Chapter 12: Chapter Happy New Year

Erica’s POV When I get home I head straight to my room as I don’t need my parents to see me smiling like an idiot I don’t need them asking any questions. I fall asleep that night thinking about Brett and what that kiss means for us.

The next few days go by as normal my parents wanting me to hang out with them and spend time as they have been pretty absent the past few years and now since they are for now out of a job they want to make up for it. It is now new years eve and I convinced my parents to let me spend the whole day with Brett and to be back soon after midnight.

“Hey,” I say as I approach the den where Brett was waiting for me.

“Hey,” as I get close to him he pulls me into a hug wrapping his arms around my waist and I lay my head on his chest and breathe in his scent, his sweet scent that has become comforting to me.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” I say moving my head to look up at him.

“It has been a long few days sitting here reading.”

“You probably could have come over my parents did say you are always welcome.”

“I didn’t want to intrude on your family time.”

“It would have been a release they were really clingy it was weird.”

“Well now you have a whole day free of their clinginess,” Brett replies looking down at me. “So what is it you want to do today.”

“Anything as long as I am with you,” I say my voice muffled as I snuggle into his embrace.

“I think I have an idea,” he says kissing the top of my head as he lets me go before grabs my hand and pulls me with him.

“Where are we going,” I ask after a minute.

" To the lake, I told you we went to on the night of your first transformation.”

“But neither of us has a swimsuit to wear.”

“Who said anything about needing a swimsuit.”

“You’re not suggesting going skinny dipping are you,” I say slightly worried “No, well not really.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“As wolves, we don’t need swimsuits and technically we are naked as wolves but that is normal and not weird.”

“Well then let’s go.” I let go of his hand and shift into my wolf and look up at Brett standing over me. He lets out a light laugh before shifting into his wolf and running ahead of me leading the way to the lake me following close behind.

When the lake was in sight I went full speed ahead and then jumped into the water off of a fallen tree. I resurfaced only to have to go under the water again as Brett followed my lead and jumped into the water almost landing on top of me. For several hours we swam around in the lake splashing each other and just having fun. Around noon we decided to catch something to eat as we were getting hungry so Brett went and caught us some fish.

After we ate we laid down in the grass to dry off completely. Brett laid down and I curled up next to him for him to only lay his head on me. At some point, we must have fallen asleep because the next thing I remember is waking up with my head on Brett’s shoulder and my hand on his chest with his arm around my resting on the small of my back. I turn my head ever so slightly to look up at Brett and he is looking down at me.

“Have you been watching me sleep?”

“A little bit I will admit but I couldn’t help it you are cute when you sleep.”

“Where did you get that line from a horribly cheesy romance movie?” seeing his confusion I explain. “In some romance movies the girl wakes up and the guy has been watching her sleep and he says how she is really cute when she sleeps and whatnot.”

“Oh, well those guys were probably lying but I am not.”

“mmhmm sure, I am pretty sure I look like something out of a monster movie when I sleep.”

“How would you know you can’t watch yourself sleep.”

“I know by just the way that I lay down when I fall asleep.”

“But this time you fell asleep as a wolf.”

“Touche.”

“So what do we want to do now.”

“What time is it?”

“A little after 4.”

“Wow, I was out that long.”

“Yeah but don’t worry we still have until midnight,” he says as he gives me a kiss on the forehead. My breath hitches at the moment his lips come into contact with my skin and the area he kissed burns not in a painful manner but pleasurable I guess you could say.

“You know we haven’t talked about what happened between us on Christmas night.”

“No, we haven’t. Do you want to?”

“Well kinda yeah.”

“Then how about we do it over dinner we go into town you can give me a little bit of a tour and then we can have dinner and we can talk.”

“Alrighty, then what are we waiting for.” I lead Brett into town and give him a quick tour of where the school is where the big hangouts are some popular stores and Finally my favorite spot in town a small little diner. “Alright, this is our last stop on my grand tour, a locally owned diner that has the best food in this town and not to mention the best customer service Uncle Vinny’s.” I push open the door and let Brett walk in.

“Retro I like it.”

“Just wait till you taste the food.” we sit at a booth and a minute later an older gentleman walks over to us.

“Hey, Erica long time no see what you been up to.”

“A lot actually uncle Vinny but I hope I will be able to stop in more often.”

“That’s good to hear. Who is this you have with you today.”

“This is Brett he is new in town and I was just showing him around.”

“Well, it is nice to meet you, Brett.”

“Nice to meet you too sir.”

“Please call me uncle Vinny everybody who comes here often calls me that. What can I get for you two today.”

“We will have two of my usual,” I state before Brett can say anything.

“Alright, that will be right out.” Uncle Vinny says as he walks away.

“Wow, you just ordered for me.”

“What don’t you trust me.”

“Of course I do more than anyone,” he says looking into my eyes. A minute later the food arrives and we sit in silence as we eat an once we were finished I bring up what we came to talk about.

“So Christmas night.”

“Yeah.”

“That thing happened between us.”

“Yeah, it did.”

“So what does that mean for us?”

“What do you want it to mean.”

“I don’t know I am afraid.”

“Afraid of what.”

“Relationships. I have seen so many that end badly and I don’t want that to happen with us because we are a pack.”

“Well then let’s make a promise that no matter what happens we will still be friends.”

“How are we supposed to keep a promise like that?”

“We will figure it out but like you said we are a pack.” as he says this he pulls his necklace with the pack symbol on it out from under his shirt, I smile when I see it. “So you want to try this, us?” he reaches his hand across the table waiting for me to take it.

“Some things are worth the risk.” I smile and take his hand.

“On the house for you two lovebirds,” Vinny says smiling at me from the counter giving the thumbs up with that my cheeks turn a bright shade of red.we head out and find our way back to the den and 5 minutes till midnight I pull up the New York Times Square ball drop live stream on my phone. We watch these few minutes and soon it is counting down the seconds.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1... Happy New Year!

Brett pulls me to him and kisses me it was a sweet, passionate kiss not rushed or rough or anything like that it caught me by surprise but I was quickly kissing him back. After a minute we pulled apart out of breath and breathing heavily.

“I didn’t know you knew that tradition,” I say in between breaths “One of the few traditions werewolves have in common with humans,” he says before giving me a kiss on the forehead. “You should probably go before your parents send a search party out for you.”

“Okay, I will see you later I guess.” I walk home my heart beating a million miles a minute my mind mulling over everything that happened today and then the realization hit me I have my first boyfriend.