Teardrops of Clouds E-Book

Mari Bee

• Herausgeber: BoD - Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Full Moon Archives
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Seitenzahl: 750

Beschreibung

CLAUDIA SINCLAIR is losing it. Every day, she's closer to going insane. TEDDY HERRERA is scared. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, but lately it's all he seems to do. SCARLETT MONTGOMERY hates the world. It's not easy living in a house of secrets. TYLER LEE DAVIS is lonely. Day by day, they forget him even more. CHLOE WILLIAMSON is Chloe Williamson. Raising hell is what she does best. Sophomore year of high school is not what they expected. It's hard enough being sixteen and navigating all that comes with it: first relationships, new school activities, and shifting friendships. But something strange is happening. Their parents are acting unusual and everything points to the existence of mythical creatures that haven't been seen in years. Creatures that were completely eradicated by the war decades ago...or so everyone thought. But some things can't be hidden forever and at one point, the truth breaks through.

Leseprobe

Indice

PROLOGUE

☽ PART ONE ☾ CLOUDS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

☽ PART TWO ☾ TEARDROPS

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

☽ PART THREE ☾ RAIN

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

PROLOGUE

25 years ago

Cat Jones wouldn’t go down that aisle unless they dragged her by her hair. Which, considering the guest list of this wedding, was a solid possibility.

It didn’t matter that she was already dressed in the perfect white gown, with the perfect makeup and the perfect hair. It didn’t matter that hundreds of people had flown in from all over the world for this occasion. The Novikovs had come from St. Petersburg, the Lees from Korea, even the Van Dorens had flown over from London despite their current tensions with the other hunters.

Cat didn’t care about any of them. They could rot in hell for all she cared. Her mother was in the corner clutching her wine glass as if it was her only protection. Vivienne barely looked at her daughter all day, but when she did her face would contort in pain and memories and she would refill her glass without a word. Cat would scream at her if she thought there was any use.

She stood in front of the body-length mirror and traced the delicate details of her dress. She was nineteen and a bride. This should be the happiest day of her life, or at least that’s what all her bumbling bridesmaids kept whispering in her ear, but Cat hadn’t smiled once. She hadn’t chosen a maid of honor. There was only one person who would ever fit that part and well…

Cat hadn’t spoken to her in what felt like forever. She hadn’t even been invited to the wedding. Caterina didn’t know if that was a blessing or a curse because Florence would be the one person who would help her run away from this pompous ceremony.

She could have asked Natalia to be a bridesmaid but she had stopped herself at the last minute. It didn’t feel right. Now she regretted it because at least there would be someone with a brain in this stuffy, over-decorated prep room.

Someone knocked on the door and she barely flinched. It was probably her father again, reminding her that this was her duty and marrying into the Williamsons was everyone’s dream. The Williamson dynasty… the closest thing to American royalty that ever existed. Cat didn’t care for the riches or the political power or even the safety they could provide in the current turmoil.

But it wasn’t her father at the door. She didn’t turn her head, but she heard one of her bridesmaids screech, “David! You can’t be here. It’s bad luck to see the bride on the day of the wedding.”

“I know, I know,” he calmed her down easily. Cat didn’t bother to hold back her eye roll. Charismatic prick. “I just wanted a moment alone with her. Please.”

Caterina sighed and finally turned away from the mirror, “Let him in.”

“But Cat, it’s bad luck–”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, I don’t care!” She snapped. “Let him in.”

The bridesmaid flinched at her cursing but obeyed. All of Cat’s entourage slowly filtered out of the room. Vivienne sulked out without sparing her daughter a single glance. Cat felt lighter with her out of the room as if she had gotten rid of a ghost.

David walked in slowly, but without hesitation. He always did everything with so much assurance.

It was the type of arrogance that came with being handsome and rich your entire life. Cat didn’t bother to hide her disdain for him, “What do you want? Soon enough we’ll be stuck together forever. I’d rather not spend my last moments of freedom with you.”

He wasn’t fazed by her insults. He had been bearing them for months now. He shoved his hands into his pockets and lifted his chin, “I came to make sure you didn’t run away.”

Cat was quiet. She wouldn’t lie so she said nothing. He tilted his head as if he had expected nothing less, “You can’t run away.”

“I can do anything I want.”

“No, you can’t,” David said without any hint of sadness or pity. He said it as if he was telling her a fact about the weather patterns, “And neither can I. They’ll kill us both before we make it two steps out of the church.”

Cat felt all the fight drain out of her. She collapsed on the stupid pink chaise. Tears pricked her eyes and she didn’t care. Let her pain ruin her makeup. It was already ruining everything else.

David took a seat next to her and very boldly reached for her hand. Her eyes widened but she didn’t pull her hand away. It was the first time he had ever touched her.

“You don’t want this, and I don’t want this,” David kept his eyes on her. For the first time Cat realized how blue they were, “But I think together we can make the best of this.”

“How?” She asked weakly.

David looked unsure for the first time since he had entered the room, “I don’t know. But we can figure it out day by day. I just wanted to ask you to give me a chance. Give us a chance to try to be happy. Or at least something close to it.”

Cat looked at him for a long time and weighed her options. Then she leaned in and kissed him. It was a slow but short kiss. When she pulled away, David’s eyes were wide, “Caterina…”

He was the only one who ever called her by her full name. She gave him a sad, but real, smile, “I didn’t want the first time we kissed to be in a room full of strangers.”

He nodded in understanding. He opened his mouth several times but seemed to be at a loss for words. Luckily for him, Cat had found her clarity.

“Let’s go get married.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a warm welcome for the first time ever… Mr. and Mrs. Williamson!”

The room cheered but Natalia Novikova could only manage a weak smile. Cat and David came out holding hands. They were the most beautiful couple Natalia had ever known. Yet, the rotten feeling in her stomach only grew. Cat had a beautiful smile, but now it seemed forced… stale.

Natalia looked away and finished her champagne.

“Неужели все американские свадьбы такие… легкомысленные? (Are all American weddings so… frivolous?)” Aleksander asked from his spot next to her.

