She heard the whirl of an electric window and forced herself not to look.
“Hey Tammy!” Bianca barked.
Being alone and knowing Bianca had just yelled out the passenger window, Tamyra acted as if she didn’t hear her. She didn’t want to get into anything with Bianca, especially not when outnumbered.
“You deaf, skank? Tammy!”
She could feel extra liquid well up in her eyes and hated it. She couldn’t turn around and allow Bianca to see her this way. Tamyra machine-gun-blinked her eyes dry and held on to the memory of Sal holding her hand. She refused to give in to tears.
Something whizzed by her shoulder and thumped to the ground in front of her. She tried not to look, but found she couldn’t stop herself. Her brain registered the shape and before she really had a chance to focus on it, she knew what the object was. One of her missing shoes.
Don’t look back at the car. The second shoe hit her ankle and skidded to a stop on the grass to her right. The impact of the shoe hadn't hurt her, still too much in shock to feel pain. Not knowing what else to do or say she simply stared back and fourth between her stolen shoes. At least they didn’t appear damaged. Tamyra kidded herself, she’d never wear them again.
She stood on the sidewalk and pleaded not to cry. Tamyra wished she could stand up to Bianca, the way Yvonne did.
“What, Tammy, you got nothing to say? Well let me say this, you think you can come to town and steal my man? I’ll take whatever I want of yours. You hear me skank?! Stay away from him!”
Tamyra bent over and picked up the shoe closest to her. She tried to act nonchalant, as if having her shoes thrown at her out of a car was the most natural thing in the world. She inspected the shoe and after a moment decided nothing was wrong with it. Even though she may never wear it again, she slipped it into her bag to take home. Now her mom wouldn’t have to know.
She reached for the second one when she heard Sal’s raised voice behind her; “What the hell’s going on?!”
The unmistakable sound of tires barking off pavement caught her ears and then the mustang shot by her. From the brief glimpse she managed, the passenger side window had already closed.
She shook her head and picked up her other shoe. It didn’t appear to be damaged either. Tamyra tucked the second shoe into her bag as Sal reached her.
“That thing you just put in your bag, it was your missing shoe, wasn’t it?”
“Not missing anymore.”
“Nice. Real nice. Was that Bianca I saw?”
“I didn’t see but I’m pretty sure it was. No one else calls me Tammy… or skank.”
“She calls you what?!”
“Look I don’t really want to talk about this. I’d rather go home if you don’t mind.”
“Tamyra, we can’t let her do this!”
“Yeah, OK. I’ll deal with it later.”
He lifted a hand onto her shoulder and softly hooked it onto her back while he pulled her close. Her sadness and tension dissolved with his hug.
“I’m sorry if I’m pushing. I just can’t believe her! Why go after you? Why not ask me out and let me laugh at her and it’s done with.”
“Don’t worry about her.”
“It’s not Bianca I’m worried about.”
“I’ll be fine. Being the new girl isn’t supposed to be easy.”
She felt the Bianca-blues creeping back as he let her go and took a step back from her. His expression grew serious and she thought for sure he was about to lecture her. He caught her off-guard when he said; “I have no clue how to word this right and tried all the way home from school and then chickened out and debated texting you. I didn’t want to sound like a big cheese-ball and say something like, ‘this could cheer you up’ but hey, I haven’t thought up a better way to ask. Um… what I’m trying to say is do you want to do something tonight, just you and me? Like, uh… you know… a date?”
Tamyra knew he waited for an answer and she wanted to jump up and down screaming ‘yes’ but she couldn’t get her tongue around even one measly word. She sensed the pause made him uncomfortable the longer she let it go. His hand fluttered against his thigh in an unnaturally tense manner. So she did the only thing she could and nodded her head.
“For a second there you almost made me think the answer was going to be no.”
“Yes. My answer is yes.”
As the ‘yes’ left her lips the second time, she remembered tonight the moon would be full.
Chapter 14
Tamyra sat on the porch in a big white wicker chair when Sal strolled up to the house. She kicked her shoes off and curled her legs up underneath her. The day still felt warm enough she didn’t need to grab a jacket to put over her short-sleeved top. He spotted her and stopped shy of the bottom stair.
“Hi.” He sounded strange, maybe nervous.
“Hey. So what’s the plan?”
”I... um... well… my mom is working for another hour, so I hope you don’t mind walking.”
“Cool with me.”
“Oh good. I’m sort of embarrassed.”
“I can ask mom for the car if you want… or does that make it worse?”
“You know what? It’s not important. The mall’s only a ten minute walk from here.”
“You’re taking me to the mall?” she giggled.
“I’m sorry. It sounded so much better in my head. You know, get something to eat and then go to the pet store. I thought because you liked the baby animals so much, it would be a good start. We can always do something else. I didn’t think a movie would be good ‘cause we can’t talk, but maybe we should do that instead.”
“No, no. The mall is a really thoughtful idea. Besides I can’t be out too late tonight.”
