Chapter 1 - rejected, but not quite

    "Do you wanna go out?" She muttered faintly. So faintly that he'd have mistaken it for a rush of wind if he was human.

    "What?" Xavier blurted out in disbelief, tightening his hold onto the bridge railing.

    Aster scoffed, "You have super hearing and for what?"

    "Sorry, I was just taken aback." Xav shyly averted his gaze and stared at the ground, unable to look her in the eye. "Are you serious?"

    She sighed, "You know how much I hate putting myself in this kinda situation so hell yeah, I'm serious."

    This wasn't how it all played out in Aster's mind. She was supposed to confess her three years of harbored feelings, and then he'd say 'Oh! I feel the same way too!' and then they're gonna enjoy each other's company as the sun sets, agreeing to meet at Sooubway the next day so they can happily eat Cold Cut Combos together.

    She forgot to add this terribly awkward atmosphere into the equation. 

    Aster was mentally begging the ground to swallow her because if she'll have to bear with the unforgiving tension enveloping them for another goddamn minute, she was going to die before they make it to college.

    "I'm sorry." 

   Who cares if she never gets to meet her real parents, right? She'll be more than happy to die at this very moment. "Hey, you don't have to apologize if you don't feel the same!"

    Xav's eyes widened, "What? No! It's not that I don't feel the same." 

    On second thought, she would like to thank the moon goddess for the life she's been given and hopefully, she lives to see another decade or two. "Um... What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

    She can tell how much he's trying to be careful with his words with the number of times he opens his mouth and hesitates. "Just give me more time..." He sighed, "I don't know if I'm ready for.. all of this. If we're gonna be together, I want to be the partner that you deserve."

    She sighed in relief, "Phew, I thought I was gonna get rejected for a second there... I mean, I was rejected but y'know not quite.”

    He chuckled, "Gave you a fright there, didn't I?"

    "Hah, yeah..." Her brows slightly furrowed, "I don't understand though, you're already more than enough for me. I mean, between the two of us, it's a big win for me and not so much for you if we got together." She said with a sheepish smile.

    "I wouldn't say that. You seriously don't see yourself the way I, no, we do." He reaches out for her hand, "I'm not quite happy with myself... just yet. If we got together, believe me, I'd be the happiest guy in the world. But it won't take long until I start.." He pauses, slowly raising her hand, guiding it to his cheek.

    "Someday, I'm gonna spiral down and drag you along with me and I don't- I don't want that, Aster." He leans into her hand and closes his eyes. "I'm gonna tell you when I'm ready, okay?"

    She gives him a content smile, "Okay."

    They both look at the sun, the awkwardness that surrounded them earlier setting down along with it. He glances one last time at the horizon, faint light illuminating his silver hair and slowly lets go of her hand. "Come on, I'm walking you home, it's getting cold."

    "Uh, no you're not." She replied.

    "Why not?" He places his hands in his pockets.

    'He's so pretty and for what,' she thinks to herself "What do you think my brother would say if he sees us together?"

    "That's bull. We've been friends since diapers." He rolls his eyes.

    "Well, it's just different now, okay?" She zips up her jacket, "I don't want him to get the wrong idea."

    "Fair." He chirped, "M'kay how about... I walk you until the last corner before we reach your house?"

    "Aight, deal."

    It took approximately thirty minutes for them to arrive but they could've sworn it only felt like five minutes at most. 

    "Aaand, we're here." Xavier sighed.

    Aster raised a brow, "You sound disappointed." 

    "What, no."

    "You sure?"

    "Yeah."

    "Okay." She takes one step forward and one step back to give him a quick peck on the cheek, nearing the jaw.

    They stare dumbfoundedly at each other for a good three seconds before Aster snaps out of it.

    "Oookay, I'm gonna go now... Bye!" She hurried off.

    "..." He couldn't get a word out.

    Aster was frantically walking-running like a blood-drenched clown was tailing her.

    "What, leaving already?"

    They both froze in place upon hearing a familiar voice.

    "Hey Xav, my guy! How's it going!" Pollux, Aster's older brother, currently in 1st year college. He seems to have only gotten back from buying groceries. He then proceeds to greet Xavier with a hard pat on the shoulder, completely forgetting about the bag of vegetables and condiments he's holding, causing it to slam against Xavier's back.

    "Ow." He winced, "He-hey... I've been doing great. Thanks for asking." He replied with a pained smile.

    Pollux looks teasingly to his sister's direction, "Ho, I can see that."

    "Can we go now?" Aster grunted.

    "What's the hurry~" He hums. "Wanna join us for dinner?"

    "No need. I'll get going." He gives a quick bow and swiftly turned around.

    Pollux pouts, "I swear that guy has some secret grudge towards me. He always runs off like that."

    "I hate you so much."

    Pollux heaves and his tone shifts into serious mode, "Care to tell me what happened?"

    "Heh, no." She sneered.

    "Who's cooking dinner again?" He smirked.

    "Ugh, why do I need to explain anything to you?" She glared at his ever-so-annoying brother.

    "Duh, 'cause you're not getting a single slice of steak if you don't. Mom's coming home late today. What happens if poor little Aster doesn't meet her werewolf nutritional needs?~" He wipes a fake tear.

   She rolls her eyes and shifts her gaze to the ground, "Mom's been working overtime nonstop, you think we should talk to her about it?" Their mother hasn't been the same ever since their dad mysteriously disappeared after taking a short trip back to Berhtwulf, where Aster and Xavier were found. He refused to tell them the reason as to why he decided to go back there. He also requested that if ever he fails to come home, they are not to attempt to look for him.

    "Yeah, I think so. It's been 7 months and she's not getting any better." It's amazing how quickly his face shifted when their mother was mentioned. Her brother's undeniably a family man. Ever since their dad was nowhere to be found, Pollux took it upon himself to fill the hole that was left after their dad's disappearance. 

    As desperate as Aster was to change the topic, she couldn't bear to see her brother frustrated.

    She sighed, "I may or may not have confessed to Xav."

    "Psh, I guessed as much, let's skip to the... fun stuff." He gives her his classic deceitful smile and places an arm around her shoulders.

    Well, at least he only meant to put an arm around her, but to Aster, it felt as if a magic portal had appeared from above her and decided to spawn a massive grand piano to fall on her back.

    "Ow. Seriously, how do you have that much strength for a human?" She rubs her back.

    "I think the real question is how come you're so weak for a werewolf?" He gives her a light nudge to which she replied with a not-so-light nudge, making him fall over and bump into a neighbor's vase, ultimately breaking it. He looks at the old lady, watering her plants while giving them an unamused look.

    Aster paid for the damages using her allowance while Pollux put on his best good-boy act and apologized to the irate old lady before heading home, passing blames along the way.