“Это обычно богатые придурки, которые организовывает вечеринки (It’s usually just the ones thrown by rich assholes),” Anya replied before Natalia could open her mouth.

Thankfully, they had both spoken in Russian so there was no risk of a passing guest overhearing. Natalia should probably reprimand them as their older sister.

The Williamsons were their allies after all, they shouldn’t be spoken of in this way. But she stayed quiet and reached for the bottle in the center of the table to refill her glass.

Her silence only encouraged them.

“Это свадебное платье такое безвкусное (That wedding dress is so tacky),” Anya looked Cat up and down from afar.

“Пожалуйста, пристрелите меня, если я когданибудь надену что-нибудь настолько отвратительное (Please shoot me if I ever wear anything that hideous).”

“Не искушай меня (Don’t tempt me),” Mikhail mumbled. His smirk was almost smug enough for Natalia to speak. She still didn’t.

But their father had had enough. “Хватит. (Quiet).”

All of their mouths snapped shut. They knew better than to ignore their father’s commands.

Natalia wasn’t sure if she preferred the silence or her siblings’ useless bickering.

Glasses started clinking and echoes of “Speech! Speech!” swept across the room. Anya rolled her eyes and whispered a condescending “Американцы (Americans),” under her breath.

A middle-aged man rose to his feet. Oscar Williamson. He looked like he used to be handsome, but time hadn’t been kind to him. The rumors about what happened to his wife, Serena, had reached even the depths of Russia. Some said she had tried to kill him before running away while others said that her body was buried in Oscar’s backyard. Anya always said that Oscar looked ‘too weak’ to murder anyone.

Oscar cleared his throat, “I’d like to thank every single one of you for being present on this joyous occasion. My son, David, is marrying the delightful Caterina and we couldn’t be more proud.” Cat gave a smile that could be interpreted as anything but delightful. “Today is a special day for many reasons. It’s the beginning of a new future. Not only for these two but for all of us.”

Those last three words lay heavy among the crowd and Natalia tensed. She had an idea of what would come next.

“For the first time in centuries, all the families are gathered here in peace, as allies, towards a common goal. The Van Dorens,” Charles Van Doren gave a small nod in acknowledgment, “The Novikovs,” her father’s only reaction was a small twitch of the lips, “The Gonzalez,” the shrill Argentinian woman grinned like a wildcat, “And many other people who have finally seen the truth. Our mission is one of utmost sacrifice and nobility. Fellow hunters…we are on the verge of greatness!”

The crowd burst into enthusiastic applause. Natalia forced herself to clap politely. She looked at Cat, or rather, Caterina Williamson. Her face, which always used to be warm and friendly, was now colder than ice.

“To celebrate the glorious future ahead of us, I have a special gift to bestow upon the newlyweds.” Oscar motioned to some people on the side and they dropped something in the middle of the currently empty dance floor. Natalia’s stomach dropped. No. No. No. No. That couldn’t be…

“I gift you the pelt of the Great Lucas Herrera in his mighty wolf form.”

The wolf pelt was gray with traces of shimmering silver. It was huge, almost two meters tall. The fur seemed other-worldly as it glistened under the lights of the room. An enchanting corpse to be used as a decorative carpet. It was beautiful. It was horrifying.

Natalia was about to throw up. She met Cat’s eyes and she knew she shared her horror.

Everyone cheered and clapped but Natalia could barely hear it. The world around her went quiet and the champagne glass slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor.

How had they gotten here?

How could she get out?

☽ PART ONE ☾CLOUDS

“We are like clouds. Limitless shapes created by the eye of the beholder.

Never gracing the earth, never close enough to touch. Never permanent enough to create a shape to call their own. Therefore, they are limited. We are like clouds.”

CHAPTER ONE

TEDDY

Teddy Herrera wasn’t sure if the blush on his cheeks was because of the burning sun or the pretty girl standing in front of him. The end of summer. The light touch of September in the sky. The clouds stood out more than ever in the endless blue above him. But none of that mattered compared to what was going to happen next: Teddy’s first kiss.

First kisses were special. He’d read about it countlessly. They stay on your lips. They mean something. They mean... someone might just look at you differently than the rest.

Maybe Chloe Williamson saw him differently. He had known her since the sixth grade when she moved to St. Lua and he remembered how pretty she was, but she didn’t look half as beautiful as she did now. They exchanged looks before and he decided he liked her. There might have always been a tiny crush he’d never told anyone about. Not even Claudia. He thought it was rather embarrassing. They only started speaking this summer though, when he accidentally bumped into her at the end of the school year. She was lovely and always wore a sweet perfume that left him a little dizzy. Her blonde hair was bright like the sun.

Teddy had never kissed someone on the lips.

He always imagined his first kiss to happen under the moonlight.

It was strange. Something about the moon was tempting enough to make him have silly thoughts about things like first kisses. It was sort of embarrassing actually because he’d even started devising a perfect plan of how it should happen. Of how he wanted it to play out.

He should do it now, under the sunlight, because Chloe had given every sign that she was expecting it. At least every sign he thought he knew about. This wasn’t like he had imagined but he liked Chloe and she looked at him like she liked him too and she wanted him to kiss her and he was pretty sure, knowing a girl like Chloe, that she’d do it herself if he didn't make a move any moment now.

So he leaned in closer and heard her breathing slow, while he felt like his heart would jump out of his chest. She was leaning in too, a small, but seductive smile on the lips he was just about to kiss. He closed his eyes and lived what every teenager dreams of.

First kisses were special. It was flames, rain, the sun and the moon in one simple touch. Then why didn’t he feel it?

He only felt the taste of mint and he felt Chloe's hands in his hair, and he felt his heartbeat lower and her too-sweet perfume left him lightheaded. Teddy slowly opened his eyes as their lips parted. Chloe smiled once again and messed up his hair a little more. Then she applied something he thought was lip gloss to the lips he’d just kissed.

Suddenly, Teddy could hear a loud pounding in his ears.

Thump. Thump. Thump. “Do you hear that?”

Chloe glanced at him. “Hear what?”

“It’s like… Like a heartbeat.”

Chloe stared at him for a moment before her lips turned upward. “You are so cute. Is this your romantic way of telling me I make your heart race?”

