CHAPTER 1

Thud! Thud!

Zane could hear the loud thudding sound despite the white pillow over his head. He started grunting and stretched his drowsiness away while the banging on the door continues.

“Hey, sleepyhead! We’re going to be late!”

Zane heard the faint scream from the outside of his room, and he exhaled in finality after realizing who was trying to destroy his door. Despite being sluggish, he dragged himself out from the comfort of his sheet and flung his door open only to be welcomed by Keira, his loud neighbor slash best friend, with a piece of bread in her mouth as she munched on it.

Slap!

A sound of his bare chest, where his birthmark was, getting slapped rang in his ear. He’s half naked with only his necklace hanging on his chest.

“Ouch!” He rubbed his stinging skin in exaggeration while the lady walked straight inside his room and plunged her weight on his messy bed.

“You deserve that. Come on! It’s the last day of the semester. Show some enthusiasm at least!” Keira joked while she muffled her words on the remaining piece of bread she had.

“You’re talking like I am always late for school. We still have an hour. You’re just disturbing my sleep.”

Zane just sighed at her and shook his head before picking up his navy-blue towel from the rack behind his door. As he hung the towel on his shoulder, his eyes caught the calendar hanging on his wall beside his bathroom door.

It was time for their winter break and the temperature had drastically dropped making it rain snow every night now.

“It’s freezing and you’re still sleeping half naked?” Keira nonchalantly pointed out while paddling her feet.

“Oh, it’s a full moon today.” He ignored her and turned his head to point out the moon cycle from his calendar before completely walking in the shower.

The lady scoffed and just finished her simple bread as her breakfast before walking out the room and headed to the kitchen where Zane’s mother was preparing bacon sandwich for her son.

“Is he up now?” the old fair woman immediately inquired when she saw Keira hopping out from her son’s room.

“I gave him a good slap. So, yeah. He’s in the shower now.” Keira towered her elbows on the kitchen island and casually picked up another buttered bread from the plate.

Esme, Zane’s mother, scoffed in slight disdain upon hearing the lady’s words. “I’ve been banging his door for ten minutes and I got no response. I’m glad you’re here.”

The woman hand-picked a piece of bacon and brought it for Keira to munch which the latter gladly chomped with her sweet smile.

“He just doesn’t want to hear my annoying screaming, so he had to get up.” Keira chuckled on her words. “Can I pack some, too?” she sweetly added.

Esme fondly smiled as she finished her sandwiches and said, “You always have your share. You don’t even need to ask.”

Keira blew the woman sweet kisses and helped her with the rest of the task.

Zane and Keira have been best friends since they were children. Keira lived only two blocks away from Zane and when they started being friends when they were little, they only grew closer each day. The neighborhood even teased them when they entered college saying they might just end up being together. However, their friendship remained steadfast. As both being the only child in the family, they found a connection better than lovers and that’s being a family to each other. But having a best friend you grew up with, having someone who knows everything about you, and having someone who always has your back, Keira started to develop feelings she knew she shouldn’t have.

For someone as ideal as Zane, it was hard for Keira to stop herself from falling for her best friend. That’s why she was kind of nervous yet excited at the same time for the last day of the semester. After knowing Zane’s plan on working in Astrea after they graduate from college, Keira didn’t want to waste any more time. So, seeing the full moon on her calendar last night, she decided to confess her feelings for Zane after class in a place she discovered just three days ago – a perfect place to see the full moon and lay her feelings for her best friend.

After the morning struggle of getting her best friend out of bed, they immediately headed to the university. Last day of the term is always filled with the students’ delight looking forward to the holidays and winter break. So, their day went rather quick.

“Want to grab some beer in the tavern?” Theo, one of their block mates and closest university friend, gleefully invited.

“Ooh, I knew you’d say that.” Keira playfully winked at Theo and clicked on her tongue as she mindlessly winged her arm on her friend’s shoulder.

“Let’s go, then.” Zane also agreed and off they went.

In one of the sought-after taverns in Tilbury, they also bumped with some of their university friends and there they enjoyed a shared table which was instantly filled with chitchats and laughter. Despite Zane not being used to such crowds, he tried to blend in with Keira’s help since it was the last day of their semester and everyone’s having fun. Keira, on the other hand, was careful with their drinks as to not get them too drunk because she still has plans for them once it’s time for full moon.

As the night grew, Keira checked the time and when it showed her eleven o’clock, she asked Zane to slip away from the group because she had something to show him.

“Where are we going?” Zane casually asked with both his hands tucked in the pockets of his denim jacket.

They are now walking away from the tavern and going to what looks like a path going to the forest. It’s raining snow a little, and Zane worries for Keira because of the freezing temperature.

“You’ll see! I happen to reach this place at the end of the forest, and it is almost like a hidden world. It’s insane!” The excitement is accompanying Keira’s voice as she fixed her beanie and her winter gloves.

Zane’s brows furrowed, “How did you find it?”

“I did some trekking the other day and I got lost. I discovered a way out when I went back.” Keira intently told her best friend as they continued their way in the deep of forest.

“Oh, where was I? How come I didn’t know about it?” Zane genuinely asked.

“Ah, I probably forgot to tell you.” Keira’s voice started to hitch from the cold.

“And why do you want to go there now? We can do it tomorrow where there’s no snow.” the guy insinuated.

Keira turned her head to her best friend quickly, “The full moon is in less than thirty minutes. The view there will be so magical, I’m telling you. So please, hurry! Will you?”

Zane just scoffed and shook his head while he followed his best friend’s footsteps into the forest. They let the sound of the gushing breeze accompany them along with the falling of snow that brought even more chills under their skin… at least for Keira.

