Chapter 3

It's been a few days since little Cerberus joined our little family. We didn't introduce him to the others yet. wanted to make sure he was clean and vet verified. I was walking around campus, It became a habit to stroll around when I had a lot on my mind. The breakup and the move are things I was prepared for, but what I was really running from was the anniversary of our grandmother's death. she was perfectly fine and healthy two years ago. Full of life and excited over watching us go across the stage again. Just then my phone had buzzed, It was my notification to start getting ready for dinner with Amber and Drew. "Hmmm, I didn't even realize the semblance when we all agreed on this date. Do I really even want to go?" Then I remembered how funny Gran use to be about my introverted shyness. I walked back to the car and headed to the house, "Okay, I'll give this a minimum effort." When I got back home Rayne was already there and she was in the shower, one of the other good things about the new place is that it'll have two bathrooms with showers.

I went and got all the things I needed to get ready and washed my face and brushed my teeth in the kitchen. I waited to do my hair and makeup since the shower would mess them up anyway. Rayne almost ran into me coming out "Oh, there you are. so who's driving? Me or you?" She asked as she put in earrings. "Well, you since I don't know where this place is and I'm still getting ready." She didn't respond and went to put on lipstick so I got in the shower and finished getting ready. When I was done Rayne was already in the car, I checked the time and we were early by an hour. After I put the babies up and locked our unit I noticed Rayne was in the passenger side of her own car. "When I said you were driving I didn't mean we'd be driving your car." I chuckled as I put the seatbelt on. "Well, I figured you needed to know where we were going too just in case we get tipsy." I gave her the side eye. I know she's not wrong but how getting tipsy at a fancy restaurant that Drew is paying for. make that make sense. "Yeah okay."

We pull up to the restaurant and find our table, Amber and Drew were already there. "HEY!" I practically screamed as I hugged her, I hadn't seen them since I got the job at the dinner. Amber was wearing a cute little green dress that complimented her figure but covered her nicely. and Drew had on a dress shirt and suit pants. "I've missed you so much girly." "Me too, and also I'm so glad you came." She said with the biggest smile on her face. "What? You two expecting or something?" We all laugh as we sat down. "Very funny Anna." Drew commented, "And no, we got engaged." I and Rayne squealed and fought to see the ring on Amber's finger. It was so simple yet extremely gorgeous. "Always the lucky ones," Rayne said I could hear the underlying envy in her words. She had a harder time finding love than I did, and do. And I was right there with her, "So, when's the big day?" I asked, the two love birds looked between each other and then back at us. "We haven't really set a date yet, but tonight isn't about us, you two are graduating with Masters."

"True but the fact that Anna came to Bunnington uni two years after me and has the same graduation date as me is the real thing we should be celebrating," Rayne interjected. I wanted to crawl under the table and hide. I do not like being the center of attention. Drew took a big swallow of his drink before he commented, "You know she's right. And on the note of our two master graduates," he turned in his seat and Amber just had this poker face that told no secrets. when he faced the table there in each hand were two big bags, each with our names written on them in big bold letters. "I have brought gifts." There were audible thuds coming from the bags. "Drew I swear if you gave us weights as a grad present imma beat your ass." We all busted out laughter that made other patrons give us annoyed and questionable looks in passing. A few tried to shush us we became a bit too loud. We didn't care, we were together again and we were having fun.

"So." Drew called our attention as he wrapped his arm around Amber. "What are you two gonna do about living now that uni is kicking yall out?" Rayne and I looked at each other for a moment before telling them. "We actually signed a lease to this nice flat over by Liverpool. Why do yall ask?" "Just wondering, I mean we know you girls are capable of doing your own thing but we just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Understandable," Rayne said, "But we are gonna need manpower kind of help moving the furniture and getting Anna's things from Bruce's place." They both turned to me with surprised and shocking looks. I know they were wondering where he was all night or why we didn't mention him at all and that it was Rayne that said his name first. "Anna?" Amber leaning softly over the table. "What happened?" She reached out her hand and held mine. It took almost all of my strength to resist pulling my hand away and hiding. I didn't know why but, only to these two did I want to hide all of my pain. "We got into another argument and I had had enough so I packed up the essentials and Rayne came and got me and the pets," I said. "Hey," Drew called out, "Don't worry about it okay, Right after Grand and you girls are packing me Amber will be pulling up to the asshole's place and getting your things. and I want you to be honest." He leaned forward and rested his elbow on the table. Half on half off of it, "Has he ever laid a hand on you?" I was taken aback, I know Bruce was a dick but he was never physical. "No. Never." He looked at me for a moment longer. "Okay." with that he sat back in his chair. We all kept talking the rest of the night before leaving to go home. We all hugged and said goodbyes as we got into our cars. "See, we didn't get tipsy," I stated after Rayne got in the driver's seat. "And you also didn't ask who was driving home so here we are." "You know what," Rayne said with a laugh under her breath to which I chuckled outwardly. I shrugged before turning my head and taking a nap.

