NEWBORN: Book One of the Newborn Trilogy (16 page)

“Oh,” I say, “I – I didn’t know.”

“Me neither,” Kiri remarks, “which is the
problem. If I knew right after high school I might never have come
here. My whole life might be different.”

Straightening my hair with my fingers, I tell
her, “I’m glad you came to Evergreen, Kiri. Otherwise I’d probably
have an awful roommate. You saved me from that. So there! It was
worth it!”

Grinning, Kiri gets up. “Want another
drink?”

“Yes, please!” I say too enthusiastically.
“Same thing.”

Kiri returns with two gin and tonics this
time. Finishing my first I leap onto my second. Geez, is this how
alcoholism begins? Probably.

“Okey-dokey, I kept my half of the bargain,”
Kiri informs me. “Now tell me more about your new boyfriend!”

I roll my eyes to the ceiling. “He’s
not
my new boyfriend. Err – I don’t think he is, anyway. Not
yet.”

“You’re not sure,” Kiri observes. “You might
want to clear that up before things get awkward.”

“I mean I like him,” I defend. “He’s – um –
he’s different, you could say. Not like most guys…” Geez, how do I
phrase this without giving away his secret? “He has special
abilities. Abilities most guys don’t have. He has a pet owl named
Merrifeather and he dresses in bright, eccentric clothes –”

Kiri snorts into her gin and tonic and
doubles over coughing. Worried, I lean in closer, but soon realize
her hacking cough has turned into wheezing laughter. “Nora!” she
exclaims. “Nora, you poor thing!”

“What?” I’m looking around in embarrassment.
People are staring at us from the bar. “What did I say wrong?”

“Oh – nothing,” Kiri burps. She erupts into
another fit of giggles. “I – I hate to be the bearer of bad
tidings,” she hiccups upon righting herself, “but I think you were
right. He’s not your boyfriend!”

“Why’s that?” I’m starting to feel annoyed.
She’s having a little too much fun at my expense. “He took me to
the beach the other day and we held hands. Then he made my clothes
all fresh and new. Oh, and he likes
wands
,” I throw out
dissonantly. Maybe she’ll pick up on that one. “Why are you
laughing?”

For Kiri is wiping tears of mirth from her
eyes now.

I wait for her fit to pass.

Eyes dry, Kiri looks at me and sighs. “I hate
to tell you this, Nora, but your boyfriend is –
uh
–
bent.”

I blink at her. “I’m not following.”

“He’s poofy,” she says.

I stare. “What are you saying?”

“Nora!” Kiri says in exasperation. “He’s a
martini with a twist!”

I shake my head. Geez, I wonder if these are
secret code words for wizards. Maybe Immags do know about them.

“A strawberry daiquiri?”

“Kiri,” I say. “I don’t understand what
you’re saying.”

She frowns, thinking. “He’s a friend of
Dorothy.”

“Just tell me!”

Sighing, Kiri covers her eyes. “Nora. He’s
gay. I’m sorry.”

Realization hitting, I palm my forehead. “Oh,
you – you
completely
misunderstood.” But then I start to
giggle. This sets Kiri off, too. And for a long time we can’t stop.
Gulping down much-needed air with my gin and tonic, I stumble into
another fit of giggles as Kiri gets us another round.

I can’t believe you said all that in that
way
, my alter ego hiccups. Even she is laughing.

Oh well
, I respond,
at least his
cover isn’t blown
.

“In other news,” I tell Kiri when she
returns, “My mom has a boyfriend for the first time since the
divorce. Best part is she found him in under a week to get back at
Dad for having a date last weekend.”

“Whoa,” Kiri says, sipping from her straw,
her eyes turning hazy in the dull light. “That’s seriously messed
up. Is your Mom’s new boyfriend gay too?”

“Probably,” I say. “But Gabriel isn’t gay!
He’s just eccentric. I think he likes me. No. I
know
he
likes me. So there!”

“Suit yourself,” Kiri says calmly. “But
remember – I warned you. So when you’ve gotten your heart all
tangled up in him and it doesn’t work out don’t come tripping to
me! My arms will be crossed!”

I shake my head at her, my grin stamped and
irremovable. “Why don’t you meet him? Since you’re so good at
telling these things, meet him and decide if he’s gay. Until then
he gets the benefit of the doubt. Deal?”

“Deal,” Kiri confirms. We raise our
replenished glasses for a toast. “We’ll be seeing about this
Gabriel. By the way, I have tons of laundry that needs doing in my
closet. You can send him right over.”

