Soon they got home and Isaac parked the car in the driveway. Imara hesitated before getting out, feeling a sense of dread at facing her mom and having to explain herself. Isaac noticed her hesitation and reached over to squeeze her hand reassuringly.

"It'll be alright, Immy," He said softly, offering her a comforting smile. "Your mom will probably be mad, but she'll get over it. We both are just worried about you. We don't want to see you get into trouble."

"I know, dad," Imara murmurs, chewing on her bottom lip anxiously. "I just hate letting you guys down. I'm sorry."

Isaac shakes his head, not wanting her to blame herself. "I know. But, we all make mistakes. And you're a teenager, so I guess I have to cut you some slack," He replies, earning a small smile from her. "Now, let's go inside and get this over with."

Imara nodded and the two of them got out of the car. As they walked towards the house, Imara felt her nerves grow, wondering what her mom's reaction would be. She knew her dad was right, but it didn't make it any easier. Her mom was strict, and she didn't tolerate any misbehavior from her. But, Imara also knew her mom loved her, and she just wanted the best for her. So, she would have to try and be as honest and sincere as possible. Isaac opened the door, and the two of them stepped inside. Josie was standing in the living room, waiting for them. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she had a stern look on her face. Isabella gulped, bracing herself for her mom's lecture.

"Imara Allison Lahey," Josie says sternly, her green eyes narrowed. Imara grimaces at hearing her full name, she knew that meant her mom was really upset with her. That was the second time she got called her middle name. Today was not her day. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Imara shrugs, sheepishly smiling at her. "Um...Sorry?" She replies lamely, earning an eye roll from her mom and a chuckle from her dad. She fidgets with the hem of her shirt, feeling the weight of her mom's disappointment. "I know what we did was wrong, mom, and I'm sorry," She murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was stupid and irresponsible, but we didn't mean any harm. We were just having fun."

Josie's expression softens a bit at her daughter's apology. "That's not an excuse, Immy," She sighs, shaking her head. "You're better than that. You're smarter than that. Sometimes I think Eli is a bad influence on you."

"No, he's not!" Imara argues, her eyes widening in surprise and not realizing she had raised her voice or how quickly she had replied. "Eli is my best friend, mom. He would never do anything to hurt me. He's always been there for me, and I can't imagine my life without him." She defended him quickly, not wanting her parents to get the wrong idea. Sure, Eli could be a troublemaker, but he was her best friend. She knew he would never intentionally hurt her or get her in trouble. 

Isaac raises an eyebrow at his daughter's response, noticing the way her heart races when she talks about Eli. He gives Josie a knowing look, earning an eyeroll from his wife. She lets out a sigh, running a hand through her hair. "I know, Immy, and I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions," She admits, her tone softer. "I just worry about you, that's all. You're my baby girl, and I just want to make sure you're safe and happy."

Imara's heart swells with affection at her mom's words, and she steps forward to wrap her arms around her in a tight hug. "I know, mom, and I appreciate it," She murmurs, her voice choked with emotion. "But you don't have to worry about me. I'll always be okay as long as I have you and dad by my side."

Josie smiles, hugging her daughter tightly. "I know, baby," She whispers, kissing the top of her head. "But you're still getting punished for what you did." She added, her lips quirking upward in amusement at her daughter's groan.

Isaac chuckles, shaking his head fondly. "I warned you," He points out, earning an eyeroll from her. He glances at Josie. "I told her she was grounded for a week which is pretty lenient considering how many times you guys have stolen the jeep." He added, looking back at his daughter with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Imara huffs, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "It wasn't that many times, dad." She grumbled, pouting slightly.

"Really? Because I seem to remember at least a dozen times," Isaac replies, arching an eyebrow at her. "Maybe I should make it two weeks." He added, his lips twitching upward in amusement at the look of horror on her face.

"No, no, no, that won't be necessary, dad," Imara shakes her head, holding her hands up in surrender. "One week is plenty, thank you."

Josie can't help but laugh, smiling at her daughter with amusement. "Alright, then, one week," She repeats, ruffling her daughter's hair affectionately. "And no sneaking out to meet up with your friends."

"But, mom-" Imara whines, her lips forming a pout. "But what about the lacrosse game tonight? You guys know we planned to hang out afterwards, I can't just bail on my friends. It's not fair. And am I even allowed to go to the game? I wanna support my friends."

