CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

I woke up in the evening, the pain was gone and I was feeling better than I was in the morning. I checked my messages and I had none, I sighed because I didn't know anyone here and I really wasn't expecting any messages from friends either because I had none yet except Camilla. I had my bath and a change of clothes, so I could go downstairs and get something to eat. It was like I never ate the three boxes of pizza in the morning because I was still so famished. I went downstairs without checking on Camilla but I figured I could bring some food to her when I was done whipping us something assuming she was still there. I got downstairs and nobody was there, I really wasn't expecting company but it felt pretty lonely being alone in such a big house, I was looking in the fridge for anything I could use to make dinner when my phone vibrated signaling I got a text from someone, When I checked it, the smile on my face spread like rash, I am sure I was sporting the biggest smile right now. The text was from Rohan. It read, 'Happy birthday" No emoji or anything just a plain message but it made me so happy and elated to have received such from me. It meant I was on his mind and he was surely thinking of me. I head footsteps coin down the stairs and I knew Camilla was up, she came into the kitchen with her bed looking like a bird's nest, her eyes groggily and she looked disoriented. She yawned in a very unladylike manner that made me stare at her, this was a new sight to her. 'Hey, what time is it?" she asked me 'It is past four right now, we have been sleeping for a whole day" I informed her 'Oh my God!!! Really? I am so late for pack training, Rohan is going to kill me" she was panicking like Rohan was really going to kill her. 'What training?" I asked her 'Oh, I don't really have much time to explain but maybe after school tomorrow, I would explain everything" she said 'Speaking of your brother, he texted me" I told her cautiously, I didn't know if she wanted her brother relating to me in any way. 'Oh yeah, I told him I was here with you because today is your birthday and it would be rude of him not to say anything" she said I wanted to ask her if she told her brother anything concerning our last night antics but she knew what I was thinking because she gave me a satisfying answer. 'Don't worry, I didn't say anything about last night, it's your secret to tell whenever you are ready to tell it then you go ahead" she said sincerely. 'Thank you so much, Camilla." I told her and I really meant it. She blew me a kiss goodbye after fixing her hair with the promise of keeping in touch, she entered her car and sped off. The house was quieter than it was before and it gave me the chills so I decided to keep busy with the painting tools that I bought the day I came here. I went into the empty room I kept all those things, I brought up my phone to play music as I picked up a big black canvas, put on the apron that I brought from the supply store. I attacked the canvas, pouring every emotion and feeling into it, my hands were moving very fast and with an accurate speed probably because of my new strength. It was only when I finished the painting that I realized I was done. The painting was a semi-abstract with light color layers and swirls of dark colors. It was a painting of a single white dove flying alone, its wings almost transparent. The dove was looking exquisite in its surroundings. The painting looked beautiful. I looked at the time and I could see it was late already, outside was very dark and I figured it was time to have dinner anyways before my aunt comes back from work. I packed up my art supplies leaving my painting out to dry so I could hang it up later, it was so beautiful that I couldn't keep my eyes off it. I removed my apron, glad that I didn't have any paint on my clothes. I went downstairs to find something to eat but nothing was available, my aunt was not the type to cook and neither was I. I opened one of the drawers so I could find one of the takeout menus, I was suddenly in the mood for Chinese. So I dialed there number, 'Hello, I want to make an order for 21 Mayfair off Lakers field. I want the Chinese fried rice, samosa and eggroll for two please." I mentioned 'Will that be all, ma'am?" asked the operator 'Yes, that would be all" 'The delivery will be in twenty minutes" she said before hanging up. I dropped my phone on the kitchen counter before dropping the menu back in the drawer where I found them, I was so hungry now but I could wait for twenty minutes. I tried calling Camilla but it was going straight to voicemail, I tried a bunch of times before she finally picked but it wasn't her voice. 