parents.
They were sitting together, which was an unusual
sight in itself, and they appeared to be in deep
discussion.
‘Hey,’ I said, standing in the doorway, smiling.
‘Oh, hello Rose.’ My mother’s smile was strained.
‘What’s going on?’ I asked, walking over to the
dining table and picking an apple out of the fruit bowl.
I looked to my father, who I hadn’t spoken to in a few
days. He had large bags under his eyes, but he too was
smiling.
‘Why don’t you sit down?’ said my father, pointing
to an empty chair. ‘Your mother and I would like to
talk to you.’
I froze with the apple halfway to my mouth. ‘What
have I done?’
‘Nothing,’ my mother reassured me. ‘Sit.’
I did as I was told and slid into the vacant seat,
looking between my parents.
‘There’s something your mother and I would like to
discuss with you, Rose,’ said my father, interlacing his
fingers upon the tabletop.
‘What?’ I looked at him. ‘Has someone died?’
‘No, it’s nothing like that,’ said my father. ‘It’s
difficult to say, so I’ll just come right out with it.’ He
took a deep breath before continuing. ‘You probably
saw this coming, but your mother and I have decided
that it is best if we go our separate ways from now on.
Of course, this doesn’t mean we love you any less, but
it will affect your living arrangements from here on in.’
I stared at my father, before looking at my mother.
62
‘You’re getting a divorce?’ I asked her.
‘You seem surprised, dear,’ said my mother.
I wasn’t shocked, not really. I knew they’d both
engaged in affairs right from the beginning of their
marriage. I’d just assumed neither cared.
‘When did you decide this?’ I asked.
‘We decided it a couple of months ago,’ my father
admitted.
‘Months?’ I repeated. ‘It took you this long to tell
me?’
My father leaned back in his chair. ‘We needed to
sort through some things before everything was made
final. I’ve spent the last few weeks meeting with real
estate agents, and looking for somewhere to live.’
‘You’re moving out?’ I asked. ‘But … this is your
house too.’
‘We are going to sell this house, Rose,’ said my
mother. ‘And split everything between us.’
‘But that means I have to move too,’ I said,
becoming panicked. ‘I don’t want to move.’
‘Don’t jump to conclusions, Rose,’ said my father.
‘Your mother has decided to move into a two-bedroom
apartment closer to work as she is happy with her job
in the city.’ My mother’s office was a forty-five minute
drive away from our current home.
‘Into the city?’ My mouth hung open in disbelief.
The joys of my ride home with Mr. Stone were
completely wiped from my mind.
‘I, on the other hand will be moving out of state to
take a promotion I’ve been offered,’ my father finished.
‘Out of state?’
They both nodded in unison.
63
‘We feel you are old enough to make your own
decisions, Rose,’ my father continued. ‘I know it’s hard
with your … um … illness, but we want to make the
transition as easy as possible for you. So it’s up to you
where you live. Of course, you can visit the other
parent on weekends-’
‘But I want to live here, in this town,’ I said tapping
my finger on the tabletop. ‘I have a part-time job, and
friends at school-’
‘We understand that it’s inconvenient,’ said my
mother. ‘But as you know your … condition has put a
lot of strain on our marriage, and we feel it’s for the
best.’
‘So it’s my fault?’ I asked.
‘No, sweetheart. It’s not your fault. You know that.’
‘If I could get better, I would,’ I said angrily. ‘You
think I like this? You think I … I like what I become?’
‘No, of course not,’ my mother said quickly. ‘But
maybe it will be easier for us to handle your condition
if your father and I take it in turns to-’
‘No!’ I said, standing up, tears stinging my eyes. ‘I
want to stay here!’
I didn’t give my parents a chance to respond. I
stormed from the room and marched down the
hallway towards my bedroom where I slammed the
door angrily several times. Tears now streaming down
my face, I flopped face-first into my pillow and sobbed
for a good half-an-hour.
I wasn’t crying because my family was being torn
apart, I was crying because I was going to be uprooted
from my hometown, just when things seemed to be
getting better.
I cried for several hours, until my eyes were red and
puffy. Eventually, I fell asleep.
64
Chapter Seven
Saturday – 11 days to go
When I awoke in the early hours of Saturday
morning I was confused as to why I was still wearing
shoes, and clothes. It took several minutes of the
previous evening to return to my memory.
Bleary eyed, I dug around in my pockets for my cellphone,
to check the time. Instead my hand closed
around the piece of paper Mr. Stone had given me the
previous evening. I unfolded it and stared at the digits.
I didn’t hesitate. I found my phone and instantly
saved his number to my contact list under ‘S’ for Stone.
Would he mind if I called him? After all, he’d said I
could if I needed to talk. But was it too soon?
I stared at his name on my phone for several
minutes before deciding against it.
It was nine o’clock in the morning, so I got up and
poured myself some cereal in the kitchen. My father’s
car was gone, which meant my mother was still home,
as they rarely went anywhere together anymore.
I was right; I heard the toilet flush and my mother
emerged wearing only her silk dressing gown.
‘Morning sweetheart,’ she said, running a hand
through her disheveled hair.
I ignored her and stuffed a spoonful of cereal into
my mouth, leaning against the kitchen counter.
‘I’m sorry about last night,’ she continued, standing
a few feet away from me.
I paused halfway through another mouthful. ‘You’re
sorry?’ I asked, disbelievingly.
‘Yes, of course.’
65
‘That’s all you have to say to me?’ I said with raised
eyebrows.
‘What do you want me to say, Rose? You know we
haven’t been happy for a long while.’
‘Since my attack,’ I interrupted.
My mother pursed her lips. ‘Don’t make this about
you,’ she said.
‘I didn’t,’ I said. ‘You did.’
‘Rose, your father and I wish to go our separate
ways. Lots of couples get divorced, it’s not uncommon.
These things happen.’
‘I don’t want to leave Halfway,’ I said. ‘It’s safe here.
It’s quiet.’
‘You’ll be safe in the city with me,’ said my mother.
‘I’ll take care of your condition.’
‘Like you took care of me when I was twelve? That
day you and dad stayed out the whole night and forgot
that I was sick?’
She didn’t like it when I talked about that. They’d
apologized countless times for their carelessness. But I
couldn’t forget.
I’d woken up in the woods, only twelve years old,
completely naked with no recollection of the night
before. My fever had taken me during the night.
‘I’ll never let that happen again,’ my mother said.
‘You can’t promise that,’ I said. ‘All you think about
is yourself.’
‘One time!’ she yelled angrily. ‘I wasn’t there one
time!’
‘That’s all it takes,’ I said, my nostrils flaring angrily.
‘One mistake. I will not move to the city. There are too
many people. Too much going on-’
‘Fine,’ my mother snapped. ‘Stay here then. See if I
care.’ And with that she stormed from the room.
66
‘Oh, really mature!’ I yelled after her. ‘Just walk
away.’
It was Saturday, and as usual I had no plans. No one
ever asked to see me. I was surprised, however, when
Estelle sent me a text-message that morning.
Party tonight, kiddo. I’ll pick you up at eight.
Estelle was probably the only person I could
tolerate, but I still couldn’t imagine myself hanging out
with her away from work, let alone at a party. I sent a
polite message back.
Uh, not really my thing, Estelle. Thanks, though.
After that, I went for a quick shower, got dressed,
and plaited my hair. Checking my phone, I found that
Estelle had left me another text
I wasn’t asking. See you at eight.
Would she really show up without warning? Not
only that but Estelle was a lot older than me, and was
sure to attend a party full of adults, with alcohol.
I bit down on my lip and thought carefully about it.
After the argument with my mother I was feeling
rebellious; she’d never allow me to go to an adult’s
party with alcohol, but at that moment I didn’t care.
Fuck it, I thought. I’m going. Perhaps the worry
would snap my parents to their senses.
See you at eight, I sent back to Estelle.
Dress older, Estelle replied.
67
I was a ball of nerves by seven thirty. I did not do
well in crowds, and had a tendency to be rude, or
dislike almost everyone I met. I was not a social
person. I was a different species.
My parents weren’t aware that I was going out; I’d
been hiding in my room for the last hour while I got
ready.
What did girls wear to parties?
I never wore makeup; I didn’t see the point, but I
knew people liked to dress up when they attended
these things.
Being a bit of a tomboy, my wardrobe was limited
to t-shirts and jeans. However, I was a similar size to
my mother so I decided to scour her wardrobe while
she was in the living room.
I rifled through her dresses, which were plenty,
until I came across one that wasn’t too revealing. It
was red and stopped just above the knees. The
neckline wasn’t too low-cut, and the sleeves came to
the elbows. I refused point-blank to show my legs so I
thieved a pair of black stockings and stuffed them into
my pocket.
I didn’t own any cosmetics, so I also stole some
foundation, mascara, and eyeliner. Feeling bold, I also
took a stick of red lipstick.
By eight o’clock I was ready, and extremely selfconscious.
I felt ridiculous wearing the red dress and
red lipstick. I’d attempted to do my hair, but it was so
unruly, I left it as a wavy, disheveled mess.
At five past eight a horn sounded in the street, and I
knew it was Estelle waiting for me. I took a deep
breath and left my bedroom, clutching a tiny handbag
my mother had bought me on a previous birthday.
68
I slipped out of my bedroom, and could hear the
television blaring in the sitting room. I crept down the
hallway with my shoes in my hand; they had a slight
heel, and I didn’t want to be heard as I walked across
the floorboards. To my surprise I reached the front
door successfully and was able to pry it open without
any noise.
Once outside I ran down the garden path to meet
Estelle in her violently purple car.
‘Woah!’ Estelle looked me up and down as I jumped
into the passenger seat.
‘What?’ I said a little defensively as put on the shoes
I’d been carrying.
‘You look hot,’ she said approvingly. ‘Red suits you.’
‘Uh … thanks,’ I said, tucking my hair behind my
ears. ‘Do I look older?’ I asked.
‘At least eighteen,’ she said with a wink.
‘So, um, where is this party?’
‘It’s at a friends house,’ said Estelle, putting her car
into gear and pulling away from my house.
I was extremely nervous. ‘I’ve never been to a party
before.’
‘Never?’ Estelle asked, raising one of her penciled
eyebrows.
‘Well, once when I was ten, I went to a party at
chuck-e-cheese because my mother made me. It didn’t
go so well.’
‘Hon, that’s not a real party.’
I shrugged. ‘It’s something.’
Estelle laughed. ‘I can tell you don’t go out much.
That’s why I decided to bring you along.’
‘Are you sure it’s okay that I attend?’
‘Yeah! There will be heaps of cool people there.’
69
‘I’ll be younger than everyone,’ I said. Estelle was
twenty-five, so I assumed her friends would be a
similar age.
Estelle laughed. ‘Maybe in physical years, but not
mentality.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ I asked.
‘You don’t act like a normal seventeen year old girl,’
she said, glancing sideways at me. ‘And my friends
certainly don’t act their age.’
‘Don’t leave me alone, okay? I won’t know anyone.’
Estelle gave me a knowing look. ‘I’ll introduce you
to everyone.’
‘You won’t be drinking, right? I’ll be able to get
home, won’t I?’
Estelle nodded. ‘I don’t drink and drive, sweetheart.’
Relieved, I leaned back in the passenger seat and
allowed myself to be taken to the party.
When we arrived I knew at once that it was a bad
idea. The music was loud, and many people were on
the front porch, drinking and smoking. The smell of
marijuana reached my nostrils; I recognized the smell
from the girl’s bathroom at school. Sadie had been
caught smoking it before.
‘Maybe this isn’t a good idea,’ I said, clutching my
handbag and staring at the house.
Estelle squeezed my knee comfortingly. ‘Trust me,
kiddo. Okay? You’re going to have a great time.’
‘If I don’t … will you take me home?’
‘I’ll be at your beck and call,’ she promised.
I wasn’t used to wearing heels. Even though they
were only two inches high, I felt like a Velociraptor.
70
Extremely self-conscious, I followed in Estelle’s
shadow as she led me towards the house party.
Everyone seemed to know her, and greeted Estelle
cheerily. It was a small house with dated furnishings,
and a thick cloud of cigarette smoke hung in the air.
‘Hey Estelle!’ A man in his early twenties with
tattoos and long, black hair gave her a high-five.
‘Who’s the kid?’
‘Hey Spider, this is my friend Rose,’ said Estelle,
snaking an arm around my waist.
‘A date?’ the man called Spider asked, eyeing me.
‘You wish,’ Estelle sneered at him and steered me
away. ‘You stay away from her, okay?’
Spider raised his hands in defeat. ‘As you say.’
Estelle dragged me towards a table laden with
beverages where she poured herself a cola. She offered
me an alcoholic drink but I refused.
‘Who was that guy?’ I asked.
‘An ex,’ replied Estelle, ‘and a sleaze bag.’
Next, Estelle pulled a packet of cigarettes from her
pocket and put it between her lips. ‘Want one?’ she
asked, holding out the pack.
I stared at the cigarettes for a moment before
quickly shaking my head. There was far too much
temptation at this party for my liking. What had I got
myself into?
‘C’mon, kiddo,’ Estelle said, lighting her cigarette.
‘You’re at a party. Live a little.’
‘Maybe next time,’ I lied.
Estelle shrugged and put the packet back into her
pocket before taking a long drag and blowing the
smoke out of her nostrils. It was a strange sight with
her septum piercing.
‘I’m the youngest person here,’ I said, shifting
uncomfortably.
71
‘I don’t think so,’ said Estelle, peering through the
packed house. ‘They look about your age, don’t they?’
I followed her gaze to see where she was pointing,
and was shocked to see Sadie sitting on the couch,
deep in conversation with a strange male.
‘I know her,’ I said, staring at Sadie.
‘Has she been to the café?’ Estelle asked, blowing
smoke out of the corner of her mouth.
I nodded.
‘Thought she was familiar. She comes to most
parties.’
I watched Sadie as she sipped her drink and
accepted a joint from another female.
‘Aren’t you going to say hello?’ asked Estelle.
I moved towards Sadie.
‘Rose!’ Sadie gasped, jumping up. ‘What are you
doing here?’
To my surprise she looked pleased to see me.
Perhaps it was the marijuana.
‘I was invited by Estelle,’ I said, pointing over my
shoulder to where Estelle stood at the drinks table.
‘What are you doing here?’
Sadie waved a hand dismissively, which threw her
off balance so she was forced to steady herself on the
sofa. ‘I get invited to all the parties,’ she told me.
It seemed Sadie’s male companion was growing
tired of her lack of attention so he wandered off to find
another willing female to receive his affections.
‘Looks like you lost your friend,’ I said, nodding
after him.
‘That’s okay,’ Sadie said, looking at something over
my shoulder. ‘I’ve found someone better.’
And with that she stalked off to pursue another
companion.
72
‘Here,’ Estelle joined me, thrusting a drink into my
hand. ‘Drink up.’
‘What is it?’ I asked.
‘Just cola,’ she promised.
It didn’t take long for Estelle to abandon me, leaving
me standing alone, and awkward in a corner of the
room.
Not long after, I was feeling dizzy and ill from all the
smoke so I decided to get some fresh air. I sat on a
bench in the backyard.
Spider, Estelle’s ex-boyfriend made a beeline for me
as soon as I sat down.
‘Hello sweetheart,’ he said, smiling and sitting next
to me. ‘You feeling all right?’
‘Yes, it’s just so smoky in there.’
‘Enjoying yourself?’ He asked, looking me up and
down approvingly. His gaze made me feel ill.
‘It’s okay, I guess.’
Spider leaned towards me and inhaled deeply.
‘Do you know where Estelle is?’ I asked, feeling
anxious.
‘Estelle? Yeah. She’s over there smoking a joint with
my brother.’ Spider pointed through a window into the
house where I could clearly see Estelle, drinking and
smoking. ‘But you don’t need her. I’ll keep you
company.’ Spider put an arm around my shoulders.
Panic flared inside me and I jumped up at once.
Estelle was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
How was I supposed to get home? I ran into the house
and quickly found Estelle in the kitchen where I
slapped the joint out of her hand.
‘What are you doing?’ I demanded, grabbing her
drink too.
‘Woah,’ Estelle looked at me with extremely
bloodshot eyes. ‘What’s the matter?’
73
‘You’re supposed to be sober,’ I said angrily. ‘I
thought you were going to drive me home!’
‘I will,’ said Estelle. ‘I’ll be fine to drive.’
‘Like hell you will,’ I said.
‘Don’t worry, darling. You’ll be fine,’ said Spider,
coming up behind me and snaking an arm around my
waist. ‘You can crash at my place for the night. I only
live around the corner.’
I shrugged out of his grip. ‘No thanks.’
‘Come on sweetheart,’ Spider crooned, leaning
towards me.
‘Back off Spider, she’s only seventeen!’ Estelle
snapped.
‘That’s fine. I like a bit of fresh meat-’
I pushed myself away from Estelle and Spider.
I needed to find a familiar face. Sadie; she’d look
after me. I didn’t get far before Spider cornered me
again.
‘Hey, doll. Where are you going?’ he asked, his
hands on either side of my head.
‘I-I don’t feel well,’ I said. ‘I might go home.’
‘Aw, baby. Don’t go. I thought we could get to know
each other.’ He leaned towards me and I could smell
the smoke on his breath.
‘No,’ I said firmly, pushing against his chest. ‘I don’t
want-’
‘Rose?’ A familiar voice called my name.
A hand clamped down on Spider’s shoulder before
he kissed me. Spider turned around to see who the
intruder was.
‘Wait your turn, mate,’ he said to the unknown
interrupter.
‘Step away from the girl, please,’ said the man.
That voice.
‘I said wait your turn, buddy.’
74
Thwack!
The stranger punched Spider right on the nose,
sending the black haired boy to the floor in a crumpled
heap.
I yelped with fright and looked up at my savior.
‘Mr. Stone?’ I breathed.
It was him. He stood before me, his chest heaving as
anger seemed to course through his veins. There could
be no mistaking that mismatched attire.
‘Christ, Rose. What are you doing here?’ he asked,
staring into my eyes.
‘You … you punched him!’ I gasped, stepping over
Spider, who was groaning in pain on the floor.
Mr. Stone grabbed me by the arm and began to pull
me out of the house. ‘This is no place for you,’ he said.
‘Estelle brought me,’ I said, quickly, tripping over
my own feet. The partygoers created a path for us to
walk through as we headed for the exit.
‘What were you thinking?’ Mr. Stone snapped. ‘You
could have been hurt, or drugged. Or worse-’
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, unsure as to why I was
apologizing. I’d done nothing wrong after all. ‘Thank
you, though.’
‘What for?’
‘For stopping him. I think he was going to kiss me.’
‘I expected more from you, Rose.’
‘Where are we going?’ I asked, hurrying to keep up
with him.
‘I’m taking you home,’ he said as we stepped onto
the lawn.
‘No!’ I stopped in my tracks, my eyes wide. ‘I can’t
go home. Not yet.’
‘Well you can’t stay here,’ he said. ‘There’s alcohol
and drugs everywhere.’
‘What are you doing here then?’ I asked.
75
Mr. Stone sighed. ‘I live next door, Rose. They
invited me so I wouldn’t complain about the noise to
the police. You’re lucky I arrived when I did.’
‘You … you live next door?’ I asked. ‘Can’t we go
there?’
Mr. Stone’s spine stiffened and his nostrils flared.
‘That’s not a good idea,’ he said.
‘Why not? Please, Mr. Stone ... I don’t want to go
home just yet.’
Mr. Stone licked his lips nervously and glanced
around. ‘All right … just for an hour though, okay?’
Mr. Stone took my hand and led me to the left,
towards a small house. We crossed over the garden of
the party until we were on his property.
‘This is your house?’ I asked, looking at it.
It was small, with an overgrown lawn, and a beatup
garage, but that was definitely his car in the
driveway. We walked up the garden path until we
reached his porch. The fly-screen was hanging off its
hinges, but the oak door behind it seemed solid. He
opened the screen-door and unlocked it before leading
me into the house.
Mr. Stone’s home was far nicer on the inside. It
seemed he had tried to make the best out of a bad
situation. There was still no doubt in my mind though
that he was not a rich man by any means.
‘Come in here and sit down,’ he said, leading me
into the sitting room where he threw his keys and
wallet onto the coffee table.
I took a seat on the sofa and stared at him.
‘Do you want me to call your parents?’ he asked.
‘No!’ I said at once. ‘No, they don’t know I’m out.’
76
‘You went without permission?’ he asked, pinching
the bridge of his nose. ‘What if something had
happened to you? What am I saying? Something did
happen to you. Some long-haired sleaze-ball tried to …
to-’
‘Spider,’ I said. ‘He wanted me to go to his house
with him.’
‘Yeah, I bet he did,’ Mr. Stone growled. I’d never
heard him talk like that before. ‘I should march back
over there and grab that little shit by the throat-’
‘Don’t be mad,’ I pleaded, staring at him with wide
eyes. Mr. Stone looked distressed, with one hand
balled around a tuft of his own hair.
‘What if I hadn’t gone?’ he asked. ‘What would have
happened?’
‘I don’t know,’ I muttered, staring at my knees.
‘How did you plan on getting home?’ he asked.
‘Estelle was supposed to take me.’
‘That pink haired girl from the café?’ he asked.
‘Yeah,’ I rubbed my arm, feeling foolish. ‘But she
ended up drinking and smoking-’
‘And then what was your plan?’ he said, crossing his
arms. I felt like my father was scolding me.
‘I don’t know, all right? I said thank you. What else
do you want?’
Mr. Stone’s posture relaxed and he heaved a sigh. ‘I
was just worried about you, that’s all.’
I leaned back in the sofa and closed my eyes,
breathing deeply. I knew going to this party would be
a mistake. This was why I hated going out.
‘Do you want a tea or coffee?’ he asked.
‘A coffee, please,’ I said.
‘I’ve only got instant coffee. Is that okay?’ he asked.
‘That’s fine,’ I said. It was better than nothing.
77
Mr. Stone retreated to the kitchen where I heard the
tap running, and a kettle being placed on a stove.
My eyes fell to his wallet, which sat on the coffee
table in front of me. I quickly glanced over my
shoulder to make sure he wasn’t coming back, before
reaching over and grabbing it.
I flipped the wallet open and rifled through the
contents. The first thing I found was his driver’s
license.
Thomas William Stone.
Strange, I’d never known his first name. He’d
always been Mr. Stone to me.
Seeing his date of birth I was quickly able to
calculate his age at thirty-two.
‘Find anything interesting?’ Mr. Stone asked as he
re-entered the room. I could hear the kettle still
boiling in the kitchen.
‘Sorry,’ I said quickly, throwing the wallet back onto
the table.
‘It’s fine,’ he said, picking it up and pocketing it.
‘There’s nothing too revealing in here.’
‘I didn’t mean to pry,’ I said. ‘I just … I didn’t know
your first name.’
‘Didn’t you?’ he asked.
I shook my head.
‘My name is Tom. Pleased to meet you, Rose.’ He
held out a hand, which I took. He squeezed my hand
gently as he shook it. I couldn’t help but smile.
‘Hi Tom,’ I said. ‘You’re thirty-two?’
‘Is that old?’ he asked.
‘No,’ I said.
‘It’s fifteen years older than you,’ he replied. ‘Almost
twice your age.’
‘Not forever,’ I said. ‘When you’re forty I’ll be
twenty-five.’
78
‘You’re making me feel old,’ he said disapprovingly.
‘When you’re fifty, I’ll be thirty-five,’ I continued.
‘Sixty and forty-five. See? It’s not such a big difference.’
‘It’s big enough. I guess I’ll just have to wait for you
to catch up to me,’ he joked.
‘What are you waiting for?’ I asked, leaning
forwards.
I hadn’t meant for it to sound provocative. I quickly
averted my gaze, realizing how inappropriate it had
sounded.
Mr. Stone perched himself on the edge of the sofa. ‘I
don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress before.’
I looked down at the red number I was wearing.
‘Yeah … it’s not really me, is it?’
‘You look very nice,’ he smiled, his eyes crinkling at
the sides.
I stared at Mr. Stone, my heart as light as a feather.
He stared back too, but the kettle whistling noisily
interrupted us.
‘That’ll be the water ready,’ he said, jumping up and
walking briskly into the kitchen.
I waited in the sitting room while he prepared the
coffees, bringing me the drink in a chipped Christmas
mug.
‘Thanks,’ I said, taking a sip. It was awful, but I
drank it anyway. I was too used to the coffee at the
café.
‘So why did you go to the party?’ Mr. Stone asked,
sitting next to me on the sofa, which sunk and creaked
under his weight.
‘I needed to get out of the house,’ I said. ‘Away from
my parents.’
‘Trouble at home?’ he asked.
‘You could say that,’ I replied.
‘I’m here if you need to talk, Rose,’ he offered.
79
‘Thank you,’ I said, ‘for being with me.’
Mr. Stone looked down at his mug, his expression
guilty. ‘Rose … you can’t tell anyone about this, okay?’
I nodded. ‘I know.’
I don’t know what made me do it, but I reached over
and placed my hand over his. I waited for him to move
away, but he didn’t. Instead, he stared at our hands for
a moment before entwining his fingers with mine. My
throat felt dry, and my skin prickled with anticipation.
I couldn’t believe it. He was holding my hand, his
thumb gently caressing my pinkie-finger ever so
lightly. I heard him gulp audibly, his Adam’s apple
bobbing like a snake swallowing a bird. He was
terrified.
Stop it, I thought to myself. This is so wrong.
Mr. Stone beat me to the punch. ‘I’ll take you home,’
he said, releasing my hand and standing up quickly.
I nodded and placed my half-empty mug on the
coffee table, slightly disappointed. I didn’t want to
leave.
‘Okay,’ I said, also standing.
We walked to his car, which was parked in the
driveway. I could hear the party next door was still in
full swing. On the front porch was Estelle, who spotted
me as I opened Mr. Stone’s car door.
‘Rose!’ she said, calling after me. ‘What are you
doing? I’ve been looking for you!’
I ignored her and got into the car.
‘Are you all right?’ Mr. Stone asked, sliding into the
passenger seat and starting the engine.
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I don’t think I’ll be attending parties
with Estelle any time soon.’
‘I approve,’ Mr. Stone smiled as he put the car into
reverse and backed out of the driveway.
80
‘Unless you live next door,’ I smiled, giving him a
quick sideways glance.
Mr. Stone allowed himself a guilty smile before
shifting into first gear and rumbling down the road.
I watched him as he drove; the streetlamps passed
over his face, illuminating every line. He allowed me to
watch him throughout the entire journey without
saying a word.
When we arrived at my house I leaned over and
kissed Mr. Stone on the cheek. He bowed his head and
stared at the steering wheel.