Josie exchanges a look with Isaac, a smile tugging at her lips. Isaac sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He can't believe he's about to say this. "Okay, fine, you can go to the game," He concedes, earning a cheer from his daughter. "But no hanging out after. Straight home, understand?" He added, giving her a pointed look.

"Okay, okay, no problem," Imara agrees, nodding enthusiastically, relieved that she can go to the game. "Thank you, guys. I promise I won't cause anymore trouble." She assured them, hugging them both again.

"I hope not, or else we'll have to double your punishment. Oh, also, give me your phone," Josie demands, holding her hand out. Isabella frowns, but hands her the device. Josie puts it on the coffee table. "This will also be confiscated while you're grounded. But if you're good, I'll consider un-grounding you early and you can have it back. Deal?"

Imara frowns, upset her phone was taken away, but she nods. "Got it." She murmurs. She was relieved that her parents weren't too mad at her. She was disappointed she wouldn't be able to hang out with her friends after the game, but she understood their concern. And, besides, it was only for a week. She could survive that. "I'll be on my best behavior, I promise. I'm gonna go head up to my room. I love you guys."

Josie and Isaac smile at their daughter. "We love you, too." They spoke at the same time, watching her walk up the stairs to her room with a smile. Isaac turned to Josie, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Well, that was eventful." He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

Josie rolls her eyes, but there's a fond smile on her lips. "Tell me about it, honey." She replies, leaning into her husband's side and wrapping an arm around his waist. "But you have to admit, our daughter definitely keeps life interesting."

Isaac nods in agreement. "That she does," He murmurs, pressing a kiss to her temple. "But I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world."

Josie smiles, resting her head against Isaac's shoulder. "Neither would I." 

****

Imara sighed as she closes the door to her room, leaning back against it. She's glad her parents weren't too mad, but she's still frustrated that she's grounded. She was looking forward to hanging out with her friends, and she didn't want to miss out. Plus she was also upset she didn't have her phone, but she knew she would be fine without it. After all, she wasn't a complete social media addict like some of her friends. She walked over to her bed, flopping down on it. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her emotions were all over the place, and she felt overwhelmed. 

What her dad said had echoed in her mind since they got home. Now that she thought about it more, it made sense why her heart raced when she was around Eli, and why she was always so happy when she was with him. She liked him, maybe more than a friend, and she wasn't sure what to do about it. Should she tell him? What would he think? She groaned, burying her face in her pillow.

"Why did this have to be so complicated?" She murmured, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Just then she sensed someone outside. She could hear a heartbeat outside her window and she somehow knew it was Eli. paused, sitting up quickly and glancing towards her window. Sure enough, there he was, smiling at her, and looking as handsome as ever. She couldn't help but grin, her mood instantly improving. She stood up and walked over to her window, opening it.

"What are you doing here, Eli?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Eli smirks, leaning casually against the windowsill. "Oh, I just came to see my favorite girl." He replied smoothly, winking at her.

Imara rolls her eyes, but a blush creeps across her cheeks. "Whatever, Romeo," She mutters, trying to hide her smile. "I'm not supposed to have visitors, you know."

Eli shrugs, an amused grin on his face. "Yeah, but what your parents don't know won't hurt them," He points out, his dark brown eyes twinkling with mischief. "Besides, I couldn't stay away from you. I had to come and check on you. Are you alright? I feel really bad about getting you in trouble." He admitted, looking guilty. 

Imara sighs, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little disappointed I'm grounded and can't hang out with everyone after the game," She replies, chewing on her bottom lip. "But they did let me go to the game, so that's something." She added, forcing a smile on her face.

"Well, at least you get to come to the game," Eli says, his expression sympathetic. "I'm sorry you're grounded, though. But I'm glad you're okay."

Imara's heart flutters at his concern. She looks down, playing with a loose thread on her sweater. "Thanks, Eli," She murmurs, her cheeks flushed pink. "And yeah, the game will be fun. I'm sure will do great."

"If I even play." He mutters, his expression falling. "I mean, I usually just sit on the bench anyway. Coach rarely lets me play."

"Hey, don't say that," Imara chastises, frowning. "You're a good player, and Coach knows that. You're just a little...Clumsy. But, that's okay, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses."

"Yeah, I guess," Eli huffs with a frown. "It just sucks, you know? I want to play, but I'm always stuck on the sidelines." He grumbled and he moved to sit on the roof by her window.

