The walks across grassy fields and off-path hikes forced him to wear blue jeans all summer, as he'd been scraped up too much during his outings with Joules to continue wearing shorts. Biking and swimming got replaced with hiking (sometimes off-trail) when he took in Joules. And today after school was no different. Standing on a fallen tree helped to get a better view of the field. There was no sign of her beyond the clump of trees or across the creek, her usual spot.

His heart sank at a probable scenario. He looked over to the cross section from half a block away. No Joules.

Thank God, he thought.

He knew it was irresponsible of him, but it was where he found her years ago, and she never left without him.

He pulled his phone out to make phone calls to animal shelters. And then, he saw some movement in the corner of his eye. A gray blur ran between two buildings at the far end of the field. He ran through the grass, into and over the small drainage ditch, and onto the pavement. After turning the corner of the first building he passed, he saw Joules on her hind legs with excitement.

"Joules," he called out.

The pup noticed him, got down, trotted to her owner, and sat. He began petting her and speaking in his cute dog voice, saying how much he missed her and how good a girl she was.

"This yours from the photo?" Teresa tried not to laugh at his dog praising voice.

Connor bolted up with embarrassment. Teresa?

"Yeah," Connor said. He about turned away but noticed Teresa perked up at his response. He instinctively began comparing her to Olivya. She was a tad shorter, and her tight attire contrasted with Olivya's loose-fitting clothes.

"This is her," he started. "A wolf-hybrid. Did she come up to you?"

"Wolf? What the fuck?" Her eyes widened. "What?"

"No worries. Did she—"

"If I had known, I wouldn't have waved the pastry I bought to lure her here."

"You fed her?"

"Maybe," she said.

"No wonder she seemed to like you so much, and next time, buy a raw steak and set it on the ground."

"She's safe?"

Connor thought of the bite that drew a little blood on Axel. Joules went easy on him.

"Mostly," Connor said.

Teresa tensed up.

He wished he hadn't joked just then, as she looked legitimately scared. "Here." Connor got on one knee, and Joules rolled over for pets.

She knelt next to Connor and mimicked his petting.

"So even wolves enjoy this?" Teresa picked up the pace and was getting into it.

"Yeah," Connor said. "They're not the best pets. But she's easier to manage from what I've read."

She kept petting him, and Connor continued. "You've been talking a lot more. Not a peep from you before today."

"Hmm? Yeah. I was just getting used to things—new girl jitters. I also sat next to you because I didn't want to sit alone. Twenty-four seats but twenty-six students. Though the workstations are roomy, further in the back, further away from her."

"Sounds like you have beef with the teacher?"

Pausing, her hand concussed, and back to a usual dog belly rub. "No, she's fine."

Their hands touched, and the two locked eyes. He hadn't realized how close her face was to his. The cliché they didn't avoid wasn't as strong as the awkwardness.

He stood up and said, "Well, I should get going. And thanks for feeding her."

Teresa stepped back as Joules rotated.

"Uh, sure," she thought fast and blurted out the first idea that popped into her mind. "How many three wolf moon shirts do you have?"

Connor started laughing. It's an old meme and someone else has even joked about it with him. "One for every day of the week. I have a three-wolf moon pillowcase and a bed sheet too."

"Oh, well, you know what a girl likes in interior design." She tugged on her sleeveless sweater. "I'd add a cat hoodie, but change it to wolf ears, and people might think you like wolves."

"They make wolf hoodies?" He perked up.

"I don't actually know, and please don't."

"No promises."

Teresa put her hands on the back of her hips and her shoulders propped up.

"Aren't you and Neville friends?"

He raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't go out to lunch. It was me, Neville, and two others, but you weren't there."

"We're not friends."

"Really? I've seen you talk to Olivya, and the way you and Neville rag on each other, I thought—"

"We're not friends."

I may have struck a nerve, she thought. She had to think fast again.

"So you know," she said, "I'm still looking for the cool things in this town." She latched her hands together and raised them high to do a stretch. Her light sweater raised to show her belly button, which Connor tried not to look at. "If only someone could show me around."

"Umm, would you like to get some coffee sometime?"

"Why yes, yes I would."

***

"You know, a coffee date entails sitting around and drinking coffee. Gives the girl a simple escape if things aren't going well." Teresa took a deep breath.

"I told you to wear shoes." Connor held a branch and let Teresa through.

She sipped her coffee as she strolled through. "And sunscreen and a hat. But you didn't mention a jacket."

