Werewolf Boyfriend Delaynie (complete)

    Where I am from, werewolves don’t live in peace and harmony. They hunt in the wild, roaming from place to place without anything tying them down. Humans are a source of entertainment to us, not companions or friends. You either fuck a human or fuck them over. That was how I was raised, and that was all I knew.

    When I was fifteen years old, I left my pack and went out on my own. I had nothing there, and even if my family was behind me, they had never really been an integral part of my life. After my half-brother left the pack, I had lost all interest. He was the only one I respected, the only one who seemed to understand what it meant to be a werewolf truly. He was wild and strong. One of the biggest weres I had ever seen. He disappeared and, not long after, I decided to leave on my own.

    As I traveled on my own, it never occurred to me to think about the pack I had left behind. Not my mother, not whoever my father was, not even the pups I was helping to raise. None of them mattered, so none of them were worth the effort. 

Although, I kept lingering on my brother. I wondered where he was and what he was doing. Was he even still alive? It seemed laughable that anything could ever take him down. He was always so huge and terrifying. He had struck me once when I was younger, all because I was annoying him. I never annoyed him again after that. I didn’t want to suffer the full wrath of his monstrous paws. 

    One day, while roaming through the woods, I caught the distinctive whiff of other weres. It wasn’t just the normal smell of a few roaming about. No. It was thick and heavy as if more than a dozen were gathered in the same place. I came across a small town and, as I wandered the streets, I realized it was full of weres.

    These weren’t the kind of wild animals I knew either. Far from. These were tame. No more than whimpering lap dogs. Not just that, there were humans among them. They mixed and mingled as if there was nothing strange at all. It wasn’t right, it all felt so forced and humiliating.

    But then, as I was considering leaving, I smelled something hauntingly familiar. It was a powerful, dark scent, one that made me both feel afraid and comforted. I followed the scent, going into a small hardware store. I could smell him everywhere, and yet I wasn’t allowing myself to be helpful. 

    “Sir, can I help you?” Someone asks.

    I look at them standing at the counter and then, just on the wall behind them, I see a picture. I point to it. “The man in that photo,” I growl. “Where is he?”

    They jump and look around. “You mean Mr. MacAllister?” They ask. “He-he just went home.”

    I inch closer, bearing down on them. They take a few steps back, away from me and I tilt my head. “Well then,” I chuckle. “Where is that?”

    “I...I uh…” They look around anxiously.

    “If you’re looking for Billy, then why don’t you follow your nose like you did when you came in here?” A tall woman walks out from an aisle with a monkey wrench in her hand. She has long black hair that’s showing the early signs of graying. Her skin is a deep, oaky red, and her eyes fill me with a terror I am not accustomed to.

    I back away from the counter and glare at her.

    Her eyes widen. “Holy shit,” she whispers under her breath. “You look just like him.” She takes a few steps towards me, and the stare hardens again. “Whatever face you have, take it outside. If you want to find Billy, then I think you damn well know how to.” She raises the wrench and pokes me in the chest with it. 

    “Go on now, you’re scary, we all get it.” She motions to the door.

    I slap the wrench away from me and snarl at her.

    “I’ve dealt with worse welps than you before,” she smirks at me. She lunges at me, and I jump back, nearly tripping and toppling over. I brace myself up, and she starts to laugh.

    “Pups are all the same! Doesn’t matter if they’re feral or not.” She points to the door. “Next time you want to act like a rude shit, you remember Mrs. Locklear,” she growls. 

    I curl my lip at her and head out the door. Whatever sort she was, she filled me with dread. I had met many powerful weres in my day, but this Mrs. Locklear was a different sort of creature. I followed the scent of him, finding myself in front of a blue house with a white picket fence. In the yard, three children were playing. One boy and two girls. One girl was older, and she saw me standing there on the street.

    “Kami, Ivan,” she whispers to them.

    The one called Kami looks up at me while the boy goes and hides behind his big sister. “Mama!” The big sister shouts as she takes hold of the boy’s hand. “Kami, come here!”

    The little girl comes to the fence, glaring up at me with big saucer eyes. “Who are you?” She asks.

    “Who are you?” I throw back at her.

    Her nose curls. “I asked you first.”

    “I asked you second,” I quip.

    Her eyes widen, and her mouth drops. “That's not how it works!” She stomps her tiny foot, and the front door opens. 

    A woman with red hair stands there, and the boy runs to her. The big sister picks the little brat up, and the woman looks at me.

    “Can we help you?” She asks.

