The Mouse and The Wolf - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

-Jaden-
I had no idea why I came to school. I wasn't going to come. I was even ready to fight my dad about it. But I still came to school... I didn't even put up a fight.
At school I, of course, regretted being there, especially when both Tilly and Arch went to find Oliver. It didn't take long for Tilly to return to me.
"Really?" I muttered in annoyance when I saw her prancing towards me with a chocolate bar in her hand. I could smell the original owner of it across the hallway. "He's now bribing you with chocolate?"
"You're just jealous that you didn't get one," Tilly said and unwrapped the bar.
I showed my tongue at her, and tried to ignore her. It wasn't easy because I could smell Oliver all over her. I expected her to start nagging about talking with Oliver, but she was completely focused on her chocolate. It didn't take long, until Arch showed up as well, munching his chocolate.
"Bunch of lapdogs..." I muttered and crossed arms over my chest.
"Here's yours," Arch said, and threw one at me. I grabbed it out of pure instinct, and glared at him.
"I didn't ask for one," I snapped at him.
"Well," Arch said and leaned against the wall next to me. "Your not-mate seems to be the kind of guy who likes to make people happy without anyone asking him to."
I wrinkled my nose at him, and turned to look away.
"I had a little chat with him," Arch continued, but I didn't turn to look at him. "He's taking things pretty well. Asked me about Echoes because he has no one else to turn to."
I was sure the last part was aimed at me as a hint to go talk to the guy.
"That's an odd question," Tilly said.
"Well, not really, taken the fact there's Echoes everywhere," Arch replied to her.
"I guess you're right. Echoes are just boring, but I guess a newbie like him can find them interesting," Tilly spoke.
"Anyway – he doesn't seem too freaked out. Unlike some people..." Arch said.
I was glad that class started at that moment. I really didn't want to continue with the topic.
Once the class was over, and all three of us left the room, the first thing I did was to make sure I was walking away from Oliver. Tilly and Arch both knew I was doing it on purpose, but they didn't mention it – they were only giving me the stink-eye.
I spent the entire break making sure I stayed far away from Oliver. I was sure he would come looking for me now that he knew bribing my friends didn't work. If he thought he could make my friends drag me to him again, he was wrong. I was sure he had other devious plans to corner me, but there was no way he could do that. I was a werewolf after all.
By the time the next class started, Oliver hadn't made a move yet. In fact, I was pretty sure he had stayed in one spot the entire time – he clearly expected my friends to do the dirty work for him. Pitiful.
He didn't come after me during the next break either. Or the one after that. Not even during the lunch break. I was getting really suspicious, but I waited. And waited.
And waited...
The weekend was one of the most annoying ones I had ever had to live through. The Groves were still in our territory, and I was forced to spend the majority of my time with my father, who was becoming good friends with Alpha Gray – the leader of the Midnight Grove. Watching two grown men talk about stuff that happened over a decade ago was far from enjoyable, especially after the booze was brought to the table.
Then it just got awful. I just wished they would leave already, but I didn't seem to be in such luck.
When it was Monday, I was pretty happy that I could leave the territory for the day, even though it meant I would have to go close to Oliver again. He had to make his move this time. There was no way he wouldn't come after me and demand answers and whatnot after finding out I was a werewolf.
But he didn't! He still didn't even try to speak with me! Every time he left the class, he walked to the next one and stayed there. Why? He said he wanted to talk with me, so why wasn't he even trying?
I had no other choice. I had to go see what he was doing. During lunch break, I got rid of my two shadows, and sneaked close to Oliver. I could smell him on the first floor, somewhere close to the small library we had at the back of the building. I was as quiet as I could when I peered behind a corner to see into the small hallway that led to the library.
And there he was, sitting on a bench at the other end of the hallway, right under a couple of big windows. Reading a book. There were quite a lot of people between us, so I hoped he wouldn't notice me there. Or sense me.
I retreated behind the corner, and waited for a moment, but he didn't seem to know I was there, so I peered at him again. He seemed focused on reading, so I felt it was safe to watch him for a moment. In case he did something suspicious. He had to be doing something suspicious, right? The fact that he hadn't even tried to come after me was suspicious enough! Everything about him was suspicious as hell!
So, what on earth was he trying to accomplish by reading a book?
I had to jump back behind the corner when he suddenly started to look up from the book. I made it just in time, and I leaned against the wall, trying to calm down. I listened carefully, but soon, I heard him flipping the page, and nothing more.
What kind of book was he reading? I sneaked another peek at him. He was staring at the book again, but I couldn't see the cover, since it was lying on his lap.
He moved again so I hid behind the wall. He coughed silently. I stayed there, out of his view for a long time this time, just making sure he wasn't onto me.
For some reason, I could feel that he was amused. Why was he amused? Was it because of the book?
I leaned to take a look at him. But he was looking at me. Fuck! I froze still when our eyes met. He had a small smile on his lips, and he lifted his hand, giving me a small wave.
I didn't stay there a second longer. I started marching away, expecting to hear him running after me. I got almost halfway to the entrance before I had to stop and look over my shoulder.
He wasn't running after me. He wasn't even following me!
I hesitated for a good while, before I got angry at myself. I was the next Alpha for crying out loud! No human boy was forcing me to leave the school against my will! I marched straight back to library hallway, and as soon as I saw Oliver, I stopped.
He was still reading that book!
He lifted his eyes and spotted me. I suddenly had the feeling I was a complete idiot for returning to him, but I was not letting him screw my head any longer!
"Hi," he smiled at me, and I took a step back out of pure instinct.
And he continued reading. Why?! I was right here! And why was he so goddamn amused?
I just stood there, probably looking like a complete moron. As the moments passed, I started to believe I was a complete moron. Just an overall moron.
I took a deep breath, and looked around, but there were only a few other people in the hallway, and none of them were paying any attention to me. I had to gather all my courage to walk the rest of the way to Oliver, and when I did, my pace was slow. It was a miracle he wasn't laughing at me – I must've looked pretty ridiculous.
"I thought you wanted to talk," I spoke quietly, when I stopped in front of him.
"I do, yeah," he spoke just as quietly, and looked up at me. "But I thought you didn't want to talk to me, so..."
I squinted my eyes at him, and didn't say a word. I could feel exactly what he was feeling now, and I knew he was happy that I finally came to him, but for some reason, he was sad as well. When I didn't open my mouth, he turned his attention back to his book, but he wasn't reading it anymore.
"There are questions I'd like to ask, but your friends already answered the biggest ones, so it's all right if you don't want to have anything to do with me," he spoke. "I know I'm making you uncomfortable."
That was an understatement. Well, that wasn't true. I just had no idea what I was supposed to do next. This was all so damn confusing! I didn't like it at all.
"Classes are about to start," Oliver spoke and stood up, putting his book away. I took a few steps away from him, and his sadness grew a bit stronger. "I want to thank you for keeping me company and watching over me, for whatever reason that may be. I'm... I'm going to miss our evening walks," he spoke quietly.
I still didn't say a word, so he nodded as a goodbye and started walking.
"I'll wait for you," I said without looking at him. "After school, I'll wait for you at the main entrance."
"Okay!" he said, and I could tell he was smiling just by the sound in his voice.