7: Blink Twice

Over a cup of coffee, I watched Tiffany as she told me a story about the legendary wolf with her hands.

She looked like my Math Teacher who instructs with both of her hands, as if agreeing also on what she’s supposed to teach, her expression told me that she teaches the lesson already for years, she got a firm and steady eye as she talks and a loud high-pitch voiced that show confidence and never falter.

The difference between Tiffany and my math teacher was she doesn’t want to be a math teacher, she failed the entrance exam at a known university in another city and falls into a private college instead, she entered the only available course there and became a math teacher, her demise did well on her in the end when she landed a consistent paying job but the people she knows and her closest friends and family laughed at her secretly as she walks, she’s just another stupid girl who thinks the world revolves on her, but alas! She was slapped with the truth; no matter how much time you consume in building your plan it’ll crumble down. I bet she ended up crying at night for weeks asking why her dream didn’t get fulfilled.

Tiffany looked so arrogant at some point, she held her head with confidence and her smug face confirmed the difference between her and my math teacher, she’s lucky that she can help the legendary wolf. She can come to him and have a conversation; her eyes trusted him much more than he trusts her.

“You can say I’m the maid of this household, but it’s more like I’m the apprentice of the wolf,” she said with a sly smile.

We’re in her room, she has a huge walk-in closet on one side and a toilet and bath on the other, it shouts luxurious, her headboard was made of nadeshiko pink colored materials and her bed looked like it came out of a five-star hotel with a linen satin and pillowcases that looked so soft and fluffy.

Her room was clean, nothing too fancy but it contained only hotels had, I can confirm it because I’ve been in one when my family went out and toured an eastern country. It’s nothing fancy but it spelled luxurious on every inch, the smell of lavender and pink petals danced on my nose when she swung the door open. Just like the moment we did on our tour. It’s a family trip but now it’s never going to happen again.

“So,” I raised my head to Tiffany who tapped her lap slightly, “anything that you wanted to ask?” She asked. 

I searched for words appropriate to ask, the legendary wolf was surely not just a legend. As per what Tiffany said she lives with him and become his apprentice when they have this house. Does that mean they met mom? As much as I'd like to believe so, I hesitated, I am not encountering a human now, they’re wolves, and wolves can eat humans, I should choose the words that come to my mouth well. I don’t want to get on their bad side. I still want to return to the town in one piece.

I shrugged. “Nothing more.” I suppressed my lips and squeeze my balled fist to my lap. I don’t know much about wolves except for the legends circulating that I learned throughout my life; wolves only have one mate; wolves walked together in packs, and wolves can eat humans if they want to.

“Well then.” Tiffany cleared her throat and stood, she walked to the door of her bathroom. I thought she needs to go there so I just took it lightly even though she left me alone in her room. I roamed my eyes once more and thought of how should I get away in this area. The legendary wolf must be around and there’s a big chance I could run into him, Tiffany’s room was on the same floor to where she caught me.

That answers the question of why she had spotted and watched me and the wolf exchange words.

I'm still contextualizing my escape plan when Tiffany walked to me with a first aid kit in her hands. “I’m going to be the one asking questions.”

She went up behind me and put the kit on the coffee table, my hair stands on my nape when she suddenly pulls my hair up, revealing the side of my neck that I don’t want anyone to see.

I want to stand but the best I could do was to try to cover it while pulling my hair back.

“Stay still,” she commanded and my hands went to my lap, I straighten my posture on the seat and let her touch the red swollen skin that I got when my stepfather pulled mom’s scarf away.

“I want to treat it.” I let Tiffany get cotton balls from the kit and alcohol. The stinging of my skin was bearable, it was just a bit of redness from the back of my neck, I wouldn’t take it lightly if there was blood spilled in there. But the reason why I had it made my jaw clenched.  

“So, what’s your question?” I asked, my second time diverting my emotion. 

Tiffany’s cold compress made me shiver down my spine but it felt so good, it was like a rush of fresh wind was coming to me from the back of my neck, it was calming and beautiful.

“How did you find this house?”

I stopped inhaling the fresh air. My mind recalls the rumors I heard recently, somehow, no one has ever entered or located the house of the legendary wolf. People tried to find it but they always ended up with dizziness and body aches. Tiffany said I am in the legendary wolf’s house; I saw it and I entered in it. How?

“I just followed the map, thinking of what house I inherited from my mom. I saw this, tried the knob on the door, and the key fits, I don’t know why it did.”

“Oh,” Tiffany hummed suspiciously. “Then don’t you want to know what the wolf’s doing in the room talking to a tomb?”

“Why would I want to know?” I chuckled nervously, that’s not my business.

“But you got here, don’t you think that is your business?”

I turned around to Tiffany who was holding a cotton ball in one hand and my hair blew in place as she let go of it. My brows were knotted as I eyed her suspiciously. Why does she want me to know? If anything, I want to go out in here and leave these embarrassing memories in the woods.

She caught me peeking at his door, was that why she was asking me that question now? I turned to the window beside her, tall trees circled in the forest like they knew where they stand and no one dared to step in the perimeter of the house. The rotten house I inherited indeed looks like a storage that has been forgotten with age, I don’t want it, I still want this house but the wolf said it was his house so I might as well forget that I have inherited a house. Let the wolf’s house be his house, I’ll leave it at that.

I shook my head daintily. “No.”

"Why? I don't have anyone to talk about this though."

"So... what?" I trailed, feeling the harshness of my words in my tongue.

But Tiffany’s one tough lady, she composed herself and clasped her hands together. "The wolf got here because he was banished by his pack. And the people in this town talk about him like he's some sort of a monster, but clearly, he's not."

"What are you talking about?"

"Exactly what I'm saying, here's the deal, clear his name and I'll grant you one wish."

What she said made me raise a brow. Who's she? A genie? She held her head and was oozing with confidence, it made me want to believe her for a second.

But no.

"What? You're not convinced? I told you from the start. Help us, then we'll help you."

I stood promptly and shifted my balance from foot to foot. "No."