As the back door to the Twist house closed behind him, Ben noted the sun was well behind the treeline. Although there was still a slight touch of light in the western sky, it was safe (and legal) for him to be out and about in his full were form.
Ben issued a low howl of joy as he stretched his fury legs and walked up the hill to hide his emergency backpack within the base of the hollow tree he usually used.
For reasons he could not (or maybe dared not) explain, Ben had been thinking of Kenya since she left after her very brief and (pleasant) surprise visit to the Twist household. Thoughts of the softness of her sleek, black pantheress fur; let alone just having the opportunity to talk to such an exotic (for he never met anyone like her in his whole life before) woman urged Ben on as the werewolf set off at a steady pace toward the place he met her last night.
The weight of the cellphone on the lanyard around his neck was about his only real contact with reality at the moment, as Ben kept scanning the trees above and wondering how their next meeting would go.
"Man! I just can't believe—" began Nate, only to have his boyfriend Alex silence him with a passionate kiss.
"It will be okay stud. My dad's cool," replied Alex, as he put his human arms around his lover. "Like he said, we just got caught up in the moment and lost track of time."
After Mister Ramsey had caught the boys in the middle of some very exciting action, Nate slowly reverted back to human form as he continued to stare at the closed door to the small room he and Alex had made love in.
Nate would later admit there was something exciting about human skin rubbing against werewolf fur, but it took a while for Alex to help Nate get over his shock at being discovered; although he hoped the passionate shower they took together had eased some of Nate's emotional state.
"Now then stud," began Alex. "We're clean and dressed. What say we go upstairs and have dinner with my folks? After all, I'll be meeting yours tomorrow night."
With that, Alex kissed Nate on the cheek before grabbing his hand and leading him back upstairs.
MEANWHILE...
Even after discovering the gravy stains on their respective tops, Julie Stovall and Eric Anderson both agreed that dinner was "perfect!"
They stayed for dessert (apple pie ala mode) and even Eric blushed when the waitress said they made a cute couple as Eric settled their bill.
With sun having fully set for the night, Eric noticed a slight chill in the air as they left the diner, so he untied his sweater from around his waist and draped it across Julie's shoulders.
Julie didn't want to spoil the moment by mentioning that were-mermaids were used to cold (water) temperatures, so simply smiled and thanked him with a kiss on the cheek, before leaning against him as they started walking back toward her house.
Julie's heart did seem to skip a beat when Eric put his arm around her. She swore she felt it flutter as she put her arm around his waist before laying her head on his shoulder. Eric and Julie were about the same height, so the gesture was easy to accomplish.
Eric would have sworn he stopped breathing for a moment as Julie's long blonde hair brushed against his ear and neck. He definitely felt a serious rush of joy as her arm went around him.
Neither young lover spoke. Subconsciously, both Freshmen teenagers slowed down their pace, wanting the moment to last.
Unfortunately, the Stovall residence did eventually appear in front of them.
With that, Eric turned his head and kissed Julie again, just as passionately as every previous instance.
When their lips finally parted, Eric said, "I don't want this moment to end," as he looked deeply into his girlfriend's blue eyes.
"Neither do I," confirmed Julie, unable to hide the longing in her voice.
"What is it about you Julie A—", and then Eric stopped himself, for he almost called her Anderson.
"I don't know. I could ask you the same question Eric," was her response, before Julie initiated their next kiss.
Arms interlocked around their respective partner, as Eric began to feel a fire deep within his soul. He was not only wanting this moment to last forever, but was starting to long for the chance to go further.
But, even if he had Julie's permission and the opportunity to do so, a voice in the back of Eric's mind shouted that to proceed would mean accepting the eventuality of becoming a were-merman.
However, that was something he wasn't prepared to do.
Yet?
Therefore, Eric reluctantly broke the kiss, grabbed her hand in his, and started walking her the rest of the way to her front door.
Julie saw the tear forming in Eric's eye, and hoped it was simply a tear of joy, for if it held any other significance, she didn't want to know about it right now.
Instead, she said, "Whether permitting, maybe you'd like to start walking me home every afternoon from school?"
"I'd love to," agreed Eric, smiling at the thought. "Maybe we could even go out again this Friday night?" he suggested, not knowing about Mrs. Tachibana's recent plans to welcome his father into the Skulk that night.
"I'd love to," said Julie, accepting his offer. "And we still have lunch every day, and the Halloween dance next weekend."
"I've already started assembling my Jacques Cousteau costume, unless you'd like to go as something else?"
"No. Cousteau and an island mermaid is a fantastic idea," replied Julie, not wanting Eric to change his mind and risk changing any of the dreams they've had.
They were now standing on her front porch. The porch light was on, but the curtain windows were closed, although Julie would be surprised if her parents weren't keeping an eye on them somehow.
"Until tomorrow?" asked Julie.
"I'm counting the moments in anticipation now," said Eric with a smile, before giving her a more subdued kiss.
Then Julie fished for her house key out of her small pocketbook as Eric reluctantly took back his sweater.
After unlocking the front door, Julie turned and gave Eric one last peck on the cheek, before she smiled and went inside for the night.
Eric Anderson stared at the closed door long after the porch light went out.
Then, with a last look back as he crossed the Stovall's front yard, Eric Anderson started for home, draping the sweater across his shoulders and relishing the lingering scent of his girlfriend.