The sun hues cornflower blue and salmon overseeing the mountain. Who was he? A stranger impactful enough to intervene in the space of my thoughts.

I wait at the traffic signal to veer into the dorm. How should I handle this predicament? I hang my elbow out the window, pressing my teeth down on my fingernail while trapping the breeze through my sleeve to contemplate. Should I alert the campus patrol of my incident if it was that? Nah. They might consider it a normal conversation. Assume I am paranoid. That eerie sense, similar to the jet black werewolf that day. Soren's eyes are nowhere deadly, but that wolf's irises were silver with ice white specs. My arrow could not slow that beast on fours.

A full image covering the passenger side appeared, crashing into the spot. With a shriek of exerted force from my ribcage as I jabbed the intruder. "It's me, Hobbit, it is me!" Nobody but the dummy. My gut was braided because of his antics. While holding the brake with my lefty, I lifted to crush him against the door with my other. "How flexible are you? Ahh, I am sorry."

Malinda obliges sessions to learn to use my limbs as a weapon. She referred to me as her protégé, training for weeks in Broadmoor Seven Falls. Your legs are the strongest part of a human. Apply it to the same as your arms. Let's go, plunge your knee into my thigh, she says while demonstrating the movement. A while ago, when I reflected on managing my left, it was impractical, tiring out way too fast, showing her greasy irritable expressions. You're right-handed. I get it, but utilizing both hands is more effective and versatile. For the hundred-tenth time, she explained.

I restrained myself from using force, but she assured me I could not harm her. I breathed and did it until I had a tempo and, in the course of less than a minute, vigorous acceleration sucking into a dark tunnel. She clenched both the shoulders to pop me out of it - excellent; she encouraged with a satisfying smirk.

Que dies laughing, unable to exhale out of his nose.

"What the hell, dude?" As I straighten, a car honks, tailing me, urging me to make the light. My look conveyed the impression that my brother was stupid as I parked.

"What? I did not expect you to fold, working with an were-mom." He adjusted.

I pinched my nostrils, catching a whiff of his stench, and leaned further apart while his brows raised in astonishment. "Boy! Why do you stink?"

"Oh. Haha, I was practicing rugby with the fellows."

"What guys?" I marveled, and he gestured behind at the open field, observing a group of free spirit men roughhousing. His fascinating social network fueled his popularity in high school and college. It was ridiculous from the stories he told me. A well-rounded dingbat. But I love my ding-bat. "Awe, you making friends?" I fool with him, tickling his belly what I do to babies.

"A, yo. Stop!" He crawls up the seat, shoving my advances. "Have you made any, huh? Have you?" nudging me away for the last advance, and I fluttered my upper lids, twisting my lip. "Exactly what I expected."

"I met a boy." I heard him smirking. The harassment begins. It would precede if I won't leak the deets. That is what I intended. I must activate his awareness of what had transpired earlier. In a crisis, Soren is a stalker or peeping Tom, or both. His remarks were familiar with contempt, and his nature was strange. Too polite with comical sarcasm. I detected the individual being manipulative by feigning kindness. He was an off-poser.

"What guy?"

"To be honest," I hunched. "No clue. Someone showed up at this abandoned courthouse I planned to vandalize."

"What? Gemma." He radiated with discontent. "Do you know how dangerous that is?" May he speak it till the end. Pray he does not. I should double take on how I carry myself near him.

"It was stuff I needed off my chest. I am not trying to die - not trying to hurt myself. And spare the looks. Your thoughts are loud and obvious."

"Next time, bring me. Too many creeps exist in the world. Who suggested that you do that?" His questions are growing heavy. I should not spill my source. That woman's help allowed me to release my pent-up feelings. She is not going anywhere.

"It happened! This should be the only concern, okay?"

"You are driving me crazy. Remember, I am not a wolf, skippy." I gander at him, annoyed. "What Dog Man did, I can't do? So stay out of trouble." I shone at how often he cared, imploring him to flip a lighter mood before looking outside the ride. I completed my tasks before crumbling as if sinking ships. It is weird and alien not having you here. The serene songs written for broken lives are nice until you experience it firsthand, and it is real life now. I mean, who is better for me than you? The smallest actions. They breathe wrong. I do not wish for it.

Quinn and I headed through the dorm's walkways to my place, and, in my peripheral vision, a familiar sound caught my view. I spotted Soren chatting with a young woman from the cross-country team. I recognized the unique black and gold banner on her wrist. Try-outs are coming for recruitment that is around the corner. I am attending because I wasn't powerful enough to protect you. It's too late, but I do it for my sanity. She's enjoying his company as I watch him and her create chemistry. He never posed a threat. It was me being paranoid.

"What got you in a hobbit hole?" Quinn smart remarked, leading to me.

"Him." I lazily pointed.

"Okay?"

"He was in the warehouse with me."

"Maybe I should go have a word with him." He was about to approach him, but I grabbed his forearm.

