My alarm goes off.
I wake up and for a few blissful seconds I am unaware of anything except the sunshine beaming into my bedroom. Then everything flashes into focus.
I am an idiot! I wish I could disappear. I was hoping the fever would kill me.
I get up and I check my phone. I have a missed call and text from Harvey.
[Are you feeling better? Are you coming in to work today?]
I reply, [Sorry I missed your call. Yes, I feel better today and I'll be there. Thanks for holding down the fort.]
Then I continue getting ready for work.
I can't help but check Felix's phone. There are no missed calls but a few text. I'm afraid to read them.
[Good morning Michael, are you feeling any better?]
[I want to visit you and check up on you.]
[Since you didn't reply No, I'm guessing that's okay. I'll see you later.]
I gotta get out of here before he shows up!
I dash out the door and drive to work.
I get to the library and unlock the doors. I love having the keys to my own library. I know it doesn't belong to me but I like to pretend.
Harvey comes up behind me and greets me. "Good morning Michael. Are you feeling better today?"
" Yeah, thanks again for taking over, I really needed the rest"
"Don't worry about it. As long as you're feeling better"
We go about the business of running the library. It's getting busy since summer ended and school session began. We have a Fall Festival held by the library as a fund raiser for programs we provide.
I look over the prizes for the raffle we do every year. "Wow, there are some great major prizes this year. A big screen t.v., A gaming system and a fancy dinner for two?"
"Yes, we got some sponsors this year. Thank goodness. Last years' prize, a free years subscription to 'I don't remember which' magazine or a weekend pass to the water park; got no tickets sold"
"I'm sure this years raffle will be a huge success. I almost wish we could enter."
" which prize would you want?
"I don't know, I guess the t.v."
" Michael you don't even watch t.v., What would you do with it? "
"You're right. I guess I'm just excited."
" I hope your enthusiasm rubs off on other people and they buy tickets. "
I spend the rest of the day with my nose in a book doing a little research. It's called 'Witches, vampires, werewolves and other mysterious creatures. "
Harvey walks up and asks, "why are you reading that?"
"Oh. Um, remember when I went through a phase of just reading Greek mythology? I guess I'm getting into spooky legends, you know; for Halloween. "
"Okay."
I decide to put the book away and do my research later. I'm just curious about the details of what Felix told me. I don't know if I believe in... Well, I guess I'll keep an open mind.
The work day ends and we lock up the library. Harvey waves good bye and walks toward his house. I walk to my car and drive home.
When I get to my apartment in front of my door is a man in a black hoodie. He turns around and it's Felix. He looks really happy to see me. I feel embarrassed. I'm not sure how to react. Luckily for me Felix reacts first.
"Michael! You're here! I've been waiting for you to come home. Are you feeling any better? Are you hungry? I brought us dinner but it's gotten cold. I'm sure we can warm it up though."
I don't know how he can be so...
"Hi Felix. Yeah, dinner sounds good."
We go into my apartment and Felix goes straight to the kitchen and starts serving up the dinner he brought. "It's a rice bowl with chicken and vegetables for you. I got a rice bowl with half meat and half vegetables for me." Felix warms them up in the microwave and sets them down at the dinning table.
We sit and start having dinner. He seems happy. Felix has a cute little smile on his face while he's eating.
"Are you thirsty?" I ask. " what would like to drink? I have water, tea, soda and ...um, never mind. " I have a bottle of wine but I don't want to open it now.
"Water will be fine."
"Okay" I serve us two glasses of water.
"Felix. I think I need to ask you some follow up questions to the questions I asked you before."
" okay Michael, ask me anything. Just this time, please don't push me away. I've been lonely waiting for you. "
"When we first met at my library. I found your black hoodie under my car. You said, you placed it there to protect me. How would it protect me and from who?"
"My hoodie had my essence on it. I put it under your car to confuse my sister and her dog. She's trying to take me back home and I don't want to go, so I've been avoiding her."
" Cindy is your sister. Why does she want to take you home? Also why does she keep changing her dogs name? "
"I'm sorry Michael. I can't tell you why I don't want to go home because it's a family secret, but believe me; I don't plan to going back. As for the dog's name, I honestly don't know. You got to ask Cindy."
" Okay, how did you know which apartment was mine? When I was knocked unconscious at the convenience store and you took me home. How did you know this was my apartment? "
"Lucky guess?"
"Felix.."
" Okay, um... Don't hate me but I've... Been following you for a while. "
"What?"
"The library was where we first met, but not the first time I saw you."
" Okay. I think that is all I can handle for tonight. Felix, I'm gonna have to say good night. "
"Are you mad?" Felix made the cutest pouty face. I guess he's afraid I'll ignore him for another week.
"I don't know Felix. This is all strange. I still can't talk about the huge mysterious weird part of our conversation where you confessed your secret identity. I guess I don't believe it. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but now you say you've been stocking me? I need some time to get a grip on this."
" It's not like I was stocking you. "
"Okay, you said you've been following me. How long? How long have you been following me? What were you following me for?"
Felix looks down like he knows he's gonna get in trouble. " A month. I've been following you for a month. I couldn't help it. I just, I don't know. I saw you and I needed to keep an eye on you. I had to be sure you were okay. I can't really explain it. " He stands up. "I know I sound like a total creep. I understand you want me to leave. I wish I could stay. I miss you when we're apart." He walks to the door. " I'll call you later. " Then he leaves.
I walk to the door. I put my hand on the door knob; should I go after him? I lock the door and go sit on my couch. I take out my phone, I guess I could use a search engine to research the subject?
I'm about to open the app when I open my photo album instead and look at the selfie of Felix. A werewolf?