'Hello? Camilla what happened to your voice?" I asked her 'Sorry, its ben. Camilla left her phone in my room but I would be sure to give her your message." He said 'Oh, are you guys having a party or something?" I asked him 'Not at all, she came over for something, and no she isn't here" he told me 'Okay. Just tell her I called" I told him, making a move to hang up 'Why did you call?" he asked me 'Nothing" I said quickly, way too quickly 'I don't believe you but I will give her your message when she gets back" he told me before hanging up. I let out a huge sigh of relief as the call ended, ben seems like a nice guy but I also sensed he was kind of a player. It was almost an hour when the doorbell rang, I jumped with glee thinking my food has arrived, now I can finally get to eat. I swung the door open and I was met with Camilla and ben, I was surprised because I wasn't expecting them here. Holding up a paper bag that smelled suspiciously of Chinese, Camilla spoke 'Are you going to keep standing there or will you let us in?" she asked I stepped back giving them room to enter, 'I thought they were delivering my food" I told them 'Oh yeah, we took it from the boy when we arrived, so here you are" ben told me I snatched the bag from her not bothering to get a plate, I just ate straight from the take out pack. With my mouth full, I offered them a sit, 'you can sit, I wasn't expecting you guys at all" I told them sincerely, I thought I was going to have to see Camilla tomorrow when she comes to school but I didn't think she would want to spend the rest of my birthday with me. 'Well ben wanted to hang out with me and I thought we should come here and chill a bit before heading out" Camilla told me I was touched that they wanted to hang out with me today, I smiled at ben in appreciation and he gave me a smile back. 'So what do you have here? Any booze?" ben directed the question at me 'I don't know, I just moved here, the only rooms I am familiar with is just my bedroom and the kitchen but only because the take out menus are in here" I told him He burst out laughing, giving Camilla a nudge and pointing in my direction. 'She is funny, I like her" he said with a smile which changed when Camilla gave him a smack at the back of his head, 'Ow! What was that for?" he asked as he rubbed his head, 'Don't even think about it, she is not one of those bimbos you chase after" she scolded him. 'I know that" he said rolling his eyes and muttering something about women. I listened to them bicker and it made me smile, they almost acted like siblings. I assumed earlier when ben told me she was hanging out with him, I thought they were sleeping together or they were mates. They could be mates now. 'Are you guys dating or something?" I asked them That got their attention and they stopped bickering and turned to look at me with a disgusted look on their faces that almost made me laugh. 'No!" 'Fuck no!" They both answered at once, Camilla was the first to explain 'No way, ben and I have been friends since we were little kids. He is like the annoying big brother I never have" she explained 'But you have a big brother already" I pointed out 'Yeah, Rohan is the greatest brother one can have but he is too serious and always so tense all the time. With ben, I get to have fun and do things my older brother won't approve of" she said I nodded because I couldn't speak with my mouth full, she seemed to get that I agreed with her. Ben was off looking for some booze in the liquor cabinets. 'Found them!" he said coming in to the living room with a bottle of wine and some cups. 'Oh yay! Booze!" Camilla cheered. Ben set them down on the table and proceeded to open the wine, he poured it in the glasses and offered it to us 'Happy birthday Camilla, a wonderful addition to our little group" he said before downing his wine in one gulp. I was touched that he accepted me in their group. 'Aww thank you guys, that means a lot" I said in appreciation. For the whole night, we talked and I finally got to know ben a little better and something tells me he was a werewolf too. He was a fun and honest guy, a little goofy but he was cool. I could see us becoming wonderful friends. I wondered why Rohan didn't come with them, maybe he was off brooding somewhere. 'Hey, why didn't Rohan come with you guys?" I asked them 'Who knows what he is up to, maybe something boring as usual" Camilla said with a sigh 'Oh he took a couple hours to train more" ben blurted out It took him a couple of seconds to realize his mistake, I could see the clogs turning his head to come up with a cover but I acted dumb anyway. 'Wow, he is on the football team?" I asked 'Yeah, he is" ben said quickly, clearly happy to not have exposed their secrets. Camilla's wide eyes reduced when she realized all was good again. She let out a sigh from under her breath before settling again on the couch. The empty bottle of wine sat on the table, and we were pretty much tipsy and more relaxed than we were in the beginning. A howl sounded in the distance and ben shot up, looking alert like he never drank. 'What, what is going on with you?" I asked him I noticed Camilla was also checking her watch, she glanced at me with a look of apology in her eyes and I knew she had to go. The howl was a sign that they were needed. 'Hey, we will see you in school tomorrow. It's getting late" ben said before giving me a goodbye kiss on the cheek before going out the door with Camilla hot on his heels.