"Yeah, it must be frustrating," Imara murmurs. She climbs out of her bay window carefully to join her best friend on the roof sitting next to him with a sigh. "But you know what? Even if you don't get to play much, you're still part of the team. And that means something. You're still contributing, even if it doesn't feel like it."

Eli glances at her, his expression softening. "Thanks, Immy. That means a lot coming from you." He pauses, a playful grin spreading across his face. "But, you know, it would be nice to score the winning goal just once."

Imara chuckles, nudging him with her shoulder. "Keep practicing and you'll get your chance. Besides, you never know when Coach will need you to step up."

"Yeah, maybe," Eli says, his smile returning. He looks at her, his eyes twinkling. "So...Remember our tree house? We should go back sometime. You know, for old time's sake. We hadn't gone back there in a long time it seems."

"I would love to," She confesses, perking up at the suggestion. Then she grimaces. "But I'm grounded..."

"It's in your backyard." Eli chuckles. "It's not like you're sneaking out to a party or something."

Imara smiles, considering his suggestion. "Alright, fine, but just for a little while," She relents, earning a whoop from him. "But if my parents find out, I'm blaming you."

"Fair enough," Eli agrees, jumping up. He easily climbs off the roof, using the big oak tree to get to the ground. He holds his hands out to her. "Come on, it'll be fun."

Imara chuckles and rolls her eyes, but she takes his hands, letting him help her down. She was shorter than him and appreciated the assistance. Once on the ground, they made their way to the old treehouse, which was tucked away in a corner of the Lahey's backyard. It was a little weather-worn but still sturdy, a testament to the many summers they'd spent together, building and playing in it.

Eli climbed up first, then extended a hand to help Imara up. She took it, smiling as she felt the familiar rough wood under her fingers. When she got to the porch of the tree house, she looked at it with a fond smile. She was surprised it was still standing strong after all these years. Their parents had worked together to build it when they were little, around three or four, and had been a staple of their childhood. They'd spent countless hours in the tree house, playing and laughing together.

"I can't believe this thing is still standing fall apart when we use it," Imara muses, running her hand along the wooden railing. She follows Eli into the small space, feeling a rush of nostalgia. "We had so many adventures here."

Inside the tree house, it was what you would expect from a typical tree house. There was a small window on each wall, a large wooden chest in one corner. Bean bags chairs were scattered around, and a small table sat in the center with remnants of their old games and drawings. Isabella smiled, running her fingers over the old trinkets and memories, feeling a pang of nostalgia. It was like stepping back into their childhood, where the world was simpler and their biggest worries were what game to play next. There were battery powered lanterns on the floor and she switched one on, bathing the small space in a warm glow. She was surprised it still worked. It was pretty dusty though, the air thick with it. The tree house was a bit musty, but it was still comforting, still familiar.

Eli flops down onto one of the bean bags, stretching out and sighing contentedly. "Remember the time we pretended to be pirates and buried that 'treasure' in the yard?" He chuckles, shaking his head. "I think we dug up half the backyard looking for the perfect spot."

"Yeah," Imara giggles, sitting on one of the bean bag chairs by him. "My mom was so pissed when she found out. We got in so much trouble. She made us fill them all back in, and we ended up covered in mud."

Eli snorts, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "Yeah, but it was worth it. We found the best hiding spot and no one ever found our 'treasure.'"

"Which, if I recall correctly, was just a bunch of fake gold coins and some old costume jewelry," Imara adds, laughing. "But we guarded it like it was real gold."

"We were so dramatic." Eli sighed with a smile. He sat up, reaching into his backpack and pulling out two cans of Coca cola.

"Hey, where'd you get those?" Imara perks up, sitting up straighter. He knew it was her favorite soda. She laughs softly, taking the offered can from Eli's outstretched hand. "Did you raid the fridge on your way out?"

Eli grins mischievously, popping open his own can. "Maybe. I just figured you could use a pick-me-up. And I feel really bad I got you grounded, so...Yeah."

"Aww, you didn't have to do that, E." She murmurs, touched by his gesture. She sips the cool beverage, humming appreciatively. "But thank you. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Oh, also got these." He adds, setting the can down and reaching back into his bag. He pulls out her favorite candy which was a packet of sour gummy worms. Isabella's eyes light up, her smile widening. "Thought you could use a snack. And I know how much you like these, so I grabbed a few."