‘Thanks Tom,’ I said softly before hopping out of the
car and tiptoeing towards the house.
81
Chapter Eight
Monday – 9 days to go
Mr. Stone, no … Thomas, paid me extra attention
during the next English lesson. He called upon me to
answer almost every question, and praised me
excessively when I got it right. I couldn’t help but
smile. It felt as if I had a friend for the first time. Each
and every time I saw him looking at me, a guilty
expression crossed his face, as though he’d been
caught doing something embarrassing.
I was equally as guilty. While we were meant to be
working quietly, I raised my hand to ask for assistance,
and Tom knelt by my desk, his body very close to
mine. I could feel the electricity passing between us.
His hand rested on my desk as he ‘explained’ the
latest essay to me. Of course, I understood it perfectly
well, and he knew it.
It took me all of the courage I could muster to
gently touch his hand with my pinkie-finger. I saw
goose bumps erupt all over his skin at the feather-light
touch. I didn’t move, and the inch of skin remained
pressed against Mr. Stone’s hand. It was so subtle, but
so erotic I could feel my loins screaming.
He was so close I could hear him breathing. The
only other sound in the room was the scratching of
pens as the other students worked. No one else had
noticed his proximity to me as he helped me with the
essay. However, I thought I saw Sadie watching me out
of the corner of her eye.
I was right. Come lunchtime, Sadie cornered me in
the playground, a falsely sweet smile on her face.
82
‘Hey, Rose. I missed you at the party,’ she said.
‘Yeah, I left kind of early,’ I admitted.
‘I know, your pink haired friend was looking for
you.’
‘Yeah … I’ll see her tonight at the café, I guess.’
To be honest, I didn’t really want to see Estelle. I
was annoyed at her for drinking when she’d promised
not to. However, I was also thankful, as it had given me
more time with Thomas.
‘I saw you leave with Mr. Stone,’ said Sadie,
watching my reaction carefully.
I didn’t give her the satisfaction. I shrugged. ‘Yeah, I
was stranded so he offered to take me home.’
‘How nice of him. You know he’s given me a lift
home before too?’ She smiled smugly.
My jaw tensed. ‘Yeah … yeah, I know. He’s nice like
that, isn’t he?’
Sadie nodded. ‘I’ve got a bit of a crush on him, to be
honest.’ Her steel gray eyes darted between my own
amber ones, analyzing my expression.
I smiled. ‘Yeah, I thought so.’
‘What do you think I should do to get him to notice
me?’ Sadie asked, sitting down on the bench and
patting the space next to her.
I sat down awkwardly. ‘Erm, I don’t know, Sadie.
I’ve never had a boyfriend, remember?’
Sadie rolled her eyes. ‘Come on, Rose. Help me out
here. You’re smart, like him.’
‘He’s a teacher … you shouldn’t pursue it,’ I said
cautiously.
Sadie waved a hand as if it didn’t matter. ‘Oh, don’t
be silly. No one will find out.’
I licked my lips and shifted nervously. ‘I don’t think
Mr. Stone would fall victim to your … uh-’ I couldn’t
find the right word to describe it.
83
‘Affections?’ Sadie smirked.
It was as if she knew something was going on
between Mr. Stone and I, and sought to make me
jealous. Not that anything was going on, or ever would.
Regardless, it was working.
‘I was thinking of asking Mr. Stone if I can get extra
credit,’ Sadie continued. ‘You know … so I can be alone
with him after class.’
‘Oh.’ I burned with jealousy.
When I arrived at the café for my shift with Estelle,
she apologized profusely for Saturday night. I
begrudgingly forgave her and got on with my shift. She
knew I was still annoyed, so she did not push the
subject too much.
‘So … who was that man you left with on Saturday?’
she asked, wiping down the tables.
‘My teacher,’ I said. ‘He lives next door.’
‘That cute one that always comes in here?’ Estelle
asked.
I chewed on the inside of my lip. ‘Yeah.’
‘Be careful,’ she said.
I raised my eyebrows. ‘Be careful?’
‘He’s an older man, and a teacher at that. You don’t
know what he’s up to. He could be one of those
predators you see on dateline.’
‘He’s not like that.’ I said. ‘We’re just friends.’
Estelle gave me a pitying look. ‘Oh, honey. Men
don’t have female friends unless they want something.’
‘Mr. Stone is different. He’s kind, and mature.’
Estelle put her hands on her hips. ‘So why does he
only come here when you’re working?’
‘Does he?’ I asked, feigning disinterest.
Estelle nodded. ‘Uh huh. He never shows up when
it’s any of the other girls. Monday’s and Wednesdays,
that’s it.’
84
I shrugged. ‘He said he likes my coffee.’
‘Rose, you’re smarter than that. I can see that you
like him. Just promise me you’ll be careful, okay?’
‘Like you have such good taste in men,’ I snapped.
‘Your friend Spider decided he wanted to have a go at
me. You’re the one dating sleaze bags, not me.’
After that, my friendship with Estelle was fractured.
We were polite to each other, but not as close as we’d
once been.
But Estelle was right. I did like Mr. Stone.
I was falling for him. Fast. I couldn’t help it. I was
drawn to him and I feared that it was becoming
increasingly obvious. He was a good man and I did not
wish to complicate his life with my childish notions of
love.
He was responsible, and would spurn my advances
at once. I could feel it in my gut. So I endured the
torture without speaking a word of it.
Meanwhile, my parent’s divorce had not left my
mind since they’d told me about it, though I hadn’t said
anything to anyone yet. They hadn’t even noticed my
absence on Saturday night, and I’d been able to return
to my bedroom with them none the wiser.
Who was I meant to talk to about my issues at
home? Would Mr. Stone open his arms and embrace
me when I confessed my distress? The thought of his
arms around me left me momentarily brain dead.
Numerous times I considered using the number
he’d given me. I wanted to hear his kind voice,
speaking soothing words of comfort.
85
Tuesday – 8 days to go
I couldn’t believe Sadie. I wanted to grab her by the
hair and slam her stupid face against the desk. I’d
never imagined hurting someone so badly before.
She was doing everything within her power to
make sure Mr. Stone’s attention was on her for the
entire lesson, which included asking him if she could
help him with anything to earn extra credit. I was
surprised I didn’t spontaneously combust when she
asked him.
‘Yeah, of course Sadie. Just hang back after class and
we can work something out,’ Mr. Stone told her.
My skin burned at the thought of them being alone
together. I wouldn’t allow it.
At the end of the lesson, I hung back too.
‘What are you doing?’ Sadie asked me with
narrowed eyes as I remained in my seat.
‘I’m interested in extra credit, too,’ I lied. It was so
obvious what I was doing, I wasn’t sure why I
bothered to lie about it.
With a smirk, Sadie flicked her hair back and
walked to the front of the class, where Mr. Stone was
wiping the day’s work off the board. She perched
herself on the edge of his desk, her legs dangling back
and forth.
‘Right – ah, Rose. You’re interested in extra-credit
too?’
‘Sure, why not?’ I said, waving a hand.
Get off his desk you slut, I screamed inside my head.
86
‘It was my idea,’ Sadie said quickly, leaning
forwards so her bosom hung out of her blouse.
‘Well, that’s great. It’s great you’re both taking some
initiative in class.’ Mr. Stone crossed the room to his
cupboard and pulled out two copies of ‘Great
Expectations’ by Chares Dickens.
‘Have either of you read this?’ he asked, handing
Sadie a copy, and placing the other on my desk.
‘No,’ said Sadie, pulling a face as she looked at it.
‘Yes,’ I said.
‘Really?’ Mr. Stone seemed impressed. ‘Can you
summarize for me?’
I licked my lips nervously. It had been years since
I’d read it.
‘Um, it’s a coming of age story, isn’t it? About an
orphan boy who is adopted into a blacksmith family?’
‘Right,’ Mr. Stone smiled at me. Sadie glared.
‘I can’t wait to read it,’ she said pointedly.
‘Great!’ Mr. Stone clapped his hands together. ‘Well
… if you can write a report summarizing the plot, and
its themes … let’s say … eight hundred words?’
‘Easy,’ I grinned. It really would be a piece of cake.
Sadie, however, looked miserable. Clearly this
encounter had not gone to plan.
‘Excellent,’ said Mr. Stone. ‘Well, you better be off to
lunch, you two.’
‘Thanks Mr. Stone,’ I said, getting up from my seat
and slinging my bag over my shoulder.
Sadie slid from Mr. Stone’s desk and took a few
steps, only to drop her book.
‘Oops!’ She bent over in front of Mr. Stone and I to
retrieve the novel. My jaw almost hit the ground. She
wasn’t wearing any knickers.
87
He saw it too. Mr. Stone looked away, embarrassed,
his face beetroot-red. I literally began to shake with
anger. What a slut!
88
Thursday – 6 days to go
I was a mess. My father was meeting with his real
estate agent that evening, and my mother was out on a
date with a co-worker. What was worse; my father
didn’t seem phased by this at all.
I sat in my room, upset and panicky. I didn’t want to
leave Halfway; I’d miss him too much. Thomas. I
needed him. I wanted him.
I wanted him more than anything in the world, and
he needed to know it. I couldn’t hold on to this secret
any longer. It boiled inside me like poison.
But how would I do it?
I stared at Mr. Stone’s name in my phone for ages,
contemplating on whether I should call him or not.
What if he was busy?
No. I wouldn’t call him. I’d text him instead, that
way he could deny my offer if he wished.
Can we go for a drive? I asked.
He responded almost instantly, sending butterflies
exploding through my stomach.
See you in 5 minutes, it read.
I wasn’t sure how, but I knew that Mr. Stone would
drive to see me in the middle of the night if I asked him
to. Perhaps that was vain of me to assume.
89
I slipped out of the house while my father was still
on the phone and waited in the street for Mr. Stone to
pick me up.
When he rumbled to a groaning halt by the curb he
could tell instantly that I was upset.
‘Oh, no,’ he said as soon as I got into the passenger
seat. ‘What’s the matter, Rose?’
‘Get me away from here,’ I said to him.
He drove and I didn’t ask where we were going.
Ten minutes passed in silence until we were on the
outskirts of town, on an old road that was surrounded
by forest. He picked up the mud with his tires as he
pulled over on the side of the road.
‘You’re not going to murder me and ditch my body
in the forest, are you?’ I asked.
He laughed. ‘No, nothing like that. It’s calm here. I
like it.’
I looked out at the forest. ‘I hate it.’
Mr. Stone raised his eyebrows. ‘Why?’
‘I was attacked by a wild animal when I was nine
while hiking in the woods with my parents,’ I said.
‘Shit. Sorry, I didn’t mean to-’
‘It’s fine.’ I said. ‘It was a long time ago.’
He gave me a pitying look. ‘You look upset,’ he said.
I nodded and stared at my hands in my lap. I could
feel the burn of tears in the back of my throat, but
sniffed them away.
‘My parents are getting a divorce,’ I told him.
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ he said. ‘Were you expecting
it?’
‘I guess I should have,’ I replied. ‘They’ve been
having affairs since I was nine.’
‘Wow, okay. What took them so long?’
‘I suppose they haven’t really been together for
years. Not in the romantic sense, anyway.’
90
‘That’s sad,’ he said. ‘It must have been tough
growing up.’
It had been, but not for the reasons he imagined.
I relayed the conversation I’d had with my mother
and father that night. His brow furrowed as I talked,
and he looked deeply concerned.
‘They said … my … my condition-’
‘Condition?’ Mr. Stone repeated.
I had already said too much. ‘I get sick.’ I chose my
words carefully. ‘A lot. My mother said it put a strain
on the marriage.’
‘That doesn’t sound very fair,’ he said. ‘Blaming you
for something you can’t help.’
I shrugged. ‘I don’t want to leave Halfway,’ I said.
‘Things are just starting to get better. It’s safe here. It’s
small, and quiet. I’m finally coming to terms with my
illness …’
‘When you say illness,’ he said slowly. ‘What do you
mean?’
‘It’s a long story,’ I said. ‘But don’t worry … it’s not
contagious.’ It was a half-truth, at least. He was safe as
long as he wasn’t around me during an episode. If I bit
him, or scratched him during that time … it was
another story.
Mr. Stone reached over and grasped my hand,
squeezing gently. I was sure he only meant it as a
friendly gesture, but goose bumps erupted over my
skin at his touch.
‘Thank you Mr. Stone,’ I said softly, ‘for being here
with me. It really means a lot. Not many people would
drop everything to comfort me.’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I’d do anything.’
My stomach did cartwheels. Was he implying what I
hoped?
91
Mr. Stone looked down at our hands, uncertainty
flashing across his eyes. ‘But please don’t mention this
to your friends, Rose. It would be considered, uh …
unethical for-’
‘I understand.’
He smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling. ‘Thank you.’
‘Unethical, like Sadie’s stunt after class on Tuesday.’
Mr. Stone visibly shuddered in disgust; this made
me very happy.
‘It’s so sad,’ he said, ‘when young girls extort
themselves like that. Is her self esteem really so low
that she needs to flash her own teacher?’
I shrugged, pleased that he disapproved. ‘Sadie has
always been … adventurous.’
‘Well, she is certainly not my type,’ Mr. Stone
smirked. ‘I think I’m going to have to watch my back.’
‘It seems so,’ I said with a smile. ‘She is quite
adamant to have you for herself.’
‘I’m just glad you were there,’ he chuckled. ‘God
knows what she would have done if we’d been alone.’
Jealously bubbled in the pit of my stomach at the
very thought. ‘So you didn’t enjoy the view?’ I pressed.
Mr. Stone pretended to gag, and I laughed a little
too loud.
‘Absolutely not. I was mortified.’
‘She’s eighteen, you know?’
‘Irrelevant,’ he waved a hand.
‘Well, I’m glad you disapproved. Most men would
have taken advantage of such a situation.’
‘I am not most men,’ he countered, cocking one
eyebrow and giving me a look to die for.
We smiled at each other for several moments, our
eye contact lasting far longer than should be allowed
for a student and teacher.
‘No, you aren’t,’ I agreed.
92
‘My taste in women is far better than Sadie
Deveraux, I can assure you.’
‘Is it just?’ I asked, my lips curling into a smile. ‘Do
tell.’
Mr. Stone’s smile faltered. ‘I like my women to have
a mind of their own – to be witty. Like you.’
My throat closed up. Like me?
‘You’re an amazing girl,’ he said suddenly.
His use of the word girl made my stomach twist
painfully.
‘Am I?’ I asked.
‘Of course.’
‘A girl?’
He smiled knowingly. ‘An amazing woman,’ he
corrected himself.
‘No one has ever told me that before,’ I said.
‘I don’t believe that,’ he smiled. ‘You’re clever, and
beautiful, and damn witty.’
Mr. Stone’s jaw tensed as he realized what he was
saying.
‘Beautiful?’ I asked, the word escaping as nothing
more than a whisper.
‘Don’t you know?’ he asked.
My heart thundered as I stared at him. Oh please,
my mind begged. Please tell me what is going on in that
head of yours.
‘D-don’t I know what?’ I asked.
‘Don’t you know what you’re doing to me?’ He said
as though I was torturing him.
‘What?’ My skin stung and my head swam with the
possibilities.
‘Rose, I-’ He paused to collect his thoughts. ‘I’ve felt
this … this pull towards you since day one. I can’t
explain it.’
93
He didn’t need to explain it, because I felt it too. His
eyes, his smile and his scent had me drawn in.
I placed a shaking hand over his, which was still on
the steering wheel. He looked at our hands for a
moment before allowing me to thread my fingers
through his. I could feel his pulse in between each of
my fingers.
Mr. Stone inhaled deeply. ‘Christ,’ he muttered,
shutting his eyes tightly.
‘What’s the matter?’ I breathed.
‘That … that scent. The way you smell-’
I suddenly became very self-conscious. Bullies at
school often accused me of smelling like wet dog. I
sniffed my shirt, but I smelled perfectly normal.
‘What is it?’ I said defensively. ‘I showered this
morning-’
Mr. Stone laughed, and I felt my cheeks burn with
embarrassment.
‘No,’ he said with a small smile. ‘You smell amazing.’
‘I do?’
‘Absolutely. You always do.’
I never wore perfume, only regular home brand
antiperspirant.
‘It makes me dizzy,’ he confessed. ‘It’s intoxicating.’
‘What do I smell like?’ I asked, rather flushed.
Mr. Stone licked his lips like he could taste me in the
air. ‘Sweet,’ he said.
My cheeks burned crimson, and I wished he would
look at me. I couldn’t believe this was happening.
‘I want to kiss you so very badly, Rose,’ Mr. Stone
said under his breath. ‘But I can’t … and it’s killing me.’
My heart hammered so loudly against my ribcage
that I was sure Mr. Stone could hear it from where he
sat.
94
Suddenly, I felt powerful. He wanted me … and it
terrified him.
‘Mr. Stone,’ I breathed, but he still didn’t look at me.
‘Tom.’
A small groan escaped him as though his name
leaving my lips was taboo.
‘Look at me,’ I said, my eyes fixated on him.
‘I can’t,’ he said, shaking his head.
Without hesitation I unbuckled my seat belt and
leaned towards Mr. Stone, taking his chin in my hand
and forcing him to look at me. He flinched, thinking
that I was going to slap him. But he couldn’t have been
more misguided.
I kissed him. Hard. I didn’t want to give him the
opportunity to lean away and prevent it from
happening so I pressed my mouth to his forcefully. My
first kiss.
He froze, shocked by my sudden action. His hands
remained on the steering wheel as he gripped onto his
own self-control.
I moved my mouth against his, willing him to kiss
me back. It was only when my tongue brushed against
his lips that he responded.
Mr. Stone groaned, his hands falling away from the
steering wheel and wrapping around my waist. I’d
stolen what little restraint he had left.
He gripped me tightly as though I was the last thing
in the world. He deepened the kiss, and I opened my
mouth to allow him entrance. As our tongues met,
chills ran down my spine and fireworks exploded in
the pit of my stomach. I forgot who, and where I was;
my skin was on fire.
When I broke away we were panting, and his lips
were pink and swollen. His eyes darted across my face,
studying each freckle and imperfection.
95
Suddenly, the realization of what had happened
struck Mr. Stone and he leaned away from me,
threading his fingers through his hair like he always
did when stressed.
‘Shit,’ he muttered under his breath. ‘Shit, shit shit.’
I watched him calmly, my eyes following his lips as
he spoke.
‘That shouldn’t have happened,’ he said, pinching
the bridge of his nose between his thumb and
forefinger. The look on his face was enough to break
my heart. He hated himself.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, even though I wasn’t sorry at all.
Mr. Stone looked at me with wide eyes. ‘Why are
you sorry?’ he said. ‘I brought you here … I told you I
wanted to kiss you. This is my fault.’ He thought he
was some kind of manipulative predator.
‘Will you kiss me again?’ I asked.
He shook his head, biting his bottom lip. ‘No. No, I
can’t. Absolutely not. It’s wrong.’
I ignored him and leaned forwards. He hesitated for
only a moment before unbuckling his seatbelt with
fumbling fingers and meeting me half way.
We held each other tightly; Mr. Stone moaned
through the kiss, breathing heavily into my open
mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck and
thread my fingers through his hair, gripping tightly. I
didn’t want to let go.
‘Incredible,’ he muttered against my lips. My
stomach writhed with affection for the man.
‘Absolutely incredible.’
I wasn’t sure how long we kissed for. It could have
been seconds, or perhaps several hours. However long,
it didn’t seem enough.
Eventually it had to end, and Mr. Stone said he
would take me home. I agreed, reluctantly.
96
Through out the drive he seemed disoriented. I,
however, was on top of the world.
My parents would have to drag me out of Halfway.
97
Chapter Nine
Friday – 5 days to go
I spent the following morning in a daze of happiness
and disbelief. I kissed Mr. Stone and he kissed me back.
I couldn’t stop thinking about him; his hands, his
lips and the way he groaned into our kiss as though it
was all too much for him to bear. I could almost feel
his arms around my waist, like his ghost was
embracing me. He’d left an imprint on me that I
couldn’t forget.
I couldn’t wait for school, and I imagined him
watching me longingly from across the playground, or
subtly touching my hand or knee during class.
English was just before lunch, so I could hang back
in the classroom and maybe steal a kiss or two.
Things don’t always go as planned.
Mr. Stone was not his usual, cheery self that day. He
snapped at the students, and shouted when someone
talked without raising their hand.
‘So, by the end of this novel, these women are no
longer powerless; can anyone tell me why?’ Mr. Stone
asked, holding up the book we were currently
studying. I’d read it from beginning to end twice to try
and impress him.
I threw my hand in the air, eager for his attention.
His eyes glazed over me without so much as a
hesitation. No one else put their hand up.
He ignored me completely.
98
‘They are no longer powerless because they have
joined forces and are forging their own lives,’ he said
matter-of-factly. ‘Together, these women free each
other. And what theme does that represent?’
No one said anything. Once again, my hand shot into
the air. A few people looked at me curiously as I was
ignored again.
‘Female solidarity,’ Mr. Stone said slowly and
clearly. ‘The theme of independence, which is what
your next assignment will be on.’
I might as well have been invisible.
‘What’s got into him today?’ Sadie whispered to me
during the lesson.
I shrugged and frowned. ‘Maybe he’s having a bad
day. He’s not usually this grumpy-’
‘Rose,’ snapped Mr. Stone. ‘Stop talking whilst I am.’
I stared at him. ‘I was just-’
‘Don’t talk back,’ he said.
‘I wasn’t, I was only-’
‘Detention,’ he said.
‘I … what?’
‘Detention,’ he repeated. ‘See me after class.’
‘You’re joking, right?’ I asked.
‘Absolutely not.’
I shut my mouth at once and spent the rest of the
lesson confused. Was the detention an excuse to keep
me back after class? Did he want to steal a kiss while
no one was around?
The bell rang to signal the beginning of lunch, and
Sadie muttered an apology to me before scampering
from the room. I stayed in my seat.
Once the room was empty, Mr. Stone turned to me,
his face impassive. What had got into him?
‘You’re going to write lines,’ he told me at once. ‘I
will not talk during class.’
99
‘Tom,’ I said, almost laughing as if it was some kind
of joke. ‘What’s the matter with you?’
‘You will address me as Mr. Stone,’ he said.
‘You’re not serious are you?’ I asked.
‘Very serious.’
‘What the hell has got into you?’ I demanded.
This didn’t go down well with him.
‘I am your teacher, Rose,’ he snapped. ‘You can’t talk
to me like that.’
I understood. Mr. Stone wanted to re-establish his
dominance in the classroom after our kiss.
‘I’m sorry, Sir,’ I said, sarcastically. ‘Since when did
you make anyone write lines?’
He didn’t answer. Instead, he placed a sheet of
paper in front of me and tapped it with his index
finger. ‘Lines,’ he said. ‘Now.’
I stared at him as he walked back to his desk and sat
down. He began marking homework at once.
‘You’re really making me do this?’ I asked.
He ignored me.
I swallowed hard, and slowly lowered myself into
my seat, staring at the stark-white sheet of paper in
front of me.
‘How many times?’ I asked through gritted teeth.
‘Until you fill the paper,’ he told me without looking
up.
With a shaking hand I grabbed my pen and began to
write.
I will not talk during class.
I will not talk during class.
I will not talk during class.
Soon, the words didn’t seem like words at all. They
became strange and foreign like they’d been invented
at random. Thankfully, it didn’t take long, but the
lunch break was almost over by the time I’d finished.
100
Once the paper was filled, I grabbed my bag and
marched to Mr. Stone’s desk. I slammed the filled sheet
on his desk, making him jump a little.
‘There you go, sir,’ I said, my nostrils flaring. ‘Can I
go now?’
Something in Mr. Stone’s eyes made me believe that
he felt bad for forcing me to write lines, but he didn’t
say anything. Instead, he waved a hand to dismiss me.
I stormed from the room, my heart pounding
furiously in my chest. I wasn’t sure why I was so
angry; I guess I’d thought he would treat me
differently. I was nothing more than a stupid little girl
to him.
I ran straight to the girl’s bathroom where I spent
the entire next period. Panic was beginning to set it.
Maybe Mr. Stone regretted the kiss. Perhaps he didn’t
want me anymore.
The thought of his rejection was enough to paralyze
me. How foolish I’d been to think that he’d want a
child like me.
The kiss had meant nothing.
After washing my face in the sink I decided what I
had to do. I needed to set this straight. I went back to
the classroom but found that he had gone so I headed
straight for the teacher’s lounge. It was a risky move,
and was sure to infuriate him, but he couldn’t refuse a
meeting with a student in front of the other teachers.
Once I was outside the teacher’s lounge, I knocked
on the door with a shaking hand. It took a few seconds
before the head of the English department, Mrs. Kim,
answered the door.
‘Hello,’ I said at once, feeling rather foolish. ‘Is Mr.
Stone available? I just … I need to talk to him about my
last assignment.’
‘Sorry, he just left for the day, actually.’
101
‘Left?’ I repeated. ‘Where did he go?’ Like I have a
right to know his whereabouts, I thought bitterly.
Mrs. Kim pursed her lips and looked over her
spectacles at me. She could tell I’d been crying. ‘He
wasn’t feeling well. Sorry, what was your name again?’
‘Um … Maria,’ I lied. ‘Thanks.’
I scampered away before she could ask me any
more questions.
‘Mr. Stone was acting so weird today,’ Sadie
muttered to me during next period. She was wearing a
particularly low-cut blouse today.
‘Yes,’ I agreed. It was hard to talk. My throat had
closed up and the back of my nose stung as tears
threatened to spill.
‘Did you see when he looked down my top?’ said
Sadie, throwing me a radiant smile. He hadn’t even
given Sadie the time of day.
‘Stop deluding yourself,’ I snapped.
‘What?’ Sadie narrowed her eyes at me.
‘Mr. Stone hasn’t looked at you once all day,’ I said
through gritted teeth.
Sadie laughed. ‘You’re acting jealous.’
I was still angry about the detention as I walked
home, half expecting Mr. Stone’s beat up car to come
rumbling up beside me. But it didn’t.
I stepped onto Maple Street, watching my feet as I
walked along the pavement. I kicked a stone for
several meters, muttering under my breath.
Two houses away from my own home, I looked up,
expecting to see Mr. Stone’s car parked in front of my
house.
It wasn’t.
102
Chapter Ten
Monday – 2 days to go
Thomas hadn’t contacted me all weekend.
Not only that he hadn’t looked at me or talked to me
in class that day. I was hurting on the inside; it was
torture.
I was still furious about the detention, but more so I
was lovesick. How could he kiss me, and then ignore
me completely? During lunch, Tom was on grounds
duty, so I tried to corner him whilst his back was
turned. It didn’t work.
