Chapter 2

"RED! Hey Red!" I was parked outside my apartment loading my car up when my neighbor appeared. He was tall and scrawny with short dark hair and a pointed nose. He was wearing a long sleeve gray shirt with white paint splattered jeans.

"Iggie!" I embraced my friend smiling.

He returned it with a sweet grin, "I heard you were leaving to the mountains for summer break?"

"I am, going to visit my grandmother now actually." I said shuffling items double checking I had everything.

"When will you be back?" Iggie smiled wide.

"Well, I had planned on being there all summer." I said shifting a bag.

"Then you wouldn't mind if your friends come visit you right?" I set the bag down and looked at him.

"Oh I see what you're doing, ha I'll have to ask my grandmother how she feels about people being on the mountain."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Well there's wolves and bears, mountain lions. You know, nature."

"Oh…" Iggie stepped back rubbing his neck. "Yeah, maybe not haha."

I snickered, "You think you're pretty slick though."

"Ha! You think so?"

"Yeah, but your flirt game is off."

"Who said I was flirting?"

I slammed the back of my car trunk jingling my keys.

"No one, you are just acting extra cute in front of me today." I walked to my car door opening it. We stared at each other for a minute as I smiled at him again, "Well, I'm off."

"Yeah, I can tell. Be safe Red."

"I can handle myself Iggie, take care of Carol for me and I'll keep you updated on my trip." I winked and jumped in the car. I started the ignition and pulled away. I rolled down my window and waved goodbye. I saw Iggie wave back as he disappeared behind my mirrors.

I met Iggie in Biology class a year ago. He was sweet and definitely had a thing for me but I wasn't interested. However, I like to flirt back when I can. Which is terrible of me but who knows… maybe I'll go out with him. I'm sure Grandma will ask if I'm dating. I'll just tell her I like a few guys and end the subject. No problem, right?

I was on the highway toward Grandma's house. I saw a motorcycle pass by but there were no cars on the highway. When I began to grow weary of the road I pulled out a bag from my passenger seat and slipped a joint. I lit it up and cruised till I got to the hiking trails. I parked my car right as the weed hit me. I got out of the car, threw on my hoodie and gathered some items to take. It was 73 degrees in the middle of June. It wasn't too hot yet. I pulled up one bag full of water, a hammock, power bars and a basket of goodies I had specially prepared. The basket was for my grandmother, which I'm sure she will like.

I locked my car and started on the hike up the mountain. Before leaving the lot I saw a car pull up, a yellow camaro with tinted windows. There were only a few cars and one motorcycle. I waited a minute watching the person get out and head to his trunk.

He was tall with dark brown shaggy curly hair. He had wide shoulders and muscular arms. I shrugged him off as I began to pick up my pace.

Suddenly my phone began to ring. Confused, I answered, "Hello?"

"Red?" A girl said.

"Yes?"

"Yeah it's Carol, have you seen my scrub brush?"

"What? No? How the fuck are we on call? I'm in the mountains."

"So you don't know where it is?"

"No Carol…"

"Okay, have fun with your grandma!"

"Yeah thanks; I'll talk to you later."

"Bye!" I hung up.

I looked at my phone to see I had service. The mountain was no longer how I remembered…

I pulled out another joint wanting to feel higher. I stood lighting the next one when I heard footsteps behind me.

"I thought I had smelled the good old Mary Jane." I jumped to the sound of the voice as I turned. The guy from the parking lot had caught up to me.

"Oh man you scared me." I put my hand to my chest rubbing my beating heart.

"I'm sorry didn't mean to startle you." He approached me as I saw the color of his eyes gleam. They were definitely hazel. A single brown ring stained his eyes. They were eyes that dared.

"You want some?" I asked. He paused in front of me as I offered the joint. He reached for it. He had large hands, and I realized he was mixed. His skin was tan, but it was not caused by the sun. It was his natural color. He had a scruffy beard that wasn't too bushy but was rather flattering on him. His hair was dark and curly. It was a shaggy mess on top of his head with deep twisted curls.

"Thank you." He took a hit as I walked ahead of him. "So where are you going?" He asked.

"Going to my Grandmother's." He passed the joint back. I took a hit.

"Ah fun, so I'm guessing your name is Little Red Riding Hood." He laughed.

I stopped, turned and looked at him. I took a big hit before speaking, "Guess how many times I've heard that one." I blew it out and took another hit.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that." He laughed.

"No seriously man, guess." I blew it into his face this time. He smirked before answering.

"I don't know, a million times. I bet you see Red when you hear it." He was into puns too.

I gave him the joint. "I like that you think you're funny." I started walking again and he was close behind me.

"I am funny."

"Honey the only thing that's funny is your face."

"Okay Little Red." He took a hit and passed it back to me.

"And what's your name?" I asked.

"James, James Wolvin."

"James huh?"

"Yeah, it's a long line family name."

"Are you the third or second or some shit like that?"

"I'm the fourth James."

"Congrats, the last guy I knew named James I threw a chocolate custard at him and he was called Custard Face for five years."

"Wow that's brutal."

"Nah, it just means don't fuck with me." I smiled, taking another hit passing it to him.

He smiled and took it. "And where are you, James the fourth, going?"

"I'm looking for things to shoot, I'm a photographer."

"Oh, how nice."

"Do you know of any place I could go?" He took another hit.

"Yeah quite a few."

"Wouldn't mind showing me would ya?" He passed the joint back as I saw the end of it coming near.

"Well I'm on a two day hike and I always find the best beauty the next day."

"A two day hike?!"

"What? It's fun." I began to put out the joint sticking the butt into my hood.

"I mean yeah but to get to a little old ladies house it takes two days? What happens if she dies or falls no one would know for two days?"

"Nah there's another way but traditionally my family goes the back way. It's the only way we get to Grandma's house. Then the next day dad and Grandma would get in her truck and drive all the way back to the park to get the car and they'd come back a few hours later."

"Wow this place must really mean a lot to you."

"Actually, it does." I looked at him, I looked into his eyes. We exchanged a connection, like he got me. He knew what I was feeling and knowing that made me trust. It wasn't that stupid thing called love, it wasn't some long lost lust; I felt understood, for once I felt deeply at ease. So why? Why does a wolf howl at the moon?