Chapter 41: Grumpy Felix, Quiet Alex and Chasity's Calix I smoothed my hair back nervously.

"Hey again," I said, no longerable to pretend to be interested in the ceiling.

The girl just looked at the floor.

"Don't be rude, Charity," said Mom authoritatively Alex had taught me that word: authoritatively.

Alex taught me a new word everyday, a really big one.

He said we needed a big vocabulary or in his words "an extensive lexicon" for when we became

Alphas and had to make speeches in frontof the whole pack.

"It's Chasity,” mumbled the girl.

Finally! Her name.

Chasity.

Mom walked off.

She had not heard the girl.

"I never had a sleepover with a girl before," / told Chasity.

Chasity gave me a really weird look.

She was still crying.

"Um, you can have my bed and will take the sleeping bag okay." I told her.

"Both have dinosaur print so it's equal," added in case she was wondering.

Chasity was quiet.

I wanted to hold her hand so I did but she yanked it away / blushed.

I was not as smooth as Felix or Alex/ had moved too fast.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

Should I tell her I thought she was cute? "Um, I think..."/ said.

"Calix," said Mom, coming back into the entrance room.

"Leave her alone.

Go to your room." "But I didn't do anything!'1/ whined.

This was so unfair.

Mom practically never punished me.

"Just go," said Mom, being totally unfair for no reason.

Chasity was sniffling.

I had a handkerchief.

Mom said proper gentlemen had handkerchiefs.

Felix said handkerchiefs were for girls but this handkerchief was green! It was not pink oranything.

"Here," / said.

She took it.

I was relieved.

"I have to go to my room," I said.

"I usually don't get in trouble." I wanted her to know that.

“Calix/" Shrieked Mom.

"Ok, we'll talk later," / said to Chasity as / headed upstairs.

1 spotted Alex and Felix spying on the landing.

"Do Alex and Felix have to go to their rooms too?" / asked.

"You snitch!" Yelled Felix.

Ha! As if I was gonna go to my room and let them talk to Chasity.

She was my friend.

She had my handkerchief and everything.

"Felix and Alex, go to your rooms," demanded Mom in her no-nonsense tone.

I winked at Chasity before I left but she did not even notice.

Alex frowned at me.

I felt guilty for getting him in trouble but he could try to steal my friend too.

In the upstairs hallway, I made something clear.

"Look, Chasity is my friend.

She's here to hang out with me." I said.

"What?" Grumbled Felix.

“You know her?!"

Alex looked surprised.

"Um, yeah," /lied.

Alex folded his arms.

"From where?" Asked Alex.

Felix folded his arms.

"Yeah, from where?" Snapped Felix.

"From...

none of your business.

It's private between me and Chasity," / said.

Felix rolled his eyes.

“Chasity," repeated Felix, stroking his chin.

"That's a nice name." "Yeah, we're having a sleepover," I said proudly.

"What? With a girl?" Asked Felix, looking kinda impressed.

My chest swelled with pride.

"We're not allowed to invite girls for sleepovers," said Alex, shocked.

"Chasity and I are really mature.

Mom made an exception," / said.

That was believable.

Mom always bent the rules for me.

"That's totally unfair! Mom lets you get away with everything!" Hissed Felix.

"It is a bit unfair, Calix," said Alex reasonably.

I felt a bit guilty "II my sleepover turns out really awesome, Mom will probably let you guys invite girls to another sleepover,” / explained

Felix lookedlike he liked the sound of that.

"You have someone to invite?" Asked Alex, looking at Felix.

"Yeah!" Said Felix.

"Who?" I said, my curiosity peaked.

"Chasity," said Felix simply.

I got really mad.

"My Chasity?" I said.

Felix nodded and laughed in my face.

I shoved him.

And he shoved me back.

We scrambled and wrestled but Alex parted us.

"Cut it out!" Yelled Alex.

"You'll make Mom come upstairs and she'll make us stay in our rooms longe "I wanna go spy on Chasity,"said Felix.

"Spying is against the rules, right Alex?” I said, knowing Alex always followed the rules.

He would back me up.

"Um...this is a special circumstance," said Alex, shocking me.

Felix was pleasantly surprised.

"Ok, let's go check her out," said Felix.

"Chasity has chickenpox!" I blurted out.

Felix looked like he did not believe me.

Alex looked worried.

"Really?" Said Alex.

I nodded.

"Where are they then?" Asked Felix.

"They're not on her face or hands that's all." / said.

She had been bundled up in this weather.

