Chapter Ten: 1/2

Shay:

I pulled open the door, and I glanced around the room. I knew the daycare had several rooms, and in each room, there were children of different ages. That way, the bigger kids didn’t have to hear the little ones, and the big kids wouldn’t pick on the little ones.

Vee stood at the main desk, and she smiled once she saw me.

“Hey Shay,” she greeted “How are you today?”

“Hey Vee,” I said back, “I’m good, how are you?”

“I’m good,” she looked to the side door, the one, my brothers, usually come from.

“Is everything alright?” I asked.

She nodded, “Conner just had a bit of a breakdown not too long ago.”

“Is he alright?” I asked.

She nodded, “Eileen and her brother are with him.”

Eileen has a brother?

“Alright,” I said, “Can I go back there?”

“I can get them if you’re ready to pick them up,” she smiled.

I smiled sheepishly, “I was hoping I could hang out here for a little bit, I can help you guys out.”

She looked surprised, “I don’t know, I’ll have to ask Eileen.”

The door opened, and Eileen walked out and smiled wide at me.

It felt a little like she knew that I was here.

“Hey, Shay,” she said loudly.

“Hey Eileen,” I said back loudly.

She laughed, “How are you today?”

“I’m doing alright,” I said, “How are you?”

“So good,” she grinned. “Hey, are you busy?”

“Uh,” I said, pretending to think about it “No, what’s up?”

She pointed to the back, “Come back for a minute?”

I shrugged.

Vee smiled, but I could tell it was forced. She wasn’t happy about what played out.

I followed Eileen to the back, but I stopped the second I saw a man crouched in front of Conner.

Conner had the biggest smile on his face, and I wanted to save this moment to memory.

“Shay!” Conner screamed.

I grinned at him as he came barreling over to me.

My arms opened instinctively to latch onto him.

He hugged me back tightly.

“Who is your new friend?” I asked.

The man stood up, and right away, I noticed how tall he was.

He turned to look at me, and I felt my mouth go dry.

His hair was either a really dark brown or black. The lighting in here wasn’t high enough to really be able to tell for sure.

“Hi,” he said a little awkwardly.

“Hi,” I said, still holding Conner.

“Shay,” Eileen said from next to me “This is my brother Noah.”

“Nice to meet you, Noah,” I said, finally releasing my brother so that I could shake Noah’s hand.

He looked a little surprised but shook my hand.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Shay.”

He smiled lightly, and I couldn’t help but think he was cute.

Man cute, not boy cute. Though I guess he has a boyish smile.

I noticed his eyes when I was right in front of him. They weren’t a natural color.

I moved in a little closer, and I startled him. He moved back.

“Sorry,” I said, “I was trying to get a better look at your eyes.”

He looked down, and his hand went over the back of his neck.

I couldn’t tell if he was shy or just awkward.

“It’s alright,” he said, “They are a bit different.”

They looked kind of like Eileen’s, only darker.

Eileen’s eyes looked like a purple-blue, but his looked like a dark purple, with a hit of light purple.

“Shay!” I looked over at Cody.

He must have come from the other room.

“Hey,” I grinned at him.

He came over to hug me.

“Are we going home now?” he asked.

I was about to say yes, then the memory came back to me.

“Eh,” I said, “No, we are going to find something to do for a couple of hours.”

“Can’t we stay here?” Conner asked.

I looked down at him, and I realized he was standing next to Noah.

“I’m pretty sure Eileen and Noah have more important things to do than babysit all three of us.”

Eileen laughed.

Noah smiled as he placed his hand on Conner’s head.

“It’s slow today,” Eileen said, “Why aren’t you going home?”

I smiled sheepishly at her. I didn’t know how to tell her that my older brother was getting laid.

“Andre has a girl over,” Cody said, “Doesn’t he?”

I glanced down in horror after he spoke.

“What?” I gasped.

How in the hell did he know that?

“Deidra, right?” Cody asked.

I couldn’t speak, I tried to, but I couldn’t form words.

“Eh, I, Uh,” I sputtered, “Maybe.”

Conner whined.

“You can stay here,” Eileen said, “I don’t mind.”

“Really?” I asked.

She nodded, “You can help me out a little with the kids.”

“I accept,” I said.

Eileen pointed to Noah, “Be my second set of eyes in here?”

He narrowed his eyes at her.

I felt a little like I was missing something.

Noah:

I was freaking out.

I felt her proximity in my joints.

This never happened before. I knew the second she stepped foot in the daycare. Just having her right in front of me, I was shaking.

It didn’t look like she noticed, but she might just be too polite to point it out.

She was different through the glass.

The sound of her voice was soothing.

I wish we had our interview right now. I wanted to ask her so many things.

She walked out of the room for a few minutes to help Eileen with something.

“Noah?” the older boy asked.

“Yeah?” I asked, sitting down in the small chair.

“Do you think my sister is pretty?”

I nearly started to choke.

“What?” I practically gasped.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

“Do you think Shay is pretty?” he asked again.

“Well,” I said, not sure how honest I should be with him, “Yeah.”

“You should ask her out,” he stated, “She desperately needs a boyfriend.”

This little boy was something else. Kids really are honest.

“Maybe she is just taking her time?” I asked.

He looked at the younger boy, Conner, I believe.

“She takes care of us a lot,” he stated, “She doesn’t have a lot of time to really look.”

Little did he know.

“You seem like a nice guy,” he said, “She could use a nice guy.”