Teddy couldn’t say no. He felt as if that would be the wrong move. Was he imagining this? He smiled and nodded, after which Chloe kissed him on the cheek and winked one last time, before leaving him sitting awestruck underneath the bright clouds. He tried to pick out shapes among them as he processed what just happened. The moment Chloe left, so did that loud pounding noise. Yet he was still terribly aware of all his senses. The wind howled in his ears even though it barely cooled his skin… And then his kiss. His first kiss. Was something wrong with him? Because Chloe Williamson was beautiful, sure, and he supposed she kissed well, but he had felt something sour at the pit of his stomach and it took him a good half hour of cloud gazing before he realized why.

Her kiss had left his lips the moment it ended.

CLAUDIA

Claudia’s eyes scanned the paper. It was a small, fast sketch but it’d become a painting in no time. She smiled at it and added a few more lines. She’d been holding her pencil for hours, but it didn’t hurt. Her hand had long grown used to this. She tossed it in her drawer and took out a new paper, a new story. She felt lucky she was still inspired to draw before all the new assignments and responsibilities got to her.

Claudia was not looking forward to her sophomore year of high school. It just meant everything got harder and things might change into something different.

She looked at the white paper, blank and boring, waiting for a purpose. She looked out the window seeking inspiration but all she could see was her mother’s garden and her old swing.

It was the last day of summer, the last day of the warm hugs the weather would give her and it was certainly not the first day Teddy wasn’t at her place at the usual time they hung out. She hadn’t seen him in days if not weeks, and she was slightly annoyed because she was supposed to tutor him in math. The answer to where he was, or with whom he was, was obvious. All he’d been talking about was Chloe Williamson. He would go on and on about how beautiful she was and Claudia would keep her mouth shut. He was her best friend and she was happy for him because maybe Chloe liked him too. Maybe he was with her now, but it was the first step towards different. She didn’t want anything to change between her and Teddy.

Maybe that was a little selfish, but her dad always said nothing’s selfish if you care. She didn’t know if that was true, but it made her feel slightly better.

Claudia focused on her paper. She wanted to draw something, her fingers were buzzing with energy for it. She glanced at a black coloring pencil. Oddly enough, Claudia rarely used only black in her drawings. It was uncommon at least. She normally applied bright shades and used light pencils for highlighting the contrast in her black-and-white work. It was never too dark, but always too light. And Claudia never realized it until now. She never felt compelled to use dark in her drawings. Not until now at least.

Claudia froze. She was hit with the creeping feeling that something was there with her. It wasn’t in her room. It wasn’t next to her either. It was as if it had been behind her, this whole time. It was as if someone or something was whispering into her ear. Inconsistent, vague whispers. She turned around but there was nothing there. Her insides clenched as if someone wrapped a fist around them and squeezed, begging for her attention. It was a dark, ugly feeling–a familiar, uncomfortable one that she hadn’t felt in years. It rose up and up until she could feel it in her throat. She stared at her empty room and exhaled. Once, then twice. It took three full breaths for the feeling to dissipate. The whispers were gone too. That was…weird.

She looked back at her drawing. Various endless, somber lines stretched into the shape of a dark crow. After staring at it extensively, she realized it was not as disquieting as it seemed. Besides, she would know if something was wrong. It’d be for the best to just forget about the whispers. They most likely meant nothing. They were probably some echoes of a conversation the Herreras were having across the street. She would not bother her mom about it either, because she didn’t feel like it was anything serious worth mentioning. Talking about these things only brought trouble, something that the awful stomach-churning only confirmed. She didn’t want to relive what happened last time. Her drawing, well, it shouldn’t be too concerning either. It was just another drawing, out of many she had done.

The moon was bright when Teddy climbed up to Claudia’s room. He tapped on her open window lightly and she moved away so he could enter without looking at him.

“Hey, Clauds,” he said casually, “Sorry I didn’t show up.”

That was all he had to say?

“‘Sorry you didn’t show up?’” Claudia turned to face him now, her arms crossed, and an eerily calm demeanor.

“Sorry. You. Didn’t. Show. Up?!” Her volume increased with each word as she felt that calmness drain out of her. “I haven’t seen you for a whole week! It was your idea to catch up on math in the last three weeks of break, not mine. You could’ve given me a call or a text.” Claudia paused and took a breath to compose herself. Even saying it to him now, she couldn’t believe how inconsiderate he’d been with her. But a part of her felt like she was being too harsh, so she opted for a lighthearted joke. “What are you, like a vampire now? Scared of the daylight?”

Teddy glared at her. “You shouldn’t make jokes like that.”

“Yeah, you’re right. If you listen closely, you can already hear the cops knocking my door down,” Claudia tried to keep a serious expression and failed.

Teddy rolled his eyes and gave her a light shove. “Your dad is literally a cop.”

“Not true, he’s FBI. If you call him a cop, he’ll kill you.” Claudia’s smile faltered slightly. “Where were you anyway?”

“You'll get mad,” Teddy mumbled and he was giving her his signature puppy dog eyes. She would not succumb to them this time. She knew who he was with but she needed him to say it. She raised an eyebrow and didn’t respond.

“I was with Chloe, who else?” He rolled his eyes.

Okay, so maybe Claudia was a little bit jealous that he had ditched her because he was ‘with Chloe, who else.’ Teddy had never done something like this before and she didn’t know how to handle it.

“You're not... gonna hit me with the book?”

Claudia snatched her notebook from the desk and playfully hit him with it. “Shut up.”

“I'm sorry I didn't explain myself,” Teddy said in a low and genuine tone. His lips pulled down slightly and his big brown eyes were tugging at her heartstrings. But nope, she would not cave that easily. Maybe it worked on everyone else, but as his best friend she knew better.

She turned her back to him and faced her desk. “So what were you doing with Chloe?” She really didn’t wanna know. They probably did those things that made her want to vomit, being all couple-y and stuff.

“Well... I had my first kiss today.”

And then something inside of Claudia cracked. It was like a leaf in autumn falling from a tree with no one around to see it. No one except herself. She wasn’t even mad anymore, or jealous, or anything. She was just... “O-Oh. How was it?”

