Real Ray got up from the grassy spot under the tree where he'd been crying. He wasn't even sure why he'd been crying. He used to be able to hold it in so well. Another girl happened to walk by, and Ray reflexively went to flip up his hood – but he didn't have one. He recognized the girl: it was Loretta, his crush since grade one. She had teased brown curls, and glasses, atop a skinny frame in a green dress. Being that the two of them were still, y'know, twelve, it wasn't really her body that Ray was interested in. It was her personality, the way she seemed to fall into everything around her... and make it special, somehow. It was hard to explain. She didn't seem to recognize Ray.
"Are you okay? You look upset," Loretta asked softly.
"I have been. A forest hobo stole my dumb name, my tiny room, and my terrible friends. And I didn't even know I had friends," Ray replied.
"A... what?" she blinked.
"Well, more like a stray."
Loretta giggled. "Ooh, I get it. Your family got a new dog, right? Now you're jealous, and you feel like he's taking everything from you."
"Something like that." Ray sighed.
Loretta continued, "When I was in pre-school, I was always the star. I loved to dance, and sing... then I got to kindergarten, and everyone forgot about me. I was so used to being the center of attention, I couldn't handle it. Other kids were getting praise for things I could do better, and I felt like everyone had lost their minds!" She threw her arms up, echoing her past frustrations. "But... from what you said, you don't even like what this dog took. Besides, I bet he really appreciates all you've done for him."
Ray nodded, and was about to thank Loretta... when all of a sudden, Fake Ray ran up behind her, and tackled her to the ground. Loretta screamed and giggled, as Fake Ray tickled and kissed her. The sight of it froze Real Ray's gut dead, and his heart sank to the dark abyss below. He got angry.
"What the hell are you doing?! That's the guy I was just TALKING about!!" Ray exclaimed.
Loretta rolled her eyes. "Oh, you mean Raimundo? Don't be so jealous, new kid. I've known him since grade one! I've always kind of liked him... his spooky sense of humor, his stoic demeanor..." She put her hand on Fake Ray's face. "Well, he just came up today and asked me out! I guess he had just as much of a crush as I did, all along."
Fake Ray kissed her again, on the lips. Then a bit more. Loretta slapped him playfully on the cheek. "No tongue!" she giggled.
Real Ray's fists clenched, and his eyes froze in place. He couldn't see straight. If there were a song to describe Ray's feelings at that moment, it would be something like "Kill Me and Then Kill Yourselves", by the Italian death metal band, Parasocial Distance. He grabbed 'Ray' by HIS black hoodie, and pulled him close.
"You, me. Right now," Real Ray growled in his face.
Loretta blushed. "For... me? But we just met..." She palms her cheeks, evidently pleased, in a weird sort of way. "I'm not even sure if I like girls, yet. At least, I don't... think so...?" She looked dazed.
Fake Ray blinked. "What happens right now?"
"I'm gonna kick your ass, is what," Real Ray spat.
"You're gonna put your foot on my butt?" he asked, blindly inquisitive.
Real Ray looked Fake Ray dead in the eyes. It was no use... the weirdo was barely aware what was even happening. Somehow, he'd managed to figure out romance and identity theft on the same day, but had no idea how to fight in the schoolyard.
Ray dropped him and walked off, with a serious stride. He looked back, and his faker was already doing something else.
"Look what I can do!" Fake Ray shouted, and climbed into a tree. "I'm so high up!"
"You are, look at you go!" Loretta exclaimed with joy.
"Forget this, none of you are worth it." Real Ray sulked away, grumbling.
Fake Ray started to say, "What a cranky bi-"
"SHUT UP!" Real Ray shouted, and tossed a shoe at Fake Ray in the tree. It missed. Real Ray watched as Loretta climbed into the tree with the impostor, and the two of them started kissing again. Real Ray stomped away in one shoe, and the sun began to set. Then, it started to rain. Water soaked into his left sock.

Ray tried to get back into school for his stuff, and to call Theresa, but it was closed for the day. Only the dorms and the cafeteria were open... to those with keys and ID cards. Both, the wolf had stolen from him. With nowhere to go, and not even his black hood, he found his way back into the forest where it all started. He searched, and relocated the log fort. Under the cover of foliage, it was surprisingly dry. He sat down, tucked his baggy pants under his legs, and sighed. He spied a leftover from Fake Ray's previous snack binge: a single danish, in its plastic clam-shell container. The feats of science never ceased to amaze, but they were never more impressive than when they brought back a good recipe from the dead, with ingredients a human could actually benefit from eating. Real Ray took it. He nibbled on its buttery crust, no doubt made with peanut oil and powdered coconut, among other things. As soon as his tongue hit the cherry filling, it was gone. He burped, shook out the container, and put it over his head to block the odd rain-drop. He held himself in the cold, dark, and damp dirt, trying to keep warm. His thin pants and bare arms didn't help. A thought occurred to him: this must be how the wolf boy slept every night.