Melissa's afternoon went about as well as she could manage. She still didn't like all the rumors that seemed to fly around concerning the fight from the previous day. Especially when no two rumors were exactly alike. One even went as far as to make the assumption that her father "liked it rough" and that he and Virginia got it on right there on the lawn and Alice Decrux merely interrupted their lovemaking. That Melissa knew to be false, as she did trust her father with regard to how he got scratched and joined were society, but what she couldn't tell for sure was whether or not Virginia's clawing him was done on purpose.
Her father insisted it wasn't, but then he seemed to be coming out of his mourning for her mother and seemed attracted to Virginia, so it'd make sense that he would believe that Virginia hadn't done it deliberately. And since she was taken to the hospital to meet her up with her dad again after his first transformation, she didn't get a chance to ask Virginia directly. After all, Melissa had noticed that both Alice Decrux and Virginia McCoy had some interest in her father and knew that there was some competition between them over it. That could mean that Virginia could have done it on purpose, just to deny Alice Decrux the victory. But without talking to Virginia directly, Melissa knew she wouldn't get an answer.
As her last class of the day ended, Melissa sighed and collected the books she'd need for her homework assignments and prepared to make her way out. As she arrived at the front doors to the High School, she found herself smiling as she came up to the group of friends that she'd made, Megumi, a werefox, Alice, a wererabbit, Rob, a werewolf, Jason, a weretiger, and Trevor, a werebull. She'd met and made a few good acquaintances at the school besides these five, but they were the ones she'd become the closest to. As she looked to Trevor, her smile was soon joined by a warm blush. He'd been so kind to her and so friendly that it'd just seemed to say that he was "the one" for her. She'd privately made her choice to date Trevor before she was even sure what kind of were she would become. So far, he'd given her no reason to second guess that. He made her happy, and in that, Melissa would be more than willing to be his werecow, and now that moment could be a special and loving moment, not something that was rushed because someone in her family had to be the family were.
"Hey guys," Melissa said as she approached them.
"Hey, you doing better from earlier?" Alice asked.
"Yeah," Melissa nodded, remembering Alice finding her and visiting with her when all those rumors concerning Virginia's fight with Alice Decrux was getting to her. "The rumors still bug me... and still make me nervous that Virginia might have done it on purpose..."
"I wouldn't think she did," Trevor spoke up and was soon by her side and rubbing her back and shoulders, as if to assure her that things would be okay, "She's been firm but fair... which is a step up from some teachers that I've heard grumblings on. And from the other day... she seemed rather calm, and when she looked to your dad... it was almost like Jason looking to Alice."
Both Jason and Alice blinked, but didn't say anything.
"You know... like she was looking to a friend, not like she was secretly plotting to turn him," Trevor continued.
"I'd think the only one who'd "look" that way would be Decrux, but then we only know that based on her reputation," Rob commented.
"And Virginia does seem to really like my dad," Melissa spoke, "She even told me so on that day..."
Melissa was referring to when the rest of their furniture and boxes arrived at their house. Both Trevor and Virginia helped get things placed. Melissa felt that worked out well with regard to her dating Trevor, as her dad got to meet Trevor and could see that he wasn't just some boy wanting to get into her pants, and thus prevent the whole "overprotective" dad conflict. But there was still the potential Virginia might have done something deliberate, and a part of Melissa felt she REALLY needed to know the truth, if only to protect her dad from another heartbreak.
"I'm sure that the truth will be confirmed in the end," Megumi said politely, "Don't worry."
"Thanks," Melissa said slowly as she settled onto Trevor's side.
From there the others began to break up for the afternoon and head home for the day. There was homework to do and likely some other responsibilities. That left Melissa with Trevor as they walked toward the school parking lot and Trevor's truck.
"You still seem a bit uneasy," Trevor commented as they walked along.
"I suppose I am," Melissa sighed, "all the rumors and so on... I don't think I would be able to get over that until AFTER I've gotten the truth from Virginia."
"I see," Trevor commented.
From there, they rode along as Trevor drove her home. It became a familiar route that Melissa did know and let her see many of the sort of homes and buildings. If her concerns over her father's safety weren't there, Melissa might have marveled at how well some of the older buildings looked. Trevor drove quietly and parked on the street in front of the Jenkins house. As the truck slowed and finally lurched to a stop, Melissa noticed a car parked on Virginia's driveway, which lead her to believe that Virginia was home. As such she climbed out and soon began to walk toward her neighbor's home, if only to find out the truth.
"Uh... isn't your home..." Trevor began.
"I have hear from her directly," Melissa answered as she cut Trevor off, "I need to hear that she didn't claw my dad on purpose."
"If the police are investigating the matter... they'll find that out," Trevor commented, "and they may not want someone they're investigating from talking with you... for fear that is she is rogue, that YOU aren't in danger."
"I have to hear from her directly," Melissa insisted, "and I won't be doing anything risky. I'll be right beside you. IF she is "rogue" you wouldn't let her just attack me, right?"
"Of course," Trevor said quickly, "but I'd think we need to follow the rules. As I said before, I wouldn't think that she would have clawed your dad on purpose."