“Great! It was exactly like they describe it in the songs. Perfect!” Teddy laughed but they both knew he was lying.

“How was it really, Teddy?” She sat on her bed and flipped through the pages of her notebook lazily.

“I didn’t really feel anything.” She could hear the disappointment in his voice. That sucked. She never wanted to feel like her first kiss had been stolen from her. It had to be the right person and the right place. Firsts matter. At least, they mattered to her.

“Is she your girlfriend now?”

“I think so…”

Claudia knew it’d be Chloe.

But why did it have to be Chloe? After everything she’d done to them over the years…Claudia knew it was in the past but maybe she didn’t deserve him.

“That’s great.” Claudia wished she believed it. She wanted someone else to be his first girlfriend. Anyone but her. He didn’t even like their first kiss. And she was pretty sure Chloe didn’t think it was a big deal.

“Hey,” Teddy looked at her softly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too idiot,” she let out a chuckle. The longest she had gone without seeing him had probably been two months or something when she went to New York for the holidays. Worst summer of her life.

She liked him best when he was like this, when he was just Teddy. Real soft, careful, and all that. That's what Claudia was afraid of losing. God, she hated sophomore year already.

Claudia was startled by the knock at her door. “Can I open?”

She recognized her dad’s voice, “Yeah, come in.”

Teddy barely had time to protest before Nick opened the door, “Dinner’s ready-Oh, Teddy, you’re here.”

Teddy waved, “Hi Mr. Sinclair.”

“When did you get here?” Nick asked as he leant against the door.

He was eating a sandwich even though dinner was about to be served anyway.

“Climbed up the window.” Teddy shrugged.

“Why am I even surprised at this point? Marco raised you after all…” It was hard to understand what Nick said because his mouth was full. He tended to do that a lot. “Are you staying for dinner?”

There was a snort from behind Nick, and he turned around to grab Sam, Claudia’s younger brother, by his shoulders. He mussed up his hair affectionately, “Go and help your mom set the table.”

Sam groaned but did as he was told.

“Actually, I should head home,” Teddy said in answer to Nick’s original question.

“Probably the best choice.” Nick nodded and then peeked over his shoulder as if he was worried his wife had heard. Florence was not exactly known for her cooking. “I’ll walk you out,” Nick smirked, “Unless you want to use the window again.”

Teddy laughed, a little bit nervously. Teddy was still a bit anxious around her dad even after all these years. Though he would never admit it. He chanced a glance at Claudia and she gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. She hoped he understood that they were good now.

“See you tomorrow?” Teddy asked as if he wasn’t sure. Claudia almost rolled her eyes. It was the first day of school so of course they would see each other. But she felt a little weird saying that in front of her dad so she just nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She let herself sit in her room after they left. She needed some time to process. Teddy had a girlfriend. Or at least he ‘thought so.’ What did that even mean? God, things were already changing. But she tried to reassure herself that everything was still going to be great. The new year meant a fresh start. Maybe that’s just what she needed.

Even in her own head it sounded like a thin lie. With one final sigh, she got up from her desk to join her family.

Claudia didn’t know how she had gotten to the woods. Her feet were bare over the wet dirt but the twigs and dead leaves weren’t hurting her. Claudia didn’t understand why.

She froze when she heard whispers. Her hands clenched into fists as she tried to temper her fear. They were whispering something incomprehensible, she wasn’t sure if it was even English. She turned her head slowly, trying to discern where the voices were coming from. The whispers turned exponentially louder when she faced a specific clearing. She knew she should run away from it. Everything her family had taught her was that when there were eerie, mystical occurrences, the best decision was to run far, far away.

But she couldn’t. Something about the path and the voices was intriguing, tugging her closer and closer. She barely hesitated at the dead crow on her path. She stepped over it easily. Then came another one. And then another one. Then another one.

The same higher power that tugged her forward suddenly commanded her to stop. The whispers felt closer now. Before they felt like they were speaking from a distance, but right now they whispered right into her ear. Claudia shuddered. She couldn’t understand the specific words, but somehow she knew what they were telling her to do.

Claudia turned slowly, carefully. Her eyes landed on a massive wolf, laying on its side. There was a long silver arrow pierced at its side, but no blood tainted its gray, shimmering fur. Claudia screamed.

Claudia jumped awake and clung tightly to her sheets. She was safe. It had been a dream. A really weird, unsettling dream but still…just a dream.

She collapsed back on her pillows and tried to slow her breathing. What the hell had happened? Claudia rarely dreamed, but when she did it would be stupid dreams like being forced to read her paper in front of the whole class. It was never…whatever the hell this had been.

She checked the time on her phone. 3:47 a.m. She should really get back to sleep soon. The first day of class was only hours away. She groaned out loud at the thought.

She shoved the weird dream out of her mind and cleared her thoughts. Soon enough, she was back to an easy, dreamless sleep.

CHAPTER TWO

TEDDY

Teddy spent the whole morning of his first day of school listening to Tyler’s raspy voice going on and on about his hair. Teddy tried to listen, truly, but somehow his mind kept going back to Chloe who messaged him “mwah.” Nothing else. Just that. What was that even supposed to mean?

“Dude, are you even listening? Should I cut my hair or not?” His best friend said irritatingly.

“Why should I care about that? It’s your hair.”

“Why am I friends with you again?”

Teddy parked his bicycle and rolled his eyes. “Because I just gave you a ride on my awesome bike.”

Tyler got off and gave the helmet to Teddy, then fixed his hair a bit. Of course. “My bike is broken. Don't be rude! Also it’s not like it was fun to sit behind you like those kids in E.T.”

“I don’t think you’re referencing the right movie,” Teddy took the chance to change the subject, “How are you feeling about soccer tryouts today?”

“Confident, of course. I’m a naturally talented player, obviously, and I have faith Coach will see that.”

“Doubtful.” A familiar female voice made the two boys jump. Scarlett Montgomery smirked at both of them.

“Wha- When did she show up?” Tyler asked, shocked.