As soon as he saw me approaching, he froze with
his mug of instant coffee halfway towards his lips. He
looked like a deer caught in headlights.
‘Mr. St-’ I’d barely gotten his name past my lips
before he turned on his heel and walked away from
me. I’d never felt pain like it before, even during my
episodes.
It was two days until I was due for another episode.
I had the event circled in my calendar. I was already
beginning to feel the onset of the sickness, but it
wasn’t too unbearable yet.
At least I was able to attend my shift that evening,
anyway. Estelle seemed to sense that something was
wrong.
‘Hey, are you okay?’ Estelle asked me when it was
close to closing time.
‘I’m fine,’ I said as I wiped down the counters.
‘You’ve been really tense all day. More so than
usual, I mean.’
‘It’s nothing,’ I assured her.
103
‘Are you getting sick again?’ she asked.
I nodded. Estelle was very understanding of my
illness, and didn’t ask questions.
‘Why don’t you go on home if you’re feeling sick? I’ll
finish cleaning.’
‘Are you sure?’ I asked. I was beginning to feel
clammy, after all.
Estelle nodded. ‘Go on.’
‘Thanks,’ I said, grabbing my bag and jacket.
‘See you, kiddo,’ Estelle waved, watching me exit
the shop. I could tell she was still feeling guilty after
last weekend’s escapades.
It was cold outside. Winter had decided to make an
early appearance, and my breath created a mist in
front of my face. Burying my hands underneath my
armpits I began to walk down the street, hunched
against the cold, but I didn’t get very far.
Parked outside the coffee shop was Mr. Stone’s car.
He was outside too, leaning against the driver’s side
door, watching me. He looked paler than usual, and
wore an oversized coat that was frayed around the
cuffs.
I took a deep breath and considered walking up to
him and punching him in the face, but I decided
against it. If he could ignore me, then I’d ignore him.
I turned on my heel and started walking the
opposite way down the street. It was the wrong
direction to get to my house, but I didn’t care.
‘Rose!’ he called at once.
I quickened my pace.
‘Rose!’ I could hear him running to catch up with
me, his shoes slapping against the pavement.
‘Go away!’ I shouted over my shoulder.
He caught up with me quickly, his long legs
covering more distance than my own short ones.
104
‘Will you stop for a moment?’ he said breathlessly.
‘Fuck off,’ I snapped, folding my arms across my
chest. It was two days before an episode so I was
bound to be grouchy. He didn’t know that though.
He stepped in front of me, preventing me from
walking any farther.
‘Please listen to me,’ he breathed, his hands on my
shoulders.
‘Why should I?’
‘I know you’re mad at me, Rose, but can we please
talk somewhere in private?’ He glanced around as if
afraid someone was hiding in the bushes. ‘Please.
There’s so much I want to tell you.’
I chewed on the inside of my lip. He looked a mess;
his hair was ruffled, his face unshaven, and large bags
circled his eyes. My anger was replaced with pity.
‘You look like shit,’ I said bluntly.
The corner of his mouth twitched, hiding a smile.
‘You look lovely,’ he countered.
I took a deep breath. ‘Where do you want to go?’
Mr. Stone nodded towards his vehicle. ‘Just sit with
me in the car for a chat, and then I’ll take you home.’
I allowed myself to be steered towards his car, and
let Mr. Stone open the passenger door for me. It was
nice and warm inside, and he turned the car on so I
could place my hands in front of the vent, which blew
out hot air.
‘I’m very sorry,’ he said, turning to face me at once.
‘You made me cry,’ I admitted.
‘I didn’t mean to.’
I crossed my arms once my fingers had been
sufficiently defrosted. ‘Well?’
‘Rose, you must understand the position I am in,’ he
said, running a hand over his unshaven face. ‘I can’t … I
shouldn’t have kissed you-’
105
‘I kissed you,’ I interrupted, annoyed.
‘We kissed each other,’ he corrected. ‘But I allowed
myself to enter that situation with you and it was
irresponsible of me to take advantage of-’
‘You didn’t take advantage of me,’ I said at once.
‘Will you let me finish, please?’ he asked.
I grumbled, but fell silent.
‘I’m your teacher, which means this … us … it could
never work. I could lose my job - hell, I could go to jail
for this … for you.’
It took all the inner strength and will power I
possessed not to cry in front of Mr. Stone. I didn’t want
him to think I was a little girl who sobbed when she
didn’t get her way. But I was losing control of the
conversation and I could feel him slipping away with
each passing second. I had to say something, anything
…
‘Don’t you … want me?’ I asked.
‘It’s not a question of whether I-’ He paused to
collect his thoughts. ‘I don’t think you understand the
position I’m in. I have betrayed your trust. You deserve
someone your own age-’
‘Don’t give me that bullshit,’ I snapped.
‘I just meant-’
‘I care about you,’ I said slowly and clearly. ‘I like
you. I want you.’
He stared at me. ‘We cannot do this, and I’m putting
an end to it before I hurt you.’
‘You’re hurting me now,’ I said, pointing at my chest
as though it might rip open at any moment.
‘I’m no good for you, Rose. I’m too old, and too
poor-’
‘I don’t give a damn how old you are, or if you wear
second hand clothes and your car is falling apart,’ I
said, my voice rising. ‘I want you!’
106
‘You’re just a confused school girl-’
‘I’m not confused!’ I said, the anger growing inside
me. I had to control my temper when I was so close to
that day. ‘I’ve felt a pull towards you from day one, and
I know you’ve felt it too. You said so yourself.’
‘I was mistaken,’ he said. I could hear the lie in his
voice. ‘I’m a fool, infatuated by the idea of – of-’
He was trying to convince me that it had all been in
his head, but I wasn’t an idiot.
‘So that’s it?’ I said, my chest painfully tight. ‘You
tell me you want to kiss me, and then a few days later
you suddenly don’t want me anymore?’
‘I should never have said it. I’m sorry I confused
you. It’s wrong.’
‘Because you’re my teacher?’ I asked.
‘You’re seventeen,’ he said with emphasis. ‘It’s
dangerous. I’m dangerous.’
‘I can look after myself,’ I said. I too could be
described as dangerous.
‘Please, Rose,’ Mr. Stone was begging now. ‘I can’t
do this.’
‘Fine,’ I said, tears now brimming my eyes. ‘I won’t
bother you again. I just want one last thing and then
I’ll drop the whole thing.’
‘What’s that?’ he asked.
‘Kiss me,’ I said, a tear sliding down my cheek.
‘No,’ he shook his head.
‘Kiss me,’ I demanded.
‘I can’t,’ he croaked weakly.
I leaned towards Mr. Stone in the hopes it might
slacken his resolve. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I
had to try. I wanted him, and I wanted him to need me.
Mr. Stone’s hand cupped my face, and I could see
myself reflected in his deep green eyes. He brushed his
thumb along my cheek, wiping away the tear.
107
‘Why are you torturing me?’ he breathed.
A whimper escaped me as he closed the distance
between us, brushing his lips ever so slightly against
my own. He was soft, and gentle as he caressed my
face. I placed my hand on his chest and curled my
fingers around his shirt.
It was over too soon, and he pulled away while my
eyes were closed, and my lips were parted. I hung in
the no-mans-land between us, waiting for his lips to
return to mine, but they didn’t.
Mr. Stone cleared his throat. ‘We should … we
should get going.’
On the drive home it felt like my soul had been
fractured into a thousand tiny pieces.
I was in love with my teacher, Mr. Stone, and I
couldn’t have him. I knew it was love. What else could
be so painful?
When we pulled up in front of my house, Mr. Stone
spoke to me in a robotic voice.
‘Don’t come by my house during the week, okay? I
won’t be home.’
And with that, I was dismissed.
108
Chapter Eleven
Wednesday – 0 days to go
I couldn’t visit Tom, even if I’d wanted to. I was sick
again, but this time it was different. On the day of my
illness there was no one to be found in my household.
My mother and father were out, and had not left a note
saying where they were. Not only that, but their cellphones
had been switched off too, so I couldn’t reach
them.
The hour of my episode was drawing nearer; I could
feel it. I was drenched in a cold sweat, and my very
bones felt like they were on fire.
I should have reminded them of the date.
No. How could they forget such a thing? I argued
back and forth with myself, delirious with fever.
Maybe they’d be home in time, before it happened.
If they didn’t … who would restrain me?
It had happened once before, when I was twelve.
My parents didn’t come home the night of my affliction
and I was alone throughout the entire ordeal. I was
loose.
Overcome with fever, and crawling out of my skin,
I’d escaped onto the streets. I don’t remember any of
it, of course. I never do.
The next morning I’d been found covered in dirt in
the woods, several miles from home.
How could they allow it to happen again?
Sure, my parents were often away, but never at this
time.
109
The sun was setting and I could barely stand up
straight. I staggered into the basement where my
makeshift bedroom was. I tried, and failed to chain
myself to the bedposts like my mother and father did.
It was hopeless. I managed to shackle my ankles, but
could not restrain my own hands. Each restraint
required the use of two hands.
I needed help.
Thinking quickly, I slipped my belt off and put my
wrists into the loop. I pulled the long end with my
teeth until it was painfully tight. It wasn’t completely
secure but it would have to do.
The pain surged and I cried in agony. My very skin
was on fire. Bile forced it’s way up my throat and I
vomited on myself. My flesh rippled, and the hairs on
my arms stood on end. I checked my watch and saw
that it was two minutes until sundown.
It was beginning.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Every bone in my body was breaking, and then
fusing back together. I howled in pain, but my cries
went unheard in the soundproof basement.
Soon, the screams would no longer be human.
The monster was taking over.
110
Thursday – 29 days to go
The winter sun shone weakly upon my skin. At first,
I was confused as to why I was looking up at the bare
forest trees, but the memory of the previous night
came flooding back all too soon.
My body was stiff and ached, yet the pain was
nothing compared to the cold. I tried to sit up but my
head was throbbing. I groaned and rolled onto my
side. From here I could observe some of my
environment.
I was most certainly in a forest, but I couldn’t be
sure where I was exactly. The woods covered miles
upon miles of ground. It was very easy to become lost
in the Halfway woods.
A fine layer of frost covered the soggy leaf-strewn
ground that I lay upon. Mulch and dirt coated my body
like a second skin.
I looked down to discover that I was completely
naked apart the leaves and other miscellaneous debris
that clung to me.
I sat up with a groan; everything ached. My messy
hair was long enough to cover my breasts, but I
needn’t worry about being seen; I was completely
alone.
This was both a good and bad thing. I could be miles
from home, and I was freezing, and naked.
Running a hand through my hair, I pulled leaves
and twigs out of it. I couldn’t imagine what I must look
like.
111
Getting to my feet, my muscles burned as if I’d run a
marathon, which I reminded myself, I probably had.
I had no memory of the previous night as usual, but
my body was feeling the after-effects. It was the
second time I’d broken loose during an episode.
I could hear a loud, buzzing sound nearby. I looked
for the source and almost cried out in fear and disgust.
It was a head. A deer’s head. Its body was nowhere
to be seen. Flies buzzed around the decapitated head,
blood and guts soaking the forest floor.
‘Oh god.’ I put a shaking hand to my mouth and
wiped my chin. Dry blood flaked away from my face.
What have I done?
I took a few steps backwards before treading on
something extremely large, and soft. Someone groaned
under my foot.
I yelped and jumped backwards, searching for
whatever had made the noise.
There was a man, lying face down on the forest
floor, covered in leaves, dirt and twigs. No wonder I
hadn’t seen him; he was almost completely
camouflaged.
He too was butt naked.
He groaned again and began to get up. I quickly
backed away from the stranger, tripping over a fallen
branch and landing on my bottom with an ‘Oof!’
Without hesitation, I jumped to my feet and hid
behind the closest tree.
My first instinct was to run, but then I thought that
this naked stranger might be hurt. Perhaps I had
brought him here during my episode; therefore it
would be my responsibility to make sure that he had
not been harmed.
112
The stranger got to his feet and staggered slightly,
his back to me. He was tall and well built, with a firm
buttock. His body was covered from head to toe in
soggy leaves and twigs. I felt my face flush with
embarrassment; I’d never seen a naked man before.
I watched him try to brush the debris from his arms
as I peered out from behind the tree. I edged around
the trunk a little bit to get a closer look …
Crack!
I lost my footing and stepped on a twig, which
snapped loudly. With a gasp, I concealed myself
completely behind the tree as the man turned on the
spot, searching for the source of the noise.
‘Hello?’ he said at once. ‘Who’s there?’
His voice was hoarse, as though he’d been yelling all
night and lost the use of it.
I took my chances and peered around the tree
again.
He would have been unrecognizable for the dirt
that smeared his face, but I’d know those emerald eyes
anywhere.
It was Mr. Stone.
He hadn’t spotted me, but he’d heard me moving.
‘Who’s there?’ he demanded. ‘Show yourself!’
Shit. What do I do? I thought to myself.
‘I know you’re there!’ he yelled, advancing on the
tree I was hiding behind.
‘Okay,’ I said hoarsely. ‘I’m coming out.’
I stepped out from behind the tree, my long hair
covering my breasts, and my hands hiding my
womanhood. I tried in vain to conceal the ugly scars
that were scattered across my body as a result of the
attack I’d suffered as a little girl.
113
Mr. Stone froze on the spot, like prey. His eyes were
wide and his mouth hung open. His eyes darted from
my face, to my exposed body, and back again.
‘Rose?’ he breathed, barely able to believe what he
was seeing. Realizing that he too was completely
naked, he clapped his hands over his genitals to hide
them from me.
I nodded, fear inhabiting every inch of my body.
‘Shit. I mean … what … how?’ he stammered, unsure
of which question to ask first. He was confused, and I
knew he’d have a million questions for me.
Dry blood was smeared across his mouth and chest,
but Mr. Stone didn’t look hurt. In fact, there wasn’t a
scratch on him. Was it the deer’s blood on him, too? Or
had I brought him here during my episode? I couldn’t
remember.
‘You … you-’ he stared at the scars over my ribs,
and the claw marks on my thigh. He looked afraid.
I quickly hid behind the tree again, poking my head
out.
‘Stop staring,’ I choked, my voice hoarse.
‘Rose, how did you get here?’ he asked, hurrying
over to the tree I was hiding behind. He remained on
the opposite side, but leaned around it so he could see
my face.
‘I’m sorry Mr. Stone,’ I said, my voice breaking. ‘I
had an … an episode. I-I don’t remember what
happened. This is all my fault.’
‘Did you … did you follow me here?’ he asked, trying
to comprehend the situation.
‘Wh-what?’ I stammered. ‘No … I just … I woke up
here.’
‘You’re covered in blood,’ he said. ‘Are you hurt?’
I shook my head. ‘N-No. It’s from the deer.’ I pointed
to the decapitated carcass that lay on the ground.
114
Mr. Stone stared at the animal before snapping his
attention back to me. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, tears sliding down my cheek. ‘My
p-parents weren’t home to restrain me-’
‘Restrain?’ Mr. Stone repeated, looking alarmed.
Suddenly, understanding dawned upon his face. ‘My
god, Rose.’
My bottom lip trembled as I struggled to keep it
together. ‘I didn’t mean for this to happen,’ I said.
‘You were attacked by a wild animal when you
were a little girl, you said so yourself. You hate the
forest.’ He seemed to be talking to himself, rather than
me.
I gulped. He was piecing it together. I could hear the
cogs turning in his head.
‘Y-you said you get sick often,’ he continued. ‘You
were absent from school last month … during …
during.’
That’s it. He knew my secret. My parents and I had
struggled for years to keep it hidden from the people
of Halfway, but because of their carelessness I had
escaped and run amok.
I waited for Mr. Stone to say it; that dreaded word I
refused to even think about. The very phrase made me
sick to my stomach.
‘You’re … you’re-’
Mr. Stone’s pupils were dilated.
‘Say it,’ I snapped, tears brimming my eyes.
‘You’re like me,’ he breathed.
115
Chapter Twelve
‘I … what?’
What he’d said had taken me completely off guard.
‘You’re like me,’ he repeated, a crazed grin
spreading across his face. ‘Rose, it all makes sense now.’
‘You mean … you’re a-a-’
He nodded fervently. ‘We’re both werewolves,
Rose.’
I flinched at the word. ‘Don’t say it,’ I scolded him. ‘I
hate that word.’
He didn’t seem to care; Mr. Stone was far too
excited. I couldn’t see why; this affliction was nothing
to be happy about.
‘Oh, Rose, I’m so relieved,’ he said, letting out a
laugh that sounded strangely like the bark of a dog.
‘Why?’ I asked.
He put a hand over his heart. ‘Christ, I thought I’d
kidnapped you and brought you here.’
I shook my head. ‘No … Well, I don’t remember, but
I suspect I came here myself. It’s happened once
before.’
‘Just the once?’ he asked.
I nodded. ‘My parents usually restrain me on the
full moon so I can’t escape,’ I said.
Mr. Stone nodded. ‘I tried that once. I bought a cage
for myself which I kept in the basement.’ He allowed
himself a smile. ‘Can you imagine my friend’s shock
when they discovered it? They thought I was keeping
hostages down there.’
I couldn’t help but smile. ‘Didn’t the cage work?’
Mr. Stone shook his head. ‘I’ve tried everything, but
I always wake up in the forest.’
‘You must be stronger than me,’ I said, ‘to break out
of a cage.’
116
He shrugged. ‘In the end I gave up on trying to
control it. Now I come here before the transformation
so I am away from the public. My car is parked on a
road just north from here.’
I looked around at the density of trees that
surrounded us. ‘How do you know where we are?’ I
asked.
Mr. Stone pointed at the sun’s position in the sky.
‘I’ve learnt how to navigate. I had to really. I wasn’t
given much choice.’
I couldn’t believe it. Mr. Stone was like me; he too
carried the same illness that took over my body every
month on the full moon. I thought I was alone.
‘My god, Rose. This makes so much sense,’ he was
smiling again. ‘The attraction, the smell, everything.’
I nodded, my throat dry. ‘I felt a pull towards you,’ I
said.
‘Your scent,’ he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
‘I could smell you from a mile away.’
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. ‘Like a
dog?’ I asked. ‘Pardon the pun.’ I hadn’t experienced it
to this extent.
‘I’d know exactly where you were in the school. Not
all the time; some days the scent was stronger than
others.’
‘Really?’
‘Absolutely. Even at that party the other week. I
wasn’t going to attend at first, but then I caught this
whiff on the air, and I was compelled to go. I knew it
was you.’
‘You could smell me that strongly?’ I asked,
shocked.
He nodded. ‘It was … torture. You don’t know how
hard it was to control myself around you.’
117
‘You make it sound like you wanted to attack me,’ I
said.
‘I almost did,’ he smiled guiltily. ‘I though I must be
some kind of sexual predator, preying on school girls.’
The thought of Mr. Stone ravishing me sent chills
through my spine and left me light headed. It must
have shown, too, because he quickly added; ‘I’d never
in a million years touch a student, of course. I love
teaching. But with you … it was different. I just wanted
to … to-’
Mr. Stone’s face burned scarlet.
‘What?’ I pressed, eager to hear more.
‘I wanted you so badly,’ he finished lamely. ‘I
wanted … no, needed you.’
That’s all I’d wanted to hear for the past few weeks.
The moment he said it my knees felt weak.
‘It was instinct,’ he continued. ‘You hear about dogs
that travel for miles when they smell a female on heat;
they’ll do anything to get to her. That’s how I felt, and
it was driving me crazy.’
‘You’re saying you know when I’m ovulating?’ I
asked, trying not to laugh.
He chuckled. ‘That’s one way to put it.’
‘That’s why the kids call me wet dog,’ I said,
suddenly scowling. ‘They think I smell like a … a-’
‘Werewolf?’ he provided.
I nodded.
He smiled. ‘The others, they don’t understand. We
smell strange to regular people.’
The way he referred to normal people made me feel
like a freak, but I knew he hadn’t meant it that way.
‘I used to drench myself in cologne to try and mask
it, but it never worked,’ he said, resting his forehead
on the bark of the tree trunk.
118
I understood completely; I too had given up on
trying to mask the scent of the wolf on me. ‘You smell
amazing to me,’ I said softly. ‘I should have known we
were the same.’
‘All those times we were confined together in the
car, or classroom, I was worried that I’d end up taking
advantage of you because of the scent. It was an
assault on my senses, and I found it hard to control
myself around you.’
‘I wouldn’t have minded,’ I whispered, a smile
playing my lips.
He smiled and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
‘I’m so relieved, Rose. You have no idea the torture I’ve
endured these past few months. Here I was thinking
I’d lost my mind.’
‘Me too,’ I said through chattering teeth. ‘I’ve always
been alone during these times … I’ve had no one to talk
to about this for so many years.’ It was as if a great
weight had been lifted from my chest.
‘Shit, you must be freezing,’ Mr. Stone said, his eyes
wide. ‘I’m so sorry. Let’s get you out of here before
your toes fall off.’
I looked around. ‘How far is your car?’ I asked.
He pursed his lips. ‘A mile or so.’
I blinked. ‘Um … I’m naked.’
‘Right … yeah.’ He seemed to be thinking hard. ‘Uh
… why don’t you follow behind me? I promise not to
look.’
I nodded fervently.
Mr. Stone got his bearings before setting off and
heading in a northerly direction towards his car. Only
when he was several paces ahead of me did I emerge
from behind the tree, and tiptoed through the forest in
his wake.
119
I was overly alert, hearing every twig crack and
bush rustle. I kept Mr. Stone in my sights as he led me
through the forest. I couldn’t help but stare at his
bottom as he marched ahead of me, thinking how firm
it looked. Realizing this, I chuckled.
‘What are you laughing at back there?’ he called
over his shoulder. He kept his promise; he didn’t peek.
‘Nothing,’ I called back, my voice still slightly
hoarse. ‘Just enjoying the view.’
‘Behave yourself!’ he called back to me.
We walked for half an hour, covering almost a mile.
I wasn’t sure how Mr. Stone knew where he was going,
but I trusted his judgment.
Soon, the trees began to thin, and I could hear roadnoise
ahead.
‘We’re close!’ he called. ‘Stay where you are, okay?’
I’ll bring you a blanket to cover yourself with.’
I did as he asked and hid myself amongst some
bushes as Mr. Stone walked the last few yards alone. I
couldn’t see the clearing, yet I knew it must be close.
He was gone for several minutes, and for a moment
I feared that he had left me in the forest. Thankfully, I
heard him traipsing towards me a few minutes later.
He appeared through the trees wearing a pair of
grey jeans, and holding a bundle of fabric in his arms.
‘I keep a spare change of clothes in the car for this
event,’ he smiled. ‘Unfortunately, only one shirt, but
you can wear it.’
He covered his eyes as he approached me and held
out the shirt, accompanied by a blanket. I quickly took
them both in my freezing hands and slipped the
paisley shirt over my head. It was far too large, but it
covered all of my private parts. I wrapped the blanket
around myself, thankful for some warmth.
‘Thank you,’ I said, stepping out from the bushes.
120
Mr. Stone opened his eyes and looked me up and
down.
‘It’s like a dress,’ he smiled at me. ‘It suits you.’
There was something strangely satisfying about
wearing his shirt.
‘Let’s go,’ he nodded towards the clearing. ‘We need
to get cleaned up, I think.’
Cleaned up was an understatement. We needed a
scrubbing as both of us were covered in mud, leaves,
twigs, and blood.
‘Which of us killed the deer?’ I asked as we walked
to the forest’s edge. I could see the road now, and Mr.
Stone’s old car.
He shrugged. ‘It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve found
a dead animal near me.’
‘Maybe we caught it together,’ I said, sheepishly.
‘As a pack,’ he gave me a wink.
I was glad when I got into Mr. Stone’s car and he
turned the heater on as high as it would go. I kept my
hands in front of the vent, trying to defrost myself.
‘Are you feeling okay?’ he asked, doing a U-turn on
the road and heading towards Halfway.
I nodded. ‘I feel … relaxed.’
He laughed. ‘Maybe because you were able to run
free instead of being chained up.’
‘It’s dangerous to run free,’ I said. ‘People can get
hurt.’
Mr. Stone glanced sideways at me before focusing
on the road ahead. ‘I know. That’s how we became
what we are, I guess.’
I nodded. ‘I was hiking at sundown with my family,’
I said. ‘The creature … it jumped out of the bushes.’ I
shuddered as I recalled the attack.
‘It must have been terrifying for a young girl,’ he
said.
121
‘I remember its yellow eyes, and blood-stained
teeth … the putrid breath on my face as it tackled me
to the ground.’
Mr. Stone reached over and placed his dirtencrusted
hand over my own.
I took a deep breath and continued. ‘I tried to crawl
away, but it dug its claws into my leg and dragged me
back.’ I hitched up the long shirt to reveal the scars on
my thigh.
Mr. Stone glanced at them. Slowly, he released my
hand and gently trailed his fingers along the raised
scars, sending goose bumps erupting over my skin. No
one had ever seen them before, let alone touched
them. I found the scars repulsive, but the way he
caressed them was strangely intimate. Warmth
erupted from his touch and spread like wildfire
through my body.
‘What happened next?’ he asked, keeping his eyes
on the road, his hand never leaving my thigh.
‘Its jaws closed around my ribs,’ I said, ‘breaking
two of them. I’ve still got the teeth marks. I believe it
would have killed me had I been alone. My father
grabbed a fallen branch and clubbed it over the head.
It ran away after that.’
‘You’re lucky to be alive,’ Mr. Stone said. ‘Not many
people are attacked by a w–’
‘Don’t say it,’ I said, closing my eyes.
‘A … monster,’ he said purposefully, ‘and live to tell
the tale.’
‘I know,’ I said. ‘But sometimes I wish I’d died,
rather than live with this affliction.’
He sighed. ‘Don’t say that. It’s not so bad, really. I
mean … it’s only once a month.’
‘My parents call it my time of the month.’
122
He chuckled and threw me a dazzling smile. He was
still handsome despite the filth.
‘I’m glad you were there when I woke up,’ I said
softly. ‘I wouldn’t have known what to do otherwise. I
probably would have walked downhill until I found a
road, and flagged down a motorist.’
‘Naked?’ he asked with raised eyebrows.
‘What choice would I have?’ I asked.
‘That’s a quick way to get molested,’ Mr. Stone said,
his brow creased. ‘I’m glad I was there too.’
‘Do you think we found each other whilst we were
… changed?’ I asked.
‘I’m sure of it,’ he smiled. ‘I suppose we were drawn
together.’
Suddenly, a horrible possibility dawned upon me.
‘You don’t think we … you know…’ I said, my eyes
wide.
‘What?’ He frowned, seeing my panicked
expression.
