Chapter 6 Six

Gal skipped breakfast the next morning.

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast, darling?" Her mom who was already sitting at the kitchen table asked.

"No mom," she called out.

She didn't even glance at the table. Just grabbed her bag, tugged on her sneakers, and slammed the front door hard enough to rattle the windowpanes. Her heart was still too tangled in knots from the events of the day before; Milo's transformation and the picture of himself, almost naked, that he sent to her.

She could still see his face clearly, even with her eyes open. The way he had smirked, that ever present maddening confidence of his, all plastered on his face in the picture.

"Ugh..." she sighed. And dug her nails into her palm and picked up the pace on the sidewalk.

She was half a block down when she heard hurried footsteps behind her.

"Wait...Gal! Gal, wait up!"

She didn't stop walking. If anything, she moved faster.

But Milo was taller, with annoyingly longer legs. He caught up within seconds, jogging backward beside her with infuriating ease.

"You really just left without breakfast?" he asked. "That's not like you."

"I wasn't hungry."

"Me neither." He grinned. "Food's not the only thing that kills the appetite."

Gal shot him a sideways glare. "If you're referring to 'last night', then yes. You are exactly what killed it."

"Come on." He nudged her lightly with his elbow. "You're not mad about the picture, are you?"

She stopped so suddenly he almost ran into her. Gal turned and looked him dead in the eye.

"Why did you send that stupid picture anyway?"

He tilted his head, already grinning like he'd won something.

"Well," Milo said slowly, "I just wanted you to see what a werewolf looks like..." He chuckled, "half naked," he concluded with a wink.

Gal stared at him in horror. "You're so gross...so petty."

"Really?" he asked, looking mock-offended. "So you deleted it, then, since you don't like it?"

"Of course I did."

"Cool, cool," he said, casually slipping his fingers into his pocket as they began walking again.

Then, without warning, he lunged at her.

Gal gasped. "Milo...stop! What is wrong with you?"

But he was already too fast. He snatched the phone from her hand in one fluid motion.

"Milo! Give it back!" She shouted, grabbing for it, but he danced backward, laughing.

"I'm just checking something," he said innocently, swiping open her photos app.

"Don't you dare look through my stuff! That's private!"

"Oh-ho," he said, finger paused mid-swipe, "what exactly is private in here?"

"Milo!" Her voice cracked with panic and fury.

His eyes lit up. "Would you look at that? There's my picture. Still there. Not deleted. Liar."

Gal lunged at him, but he lifted the phone over his head.

He smirked. "So, let me guess, you keep it so you can stare at it when you're alone in your room at night? Real secret fan behavior."

"Shut up," she hissed, face burning red. "I didn't delete it because...I forgot, okay? Give it back!"

"Liar," he said, twirling the phone like a prize. "That's not true."

"Milo." Her voice dropped dangerously. "Give me. My phone."

He paused, clearly enjoying every second of her humiliation.

"You're gonna have to beg me."

"I'd rather set myself on fire."

He laughed, low and delighted and finally handed it back to her. The moment his fingers let go, she yanked it to her chest like it was a lifeline.

As they reached the edge of campus, Milo said nothing more. But she could feel the smile still tugging at his mouth. He was smug. And confident. And aggravating.

And the worst part?

Some small, traitorous part of her enjoyed it.

Ava, her second best friend was standing at the school foyer, sipping on something iced. Her eyes widened when she saw them approaching side by side; Gal red-faced and scowling, Milo practically radiating charm.

"Whoa," Ava said, lowering her drink. "Did I miss something? Since when do you two show up together in school looking like that...?" She p0asked immediately Gal got to her side.

"We don't," Gal said quickly, brushing past her.

Ava raised an eyebrow. "So it's a coincidence you're both red-faced and breathing like you just ran a marathon?"

Gal threw a look over her shoulder. Milo met her gaze briefly, a glimmer of mischief still in his eyes, and then turned and headed for his building without a word.

"Seriously," Ava said, dragging Gal to a corner. "What is going on?"

"Nothing."

"Gal, you're the worst liar I've ever met."

"It's reall nothing." Gal shrugged with a smug smile.

"You expect me to believe you two were just taking a lovely, rage-free morning stroll to school?"

"He's annoying," Gal muttered.

"Mm-hmm."

"He stole my phone."

"That tracks; that's normal Milo."

"And taunted me."

"Also tracks."

Gal sighed. "And I maybe forgot to delete a picture he sent me last night."

Sia blinked. "A picture? He send his picture to you?"

"Not like that!" Gal snapped.

Ava's eyes lit up. "Oh my God, like that?!"

Gal covered her face. "No! It was just, shirtless. And obnoxious. And I forgot to delete it. And he found it. And he won't shut up."

"Oh, babe." Ava grinned wickedly. "You're blushing."

"No, I am not," Gal protested.

"You absolutely are. You need to look into a mirror right now."

"End this conversation," Gal hissed.

"Fine," Ava said, holding up her hands in surrender. "But you know I'm not letting this go. You have to spill everything."

Gal groaned and stormed off toward her locker. Ava's laughter followed her all the way down the hallway.

The day blurred by in a haze of classes and whispers. If anyone noticed she was more distracted than usual, they didn't say it out loud. But she could feel it;eyes watching, conversations halting when she passed. The rumors hadn't started yet, but the silence was the warning before the storm.

By the time the final bell for the last subject rang, Gal's energy was shot. She slumped into her seat, grateful for the day. She kept her head down until her phone buzzed in her pocket.

One new message from Milo.