“Haven’t you heard? I’m a witch,” her eyes widened and she gave them a sadistic smile. Claudia was behind her and she gave Teddy a smile. Her hair was braided to the side and Teddy wasn’t sure but it looked like that was a new cardigan. It looked really pretty.

“Well, we’re going to head inside,” Scarlett grabbed Claudia’s hand and dragged her away. Claudia said a hasty goodbye.

“I don’t know how she jokes about that,” Tyler shook his head. “She’s going to get in trouble.”

“More trouble than she got in last year?”

“Fair enough. But still…it’s dangerous. I heard birds were replaced by the government with secret drones to record our conversations. I wouldn’t put it past them, honestly.”

Teddy tuned out his friend’s ridiculous conspiracy theories as he caught sight of Chloe Williamson leaving the parking lot. Her perfect hair fell over her shoulders in a golden waterfall. She looked like she’d jumped straight out a magazine in her beige skirt and maroon shirt. She was laughing with her friends about something he couldn’t hear. When she saw him, her smile grew wider and she waved, walking to the main entrance. Teddy gave an awkward smile.

“What the hell?” Tyler gawked, “Did Chloe just wave at you?”

Teddy shrugged, watching his classmates buzz in excitement that they were back at school. “We’ve kind of been talking all summer and last night, I kissed her. I’m not sure but I think we’re a thing.”

Short silence followed, which was interrupted by a hit on Teddy's arm. “Ow!”

“You’re a jerk. I didn’t even know you were close.”

“Dude, you were in Italy and I didn’t want to jinx it or make a big deal out of it. It’s still so new.”

“I really do wonder why I’m friends with you.”

“Teddy!”

Teddy shoved his notebook inside his locker and turned around. It was his mom. Everyone loved Natalia Herrera. Teddy had always envied how his sister Victoria got most of Natalia’s features. His mom worked at his school as a history teacher which was… He got used to it at least.

“Hey dear. Tyler.” Natalia smiled at the two and they smiled back. Well, Tyler grinned like an idiot.

“Hi Mrs. Herrera,” Tyler answered politely.

“You’re gonna have to pick up Tori today, okay?” Natalia was looking through her bag and got out her notebook for class or something.

“Sure.”

Before walking away, Natalia started fixing his hair and he couldn’t fight the urge to say, “Mom…” in a totally my-mom-is-embarrassing-me-at-school type of way. Stupid Tyler was giggling the whole time.

“Sorry. I’ll free you now.” Natalia gave him a last smile and was gone in a matter of seconds.

Teddy saw a strange man approach her. He wore a black suit and had a serious expression. He nudged Tyler. “Hey, who do you think that is? New teacher?”

Tyler looked in their direction. He spoke quietly. “No, man, apparently it’s Homeland Security. I overheard Ethan earlier.”

Teddy was confused. “There’s no way that’s the DHS. Why would they be here?”

“Well, Layla and Rielle were saying he might be from the school board. But I’m not sure what’s the truth.”

“And why?” Teddy looked at him.

Tyler scoffed. “Dude, how should I know? People are saying he’s investigating something. No one knows for sure.”

Teddy sighed. That was…weird. Investigating what?

His mom and the strange man were now gone. Chloe Williamson strutted into view as if the crowd of students had parted just for her. Teddy thought she looked so pretty in her new coat.

“Is she coming here?” Tyler asked.

“I think she is.”

And then Teddy didn't know why, but Tyler was panicking like someone had pulled the fire alarm again. “Abort mission, abort mission, abort-”

Once their eyes met, she smiled. As soon as she was close enough she grabbed his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss before Teddy had even said hello. Teddy’s eyes widened in surprise but she pulled away just as suddenly.

She glanced at Tyler, “And you are?”

“Disgusted.” She rolled her eyes. Teddy elbowed him and Tyler quickly put on a welcoming smile. “I’m Tyler. We’ve been in several classes since middle school…”

She blinked at him.

“What are you doing tonight, sweetie?” She turned to Teddy and he almost jumped. Her face was really close. Teddy had never experienced this sort of body contact and he didn't know what to do. He didn't even know how to be a boyfriend. He still had to search it up. Maybe there was an instruction manual or something.

“Playing video games?” With Claudia. It was video game night and it was when Claudia came over and beat him in every video game that existed. More accurately, ones that were still…legal. He was looking forward to it.

“You’re so funny. I'll call you.” Chloe chuckled, “And I’ll see you at tryouts.” She winked and then, she walked away to her friends who all laughed at something she said. Teddy kept his eyes on her until Tyler spoke.

“I can already see the end of everything.

I’m gonna go puke.” Tyler patted Teddy on the shoulder and ran off, leaving Teddy confused.

“It was just a kiss!” Teddy yelled, even though Tyler was too far to hear it. He liked Chloe. Why didn’t anyone support this relationship? It was the first time he liked someone who reciprocated. Shouldn’t they be happy for him?

CLAUDIA

Claudia was nervous about the first day of school. It wasn’t like her usual anxiety; it was worse. She couldn’t get that dream out of her head. A dead wolf? She didn’t get it. None of the books she’d read about psychoanalytic dream interpretation at thirteen helped clarify it. Or maybe they did and she didn’t remember. Psychology had been a brief passion. To make matters worse, she only shared four classes with Scarlett, which really made her want to skip the entire year. Claudia couldn’t live without Scarlett.

She had already decided not to attend soccer tryouts this year, but Scarlett made her go. She had gone on and on about how she was joining the school's newspaper this year, so she had to take some good pictures. Claudia, of course, agreed because there was no point in trying to say no. Scarlett was very skilled at convincing people.

Chloe Williamson was sitting on the same bleachers as them, just a few seats away. Her Burberry coat and golden hair stood out among the small crowd gathered around her. The two girls next to her spent the entire practice laughing and whispering secrets in Chloe’s ears. She smiled and her eyes wandered to Teodoro Herrera. Chloe winked at him when he finally looked up at her.

The girl beside her told her something and she shot a look at Claudia and Scarlett, as if being disgusted. Claudia couldn't care less, but she knew how Scarlett was.

“What the fuck is she staring at?” Scarlett glared at Chloe’s direction, and then gave Claudia a questioning glance. Claudia’s eyes were on the field, watching almost everyone from last year take shots at the goal, except Tyler, who was on the bench.

