Werewolves and Vampires

Chapter 6: Dirty Little Secret

By the time I got home Friday night, I was absolutely sick. Sick of secrets, dodgy answers, and just people in general. So that definitely explained why I was sitting on the couch watching TV on a Friday night, in jogging pants with a bowl of ice cream on my lap.

Or at least, I was until the doorbell rang. Since I was home alone (Ivy was at Claire’s house again and my dad was at work) I had to get it. After I somehow managed to get myself off the very comfortable couch and dragged myself to the door, the person started knocking on the door…very, very loudly.

“What?” I snapped, whipping the door open in annoyance.

“Someone’s in a bad mood,” Matt said, forcing a smile.

I peered behind him and saw Dakota, Mirah and Jared waiting on the porch. There was a tangible awkwardness hanging in the air as they waited for me to let them in.

“Deal,” I said curtly.

“Can we come in?” Matt asked.

I paused a moment before stepping aside, holding the door open until they had all filed in somberly.

“Nice house,” Jared said, whistling.

“Thanks,” I muttered. They all took off their coats and boots and I gestured for them to follow me into the living room. I picked up my bowl of ice cream before settling on the couch, turning the TV off.

“So, what do I owe this honor?” I asked, taking a bite of ice cream.

Awkwardly, they all picked a spot to sit. Matt sat on the reclining chair next to the couch I was sitting on, Dakota sat on the arm of my couch while Mirah and Jared sat next to each other on the opposite couch.

“Well, we told you we were going to tell you about…our um….” Matt started, but he looked at a loss for words.

“Dirty little secret?”

“Yeah, I suppose you could call it that,” Jared said, looking amused.

Another silence ensued as they all looked to each other, as if waiting for someone else to make the bold choice to tell me so they wouldn't have too.

“Well?” I asked, taking another spoonful of ice cream.

“Um…sorry. I’m trying to think of a way to say it without us sounding crazy,” Matt said, scrunching up his face in thought.

“I already know we’re not human, how much crazier can you get?”

“The girl has a point,” Mirah said, fixing Matt with her green eyes.

“The 'girl’ has a name,” I said sourly.

Mirah sighed in exasperation, turning those sharp eyes to me next. “Lila has a point.”

“Thank you.”

“You're not welcome.”

“Can we get back to the point?” Dakota asked, looking worried as she tugged on the end of one of her braids.

“Thank you, Dakota,” Matt said, smiling at her briefly before turning to look at me. His face was dead serious and I fidgeted under his stare. Maybe they were all crazy and none of it was true. Maybe I was crazy for having swallowed it without arguing.

“To put it bluntly, you’re a werewolf,” he said.

I stared at him a moment feeling something weird in my gut, it was a good weird but I ignored it before shaking my head at Matt.

“Very funny, Matt."

He wasn’t laughing, and no one else was either. Each one of their faces was serious and worried, almost as if they were scared of my reaction.