* * *

I’m walking to English 301: The Art of the
Essay.

My head is splitting. Only after finishing
our third round of gin and tonics did Kiri and I wind our way back
to dorm building C. I assume Kiri made it to her early class. She
was gone when I awoke. Now I’m trudging to class. If I’m going to
be a drinker I need to invest in some fucking Tylenol.

Another rainless, cloudy day. It’s not the
rain that’s oppressive here, but the perpetually looming nature of
its possibility. The rain isn’t debilitating when it comes. But the
feeling rain is always seconds away grows wearisome on a soul.

Finding my usual seat by the window, I watch
as the class files in. A mopey crowd this morning. Or maybe it’s
just Tuesday. Neither is a cheerful thought. Less cheerful still is
Wolf’s empty chair. Where is he? He’s never late.

Dr. Tuten walks into the room, the lone
sprightly figure. “Good morning,” he says cheerfully. “Had a good
weekend?” Nobody answers. “I’ve graded your essays,” Tuten
continues. “So when I call one of the names in your team, put your
hands up and I’ll bring it over. Martinheim?”

A terrible thought occurs to me as I stare at
Wolf’s empty chair. Evergreen State College is still within the
drop/add period. For a couple more days, anyway. What if Wolf
dropped the class? The thought makes sick. Sicker than I already
feel. I don’t know what I’d do if he dropped it.

Wolf is the reason I look forward to this
class. He has the warmest black eyes I’ve ever seen. The cutest
crooked smile. The most ripped body… I can’t believe he’s gone. I
can’t believe he didn’t give me some notice. Some warning. I
deserve that much. How could he be so cruel? How could he be so
–?

Wolfgang strides in as Tuten calls,
“Saynt-Rae!”

“Give it here,” Wolf says. The professor
hands him the essay. Wolf winks from across the room as he comes
over. Tossing himself in his seat, he grins over at me, his crooked
smile hotter than a blazing fire. “Thought you’d never see me
again?”

“Of course not!” I lie through my teeth.
“How’d we do?”

Wolf frowns down at the paper then glances at
me. “Hmm,” he ponders, “says at the top, ‘While the essay is well
conceived and constructed, the scratch on the paper is so unearthly
and disjointed I can only assume the person doing the writing had
some mild form of dysgraphia.’ We got a C,” Wolf adds. “‘For the
poor penmanship,’ it says.”

“I don’t believe you!” I swipe the essay from
him. Retrieving it, I notice the sprawling B across the top. At the
bottom are only two words. ‘Very imaginative.’ I scowl over at
Wolf, who is grinning crookedly. “Scoundrel,” I tell him. “‘Very
imaginative,’” I repeat darkly. “Sounds like a dig.”

“Probably is,” Wolf says carelessly. “But
hey, we got a B!”

My eyes take in the title:
Werewolves: The
Sworn Protectors
. I wonder… “Want to hang out after class?” I
ask him. I’m trying hard to sound casual. “I’ve got some free time
before History.”

Wolf looks surprised, but more pleased. “Sure
thing,” he says. “You know I’ve got time. Only taking one class,
remember?”

The clouds have cleared. So has my headache.
The sky yields to clarity as it serenades our steps with a breeze
and the occasional leaf for whose tree autumn has come early.

Wolf and I are walking to Red Square.
Hoisting my weightless backpack on my shoulder, I feel weightless,
too.

Glancing at my companion, I’m dazzled by
smooth, russet skin and full, maroon lips. He’s so cute! I don’t
care what Dad says – I can have guy friends if want to. Now I think
of it, my social life isn’t that bad. I have
two
friends
now: Kiri and Wolf. Then there’s Gabriel, whatever the hell he is
to me. Still haven’t figured him out.

“You’re quiet,” Wolf says, black eyes
sweeping me. “Did you want to show me around campus? Because I know
where stuff is. I live here!”

Eyeing him coldly, I stow my grin as best I
can. “No, Wolf! I didn’t want to show you around campus. I know you
live here. I think you know perfectly well why I want to hang out
with you.”

“Oh no,” Wolf says, his expression caving. “I
– is it that obvious?” He’s looking anxious. Embarrassed, even.

“Kind of,” I tell him. “Let’s find somewhere
to sit.”

Leading him to one of the wrought iron tables
around Red Square, I sit and Wolf follows suit. The table is one of
those metallic ones where the chairs are attached at the bottom. I
always find these tables uncomfortable. Fitting, as this is going
to be an uncomfortable conversation.