“That’s Teddy's girlfriend now. We should be nice.” Claudia wasn't entirely sure if that was a fact. Teddy never really explained things correctly. ‘Is she your girlfriend now?’ ‘I think so.’ What did that even mean? It was either a yes or no, not ‘Oh hey, we made out and now I’m too dumb to ask her if we’re dating.’

“She’s his what now?” Scarlett was mad. Claudia didn’t even have to look to know. She didn’t say anything. She just pursed her lips and nodded. She knew how Scarlett was going to react to this and all she had to do was wait.

“Did you forget what she did? In seventh grade, she made up the lie that Tyler peed in his bed. Everyone made fun of him for the rest of the year.”

That was true. Chloe was kind of an awful person. The whole school was pretty much very aware of it, except Teddy. He always saw the best in people, even when they didn’t deserve it.

“She’s the one that started the rumor.”

“You don’t have any proof it was her.”

Scarlett snorted, “Please. I don’t need it. I know it was her.”

Claudia gave her a look and Scarlett admitted defeat in that argument.

“She’s basically tormented us since the moment she arrived–” She didn't let Scarlett continue.

“OKAY! We get it. Teddy’s a little out of it. But whatever, I don’t care. He can make his own decisions.” Even when those decisions were incredibly miscalculated. How could Teddy even date her?

Scarlett just listed three valid reasons why he shouldn’t. And there was a lot more. She wasn’t jealous or anything… just a little maybe.

But it was just because Teddy had never dated anyone before and she had no idea how this would change things between them. What if last week wasn’t an anomaly but an emerging pattern?

“But his decisions are stupid,” Scarlett mumbled.

“I heard that.”

“Shut up.”

Claudia frowned when she caught the strange man everyone had been talking about. He was looking at her and Scarlett. She shifted uncomfortably and Scarlett noticed. “Just ignore him.”

“Why is he staring at us like that…” Claudia looked at her hands.

“He’s staring at me.”

Claudia turned her gaze to Scarlett. “What? You think it has to do with…the rumor?”

Scarlett shrugged, seemingly unbothered. Claudia didn’t understand how she could always maintain that indifference. “I can’t find another reason. But one thing is for sure. This is not a good sign.”

Claudia agreed. She tried her best to ignore the man’s uncanny demeanor. It made her think of her nightmare and the unpleasant feeling in the back of her throat returned. She gulped and tried to ignore it, but it only worsened.

Claudia frowned at her phone when Teddy’s text popped up.

Teddy:

Hey, can we take a raincheck on game night?

That was it. No explanation. No apology. She resisted the urge to toss her phone across the room. Instead, she sighed and let her phone slip off her fingers and onto her bed.

She collapsed back on her pillows.

Why did this keep happening? It had to be Chloe. But then there was nothing she could do about that. Before Chloe, he had all the time in the world. Now he had someone else to think about, someone else to integrate into his schedule.

But damn it, they had just talked about this. It also wasn’t any plan he canceled on; it was the First Day of School Game Night tradition. He did text her in advance, but that did little to quell her annoyance.

She hated feeling like this. She hated spending the day alone. Again. This had been her entire summer: sitting in her room or her garden sketching by herself with some music. She was tired of her own playlists at this point.

She could text Scarlett, but she was probably busy with reviewing the photos she took in soccer tryouts. Tyler would definitely answer back in three seconds if she texted him. But she didn’t want to talk to Tyler or even Scarlett, she just wanted to hang out with Teddy.

She thought about maybe asking her mom if she wanted to see a movie with her, but she was still at work. Her dad was still out as well. She couldn’t even busy herself with taking care of her younger sister Leia because she was already down for her nap.

Claudia groaned as she realized her only choice left for company. Well, whatever it would have to do. She knocked on Sam’s door and opened it before he could respond.

“Want to play video games?”

“Sure.” Sam brightened, “Can we play COD?”

“No,” Claudia deadpanned. Sam was delirious if he thought she was going to let him choose the game.

Both of them settled on their living room couch and they played for so long that Claudia lost track of time.

It was actually kind of fun.

Sure, Teddy would be the ideal company but at least Sam was small enough that she could knock him over with a pillow to distract him.

Claudia jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Florence smiled down at them, “Look at my two kiddos. Bonding.”

“We’re not bonding,” Sam and Claudia protested in unison.

Florence rolled her eyes, “Whatever you say. Clauds, can you help me with dinner?”

“Mhm,” Claudia liked cooking with her mom. Mostly because she could help prevent her from burning the house down. Claudia gave Sam a final swat on the head and went to help Florence.

Dinner was pretty standard. Her parents asked her about her first day of school and Claudia gave them some platitudes that seemed to appease them. She didn’t mention the strange man. It probably wasn’t that important anyway. Claudia climbed the stairs up to her room feeling somewhat mollified. Who cared that Teddy had bailed on her? Again. She had a good day anyway.

But then Claudia opened the door and found Teddy sitting gingerly on her bed. All her pent-up anger and frustration came back to her all at once. She couldn’t help feeling infuriated as she walked to her desk and promptly ignored his existence.

“Hey,” Teddy said, “the call with Chloe ended earlier than I thought so I wanted to stop by.”

Claudia was thankful her back was turned to him so he wouldn’t see her face pinch in anger. He bailed on her to call Chloe? Then he admitted to stopping by now that he was free, already assuming she would be here waiting for him when he finally had time for her. Why would he say that? Didn’t he know it made her feel so much worse?

She turned to him but didn’t say anything. Her cool expression said enough. Teddy immediately scrambled for an apology, “I’m sorry for bailing, okay?”

“Again,” Claudia emphasized.

Teddy’s shoulders dropped but he conceded. “Yes, again. I’m still figuring out how to balance this whole girlfriend thing.”

“You ditched me last minute. I had to play games with Sammy,” she said her brother’s name as if it was the worst thing that could have happened to her.

Teddy’s lips quirked up a bit, “Wow. That must have been really hard for you.”

