Chapter#11: Things are complicated

Dara walked in the school hallway. She was finding William. "Where is he?" she thought. Someone tightly grabbed her from behind and whispered in her ear, "Dara I'm here. I came back for you cookie."

"Wade!" Dara woke up with a shock, "Oh it was a dream." She looked beside her but Charles wasn't there. She got up and knocked at the bathroom door, "Charles, are you inside?" She got no answer and then she decided to go inside. She slowly opened the door. "I'm coming inside." she chuckled. No one was there. "Hmmm I suppose he left earlier."

She brushed her teeth and changed her clothes. She put on her wig in front of the mirror. She looked at herself thinking about what Charles told her last night that she was beautiful. She took it off, "I don't want to hide myself anymore."

She went upstairs for her breakfast. There was some kind of change in her mood today. She went to the dining room and waited for her grandfather. After a few minutes Stephen entered the dining room.

"Up so early today sunshine." Stephen smiled as he entered the room.

"Yeah and today I'm hungry too." she said.

"Where did you went yesterday. You know I was very worried for you. I kept on searching for you but then one of your friends called me and told me that you were with her for a sleepover."

"Well I was. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you. I didn't plan to sleep at her house but I didn't realize when I slept."

"Dara you know how dangerous it is to be outside at night."

"Granddad…" Dara held Stephen's hand, "I won't do it next time. I'll always be at home before sunset. I'm sorry again."

Stephen took out a beautiful bracelet from his pocket. It was made up of beautiful shiny green stones. "I want you to keep this with you." he gave the bracelet to Dara.

Dara took it from his hands and uttered, "It's beautiful!"

"It will protect you from all the evils on the island. This bracelet is made up of precious stone. It has been in our family from generation to generation and it has protected us."

"Thank you Granddad!" Dara wore the bracelet, "I'll keep it safe with me."

After her breakfast when she was about to leave for school she realized that she shouldn't go outside without the wig, "I don't want anyone to call me a grey headed freak."

She ran back to her room and thought to wear her wig back on. While wearing the wig, her bracelet got stuck with it. She took it off her hand and managed to get it out from her wig. She put it on her dressing table. She wore her wig back on and left the room. She forgot to wear her bracelet back on. She looked at herself at the mirror and uttered, "Why am I like this? Why haven't I got a normal life like the other girls?" She checked her phone. There was still no message from William. "What is up with this boy?" Dara sighed, "Was Charles right about William? Did he only want to spend a night with me?" There were thousands of thoughts that were killing her from inside. She rode to school thinking that she would talk to William and would clear things out with him.

She saw Sabrina as she entered the school. "Hey Sabrina! Do you know where I can find William?" she asked.

Before Sabrina could say a word, William appeared, "I missed you beautiful." He hugged her.

Dara felt uncomfortable. She got herself out of hold. "Where were you?" she exclaimed.

William looked at Sabrina and then looked back at Dara. He held her hand, "We should go inside." He took her in the classroom. It was empty. They both were alone. He made Dara sit on the chair and sat on his knees in front of her. He held her hands and said, "There are things you shouldn't know. I know I haven't been with you lately but I had no other choice. I'm actually stuck up with some stuff I can't tell you."

Dara got her hands out of hold and held his face gently. She uttered, "Don't you trust me?"

"It's not about trust Dara. I trust you but there are things you should stay away from. I can't tell you because I don't want you to know. Please I want you to understand."

"I'm sorry William." Dara held her face close to William and their foreheads touched, "I thought you cheated on me."

"I could have never done that. One thing that no one can change is my love for you baby girl. I love you!"

"I love you too!" tears rolled down Dara's cheeks.

"Hey!" William wiped off tears from her cheeks, "I'm always here for you."

"I'll never doubt you ever again Will. I'm…I'm sorry!" Dara cried.

"Cheer up girl. We're too young to cry." he smirked.

The school bell rang and the students started coming in the class.

"Tomorrow's Saturday. Saturday means no school. I promise I'll be there with you the whole day."

Dara smiled and hugged him. "Why am I such an idiot? I was about to mess up everything." she thought, "But what is William hiding? Why can't he tell me? I heard his friends before talking about the wolf. They are definitely up to something."

Charles came in the class and sat beside Dara.

"When did you left?" Dara asked him.

"Mom called me in the morning. She didn't know where I was. She was worried so I had to go." he told.

"Thank you again for saving me last night."

"This is what friends are for. Anyways, have you talked to William?"

"Yeah…" Dara answered, "Everything's good."

"Glad to know."

The day passed. At departure, William went away with three of his friends. This was her chance to talk to Charles about that wolf thing.