I was sitting in a field where flowers stood taller than me, almost hiding me. I looked around and it was beautifully sunny and bright with the sounds of spring birds and the smells of fresh grass and wheat. I began to wonder where I was until the clouds came rolling in and partially covered the sky and just off to the horizon past the forest trees there was a greyish white wolf strolling. It was like the clouds followed it on command or by a pull. I got to standing and I was wearing a long and flowing dress that was as warm as spring itself. A gust of winter chill came and ruffled the dress and flowers around me, when I looked back at the forest the wolf was looking directly at me, with blood red eyes and gold flecks.

I had awoken as Rayne drove across the highway bridge and I was having a minor panic attack with the leftover impending feeling from looking at the wolf in my dreams. It didn't help my waking up caused a shock to Rayne so she swerved a bit that prolonged my panic attack and brought out my anxiety. After she got the car under control she gave me a death glare. "Warn me next time, we both could have died" I gave her a thumbs up.

The next two days were hectic with work and going to the rehearsals for graduation. But the day finally came. I walked across the stage and this was the last time I ever will. And once we were all done I was one of the students who threw their hats up in the air as a victory on finishing all of the years of academic learning.

After the crowd died down Drew and Amber went with Rayne to get the moving truck and headed to Bruce's, I didn't want to go and they helped me move in so they know what to look for. I walked around the campus because I left some tools in one of my classes when I bumped into professor Gavin and knocked my tools and his books out of our hands. I was about to join them when he caught me in his arms. "Oh, I'm so sorry professor Gavin." He shook his head, no need to apologize, and please, I'm not your professor anymore. You can call me Gavin." He bent down to grab the books and tools, "I see we didn't really grab, everything before we graduated." He raised his eyebrow as he handed my tools, "it was a comfort project." I told him, and it was. I was making a jar for grandma. "Well just be careful, there are a lot of things that go bump in the night, and a girl like you shouldn't try to go look for them." And just like that, he left. "That was weird." I headed back to my car and went to the apartment to start bringing the boxes down so they can put them in the truck.

When I got to the house Cerberus was crying and he did not sound happy, I went to check on him and he bolted out of the bathroom the moment the door was opened. "After dealing with Milo you forget that kittens are a handful." I chuckled as I called him to see where he went. I found him in the living room facing the mantle when grandma rested. He just sat there watching the vase they gave her to us in. "Hey buddy," I scooped down and picked him up. He never looked away, only meowed, "see something I don't baby?" I gave him a kiss and put him in a carrier. I did that to everyone before I propped the door open and went to bring the boxes down.

After I did the living room and kitchen Rayne and Amber came and helped with the rest. I switched and grabbed the pets to put them in the car, I turned on the ac since it was almost summer and they don't need the heat. It took us half an hour to get everything packed and when Rayne and I got in the car Milo was hissing at Cerberus, "shit, that's not gonna work." Rayne said as she tried to put Maymay between them, but he still hissed. "Why not just put them in my car?" She shook her head. "Can't, the pets are in mine our essentials are in yours and all of our boxes and furniture is in the truck. Plus Amber is driving your car." She went silent for a moment, we both were thinking the same thing. "Someone is gonna have to take one of the boys in the truck and ride with Drew." She said to me.

I grabbed the baby boy and my bag and went to the truck. She let Maymay out and she sat in the front. As I walked around the truck Drew was closing the door, when I got closer to him he jumped around like something spooked him. "You good bruh?" I said trying not to chuckle, "Yeah, yeah I'm good. Uh, why are you over here? I thought you were riding with Rayne?" I could hear the slight panic in his voice, "yeah I was but this little guy was getting yelled at by Milo so I'm bringing the little guy in the truck." I said as a grin grew on my face. It was subtle but I say the small step back he made as he made eye contact with Cerberus. "Wanna see him," "NO!" He chuckled nervously, "I - I mean no, thank you. I'm sure the moment you let him out he'll try and run away and we only have the truck for a few hours."

He walked around me in a wide birth to the passenger door, "Don't tell me you're scared of a little kitten?" It was my turn to raise an eyebrow, he chuckled and shook his head. "Nope, and never will." With that, I got in the truck and we all headed to me and Rayne's new place.