“I'm okay.”
A lie, that's all that was.
Never to forget Grayson Holtz, the big grey wolf that had turned her world upside down. They way they'd met, how everything had happened so fast but had felt like forever.
The passing week left her sick to her stomach and dizzy, she figured it the internal forbidden love bond.
She just hoped it would end and soon.
A bit thinner, the disturbing thing, it was only because of her obsessed with him. Her anger towards that had made her lash out in a fit of rage on Wednesday evening. Ending with his deletion from her friend's list.
Though she regretted the fact that she could no longer go and look through his photos, it was for the best.
Once Friday had rolled around, his blatant ignoring her at school was making it easy to hate him.
She told herself she did hate him.
She hated him for being weak and thinking he was doing the right thing, when clearly it was so far from right.
Grayson was wrong, so, wrong and though she could do nothing about it. She could suffer and try to distract herself.
Watching from the terminal window, Dodge Wheeler made his way across the tarmac of the tiny airport – the same one she'd flown into only a month before.
Henry stood next to her, looking agitated in uniform, “Where is this kid?”
“Dad, he's right there,” she pointed out the window.
Henry leaned in and peered over her shoulder, “Why did I allow this again?”
“Cause you're awesome.” Chloe chirped with a fake smile.
Henry grunted, “Not making me feel better about the situation, Loe.”
“We're friends, Dad.” Chloe droned for the millionth time.
“Chloe!”
Her eyes snapped to the peppy surfer-boy voice of Dodge Wheeler, a lean boy at five eleven, with a shaggy blonde head of hair and bright blue eyes. Cute, a good word for Dodge.
The boy ran at her and wrapped his arms around her, picking her up off the ground and whirling her around. She laughed and clung to him, but it was sort of stomach turning at the same time.
Henry grunted, “Uh, hello.”
Chloe parted from Dodge as he dropped her back on her feet and smiled at her dad, “This is Dodge, Dad.”
Dodge held out his hand, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Pryce.”
Henry grumbled again and shook his hand, “Let's get going. A snow storm is coming in soon.” With that he turned and walked in front of the teens.
Dodge smiled at her, “So, I brought every piece of warm clothing I had, but then I figured I should buy a jacket on top of it.”
Chloe laughed, “Gonna be honest, Dee, probably still not gonna nip the great north in the butt.”
Dodge clasped his hands together, “Let's see what I'm in for!”
***
Henry slammed the front door of the house as Chloe watched Dodge shiver.
“It's freezing here...” he huddled in his jacket, “Y-you weren't lying.”
“Ha,” Chloe smirked, enjoying herself, “You get used to it.”
Henry clapped his hands to get their attention, “Steak tonight?”
Chloe nodded to him, “Sounds good, Dad.”
“I'll get to it,” Henry left them.
Dodge looked around and smiled, once Henry disappeared, “You like live in a deep freezer... permanently.”
She nodded, “Basically.” She walked to the couch and sat. “So, you should definitely tell me all about what I'm missing back home.”
“Well,” he walked in and sat beside her, stripping his jacket. “Not a lot, but...” and that's when Dodge started to do his Dodge ramble.
Amused with it, she listened even though long and dry. She really didn't miss California, though she felt she should have, especially with everything that had happened in such a short time in Polar, Alaska.
“Wanna watch a movie till dinner?” She asked.
Dodge nodded, “Bring on the chick-flick!”
She wrinkled her nose, “Think I'm going for horror this time, Dee.”
***
The sound of white noise woke Chloe around nine in the morning. She mumbled, rolling her nose across his lap and snuggling her cheek into his abdomen. His fingers brushed her cheek and she flinched.
“Stop, Gray.” She broke a smile.
“Huh?”
Her eyes opened. Not Grayson, it wasn't even close to his voice and where her head rested, that wasn't his lap either.
She stumbled off the couch and onto her side, groaning.
Dodge helped her up, “Uh, who's Gray?”
She winced, “No one.”
“Is he the guy who... err-”
She waved her hands, “No!”
He sighed, “You can tell me about it, Chloe. It's fine, he's obviously still on your mind.”
The thought of going over grave detail about herself being de-flowered by a large wolf was... well, just a bit more than she wanted to revisit with Dodge.
“Really, I'm good.” She assured him.
“You should introduce me to the ass, then I can beat him to a pulp.”
She arched her brow, “I'd say sure, but really... he's massive.”
“Like width wise?” Dodge smiled.
“More like six foot six and can lift a truck off the ground... on a bad day.”
“Jeez.” Dodge swallowed. “I'll still tell him he's a loser. He obviously doesn’t hear it enough.”
Chloe smiled, “Just count your blessings you won't have to meet him. Life is easier that way, trust me.” She got up and walked into the kitchen with Dodge right behind her.