‘You don’t think we behaved as animals would in
nature?’ I implied. ‘You know, animal instinct and all
that?’
‘Oh … OH!’ Mr. Stone swerved the car a little, before
collecting himself. ‘No … I don’t think so.’
‘How can you be sure?’ I asked.
Mr. Stone inhaled deeply, and I knew he was testing
my scent, which made me uncomfortable. ‘I just know.’
‘You mean I’m not on heat?’ I said, my tone mocking.
‘Don’t say it like that,’ he sighed. ‘You know what I
mean.’
I chuckled. Of course I wasn’t offended. I was glad I
finally had someone to talk to about my illness.
We drove for half an hour until we were back in
Halfway. The dashboard indicated that it was six
o’clock in the morning.
123
‘Wow,’ I muttered. ‘I traveled a long way.’
‘We can run faster when in our alternate form,’ he
said. The way Mr. Stone spoke of his affliction seemed
as though he had come to terms with the monthly
events that plagued his life. I, on the other hand tried
my best not to think about it, and completely
disconnected myself from the thing that I became once
a month. I suppose that was the difference between us;
he had embraced it. Perhaps he’d been dealing with it
a lot longer than I.
‘My muscles ache,’ I said.
‘I usually have a nice soak in the bath after a full
moon,’ he replied. ‘I suppose you want me to drop you
off at home so you can clean up?’
I shook my head quickly. ‘No!’
Mr. Stone stared. I didn’t want to say it out loud, but
I was ecstatic that we shared this secret together. Our
monthly affliction would be my ticket to Mr. Stone’s
affections. How could he deny me when we were so
clearly meant to be together? As a pack.
‘It’s just … there’s so much I want to talk about. Can
we go to your place? Please?’ I asked. Any excuse to be
with him would do.
Mr. Stone nodded. ‘All right. But … won’t your
parents wonder where you are?’
I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest. ‘They
probably haven’t even noticed I’m gone. After all, they
didn’t even remember what day it was.’
‘I’m sure they have a good reason,’ he said.
‘You don’t know them,’ I looked out of my window.
‘I wish I could do something to help,’ he said,
gripping the steering wheel tightly.
‘You already have.’
124
As we pulled into Mr. Stone’s driveway I had a great
feeling of anticipation bubbling away in the depths of
my stomach.
I followed him to the front door, still wrapped in my
blanket, and Mr. Stone was still wearing his jeans. If
anyone saw us, we’d look quite the pair. Anyone would
think we’d spent the night together, which, I reminded
myself; we probably had.
Once the door was open I stepped over the
threshold, trying my best not to drop mud over the
carpet. I turned back to Mr. Stone, feeling rather
anxious as I shrugged the blanket from around my
shoulders. He took it from me and threw it into a
corner to be washed.
I stared at his chest as he did this, my mind fuzzy.
He wasn’t a hairy man by any means; the curls on his
chest were light and trailed towards his navel. He was
pale, but fit.
Mr. Stone must have noticed my lingering gaze,
because he crossed his arms over his chest, seemingly
self-conscious.
‘Erm … would you like to take a shower?’ he asked.
‘Together?’ I said, without thinking. I cringed
internally.
‘As much as I’d like-’ Mr. Stone cleared his throat
nervously, ‘Uh, no. By yourself.’
‘Right, yeah,’ I gave my head a little shake. ‘Good.’
‘There are towels in the bathroom,’ he said, leading
me down the hall.
The bathroom was extremely dated; it felt like I’d
stepped into the seventies. Locking the door behind
myself, I stripped off Mr. Stone’s shirt and stepped into
the shower.
125
I turned the water on so it was extremely hot, but it
felt amazing. I looked at my feet as the dirt made the
water turn brown. Leaves fell out of my hair and
clogged the drain.
A razor sat in the soap dish so I grabbed it and
quickly shaved under my arms, and legs.
Once I was squeaky clean I turned off the faucet and
stepped out, wrapping a fluffy white towel around my
body, and another one around my head. Steam issued
off my skin from the heat of the shower.
A knock came on the door.
‘Yes?’
‘Rose, I’ve left some clean clothes outside the
bathroom door,’ Mr. Stone called. ‘I think they will fit
you. They’re too small for me, anyway.’
I reached for the door handle and unlocked it,
pulling it open. Instinctively, Mr. Stone averted his
eyes for my own benefit.
I chuckled. ‘It’s fine,’ I said. ‘I’m covered.’
He turned to look at me, his eyes traveling over my
wet skin. Chewing on his lip, he thrust the clothes into
my arms.
‘There,’ he said, taking a step back. ‘You can get
dressed in my room if you want.’
‘Thank you, Mr. Stone,’ I said, stepping around him.
‘I think we’re beyond formalities, Rose,’ he said.
I grinned at him over my shoulder. ‘Tom,’ I
corrected myself.
126
Chapter Thirteen
Once I was inside Mr. Stone’s bedroom I closed the
door and listened to the sound of him showering.
Positive that I wouldn’t be caught, I began to walk
around his bedroom, inspecting the items on his
dresser.
I sniffed his cologne but I didn’t like it. I much
preferred his natural scent. Other items on the surface
included an old silver-plated fob watch with someone
else’s initials graved into the back, and his wallet.
Checking to make sure the shower was still running,
I opened the top drawer of his dresser and peered
inside. I wasn’t usually one to snoop, but I wanted to
know everything about Tom.
There was nothing out of the ordinary here; socks
and boxer-briefs. I moved some of the socks aside to
find an unopened box of condoms, but that wasn’t
what caught my eye. A small velvet ring-box was
stowed at the back of the drawer. I reached in, picked
it up and opened it without hesitation. A petite
diamond engagement ring was nestled inside. Hadn’t
he mentioned before that he’d been engaged once? I’d
never found out what had happened. Perhaps his
fiancé had discovered his secret.
I heard the shower turn off in the bathroom so I
quickly stuffed the ring-box back inside and closed the
drawer.
I sat on the edge of Tom’s bed and rubbed my hair
dry with the towel, watching myself in the full-length
mirror opposite while Mr. Stone was in the bathroom.
127
Part of me considered shedding the towel and
staying naked until he walked into the room. Would he
stare at me like he had in the forest? Or would he ask
me to cover up and leave? I was conflicted, and knew
he would be too.
Mr. Stone was attracted to me; he’d confessed it.
But he was still in two minds about it. His logical mind
reminded him that he was my teacher, and had to
respect the boundaries. On the other hand, however,
we were drawn to one another because of animal
instinct. Who else could be perfect for him, if not
another of the same species? By the sounds of it, I was
the only female of my kind within miles.
I heard Mr. Stone exit the bathroom and walk
across the hall. He rapped his knuckles on the
bedroom door quietly.
‘Are you decent?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ I lied.
Mr. Stone opened the door wearing nothing but a
towel, which was wrapped loosely around his waist,
showing his pelvis. I stared at his perfection; his dusty
brown hair was combed back, and water glistened on
his chest. I could even see the thicket of curls above his
pubic region. If the towel was a few inches lower …
He paused in the doorway. ‘You’re not dressed yet.’
I shook my head. ‘No, I’m not.’
‘Didn’t the clothes fit?’
I shrugged. ‘I haven’t tried them yet.’
He rested his weight on the door handle, looking
out of place in his own home.
‘You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ I replied. ‘Aren’t you?’
‘What?’
I nodded towards the loose towel, and he quickly
grabbed the hem and pulled it higher. I smiled.
128
‘You’re still fighting it,’ I said.
He stared at me, and I expected Mr. Stone to deny it.
To my surprise, however, he nodded.
‘Why?’ I asked.
‘You’re seventeen,’ he said.
‘I’m eighteen in a couple of months.’
He shook his head and looked at the ground. ‘Still a
child.’
‘I haven’t been a child since I was attacked,’ I said.
‘In dog years I’m one-hundred and nineteen.’
‘That makes me two-hundred and twenty-four.’
We both laughed, and my heart fluttered at the
sight of those creases beside his eyes.
‘Maybe … when you are eighteen,’ Mr. Stone said,
walking across the room, ‘When I am not your teacher,
and you are an adult-’
‘I’m an adult now,’ I said, standing up from the bed
to meet him in the middle of the room. ‘I thought we’d
got past this student, teacher thing in the light of the
new … information about each other.’
We stood a few feet apart from each other, but it felt
like miles.
‘Rose,’ he said, staring at me with sympathetic eyes.
‘You know how much I adore you. You have no idea
how much it hurt me to say those things … to send you
away. I did it to protect you from what I really was.
Befriending a werewolf is extremely dangerous,’ he
said. ‘We are prone to bouts of anger. You know that.’
‘So … you want me?’
Mr. Stone’s mouth twitched, and his nostrils flared. I
had him backed into a corner.
‘I want you. Very much.’
‘That’s all I wanted to know,’ I said.
129
I dropped the towel that was wrapped around my
body, letting it fall to the floor in a heap around my
feet. Mr. Stone stopped talking immediately and stared
at me with his mouth hanging slightly open. Raising
his fist, he covered his mouth. I could see his jaw tense,
and the muscles in his neck pop.
I could see my reflection in the mirror. I wasn’t a
stick-thin girl by any means. I had meat on my bones,
and I was okay with that. ‘Curvy’ was the word. I was
embarrassed, and self-conscious; no one had seen my
body in its entirety before.
‘You’re beautiful,’ he said, dropping his arms to his
sides. ‘Please … you don’t need to do this.’ He bent
down and picked the towel up and pushed it into my
hands.
‘No.’ I threw the towel into the corner of the room.
Mr. Stone closed his eyes and clenched his hands
into fists. ‘What do you want?’ he asked.
‘You,’ I said. ‘I want you.’
He gulped, and I watched his Adam’s apple jump in
his throat. He tried very hard not to look at me but it
was difficult when I was standing right under his nose.
It was cold in his bedroom, and my nipples were stiff
due to arousal. The bulge underneath his towel was all
too obvious.
‘You’re the only one who understands,’ I said,
reaching for his hand and placing it over my ribs. He
looked down and ran his thumb over the raised scars
that were mere inches from my breast. They formed a
crescent moon along my ribs where the beast’s jaws
had clamped down upon my body.
At the same time I raised my own hand and traced
the scars across Mr. Stone’s chest.
‘We’re the same,’ he agreed, touching my marks like
he’d done in the car on the way here.
130
Slowly, and ever so gently, Mr. Stone’s touch
became firmer, and he held me by the waist, drawing
me closer.
This is it, I thought to myself. Now is the time.
He encircled me in his arms until I could feel his
warmth and hear his heartbeat. My naked breasts
pressed against his stomach as I wrapped my arms
around his neck and stared into those green eyes.
‘Are you real?’ he asked softly, tucking a piece of
hair behind my ear.
I nodded, unable to speak.
Mr. Stone cupped my face in his hands. His skin
burned white-hot against my own, making my head
spin.
‘Rose,’ he sighed, his warm breath cascading over
my face. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed him.
I went onto my toes and kissed his mouth softly and
slowly.
Mr. Stone enveloped me in his arms and kissed me
with such enthusiasm that I was momentarily lifted
from the ground. I smiled into the kiss, and he
chuckled.
‘Where have you been all my life?’ he murmured
against my lips.
How cheesy, I thought. Like a romance movie.
‘Well I wasn’t born for the first fifteen years of it,’ I
laughed. This was apparently the wrong thing to say.
Mr. Stone groaned and relinquished his hold on me.
‘Oh, Rose. You’re right.’
‘No, no,’ I said, panicked, trying to keep him close. ‘I
was only joking. I’m sorry.’
He sighed and unhooked my wrists from around his
neck before backing away and sitting on the edge of
his bed. Embarrassed, I grabbed the towel from the
corner and covered myself up.
131
‘No, I’m sorry,’ he moaned, placing his face in his
hands. ‘What am I doing? I can’t allow myself to be a
slave to natural instinct.’
I was frustrated with myself. What a stupid thing to
say to him, I thought. Sitting next to him on the bed, I
turned to face him.
‘Kiss me,’ I said to him, my stare unwavering.
‘Please.’
His expression was stony, and it made my heart
freeze. Finally, he caved and he pressed his lips to my
mouth, his bottom lip overlapping mine. It was as if he
couldn’t resist my instructions. He was a slave.
I held the sides of his face as he kissed me, and he
ran a hand along my thigh, feeling the scars that were
like brail upon my skin. He was reading the story of
my life.
I pushed my tongue past his lips, invading his
mouth, but he accepted it willingly. Our tongues met
and intertwined as his hand slipped under my towel
and he gripped my hip tightly. I couldn’t help but let a
moan escape my mouth as we kissed.
My body was burning for him; I’d never felt
anything like it before. The warmth spread from my
toes to my loins, stirring an unfamiliar sensation
within my stomach.
Far more experienced than I, Mr. Stone pressed the
weight of his body against me and laid me upon his
bed, my wet hair sprawled underneath my head.
He covered my body with his own, like a blanket
keeping me warm and safe. I gasped, my eyes wide,
when I felt his arousal pressing against my stomach - a
rigid rod between our bodies.
‘I’m sorry,’ he breathed, looking down at me, his
neatly combed hair now in disarray.
132
I shook my head. ‘It’s okay,’ I said. ‘I just … didn’t
expect…’
‘Would you like to stop?’ he asked.
I shook my head; I’d never been so sure about
anything in my life.
He kissed me again, softer this time and I groaned
against his mouth, arching my back so my body
pressed against his.
Mr. Stone’s lips moved from my mouth and traced
the line of my jaw. My breath came out in short gasps
as his teeth found my earlobe, taking the flesh and
pulling gently.
‘I-I want-’ I stuttered, unable to form coherent
sentences.
I wrapped myself around Mr. Stone, pulling him
closer with my legs. His fist curled around the bed
sheets until his knuckles turned white.
‘Stop me,’ he breathed in my ear. I could see his
pulse throbbing violently in the nape of his neck.
I ignored him and arched my neck, allowing him
further access to my flesh. He kissed my throat and
dragged his teeth along my shoulder. I didn’t want him
to stop. I’d waited too long.
Gently, Mr. Stone unwrapped the towel that was
fastened around me, and let it fall away from my body.
He stared unashamedly at my breasts, his gaze
sweeping downwards.
His hands slowly began to explore me with a
feather light touch. I responded in a strange,
animalistic way that I’d never experience before. I
allowed a soft purr to leave my lips as if he was taming
the beast inside me.
133
I looked up at his soft face and saw the restraint in
his eyes; he was holding back for my sake. He leaned
closer, our lips an inch apart. The anticipation was
more erotic than the act itself, but finally Mr. Stone’s
mouth came down in a warm, lingering kiss.
My fingers thread through his hair as I inhaled the
smell of his skin, fresh after the shower. We breathed
as one as his fingertips traced along my neck, before
he gently encircled my throat. Carefully, he moved my
head back to expose the length of my neck where he
brushed his lips.
As his mouth explored, his hand caressed my
stomach with a delicate touch, leaving me trembling
beneath him.
My breath stuttered across my lips. ‘T-Tom,’ I
whispered, delirious with desire. I felt like a woman in
his arms, not a girl.
He cupped my breast, his palm brushing over my
erect nipple. I shuddered beneath him, his slightest
touch sending waves of pleasure trembling through
my body. I couldn’t help but whine piteously as he
tortured me with his light touch.
‘Oh, sweetheart,’ he chuckled as his lips moved to
my earlobe.
Sweetheart. I loved the way he said it. I was utterly
and completely his. The noises I made seemed to spur
him on.
Mr. Stone gently suckled on my earlobe, his warm
breath washing over me. I could feel his throbbing
erection through the towel that was still around his
waist, pressing against my pelvis.
Did I dare remove it? I feared the wrong move
would put an end to our intimacy.
134
Then, Mr. Stone raised himself onto his hands and
towered above me, staring down at my body and
drinking it all in. His gaze was admiring, and I felt my
cheeks flush pink. As his eyes roamed over my body,
everything inside me screamed with desire.
‘Oh, Rose,’ he exhaled. ‘Please ask me to stop.’
‘Do you want to?’ I asked.
He shook his head slowly.
I asked myself the same question; did I want to
stop? Absolutely not. But was I ready to go the whole
way with Mr. Stone?
With a shaking hand I curled my fingers around the
edge of his towel, pulling it loose. Mr. Stone watched
me with tortured eyes, his teeth biting into his bottom
lip.
‘Are you sure?’ he asked.
I answered his question by letting it fall away. I
averted my eyes, embarrassed to look at him.
‘It’s all right,’ he said.
I looked down at his manhood; it was the first time
I’d ever seen an erect penis before. I wanted to touch
it, but I was scared. It stood between our bodies,
strong and rigid. I reached towards him and ran my
fingers along the shaft with a shaking hand. Mr. Stone
closed his eyes and made a low guttural noise, like a
growl.
To my surprise the skin was silky like velvet.
‘It’s smooth,’ I murmured, closing my hand around
the width of it.
‘Is it just?’ his voice shivered across his lips.
I nodded, feeling rather childish.
135
It was blazing hot against my cool skin, and I could
feel it twitch as though impatient. Unsure, I began to
massage it back and forth in my palm. It must have
been the right thing to do, as Mr. Stone’s lips found
mine again, in an eager kiss.
‘Oh, you pearl,’ he chuckled against my mouth.
He allowed me to touch him for a few moments,
before he began to trail his lips down my body so I
could no longer reach his manhood. He brushed his
kisses over my stomach, savoring every inch of my
pearlescent skin. I could feel him getting gradually
lower, and it made my stomach churn with nerves.
I inhaled sharply when Mr. Stone slipped his hand
between my thighs and parted my knees so he could
gaze upon my flesh. I was exposed like I’d never been
before, on display for his pleasure.
‘You sweet girl,’ he crooned, absorbing every detail
of my most private area. ‘You gem.’
‘Don’t stare,’ I squeaked, making a lame attempt to
cover my womanhood. ‘It’s embarrassing.’
‘You’re beautiful,’ he said, a smirk playing his lips.
For a moment I thought I saw a flash of the animal
behind his eyes, but it quickly vanished.
I looked down at him, his face mere inches from my
womanhood. I knew what he was going to do, and it
terrified me, but I also wanted it more than anything. I
curled my fingers around his hair; the anticipation was
almost too much to bear.
‘I want you,’ I breathed, the blush creeping up my
neck.
He obeyed me, and gently cupped my womanhood
with his hand. He could feel how damp I’d become
already; the heat radiated from my sex.
‘You’re so wet, Rose,’ he said approvingly.
‘It’s your fault,’ I accused.
136
A shiver ran down my spine as his searching fingers
slipped between my folds. With just a slight brush my
hips moved upward, begging him for more. He paused
for a moment, enjoying the control he had over me. I
ached for him.
Mr. Stone was going agonizingly slow on purpose.
Slowly he began to massage me, his hand cupping my
mound firmly, causing my body to burn with desire. I
tried to grind against his hand, prompting him to go
faster, but he resisted.
I allowed my thoughts to slip away until the passion
began to overflow, and I was trembling with pleasure.
Lowering his mouth to my warmth, he kissed me
there, allowing his tongue to dart out and taste me.
He groaned, his free hand gripping my hip tightly.
‘God, you’re so sweet, Rose.’
I blushed furiously and writhed against the bed.
‘What are you doing to me?’ I hissed through
clenched teeth. I was going mad.
Mr. Stone let his tongue part me as he searched for
the sensitive, swollen bud. My breathing became
sharper, and my toes curled around the bed sheets as
the pleasure engulfed my body. The sensation was
building as his tongue explored my sex. I trembled
beneath him, my fingers threading through his hair as
I bucked to meet his mouth.
I squirmed and moaned his name, begging for more.
My hands on the back of his head, I pushed him
downwards, desperately seeking more pressure.
I cried out as I reached the point of no return; my
mind flooded, washing away every thought until I was
left blissfully unaware of my surroundings. Wave after
wave of pleasure crashed over me, and I lost control of
my mind and body.
137
Mr. Stone held me tightly as the orgasm rocketed
through me, reaching my toes and fingers. I felt like I
was imploding; I’d never experienced anything like it
before.
As the orgasm receded, my eyes searched for him,
unfocussed and wanting. I was breathless, speechless,
and extraordinarily weak from the intensity of the
pleasure he had bestowed upon me.
‘T-T-T-’ I stuttered fiercely as the aftershock
lingered over me, sending convulsions through my
body. ‘Tom … Oh, god.’
Mr. Stone crawled back up my body to meet me, a
triumphant smile on his face. He lay beside me and
enveloped me in his arms so I was nestled in the crook
of his neck.
‘You incredible girl,’ he murmured, holding me
tight.
‘I’ve never. Fuck. Never had. Never felt. God.’ I
couldn’t find the words.
He chuckled, and I could feel him exhale against my
hair. ‘It seems you enjoyed that, my love.’
My love. The words made my head spin.
‘Well, aren’t you smug?’ I teased, nuzzling against
his neck.
Mr. Stone tilted my chin upwards and kissed my lips
softly. I could taste myself upon his mouth, but it was
not unpleasant.
I wanted to stay here, forever.
138
Chapter Fourteen
It was not meant to be, not at that moment, anyway.
The phone in his kitchen rang loudly, breaking the
illusion of a world in which only the two of us existed.
Mr. Stone gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘Typical,’ he
muttered as he began to get up from the bed.
‘Don’t answer it,’ I groaned, reaching for him.
‘It might be work,’ he said, jumping up.
Reality shifted into place. ‘Work?’ I repeated.
‘You’re going to school today? The morning after an
episode?’
Mr. Stone laughed as he quickly pulled on a pair of
boxer-briefs, followed by jeans. ‘You’re cute, Rose.’
I huffed, pulling the towel over my body. ‘Why?’
‘You avoid describing what you really are.’
He was referring to my refusal to say, or even think
that horrible ‘W’ word.
The phone continued to ring.
‘Don’t answer it,’ I begged. ‘You need to recover
after last night.’
It was true; despite the overwhelming happiness I
felt about the current situation, there was no denying
the fact that I was exhausted.
‘They’ll just call my cell phone if I don’t answer,’ he
said, walking towards the door and opening it.
I sulked as Mr. Stone hurried to answer his homephone,
and tried very hard to listen to the
conversation, but only caught a few words.
‘Mm … yeah, I can. Sure. No, no, it’s no problem.
Okay, see you soon.’
By the time he returned I was nestled amongst the
blankets of his bed.
‘Well, don’t you look comfortable,’ he said with a
smile.
139
‘You’re going to work, aren’t you?’ I asked, checking
the clock on his bedside table, which read eight o’clock
in the morning. School started in half an hour.
‘They can’t find a substitute,’ he replied, opening the
second drawer of his dresser and pulling out a longsleeved
shirt with a pin-stripe pattern.
I watched Mr. Stone get dressed in his usual quirky
attire; today’s outfit included a bow tie, and a tweed
suit-jacket with leather patches on the elbows. I
couldn’t help but feel slightly abandoned. Our intimacy
had ended so abruptly with a phone call, and I was
feeling bitter about it.
‘I can drop you home on the way to work, assuming
you’re not going to school today,’ he said,
straightening his bow tie.
‘I never go the day after an episode,’ I said.
‘Everything aches.’
‘Me too,’ he replied, spraying some cologne on his
neck.
‘You act like it’s no big deal … what we go through,’ I
said, picking at a loose thread on the blanket.
‘There’s nothing we can do about it, Rose, so we
might as well learn to live with it.’
I wanted to make him stay, but wasn’t sure what
card I should play to guilt-trip him.
‘So that’s it? Love me and leave me?’ I asked.
Bingo. He turned to me, his expression soft. ‘Oh, no,
my sweet. You know it’s not like that.’
‘You’re in an awful hurry to get rid of me,’ I said, my
expression miserable.
Mr. Stone crossed the room and slid into the bed
next to me.
‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered, kissing me softly. ‘You
know I’d like to stay here with you and finish what we
started.’
140
‘So why don’t you?’ I asked, tugging his bow tie
loose. ‘I don’t want to go home.’
‘Your parents will be worried about you,’ he sighed,
kissing my forehead. ‘And I can’t have anyone spotting
you in my house.’
He was right, but it didn’t make me feel any better. I
felt like his dirty little secret that needed to be hidden
away from sight.
‘Can I see you tonight?’ I asked.
‘We’ll see,’ he said. ‘We should both get an early
night.’
Frustrated, I threw my legs over the side of the bed
and stood up. Mr. Stone watched me as I walked across
the room naked and picked up the garments he had
given me to wear.
I dressed silently in the second hand clothes that
were far too long in the legs and arms for me, but
they’d have to do until I got home.
‘All right, let’s go,’ I said, heading for the bedroom
door.
‘Hang on a second,’ Mr. Stone said, jumping up from
the bed and grabbing me by the arm. ‘You’re not upset
with me, are you?’
I shook my head quickly and averted my gaze.
‘Rose,’ he said, his tone stern, like a teacher’s. He
tilted my chin up so I was looking at him. ‘The world
doesn’t stop because of our little problem. I have to
work to pay the bills, and I can only do that if we
remain a secret. Do you understand?’
I nodded. ‘Yes.’
He gave me a smile. ‘Good girl.’
I received a lingering kiss on the mouth before Mr.
Stone took me home.
141
When I returned to my house my mother’s car was
in the driveway, but my father’s was absent. I said
goodbye to Tom, and walked up the garden path. My
mother was at the front door before I’d even made it
half way.
‘Rose!’ she cried, her cheeks stained with black teartracks.
It looked like she’d been crying all night. Her
makeup was smudged across her face. She watched as
Mr. Stone drove away, his face shielded by sunglasses.
My jaw set tight, and my eyes focused on the
ground, I walked towards her, anger bubbling under
the surface of my skin.
My mother embraced me tightly as I reached the
front door. She was still wearing her clothes from the
previous day. Needless to say, she looked extremely
distressed. I did not hug her back; instead my arms
remained limp at my sides.
‘Oh, Rose, we were so worried! We didn’t know
what had happened to you!’
My mother ushered me inside and sat me down on
the sofa where she handed me a glass of milk. Looking
around, I noticed that the house was in disarray. Had I
done this during my transformation?
Curtains were slashes, vases were broken, and the
carpet was torn up.
There was so much I wanted to say to my mother,
but at that moment I felt it was best to ignore her.
Perhaps the guilt would be too much for her to handle.
‘Your father is out right now looking for you,’ she
said before gasping. ‘Oh! Goodness, I have to call him.’
She fumbled with her cell phone and speed-dialed my
father.
‘Hello? Yes, she’s here! I’ve got her. She came home!
I don’t know … someone dropped her off.’
142
I heard my father’s panicked voice on the other end,
but his words were indistinguishable.
