“It’s nothing,” He smiled back. “Do you really think I’d miss one of your games?” Carter crouched down to be more at his brother’s level. “Hey, I need to go, but I’ll watch as much of the game as I can.”
Harrison’s smile brightened again. “Okay. When are you coming over?”
Carter shook his head. “Not for a while buddy. Hey, one more thing. Don’t tell Dad I was here, okay?”
His brother nodded and stuck out his pinky. Carter did the same and they hooked their pinkies and giggled softly. Carter stood and his brother wrapped his arms around him again. “I miss you Carter.”
“I miss you too, buddy.”
We slipped back into the trees just before his dad wandered back into the dugout. Carter nodded toward the bleachers and we headed to them. I waited by a tree while Carter slipped under the tall metal bleachers. I heard him whispering something and then he slipped back out and over to me. I realized then that he appeared more graceful than he had ever been before the Were incident. He’d always been rather gangly, like he didn’t really fit into his skin. Now, as I watched him stroll back over to me, he was comfortable in himself. Confident of his body and the way it worked.
“My mom’s gonna sneak down in a minute.”
All I did was smile at him. I really had no idea what to say. We waited quietly for a few minutes. I checked my phone. I had a text from Oliver telling me he missed me. I was pretty sure he would be freaking out sometime soon and I was surprised I hadn’t heard from Felix wondering where we were. Carter stood beside me with his hands in his pockets. He was antsy and unable to hold still.
A tall slim woman in probably her early forties stepped down from the bleachers, then quickly headed towards where we stood. Carter met her halfway and they embraced like loving mothers and sons do. I felt a little pang of envy which quickly turned to anger towards Carter’s father. It was truly unfair that this wonderful person be cast out because of something he had no control over. Carter and his mom made their way to me, and his mom, Julie, gave me a warm hug and smile. “Hello Laney. It’s been too long.”
I smiled back and agreed.
Julie turned back to her son. “Where’s Kiera?”
Carter’s head drooped. “We broke up.”
She hugged him again. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. I know how much you care for her.” Yeah, that was the problem. He cared so much he pushed her away.
They talked for a couple more minutes. She ran her fingers across the scar beside his eye and stretched up on her toes and kissed it. They hugged again and with tears in her eyes she said goodbye to us.
Carter took my hand again and we started off back around the side of the field.
“You okay?” I asked. He shook his head and squeezed my hand a little. “I’m sorry Carter.”
“I know.” He smiled weakly.
We settled by a tree in the damp grass way out behind the field and watched the rest of Harrison’s game. We talked about his brother. A lot. It seemed to brighten Carter’s spirits. He told me Harrison had recently turned eleven and was beginning to like girls. That his brother had a crush on Kiera, and that made us giggle; they were about the same height which made it even funnier. Harrison’s team won their game and we cheered from our way off sidelines seats and watched as the teams and parents cleared the field. Once the field was empty we made our way back towards where we’d come in but instead of heading back towards the apartment, Carter headed in the other direction and I questioned why.
“I want to stop by the store before we go home. You don’t mind, do you?”
I shook my head, although I really just wanted to get back to the apartment. It was dark out and getting chilly and I hadn’t brought a jacket. I was wearing jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt and they weren’t bound to keep me warm for too much longer.
Chapter 42 - Peppermint Goodness
The night’s chill had grown stronger as we’d walked to the corner store. I waited outside with my hands pulled into my sleeves for warmth while Carter quickly went into the store. I don’t know why I waited out there in the dark. It was probably a stupid move. Maybe I thought it would make him hurry and we could get home faster. Thankfully nothing happened and moments later Carter came out with a small brown bag and we started our walk back home. About halfway back, pretty close to the ball field, Carter suggested we have a seat for a little while. I really just wanted to get home but I understood he needed to talk and vent and work out whatever issues he was having. He sat on the curb in a space empty of cars. I sat beside him.
The street was lined with cars parked in front of their houses and fences and bushes and all sorts of shadows that I was having a hard time not freaking out over. I didn’t like this. Not at all. I felt somewhat safe with Carter, like he wouldn’t let anything happen to me, but not like I felt with Oliver. I knew nothing would hurt me with Oliver around. Carter would try, but I questioned his ability to prevent the bad from happening. And although Oliver had said the town was safe, I questioned if that really was true. He’d told me that once before and it wasn’t quite accurate.
“You wanna try some?”
I turned to see what had been in the bag. We weren’t far from a street lamp and I could see that the bottle contained in the brown paper sack had some sort of yellow or brownish liquid in it.
“No thanks,” I said.
“I know alcohol isn’t the answer but I just want the pain to stop.” I understood that much. “Plus, it will warm you up.” Okay, that I could use. My hands were still pulled up in my sleeves to hide from the chill. I figured a little couldn’t hurt, right? This is where that little voice in the back of my mind should’ve screamed “Nooooo! Don’t do it!” But apparently that little voice was on vacation so I continued.
After I watched him take a big swig from the bottle I reached my hand out for it. Once he was done making some crazy face in response to the substance as it slid down his throat, he smiled lopsidedly at me and handed the bottle over. I smelled it first and that should’ve been my first warning. I put my lips to the bottle and just the residue around the rim was enough for me to know it was completely nasty. I handed the bottle back without taking a sip. “What is that? It’s disgusting!”