They had breakfast and lightly chatted, mostly about California, as the topic was safe and didn't involve wolf love issues. In those moments of conversation, she started to feel her budding appreciation for Dodge.
The day led them through boredom, and they decided to break it.
“Dad, we're going outside to play in the snow!” Chloe giggled as she hung off the front door.
“Yeah, have fun with that.” Henry called from the kitchen.
Dodge grabbed her around the waist and hauled her outside, laughing with her. Chloe booked it from him, running into the deep snow and grabbing handfuls of white stuff to chuck in his direction.
She pelted a few at him, but missed and he laughed in response.
“Still not accurate, I see, French-fry!”
She threw another snowball at him, “Oh, shut it, Dodgie.”
He pointed at her, “You know, I hate that nickname.”
“And you think I like french-fry?” she lunged at him and smashed some snow in his face.
He grabbed her and swung her around, throwing her into a near snow bank. She landed, sinking deep into the snow and giggled. Literally, the most fun she'd had in weeks.
“Dodge!” she squealed and kicked her legs.
He laughed, walking over to her and hauling her to her feet. Pulling her in close, he shoved snow in her face as he accomplished the hauling.
She ducked out of his arms and barrelled out on to the icy drive. Sliding across it, she regained her balance.
Dodge ducked to grab her, “Chloe, I missed you.”
Startled by his sudden grip on her. She wiggled and got away. “You didn't.” she teased. “You're just saying that...” She stuck her tongue out and ran back into the deep snow, “This is war, Dee!”
He turned to her, “You know, you won't win.”
She picked up another ball of snow and rounded it, took aim, and hit him right in the shoulder. She cheered in victory, “You're going down.”
He ran and tackled her to the snow, landing on top of her.
Chloe stared up at him and he tried to get up, failing and falling deeper around her. She swallowed as he tried again.
She giggled, “Are you're failing or do you like being on top of me?”
Dodge smiled, “I'd really it rather be the second option, but I'm just failing.”
She wiggled and helped him sit. They stayed quiet and she thought about Dodge. How polite and refined he was, he just never tested, like Grayson did.
Dodge Wheeler was nice guy.
She leaned her head to his shoulder as they look out across the darkening sky and deep wooded forests. The more she thought about Dodge's good manners, the more she realized it's why he had never gotten her. He had never come close to sealing the deal.
She needed away from her thoughts, “So, there's wolves.”
Dodge let out a soft laugh, “Thanks for making me nervous.”
She wrapped her arms around his forearm, “Thanks for coming.” Maybe, she could seal the deal?
“It was either this or... well, sitting at home. I finished all my mid terms early. My parents said I could have a reward.”
Chloe looked up to him, “I hope, I was worth it.”
“You're reward worthy, Chloe,” he leaned in and kissed her cheek, lingering. Maybe, he had gotten some gumption after all.
She tensed and waited, mentally screaming for him to kiss her.
He drew his mouth along her jaw and she stayed very, very still.
His nervous breathing and lip biting present.
She pressed her nose against his and it was the last push he needed. He kissed her. Awkward lip munching and all.
He pulled one of his gloves off and lifted his palm to her cheek, his tongue trying to venture into her mouth. She let him and then it hit her, like a ton of bricks.
She tore herself back and stumbled away, holding her mouth, but she couldn't hold it in and she threw up. Much to her dismay, in front of Dodge.
He stared at her, “Holy.”
Chloe choked as she emptied her stomach again. Her eyes watering as she whined, knowing Grayson Holtz had death grips on her.
Dodge put his hand on her shoulder.
She swung and walked from him, “Ugh, I'm sorry.” She tried to wipe her tears and hold back her flying anger.
Dodge walked to her again, “Chloe? Are you okay?”
She stared at him through her streaming tears, “No...”
Dodge cringed, “What's wrong? Are you sick?”
Chloe stood, rolling her eyes, “Yeah, I don't know, I'm just sick of throwing up.”
“You've been throwing up?” he questioned.
She stared at him and knew she couldn't say anymore, “Stomach flu.” Wolf-curse would have put Dodge Wheeler in a coma.
“Want to go back inside?”
The moment had been ruined and he likely never wanted to kiss her again, going inside seemed like a good idea.
Just as she agreed, the front door shot open and they both turned towards it.
Henry stepped out to the mat. “Supper's up,” he grunted and walked back inside.
Dodge sighed and walked towards the house, the boy looked broken. She had to get past this, there must have been a way to get her out of the bond with him and if there wasn't then, death would be a decent option.
She cringed, she didn't have that kind of guts, she'd just live as a crazy chihuahua lady.
Following Dodge, she walked towards the house.