"No! I don't think he was a threat."

"Whatever. If you felt off, stick with it." He patted while strolling ahead of me again. He is correct. Still, I have a lot to digest with lots happening. Please do not bother me, Mr. Random Man, I am averting eye contact as I zip to my brother.

Tonight, he invited me to join him and the peep squad at the bar. I somewhat hesitated at the offer, but in the process of moving on, what's the reasonable choice for that? Hanging out with friends? Here, a relative. I put together my attire with simple ripped chocolate drawstring sweats and a beige paste graphic tee displaying mocha letters; keep your chin up! A lazy updo sliding in the brush cream Ralf Simons. My rotation fits.

I kept fourteen pieces of neutral color clothing, a mixture of sweat pants and t-shirts, and the rest for donation. Most of my things are gone, but not everything. Malinda fought me for some of it, claiming I was undergoing a phase. She has a tiny amount of only the most precious material, jewelry sculpted from moon rocks. She keeps my possessions in a locked safe in her cellar with his pendant. I will be sick to my stomach if I lose it.

Parking amongst the side of the building, I sank my hands inside my hoodie, wandering aside the brick wall under the flat ocher lighting. "Excuse me," I bumped into a person and proceeded, not minding them.

"That is how you greet me?"

I breakneck at the distinctive raspy voice, seeing him stand there wide for a hug. "Adam!" I rushed into it, burying my face in his buttons. "You're healed." Malinda gazes with a heartfelt body language at the reunion. I owe my soul to what he held under control, protecting us. They got the best of him, but they did not accomplish the dynamic. Although they won the biggest chunk, they couldn't embezzle it all. And how gracious I am for that because without him, her, my blood, who knows where I end?

"He wanted to say hi, since he is feeling strong." She shuffled a fancy decorative sack in the other hand to embrace me.

"How are you?" Adam's demeanor is warming over the course of these months. She was seldom with his recovery, so I dodged prying. Situations could be difficult to talk about sensitive subjects I can relate to.

Swollen lids fatigue happiness as I air out, "I am striving for it."

"That's comforting." He nodded.

"Also, I bought you a present. I hope you like it." She raises the bag with eagerness and bliss, more enthusiastic about giving it to me than I am receiving it. "The weather will drop soon, so I brought you a little something."

"Sweet, but the holidays aren't here yet."

Her cackles blurted while her husband flinched a slight as I wondered if she judged how absurd my statement was. "You humans crack me up. It doesn't have to be a special occasion to receive a gift." It is what I assumed, as he caresses her branches, taming an over excited she-were. I could not hold the corners of my mouth through tight cheeks, seeking to remain in reserve. Guiltiness ‌overcomes me, but I felt you'd prefer me to find joy. She pulled out some brown leather wear.

"This is a cinnamon-colored jacket. I stopped myself from buying too much after you decluttered your entire wardrobe." She fondles it from nervousness. "I thought it would be a bit of a minor change from your usual." She helped me work it on. "What do you think?"

"Thanks. It goes with what I am wearing." I embraced her neck. "You didn't have to, though."

"Adam picked it out." She confessed as I eyed him in disbelief and the fact that he has good taste.

"Yeah, alright." Adam said. "Do you have somewhere to be?" This is who I'm used to, but playful.

"He's right. We don't want to keep you."

"It is fine," I fanned out. "Guess I will visit you later." I crept along, waving back at them.

I stepped into the congested lounge; Barrel Bubbles, searching for my brother's low taper afro through the crowd. Easy. No one here has it. He picks the raunchiest spots; I swear. The more I maneuver through the cologne and perfume, the more I notice clean, organized, and just outdated furniture, but decent. I've been through worse. Nothing beats Rawhide Tavern jacked up peeling wallpaper, cigarette stains, and rocky chairs.

I found him standing over Dominique auburn hair that was tucked in a baseball cap. Forming animated gestures and lively banter with Jericho filling the atmosphere. "Jeri, what are yapping on about? You cheated the entire game."

"What are you saying?"

"I went to the bathroom, bruh, and you bowl my turn!"

"No breaks, dude." He nudged him. "You took too long." taking a sip of Heineken.

"Ah, you're playing dirty, son." I tapped Quinn's blades. "Hey, Hobbit." He halfway hung on my shoulder, keeping our hips side by side. "What do you have on?" Heeding my outfit.

"Clothes." I curled my lips.

"Bedtime sleepers?"

Dominique peeked out of Ques' arm. "She looks fine."

"Thank you." I jazz to 'we are young.'

"Aw, whatever." He waved off and started lightweight, pushing on Jeri as they threw petty side punches at each other. I shake my head with laughter, sensing stares that are begging me to see them, and I catch it. Under a faux elephant plant, a figure focused on me. It is Soren fancying the girl bracelet, but no girl. He bats a wink and a crooked smile at me, leaving a tip with the server, and heads out the entrance doors.

I followed him.