Claudia snapped, “Oh shut up. It’s not funny. You ditched me again. Right after you told me you wouldn’t do that anymore.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

She was still seething. She had many things she wanted to tell him, or more accurately yell at him but she couldn’t. Because saying those things would mean admitting how lonely she felt. She would have to admit that lately, she was starting to feel like an afterthought. But saying that felt needy and it was completely irrational. She knew she wasn’t alone. She had her family and her friends…but still, she felt lonely. She couldn’t tell him that. She didn’t know how to explain it.

So instead she clung to the one point she knew had some bit of rationality. “Why are you dating her, Teddy? After everything she’s done…how can you just forget about that?”

Teddy started slightly at the change of topic. His face became guarded. “She’s different now. She’s changed.”

“She’s a bad person,” Claudia said bluntly. More bluntly than she ever would have dared if she wasn’t literally shaking with annoyance. Scarlett would be proud.

“You don’t even know her,” Teddy’s voice was starting to rise.

“I know enough.”

Teddy’s face flinched with something like betrayal.

He rose slowly and Claudia had to raise her chin slightly to keep his gaze.

“She’s important to me and as my best friend I thought you would be able to respect that. I thought you would be able to open your mind for a fraction of a second to see that maybe there’s a reason why I’m dating her. I expected Tyler and Scarlett to need time, but I figured at least you would be willing to give her a chance instead of judging her on something over a year ago.”

Claudia turned her head away in shame. But she didn’t say anything.

Teddy scoffed lightly, “Whatever. Bye, Clauds.”

He climbed out her window and Claudia didn’t dare to watch him go.

She was right about this. She wouldn’t give in. He kept ditching her and for someone like Chloe? After everything she had done? But maybe Teddy had a point…maybe she had changed. Maybe Claudia should give her a chance. No. She wouldn’t budge. She was always the first one to apologize but not this time.

But then it hit her. She had to apologize. She couldn’t let this drag on unresolved as much as she would like to. Because Teddy’s birthday was on Friday.

CHAPTER THREE

TEDDY

It was the first practice of the year and things were already starting to go wrong. Tryouts had gone pretty well. They recruited a couple of freshmen that seemed promising. Teddy had practiced a lot over the summer to prepare for his first year as captain. He knew it was rare for a sophomore to be chosen for team captain. He had expected a little backlash from some people on the team. But he hadn’t expected this horrible scrimmage.

“Hey, I’m open!” Teddy yelled for what felt like the twentieth time. Connor still ignored him and didn’t pass the ball even though he had two players covering him. Teddy sighed when Connor lost possession. And then they scored. Of course.

Teddy looked towards Tyler, who was sitting on the bench. Tyler shrugged sympathetically and Teddy swore he could hear his sigh from all the way across the field.

Coach called a break and they all gathered by the side of the field. Teddy grabbed his water bottle and walked up to Connor. He couldn’t avoid this. He was the team captain. He had to set an example, or at least that was what his father had told him over and over during the summer.

Teddy cleared his throat and Connor spared him a glance. He ignored him and chugged his own water bottle. “So, what was that out there?”

Connor gulped down his drink and finally turned to Teddy. He shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Teddy held back a sigh. He needed to keep a calm head. “You should’ve passed to me. I was wide open and instead, it cost us a goal. We’re down 2-1.”

Connor laughed, “God, calm down Herrera. It’s just practice.”

“But–”

Connor interrupted him with a tap on his shoulder, “It’s alright, kid. Lighten up. We get it, you’re team captain and you’ve made your daddy proud. Now take that stick out of your ass and let’s go play some soccer!”

He ran off to the field before Teddy could reply. What the hell? Teddy took a deep breath but it came out shaky. He clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly and tried to compose himself. Who did Connor think he was? Sure, he was older but he was also a mediocre midfielder who needed to work desperately on his ball control.

Teddy hadn’t been chosen because his father had been captain years ago. He was chosen because he was the best player on this goddamn team.

Suddenly, the loud thumping was back. But this time it was louder than how it was with Chloe. The beats were faster and they surrounded him, almost as if he was surrounded by a booming drum circle.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Teddy rolled his head and unclenched his fists. He frowned as he saw the dribble of blood trickle down his wrist. What the…

“Herrera! What are you waiting for? Get out there on the field!”

He gulped and jogged back to the field. Teddy caught Connor’s smirk and the beats got even louder. He didn’t think Teddy had earned this. But he had. Hadn’t he?

Coach blew the whistle and Teddy’s instincts kicked in. The white and black ball bounced back and forth smoothly between his feet. Teddy liked to think of soccer as a dance. He had the most desired dance partner in the room, and he had to keep it happy to make sure it didn’t run away with someone else. So that’s what he did. He coaxed the ball smoothly and bypassed some players that charged him.

Over the thundering beats, he could hear Connor call his name. But no, he wouldn’t pass the ball. This was his game and Connor needed to know that. He couldn’t have his team disrespect him like this.

Teddy dribbled the ball all the way to the goal. The constant beating had grown deafening. It was the same two beats over and over and faster and faster.

Thump. Thump. ThumpThumpThumpTHUMP

He looked up to the goal, found his mark, and kicked the ball with everything he had. The ball soared, faster than he had ever managed before…right into the goalie’s face.

“Shit!” Jason, the goalie, fell to his knees. He clutched his face and Teddy’s eyes widened at the blood slipping through Jason’s fingers.

Teddy ran towards him and started apologizing profusely. Coach approached and looked over Jason’s nose before sending him to the nurse’s office. Teddy watched him go in silence. It was only then that he realized that the thumping had stopped.

“Birthday boy!”

Uncle Isaac was the first person Teddy saw when he came home. And Isaac was the one to point out what Teddy had been successfully ignoring. Until now. Teddy cracked a laugh nonetheless and Isaac Haynes walked over to him for a long, anticipated hug.

Once they had let go of one another, Isaac opened his mouth to say something (Teddy suspected something like, “I’ve missed you, buddy”), but another loud, familiar voice barged in.

“Oh my God, look at you! What the hell, why are you taller than me now?” Iris called out and spread her arms wide with the biggest smile on her face. Teddy instantly wrapped his arms around her short frame. She pulled away to whisper conspiratorially, “I brought you some birthday brigadeiro.”