“You know?” His voice is small.

“How could I not?” I ask him. “It was so
obvious from day one. Well – day two, actually. But still – it was
right there in front of me. From the way you were acting I thought
you wanted me to know, Wolf. You were letting it slip every second.
How ignorant do you think I am?”

“It’s not like that,” Wolf says hoarsely. His
tone is drenched in defeat. “I – I don’t think you’re ignorant or
anything. I should have assumed you’d guess. I wish I figured out a
way to do it tactfully.”

I shake my head. Poor dude. I’m shaming him
unnecessarily. “It’s hard to be tactful with something like
this.”

“Totally agree,” he says. Abashed, his russet
cheeks are glowing red. “Not for a lack of trying, Nora. Never for
a lack of trying. Not on my part. I wish I said it when I should
have. Back when we were writing that essay together. I’m surprised
we scraped a B. My essay was pathetic. Pretentious and verbose. I
was trying to impress you with it. Even now I want to impress
you.”

Geez, he’s so shy about it.

“You do impress me.”

Come on, Wolf!
My alter ego shouts at
him.
Out with it!

Relax
, I tell her,
give him
space.

“So that’s that,” I say, freeing a slow
smile. “I know now. We can put secrets behind us and get on with
life.”

Black eyes are upon me. “I’d love that, Nora.
No more secrets. Everything out in the open. You know,” he adds, a
cautious grin spreading across his features, “I’m glad you’re
taking this so well. I thought you’d reject me outright. Cast me
away like a bad dog. I’m glad you’re cool with it.”

Who does he think I am? A terrible
person?

“Reject you outright?” I repeat in shock.
“Never! I could never do that to someone as sweet as you.” He
blushes hugely at this. “To be honest,” I continue, “I’m starting
to believe just about everything, no matter how crazy. Not long ago
I’d have considered you ridiculous. Actually, I still consider you
ridiculous.”

“You do?” His voice falters as his demeanor
deflates. “I – I don’t think I deserve that,” he remarks, his voice
dusted with aggravation. “I’ve got my heart on my sleeve here and
you’re making fun of me!”

“No, Wolf!” I say hastily, back treading.
“Nothing like that! What did you expect me to think? This is so
weird!
You’re
so weird! You have to admit it to yourself.
You’re odd.
Different
, Wolf! You have to own it to live
it!”

Wolf is shaking his head, black eyes wide. He
slumps back and stares at me like he’s never seen me before, the
radiating warmth of those black eyes growing cold. “You are cruel,
Nora,” he tells me, his voice laced with shock. “You have a cruel
heart to say those things. Here I am telling you I like you – like
you
a lot
, in fact – and you throw it back in my face and
laugh. Calling me weird.
Different
.”

“I’m not –” Then his words dawn on me. “Oh,”
I breathe.

Shitballs, Nora
, narrates my alter
ego.
You’re so fucking stupid.

“You like me?”

He stares at me, eyes widening but keeping
safe distance. Like a dog afraid of being walloped. “You’re making
fun of me again, aren’t you?” he asks, gazing above my head.
“Rubbing it in.”

“I’m the idiot!” I exclaim. To which he meets
my eyes, surprised. “I’m the one who misunderstood everything!”

“What are you saying?” Wolf sounds annoyed,
as if thinking I’m going to pull one over on him again. I never did
to begin with.

“You’re a werewolf!”

Black eyes wide, Wolf stares at me in horror.
A flush is reddening his cheeks. Then, slowly, he licks full,
maroon lips.

Silence.

“
I
am the idiot,” he says. “I made
that
too obvious too, didn’t I? Stupid essay!”

I nod. “It was sort of obvious. You kept
saying ‘We’ instead of ‘They’. I thought you wanted me to know.
Wanted me to guess. Wanted me to say it aloud to get it over with.
Was I right or wrong?”

Warmth returning to his eyes, Wolf stares in
the direction of the Daniel J. Evans library. He says, “you’re
right. I wanted you to guess. Our law says I’m not allowed to give
myself away directly. If someone finds out on their own it’s
different.”

“See?” I tell him, a grin breaking across my
face. “You
are
odd. You
are
weird. You’re a werewolf,
sworn to protect humans.”

Wolf is frowning at me. He crosses muscular
arms. “Now you know everything,” he says dissonantly. “You know I
like you
and
you know I’m a werewolf. I
do
like you,
Nora. Very much. I want you to be –”