Scurrying their way to the end of the forest to witness the full moon in the newly discovered place, Keira almost ran her way out of the forest, leaving behind that creaking sound from branches and snow pooling on the ground. Zane made sure he’s behind her best friend in a safe distance just in case she tripped or something. But his face glistened under the wondrously bright moonlight as soon as they stepped out from the woods. The moon, almost looking like a giant lightbulb up in the night sky, illuminated the entire vast landscape before them.

Zane’s lips almost parted as he admired the beauty of the new place in front of them.

“Wow… this is…” Keira sneered in awe of the picturesque view, “…beautiful.”

“Hmm. It is.” Zane’s words travelled with the cold air.

They admired the entire place that looks like a straight cutout from a magazine. Tiny houses in far distance which may look small from where they stood, but actually just the same size of their houses in Tilbury. A lake that sparkled as the moonlight reflects on the surface of the water, the trees surrounding the foot of the mountain almost covered in white sheet due to the falling snow, and just until the horizon where their eyes can only see, Zane and Keira were mesmerized to say the least.

“We arrived just in time.”

Zane was interrupted by Keira’s words and saw his best friend’s eyes piercing on the full moon. He quietly watched the full moon with her and let the serene ambiance take over them, listening to the sound of nature.

After a good while, Zane heard Keira sniffing. It must be the chilling weather. When he turned to his side, Keira was cupping her cheeks with her gloves for some warmth. He immediately removed his own scarf and casually put it around the lady.

“Let’s get back after ten minutes. You’re going to freeze out here.” Zane joked while he made sure to cover half of Keira’s face with his scarf on top of hers.

Keira cutely sniffed before answering, “This is the last full moon this year. We can stay longer.”

Zane playfully shook Keira’s head with his grin before inviting his best friend inside his jacket for some warmth. Keira immediately threw herself to Zane and let the guy embrace her with his jacket. For Zane, this gesture was probably just an act of friendship, but for Keira, she’s happy more than a friend would. She prepared herself to finally confess.

She rested her head against Zane’s chest and instantly felt the warm skin underneath his shirt.

“I’ve always wondered why you’re not feeling cold even during winter. You’re so… warm.” Her voice was calm.

Zane jeered, “Maybe because I’m a winter baby?”

“I’m a winter child, too. What do you mean?” Keira giggled underneath her layers of scarves.

Silence followed. Neither of them spoke. While Zane was just enjoying their current situation, Keira slowly mustered her courage to confess after having deep breathes. She casually broke free from the embrace and stepped back a little, giving them a safe distance so they can see each other’s face.

“I have something to tell you.” she started.

Zane’s brows twitched and gave her expectant eyes. “What is it?”

“Promise me you won’t get mad.” Keira said in her teasing voice despite the trembling.

“Alright. I won’t.” he chuckled.

“I know I can be annoying sometimes… loud –”

“Yes, you are.” Zane immediately butted in which made Keira whined.

“Don’t interrupt me or I won’t be able to say it.” The girl pouted. Zane just laughed at her but immediately gave her all ears.

“So… as I was saying… Even if I’m annoying, you have your annoying moments, too. But you’re the only one who sticks around with me whether or not I need you.” Keira paused for a second and looked at Zane’s eyes, trying to read him. When she saw him intently listening, she continued.

“I know we grew up together. We’ve seen each other’s worsts, ups and downs, we’ve been each other’s cheerleader, and all that. You’ve been a really good best friend to me and also a brother I never had. When you told me about your plan on working in Astrea so you can eventually live there, it had me thinking. Just the thought of you away from here makes me sad.” she genuinely revealed.

Zane calmly exhaled on Keira’s last sentence and spoke, “We still have two years in college, and you told me you can also find work in Astrea.”

“Yeah, I know. But I tried mentioning about it with mom and dad and they’re against the idea of me leaving Tilbury. I even joked saying they should have another baby, so they won’t get lonely without me.” she answered.

They both laugh at her words before Zane spoke again. “So, you’re telling me you’re sad of me leaving two years later?”

Keira softly nodded, “And I want to tell you that I–”

Awoo!

Zane and Keira turned their heads almost in sync when they heard a howling sound echoing from the inside of the forest.

“Did you hear that?” Keira instantly asked Zane.

Her best friend confirmed what she just heard, and they stayed quiet for another minute.

Awoo!                        

Keira automatically stepped closer at Zane which the guy immediately held on her wrist.

“Is that a wolf?” the girl asked.

“I think so. But it sounds a little strange.” Zane uttered.

Wolves howling in the forest is not an uncommon sound to be heard in Tilbury at night especially in the area near the woods where they also live. However, the howl sounded aggressive, almost unnatural.

“I think we should go back now.” Zane suggested to which Keira agreed almost immediately, forgetting the very reason of her plan.

On their way inside the forest, they felt the heavy atmosphere and a tumult of beastly noises, predominantly rummaging critters, filled the air. Zane’s grip on Keira’s wrist slowly tightened as they almost run their way in the heart of the woods. The walk from end to end earlier took them almost half an hour and with their strange encounter, they needed to cut that time in half just to make sure they can safely go back. After all, it’s almost midnight.

Awoo!

There was that eerie howling sound again.

“Keep running.” Zane’s voice this time was authoritative but with a hint of worry.

Keira could feel her chest pound hardly and her labored breathing can almost be heard. Not to mention the cold weather making her muscles slowly cramp from the running. But she didn’t mind. She just let Zane drag her and led their way out of the forest.

But a strange looking creature suddenly jumped at Keira from her right side making her fall on the ground.

“Aaaahhhh!” Her scream echoed in the entire forest and Zane couldn’t believe what he just saw.