    “I suppose you can,” I smirk. “I’m looking for someone,” I tilt my head, popping my neck. “I can tell he’s here.”

    “You mean Billy?” The woman asks as she picks the boy up. “He’s in the bathroom,” she says slowly. “Who are you?”

    I glance at the sign just at the corner of the road. “Delaynie,” I toss at her.

    She furrows her brow. “You got that from the street sign.”

    “And your point is?” I huff.

    “Maria!” I hear his voice as clear as day. It hasn’t changed at all. “Is there someone here or what?”

    The woman turns and looks inside. “Yes, please come here.”

    He walks out, standing behind the woman. I feel like I’ve been shot. This wasn’t the man I knew and idolized as a child. This was not the monstrous, feral creature I had tried to make myself up after. This was some tamed, beaten, fat lap dog.

    “Holy shit,” he whispers. “Maria, take the kids inside.” He walks out onto the lawn and comes out to the gate. “Why are you here?”

    I chuckle. “I found you,” I growl. “But apparently too late.”

    He furrows his brow at me. “It’s been years,” he whispers. “You’ve grown up. You look good.”

    I snort. “I look good?” I snap at him. “Who the fuck talks like that?”

    “Keep your fucking voice down,” Billy snarls. “There are kids around here.”

    I throw my head back and laugh. “Kids?” I chortle. “Kids? You’re worried about some stupid asshole kids?”

    “Hey now,” he grunts. “This isn’t the world you came from. Got it? This place isn’t for the likes of you.”

    I scoff. “Apparently,” I roll my eyes. “You look ridiculous.”

    “Oh?” he laughs. “How so? Tell me how I’m supposed to look!”

    “You were the monster in the night,” I hiss at him. “You were nightmares come true. You were everything our kind is supposed to be. But now you look like some fat Chihuahua.”

    Billy puts his hand on his belly. “My wife is a damn good cook.”

    “That’s pathetic!” I laugh.

    “Look,” Billy snarls. “You’re my brother, right?” He shakes his head. “Why are you here at all? What did you expect to find? Some feral monster who would rather eat you than look at you?”

    “Yes!” I snap. “What the fuck is this place?” I wave my arms out. “Humans and weres commingling.” I then point to the door. “Did you let some human fucking own you?”

    “And if she does?” Billy growls, bearing over me. “I was half dead when I came here. Our pack left me to die.”

    My eyes widen. I didn’t know this.

    “Here, they took my rabid ass in and gave me a second chance. So yeah, I don’t fucking care that I’m a fat Chihuahua.”

    The door opens, and his woman steps out. “Baby?” She calls. “Is everything alright?”

    “Baby,” I laugh and roll my eyes.

    “Yeah, it’s fine Maria,” Billy tells her. “Go back inside.”

    I chuckle and shake my head. “I’m still trying to put all this together,” I look around. “Seeing this town, watching you, it’s a bit more disgusting than I care for. This isn’t how you were raised. This isn’t you at all.”

    “Look,” Billy snarls. “You haven’t known me for a long time.” I see a dark look come over his eyes that I recognize from when I was young. “You haven’t grown up at all. You don’t know anything.”

    I scoff at him, brushing aside my own growing fear. “And what don’t I know? That you let some human pussy tame you?”

    Billy grabs me by my shirt collar and lifts me off the ground. “Don’t you talk about her.”

    I grin at him and laugh. “I can’t believe it. The most terrifying creature in the world has been taken down by a human! You’re soft,” I snarl at him, grabbing his wrist and digging my fingers in. “You’re fat and worthless now. It’s as if you’re letting those ugly brats suck the life out of you too.”

    Billy throws me down, slamming me into the concrete. “Don’t talk about them either.” His fist clenched around my throat, getting tighter and tighter as I see the monster return to his eyes. 

    My vision is going to a pinpoint, I’m starting to choke, and I’m clawing at his arm. If this is what it takes to get him to come back, so be it. 

    “Billy!” The woman from the hardware store pushes Billy aside. “I know he’s a little shit, but don’t kill him!”

    Billy growls low at her.

    Mrs. Locklear glares down at him. “Are you so ready to get your ass handed to you?” She rips me off the ground and glares at me. “Billy, who is this punk?”

    “My brother,” Billy pants. 

    “Shit, no wonder.” She points at my face. “You both got the same stupid expression.” She chuckles.

    I rear back, striking her and knocking her back.

    Billy stares at me and then he braces himself. “You’ve made a big mistake, kid.”

