RED - Part 3 of 3 (short story) [GL]

III. The Thing about Wolves

According to folklore, wolves are forced to show their true form during a full moon.

They hide, afraid they will be feared once the false clothing is gone. They fear they will be cast out for being eccentric beings; but most of all, they fear being hated by the person they love.

And now I lie down before Leila, and the moon softly shines behind her. I wonder, if I will be caught tonight right in front of her eyes.

“Axelle?”

She looks at me with that sweet smile of hers. I think I won’t be sleeping anytime soon. “Not yet sleepy?”

The girl in camisole who was lying on her side shook her head. “Are you... comfy with that shirt?” Her sweet smile curved into a playful one, or that was what her friend imagined as it left her face red and her mouth partly open but speechless.

“Well I was just thinking... it suits you well,” Leila finished her thought.

God. What was I thinking? Axelle scolded herself. “Well... thanks?” The relieved protector then cleared her throat.

“Why are you so red?” Leila chuckled at her friend.

“I-I-I’m fine! I perfectly like the shirt!” The embarrassed friend panicked and the other girl just continued laughing.

H-how can I tell her I dream of her?

Leila showed a serious look before she spoke again. “Axelle, I wanna tell you something...”

“Wait!” Axelle quickly rose to her knees before Leila. “I have something to tell you too. It’s important—ah I’m not saying yours isn’t, it’s just—whatever—I’ll go first—please.”

Surprised by her friend’s sudden act, Leila sat too but in a cross-legged position facing her friend. “Go ahead...” she said eagerly.

“I... I didn’t happen to be just there at the scene on that day... the truth is...” Axelle gulped.

Leila waited patiently as she continued to look at her friend with sincerity.

“...the truth is that... I was following you on your way home.” Axelle looked down, unprepared to see her friend’s reaction. “I’m sorry I just told you this now. I was afraid you’d get mad. Please don’t get creeped out,” she nervously pleaded.

Sensing no trace of intense reaction from her friend, Axelle looked at Leila and her friend just nodded at her. She was looking at Axelle with the same sincerity as before, as if urging her to talk more.

“It’s because... I saw those guys lurking around you a day before the incident... You don’t pay attention to them and yet they still pester you... so I kind of sensed a bad vibe from them. And I thought of walking with you on your way home, to kinda ward them off...but...” Axelle let out a desperate sigh.

“But...?” Leila prodded her to continue.

“...but... I was just... I was just too shy to ask you,” the confessor finally revealed as she looked away in embarrassment.

A brief silence passed and then a laugh was heard. It was so cheerful Axelle couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She looked at Leila and just watched her fit of laughter and couldn’t help but to feel confused albeit relieved.

 “Um... does that mean I’m forgiven?” The guilty friend looked sheepishly at the girl wiping her tears from laughing too hard.

“Well, that was... unexpected.” The smiling girl shakes her head in amusement. “So... that’s your dirty little secret huh, the one you’ve been hiding from me all this time?” Leila let out a playful grin.

“Well that’s... Y-yeah, you could say that,” Axelle said, still embarrassed. “Actually, I’ve been stalking you since that day and I really didn’t expect things would really get serious with that jerk coming out of his hiding place all of a sudden.” She scoffed at the memory.

Seriously, it felt uneasy keeping something from her... Though it’s far from over yet, Axelle thought as she loosened up and sat sloppily on the bed.

“But really, you should’ve just asked to walk with me then.” Leila tried to restrain her smile. “In any case, it still doesn’t change the fact that you saved me. If it weren’t for you, then who knows what might have happened to me. So I’m thankful, you were there.”

“I know that was so stupid of me. Maybe I just thought you wouldn’t want to be with somebody like me.” Axelle let out what seemed to be a little pout.

“And why wouldn’t I?” Surprised Leila let out an amused smile.

“Because you’re just too beautiful.” Axelle looked at her friend as if telling her she was the most beautiful girl she had ever known.

“I don’t... really deserve this.” Leila blushed. “Your going out of your way to make sure I was safe, staying with me even after the incident, and now complimenting me out of the blue... Why are you so nice to me, Axelle?” The still blushing girl bit her lower lip.

Because... I want something? Do I want something more? Axelle contemplated. “Anyway, I’m just glad you didn’t get mad at me for stalking you like a wolf,” she just said, ignoring her friend’s question.

“I didn’t because it’s different,” Leila said matter-of-factly, surprised by her friend’s avoidance. “Predators hunt their prey to eat them. You followed me because you wanted to protect me,” she smiled, “just like a guardian angel.”

“But still...” I wanted to get close and now I ended up falling into my own trap.

“Well, we’re friends now and I trust you. Stop worrying about it now, okay? ” Leila assured her friend.

How can she trust me if I even have to protect her from myself? Axelle took a deep breath. “A wolf is still a wolf, you know. You can’t trust one, Leila.”

It’s been hard carrying these feelings all this time. Somehow I kind of wish she already knew so I wouldn’t have to hide it from her. And it would be easy for us to keep a distance if she decides to.

Sensing a conflict in her friend’s mind, Leila spoke again. “Axelle, do you want to hurt me? Did you ever think of hurting me?”

“Of course not!” Axelle answered in a heartbeat.

Leila smiled. “Then, that’s what makes you different.” She reached for her friend’s hand and looked her in the eyes. “See? You look at me differently. You’re close to me and yet, I don’t feel threatened at all. That’s how I know you are different from them. That’s how I know you are trustworthy.”

Look... differently? She’s just too kind to even comfort me at this rate. Axelle smiled bitterly. “Leila, do you know there’s a thing about wolves? The thing about them is that...

They find it hard to control their appetite.”

“It’s true,” the innocent-looking girl just agreed matter-of-factly.

No, you don’t understand. Axelle shook her head, desperately looking for words. “What I mean is you better not get too close to me anymore,” she said with finality, “like this.” The protector withdrew her hand from Leila’s touch.

“Why?” Leila looked hurt from Axelle’s gesture.

“Because, what if I’m a hungry wolf?” Axelle looked at her friend anxiously.

“Then, are you going to eat me?” Leila’s words sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

I might, the wolf in white shirt responded in silence.

“In that case...”

The moonlight glows at its peak as I can clearly see her eyes, kind and sincere. The light touches me and yet, I don’t believe such warmth could ever have come from it. The night is quiet and there is a certain beat. Hypnotized by the rhythm, I touch her cheek. My fingers glide smoothly on her lips and with a faint of her breath, the moon decides to sleep.

And yes, they are indeed sweet.