TWENTY: HAPPY WEEKEND!

Finally, the weekend is here. I'm so thrilled and excited; I finally get to take a break from all this madness.

They all gathered at our hostel, making suggestions about where to spend our weekend.

Pink stood in our midst.

"Okay, ladies, I've got today planned out. We're going to the beach to loosen up a bit, and tonight, we crash at Summer's place for our sleepover."

"That sounds nice," we all agreed.

"With that settled, get dressed," she smiled, handing over a bag containing bikinis. She really has thought this day through.

...

At the beach, the sun was at its peak, casting a warm golden light over the stretch of sand. The air smelled like salt and sunscreen, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore was a steady rhythm in the background.

We spread out our towels on the soft sand, ready for a day of laughter and carefree fun.

The sound of crashing waves filled the air, and before anyone could say anything, Summer was the first to dart toward the water.

"Race you to the rock!" she yelled, pointing at a large boulder just a few yards into the surf.

Without missing a beat, Pink and Eska raced after her, their feet kicking up spray. I stayed back, lying on my towel and observing the fun they were having.

Summer turned to see that I hadn't gotten into the water and waved at me.

"Come on, Terra, you're missing out on the fun!"

I didn't want to join them, but we didn't come to the beach to do nothing, and with everything that had happened, I could really use the distraction. So, I got up and went to join them.

The water was cool and inviting, the waves playfully rolling toward the shore. As we waded deeper, we shrieked with joy each time a wave knocked us off balance.

Summer, who had made it to the rock first, struck a victory pose, but a well-timed wave sent her tumbling backward into the surf, earning loud laughter from us.

For hours, we played in the tides, forming impromptu volleyball games, racing across the beach, and even trying to surf on the smaller swells, though no one managed to stay upright for more than a few seconds.

The energy was infectious, and the simple joy of being together in the sun was enough to make time feel like it was standing still.

Around midday, we took a break under the shade of a beach umbrella, snacking on chips and fruit. We talked about everything and nothing: school, plans for tonight, and the latest Netflix series we were watching but it all felt light, easy, like the ocean breeze that kept tugging at our shirts.

As the afternoon sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the horizon, we stood at the water's edge, arms linked, watching the waves roll in.

We didn't need to say anything to know how perfect the day had been. It had indeed been an incredible day with lots of memories and no bad feelings.

After spending almost the whole day at the beach, we went shopping for our mini sleepover.

At the mall, we walked through the sliding doors, buzzing with excitement.

The sleepover was set for tonight, and we had a whole list of things to grab: snacks, face masks, new pajamas, and, of course, the perfect movie selection.

We scattered immediately, each heading in our own direction, but promising to meet back up in an hour.

Summer and I headed straight to the candy aisle in the supermarket, tossing bags of gummies and chocolate bars into our cart.

Pink and Eska, on the other hand, were more focused on the clothing store where they could find matching pajamas. They spent a good half hour debating between fluffy slippers and oversized sweatshirts.

After gathering everything we needed, we found a small café to meet up. As we sat down to catch our breath and wet our dried thoart with coffee's and milkshakes, Summer was the first to spot someone familiar across the room.

"Wait, hold on," she said, squinting. "Isn't that...?"

Pink followed her gaze, her eyes widening. "Oh no. It's Mr. Ray!"

Sure enough, there he was, Raymond, standing near the coffee counter with a young girl who looked familiar, too.

"Isn't that Joy?" Eska pointed out.

"What are they doing here, together?" Summer asked, unable to take her eyes off the fact that they were having coffee together.

We exchanged nervous glances. It was clear that Raymond was Rejoice's best teacher, but none of us expected that they would actually go out for coffee.

"Are they on a date or what?" Eska asked, watching them carefully as they made their way to an empty table, talking and laughing.

Pink held up her phone to take a quick photo, but I yelled at her to stop.

"Pink!"

She quickly put it away after taking a few shots.

"You're not going to post that, right?"

"What? Me? No way."

Summer sighed, drowning in her milkshake and donut.

"This is absurd. Could she have feelings for Mr. Ray?"

Seeing the rising confusion, I intervened.

"Now, let's not jump to conclusions, ladies. We're here to have a cup of coffee and prepare for our sleepover."

They all had a sip of their coffee, drifting away from Raymond and Rejoice.

...

That night, we met up at Summer's place. Summer's parents were away for the weekend, which meant we had the whole house to ourselves.

Her house was big and beautiful, and I couldn't stop admiring it.

We took our time getting dressed and getting ready for the big night.

We unloaded what we bought at the mall: bags full of snacks, candy, and blankets. Then we set up a cozy fort in the living room with cushions, fairy lights, and colorful blankets.

Inside our fortress of comfort, we sat down and started watching an old horror movie—just the right mix of spooky and fun.