    I grin at him as I start to shift. “What? For hitting some old lady?” I laugh.

    “You’ll think that when she rips your heart out,” Billy is starting to shift as well. “You’ll be lucky she lets me get a few swipes in.”

    I howl and charge at Billy, tackling him down. I bite his neck and shoulder, drawing blood and he kicks me hard in the gut, sending me flying into his white picket fence. It crumbles and snaps. One of the sharp points scrapes my side.

    I look up, seeing Billy’s monstrous black wolf, and standing beside him is a pure white wolf with bright yellow eyes.

    “Well, well, well,” I laugh. “Seems the old lady decided to join us.”

    Mrs. Locklear snarls and bares her teeth, rising up on her hind legs. “You have no respect,” she snarls. “You come into this town thinking you can own the place?”

    I grin. “If everyone is as fat and stupid as my brother is, yeah, I think I can take it. You let humans own you like pets. It’s disgusting.”

    “You may think yourself a beast,” Mrs. Locklear snarls, “but you’re still just as human as any of us.” She takes a step forward. “You’re nothing.”

    I howl again and charge at her. She braces and stops me, taking my force and knocking me down to the ground. I jump up and grab her wrists, and we struggle. Our claws dig into one another until her footing falters and I’m able to snap at her neck. She yelps and Billy’s fangs sink into the back of my neck and rip me off. 

    At this point, other weres have come out of their little suburban homes and have circled around us. Mrs. Locklear’s pure white fur is turning red from the wound I gave her. She looks angry, and her anger feels more powerful than Billy’s ever did. She lunges, jumping me. She swipes at my face, and I fall back, my head hitting against the asphalt. It’s the last thing I remember.

    I wake up in the hospital, staring up at the ceiling. Well, one eye is at least. I try to touch my face, but my arms are chained to the bed. I scoff and fall back, trying to struggle against the chains holding me.

    “Calm down there.” Billy’s woman walks into the room. “Fighting won’t do you any good right now, Delaynie.”

    I snarl at her. “What?”

    “I had to give you a name, so I just used the street sign again.” She looks over me, checking my bandages. She touches the back of my head, and I wince.

    “Yeah, you got a fracture,” she says. “You better be glad the Alpha went into labor, or you’d probably be fertilizing Mrs. Locklear’s garden by now.”

    I groan. “How did that old bird take me down?”

    Billy’s woman looks at me. “It’s funny you think you even had a chance.” She taps the IV going into my arm. “You’ll be ok. If you want reconstructive surgery, I can set that up for you.”

    “What?” I scoff.

    “Your face,” she replies. “Mrs. Locklear about ripped it off. She tried to scalp you.”

    I scoff. “Nah. Leave it. Scars are trophies after all.”

    She looks at me with pity, and that makes me feel disgusted. “Listen,” she murmurs softly. “Looking at you...it’s just like when Billy came here. He was feral and half dead, left in a ditch to die. He had so much hate and anger inside him.” She touches my hand. “If you’re his brother, I think you have the same strength of character he does.”

    I snarl at her, and she lets go of my hand. “I’ll be back to check on you later,” she murmurs, and she leaves the room.

    I relax back into the bed, closing my eyes and snarling to myself. I then smell something, and I look up. Standing at the foot of my bed is a little boy with blonde hair curlier than ribbon.

    “Get out of here,” I snarl at him.

    He tilts his head. “Are you ok?”

    I growl at him and yank on the chains, but he doesn’t budge.

    “Are you the guy Mrs. Locklear tried to eat?” He asks. His big green eyes make me feel strange. This kid didn’t seem normal.

    “She got lucky,” I snarl at him.

    “She doesn’t need luck,” the kid shrugs. “I’m Adam,” he then chirps. “What’s your name?”

    I just glare at him.

    “You look like Uncle Billy,” Adam continues to jabber away. “At least the part of you that Mrs. Locklear didn’t eat.”

    “You in love with that old bird or something?” I hiss at him.

    “She’s a lesbian,” Adam says. “So I’m not her type. But she’s my friend.”

    I glare at him. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this kid has some sort of power. Not like Billy and not like the old lady. This kid is different.

    “What are you doing wandering around a hospital alone?” I grunt.

    “My mom is giving birth,” he answers. “My little brother.” He then frowns. “They say there’s something wrong with him.”

    “He’s a little brother,” I tell him. “They usually don’t come out right.”

    He frowns up at me. “How do you know?”

    I grin darkly at him. “Because I’m a little brother.”

    Adam’s eyes widen. “Really? Who is your big brother?” He walks around to the side of the bed.