Melissa simply continued on. She needed to hear from Virginia directly. It would put her at ease and let her feel confident that her dad would be okay. Trevor followed close behind when he saw that Melissa wasn't going to "let it be." They made their way up to the door to Virginia's home. As they arrived Melissa quickly began to repeatedly press the doorbell button that was mounted in the wooden frame to the right of the door. Trevor stood nervously behind her and readied himself for any possible problem. Which was soon a good choice for him.
After a few moments, the door opened to reveal an angry looking weretigress, fully coated in her orange and white fur with black stripes and her tail twitching behind her and her fists clinched.
"WOULD QUIT RINGING THAT INCESSANT BELL!!" Virginia McCoy roared, though remaining inside her home.
At that, Trevor grabbed Melissa by her shoulders and pulled her back and moving to stand in front of her. If Virginia attacked, he was fairly sure that even in his human form he'd be able to push her back. As cattle of various kinds, be they wild or domesticated were larger and stronger than tigers, and that in the jungles of India, tigers did attack gaur from time to time and while sometimes gaur did end up being eaten, tigers also ended up being crushed and killed by the gaur as well. The one part where Trevor had some concern was if the teacher decided to grapple with him. He was fairly flexible for a werebull in either form, but wrestling wasn't instinctive for him and he had no personal interest in it. Wrestling, however, was instinctive for tigers and as such Virginia might know instinctively how to use his own size and strength advantages against him.
However, Virginia soon saw who was at her door and backed off and softened her appearance, letting her lips on her muzzle cover her teeth.
"Oh... it's you two... what... what brings you here?" Virginia asked slowly.
Melissa trembled slightly and even clutched at Trevor after a moment. Virginia's answer to the door was to a degree frightening, though possibly expected. But, she'd figured that Virginia was being held to stay indoors she'd need to do something "irritating" to get Virginia to come to the door.
"The school heard about the fight from yesterday and have been spreading rumors," Trevor spoke, keeping himself between Virginia and Melissa, "Melissa heard one of them that made the accusation that you scratched her father on purpose."
Melissa watched with some surprise as Virginia shrank back and moved back from the door with her head in her hands. She watched as the weretigress actually began to sniffle at it. It was in this that Melissa actually noticed that Virginia's eyes looked almost bloodshot before Virginia brought her hands up to cover her face.
"It was an accident! I swear it was an accident!" Virginia almost sobbed, her fierceness and anger gone, "He's been nice and friendly and even offered with some of the decisions I have to make with the school... I... I like him a lot... I love him, I think, but I'd never force anything on him on purpose!"
This got Melissa to be a bit braver in coming out from behind Trevor. Despite the earlier aggression, it seemed that Virginia really wasn't in that much mood to be truly "rogue" and that she was only irritated at the repeating of the doorbell being rung. In fact, Melissa felt that Virginia looked almost afraid in a way.
"But the fight," Melissa began, "It still lead to my dad being scratched... did you not notice he was there or...?"
Melissa watched as Virginia's eyes narrowed.
"That was ALL on Decrux's part!" the growl came back to Virginia's voice, "She tried to scratch at him. I saw it and tried to stop her, but as we were all close, that Harold was still close... and Decrux grabbed by paw and pressed on it. She made it so that I couldn't retract my claws and I caught him... I would never harm him on purpose but Decrux simply wanted to hurt him... hurt me... and get what she wants!"
Trevor looked over to Melissa. There was a great deal of emotion in Virginia's answers and it didn't sound like she had done anything deliberate against Harold Jenkins. She might be angry with Alice Decrux, but given Decrux's reputation Trevor thought that was understandable. Melissa looked back to him and then to Virginia.
"But it wasn't deliberate on your part?" Melissa asked, putting as much concern as she could into the question.
"No, never," Virginia said softly and taking a softer stance than before even though staying in her were-form. "I love him... and I'd want his joining were society to be happy and romantic... something that comes because he chooses it. Because he wants it and is okay with it. I didn't want to put him in such pain..."
Melissa was silent for a moment before she answered, but it was clear, "I believe you."
Virginia then looked up to them as Melissa continued.
"Hopefully the police find the proof that clears you and you and my dad can be happy," Melissa finished, "I know he needs it... has needed something like that since my mom died."
"I'm not out to replace your mother in your father's heart or in yours," Virginia spoke, "I'd like to hope that there is room for both of us."
Melissa nodded.
"Anyway, you'd both best go," Virginia spoke, "the police have been watching my place and surely heard my outburst earlier... and I don't want to cause any trouble... or at least not any more trouble."
"Indeed," said an unheard male voice.
Trevor turned to see a lone uniformed officer standing there. He was a weredog, like many of Moon Lake's police officers were and he stood calmly, though with one hand on his holster. When Melissa saw him she spoke to him.
"The roar was my fault... I just had to get some answers to put some things at ease and I rang the doorbell a bunch of times," Melissa said to him quickly, "She didn't do anything..."
The officer slowly nodded, "I'm sure. Best to run on home, both of you. We don't want any trouble."
Melissa soon felt Trevor's hand on her back and she nodded. The two of them made their way back toward the Jenkins house. However, while the overall situation might still be tense and would take some time to resolve, Melissa felt some relief. She couldn't say she knew the truth, but from the way Virginia talked on the incident, she was inclined to believe her and that gave her some hope and relief that her father would be happy.