‘Okay. Rose? Who brought you home?’ my mother
asked, covering the receiver with her palm.
I ignored her and drank my milk.
Seeing that I was in no mood to talk, my mother
returned to the phone. ‘No, no, ask her when you get
home. She needs to eat and rest.’
My mother snapped her phone shut and looked at
me, clutching her chest.
I stared at her, my expression impassive.
‘I’ve been going crazy all night,’ she said, fresh tears
falling down her face. ‘Your father has been driving
around since the crack of dawn, trying to find you.’
I stood up from the sofa. ‘I’m going to bed,’ I said.
‘Wait! Sweetheart, please don’t be mad at us,’ my
mother begged, grabbing me by the wrist. ‘It will never
happen again, I promise!’
I snatched my arm away from her. ‘You said that
last time, when I was twelve.’ The anger was beginning
to spill over. I would not be able to contain it for long.
‘I didn’t mean. I forgot-’ she stammered. I would not
take pity on her distress.
‘You weren’t there for me.’ I said. ‘I woke up naked
in the forest, freezing, and filthy. And it’s your fault.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, her eyes wide.
‘You’re just lucky I found someone nice enough to
take care of me,’ I said, glaring at her.
‘Who?’ my mother asked, her gaze falling upon the
ill fitting clothes for the first time. ‘Who found you?’
My nostrils flared. Did I dare tell her the truth; that
there was another like me out there? No. I wanted to
keep that bit of information to myself.
143
‘A hiker,’ I lied. ‘He found me beside a decapitated
deer’s head. ‘He let me shower at his house, and gave
me these clothes.’ I plucked the collar of the shirt I was
wearing.
‘Sweetheart, that was very dangerous! He could
have been a rapist! Imagine finding a young, naked girl
in the woods! He probably though you were hopped
up on drugs! Accepting a ride home with a complete
stranger is very irresponsible. Something could have
happened to you-’
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
‘Something could have happened to me?’ I repeated,
aghast. ‘Mom, something did happen to me! And you
weren’t there to prevent it!’
‘I didn’t mean – I had to work late, and I lost track
of time-’
‘You mean you were fucking your co-workers?’ I
yelled at her.
She slapped me. Hard. Shocked, even by her own
reaction, my mother clapped her hands over her
mouth and stared at me with wide eyes.
‘Oh, Rose, I’m so sorry-’
I held up a hand to silence her. ‘Save it,’ I said.
‘You’re mad if you think I’m going to live with
irresponsible parents like you and Dad.’
‘You need us to take care of you every month,’ my
mother said.
‘No, Mom,’ I said. ‘I need you to take care of me all of
the time.’
And with that I went to my bedroom and locked the
door behind myself. Rummaging through my
wardrobe I quickly found a sports bag I’d never used. I
put it on my bed and began to throw various clothes
into it.
144
‘Rose?’ my mother rapped her knuckles on my door.
‘I think we need to talk about what you said.’
‘Go away,’ I demanded, stuffing a pile of underwear
into the bag.
‘What are you doing in there?’ she asked, trying to
doorknob. ‘Open the door.’
‘Fuck off!’ I yelled, throwing t-shirts and jeans into
the sports-bag.
‘Don’t talk to me like that, Rose!’ my mother yelled,
furiously trying to open the door. ‘Wait until your
father gets home!’
‘I won’t be here!’ I bellowed, zipping up the bag and
grabbing my cell phone.
I unlocked the door and wrenched it open. My
mother stared at me for a moment before noticing the
large bag in my hand.
‘What are you doing?’ he demanded.
‘I’m leaving,’ I said, pushing past her.
‘You most certainly are not,’ she said, following me
down the hall. ‘You don’t have a car.’
‘I’ll walk,’ I said. ‘I traveled miles last night.’
‘Where are you going to go?’ my mother demanded.
‘We don’t have any family nearby, and you certainly
don’t have any friends.’
‘I’ll be a lot better off without you,’ I hissed, reaching
the front door.
‘You’re acting childish!’ my mother said.
Of course I was acting childish; I knew that.
I ignored her and hurried along the garden path.
My mother bellowed at me. ‘You’ll be back within a
couple of hours,’ she said.
145
I marched away from the house, with my mother
screaming at me. Neighbors poked their heads out of
doors and windows, wondering what the commotion
was. I ignored them all and rounded the corner so they
couldn’t see me anymore.
I walked for fifteen minutes, until I reached a local
park, where I sat down on the swing set, my body
aching. I was exhausted after the episode last night.
My mother was right; I had no friends or family I
could stay with. I couldn’t go to Mr. Stone’s house; he’d
never allow it.
Storm clouds were forming overhead, and I could
hear thunder in the distance. Just my luck; of course it
was going to rain. I checked my watch; it was still
several hours till Tom finished work.
I almost called him, but changed my mind at the last
second. I called Estelle instead.
The phone rang three times before Estelle picked
up.
‘Mmmh? Hullo?’
‘Sorry, Estelle. It’s Rose. Did I wake you?’
‘Huh? Oh, yeah. It’s okay. What’s up?’
‘Are you busy?’
She paused. ‘Uh … busy sleeping.’
‘Besides that,’ I rolled my eyes.
‘I’ve got my shift at the café at four … but apart from
that, nothing. Why? What’s wrong?’
I licked my lips nervously. ‘Estelle … do you think
you can pick me up?’
‘Oh … yeah, okay. When?’
‘Now.’ Thunder rumbled overhead, and I shivered.
‘Now?’ she repeated. ‘Where are you?’
I looked around. ‘I’m at the park on the corner of
Helena Way.’
146
‘I thought you were sick? What are you doing
outside? It’s freezing.’
‘I’ll explain when you get here,’ I said. ‘Please?’
‘All right, all right.’ I heard Estelle shuffling about on
the other end. ‘Give me five minutes to get dressed,
and I’ll be there soon, okay?’
‘Thank you so much,’ I breathed.
‘Yeah, yeah. See you soon.’
After Estelle hung up I began to swing back and
forth on the swing-set. It took twenty minutes for her
to arrive.
As soon as she pulled up on the corner I jumped off
the swing, grabbed my bag and ran to the car.
‘Hey,’ I said, opening the door. ‘Can you pop the
trunk open?’
‘What’s in the bag?’ she asked at once.
‘It’s all my stuff,’ I said.
‘Your stuff?’ she said with wide eyes before I ran to
the back of the car and threw my bag in. ‘I thought I
was just picking you up!’
‘You are,’ I said, slamming the trunk shut before
jumping into the passenger seat.
‘Why do you have all your things in it?’ Estelle
asked.
‘I’m leaving home,’ I told her, closing the passenger
door.
‘Leaving home? Girl, you’re only seventeen. Where
are you going to go? You can’t stay at my place. I’m
renting with three other girls, there’s no room-’
‘Don’t worry,’ I said, waving a hand. ‘I’m not staying
with you. I just need somewhere to hang out until Tom
finishes work at four.’
‘Tom?’ she repeated. ‘That teacher?’
I nodded, and Estelle stared at me, a weary look in
her eyes.
147
‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?’ she asked
cautiously.
I sighed exasperatedly. ‘Can you please let me hang
out at your place until four?’
Estelle sighed. ‘All right … but I don’t agree with
this.’
My phone was ringing off the hook the entire day.
My mother and father left over thirty voice messages,
and fifty text messages. I ignored them all. I’d had
enough of their superficial life, and wanted nothing to
do with it. Mr. Stone was the only real person in my
life at the moment. He’d help me; I knew it.
I tried calling him during the lunch hour at school,
but he didn’t pick up his phone. Understandable, I
thought. Maybe he keeps it off during school hours.
I decided to leave him a voice message to listen to
when he finished work.
‘Um … hey, it’s me, Rose. I need a favor … can we
meet tonight? I won’t be at home, so if you can pick me
up at Estelle’s place I would really appreciate it.’ I left
her address for him before hanging up. Hopefully he
would call me back as soon as he finished work.
It was an uncomfortable few hours at Estelle’s little
house. Many people visited through out the day,
including sleaze-bag Spider, who didn’t seem to
recognize me as that woman-dressed-in-red at the
house party. True, I looked a mess; my hair was frizzy
and my clothes (or rather, Mr. Stone’s) didn’t fit.
‘Oh, it’s you,’ said Spider when he realized who I
was. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘She won’t be here long, and neither will you,’ said
Estelle, who was getting ready for her shift at the café.
It was three o’clock; the time Mr. Stone would finish
work at school. I was anxiously waiting for him to call
me back.
148
Estelle and Spider retreated into the kitchen
together while I sat in the living room watching awful
television shows. I could hear every word they were
saying.
‘You got the stuff?’ Spider muttered.
‘Yeah.’ There was much rustling and shuffling
about. ‘Four ounces.’
I could hear a plastic bag being shaken, and the
rifling of money. Was I really hearing a drug exchange?
I knew Estelle smoked weed every now and then;
there was a huge glass bong on her bookshelf, but I
had no idea she sold the stuff. Did she grow it too?
‘Great. Hey, what’s with the kid? Is she buying too?’
‘No,’ Estelle replied. ‘She’s doing the teen thing and
leaving home.’
Spider chuckled. ‘She can stay with me if she likes.’
Estelle made a disgusted noise. ‘Ugh. You idiot.’
At that moment my phone began to vibrate, making
me jump. I had been so absorbed in eavesdropping; I’d
forgotten that I was expecting a call. At first I thought
it would be my parents again, but I was ecstatic to see
that it was Tom. I answered it almost immediately.
‘Hello!’ I said, far too breathlessly.
‘Hey, what’s going on? You sounded upset in your
voice message.’
‘Yeah … um … are you able to pick me up?’
‘I’ve got a lot of homework to grade,’ he said slowly.
For a moment I feared he was going to say no.
‘Please?’ I asked, my voice breaking. ‘It’s urgent.’
He seemed to sense the desperation in my voice,
because he agreed.
‘Okay, okay. I’ll pick you up on my way home.’
‘Thank you,’ I said.
‘See you soon.’
149
‘I … yeah. See you.’ I’d almost said I love you before
hanging up the phone, as a reflex. What a disaster that
would have been.
Just as my phone call ended, Estelle and Spider
emerged from the kitchen.
‘Hey, kid,’ Spider said, standing in front of the
television and watching me.
‘Hey, you,’ I smirked. I had not forgotten the move
he had played on me at the party. ‘How’s your face?’
Spider glared. ‘I had a black eye for days. You can
tell your friend that if I run into him, I’ll return the
favor.
I chuckled. ‘Stick around, tough guy. He’ll be here to
pick me up soon.’
‘Maybe I will-’
‘All right, all right,’ Estelle said, shoving Spider
towards the door. ‘Get out of here.’
‘Bye Spider,’ I said with a laugh, waving at him.
He scowled as he was marched from the room.
Once he was gone, Estelle came and sat by me on
the sofa.
‘Why are you hanging out with this teacher so
much?’ she asked.
I shrugged. ‘He’s a nice guy … he’s my friend.’
‘Is that all?’ Estelle asked, her dark eyes searching
mine.
I wanted to talk about my complicated relationship
with Mr. Stone so desperately, but I worried that no
one would understand. After all, he’d asked me to keep
it a secret.
‘Yes, that’s it.’ I lied. ‘A completely plutonic
friendship.’
150
Chapter Fifteen
Estelle went to get changed into her work uniform
while I remained in the sitting room, eagerly awaiting
Tom’s arrival. I jumped up from the sofa when I heard
a car horn sound on the street. Peering through the
window, I was ecstatic to see Mr. Stone waiting for me.
‘He’s here, Estelle!’ I bellowed, running across the
living room and grabbing my bag.
Estelle hurried into the room and peered through
the window too.
‘Gosh, he is adorable,’ she said.
‘Thanks for letting me hang out here,’ I said. ‘I’ll see
you at work on Monday, okay?’
‘Okay. Be careful!’
I agreed and quickly left her house, towing my
heavy bag along with me.
When Mr. Stone saw me carrying it, he jumped out
of the car to help.
‘What’s all this?’ he asked, meeting me halfway up
the drive.
‘I’ll explain everything in the car,’ I said as he took
the bag and carried it for me. ‘Thanks.’
I went onto my toes to kiss his cheek, but he leaned
away, his expression apologetic.
‘It’s heavy,’ he said in an attempt to take control of
the conversation. ‘What’s in here? Potatoes?’
‘Something like that,’ I smiled.
I let Mr. Stone carry the bag to his car where he
placed it in the back seat as I buckled myself in. I
waved goodbye to Estelle who was watching us from
her sitting room window.
‘How was work?’ I asked as Mr. Stone slid into the
driver seat.
‘A nightmare,’ he sighed wearily. ‘I’m exhausted.’
151
He did look extremely tired; large, dark circles were
under his eyes.
‘Me too,’ I said, reaching over to take his hand. I
couldn’t be sure if he did it on purpose, by he slid his
hand out of the way before I managed to touch it.
‘Let’s go,’ he said, and together we rumbled down
the street.
‘I missed you,’ I said, watching him for a response.
He scoffed. ‘It’s only been a few hours, Rose.’
‘I know.’ I felt foolish.
‘So what’s with the bag?’ he asked.
‘It’s all my stuff,’ I said.
‘All your stuff?’ Mr. Stone raised an eyebrow. ‘You
going somewhere?’
‘I can’t stay with my parents anymore, so I left.’
Mr. Stone swerved the car, narrowly missing
another vehicle in the opposite lane. ‘You what?’
I scratched the back of my head nervously. ‘Um,
yeah. I thought … I could-’
‘You thought you could stay with me?’ he asked.
‘I’ve got nowhere else to go,’ I said, with wide eyes.
‘My parents don’t have time for a – a - a … werewolf
daughter. I want to stay with you, and be free when
the full moon comes. We can be together, like a – a -’
‘Like a pack?’ he finished my sentence for me.
I nodded. ‘Don’t you want that?’
He sighed, exasperated. ‘Of course, Rose. I’ve
wanted to share this with someone for many years
now … but you have to go home to your parents. At
least until you’re eighteen.’
I knew he was right, but refused to admit it. Mr.
Stone saw my watery eyes and caved at once.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, reaching over and holding my
hand.
152
‘Can’t I stay, just for a couple of nights? Until things
at home mellow out?’
He appeared to be considering it.
‘One night,’ he bargained. ‘That’s all, and then you
can go home to your parents.’
‘Okay,’ I agreed, thinking that I could try and extend
the stay in the morning.
Mr. Stone drove me to his house, looking extremely
paranoid. He was afraid we were going to be caught. I
told him numerous times not to worry, that no one
would pay us any attention. This did little to calm his
nerves.
Mr. Stone carried my bag into his bedroom and
placed it at the foot of the bed.
‘I don’t have a spare bedroom,’ he told me. ‘So you
… uh … you can sleep here if you like.’
I nodded.
‘I’ll sleep on the couch if you want me to,’ he said,
rocking on the balls of his feet.
‘No,’ I said. ‘We can share.’
He smiled, and finally embraced me in his arms now
that we were in the privacy of his home.
‘I’m sorry,’ he sighed against my hair. ‘I wish there
was more I could do. It's just so difficult. If I could have
it my way, you’d never leave.’
‘Really?’ I asked, pulling away and looking up at
him.
‘Of course,’ he said with a charming smile. ‘Don’t
you know I adore you?’
‘I worry sometimes,’ I admitted. Mr. Stone’s hot and
cold attitude towards our relationship was extremely
confusing.
‘Let’s run away.’
He smirked. ‘And where would we go?’
I shrugged. ‘Anywhere.’
153
He laughed. ‘Shall we live in the woods, naked and
free?’
I slapped him playfully. ‘I’m serious.’
Chuckling, Mr. Stone released me. ‘We can do as we
please when you are eighteen,’ he said.
My eighteenth birthday was two months away; too
far for my liking.
‘What do we do until then?’ I asked.
Mr. Stone reached out and stroked my hair
affectionately. ‘We be extremely careful.’
‘Does that mean you want to be with me?’ I asked
hopefully.
He smiled warmly, his green eyes creased at the
sides. ‘I want to be with you very much, Rose.’
I smiled widely. ‘As – as my boyfriend?’
Mr. Stone smiled. ‘Are you asking me to be your
boyfriend?’
I hadn’t meant for it to sound that way. I shrugged.
‘Maybe.’
He laughed at my discomfort. ‘No, not as your
boyfriend.’
How cruel of him to laugh at my feelings. I was about
to retort when he pressed a finger to my lips.
‘As your mate,’ he whispered.
My knees almost gave way. My pack mate.
‘But,’ he began, and I felt my heart drop. There was
a but.
‘But what?’
‘But … please do not get any ridiculous notions in
your head about the traditional roles of a boyfriend.
We can’t go on dates together, and we can’t be seen in
public.’
‘I know,’ I grumbled.
154
Mr. Stone cupped my chin in his hand and tilted my
head upwards so he could kiss me. I kissed him back
longingly, wrapping my arms around his neck. He
snaked his hands around my waist and pulled me
close. My skin tingled as it had that morning.
To my dismay, Mr. Stone pulled away reluctantly.
‘Now, now. I can’t afford any distractions, little miss.
I’ve got an awful lot of work to do.’
I sighed and slid my arms from around him. ‘Need
help?’
He laughed. ‘And have you giving F’s to all the
people you don’t like? I don’t think so.’
‘Well, how about I make you dinner?’
Mr. Stone raised his eyebrows. ‘Hm … All right.
Deal.’
Two hours later and Mr. Stone was pushing his food
around the plate.
‘Interesting, um … flavor,’ he said, chewing slowly.
I had failed miserably in my cooking attempts.
‘Sorry,’ I muttered. ‘I don’t really cook that much. I
probably should have mentioned it before.’
‘It’s fine,’ he said, braving another mouthful. ‘It’s
been a while since I had a home cooked meal.’
I wolfed down my own meal; I was starving, as I
hadn’t eaten all day. That deer was probably the last
thing I ate.
We sat on the floor in his living room, as he didn’t
have a dining table. I rested my plate on the coffee
table while Mr. Stone tried to grade numerous papers
on his lap.
By six o’clock in the evening I was ready for bed; the
previous night had drained me, and I would have no
trouble sleeping for twelve hours straight.
Tom agreed, and together we retired to his
bedroom.
155
‘I hope you don’t mind if I sleep in my boxers,’ he
said, pulling his shirt over his head and revealing his
torso.
I smiled and began to pull off my own clothes for his
amusement. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Hmm? What do you wear to bed?’ he asked, eying
my body approvingly.
‘Nothing,’ I smiled.
Mr. Stone growled and tackled me onto the bed,
where he kissed me fiercely. I squealed as he nuzzled
my neck. We rolled around on the bed, kissing and
laughing like real lovers would. It didn’t progress any
further than that; we were far too exhausted.
I felt strange, lying in between the sheets,
completely naked. I never slept naked. I had an old
band t-shirt I usually wore to bed, but this was a
special occasion.
‘I feel like an adult, sleeping naked,’ I murmured,
trailing my fingers through his chest hair.
‘Like a-!’ he scoffed. ‘Oh dear, sweet girl. You kill me
when you say things like that.’
‘Sorry,’ I whispered.
We ended up falling asleep whilst embraced in each
other’s arms.
156
Friday – 28 days to go
When I woke, it took a few moments for me to
remember why I was so happy and comfortable.
Mr. Stone’s arm was wrapped around my waist. It
felt nice, being spooned by him. He grumbled in his
sleep, and pulled me closer. I rolled over so I was
facing him, our noses an inch apart. I kissed his mouth,
his forehead and his nose until he woke up.
Bleary eyed, and tousle haired, Mr. Stone blinked
several times, trying to work out what was going on.
‘Good morning,’ I said brightly.
He smacked his lips together. He was absolutely
adorable in the morning.
‘G’morning.’ Mr. Stone stretched luxuriously before
enveloping me in his arms. ‘What day is it?’
‘Friday,’ I smiled.
He groaned. ‘Ugh … work.’
I laughed. ‘Yes, but today I’ll be there!’
‘You’re going to school today?’ he asked.
I nodded. ‘Of course.’
This seemed to awaken him more. ‘Hm … I don’t
think I can drive you the whole way. People might get
suspicious if they see you getting out of the car with
me.’
‘You can drop me off a block or two away,’ I said. ‘Is
that okay?’
‘And after school?’ he pressed.
I shrugged. ‘I thought I could come back here-’
‘No, Rose. I said one night only.’
157
‘I know,’ I said quickly, sitting up so the blankets fell
off me, revealing my breast. Mr. Stone’s gaze lingered
on my bosom for a moment before snapping back to
my eyes.
‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m not used to seeing you naked.’
‘Well … you can see it again tonight,’ I said with a sly
smile.
He wasn’t falling for my bait. ‘Rose … please. We
must be careful. You can’t stay here.’
I sighed and flopped back down onto the pillow. ‘I
don’t want to go home.’
‘You need to talk it through with your parents. Have
they called again?’
‘I don’t know, I turned my phone off last night.’
‘If you don’t go back they’re going to call the police.’
He was right. I groaned and pressed my face into
the pillow like a child might while having a tantrum.
‘All right,’ I said, my voice muffled. ‘I’ll go home.’
‘Before school,’ he said.
‘Before?’ I repeated, aghast.
Mr. Stone nodded sternly, and I saw that old teacher
behind his eyes.
‘Fine,’ I grumbled. ‘I can’t even run away from home
for more than twenty-four hours.’
Mr. Stone chuckled and played with the ends of my
hair. ‘Well … we’d better get ready then, my sweet.’
When I turned my cell phone back on I saw that I
had one hundred and eight missed calls, forty-two text
messages, and eleven voice messages.
‘Call them,’ Mr. Stone urged, watching over my
shoulder.
I sighed, but did as he asked.
The phone rang only once before it was answered.
‘Rose?’ my mother’s panicked voice said at once.
‘Yes, it’s me.’
158
‘My goodness.’ She sounded relieved, not angry.
‘Where are you?’
‘At a friends house,’ I lied.
‘You need to come home right now,’ she said. ‘I’ll
pick you up. Where does your friend live?’
‘No, no. It’s okay. I’ll, erm, I’ll get dropped off before
school,’ I said, catching Mr. Stone’s eye and seeing him
nod.
Ten minutes later, at eight o’clock in the morning,
Mr. Stone bundled me into his car with my bag, and
drove me home. I wished I could stay with him longer,
but I’d have to wait. Still, it wasn’t all bad.
I had a boyfriend. Or rather, a mate, as Tom had put
it.
159
Chapter Sixteen
When Mr. Stone took me home that morning I did
not want to get out of his car.
‘Will I see you this weekend?’ I asked, my hand on
the door handle.
‘We’ll see,’ he smiled warmly. ‘I’ll text you.’
‘Okay.’
I leaned over to kiss him on the mouth, but he
turned his head so I connected with his cheek. Feeling
awkward, I hopped out of the car, and grabbed my bag
from the trunk. He sped off as soon as I’d closed the
trunk.
My mother and father were in the sitting room,
cross-armed with sour expressions on their faces. I
knew at once that I was in trouble for my little stunt.
They yelled themselves hoarse at me for twenty
minutes, throwing guilt-trips at me, and grounding me
until the next full moon. I didn’t yell back, or attempt
to defend myself at all.
One thing was for certain though. I would not be
leaving Halfway when they took their separate paths.
‘What has got into you?’ my mother was saying.
‘And who was that man that dropped you off? It was
the same car as yesterday.’
‘Man? What man?’ my father demanded.
‘After her episode, a man in an old car dropped her
off home. That was the same car that just brought her
home now.’
‘Who is the man?’ my father rounded on me too.
‘How do you know him?’
I sighed. ‘He’s just a friend.’ Did I dare tell them that
I’d found another like me?
160
‘He looks too old to be your friend,’ said my mother.
‘He’s probably some pervert! Picking up nude school
girls, left, right and centre!’
My father nodded in agreement. ‘We have every
right to call the police, I think.’
‘Did he touch you?’ my mother demanded.
‘No,’ I lied, breathing heavily through my nostrils.
‘He’s … he’s like me.’
‘What do you mean he’s like you?’ said my father.
‘No one is like you,’ my mother added.
I had to tell them. ‘He’s a werewolf,’ I said.
My mother flinched as if I’d said a disgusting swear
word. ‘Don’t say that word,’ she scolded me.
‘How can you be sure?’ my father asked, his eyes
narrowed.
‘Because when you forgot to take care of me on the
full moon, I woke up in the forest next to him.’
‘That doesn’t prove anything!’ my mother said
shrilly. ‘He’s just a pervert!’
I stood up angrily. ‘He is not. He is the same as me,
and – and-’ I searched for the right words, but nothing
came to mind.
‘And what if he is the monster that attacked you?’
‘I – I … I hadn’t thought of that,’ I said, taken aback.
Suddenly, I regretted telling my folks about my
discovery of another like me.
My mother and father pursed their lips.
‘Odds are, it was him who turned you. How many
other monsters live in Halfway? That’s why it’s
important for you to come to the city with me,’ said my
mother.
‘No,’ I shook my head. ‘I want to stay here, with
someone of my own kind.’
161
‘You know,’ began my mother, turning to my father.
‘When Rose first became … what she is … I did a lot of
research into her illness. Do you know what I read?’
‘What?’ my father asked.
‘I read that the affliction can be reversed if the beast
that turned Rose is killed.’
‘You mean if Rose defeats the Alpha, she’ll turn back
to normal?’
I scoffed. ‘Mother, this isn’t some fairytale. Shit like
that doesn’t work in real life.’
‘It’s worth a shot,’ said my father, ignoring me
completely. ‘If it fixes her ailment-’
‘Have you gone completely mad?’ I said. ‘What a
load of nonsense! Killing the Alpha. Honestly!’
‘There has to be a way to cure you somehow, Rose.
This might be the answer.’
‘Not everything has a cure,’ I shot back.
‘Which is why we should do some more research-
‘Oh, great idea Mom. Let’s attend WerewolvesAnonymous.
I’m sure they have support groups in the
city every week for struggling Beta Werewolves-’
‘Don’t. Say. That. Word,’ my mother hissed.
‘Why not? I demanded. ‘It’s what I am! Mr. Stone
has no problem admitting it!’
‘Is that his name? Stone?’
I bit my bottom lip. I’d already said too much.
‘Get the phone book,’ my mother ordered my father,
who raced out of the room at once. Panic flared. Was
Mr. Stone listed?
‘And what if it’s not him who turned me?’ I asked
quickly. ‘Hm? Do we just go around killing innocent
wolves just in case they’re the Alpha?’
My father returned with the phone book in his
arms.
‘They’re not innocent, Rose. They’re monsters.’
162
‘And what am I?’ I demanded.
My parents looked at each other wearily.