    “Your Uncle Billy,” I chuckle. “He used to beat the ever living shit out of me.”

    “Can you not cuss?” Adam asks. “It’s not nice, and I’m only seven so,” he shrugs.

    I snort. “You’re funny.”

    “So Uncle Billy is your big brother?” Adam asks. “Why did he used to beat you up?” He then gasps. “Oh, that’s right, because Uncle Billy was wild.”

    “Feral,” I correct him. “Your Uncle Billy and I grew up in a feral pack. We did whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. We lived like wolves are supposed to.”

    Adam furrows his little brow. “But we aren’t wolves,” he says.

    “Oh, then what, pray tell, are we?” I laugh. 

    “We’re people,” Adam replies. “That’s what Grandma says anyways,” he shrugs. “She says that werewolves may have something wild in them, but deep down, we’re all still just people.”

    I scoff. “What do you know? You’re just some fat, lazy pup.”

    “I play soccer, I’m not lazy!” Adam snaps at me.

    “Adam! There you are!” An old woman walks into the room. She has the same green eyes as Adam does. She also holds the same presence as him. Something strange and powerful. “Well, who did you find?”

    “Hey, Grandma,” Adam pouts. “This is the guy Mrs. Locklear tried to eat.”

    The old woman looks at me. “Congrats on surviving,” she says.

    “Oh sure, you say that now.” I scoff. 

    The old woman looks at Adam. “Why did you run away?” She asks. “Your mom and dad are scared right now.”

    “He’s scared too,” I scoff. “Was no one thinking about him?”

    “Adam,” she whispers. “Is that true?”

    Adam looks down at the ground. “I don’t want my little brother to die.”

    I suddenly feel a deep pain in my chest. I actually feel sorry for this kid. Empathy? Me? It was a strange feeling. Was this some sort of power the kid had?

    “What’s wrong?” I ask. “With the baby, I mean.”

    “He’s blind,” Grandma says. “The doctor says it’s curable, but he had to go into surgery right away.”

    “That sucks,” I scoff.

    “Let’s go get some ice cream, ok?” Grandma says, giving Adam a great big smile. I see that a couple of her teeth are gold.

    Adam nods and then looks over at me. “Thanks for talking to me, mister.”

    I huff. “Like I had a choice.”

    Grandma looks at me. “I’m Eva,” she says. “Former Alpha.”

    I stare, no wonder her and the kid felt strange to me. They were Alpha wolves. She smirks at me, knowing I’ve finally realized. “Maybe while you recover, you’ll understand what this town is.”

    Adam waves at me. “Bye.” He takes Eva’s hand and walks away with her.

    I sigh and lay back again, staring up at the ceiling. I’m getting ready to close my eyes when I smell Billy. I sit up again, watching as he comes into the room.

    “Mind if we talk?” He asks.

    I laugh. “I already talked to your adorable little nephew. I’m done for the day.”

    Billy furrows his brow. “Nephew?”

    “Blonde Alpha brat,” I chuckle. “I liked him.”

    Billy smiles. “Ah, so you met Adam.” He sits down by the bed. “I’m sorry how things went down today,” he murmurs. “To be honest, I was afraid of what past you’d bring with you. I’m not happy with those days. It’s hard for me to bring up.”

    If I could roll my eyes, I would have. “It’s who you are.”

    “Was,” Billy huffs. “I’m not that wild animal anymore. I realized it was all empty and meaningless. I gave myself purpose, and I’m finally happy. I should have extended that to you. Instead, I just went back to that monster.”

    I glance at him. “God, you’re soft.”

    He chuckles and grins. “Maria is a good cook,” he pats his belly. “She’s also the reason you’re still alive.”

    I scoff and turn my head away from him.

    “There’s a small apartment above the hardware store,” he says. “You can have it. I’ll also give you a job at the shop.”

    I turn back and glare at him. “What for?” I snap. “Do you pity me or something?”

    “Kind of,” he huffs. “You’re going to have to heal, and that takes time. And I’m not letting you leave without paying your hospital bills,” he smirks. “I want to give you a chance.”

    “I don’t want charity from you,” I growl.

    “Trust me, this isn’t charity. You’re going to have to work your ass off.” He then sighs. “You’re my brother, and I want to get to know you. I want us to start over. I was an asshole to you when you were a kid.”

    “I wasn’t great,” I sigh.

    Billy chuckles. “Think about it,” he stands up. “I’ve gotta go get my kids.”

