Nyra

We stood next to my car, and every time I thought we’d finally said everything we could, one of us would bring up something new, and we’d dive right back in.

I didn’t want the day to end.

I felt completely at ease. No worries about the studies, or about the future. I could just feel the warmth of a talk with an old friend.

As the sky turned from gold to deep blue, I glanced at my phone. The time read far later than I expected and I said "You know, Romer, I never thought I’d see you again. Not like this."

"I knew I would come back to you, I just wasn't sure about when it would happen.”

I admitted softly. "I’m glad you’re here."

He smiled, that familiar warmth in his eyes, and for a brief moment, I felt like the world was perfect again. It was like I had my childhood back, and like a piece of me was again at its place.

But as the last rays of sunlight faded, reality began to creep back in, and we agreed that we had to go now. Clumsily we hugged and promised each other to meet the next day

As I climbed into my car and Romer waved from his, a strange feeling settled in my chest. It wasn’t sadness, exactly, but something deeper.

I drove home, with Romer’s voice still in my mind, his smile in my thoughts. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I didn’t feel alone.

I didn't sleep well that night. Every time I tried to get some rest, my brain decided to bring up flashbacks of that unexpectedly surprising afternoon. I couldn't understand what was going on with me. Why Romer's return was shaking me up this much? He is just a long lost friend that came back.

“Is he?” Asked Nyra.

She is my wolf, the one whom I have to thank for my “beautiful” nickname. She is… complicated to say the least. She doesn't like being told what do, and doesn't even like when I don't do what she says.

“What are trying to insinuate Nyra?”

“I'm not insinuating anything. As always I am just here stating the truth”

“Nyra, can you please stop talking with enigmas and tell me clearly what you mean?”

“Aw dear Lya. I hate it when you are so naïve. You really think that Romer is just a friend and he will keep treating you like when the two of you were kids?” I took a deep breath and said “Why should things be different? We are still able to talk freely about everything and anything, just like then.”

She bursted into her clearly sarcastic laugh and said “My dear Lya, sometimes I wonder how can I be your wolf when we are completely opposites. I'll say it again, you are so naive and just don't want to see things that are crystal clear. The way he looked at you yesterday, the way he smiled was not that of a simple friend. Even if you are not in the mating age yet, I could clearly feel how he wanted to devour you”

“What? You're talking nonsense “

“Keep dreaming Lya, you just don't want to see reality and she went back to her silent treatment.

What if she was right and Romer really wanted to be more than just friends? Just thinking about this made me blush. Nyra was just exaggerating as always, he didn't see me that way and even if I felt a strange tingle through my whole body when I met him, it must have been because of the many years of distance.

I was no expert in love things. There were girls who had experiences with guys of the pack, but I never felt any real interest to any of them. And I would definitely never kiss any guy just to do it, I wanted to do it with someone I really cared and liked. Until now it had never happened, and probably Romer would never be interested in someone who didn't even know how to kiss.

He must have had innumerous other girls in the other pack. Somehow just the thought of him with other girls made me feel a slight pain and a sense of annoyance. What was wrong with me?