‘You’re … different,’ said my father. ‘You’re special.’
‘You don’t go hurting people every full moon like
these beasts,’ my mother said, opening the phonebook
and flipping to ‘S’.
‘Yeah, only because you restrain me,’ I said. ‘I’m no
different.’
They ignored me whilst they searched for the name
‘Stone’ in the white pages. I watched with bated
breath, waiting for their discovery. What would they
do if they found where he lived? Would they visit him?
‘Stan, Stein, Stu – wait … there’s no Stone.’
‘Let me see,’ my father demanded, pulling the phone
book towards himself. He double-checked, but was
disappointed.
‘He’s not listed,’ I said.
‘Well, that doesn’t matter. You know where he lives,
don’t you? We can go there right now.’
I laughed, even though there was nothing funny
about this situation. ‘Oh, please. What are you going to
do when you get there?’ I asked.
It seemed they didn’t know the answer to this
question.
‘But Rose … you know another … thing,’ she said,
avoiding using the ‘W’ word. ‘Aren’t you curious as to
whether it was him who turned you?’
‘No,’ I scowled.
‘But … didn’t you once say that you’d do anything to
be cured?’ asked my father.
‘Not murder,’ I said, disbelievingly. ‘Besides, what if
it wasn’t him? How can you be sure?’
My parents stared at each other, and I knew exactly
what they were thinking; they were going to find out.
163
‘Great,’ I said, clapping my hands together. ‘When
you figure it out, let me know. In the meantime, I’m
running late for school.’
The ‘wet dog’ smell was always strongest after a full
moon. I even had some girls at school howl or bark at
me. I was able to ignore it. Despite the drama with my
parents, I was happy.
So happy, in fact, that I could handle Sadie’s
narcissist ramblings about which boy obviously fancied
her.
‘I’ll be going to a party this weekend, so I expect him
to be there,’ she said. Sadie was talking about an older
man by the name of Douglas, who went to college.
Apparently they’d met ‘online’, and had arranged a
meeting at a mutual friend’s house party. I didn’t
bother telling her how dangerous that might be. She
wouldn’t listen to me anyway.
‘Are you going, Rose?’ Sadie asked me.
‘Me? No. Why would I go?’ I asked, absent minded.
Mr. Stone had just walked across the schoolyard. I
followed him with my eyes until he was out of sight.
Sadie shrugged. ‘Oh, maybe you weren’t invited.
Whoops.’
I didn’t care about some stupid party that Sadie was
going to; she’d only mentioned it to make me jealous.
No doubt Estelle and Spider would be attending too.
They always crashed the best parties.
‘So, Rose, are you feeling any better?’ asked Maria.
I nodded, snapping my attention back to the group
of girls. ‘Oh, yeah. I’m fine.’
‘Please,’ Sadie rolled her eyes. ‘Everyone knows you
weren’t sick. Aaron Ford saw you at the park on
Helena Way yesterday.’
‘What? No … he must be mistaken,’ I said quickly.
164
Sadie crossed her arms. ‘He lives right across the
road from the park, Rose. He saw you get picked up by
that pink haired stoner freak from the café.’
I licked my lips nervously, searching for an excuse.
‘Oh my god, Rose. Were you buying weed?’ Maria
gasped.
‘No!’ I said quickly. ‘No, I don’t smoke.’
‘Can I borrow some for the party tomorrow night?’
Sadie asked eagerly.
‘I don’t … I’ve never-’
Thankfully, I was spared answering their questions
as another teacher walked by at that moment. Sadie,
Maria and I acted inconspicuous as she passed.
When she had, my phone began to vibrate in my
bag. I quickly dug it out of the front pocket and saw I
had one new text message. It was from Mr. Stone, but
of course, my phone labeled him as ‘S’.
Can I see you tomorrow?
I grinned at my phone, which did not go unnoticed.
‘Who is ‘S’?’ Sadie asked, leaning over my shoulder
and reading the text message.
‘No one,’ I said quickly, snapping my phone shut.
‘Oooh, Rose has a boyfriend,’ Sadie teased.
Maria raised her eyebrows at me. ‘Do you, Rose?’
‘No,’ I lied. Why was everyone so damn nosey?
Sadie gasped. ‘That’s who you were skipping school
to see! A boy!’
‘I was not,’ I said, feigning indifference.
‘Whose name begins with ‘S’?’ Sadie asked Maria,
pursing her lips thoughtfully.
‘There’s Scott Thomas in the grade below,’
suggested Maria.
Sadie waved a hand. ‘No, no. He’s dating Elise Bran.’
165
‘Samuel Pike?’ said Maria
‘Ugh! That guy with a face like a pizza?’ Sadie
pretended to gag.
‘It’s no one from school,’ I said through gritted
teeth.
Sadie’s eyes widened. ‘An older man, perhaps?’
‘You’ve got it all wrong,’ I said. ‘It’s just a – a – family
friend.’
‘Then why don’t you have their full name in your
phone?’ asked Sadie.
‘What does it matter?’ I asked.
‘It matters because you’re finally acting like a
human being,’ she said, bouncing up and down on her
seat.
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. Sadie was
lucky I was too damn happy about seeing Mr. Stone to
give a rat’s ass what she said.
Suddenly, Sadie gasped dramatically.
‘What?’ I said, my eyes wide.
‘I know who it is!’ she said, brandishing her finger at
me.
‘Who?’ I demanded.
‘It’s that guy! The one at the party!’
For a moment I feared she was talking about Mr.
Stone, but then I realized who she meant was in fact …
‘Spider!’ Sadie clapped her hands over her mouth.
‘Spider?’ Maria repeated. ‘Who is that?’
I almost laughed, but figured it might be best to play
it cool.
‘Spider is friends with that pink haired girl who
picked Rose up from the park,’ said Sadie. She seemed
to think she was piecing it all together. She couldn’t be
more wrong. ‘You went to see him, didn’t you?’
I frowned. ‘Uh, yeah. You got me.’
166
‘So, Rose likes the bad boys, huh?’ Sadie teased,
shoving me slightly. ‘I should have known.’
‘I’m sorry, but who is this guy?’ asked Maria, clearly
out of the loop.
‘He’s this older guy with tattoos, and long black
hair.’
‘Kind of like a goth?’ asked Maria.
The very thought of Spider made me shudder;
appearances aside, the fact that he was a complete
scumbag was enough to put me off. However, if it took
attention away from my real interest, then I’d go along
with it for Mr. Stone’s sake.
‘Good for you, Rose,’ said Sadie, like I’d achieved
some great feat. The way she patted my shoulder was
extremely patronizing. ‘So have you two done it yet?’
‘Done what?’
‘Oh, Rose.’ She threw her head back and laughed.
‘Have you had sex with him yet?’
‘What? No! Of course not!’
‘Why not? Aren’t you ready?’
‘Sadie, leave her alone,’ said Maria.
‘I’m just curious,’ said Sadie, shrugging. ‘Besides,
you don’t expect a twenty-five year old man to stick
around if he’s not getting any, do you?’
As soon as I finished school I sent Mr. Stone a reply,
accepting his invitation. We arranged for him to pick
me up a block away from my house, so my parents
wouldn’t spot him.
I wasn’t going to bother asking my parents for
permission, but I would need an excuse if I ended up
staying the night, (if Mr. Stone would let me).
167
Chapter Seventeen
Saturday – 27 days to go
‘See you later,’ I waved to my mother and father as I
opened the front door.
‘Where are you going?’ my father demanded.
‘Shopping,’ I lied. ‘I need some new shoes after my
last ones were destroyed on the full moon.’
‘Oh. Do you … erm, need money?’
That was my father’s way of showing his guilt;
offering to buy me something.
‘No,’ I said. ‘I have some money.’
He ignored me and fished around in his back pocket
for his wallet before handing me a crisp fifty-dollar
note.
‘Dad, I don’t need-’ I began, trying to hand back the
money.
‘No, it’s fine. You buy yourself some new shoes.’
I felt guilty for deceiving him, but took the money
anyway. I might as well try to get a little more pity out
of him while I was at it.
‘I’m, um, going shopping with a girl from school,’ I
lied. ‘She asked if I could sleep over tonight-’
‘A sleep over?’ my father repeated, his eyebrows
raised.
Shit. He knew I was lying. I was never invited to
sleepovers.
‘Yeah … is that okay?’
‘Yeah … sure. You won’t be drinking or anything,
will you?’
‘No, of course not,’ I said quickly. I couldn’t believe
my luck.
168
‘Oh, all right then. Have fun, dear. Keep your phone
on in case we need to reach you.’
‘Right … thanks Dad,’ I said, giving him a slight wave
before leaving.
Well, it seemed as though I had to go and buy some
shoes today.
I waited for Mr. Stone to pick me up from the
allocated location, at the prearranged time. Checking
the time on my phone, I found that he was five minutes
late. No big deal; he’d probably be here soon.
Ten minutes late. Maybe he has a flat tire.
Fifteen minutes. Maybe his car broke down.
Twenty. Maybe he fell asleep. I’d better call him.
The phone rang out and went to voicemail. I didn’t
bother leaving him a message. Annoyed, I wondered
what I should do.
Go shoe shopping. Obviously.
Inspired by Mr. Stone’s fashion sense, I went shoe
shopping at the thrift store where I was able to buy
some school shoes, worn Doc Martens, and strappy
sandals, with plenty of cash to spare. I went a little
crazy, also buying a skirt, and shirt. I even had five
dollars change to give to my father.
Shopping took only an hour, and I hadn’t heard
anything from Mr. Stone. Feeling anxious, I decided to
walk to his house, hoping he’d be home.
By the time I arrived on his street, I was exhausted
from carrying the shoes and clothes I’d bought. My
annoyance at Mr. Stone increased when I saw that his
car was parked in the driveway. Huffing, I stormed
towards his front door and banged loudly on it.
I could hear shuffling and scraping inside, and the
door was answered a minute later. Mr. Stone’s eye
peered through a tiny gap.
169
‘Where were you?’ I demanded. ‘I had to walk all the
way here, and it’s freezing outside.’
‘Shit.’ Mr. Stone opened the door completely and I
gasped.
‘What happened to you?’ I asked, my mouth wide.
Mr. Stone had a large purple bruise over his left eye,
and a thin horizontal cut along the bridge of his nose.
‘Rose,’ he said with a weary smile. ‘I’m glad you’re
here.’
Mr. Stone stood back to allow me entrance into his
home. Stepping over the threshold, I kept my eyes on
him.
‘Who did this?’ I demanded, as he closed the door
behind me.
‘Come into the sitting room,’ he said, placing his
hand on the small of my back. I allowed myself to be
steered inside, where he sat me down on the sofa. I put
my bags down and watched him fuss.
‘Would you like a cup of tea?’ he asked.
‘No, I’m fine,’ I said.
‘Are you hungry? I have cookies, and-’
‘Tell me what happened to your face,’ I said. I knew
he was putting it off.
Mr. Stone sighed and perched himself on the edge of
the sofa.
‘It’s nothing. It’s not important.’
‘I tried calling you,’ I said. ‘Why didn’t you answer?’
Mr. Stone pointed to the coffee table, where his cell
phone sat. I could see instantly why he hadn’t
answered; the phone was smashed to pieces.
‘Who did this?’ I demanded again.
Mr. Stone smiled warmly. ‘Just some kids.’
‘Kids? Like kids at school?’
‘No. Like that long haired guy called Spider.’
‘What?’ I was outraged. ‘When?’
170
‘Last night,’ he said. ‘They jumped me as I got out of
my car.’
‘I don’t believe it,’ I said, jumping to my feet, rage
coursing through my veins. ‘I’ll kill him!’
Mr. Stone laughed, and sat me back down on the
sofa. ‘It’s all right, really. I probably deserved it. I did
punch him first.’
‘Yeah, but … he deserved it!’
Chuckling, Mr. Stone slid into the space next to me
and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I felt
myself instantly calmed.
‘You worry too much,’ he said, pressing his lips to
my forehead. I looked up at the big purple bruise.
‘It looks painful,’ I said. ‘Have you put ice on it?’
‘No,’ he waved a hand. ‘It’ll be fine.’
I jumped up from the sofa. ‘Stay there,’ I ordered
him.
I hurried into the kitchen where I rummaged
through his freezer. He didn’t have any ice cubes
already frozen, so I grabbed a bag of frozen corn and
wrapped it in a tea towel.
Walking back into the sitting room, I sat on the
opposite end of the sofa. ‘Here,’ I said. ‘Lay your head
in my lap.’
Mr. Stone did as I told him and rested against my
thigh. Once he was comfortable I gently placed the bag
of frozen corn over his eyes. He hissed in pain.
‘Sorry,’ I muttered, stroking his hair.
He smiled, watching me with his good eye. ‘It’s nice,’
he said. ‘Sorry I didn’t pick you up.’
I felt guilty for my assumption that Mr. Stone had
forgotten me. He was in no state to drive with his
swollen eye.
‘It’s fine,’ I said. ‘I can’t believe he did that to you.
Did you fight back?’
171
‘No.’
‘Why not? You had no problem punching him the
other week.’
Mr. Stone gave a slight shrug. ‘Only because he was
coming onto you.’
I chuckled. ‘How very gallant of you. I bet you could
have beaten him in a fight, though.’
‘I’m not a violent person, Rose,’ he said. ‘I suppose I
deserved it,’ he sighed.
‘You did not,’ I scolded him. ‘You’re a hundred times
better than Spider. Ugh. Did I mention that Sadie and
Maria think I’m dating him?’
Mr. Stone frowned. ‘Why do they think that?’
‘Because of that text you sent me yesterday.’
Mr. Stone’s eyes widened as if he had just witnessed
something terrifying. He sat up, the frozen food falling
from his face. ‘They saw the text?’
‘Yeah, but don’t worry. I’ve got your number listed
as ‘S’. So they didn’t know who it was. I told them it
was Spider.’
Relaxing, Mr. Stone laid back down on my lap where
I resumed stroking his hair. He pressed the frozen
corn on his face and closed both eyes.
‘I’m glad you’re here,’ he smiled. I could see his eyes
darting behind his eyelids.
‘I’m glad you invited me over,’ I replied, running my
fingers down the side of his unshaven face. His cheek
was extremely prickly.
‘I couldn’t bear it,’ he opened his good eye and
found mine, ‘seeing you at school, but not being able to
… well, you’re here now. That’s all that matters.’
‘You missed me?’ I asked teasingly.
Mr. Stone smirked but did not answer. Instead, he
pulled the frozen corn from his face and sat up, turning
to me.
172
He leaned in and kissed me tenderly, cupping my
face in his hand. I was taken aback by his sudden
display of affection, but I didn’t mind.
I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his
neck and exhaling through my nose. He pressed his
mouth firmly against mine, as if trying to express all
the feelings he couldn’t, or didn’t want to say. I felt his
affection in the way his lips lingered on mine.
When he pulled away, we were both grinning. Even
with the black eye he was still handsome.
‘I can’t believe you’re here,’ he said, running his
fingertips along my cheek, studying the curves of my
face.
I couldn’t breathe; I was far too overwhelmed with
happiness.
‘I love you,’ I blurted.
Mr. Stone stared at me; even his bruised eye
widened.
In an attempt to distract him from what I’d said, I
kissed him with renewed ferocity.
Mr. Stone allowed it; perhaps he too wanted a
distraction.
I couldn’t deny the feelings any longer. They’d built
up inside me until they reached bursting point, and in
that single moment of overwhelming emotion, I’d
accidentally blurted it out.
But all was forgiven as we kissed with a new kind of
passion, as if the admittance had forced our
relationship to the next level. It might have scared the
hell out of him; but Mr. Stone kissed me more
passionately than he’d ever done.
Mr. Stone laid me upon the sofa, covering my body
with his. He slipped one hand beneath my head, lacing
his fingers through my hair, placing his free hand on
my stomach.
173
We were frantic; Mr. Stone pushed up my shirt to
reveal my bra, while my fingers dug into his back.
I quickly pulled my shirt over my head and threw it
across the room so I was wearing only my bra and
jeans. Mr. Stone looked upon my body approvingly,
before lowering his mouth to my breast and kissing
the top of it.
He was driving me mad.
Next he kissed my neck, dragging his fingers along
my bare arms until he met the waistband of my jeans. I
helped him, fumbling with the button on my jeans,
letting him drag them away from my body. Soon, I was
wearing nothing but my bra and panties.
Mr. Stone’s hands caressed the soft skin of my
stomach, before reaching around my body and
unclasping my bra with ease. I pulled it away and
threw it to the floor too.
He marveled at my breasts for a moment before
laying me back down upon the sofa. I took deep
breaths as he whispered sweet nothings into my ear
and trembled with excitement as his fingertips moved
lower, tracing my inner thigh, and then moving to
graze the waiting warmth between them. He traced
along the fabric of my underwear, before moving
down the inside of my other thigh.
My body tensed with anticipation, my nails pressing
into his arm as his hand slipped inside my panties.
His teeth grazed my neck and earlobe, making me
shudder. Gently, he pressed two fingers inside me,
kissing my neck at the same time. I cried out and
gripped Mr. Stone’s shoulders.
‘Christ, Rose. You’re so tight,’ he groaned against my
neck.
He massaged his fingers in and out of my wet
desire, his palm rubbing against my clit as he did so.
174
‘Tom.’ I breathed his name, which seemed to make
him shudder with delight.
Reaching a hand between our bodies, I searched for
the bulge in his pants, which I knew would be there. I
wanted to touch him too.
It was huge, and pressing against his trousers as if
begging for release. I rubbed my palm up and down
the lump until I found his zipper. I lowered it and
slipped my hand inside, feeling his boxers.
He growled in my ear and pressed his fingers
deeper inside my womanhood. I gasped, enjoying the
pain and pleasure of it all.
‘You make it so hard to stay rational,’ Mr. Stone
breathed into my mouth as he kissed me again.
I slid my fingers beyond the waistband of his
boxers, pulling Mr. Stone’s throbbing erection free
from his jeans. It stood thick, and straight, like a rigid
pole.
‘Oh, Rose,’ he crooned, pressing his member
between my thighs so I could feel its warmth against
me. ‘I want you so desperately.’
‘I’m yours,’ I told him, arching my neck. ‘You can
have me.’
I could feel Mr. Stone’s manhood pressing against
the cotton of my underwear, probing at my entrance.
He sighed sadly, resting his forehead to mine. ‘I
can’t,’ he whispered.
I cupped his face in my hand, my eyes searching for
his. ‘Why not?’ I asked.
He bit down on his bottom lip. ‘I can’t take it from
you … not yet. Not so soon.’ He was talking about my
virginity.
‘But I want to,’ I said encouragingly. ‘I want you to
be my first.’
‘I don’t want to hurt you,’ he said.
175
‘It’ll be okay,’ I promised.
‘It would be so easy to take you,’ he murmured
against my ear. The sound of his voice sent chills
through my body. ‘All I’d have to do is push your
panties to the side, and with one quick motion you’d
be broken.’
My breath hitched in my chest. The way he said it
was frightening, yet thrilling.
‘Not broken,’ I breathed. ‘Complete.’
A smile curved Mr. Stone’s lips, and he kissed me
again.
This is it, I thought.
Ding, dong.
The doorbell rang.
176
Chapter Eighteen
‘Shit!’ Mr. Stone jumped up from the sofa, leaving
me feeling rather bewildered.
‘Who is that?’ I said, rather panicked. Being found
mostly naked on my teacher’s lounge was not an ideal
situation.
‘Shit, fuck, shit,’ Mr. Stone quickly stuffed his
manhood back inside his pants, before throwing my
clothes at me.
I caught them, utterly stunned. ‘Don’t answer it,’ I
said.
‘They might peek in through the curtains,’ he said,
panicked. ‘Go to the bedroom. Quick!’
Mr. Stone ushered me from the room, the clothes
bundled in my arms. ‘Don’t come out until I say, okay?’
he said, closing his bedroom door so I was left alone
and naked.
Furious, I dressed in silence as Mr. Stone answered
the door. The voices were muffled, but it certainly
sounded like a woman. Once I was clothed I pressed
my ear to the bedroom door and tried to listen but the
voices were indistinguishable.
It seemed Mr. Stone was able to get rid of the visitor
rather quickly, because he returned to the bedroom
within a couple of minutes.
‘Who was it?’ I asked at once.
‘Um, no one. Wrong house.’ He was lying, I could
tell, but I decided to let it slide. If he didn’t want to tell
me who it was then what right did I have to pry?
‘All right,’ I said, crossing my arms.
Mr. Stone reached for me, wrapping his arms
around my shoulders in a tight embrace. ‘Sorry I
panicked, sweetheart.’
177
‘It’s okay,’ I mumbled against his chest, my arms
still crossed. ‘I understand, I guess.’
Mr. Stone held me at an arms length and studied my
face. ‘You’re mad at me.’
‘No,’ I lied, and he gave me that look that quite
clearly said; I can read you like a book, Rose Goldman.
I sighed and caved. ‘You didn’t need to throw me
into your room naked, like I’m a filthy secret.’
‘Rose, you know the risk we’re taking, just with you
being here-’
‘I know,’ I said, frustrated. I didn’t know how to
explain my feelings, and it angered me. ‘It’s just …
ugh!’
‘I’d love to show you to the world,’ Mr. Stone said,
tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. ‘You know that.’
His words made me feel like jelly. Funny, how all
my anger could ebb away with a simple sentence.
Mr. Stone lowered his head and captured my lips
with his mouth, before pulling away.
‘Now … where were we?’ His hands slid from my
shoulders to my waist.
I sighed. ‘I think the moment is gone, to be honest.’
The dismissal into his bedroom still stung.
He chuckled. ‘Maybe you’re right. How can I cheer
you up, my love?’
I smiled and looked at my feet. ‘I like it when you
say that.’
‘Say what? My love?’
I nodded sheepishly and Mr. Stone kissed my nose.
‘You’re adorable.’
178
We spent the rest of the day watching old movies
on VCR (the only kind of movies he had). Apparently
he’d bought them all at the thrift store, and was yet to
own a DVD player. His entire movie collection
consisted of films from the eighties and nineties. ‘Films
of his youth’ was how he described it.
It began to rain around mid-day so we curled up
under a blanket with cups of tea. It was nice, listening
to the rain and snuggling against my English teacher.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I
rested against his chest, listening to his steady
breathing, and the pounding of his heart. I was
completely content.
179
Friday – 7 days to go
One of the perks of dating a teacher was the extra
help. Mr. Stone tried his hardest not to assist me whilst
we spent time together, but he found it damn near
impossible. I was cheeky about it too, sighing and
becoming frustrated until he caved and helped me.
English was by far my best subject. I was soon
averaging A’s because I’d received so much counseling
from Mr. Stone. Not that he always gave me all the
answers. I’d read my latest essay to Mr. Stone and he’d
make suggestions for improvement.
I couldn’t believe I’d had a secret boyfriend for
three weeks now. Every single evening (excluding
Monday’s and Wednesdays at the café) I spent at his
house, laughing, joking, doing homework, and kissing.
We hadn’t had sex yet; Mr. Stone never brought up
the subject. We kissed. A lot. His hands wandered
everywhere. My hands wandered everywhere too, but
we’d never ‘done the deed’. After all, it had only been
three weeks since he’d officially labeled himself as my
boyfriend.
Part of me thought that Mr. Stone didn’t want to
have sex with me because he saw it as condemning
himself.
Sometimes I saw the hesitation in his eyes when we
kissed, or became intimate. I could see that his body
wanted me terribly badly, but his mind was conflicted
about it. He was in a constant battle with himself over
what was right and wrong.
180
We were meant to be together; anyone could see
that. Not only were we compatible on a personal,
sexual and intellectual level, but we also shared our
affliction with one another, and that was something no
one else would understand about us.
I told him numerous times that it was okay, that our
attraction to one another was natural – animal
instinct. He had no reason to feel guilty, or like he was
doing something bad. He would often agree, but I’d see
that darkness in his eyes.
I did worry that he might break off the relationship
at any moment. Would the pressure of a secret
relationship with a seventeen-year-old girl be too
much for my beloved English teacher? Sometimes I
thought so. But as soon as we were together at the end
of the school day, he was frantic to hold me and kiss
me.
I knew he loved me, even if he didn’t say it.
I wasn’t sure why exactly, but I was greatly
anticipating the next full moon - perhaps because it
would be my first transformation with Tom.
We’d talked about it, and decided to try it alongside
one another. Of course, he’d never experienced the
transformation with anyone else either.
I hadn’t told my parents. They would freak out. I did
not want to be restrained anymore. I wanted to run
free with my mate.
It was all arranged; I packed a change of clothes
into Mr. Stone’s car for the occasion.
I was excited. It felt like I was going on a secret
holiday with him.
Mr. Stone seemed pleased too. He talked about
going into the forest with me a few hours earlier so we
could have a picnic. ‘A real date,’ as he put it. ‘As we
can’t go to a restaurant.’
181
He told me that eating a big meal before a
transformation greatly reduced the risk of harming
any wildlife – or people.
182
Friday – 0 days to go
It was almost time; three hours until sundown.
Mr. Stone and I walked hand-in-hand through the
forest, leaving his car on the side of the road. He
carried a basket full of food for us to eat, and a picnic
blanket he’d picked up at the thrift-store. He never
bought anything new, because the probability of it
being destroyed during an episode was very high. This
is why he didn’t have nice things.
Somehow, the sickness was lessened by his
presence. It was as though being close to him was the
antidote to the pain. I could feel the change coming,
but I was calmer now. I had accepted it, and that made
all the difference.
I was clumsy, tripping over branches, and hidden
roots in the ground. It was cold, but I had a blanket
wrapped around my shoulders.
After we’d walked for an hour, Mr. Stone found a
clearing and laid a picnic blanket down. We sat
together as he began to pull out food, and drinks for
us.
‘Usually I can’t eat when I am so close to a
transformation,’ I told him. ‘But with you, I think I can.’
He smiled and squeezed me hand. ‘Are you sure you
want to do this? There’s always the possibility of being
separated. There’s no way we can guarantee staying
together once we have transformed.’
‘I’m sure,’ I told him.
183
Part of me was curious to watch Mr. Stone’s
transformation. I wondered if he was indeed the wolf
that had attacked me when I was a little girl. I’d never
be able to forget the beast that maimed me as a child;
its jet-black fur, those yellow eyes, and that putrid
breath. I’d know at once if it were him.
And what if it was him? Would it upset me?
My mother’s words crossed through my mind.
‘The curse can be reversed if the monster that turned
you is killed.’
Nonsense, I thought. I could never lose Mr. Stone,
even if he was the one who turned me.
Besides, it wasn’t his fault; he couldn’t control it.
‘Hungry?’ he asked, handing me a plastic plate.