    I shake my head. “It baffles me that you have kids.”

    He grins. “Me too.”

    I’m released from the hospital and into Billy and Maria’s care. I stay with them in their basement for a few weeks until I have to get the stitches removed. Also, with the fracture in my skull, Maria was extremely worried about me.

    I got to know my nieces and nephew a bit, Ivan and Ellie seemed afraid of me. The runt, Kamilah, wouldn’t leave me alone. She was the one who sassed me at the gate when I first arrived. Every so often, I was asked to take Kamilah and Ellie to their dance classes. Ellie took ballet while Kamilah took tap. I would help them get their shoes on before class started. And usually, since I had nothing else to do, I would sit and wait on them.

    One day while I am waiting, a guy comes out of a classroom and looks at me. “You’re here a lot,” he says.

    I glance up at him, seeing he’s wearing the same kind of clothes the girls wear for their classes. “My nieces make me,” I reply.

    “Have you ever thought of taking a class?” he offers. “Since you’re waiting on your nieces, you might as well do something.”

    I look him over. “What do you teach?”

    “I teach a ballroom dance class,” he says. “I’m actually short a student today. I’ll let you have it for free.”

    I scoff. “Why the hell not?”

    The man is Rodrigo Damaso, and I learn he’s a champion ballroom dancer, as well as a werewolf. He has all sorts of trophies, ribbons, and prizes. His wife, Elisa, who is also his partner, is also an instructor in the class. They help get me dressed and set up. I am partnered with Elisa for my first class. 

    To my surprise, I actually enjoy it. I start taking the class every time I bring the girls to their classes. Eventually, I’m attending every class Rodrigo offers. Within a few months, I enter a ballroom dance competition, and my partner and I won third place. 

    “You’re doing extremely well,” Rodrigo tells me. 

    We’ve become close, Rodrigo and Elisa have become my best friends in Hearthway Hollow. I have dinner with them quite often.

    “I want to get better,” I tell him. “I know I can.”

    “If you want, Elisa and I could start giving you some extra lessons,” he offers. “I’d actually like to hire you on as my assistant.”

    I’m dumbstruck. “You’re kidding!”

    He shakes his head. “You’re an excellent student. You’ve excelled far beyond my expectations, and you have a raw talent for the art.”

    I take on the job and become his assistant at the dance school. Within the year, I start teaching my own class. 

    “Hard to believe you’re the same asshole who came tripping into town all those years ago,” Billy laughs at me.

    I scoff and shake my head. “I’m not the same,” I tell him. “I’m someone else entirely.” I’m sitting with him on his porch, enjoying some drinks while the kids play and Maria is at the grill.

    “It’s nice to meet you, then,” Billy laughs. “Delaynie Cross, dancer, and instructor.”

    I smirk to myself. “When I came here, I didn’t even have a name. Now I have a name, a career, I’ve got a championship under my belt.” I smirk. “It feels pretty good.”

    Billy shoves his elbow into my side. “Told you,” he grins. “Now all you need is some human woman to make you her lap dog.”

    I chuckle and shake my head. “I doubt anyone is dumb enough to accept that offer.”

    “I was,” Maria chimes in.

    “Hey,” Billy growls at her, and she grins.

    Hearthway Hollow is constantly growing. When I first arrived, it was mainly the downtown area where my brother’s hardware store was. Now it’s expanding. They’re adding on to the school and building a huge public park. As more werewolves come to the area, it becomes more and more apparent to me what little Adam said while I was in the hospital. There may be something wild in us, but the core of all of us weres is just a person. Someone who wants love, comfort, to be understood and accepted. Hearthway Hollow gives us that. In this town, I am able to see myself for who I truly am. I’ve discovered my passion and something I look forward to each day to doing. I want Hearthway Hollow to grow more, accept more, and be more. 

    Years go by, and Hearthway Hollow becomes more than just a little town in the woods. It’s grown so much, but it’s still the same heartwarming place it always was. Adam has become Alpha, and he’s excelling at it. I’ve bought the dance studio from Rodrigo and Elisa. They’ve retired, and have recently become grandparents.

Kamilah handles most of my business, much like she handles the hardware store. She’s way too smart for her own good, and she knows how to put it to use, especially to help her family. She’s made a good bit of money from it, at least.

“You know,” she says to me one day. “You could actually save quite a bit of money if you hired a musician to write original pieces for you.”

“Really?” I chuckle. “How would that save me money?”