"Let's make it a challenge," Pink said with a mischievous grin. "Whoever gets scared has to do the 'dance of the haunted chicken!'"

They all laughed.

"Deal!" Eska and Summer agreed immediately.

Confused, I asked, "What's the haunted chicken dance?"

They all stared at me as if I were insane. Then Pink took her time to explain it to me.

Men!

These kids are insane.

Well, with that said, we all settled in, eyes glued to the screen. At the scariest part of the movie, Summer jumped and shrieked.

"Ha! Summer, you're up!" Pink teased, but Summer was already on her feet, doing the silliest chicken dance imaginable. The room exploded with giggles.

Once the movie ended, we moved on to our next activity: making ice cream sundaes with every topping imaginable: chocolate syrup, marshmallows, whipped cream, and even sprinkles shaped like stars. The sundae mountain we built was taller than we expected, and suddenly, Eska yelled,

"Ice cream fight!"

Then we began tossing ice cream at each other.

After the ice cream madness, we played a few rounds of Truth or Dare, with some challenges getting hilariously outrageous. I was dared to sing "Let It Go" from Frozen in a dramatic opera voice, which had everyone on the floor laughing.

Eska, however, chose truth, admitting that she once had a crush on Zack, which surprised us all.

The night wore on, and by the time we snuggled into our blankets for some storytelling, we were so tired that we could hardly keep our eyes open.

Eska started with a spooky ghost story, but Summer, with her quick wit, turned it into a funny tale about a vampire who just wanted to hang out in the sun. We all laughed until our stomachs hurt.

Finally, as the clock neared midnight, we lay there, wrapped in blankets, looking up at the twinkling stars through the window. It had been a night full of laughter, the kind of fun I wouldn't want to forget in a hurry.

...

The dense woods were alive with the sounds of the night crickets chirping, leaves rustling in the cool breeze, and the distant call of an owl. A clearing in the heart of the forest lay shrouded in darkness.

Jennie and Sofie stood vigilantly, waiting for the Alpha to arrive at his usual spot and call out.

Jennie's sharp eyes scanned the trees, her heightened senses on alert, every muscle tensed in anticipation. She was ready for an ambush. Sofie, on the other hand, was only there to support her girlfriend; she wasn't ready to lose the love of her life to an illness she knew nothing about.

Hours passed, and there was no sign of the Alpha. Jennie shrieked in disappointment.

"I don't get it. It's the full moon, so why? Why isn't it calling?"

"I don't know. I think it's quite aware of the blue vampires," Sofie pointed out, and Jennie let out a smirk.

"You mean to tell me that it's afraid of the bloodsuckers?"

Sofie sighed.

"Look, it's not safe out here. Maybe we should retire for the night and try our luck during the harvest moon. No wolf can resist its power."

Jennie trembled in defeat and said with a shaking voice,

"You're probably right. Let's go home."

They turned to leave, but then they saw a vampire standing at the other end, breathing heavily.

It had dark blue eyes, long sharp claws, and fangs dangling from its mouth.

Sofie looked at Jennie, who smirked, her lips curling in readiness. She was ready for a real fight. She needed something to vent her frustration.

The vampire lunged forward with inhuman speed, claws extending toward Jennie. With a snarl, Jennie ducked and swiped her claws across the vampire's chest, but the creature was too fast. The vampire twisted and kicked her in the ribs, sending her falling to the ground.

"Stay down, Jennie!" Sofie shouted, transforming into her wolf form with a powerful growl. Her slender, quick body charged forward, fangs bared.

The battle raged on, the vampire twisting and darting around, his movements a blur of darkness. Sofie's claws slashed through the air, narrowly missing the vampire's throat, while Jennie, recovering from the initial blow, joined the fray once more. They were relentless, fighting with the fury of those desperate to get out alive, but the vampire was fast, elusive, and his thirst for blood formidable.

Jennie managed to land a solid hit, catching the vampire's arm with her claws, but before she could deliver the final blow, the vampire vanished into the shadows. He reappeared behind Jennie, grabbing her by the throat, ready to rip her apart.

"Oh no you won't!" Jennie charged with full force, knocking the vampire away from Sofie.

Sofie gasped for air, holding her neck, the vampire's grip had been firm.

"You okay?" Jennie asked, her concern evident, and Sofie nodded to assure her that she was fine.

Together, they attacked, moving in perfect synchrony. Sofie distracted the vampire with a series of quick, sharp jabs, while Jennie went for the kill, her claws finding the vampire's heart. With a final, savage rip, the vampire crumbled into ash, vanishing into the night.

The two werewolves stood over the remains, their chests heaving with exhaustion, their bodies bruised and battered but victorious. The silence that followed felt almost unreal, the weight of what had just happened sinking in.