“I thought you might think so. So I got you this.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a clear bottle with clear liquid in it. The label read ‘Peppermint Schnapps.’ “I know how you love peppermint.” He wasn’t wrong there. He unscrewed the cap and handed it over. I sniffed again but this one smelled good. I hesitantly put the bottle to my lips and, against my better judgment I tipped it back. He was right, it sure did warm you up. It was harsh and pepperminty but kind of tasty. I took another sip while Carter watched.
“This stuff could be dangerous,” I said.
“That’s why I got you the little bottle.”I took one more little sip and tried to hand it back. “Nope, that’s all yours.”
“Carter, take it!” I pushed it at him and he held his hands up like it was on fire. “I’m not even old enough to drink! You’ll get in trouble!”
“Then you better finish it.” He smiled wickedly.
I glared at him then held the bottle up to the light. It didn’t seem like too much. I took another sip, more of a gulp this time and felt the warmth rush through me. I held it up to the light again to see if I’d made any sort of dent. A little, not much, but some.
Just before my next sip I said, “You know Oliver totally won’t approve of this.”
The corner of his mouth picked up into a very mischievous smile. “That’s what makes it all the more fun.”
“You’re terrible and asking for an ass beating.”
Sitting there in his worn jeans and faded T-shirt, he laughed and tipped his bottle of nastiness back and gulped back the toxic-smelling liquid.
“You know my mom died when she had me?” Carter said.
I choked a little as the liquid peppermint slid down my throat. “Julie’s not your real mom?”
“Nah, she’s my stepmom. She’s Harrison’s real mom but she’s never treated me like I’m not hers. She was my mom’s best friend and she married my dad to protect me from him. After my grandpa told me about my, you know, my heritage, she told me that she would’ve taken me away from my dad after my mom died if she could’ve gotten away with it. Harrison was an accident, or a surprise I should say, and now she has to stay until he’s old enough to leave.”
“That’s an awful way to live.”
“Yeah, but he’d never treat Harrison the way he’s treated me. He’s always said I was the reason my mom died. If it wasn’t for Julie being there, he’d probably have beaten me to death years ago. It’s only been because of her that I’m here. He sees me like there’s something wrong with me. Like I’m a freak.”
“He’s wrong, you know?”
“No, now he’s right. I am a freak.”
“Carter, you are not a freak! You are still the same sweet person you’ve always been.” He turned his sparkling blue eyes on mine and soaked in every word I said. “Don’t let what happened define you. You need to define it and take control of your life. You just need to be you. The regular, fun, happy you.” He stared at me like I might have crossed the line, but I couldn’t see how. “Never mind, I’m unclear of my own life, who am I to judge or offer advice.” In a small voice I added, “It must be the alcohol talking.”
He grinned at me crookedly for a moment and his eyes fixed on mine again and then he lost his smile. He leaned closer to me and I felt myself lean away just a little. But he was right there and he pressed his warm full lips to mine for a moment. I didn’t move or return the kiss. He pulled away a moment later, and I heard the oddest sound in the distance. We both turned in the direction of the sound, but I shrugged it off when I didn’t hear anything more. Then I returned my attention to Carter and said, “Carter, you love Kiera.”
He was acting a little bashful. “I know. But you get me.”
The smell of fresh pine wafted by. “Um…”
“Laney,” he began.
“No Carter. I love him. I know you don’t approve for some unknown reason, but I love him and I
will
spend the rest of my life with him.”
He looked away. “I know. It was stupid and impulsive.” He turned back to me. “I do love Kiera but once she finds out what I am…She won’t…And you’ve accepted me…We’re good together.”
“As friends and nothing more. You’ve found comfort with me and I feel the same way about you but that’s it. You don’t have
those
kind of feelings for me and you know it.”
He smacked his palm to his forehead. “Did I just ruin us too?”
“No. Let’s just pretend this never happened, okay?”
He smiled at me again. “Deal. Plus you’re just not my type.”
“Whatever, you dork.” I pushed him playfully then took another drink from my bottle.
“So, do you think she’ll ever take me back?”
“In a heartbeat.”
We sat there in the silence for a few minutes before he asked, “Is having sex with a werewolf considered bestiality?”
I spit Schnapps all over the place. Once I regained control from my uncontrollable laughter I was able to respond. “I would imagine only if the werewolf were in wolf form.” I said through my amusement.
He flashed me a crooked smile, then took another drink from his bottle. Finishing it off this time. I had about a quarter left in mine and handed it over for him to finish.
My whole body felt warm and I could feel the pink on my cheeks.
“You realize the full moon is only days away?” he said in a small voice.
“I’m gonna be there with you.”
“He won’t let you. Especially when he finds out I supplied you with alcohol, he’ll probably never let you see me again.”
“I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions. I
will
be there.”
“Thanks Laney.”
We stared out into the street together. Carter rose up from the curb and, not so gracefully, made his way to the middle of the street.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He crouched down to look at something in the road, “Felix told me about these tunnels. It looks like you have to have some sort of key to get the cover off.”
I crossed the street to where he was and looked down. I was checking out a manhole and even though I had felt fine while we were sitting, standing and walking seemed to push the peppermint goodness through my system all at once and all I could do was watch as the ground began to sway and get closer.