Tamyra dropped her gaze to the ground as she slid her feet into her shoes and stood up. She hoped he hadn’t noticed the cloud come over her expression when she said she’d have to be home early.
“No worries. My mom doesn’t like me out too late on school nights either.”
She couldn’t correct him, so she said nothing and let him believe what he wanted. She met him at the bottom of the short staircase and wasn’t sure what to do. Hug him? Or take his hand?
He stared at her for a minute and it felt like forever.
“You look nice. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear make-up before.”
“Oh, thanks. You too.”
“You mean my make-up is working for me too?”
She made an awkward half snort, half laugh sound.
“Not make-up. I meant you look nice too.”
“Careful little girl, looks can be deceiving.” He said in a mock Dracula voice.
“We better get going. I kinda have to be home by dark.”
“Oooooooooh! Back to the old rule of the streetlights coming on, huh?”
“Something like.”
She sensed he wanted to know more and felt relieved when he didn’t pursue it. Instead he held out his hand to her. She let her pleasure beam through her face as she extended her hand and wrapped her fingers around his. She imagined feeling the warmth from his hand running up her arm.
Hand in hand they moved quietly across the property. She hadn’t a clue what to say to him and it didn’t seem to matter.
Once they cleared the property line, the menacing old abandoned house came into sight and he sniggered.
“One night we should get the whole gang together and find out if that place is really haunted. We could have like a séance or something.”
“That place freaks me out from out here in the daylight and you want to go traipsing around inside after dark? For real?”
“It’ll be fun. With Val, Cam and I around, you girls wouldn’t have to be scared.”
“Never mind you boys, Yvonne could take you all on with one hand behind her back!”
“You might be right about that.”
“Yeah and then what? We all sit around while Sandi tries to talk to dead people? That’s way creepy.”
/> “Hey! I thought you didn’t mind that Sandi was into that stuff.”
“I don’t, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to be around it either.”
“Why Tamyra? Don’t you believe in ghosts and ghouls, vampires and demons?”
“Maybe I believe a little too much.”
“Huh. Like maybe there’s a full moon tonight and that’s why you’ve got to be home before dark? So the big bad wolf doesn’t get you?”
Her guts rolled despite his dopey grin. He hit home, even if he had no idea. She swung her free hand and playfully swatted his upper arm.
“Sal, how do I know you aren’t the big bad wolf?” with that she cracked herself up.
Genuine laughter, although probably a bit louder than it normally would have been, but he didn’t take notice and laughed along with her. Being with him felt right.
*-*-*
On their way to the mall they chatted about her adjustment to the slower pace of Shiver Cove and how the first week of school went. Sal tried to bring her up to speed on some of the rumors at school, but she hadn’t met most of the people involved yet.
Their conversation continued to flow during their food court meal.
Leaving the pet store, they still gabbed away. Tamyra had been secretly ecstatic when they hadn’t bumped into anyone from school. There had been one girl working in a store they passed and Sal waved to her, but he didn’t stop in.
She insisted on treating him to a milkshake once they left the pet shop and now they each slurped up chocolatey goodness. When they left the mall, day still ruled for the most part.
Dusk snuck in and painted the sky in magnificent pinks, oranges and purples. She thought about the make-out spot she stumbled on and how amazing the sunset would look over the water from there.
Tamyra felt a twinge of disappointment over having to cut their night short. Things had gone so well, a regular person would have been able to enjoy his company for another hour or two. She told herself not to dwell on feeling like she somehow let herself down, and to keep enjoying time with him while it lasted.
The closer they got to her place, the slower they walked. She knew she had to be home long before the moon rose, which meant twilight. The orangey hue bled from the sky and she couldn’t trust herself once darkness fell.
“We’re almost back to your place and it’s not even near late.”
She could tell from his tone he desperately wanted to ask her why she had to be in so early. She wracked her brain thinking of something to say to distract him.
“Sal, you put some serious thought into our date tonight. I think it went better without the car, by the way.”
“If I had the car I was going to take you someplace special.”
“Oh really? Where’s that?”
“It’ll have to stay a secret until another time.”
She couldn’t be totally sure but she thought he put some emphasis on the word ‘secret’. As in her keeping a secret from him by not telling him why she had to be in so early. Or maybe she just imagined it. It didn’t really matter. He said there would be another time. A second date!
“Secret is OK. I’m glad I have a surprise to look forward to.”
“I’m glad you’re glad. I was hoping you’d say we could go out again.”
He gave her hand a shy squeeze and it stopped her dead. She turned to see his eyes as she spoke.
“You’re telling me you didn’t know I’d go out with you again, Sal?”
He looked at the ground and fidgeted with the lip of his pant pocket. She recognized and simultaneously regretted making him uncomfortable.
“I guess. I don’t know. I hoped you would. Come on, I gotta get you home, remember?”
She wanted to tell him she’d go anywhere with him and loved being in his company. She wished she could take back her words, even though she wasn’t sure what affected him so much. A reassuring phrase wouldn’t form. If she opened her mouth it would be word salad.