“Oh God, yes,” Teddy whispered back with a grin. Brigadeiro was a Brazilian chocolate dessert that Iris made on special occasions. It was incredibly delicious.

She cupped his cheek with her hand. Her engagement ring felt cool against his skin. “I missed you, bud.”

“Me too.”

“Where have you been the whole day? I thought you were coming back home straight from practice,” Natalia spoke once the three walked into the living room.

“I was at–”

“He obviously was out with a special someone. You need to tell me all about them,” Iris took him arm in arm and smirked playfully.

“Don’t be funny, he's too Teddy to date anyone,” Uncle Isaac joked, chuckling. Teddy’s sister, Victoria, highfived him and the rest laughed too.

Teddy rolled his eyes and wished he could escape to his room.

“I am actually… seeing someone,” he didn’t know why he confirmed it. Teddy could see Marco from the corner of his eye, an expression of shock on his father’s face.

“I don’t believe that,” Victoria stood up from the sofa and walked nonchalantly past Teddy and Iris.

“You shall tell me everything,” Iris said, and Teddy tried to look excited about it.

During dinner, everyone was relatively loud and catching up and saying how they were looking forward to Teddy’s birthday. Isaac even told a particularly funny story from one of his recent work trips to England. Teddy used to be jealous of Uncle Isaac just traveling everywhere but he had grown fond of the stories. It was all great, really. Teddy was lucky to have his family. He didn’t say a word.

Afterwards, Iris offered him a little bowl filled with a familiar chocolate pudding. She handed him a spoon with a smile, “Some people say that brigadeiro is a cure for the soul.”

“Who says that?” Teddy asked as he dug in his spoon.

Iris shrugged with a shameless smirk, “Me.” Teddy laughed lightly and Iris’ face grew serious. “What’s wrong?”

So many things were wrong that Teddy didn’t know where to start. He had broken Jason’s nose in a stupid fit of rage. He had fought with Claudia. And worst of all… “I hadn’t told my dad about my girlfriend.”

“Oh.” Iris looked around. All the other adults were caught up in some conversation and she seemed to be satisfied in their privacy to ask, “Why not?”

Teddy stared at the brigadeiro. “It’s very recent and I don’t know. It just hasn’t come up yet. But…” I always tell him everything. He couldn’t finish the sentence out loud. Iris seemed to understand. She was always good at that: understanding messages left unsaid.

She turned her head and kept her eyes on Isaac. She watched her fiancée for a moment before facing Teddy again, “You know…announcing things carry weight. It’s completely understandable to hold off on that until you feel ready.”

Teddy wasn’t sure if she was talking about his dad or her four-year engagement. They still hadn’t set a date and he had heard his parents getting worried about it. Marco had said something about ‘being overly cautious.’

“Anyway, the point is that you’re fifteen–almost sixteen,” she added with a wink, “and it’s okay to keep things from your dad sometimes. And whenever you do want to tell him, you know he’ll be willing to listen.”

She ruffled his hair, “He loves you, kiddo. He just wants you to be happy. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

Teddy nodded and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He was so used to telling Marco everything it felt wrong to keep things from him. But maybe it was natural. Maybe there were some things his father didn’t need to know. For example, mysterious loud thumpings and bouts of anger-fueled strength that break noses.

TYLER

Tyler was exhausted when he got home after school. His social battery was completely drained. He made a plan before school started that this was the year he would turn things around. This was the year he would make a lot of friends and climb up the social ladder. But he didn’t think it would take much effort. Sometimes people were exhausting.

Sighing, he entered and closed the door behind him. It was late and he just wanted to throw himself on his mattress.

The TV was on.

It was never on. Did he leave it on? But he hadn’t watched TV this morning.

Unless…

“Mom?” He called as he entered the living room. His parents were sitting curled up together and his mom looked up from the couch. It was almost as if this was the most normal occurrence. She smiled.

“우리 왕자님 (Our prince). Hi.”

Tyler cleared his throat. He hated his accent in Korean. “안녕 (Hi). I didn’t know you were home.”

Lilian stood up, but she didn’t walk his way. Instead, she pointed to the bar. “We got you some gifts. Wanna check it out together?”

There were about ten bags of popular clothing brands, all waiting for him. Well, they were going to have to wait longer then. And well if they already were getting him things, he was hoping for a new instrument.

“No, it’s fine. When are you leaving again?”

Lilian’s smile fell and his father actually bothered to look at him now.

Please, just this once… Say you’re not.

“We have to go on Friday. But we’ll be back on Monday again!”

Tyler bit his lip hard. He didn’t know why he always raised his expectations. It was the same thing over and over again, and yet he never learned. Maybe next time he would know better than to expect them to stay. “I’m tired. I’m just gonna go to bed.” His voice cracked and he could feel it coming any moment now.

“Isn’t it a little early? Why don’t we all watch TV together?” Lilian continued in Korean, “You can pick the movie.” At least she was trying. But he honestly knew she couldn’t care less. She was just saying it because she felt obligated to.

“Your mother’s right. We should do something with just the three of us.” His dad added, in English. Wow, Jay finally put in an effort. Astonishing. One more of those offers and he could win father of year.

“I’m just really tired. I’m sorry. 미안해 (Sorry).”

As soon as he reached his room and closed the door, he collapsed on his bed. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. He wouldn’t let this affect him. He wouldn’t be disappointed when he knew this was exactly what would happen. Tyler opened his eyes and stared at the 9 scribbled on the inside of his wrist. He waited for someone to check if he was asleep, but nobody came.

CLAUDIA

Claudia prowled through long trees and distant branches, her eyes widening with every step. Her bare feet felt the rainkissed grass and a dark fog surrounded her ankles. Tears shimmered in her eyes for a reason unknown to her. Shaking leaves above her shone under the moonlight.

She felt the urge to look at her hands. Her fingers were trembling and the red on her hands looked like blood. Was it hers? Or was it someone else’s? She didn’t know and she didn’t want to know.

Claudia walked further, not daring to look behind her. There was mist around her and she’d lie if she said it didn’t terrify her.