"Charles!" she called him from behind when he was walking out of school.

"Hey Dara!" he turned around.

"I wanted to ask you something?"

"I know it that wolf thing, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I really want to know. I'm actually worried."

"I can understand that Dara." Charles spoke, "Let's go to your house and talk about it in detail."

"I'm not actually allowed to invite boys at home."

"No worries Dara." Charles laughed, "I'll just sneak in to your room."

They both walked to Dara's house. Charles sneaked in Dara's room from the window. Dara went inside the house. Stephen wasn't there.

"Where's granddad?" she asked the maid.

"He went for some meeting about the island. He'll be back in an hour I think." the maid told.

Dara went in her room and locked the door.

"Where did you get that?" Charles asked while pointing his finger at the bracelet.

"Oh! I almost lost it." she exclaimed. She picked it up and uttered, "Grandfather gave this to me. He told me that it shall protect me."

"This bracelet is the only bracelet which protects one from werewolves. I suppose you should not wear this."

"Why not?"

"It is like a weapon used against werewolves. It can be harmful."

"I should just put it in the drawer then." she opened her drawer and put the bracelet there.

They both sat on the bed and Charles started to tell, "Dara same as humans, there are werewolves and vampires too."

"Wow!" Dara interrupted him, "I thought they were only a myth."

"No Dara, they are real." Charles uttered, "And don't cut me while I'm talking. So wer…"

Dara cut him again, "Okay I won't cut you again."

Charles gave her an angry look.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.

"Hmmm…" Charles continued, "So I was telling you that werewolves and vampires are real and you're one of them."

Dara raised her hand. "What now?" Charles exclaimed.

"I've a question. How am I a werewolf? My parents are humans."

"This is what's bothering me. You seem and smell like a human to me. I was shocked to see you turning into a werewolf."

"How do I control it?"

"You can't completely control it. When you haven't changed in a while, you'll change automatically or when you smell blood or you feel starve for flesh, it'll be hard for you to control."

"But I haven't changed into a wolf my whole life. It just happened a day ago."

"This really is confusing. I can't understand the situation. This really is complicated. I need to know about your health, about your senses and stuff."

"This is why my senses have always been strong." Dara told Charles, "My heartbeat is not like a normal person's heartbeat. I'm actually allergic to green veggies. I learn real quickly. I can sense people feelings and can read what they are thinking."

"Hold on…" Charles interrupted, "What do you mean?"

"I can sense what people are feeling and I can also read their thoughts."

"This can't be possible. Werewolves don't have this thing in them."

"What if I'm not a werewolf?"

"No…no…you are a werewolf but you're different. Can you catch my feelings?"

"Well no. I can't catch feelings of some of the people around here."

"Are you adopted?"

"No way! No!"

"What if you are? See, werewolves start to transform into a wolf when they reach their teen. At thirteen they start to transform. Before that they remain human but their senses are like wolves."

"But I haven't changed before."

"What if you've changed here because of the island?"

"Why in this island?"

"There used to live werewolves here. It was thousands years ago. But now there are no werewolves left."

"If werewolves extinguished thousands of years ago then how did my parents adopted me?"

"It's really complicated. It's hard to conclude any results."

"I suppose there are some of them left."

"You just stay away from the forest. It's dangerous to go there."

"How do you know a lot about the wolves?"

"Ummm…I…I actually studied a lot about them. I had a lot of interest in them once. It doesn't matters. What matters is that you're a werewolf and you don't know how to control yourself."

"Are werewolves born with gray hair which they can't even dye?"

"No they are not. Listen Dara don't overthink. Remember one thing, no one should ever know that you're a wolf else people will kill you." Charles continued, "Let's now focus on your transforming."

"Sure."

"Dara focus on yourself. Focus on transforming into a wolf."

Dara closed her eyes and tried to focus. "Huh… I can't do it." she opened her eyes.

"Dara I know you can. Be brave."

Dara closed her eyes again. She wiped off everything from her brain and focused on transforming into a wolf. Gradually hair started to grow on her arms, legs and on her face. Charles chuckled. He held her arms and uttered, "See you're doing it. Stop now."

Dara opened her eyes. She was normal again. "It wasn't that hard." she smiled.

"This is how you're going to transform back into a human if you transform into a wolf at night. You just need to focus."

Dara's phone rang. It was William. She picked it up.

"Hey! Can I come over?" he asked her.

"Sure I'm waiting."

"I want you to get ready for me beautiful. I'm on my way." William hung up.

"I think I should leave now." Charles winked at Dara.

"Yeah you better." she smiled, "William's coming over."

"See you later Dara." Charles hopped out from the window.