Uh, why did it feel like I was about to get the older brother speech?

He looked me dead in the eye, “Shay is special.”

“I’m sure she is,” I said, “She has good brothers looking out for her.”

“Don’t patronize me, Noah,” he said.

What the fuck?

“How old are you again?” I asked.

“I’m eight,” he said seriously “I’m not an idiot.”

“I never said that you were,” I said, “I just don’t think your sister wants me to ask her out.”

He looked at me like I was an idiot.

“You don’t know girls very well, do you?”

“I guess not,” I said.

“She didn’t have to shake your hand,” he stated.

He wasn’t in the room for that. Wait, wasn’t he?

He just stared at me.

I didn’t know what to say.

The door opened, and Shay came back through with Eileen not too far behind her.

“Talk to her,” Cody whispered.

I had no idea where to even begin.

I felt a hand pull at my necklace, and I tried my best not to flinch away.

Conner tugged at the metal lightly.

“Tell me the story again,” he said.

These boys.

“It was a gift from Eileen,” I said.

Eileen was quick to jump into the conversation, and I was thankful for that.

“The wolf pendant?” she asked.

Conner nodded.

“When we were younger, I used to believe that Noah was a Werewolf.”

Shay smiled lightly, and I felt a tingling sensation in my hands.

“You’re a Werewolf?” she asked me.

I met her eyes, and I couldn’t help but smile at her “Of course I am.”

Her smile widened, and the tingling sensation became painful. It felt like needles poking into my palms.

Eileen pulled the pendant forward, and Shay leaned in to get a good look at it.

The pricking sensation started in my legs.

“It looks Norse,” Shay said.

The symbol down its nose definitely was Norse. It was meant to be Fenrir.

Eileen didn’t know it though when she bought it. She just thought that it was a silver wolf that looked pretty.

I was already impressed that she knew that.

“Horse?” Conner asked like it was ridiculous, “It’s a wolf.”

Eileen and Shay both giggled at his comment.

“Norse like Thor,” Shay stated.

He looked like he understood.

“Noah,” Cody said, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

I could see it on both of their faces, Eileen and Shay looked surprised.

“Uh,” I said awkwardly “No, I don’t.”

“That’s a shame,” Shay said.

Did she really just say that?

I looked up at her, and I think she didn’t realize she actually said it. Her face went crimson, and she looked down.

“Why is it a shame?” I asked her.

I didn’t care if it was a good time or not to ask.

I already decided that I wanted her. If I could find out anything before the interview, I would.

She looked up at me, her blush still evident.

“You’re cute,” she stated, “And good with kids.”

I held her gaze, despite my heart leaping at the idea of her thinking I’m attractive at all.

“Cute, huh?” I asked.

Her face instantly went serious, and I felt nervous.

“Well, calling you beautiful might be a bit too much.”

Eileen looked at me with wide eyes, and I had no idea what expression was on my face.

I felt so many emotions.

I was a little embarrassed, in a good way. Flattered, most definitely.

Was it getting hotter in here?

I gave her one of my best smiles, I only know it works because of how many people have told me so.

“I don’t know how to respond to that,” I confessed, “I think you’re beautiful.”

Her face didn’t change, and I felt uneasy.

She looked like she’s heard that line a thousand times.

I felt like I should apologize, but then I watched as she covered her face with her hands.

Her mouth was still visible, but her eyes and cheeks were covered.

“Shut up,” she said.

I couldn’t help but smile at that.

It was a cute response. I didn’t expect it.

She turned around, and I kept my eyes on her.

“Why do you think Noah is a Werewolf?” Cody asked.

It felt like the air became solid in my lungs.

“Because he changes,” Eileen said.

She put her hands up in front of her mouth to form sharp teeth. One of her hands was the top of her jaw, and the other hand was the bottom. She proceeded to chomp with her hands.

The boys both laughed, but I knew it was true.

I’m not a Werewolf. I am something worse.

I didn’t realize that Shay had turned back around, she was staring at me.

Shit.

I didn’t like it when Eileen told this story.

“What color is his fur?” Conner asked.

“Black, of course,” Eileen stated.

“Werewolves aren’t real,” Cody said simply.

“Maybe not Werewolves exactly,” Eileen said, “But there are plenty of animals in the world.”

“Not a person that can change into one,” Cody said.

“Some can,” Shay stated.

My eyes went right to her.

Cody made a face, and then it looked like he remembered something.

“You’re right,” he said, “I’m sorry.”

I was completely and utterly confused.

How did she know that people changed? Why did Cody so easily back down about it? I didn’t know the kid very well, but I knew he was stubborn.

Cody went over to hug her, and he buried his face into her stomach.

He looked genuinely hurt.

Shay ran her hand over his back soothingly before crouching down and hugging him properly.

He dug his head into her shoulder, and I could hear him crying.

What the hell did I miss?

I looked at Eileen, and she only shook her head.

Conner went over and hugged them both.

Shay pulled him into her arms.

I don’t know how to explain the feeling I got watching her care so much for her brothers.

It was something I had always done for Eileen.

That only made me feel even more for her.

Eileen moved her head just slightly, indicating for me to go over there.

I shook my head. It wasn’t my place to do that.

She shrugged before going over and hugging them as well.

Fuck it.

I got off of the small chair and didn’t hesitate to wrap my arms around them.

The painful pricking sensation vanished the second my skin made contact with hers.

I felt relief until I heard her start to cry.