As she planned what to say she felt his hand on her cheek and then his lips against hers.
Chapter 15
Her stomach felt like a flock of Pterodactyls battered her from the inside. Anything remotely close to sweet little butterflies vanished. Her first kiss had been amazing. She also judged it would be about an hour before the sun totally disappeared and the moon would reign.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. OK, I meant to but, it’s just you look so scared. You’re not supposed to look scared.” Sal babbled.
She wanted to tell him he wasn’t the source of her fear. It frightened her to think of what she might do to him if the change took her over while they were still together. She had to get home.
“Sal, please don’t apologize and don’t take it the wrong way when I say I have to get home. I can’t explain. I need you to trust me.”
The hurt registered on his face as clear as if he were a five-year-old child, even though she knew he tried his best to conceal it from her. His hangdog look felt like a shard of glass digging into her heart.
For a minute he didn’t say anything. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, weighing out some great decision. When he finally spoke he stared with a soul burning intensity into her eyes and said; “I will trust you now but, if you are going to be my girlfriend, you have to promise me eventually you’ll tell me what this homeward rush is all about. When you’re ready, that is.”
Without needing any thought she whispered; “I promise.”
“How long do you have?”
“Sorry?”
“Well, how long until you turn into a pumpkin?”
She let out a laugh. If he only knew.
“I’m thinking probably under half hour.”
“But at least a half hour?”
The corners of his mouth curled in a mischievous smile. Whatever he had in mind, she figured, it was going to be too interesting to turn down.
“Yeah. At least a half hour. Why?”
“I got an idea. I don’t know if you’ll be up for it, though.”
“Hmmmmm. What’s this idea?”
“Nope, not telling. Not telling ‘til we’re closer to your place.”
“Fair enough. As long as we’re moving in the right direction, I guess I can wait.”
He turned away from her and walked towards her home. She caught up to him in a few quick strides and this time she slipped her hand in his.
“Sal, I don’t want to spoil tonight further but…”
“But what?”
“Back there… well… back there you said if I was going to be your girlfriend.”
“Yeah?”
He posed it as a question even though she felt sure he knew what she was getting at. From her peripheral vision she could tell he smirked, enjoying watching her squirm.
“Well… um…”
This time he didn’t give any retort. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as if encouraging her to go on.
“Well… is that what I am to you?”
She stood in disbelief over her own words. She hadn’t the slightest idea how she managed to get them out.
“I’m hoping.” He said only marginally louder than her whispered promise.
The world disappeared and at that moment she only saw him. She leaned over and kissed him on his cheek near the corner of his mouth. He turned his head and kissed her back on the lips.
He drew back and his huge goofy grin couldn’t be missed. She felt like a fairy tale princess for all of a second. Then the world came back into focus. The sun would be down very soon.
The orange had bled from the sky and all that remained was a slim band of lingering pink. The rest of the sky had turned the kind of purple that would fade into black quickly.
Her eyes tingled and she could tell the white part vanished as the change began. No more time to mess around. She had to get away from him now, her fear of mauling him compelled her.
She couldn’t let him see her eyes. Keeping her gaze downward she said; “I have to go now. Alone
. Sorry.”
Leaving him stunned and staring at her, she sprinted down the sidewalk.
Chapter 16
Her eyes flooded and burned. Irritated more from the transformation than from having to run off on Sal. She felt horrible dashing off on him, but had no confusion as to how much worse it could have been for him if she stayed. A bruised ego he would survive, an attack from a werewolf, not so much.
She glanced back over her shoulder one final time before she darted into the forest. Relieved he hadn’t tried to follow her and conflicted by her irrational disappointment. Tamyra didn’t have time to fret over him now.
Every nerve and fiber of her hummed with anticipation of the coming metamorphosis. Her speed increased. Her muscles thickened and grew more powerful, they slithered and bulged under her skin - the sensation akin to a rope being pulled through her hands, only slipping beneath her flesh.
The sun was nearly down now. She would only have full control of herself for a few minutes longer. Human eyes wouldn’t have been able to see in the dim light, however her eyes had completely changed and she could discern every detail.
Eyelash-length hairs covered her entire body. Tamyra’s face itched as it bristled with fine hair. The rest of her body underwent so much as it transformed. Odd only the hairs on her face received any attention.
She swiped at her nose with her hand and smelled blood as she pulled away thick claws. So much for trying to save these clothes. Instinctively she knew she arrived at her property. She ceased running and kicked off her shoes. Unsure how, she managed to drop her bag to the ground near them. She spun around seeking any familiar landmark to help her recover her things in the morning, but found none.
Tamyra didn’t expect to be able to stay conscious beyond the next minute or two. Her jeans stretched so tight against her they hindered her movement. Her knees popped backward. The muscle of her thighs doubled. Fear of being seen naked still restricted her, more important than her need to move freely. She left her jeans on.
Her breath wheezed out in rasping pants. The physical exertion immense. She always found herself wondering the next day how she could even move once she changed back.