‘Famished,’ I replied.
Mr. Stone had brought an excellent selection; pasta
salad, bread rolls, a roasted chicken, a thermos of
coffee, coleslaw, chips, and chocolate. I didn’t know
how we were going to finish it all, and I feared it would
come back up within the hour.
Mr. Stone and I lay upon the picnic blanket and
stared at the canopy above, wrapped in each other’s
arms. He checked his watch.
‘One hour to go,’ he told me. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Never better,’ I whispered, nuzzling against his
neck.
He smiled and tilted my head up to kiss me softly.
Arousal instantly spread through my body at the touch
of his lips.
My skin prickled, and I could feel the heat
spreading. I couldn’t be sure if it was because of the
impending full moon, or my affection for the man.
Perhaps the two combined were an intoxicating
mixture.
I smiled against his lips.
184
‘I want you,’ I breathed, lacing my fingers through
his hair. His scent was dizzying, and I felt high.
He chuckled. ‘Here? Now?’
I nodded fervently.
‘I think that’s the hormones talking,’ he whispered,
kissing me again.
‘I don’t care,’ I said.
Mr. Stone growled and rolled on top of me. ‘It’s hard
to control myself … so close.’
I felt it too; the animalistic instinct that was taking
over my body. The usual pain, and suffering of the full
moon had been replaced by arousal and lust.
‘We’re going to have to get naked anyway,’ I
smirked, ‘before the transformation.’
His lips brushed my throat lightly, sending arousal
rocketing through my body. I gripped the leg of Mr.
Stone’s pants, my knuckles turning white.
‘Be careful what you wish for, my love,’ he said,
biting my throat gently.
Mr. Stone pressed his whole body to mine, burying
his face into the curve of my neck. I felt his chest heave
and the simultaneous brush of his eyelashes, soft and
delicate. It was erotic torture.
I held him tightly, raising one hand to the back of
his head to stroke his hair. Mr. Stone pulled away from
my neck, a dark purple bruise forming on my nape. His
eyes darted between mine as things unspoken were
shared between us.
Mr. Stone lowered his lips and, finally, secured them
around mine. Our mouths opened and we shared
breaths before our tongues met.
He gripped my hips, curving his palms over the
points of my pelvic bone and pulling me closer.
The touch of his mouth and hands derailed most of
my words. I stuttered when I tried to speak.
185
‘I want – I need-’
Before I could finish Mr. Stone's mouth closed over
mine, jolting me with a raw, urgent kiss. He sucked on
my top lip, his tongue sliding across it before darting
into my mouth again. As I met his kiss, arousal spread
through my body and between my legs.
As he pulled back from my mouth to breathe, his
arms wrapped around my waist to hug me to him.
My arms tightened around his shoulders, clutching
at him, a warm thrill rushing through me with the
realization that he wanted me - needed me. Not even
the setting sun would stop us.
My fingers closed around a fistful of his hair, and I
arched my neck and pulled his head low. I held him
there until his lips, his tongue, pressed against my
skin.
After a minute, Mr. Stone pulled away, flushed and
breathless.
‘Rose,’ he breathed. The sound of my name on his
lips was bliss. ‘Maybe we should stop.’
I began to undo the buttons of my blouse, ignoring
what he had said.
‘I could hurt you,’ he whispered. ‘I don’t know my
own strength … at this time.’
‘No one is here to interrupt us, Tom,’ I said.
‘Oh, God,’ he groaned, leaning into me and burying
his face in my neck once more, kissing my pulse-point.
My heart skipped as his fingers curled around the hem
of my blouse.
‘You have no idea,’ I breathed, ‘how much … how
long-‘
186
‘I’ve wanted you since the day I saw you,’ Mr. Stone
confessed, helping me unbutton my blouse. I wriggled
free of it, throwing it away. It landed on a tree’s branch
and hung there. He looked at me in my bra and jeans,
wild lust in his eyes. I saw a flicker of the animal
behind them.
Frantically, Mr. Stone planted fast, hot kisses over
my stomach, before dipping his tongue between my
breasts.
I wrapped my arms around him, bringing his mouth
to mine once more. My hips pushed against him, and I
felt the warmth of his erection through his trousers.
My hands slid down his back and clutched his
bottom, pulling him flush against me. I had my legs
wrapped around his thighs so our bodies could be as
close as possible.
Mr. Stone groaned softly, his mouth opening against
my cheekbone, just beside my ear. He pushed my hair
away from my face, and breathing quickly he
whispered, ‘I need you.’
Pleasure flared in my belly as his erection pressed
against my crotch. I couldn’t remove my jeans fast
enough. He helped me, until I was wearing only my
underwear and bra. We lay upon a blanket in the
forest, nature surrounding us as the sun began to set.
I curled one leg around his hip, pulling his body
closer.
Mr. Stone’s warm hand traveled down my thigh,
until found my panties, which were soaking wet with
arousal. I felt him smile against my mouth; pleased
with the effect he had over me.
He pulled back the elastic of my underwear, sliding
his large hand inside. He was warm against my skin,
and butterflies erupted in my stomach.
187
‘Yes,’ I whispered, my hands curling into fists, as his
middle finger slid between my folds and touched me,
lightly and slowly.
I shut my eyes, and my voice trembled when I
started to speak. ‘Tom.’
Mr. Stone dropped a kiss into the curve of my neck
as he slipped his finger inside me.
I moaned softly, as his hips surged forward and his
erection rubbed against me.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I’d go mad if he didn’t
hurry.
I felt the throbbing of his erection against my thigh.
I reached down, searching for the button to his pants. I
found it, and unfastened it.
Mr. Stone shuddered, exhaling with a quiet groan.
His eyes flickered and I thought I saw a hint of yellow
in his iris.
I felt his briefs, and it didn’t take long for me to free
his erection through the fabric. It was magnificent.
Larger than ever before, as though the full moon had
engorged him. I saw it throb with desire, a drop of
liquid on the tip. He was ready to burst.
We were splitting at the seams, mad with desire.
My breath stalled as he pressed the tip of his
manhood gently against my underwear. He removed
his finger from me, making way.
I knew this was the time. Neither could resist. The
moon was too strong.
I reached down and shimmied out of my panties
with Mr. Stone’s help. He removed his shirt, and
pushed his pants and briefs down.
We were naked; natural, like the other animals in
the wild.
I wanted him here and now.
188
Anticipation swelled in my chest as Mr. Stone
positioned himself between my thighs, his rigid
manhood pointing straight for my desire.
My eyes focused on his face as his hips pressed
forward, the bulbous tip slipping between my folds.
Heat surged off his skin like a solar flare, and I
pushed against him, wanting more.
His hand closed around my hip, and the head of his
cock burned against me. I noticed Mr. Stone's
expression was tender, before he pulled my body
towards him and slid an inch inside.
Tears stung my eyes as he pushed against me,
forcing through the barrier. I cried out in pain as I
broke. He was completely inside me; I was his.
I watched as a wave of pleasure washed over Mr.
Stone's face. I must be tight. His eyes closed as his
mouth opened as his head fell back, exposing the long
line of his throat. He uttered a long, stuttering groan.
We were one, and only a sliver of the sun was
visible on the horizon. The pain peaked, and ebbed,
leaving my eyes wet, and my chest heaving. Mr. Stone
looked down at me. His eyes were yellow, and I knew
mine would be the same. It was happening, and I
wasn’t afraid.
Perhaps the beginning of the transformation was
the reason the pain didn’t last long. Regardless,
adrenalin coursed through my veins, and suddenly, I
was frantic.
Mr. Stone leaned forward, wrapping his arms
around my body. He held me so tightly that I
wondered if he feared an escape. He pushed deeply
into me. I could feel everything.
189
Mr. Stone drew shallow, quiet breaths. My
fingertips slid against his face, following the lines of
his eyebrows and his lips. I wanted to feel his warmth,
the texture of his skin, and the fine hair on the nape of
his neck.
I watched our bodies moving together; the sight of
the two of us, made my heart feel enormous in my
chest. I was taken with love for him, and a breath
blustered out of me so strongly that I realized I had
forgotten to breathe.
‘Rose,’ he groaned, taking my mouth in a deep kiss.
‘Tom,’ the word came out in a growl. This seemed to
spur him on.
I felt surrounded by him, aware of the press of his
body. He dropped kiss after kiss, pushing hard.
I shut my eyes, lifting my hips to meet his thrusts, a
flush of heat spreading from my cheeks to my breasts.
The burn between my legs compressed, and I
stuttered his name between moans.
He urged me on between fast, heavy breaths,
dropping his voice and growling in my ear, his voice
slowly becoming inhuman.
‘That's it.’ A kiss landed on the side of my neck.
‘Come on, sweetheart, that's it.’
We were covered in glistening sweat, our bodies
entwined, our breathing feverish. We raced to finish
before the change took us completely.
I could feel it beginning.
‘Rose,’ he shuddered, his head tipping back, his
yellow eyes closing tightly. ‘Oh.’ He cried out and soon
the moans were no longer human.
190
I heard the echo of his howl as I came, the hot
pressure between my legs flooding outward. Bright,
tingling sparks fired into my belly, down my legs. My
knees locked, and my muscles tightened. I felt my
hands shaking, as I tightened like a vice around him.
Mr. Stone followed me quickly as the sun vanished
behind the hills.
It was time.
I focused on his face as he came inside me, groping
for his hand. We began to change at the same time. I
frantically interlaced our fingers, my breath hitching
when he squeezed my hand. I could feel his bone’s
changing.
‘I love you,’ he murmured, his weight crushing my
chest. My affection for Mr. Stone surged, and I was able
to hang onto my humanity for that split second longer
to witness his change.
I watched as his ribs popped and cracked under the
pressure of the transformation. Light brown hair
began to sprout over his body, my own much darker.
I knew at once that he was not the wolf that had
changed me.
His howl pierced the night, sending flocks of birds
fleeing into the sky.
191
Chapter Nineteen
Saturday – 29 days to go
I groaned and rolled over, searching for my pillow.
My fingers met only leaves. I curled into the fetal
position and wondered where my blanket was; I was
freezing.
The memory of the previous night came flooding
back, and I couldn’t help but grin in my sleepy state.
I was happy.
I had made love to the man of my dreams, and he
had told me those three magic words. I love you. He
loved me. Me.
Excitement erupted in my stomach from the
memory.
I opened my eyes and was greeted by the bleary
winter sun, which shone weakly through the canopy. I
stretched luxuriously, my hands seeking Mr. Stone.
‘I feel amazing,’ I murmured, arching my back and
hearing it crack and pop. He didn’t reply. Perhaps he
was still asleep.
I sat up and looked around for him.
Only forest.
I turned a full three-sixty degree to see where he
was.
I was alone.
‘Tom?’ I called, sending birds flying into the sky
from fright.
I listened carefully for any sound, but all I could
hear was nature; birds chirping, the whistles of wind
through the trees, and a frog somewhere.
192
I shivered. I was deathly cold, and my fingertips
looked quite blue. I hadn’t anticipated on waking up
alone.
At least this time I was not covered in as much dirt
and grime. It hadn’t rained for a few days, so there was
less mud around.
I needed to warm myself up until Mr. Stone
returned, so I got up and tried jogging on the spot, but
stopped quickly as it felt absurd while nude.
I needed clothes otherwise I would freeze.
Mr. Stone had told me how to find the car in the
event that we were separated, but I hadn’t paid much
attention.
I walked in the general direction I thought was
correct, hoping I’d reach the car within an hour. Any
longer and my toes would fall off.
I turned around, thinking maybe I should head
back; but I didn’t know which way back was.
Shit.
‘Tom?’ I called again, winding my way through the
trees. ‘TOM!’
I tripped over a protruding tree root and fell to my
knees, grazing them on a cluster of rocks. I broke my
fall with the heel of my hands, which I also got cut up
on the debris.
‘Shit,’ I muttered, getting back to my feet.
‘Hello?’ I heard a male voice calling through the
trees.
‘Tom?’ I called, hurrying forwards, ignoring my
bleeding knees.
It wasn’t Mr. Stone at all; it was a male camper who
looked to be in his mid-twenties. He appeared amidst
the trees, his eyes wide.
‘Fucking hell,’ he blurted upon seeing me. ‘Shit. Are
you okay?’
193
I immediately jumped behind a tree, hiding from
sight.
‘Jessica!’ the unknown male shouted over his
shoulder. ‘Quick! Come here! Brink a blanket!’
I heard footsteps, and crunching leaves.
‘What’s the matter?’ asked a female voice.
‘There’s a girl over there. She’s hurt, and naked.’
‘Naked? Are you serious?’
‘It’s all right!’ he called to me. ‘We’ve got something
for you to cover yourself with.’
I poked my head out and saw a chubby red head girl
carrying a blanket.
‘Oh my god!’ she breathed. ‘You poor dear, you must
be freezing!’
I nodded fervently.
‘It’s all right,’ she said, approaching me as if I might
bite. ‘We won’t hurt you.’
I wasn’t worried about that; I was just embarrassed
about being found completely nude in the forest. This
couple must be camping, though I’d thought that Mr.
Stone had taken us clear of any camping sites.
The red head girl handed me the blanket, shielding
her eyes from my nakedness. I wrapped it around
myself and stepped out from behind the tree.
‘What’s your name?’ she asked at once.
‘R-Rose,’ I shivered.
‘I’m Jessica,’ said the red head. ‘And this is my
husband, Peter.’
‘Hi … thanks for the blanket,’ I said, clutching it
tightly.
‘Come with us, you poor dear. We’ll warm you up.’
I followed Jessica and Peter to their campsite, which
was only a few yards away. They had a small threeman
tent set up in a clearing, and a burnt out campfire
in the middle.
194
‘Here, dear. Sit inside the tent and I’ll make you a
cup of tea. You’re probably chilled to the bone.’
‘I’ll get it all dirty,’ I said, looking down at my feet.
‘Don’t mind that,’ she waved a hand before ushering
me into the tent.
It was nice and cozy inside. I curled up in a corner
with the blanket wrapped around myself.
But how would Mr. Stone find me in here?
I could hear the couple talking in urgent whispers
outside. What did they think had happened to me?
They probably thought I’d been attacked.
A minute later, and Jessica ducked into the tent
carrying a cup of tea in a plastic picnic mug.
‘Thank you,’ I said, taking it. My fingers were almost
blue.
She began to rummage for a first-aid pack amidst
her bag of clothes.
‘I think I’ve got some saline wipes here – ah! There
we go.’ She pulled out a pack of wipes. ‘I’m dreadfully
clumsy, so I take a first aid kit with me whenever we
go camping. You know, it keeps the marriage alive to
have a bit of adventure. I must admit though, we’ve
never run into anything like this before. And I could
tell you some stories. Bears, and wolves, and what not.’
I smiled politely and reached out a hand to take the
wipes, but she shook her head.
‘Give me your legs so I can clean you up,’ she said.
I stared at her. ‘What? You don’t need to-’
‘Don’t be silly,’ she said at once, grabbing my ankle
and stretching my leg out.
Jessica began to wipe the blood and dirt from my
grazed knees. I’d never met anyone so kind in my life –
apart from Mr. Stone. At that moment, Peter ducked
into the tent, a tender expression on his face.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked me.
195
‘Yes, I think so,’ I said, clutching the hot mug like it
was precious gold.
‘Rose, is it?’ he asked, crouching and watching me as
if I might shatter like glass.
I nodded. ‘Thanks for the blanket … and the tea …
and cleaning my knees.’
‘She’s in shock,’ Jessica said to her husband.
‘No, I’m fine, really,’ I said.
‘I’m just glad we found you,’ said Peter. ‘Can you tell
me who did this to you?’
‘Erm … no, no one did this to me.’
The couple looked at each other darkly.
‘What’s the last thing you remember, dear?’
My stomach writhed with excitement at my last
memory; the sight of Mr. Stone above me, his eyes
yellow, and his form changing – of course, I couldn’t
tell anyone about that.
‘I – I don’t know,’ I lied.
‘Try to remember, Rose. Were you with anyone?’
What was I supposed to tell them? The truth would
make me sound crazy.
‘I came to the forest last night,’ I said slowly. ‘Alone.
I, um … got lost and passed out.’
I could see from the look in their eyes that they
didn’t believe me. Who would? What seventeen-yearold
girl goes wandering into a dangerous forest, naked
no less, at temperatures like this?
‘Alone?’ Jessica repeated. ‘You don’t remember
being with anyone?’
Perhaps feigning amnesia would get me out of lying.
‘I don’t remember.’ It was partially true; I could
never remember the time I spent under the
transformation.
196
I suddenly realized how close Jessica and Peter had
come to meeting a werewolf last night. I’d only been
passed out half a mile from their campsite.
‘How old are you, Rose?’ asked Peter.
‘Seventeen,’ I said.
‘Why were you naked?’
‘I don’t remember,’ I said again. ‘Look, um … I really
appreciate what you’ve done, but can you tell me
which way the highway is?’
‘Give us a minute, would you sweetheart?’ Jessica
said to Peter, who dipped out of the tent at her
request.
‘Rose, you need to try and remember what
happened to you. We think – well … you need to
consider the possibility that you were attacked.’
‘Attacked? No, I’m fine. These grazes are from when
I fell over.’
‘And the bruises on your body?’ Jessica asked,
pointing.
‘Huh?’ I looked to where Jessica pointed.
Dark purple rings were around my wrists, where
Mr. Stone had clutched me. Jessica also pointed to my
neck, where I knew many love-bites would be.
‘Rose, we think you’ve been sexually assaulted,’ said
Jessica carefully. ‘We need to take you to the hospital
and call the police.’
I laughed. ‘No, no. It’s nothing like that. I haven’t
been abused.’
‘You’re covered in cuts, bruises, blood and dirt, and
you have no recollection of the previous night-’
I needed to think of a lie, and quick. ‘No … look, I
didn’t want to say anything, but I, um, I was really
intoxicated last night. I wandered away from a party
and got lost in the woods. That’s all.’ Would the drunk
teenager story work?
197
‘Look, Peter has already radioed the Ranger and
given him our co-ordinates. They’ll be here in a few
minutes to help you. We’re not that far from the
highway.’
‘What?’ I said. ‘No! I just need you to show me
which way the road is, and I’ll be fine.’
Two hours later and I was sitting on a bed at
Halfway Hospital, dressed in nothing but a gown. They
wouldn’t let me wash, or get dressed until they had
performed numerous tests on me, which I refused to
let them do. The Ranger had brought me here against
my will, and the police had called my parents, who
brought some fresh clothes for me.
Apparently my mother and father had called the
police the night before when they realized I wouldn’t
be home for the ‘episode’. Of course, they didn’t tell the
officers what I was, they only hoped I’d be found
before nightfall.
My parents wanted to take me home at once, but
the hospital staff were under the impression that I’d
been abused, due to the bruises around my wrists, and
neck. They didn’t need to know the marks had been
caused during the passion I shared with my thirty-two
year old teacher, who, by the way, I hadn’t heard from
all morning.
The nurses asked me a lot of questions, and took
some of my blood and saliva for testing. I stuck to my
story of being alone and lost in the woods, parroting
the phrase ‘I don’t remember’ whenever awkward
questions came up.
My parents were anxious too, but did not decline to
have these swabs and tests taken, for fear the hospital
staff would question their parenting skills. After all,
what parent would kick up a fuss about it?
198
They knew what had happened to me – well, most
of it, anyway. They knew why I was in the forest, and
covered in dirt.
What they didn’t understand, however, were where
the bruises had come from.
‘We can see numerous bruises on her wrists, and
mouth-marks on her neck,’ the doctor explained to my
parents.
‘Mouth-marks?’ my mother repeated, caught off
guard.
‘Yes, caused by the sucking of the skin. A love-bite.’
My father shot me a look and I avoided his eye
contact. Who else could I have been with, other than
this mysterious werewolf I’d told them about?
‘We would like to perform some internal
examination, but your daughter is adamant that we
don’t perform the examination. Perhaps you can
convince her that it is for the best.’
‘Internal examination?’ my father asked, his eyes
wide.
‘To check for damage, or perhaps the D.N.A of the
attacker.’
‘I wasn’t attacked,’ I said loudly. ‘How many times
do I have to tell you?’
‘Be quiet, Rose,’ my mother snapped.
‘Please, Mrs. Goldman, your daughter has gone
through a great ordeal. It is possible she is blocking
out the memory of last night’s occurrence.’
‘I’m not blocking anything,’ I said through gritted
teeth. ‘I was drunk, and I wandered into the forest and
took my clothes off. I passed out, and woke up. I got
grazed and bruised after I fell over.’
‘Doctor, may we have a moment alone with Rose?’
my mother asked sweetly.
199
‘Of course,’ he replied, smiling kindly. ‘I’ll just be
outside. Yell if you need me.’
They waited until the ward’s door had been closed.
‘What the hell is going on, Rose?’ my father shot at
once.
‘Nothing,’ I said, panicked. ‘I wanted to be free last
night, so I … I went to the woods.’
‘You were with him, weren’t you?’ my mother
asked. ‘That – that monster.’
‘It’s not like that,’ I said, with wide eyes. ‘Mom. I
know he isn’t the monster – I mean, the man who
turned me.’
‘How do you know that?’ she asked.
‘I saw him transform.’ I looked between them
pleadingly. ‘He looks completely different to the
creature that hurt me. His fur is a mousey brown – not
black. And he is far smaller in size compared-’
They looked between each other skeptically. ‘Rose,
the doctors and nurses here seem to think you’ve been
drugged and raped. Your story won’t hold up long. The
blood test will show that there is no alcohol in your
system. We have to let them do the internal
examination to keep up appearances. If we decline,
they’ll think we’re trying to hide something. They may
even call child protective services if they think that
we’ve mistreated you.’
My skin prickled with fear. ‘They can’t,’ I said. ‘They
can’t do the test.’
‘Why not?’
My heart thundered. What was I meant to say?
Because the test will show that I have had sexual
intercourse within the last sixteen hours? They’d be
sure to find Mr. Stone’s D.N.A.
My mother’s face became pale.
‘You’ve had sex with him, haven’t you?’
200
I didn’t say anything.
‘You have.’ My mother’s nostrils flared.
My father cursed and sat down in a chair.
‘It was the first time last night,’ I said, my eyes
pleading. ‘Please, you can’t let them do the test.’
‘Why not? You must let them know you had
consensual sex. It was consensual, right?’
‘Yes, of course it was. But … but-’
But he is thirty-two years old and will go to jail if
anyone finds out. I couldn’t tell them that. As far as they
knew, Mr. Stone was just some guy who could drive. If
they found out that he was twice my age, and a
teacher, no less …
I wasn’t sure what to say.
Outside, I could see the Doctor talking with a nurse
through the glass pane in the door. They looked over
and caught me staring.
Re-entering the room, a manila folder in his hand,
the doctor approached my parents. ‘Well, we just got
the result of Rose’s blood test back. The good news is
she doesn’t seem to have contracted any sexually
transmitted diseases. However, there was no trace of
alcohol in her blood stream.’
‘See? I’m fine. Nothing has happened to me. I want
to go home.’
‘You don’t want to do the internal examination?’ the
doctor asked, glancing at my parents.
‘No,’ I said firmly.
At that moment there was a knock on the door. I
could see two police officers standing there. The
doctor excused himself and went outside to greet
them.
‘What are they doing back here?’ I said angrily. ‘I
already told everyone I’m fine.’
201
‘They’re only here because we called them last
night,’ said my mother. ‘They just want to make sure
everything is okay.’
‘You shouldn’t have called them,’ I said through
gritted teeth.
The doctor re-entered the ward accompanied by
the two police officers.
‘I haven’t got anything else to tell you,’ I said at
once. ‘I want to go home.’
‘Miss Goldman,’ one of the officers approached me
with a black plastic bag in his hand. ‘My name is
Officer Renstrom. Are these yours?’
He turned the bag upside down and a pile of clothes
fell onto the bed. I picked through them.
‘Yeah, they’re mine,’ I said. ‘So?’
‘We found these clothes in a vehicle by the highway.
Along with this.’ He held out my cell phone.
I snatched it from his hand. ‘That’s mine!’
‘The vehicle was a nineteen-ninety red Ford Escort.
Does that sound familiar to you?’
I stopped breathing. They’d found Mr. Stone’s car
on the side of the road, with my things inside it. But
where was Mr. Stone? Why hadn’t he gotten back to
his car yet? Was he in trouble? Hurt? Lost?
If they’d found his car, then they obviously knew
who the car belonged to from the registration number.
‘Look, I haven’t done anything wrong, and no one
has hurt me. I’m back with my parents now. So
everything is fine, right?’
‘Ma’am, we’d like to ask you a few questions, if
that’s all right with you,’ said officer Renstrom.
‘Am I under arrest?’ I asked, crossing my arms.
‘No, of course not.’
‘Then no, I don’t want to talk to you.’
202
‘We need to talk to you about a man called Thomas
Stone.’
I froze. What was I supposed to say? That he was
my teacher, and that was it? How would I explain my
clothes in his car when I’d been found naked in the
woods? I could feel myself becoming irrelevant in the
police’s investigation; now they were looking at Mr.
Stone because they suspected him to be a sex-offender.
This wouldn’t have happened if my parent’s hadn’t
called the police.
I tried to play it cool.
‘What about him?’ I asked.
‘He’s a teacher at your school, isn’t he?’
So they knew. My mother gave a little gasp and I
shot her a look.
‘Yeah, Mr. Stone,’ I said, flicking my hair out over my
shoulder.
‘Can you explain what your things were doing in his
vehicle?’
I shrugged, nonchalant. ‘Maybe he found them lying
around somewhere. I was naked, you know?’
‘You think he stumbled upon your things whilst
walking in the woods?’ Officer Renstrom raised an
eyebrow.
‘Or in the street, or whatever. I told you … I was at a
party. I could have left my clothes anywhere.’
There. That sounded believable. Right?
‘And why was the car abandoned by the forest?’ the
Officer pressed.
I shrugged. ‘Maybe he’s looking for the owner of the
clothes?’
‘I thought you said you could have dropped them
anywhere?’
203
I sighed, exasperatedly. ‘Look. Mr. Stone is a good
teacher, and has never laid a hand on me, okay? Is that
what you wanted to know? If he abused me? Look, I
say I’m fine, so that should be the end of it. It’s not a
crime to park your car by the forest, is it? You’ve got
no case if no one was hurt.’
‘Actually,’ said the second officer, speaking for the
first time. ‘When we tried to contact Mr. Stone we
couldn’t get hold of him. Upon further investigation we
discovered that Thomas Stone has a history of violence
and aggravated assault. He was arrested in twothousand-and-nine
for the attack of a co-worker-’
‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘He’d never.’
