As Ginger O'Toole and her brother Fred resumed walking to Moon Lake High School, neither noticed that John Harper continued to stand on the Jenkins' front porch and stared at Ginger until long after she had actually disappeared from sight.
It wasn't until the duo was a good block away from their last stop before Fred spoke.
"You know that boy is crazy about you? Or is John Harper just crazy?"
Not daring to risk changing into her weretigress fursona in public during the day*, Ginger issued a low but menacing growl.
"You know it's the truth," Fred added, unphased by Ginger's response. "All the stuff his parents put all those children through, most of which we can only guess at. There's no way even a were could go through all that without some damage. After all, even after becoming a vixen, his sister still had to see Doctor Twist."
"Maybe," Ginger finally conceded. "But John's got a good head on his shoulders. Whatever he might have been through, he'll work it out," she added, making sure to say HE'LL instead of WE'LL, considering how she felt about him.
The O'Toole siblings were silent again until Fred said, "Look sis. I know we don't always get along as well as a brother and sister should sometimes, but you do know I'm on your side, right?"
"I've never doubted that," she replied.
"Maybe I shouldn't of, but I overheard that... talk Mom and Dad gave you about interacting with him."
"Oh?"
"Part of it does make sense. Him being a normal and all. Even if it doesn't work out between the two of you in the long run, you want to make 100 and ten percent sure that becoming a were, let alone a weretiger, is what he wants before the two of you..."
"I know, but everything isn't always about sex," Ginger said, perhaps more sternly than necessary. Especially considering she knew how much Fred gave in to his libido on a regular basis.
Then she asked, "Do you believe in Prophecy Dreams?"
Fred stopped in mid-step to look at her. "I've heard of the concept, and know a couple of older students who swear they've had some, but I can't say for sure whether or not they do exist, let alone are accurate in actually foretelling the future. Why?"
"I've been dreaming about me and John lately. A lot," admitted Ginger, stopping and looking around to make sure no one was in hearing distance, were or human.
"How so?"
"You know. The usual. Becoming friends. Being the one to induct him into were society. Marriage..."
"Are you sure those are Prophecy Dreams and not just wishful thinking?" asked her brother. "Last night I dreamed I was with that hot chick in that movie we watched on TV, who turned out to look great with tigress fur by the way, but that doesn't mean it'll come true."
"You tell me and we'll both know," was all she could say as they resumed walking.
"You know Mom and Dad aren't even going to let you go on a date with John Harper, let alone anything else, until after they meet him for themselves," Fred reminded her.
"I know, but now is definitely too soon in whatever there is between us."
Then Ginger thought about it for a moment before adding, "At the very least, John needs a friend. I'm hoping for more, but I'm willing to accept whatever he's willing to offer." Even if I wind up having to share him occasionally with another guy.
"Is there something wrong with him that I, let alone Mom and Dad, should know about?"
Ginger had kept John's confession that he was uncertain whether he was straight, gay, or bi to herself; and wasn't about to betray that confidence.
"Not that I'm aware of. It's just that he's got so much on his mind with the burdens of his past and trying to get all the legalities worked out so he can live here in Moon Lake with his sisters, let alone attend school. Besides, John's definitely the intellectual type like I am."
"I know. Sometimes you way overthink things and make mountains out of mole hills when you should just go with your gut and instincts instead," Fred suggested. "Maybe both of you should take my advice."
"Maybe. Yet if I'm such a worry wart, who has the better grade point average between us Mister?"
"I'll put my steady B's up against your A's any day of the week."
"I know," Ginger said with a smile before playfully bumping into him. Since they were approaching school property, she didn't want to embarrass her brother by giving him a sisterly peck on the cheek.
As the duo started walking toward the main building of Moon Lake High, Fred said, "I wish you well, and if I can I'll help you out, but I don't want to see you get hurt either."
"I know, but I've got to see this through like anything else in life. One day at a time," observed Ginger, as the early warning bell rang.
With that, the O'Toole siblings said their respective goodbyes as they parted company and went to their separate first period classes.
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*Moon Lake has rules governing when and where weres can display their true forms in public during the day to help protect the town's secrets.—tmw.