Alex and Felix were starting to believe me.

"I'm the only one who had chickenpox already," / said.

It was true.

the worst! And I had to stay away

not even go sleep in Alex's or Mom's room when I got

saw them?"

I nodded.

you saw her like...in a swimsuit

yeah, we

me to hang out so we did, "I

and then he

Felix, all grouchy

into his room, slamming the

Ped "One second.

Calix,"

I waited.

room and came back

"What's this?" / asked.

Mom put this on me when I had chickenpox!"/ said

"Calamine lotion," corrected Alex.

at

Oh yeah.

"Calamine," I repeated.

kitchen for

lotion, mittens,"

almost forgotten that Chasity did not actually

she drinks enough and eats healthy stuff

out of his room, eavesdropping on

long does chickenpox last." Mumbled

say something but Felix

folded

week,"

has she had it?" Asked

I glared at him.

to you hot

refused to say

so you're too good to talk to us." Said

them away for the whole week, "Wait, I thought you said you saw the pox when you

swim together in

frozen." "It

pools were open in winter here

school still had swim

brothers and/ were our school's champion

"Oh, right," said Felix.

you weren't

gone with Mom to

always did

thought the

always sent a

separately and double checked it when

went to the grocery to "supervise" his shopping and stockup on the missing item even if it was just potato

take Chasity up onher offer to hang

lies did

Alex were

with

It was true.

Mom would notlet me hang out with them

kinda is," admitted

was the word I learnt

heard footsteps

quick go! Before

ran into their

mine because / was technically supposed to be in there and Mom was

peeped out at

her straight past

Huh.

closet at the end of the

he had made Mom put in their room when/was younger because

he had decided / was too old for that

between them but way less often, maybe once a month, if I watched a reallyscary movie

be fine," said Dad,

put bedding

not do or

stood there

her suitcase in

she'll need a chest of drawers or

Later," said Dad.

on the

there and

their room to

the door like I

weren't as interesting

Chasity was here now.

at

She was crying.

"Chasity?7whispered.

"Who's there?" She sniffled.

"Calix," I said softly.

because technically you could but itwould be rude not

not right now,"

to come to my room?"l asked

I can't," she

"Why not?" I asked.

allowed

like I was a part of her or she

feeling the sad feeling from earlier but I did not

always say I

cared about people

not allowed

Luna," said Chasity "Oh, Mom! That's ok then! Mom always

around and I think he

can have a sleepover with s'mores and scary stones!" "No,"

I felt embarrassed.

I sighed.

sat with my

like

allowed to,"

my cheek against the

louder just now as if she

hand under the door through

right

"Maybe," said Chasity.

you

a

Eventually, I felt something smooth and

peeked under the door.

pinky was linked

old are

"Nine," she said.

old are you?" I had thought she was

too young for

I'm twelve," I said.

"Oh," she said.

to take her pinky away from me

"No, wait," I said.

"Why?" She said.

BU "Um, /.../began.

was older than her by several

I wasn't sure if I was remembering

someone to show you the ropes, "I told

“Ok," she said.

Luna and the Alpha say I'm not supposed to play with you." That made me

pinky away and folded my arms and

I heard Chasity sigh.

sorry," she

you," I said right

gave her back my

We linked pinkies again.

me something," said

"Yeah?"/said.

just cause your parents do,"

made me so

hate you," /

"Really?” She asked.

"Yeah,7 said.

no fun?"

need to be

I'm mean to

is mean sometimes, especially Felix,"

"Who's Felix?" She asked.

not important,"

don't talk to

be sad, but I'll never ever hate

"You sure?"She asked.

"Yep,"/said.

promise?" she said, squeezing

I vowed, squeezing her

heart was beating

/ whispered, kinda hoping she did not hear

a nice smile,"

I smiled really big.

it right now

door creaked

at

"See?" / said.

She nodded.

quickly shut the

get in

"Ok," I said.

to get

should go,"

"I'm not going.

if someone

my parents would stop arguing

often but when they did it was always a "serious topic" so they talked for a

I spoke too soon.

came out of

from that

stood up, shocked at

kind of sleepover is this? What's going on?"l

said, looking at me

put her hand to her

exasperatedly (Alex's

and Chasity is not

just as confused as I

parents owe me and your father a lot of

pack a

back, they ran away and left her here," explained Mom."So...Chasity will help out around here whilewe wait for them to come back for her."

"Yeah," said Mom.

much allowance will she get?" /

towards the money her

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