“Royalties are a bitch,” Kamilah laughs. “And don’t you wanna wow people? Everyone uses the same songs every time. But you, you come out with one of a kind original songs. People get drawn in by the music, and you trap them with your amazing dancing.”

“Hmm,” I tilt my head. “When you put it like that.”

“Good, I’ll get an ad out there,” she says with a smug smile on her face. “Should I also put an ad out for a bride?”

I snort and laugh. “Kami,” I say warningly.

“You’re forty-five, I want grandchildren!” She fusses at me.

I laugh loudly and shake my head. “You’re my niece, what are you talking about?”

    Kamilah beams. “I’m sick of you still playing the lone wolf after all these years. If I have to get married, you’re getting married too.” 

    “You...you don’t have to get married. Do you not want to marry Corey?” I ask her, slightly concerned.

    “More than anything, but that isn’t my point!” Kamilah grins. “I wanna see you find your mate,” she says. “You deserve it.”

    I smile and chuckle. “Maybe one of these days. But it’s not a rush.”

    “Forty-five!” Kamilah snaps.

    “Don’t be ageist, young lady,” I snap back.

    Kamilah gets the ad put for the musician. I interview a couple, but nothing feels right. None of them have really written pieces that can be used for dance, and some have completely misunderstood what the ad was for.

    One day, I meet with a young woman named Lenore. It’s snowing as she comes in and her red hoodie is covered with it. I meet her at the door, and when she takes off her hoodie, I’m suddenly completely aware of myself.

    Her long dark hair falls out, and she looks at me. Her dark eyes make my insides melt. I feel weightless and heavy at the same time. 

    “Are you Mr. Cross?” She asks.

    I swallow and mind my mouth and throat are very dry. “Yes,” my voice cracks and I cough to clear it. “Yes. You’re Lenore Scarlett, correct?” I hold out my hand to her.

    She nods and shakes my hand, and electricity courses through me. “I brought my guitar,” she says. “Just in case uhm,” she goes to her case and opens it, taking out a three-ring binder. “Here is some of the music I’ve written.” She hands it over. Under her sleeve, I see scars on her skin.

    “There’s quite a bit,” I remark.

    “I don’t get out much,” she shrugs. “To be honest, I actually just moved here.” She rubs the back of her neck anxiously. “I moved in with my Gran to help her out. She saw the ad and told me to at least try.”

    I smile at her. “I’m glad she did. Follow me, let’s get started.” My heart is hammering, and my hands are growing sweaty. Kamilah was teasing me about this, but I hadn’t even considered it was happening. Yet, here I was, in the throes of this instant connection.

    Lenore is my chosen. I’ve found someone I want to be my mate.

    The two of us sit down in my office, and I look over all the music Lenore has written. Some have lyrics, others don’t. I talk to her about the possibility of creating new works on the spot. She says she’s willing to do it, but she asks for patience.

    “I can do that,” I smile at her. “About how long does it take you to compose a piece?” I ask her.

    She shrugs. “When it’s just for me, maybe a few hours. If it’s something that you’re asking for, maybe over a week?”

    “I can work with that,” I nod. “It’s much faster than most of the others that I’ve interviewed have said.”

    Lenore smiles shyly. “As I said, I don’t get out much.”

    I shake my head. “It’s also talent,” I tell her. I then motion to her guitar. “Is that what you play?” I ask.

    She nods. “I can also play the piano, uhm xylophone,” she fidgets. “And the upright bass.”

    I’m stunned. “You’re kidding? That’s amazing.”

    She looks down as she smiles. “I just like music. It helps with my…” she hesitates. “With anxiety.” She says. I feel like she has more to say, but I don’t want to push.

    “Do you mind if I hear you play?” I ask.

    She nods and quietly takes her guitar out. She opens her binder to a song, and she starts to play. The song is slow and a little sad. It’s lilting and tugs on my heart without any words spoken. 

Her expression seems to say everything. She looks calm yet wounded while she plays. The more I listen to her play, the more I feel deep in my heart she’s the reason I’ve been waiting all this time. She’s the reason my heart wasn’t ready to open itself up. Lenore is the only one.

    After she’s done playing, I have to take a breath. “When can you start?” I ask her.

    Her dark brown eyes light up. “Really?” She gasps. “No joke?”

    “I’m not much of a jokester,” I say with a shrug. “I think you’re perfect. I want your music to accompany my dances.”

    She sniffles and bows her head, rubbing her eyes. “Oh my gosh! Oh-” she hiccups. “Thank you! This is amazing!”

    “No, thank you,” I murmur. “I can’t wait to work with you, Lenore.”