‘Miss Goldman … if there is anything you wish to tell
us, now would be a good time.’
‘No, there’s nothing,’ I said, my jaw set tight.
‘It’s all right to talk to us. None of this is your fault.’
‘Nothing happened to me,’ I said through gritted
teeth.
The police officer nodded, looking rather
disappointed. What had he expected me to say?
‘Thank you for your time, Ma’am.’ The officers
bowed their heads and turned to leave.
‘Wait!’ my mother said, standing quickly. ‘He had
sex with her!’
‘Mom!’ I cried.
‘I beg your pardon Ma’am?’ The officers turned back
to us.
‘He did! She told me. I didn’t know how old he was –
that he was her teacher. She told me that he was with
her last night.’
‘Is this true?’ Officer Renstrom asked me.
‘No!’ I said at once. ‘It’s lies!’
204
Chapter Twenty
Friday – 16 days to go
My life is a living hell.
It’s been two weeks since they arrested Mr. Stone.
It’s been one week since the judge slammed the
hammer, sentencing him to a minimum of eight years
and three months in prison for sexual abuse of a
minor. It didn’t matter that I had consented.
I watched him on the news, a coat covering his face
as he was bowed into a police vehicle.
Meanwhile, my identity in the whole ordeal was
kept a secret, and wild rumors began to spread
throughout the school about Mr. Stone abusing
multiple students in his classroom. It was all lies, of
course. Even Sadie would tell anyone who would listen
about how Mr. Stone had asked her to wear no panties
to class. What a load of horse-shit.
But no one would listen to me.
I was invisible.
Counselors told me that it wasn’t my fault that an
older man had hoodwinked me. I told them I hadn’t
been tricked, that they’d gotten it all wrong. How could
I explain our mutual attraction without sounding like
an absolute lunatic? I’d just have to mention the ‘W’
word and I’d be sent to the loony bin.
I was forbidden from seeing Mr. Stone – that was,
until my eighteenth birthday which was two days
away.
My poor love.
205
I hadn’t spoken to him at all since that night we’d
shared together. I had been so happy that morning, but
everything had fallen to pieces.
I wasn’t talking to my mother, who was adamant
that she had done the right thing, no matter how many
times I screamed at her that I loved him.
My love was in prison, amongst brutes, and rapists
and murderers.
He did not belong there and it was completely my
fault. We should have waited until I was eighteen. Why
had I pushed him so? I hadn’t made it easy for him to
refuse.
Was Mr. Stone mad at me? Did he hate me for what
I’d done to him? I’d ruined his life.
The guilt was too much to bear. Some days were
worse than others. I considered ending it all numerous
times, just to make things easier for myself.
Selfish, I know.
I’d be moving to the city with my mother two days
after the next full moon. It had all been arranged, and
I’d even begun to pack my things in preparation.
I was spiraling into misery, but at least I could look
forward to a prison visit in two days time. Though I
dreaded what Mr. Stone would say to me.
That evening my mother knocked on my bedroom
door and let herself in without invitation. I was lying
on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I was empty.
‘Rose, dear?’ she said timidly, closing the door
behind herself.
I ignored her.
‘I wanted to talk to you.’
I said nothing.
206
‘I know how lonely you are these days, and it got me
thinking that you need to talk to someone who has
been through the things you’ve experienced.’
I couldn’t help but scoff. No one had been through
the shit I had.
My mother continued as though I had not made the
derisive sound.
‘I’ve been doing a lot of research lately. Well … I
think I’ve found something that might interest you. It
wasn’t easy to find – I had to go through a lot of scary
websites to find it, and filter out all the liars, and crazy
people … but I think you’ll find it useful. I had to email
a lot of people and convince them that I was serious.
Well, anyway … you’ll see for yourself.’
My mother placed a folded A4 sheet of paper on my
bedside table before turning around and leaving the
room.
I didn’t move for several minutes. I had no interest
in what she wanted to show me.
‘God damn it.’ Curiosity got the better of me, and I
reached over for the piece of paper and unfolded it. It
was my mother’s handwriting.
Silver Moon Forest, Alaska
Alpha: Colt
Pack Population: 32
Call to schedule initiation.
Scrawled underneath was a phone number.
What the hell was this? Some kind of support group
for Werewolves? No, it looked like a community.
A pack of thirty-two werewolves living together in
Alaska? I didn’t even know such things existed.
207
How had my mother found this information, and
how could she be sure that it wasn’t a group of nutcase
twilight fans? I scrunched up the paper and stuffed it
into the pocket of my hoodie.
208
Sunday – 14 days to go
‘Happy birthday, sweetheart,’ said my mother as
she handed me a small, wrapped present.
I didn’t say anything as I took it from her.
Unwrapping it, I found it to be a new phone. Useless.
Who would I text or call now that Mr. Stone had gone?
‘Its got a five megapixel camera, and a touch screen,’
my mother said, beaming.
‘Thanks,’ I said dully, pushing it aside.
She said no more on the matter.
Next, my father gave me his present. It was slightly
smaller.
I pulled the wrappings, but was confused when all I
found was a key.
‘What’s this?’ I asked, picking it up.
‘A car key,’ my father said. ‘To your new vehicle.’
‘My new-’ I gaped at him. ‘You’re not serious, are
you?’
He nodded, his expression solemn. ‘I know there is
somewhere you want to visit today. Now you have a
way to get there … without sneaking around.’
I stared at my father. ‘R-really?’ I stammered.
He nodded again.
‘Thank you,’ I breathed, jumping to my feet and
embracing him tightly. ‘Thank you.’
‘Are you sure it’s wise-’ my mother began, but my
father quickly silenced her.
‘Rose is eighteen. She can do as she pleases.’
He was right. I was free … to an extent. While Mr.
Stone was behind bars I’d never be free - not fully.
209
‘Where is it?’ I asked at once. ‘Where’s the car?’
‘It’s parked out the front,’ said my father.
I grabbed my bag and flew across the room to
wrench the front door open.
‘You’re going now?’ my mother asked.
‘Absolutely,’ I said to her, before stepping out of the
door.
‘Drive carefully!’ my parents bellowed in unison.
I couldn’t believe it; my father had bought me a car
for this very purpose. I burst onto the lawn and froze
when I saw the vehicle.
It was a beaten up Ford Escort with peeling red
paint. Tears welled in my eyes, but I choked them
back.
‘They were auctioning it,’ my father said, hanging
out of the sitting room window. ‘I thought you’d like
that one.’
I nodded fervently, tears slipping down my cheeks.
It was the only thing of Mr. Stone’s that I owned.
Wiping away the tears, I turned back to my father
and smiled. ‘Thanks Dad.’
He nodded and closed the window.
While my father didn’t understand my relationship
with Mr. Stone, he knew I was not a typical teenager.
My instincts were good; and all signs pointed to Mr.
Stone. My father could see that. He didn’t like the fact
that his baby girl was in love with her thirty-two year
old teacher … but we can’t always choose who we love.
If we could, well, things would be a lot easier. Perhaps
then my parents would not be getting a divorce.
I ran to Mr. Stone’s car and unlocked the driver’s
side. It made that familiar creaking noise as I slipped
into the driver’s seat. At once, I was assaulted with
that familiar smell. Sweet, yet spicy, like cinnamon. It
was his smell.
210
The very scent was enough to bring tears to my
eyes. Taking deep breaths, I calmed myself and put the
key into the ignition. As usual, the car rolled over a
couple of times before roaring to life.
It had been a few months since my last driving
lesson, but the knowledge was still there. I pushed in
the clutch and shifted the car into first gear. It was stiff
and required force.
Crunch.
Good. I let down the handbrake before I balanced
the clutch and gently pressed the gas.
It stalled.
‘Shit.’
I tried again, and this time I successfully pulled
away from the curb.
It was a two-hour drive to the jail, and I’d never
been there before. I’d called up several days ago to find
out the visiting hours, so I knew I’d arrive at the
perfect time. They’d also told me I needed to fill out a
visitation form, which I could download online, and
send to them. They said something about inmates
having to approve all visitation requests. Mine had
been accepted, so I could only assume that Mr. Stone
had allowed it.
I was a bundle of nerves. I expected him to yell at
me, say hurtful things, and generally despise me. I
wouldn’t blame him. I despised myself.
Pulling into the parking lot of the jail, I thought I
might be sick.
‘Just do it,’ I told myself over and over again. ‘Go in
there.’
Taking a deep breath, I exited the car, locked it, and
walked towards the front office.
211
It was an unpleasant process. There was a dress
code for visitors, which meant I had to zip my hoodie
right up, as the singlet I wore underneath showed
some cleavage.
They checked my identification to ensure I was not
a minor, and I was asked to sign a visitor’s log. Not
only that, but I was searched. A guard patted me down,
looking for anything suspicious.
Once I was given the all clear, I was taken into the
visitor’s room. It wasn’t as I’d expected. In movies,
they always had the pane of glass with two telephones,
but it was nothing like that.
The visitation room was a hall with many round
tables and plastic chairs. The guard showed me to a
table at the back of the room, before taking a position
nearby to observe his surroundings. We’d be under
watchful eyes at all times.
Many couples and families were already here,
talking, laughing and hugging. I’d feared the visitation
room would be a violent affair, but it really wasn’t that
bad at all. Perhaps these other people were just like
Mr. Stone; misunderstood.
I only had to wait a couple of minutes for Mr. Stone
to enter the visitation hall, accompanied by a guard.
He looked different. Perhaps it was the absence of his
quirky attire, but he certainly looked beat. He wore the
jail’s mandatory grey uniform, and it made him look
washed out.
Mr. Stone’s eyes scanned the room until he found
me. They lit up.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
He was pleased to see me.
He hurried over to the table I was sitting at, and I
stood to greet him.
212
‘Rose,’ he breathed, stopping a few yards away from
me. ‘What – what are you doing here?’
Well, I hadn’t expected him to hug and kiss me,
that’s for sure.
‘It’s my birthday,’ I told him. ‘I’m eighteen.’
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes like it usually
did. ‘Happy birthday,’ he said.
‘Thank you.’
We stood there awkwardly for a few moments, Mr.
Stone’s arms swinging loosely by his side like he
always did when he was nervous.
‘Can I … can I hug you?’ I asked tentatively.
Mr. Stone’s eyebrows shot up. He was surprised.
‘Really?’
‘Of course.’ Did he not realize my feelings for him
were the same?
‘Yes! Absolutely.’
We both moved forwards and I wrapped my arms
around his neck tightly as his hands slid around my
waist. He hugged me so fiercely that my feet left the
ground. I grinned from ear to ear, my eyes watering
once more. He wasn’t mad.
‘Oh, Tom,’ I said, pulling away from him and wiping
my eyes furiously. ‘I missed you so much.’
He lifted a hand and wiped the tears from my eyes.
‘Oh, Rose. I thought I’d never see you again.’
I sniffed, the back of my throat burning.
‘I feel – I feel so guilty - all the time,’ I began to cry
harder now. The last few weeks came gushing forth as
pure emotion.
‘Oh, sweetheart,’ he crooned, taking me by the
elbow and directing me towards the table where we
sat down side-by-side.
Mr. Stone wrapped his arms around me and I
sobbed into his uniform.
213
‘My love, I hope you haven’t been blaming yourself.’
‘I have,’ I said, trying to control the tears, but it was
no use. I’d bottled it up for too many weeks.
‘It’s not your fault. It’s my fault this happened.’
I shook my head vigorously and looked up at him
with bleary eyes. He sounded just like those
counselors that had tried to convince me that Mr.
Stone was an abusive manipulator.
‘You don’t regret it, do you?’ I asked.
He smiled sadly. ‘Loving you? No.’
My heart hammered.
How tragic, I thought. How cruel life is.
‘I swear I didn’t tell them,’ I said, the words spilling
from my mouth. All the things I’d been dying to tell
him spewed from my mouth. ‘It was my mother, Tom.
She told the police that we – that we – we-’
‘I know,’ he whispered, stroking my hair. ‘I know.’
‘This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t run into
those campers-’ I continued. ‘In the forest, I was – hic –
naked, and I couldn’t find you – hic – so I tried to find
the car. B-but they found me and called the Ranger.
Everyone thought I’d b-been abused. I told them oover
and over that I hadn’t-’
He stroked my hair and whispered soothing words
as I gushed, hiccupping and sobbing.
Once I’d cried myself dry, I looked up into those
green eyes, seeking forgiveness.
‘You’re not mad at me, are you?’
‘I could never be mad at you,’ he replied.
‘Wh-what happened that day … in the forest? Where
were you?’
Mr. Stone sighed and bowed his head. ‘I will admit
something to you, Rose, and you may get upset.’
‘What is it?’ I said, my eyes never leaving him.
214
‘I awoke before you that morning. We were curled
around each other, and you were still fast asleep. The
memory of the previous night came flooding back, and
I was happy for the first time in years. I felt complete.’
I didn’t understand why he thought this would
upset me.
He continued. ‘Then I remembered the
transformation. That split second before I lost
consciousness … I saw you transforming, Rose.’
‘I saw you too,’ I said. ‘You were beautiful.’
He smiled another sad smile. ‘You too, my love. But I
realized something then.’
‘What?’
‘Seeing your alternate form, I knew at once … that
you were the one - the one who changed me.’
I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly. ‘What?’
He sighed. ‘Your eyes, the colour of your fur –
everything. It was the same as the creature that
attacked me six years ago.’
Six years ago.
All this time I’d been under the assumption that Mr.
Stone had been a werewolf longer than I, because of
his age. But it was the other way around. I had been
this way for nine years – him, only six.
‘But I … my parents … they always restrain me-’ I
paused, the realization dawning upon me. The one
time they hadn’t been there – I was twelve. Six years
ago.
‘I knew as soon as I saw you transform, Rose. You
were the one that changed me.’
‘I … I didn’t know,’ I said, my eyes wide. ‘I swear it-’
‘I know,’ he said, bowing his head. ‘I suppose I
should have known. I realize now how small the
creature was that attacked me that night – far smaller
than my alternate form. A child werewolf.’
215
‘Is that why you left me there in the forest?’ I asked,
dreading the answer.
He sighed. ‘For six years I’ve imagined myself
coming face to face with the … the thing that changed
me. I’ve pictured every scenario in my head, and they
all end the same.’
‘Killing me?’ I asked without hesitation.
‘I fantasized about tracking down the person who
did this to me, and putting a bullet through their brain.
How was I to know it was you, Rose?’
‘I’m sorry, Tom,’ I said, my throat tight. ‘I’m sorry I
did that to you.’
‘You know the stories, Rose, I’m sure? That the
curse can be reversed if the alpha is killed?’
I stared at Mr. Stone. Did he believe it like my
mother?
‘I’ve heard it,’ I said, my breath stuttering. ‘I don’t
believe it though.’
‘I’ve always vowed for revenge, and hoped, on the
off-chance, that the rumors might be true - that I might
be freed if the one who attacked me was killed. I’ve
lived the last six years hanging onto that hope, Rose –
that I would come face to face with my attacker.’
‘You don’t mean-’ I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
Had he really wanted to kill me whilst I slept
peacefully on the forest floor?
He chuckled lightly. ‘Realizing it was you, Rose … I
was forced to … re-evaluate my life. The only reason I
was able to accept my affliction was because I was so
certain there would be a way to reverse it. It was only
a matter of time before I met my attacker.’
‘And you met me,’ I said, rather hoarse.
216
‘I went for a walk while you slept. I needed to think
… it was so much to take in. But then I remembered
how amazing that night had been – with you. I was
whole. I’d never been so happy in my entire life, even
before the attack. I decided there and then that we
were meant to be – that I had been attacked by you so
I would later be drawn toward you.’
A smiled played his lips.
‘Really?’ I asked, my own smile returning.
‘Of course. How could I ever wish harm upon you?
You’re my girl, Rose. My Alpha girl. No wonder I’ve had
such a hard time going against you.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Haven’t you noticed? I was barely aware of it
myself, but it’s damn near impossible for me to say no
to you. All of those times you told me to kiss you, or
touch you … I obeyed.’
I leaned against Mr. Stone’s chest and breathed
deeply. I could feel my wounded heart slowly
beginning to heal at his words. I looked up at him. ‘But
why didn’t you come back for me?’
‘I was gone maybe fifteen minutes, and when I
returned you weren’t there. I called your name, but
you didn’t reply, so I went looking for you.’
‘You were looking for me?’
He nodded. ‘I followed your scent, but I was too
late.’
‘If I’d only stayed put.’ I was furious with myself.
‘What’s done is done,’ he said, kissing my forehead.
‘Aren’t you … aren’t you mad about being here?’ I
asked him.
‘Of course, it isn’t ideal. But I’ll wait a hundred years
to be with you.’
‘Oh, Tom.’ My throat felt tight.
217
‘Will you wait for me, Rose? I know eight years is a
long time, but-’
‘Of course!’ I said a little too loud. ‘Of – of course.’
Mr. Stone smiled sadly. ‘There is a problem,
however.’
‘A problem?’ I repeated.
‘I fear I won’t make it another two weeks.’
‘What? Why?’
‘Rose, the full moon is drawing near.’
I nodded. ‘I know.’
‘I fear that … that I may try to escape during my
transformation. It is highly likely that the guards will
shoot to kill.’
I gasped audibly, before clapping my hands over my
mouth. ‘You don’t mean-’
‘Rose, the probability of my death is …
overwhelming to say the least. Perhaps it is for the
best. I may hurt many people while confined here. I
never did well in cages, you know that.’
‘No,’ I choked. ‘M-Maybe we can talk to the warden
– have you put in solitary, or – or-’
‘And tell them what, Rose? That every full moon I
change into a crazed monster? No one in their right
mind would believe me.’
‘What else can you do to be put in solitary?’ I asked
desperately.
Mr. Stone chuckled, though the smile didn’t reach
his eyes. ‘Well I can always throw my own feces at the
guards, or perhaps stab someone with a fragment of
metal.’
I closed my eyes and tried to block out the mental
images. Tears slid down my cheeks. What would the
guards do when they came face to face with a fullyfledged
werewolf?
Naturally, they’d shoot on sight.
218
‘Rose,’ Mr. Stone wiped the tears from my eyes.
‘Please don’t be sad.’
‘How can I not be? What if something happens to
you? I’ll never forgive myself.’
‘It’s not your fault,’ he whispered, pressing his
forehead against mind. ‘None of this is your fault.’
‘But it is,’ I said thickly. ‘It’s my fault you’re a – a
werewolf, and it’s my fault you’re in here.’
‘And I wouldn’t change a thing, my love.’
‘Why?’
‘Because then I wouldn’t have met you, and we
wouldn’t have shared that amazing night together.’
I nodded, tears now streaming down my face. How
could I live with the guilt if he were to die here?
‘Five minutes,’ the guard barked at us from the
corner.
‘Oh no,’ I cried, gripping Mr. Stone frantically. ‘Is
there anything I can do?’
He looked at me sadly, before cupping my face and
kissing my lips softly. ‘Live,’ he said.
‘How can I, without you? My mother is taking me to
live in the city with her. That’s no place for a
werewolf.’
The corner of Mr. Stone’s mouth hitched in a slight
smile. ‘You called yourself a werewolf,’ he said.
‘Yes. Ever since that night … I’ve been okay with it.’
‘I’m glad,’ he said. ‘I’d give anything to be with you,
Rose. I want it more than my next breath.’
I sniffed back fresh tears. ‘Please don’t die,’ I
whispered.
‘I’ll try,’ he promised. ‘Just remember that I love
you.’
‘I love you too.’
219
Chapter Twenty-One
Sunday – 0 days to go
I was terrified. What if they shot him? What if he
died? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, knowing
that it was my fault. All of these thoughts, and more
ran through my head the day of the transformation.
My mother and I were moving to the city in two days,
and all of my belongings had already been packed into
the car.
‘Are you ready, sweetheart?’ my mother asked.
‘Yes.’
She took my wrists and slipped the restraints over
them so I couldn’t move. ‘This is so much better than
running wild in the forest,’ she said, tightening them
until it was painful. I disagreed with her, but said
nothing.
‘Two minutes,’ said my father, checking his watch.
My mother pushed my sweaty hair from my face
and kissed my forehead before leaving the basement
with my father. They bolted the door closed behind
them.
His name left my mouth in a continuous slur of
words. ‘Tom, Tom, Tom.’
I stared at the grimy ceiling as the pain took over
my body. I writhed against the bed, begging for mercy.
‘Tom, Tom, Tom.’ I didn’t allow him to leave my
thoughts.
Crack, crack, crack!
My bones snapped and I screamed. Everything went
black.
220
Monday – 29 days to go
Everything ached. My eyes felt as if they were glued
shut. I couldn’t swallow; my throat was too dry. I felt
hung over from a night of hard drugs and alcohol.
I opened my eyes, blinking several times.
Everything was a blur, and it took a while for my
vision to clear.
I sat up, my head spinning. It was clear my mother
and father had unshackled me in the early hours of the
morning. Deep cuts were around my wrists and ankles
from the restraints that had bound me to the bed.
Suddenly, the realization of today dawned upon me.
‘Tom.’
I jumped up from the bed and sprinted up the
basement steps, wrenching the door open. I quickly
found my mother and father in the kitchen, eating
breakfast.
‘Have you checked the news?’ I demanded at once.
‘Yes,’ said my father, folding his newspaper and
looking at me. ‘There’s nothing.’
‘Nothing?’ I repeated.
‘It’s only been fifteen hours since the
transformation began, Rose.’
Heart pounding, I perched myself upon the kitchen
stool. Maybe no news was good news. Isn’t that what
everyone always said?
That evening I sat in my room, catching up on the
homework I’d neglected over the last few weeks. It
had piled up, but to be honest, I really didn’t give a shit
about it. It all seemed so pointless.
221
Suddenly, I heard my name being called.
‘Rose!’ my mother bellowed at the top of her lungs.
‘ROSE! QUICK!’
I jumped up from my bed and wrenched my door
open, sprinting down the hall to find my mother
perched in front of the television.
‘He’s on the news!’ she said, turning the volume as
high as it would go.
Fear gripped me. Mr. Stone’s mug shot was on the
television.
No.
The news reporter was already half way through
the piece.
‘-Search for escaped inmate Thomas Stone is
underway. Mr. Stone was found guilty of sexual assault
in the first degree a month ago by the local court after
having sex with a student, and sentenced to eight
years in prison. It is unclear how he managed to
escape from the prison, and anyone with any
information regarding his whereabouts is urged to
come forward to police. There have been no reported
sightings as of yet.’
I stared at the television, numb.
‘He … he escaped,’ I breathed.
‘Oh my goodness,’ my mother clapped her hands to
her mouth. ‘What if he comes here?’
‘Don’t be stupid,’ said my father. ‘He’s going to do a
runner, of course. We’ll never see him again.’
That night, police and detectives came by the house,
asking a lot of stupid questions. They seemed to think
we might know where Tom had gone. As if I’d tell
them anything.
222
I was a mix of emotions. I didn’t know if Mr. Stone
was okay, which scared the hell out of me. On the
other hand, I was ecstatic that he had escaped.
By the time the police left, it was late, and I was
emotionally exhausted. I retired to my bedroom at the
same time as my parents, dreading tomorrow.
Moving day.
223
Tuesday – 28 days to go
Tap, tap, tap.
I groaned and rolled over, checking the clock on my
bedside table. It read two o’clock in the morning. What
the hell had woken me up at this hour?
Tap, tap, tap.
I sat up, listening hard.
Someone was throwing rocks at my window.
I leapt out of bed, as quiet as a cat, and tiptoed to
my window. I pried it open as silent as I could and
poked my head out.
It was him.
He stood there, looking up at my bedroom window,
a grin on his face.
I’d never been so speechless in my entire life.
‘What are you doing here?’ I hissed down to him.
‘Hello, Rose,’ he said sheepishly.
‘You’re going to get caught,’ I said. His appearance
here was utterly illogical. Did he want to be arrested
again?
‘That’s why I need to be quick,’ he said. ‘Rose,
there’s something I need to say-’
I thought I knew what it was going to be.
He’d come to say goodbye.
‘Don’t say it,’ I said. I refused to believe it was the
end.
‘Rose, I don’t want you to give up your whole life for
me,’ he said. ‘You’ve got so much ahead of you … so
much to look forward to-’
224
‘No,’ I said, panic rising in my chest. ‘Don’t talk like
that.’
‘You can’t know how you’ll feel about me in the
future. You might wake up one morning and roll over
to find an old man in bed with you, who can barely put
a roof over your head. You deserve so much more than
that. I don’t want to be selfish. I mean … you have
school, and family.’ Mr. Stone took a deep breath and
closed his eyes.
This was it. The end. He’d leave and I’d never see
him again.
I didn’t know what I could say to make him change
his mind.
‘But Rose … I am selfish, and that’s why I’m asking
you to give up everything for me,’ he said. ‘I can’t
promise much, but I promise I’ll love you more than
anything in this world.’
I stopped breathing.
He wasn’t leaving me. He was asking me to flee with
him.
‘You are everything,’ I breathed.
‘Will you run with me?’ he whispered. It seemed the
simple act of asking me to do such a thing caused him
physical pain.
‘Of course I’ll run with you. We’re a pack.’
It all happened so fast after that.
I got dressed, donned a hoodie, grabbed my keys,
and jumped out of my bedroom window, with Mr.
Stone breaking my fall. Together we got into the car,
which was already packed with all of my belongings
for the big move to the city with my mother.
We drove - just drove until the sun had risen, and
we were hundreds of miles away from Halfway – the
town where people stopped between visits.
225
‘How did you escape?’ I asked as the sun crested the
hills.
‘I told you,’ he said with a devilish smile. ‘Cages
don’t stop me. I always wake up in the forest after the
full moon.’
I grinned. ‘Now you’ll be waking up next to me.’
‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’
Putting my hands into the pockets of my hoodie, I
met a scrunched up piece of paper.
I began to unfurl it.
‘What’s that?’ Mr. Stone asked, glancing over.
I stared at my mother’s handwriting on the A4 piece
of paper.
Silver Moon Forest, Alaska
Alpha: Colt
Pack Population: 32
Call to schedule initiation.
‘Alaska,’ I said, smiling.
‘Huh?’
I handed him the piece of paper, which he read
quickly before passing it back to me.
‘What is that place?’
‘A community … of people like us.’
‘A pack?’ he asked.
I nodded.
‘Well then,’ Mr. Stone smiled at me. ‘Buckle your
seatbelt, my love. We’ve got a bit of a drive ahead of
us.’
226
Thank you for reading
Alpha Girl (Wolfling #1)
Don’t forget to leave a review about your reading
experience.
To learn about Kate’s upcoming novels, please visit:
http://www.bloomfieldkate.com
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