Imara practically beams at him, taking the package and opening it. She pops a couple of the gummy worms into her mouth, grinning. "Mmm, delicious," She hums, chewing the sour treat. She swallows and takes another sip of her soda. "Thanks, Eli, that was really sweet of you. But you really didn't have to do that. You're not responsible for me getting grounded. I willingly went along with you."

"Yeah, but I convinced you," He points out, looking down at the floor. "If I hadn't suggested we go, you wouldn't have gotten caught. So it is my fault." He murmured, fiddling with his can. He had a frown on his face and was clearly upset about what happened.

"Hey," Imara chides, setting down her can and moving to sit closer to him, sitting on the bean bag chair he sat on. "Listen, I made the decision to go along with you. You're not the reason I got grounded. I'm a big girl and I can make my own decisions. So please, don't beat yourself up over this. We've been over this before, it's not your fault."

Eli sighs and looks up at her, his eyes full of regret. "I'm still sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to tonight. And now you're stuck inside. Though I'm sure I'm also grounded..." He admitted.

"Your dad didn't ground you yet?" Imara asked with surprise.

"I snuck out before he had the chance." He replies sheepishly. "We kinda had an argument before I came over here." He confessed quietly, looking back down at the soda can he had.

"Oh. Sorry, Eli." Imara murmurs, her heart aching for him. She hated seeing him upset. She reached out and placed a hand on his knee, giving him a sympathetic look. "Was it about stealing the jeep or...The other thing?" She hesitantly asked, knowing the other thing was a sore subject for him. She knew he was having trouble with his werewolf side. The trouble being he wasn't transforming. He hadn't transformed yet and it seemed like he didn't know how or even if he could, but to her it sounded like he was afraid to.

"Both." He mutters, taking a drink of his soda. He didn't meet her gaze. "Dad was pissed about me taking the jeep. But he also tried to get me to talk about being a werewolf, about learning how to be one...It's like he doesn't get it, Immy. I'm not like him. I can't just accept what I am. I mean, he's been a werewolf for like, years. It's normal for him. For me, it's not. He wants me to learn how to be one and accept it and all that crap but I can't." He rants, finally meeting her gaze. His expression was pained, his green eyes clouded with emotion. "I don't know if I can." He admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Imara's expression softens, her heart aching for him. She scoots closer to him and wraps her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Hey, it's okay. You'll figure it out, I promise. We'll figure it out together, okay? You're not alone in this, Eli. You'll never be alone. I'm always here for you, no matter what." She soothes, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I know being a werewolf is scary, trust me. I was super scared with figuring out this werewolf stuff, still am honestly. But you're strong, Eli. Stronger than you realize. You'll get through this, and I'll be with you every step of the way." She whispered, squeezing him gently.

Eli sighs, leaning into her embrace. "Thanks, Immy," He murmurs, his voice a little steadier. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He could always count on her to calm him down and make him feel better. She was his rock, his anchor in the storm of emotions and confusion that came with being a teenage werewolf. She made everything feel more manageable, less overwhelming.

"Of course," She replies, giving him a warm smile. She lets him go, sitting back on her own bean bag chair. She picks up her can and sips her drink. "I'm here for you, no matter what."

"What would I do without you?" Eli asked softly, looking at her. A smile tugged at his lips, his eyes shining with gratitude.

"Crash and burn probably," She teases, smirking at him. She nudges his leg with her foot. "But you don't have to worry about that. I'm not going anywhere."

Eli smiles, nudging her back. "Good, because I don't know what I'd do without my partner in crime," He says, a playful glint returning to his eyes. "And thanks for always having my back, Izzy. You're the best."

Imara chuckles and shrugs, trying not to blush at the compliment. "No problem, Eli. That's what best friends are for, right?" She asked, looking down at her can of coke. She fiddled with the tab, feeling a little awkward. She had no idea why she was suddenly so flustered. She and Eli were just best friends, nothing more. But something about the way he was looking at her, the way he said those words, made her stomach flutter.

She glances back up at him, and their eyes meet. There's a moment of silence, a sort of unspoken understanding passing between them. Imara can't help but stare into his eyes, and her heart pounds in her chest. What was wrong with her? She felt like she was suddenly hyperaware of everything, of his presence, of his scent. Was it the full moon? She had no idea. All she knew was that there was something about him that drew her in, something that made her want to be closer to him.

A/N imy & eli <3