"It'll warm up."

Joules have been running circles around them as they've made their way up the foothill.

"How's your first week in Blue Ashe been?" Connor changed the subject.

She looked up. "Different, and not what I was expecting."

"How so?"

She balanced herself, stepping up behind a small boulder. "The sky is bluer, my eyes are dryer, and the school is smaller. Also, driving to places doesn't take too long."

"I guess it hasn't been too bad."

They cut across the path to a small clearing. Teresa looked onto portions of Blue Ashe, soaking in the view from the vista.

"Don't you want a selfie? To show your friends?"

"Oh." Teresa stopped dead in her tracks. "Of course I do." She fumbled with her phone and did a cheesy but cute peace sign as she took one.

"I don't see you on your phone much."

"Hard to be productive on the phone."

What does she mean? Connor thought. Unlike many other students, she pays attention and never looks at it between classes. Connor used his for research all the time. It felt productive to him.

"And it's rude."

Connor's phone vibrated, and she wrote, "This isn't rude, though," and the selfie she took showed up."

Connor thought she looked superb in the photo. With her pink hat and tank top, she stood out. He realized how lucky he was for the girl to sit next to him and hint at wanting a date.

Damn, Connor thought as he began to walk taller.

"So you and Miss Saunders look close," she said.

"Why do you say that?"

"Just an observation. Has she said anything weird to you?"

"I just deliver pizza to her house." Connor thought it odd that she'd bring up their science teacher out of the blue like this. Maybe she's jealous of Miss Saunders? That made Connor feel even better.

Joules hurried on ahead.

"Oh," Teresa picked up her pace. "I can catch her."

"No worries," Connor stopped her. "We're almost there."

"Don't wild animals just run out into the wild?" she said.

"Yeah, but she has a few of those tendencies," he turned towards her and walked backward. "No fear of humans, and she understands some commands."

"Like sit?"

"Where's Connor?" he raised his voice. A wolf's head peaked out from behind a tree. "Where's Connor?"

She trotted up to him and sniffed his hand.

"Awesome," Teresa was impressed, "that was cute."

After several switchbacks, they made it to the top of the foothill. The trees had thinned at this elevation, allowing a better view of Blue Ashe and its landmarks. What she read about Colorado was true. The plains from the east turned to mountains so fast that it was mind-boggling as she looked away from the start of the Rockies.

"So, uh," he started, "here's Blue Ashe. Over there is the school near the base of those hills, and that field to the right is where I drop off Joules."

"Okay, cool, cool," Teresa said.

"Those red buildings lined up there is Main Street. Mostly pubs and some art galleries. A lot of the Mexican restaurants are awesome, but many of them cook with lard, so be careful."

Oddly specific to tell a girl, Teresa thought.

"That park there. I see people doing yoga sometimes when I walk Joules," Connor pointed. "I mean, if you're into that sort of thing. South is the newer stuff, clothes, and some chains."

"I kinda know where everything is already."

He turned to her. "Oh, I thought you said you wanted a tour."

"Yeah," she said. "I mean... like me, new, you." she nudged his shoulder with the back of her hand. "Cute boy, maybe a few lunches together."

Connor panic-drank the rest of his coffee.

Was she being bashful? He thought. "Oh."

"It's fine," Teresa said. "You can finish your spiel."

He didn't know how to respond to an alleged confession. So, he continued.

"That field is by my home, and the woods there go on for a bit. Over there, on the horizon, is the city where the smog is. You can see the butcher where I buy Joules's food, but it's hard to point out. I think that's the gist of it."

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"Great, I'll tip the tour guide when I get off. Yeah. It's pretty awesome up here. Thank you."

Connor nodded.

"I take it you and Joules come here often?"

"Yeah, sometimes."

"Not much else to do around here?" she asked.

"Plenty, biking, hiking, paddle boarding," he told her.

She sat on a small boulder and kept looking at the view. Everything he mentioned seemed like solo activities, and she wanted more social interaction in her life, being new.

"That sounds like fun," Teresa said.

"What now?"

"Paddleboarding. Let's go tomorrow."

***

Connor leaned his bike against a wooden wall as he watched cars drive down the dirt road. One stopped before him, and Teresa stepped out the passenger door.

"Sorry," she said, "traffic."

"No worries," Connor stood awkwardly, unsure if he should greet-hug her. He decided not. "I got the rentals ready."

Teresa looked beyond the small wooden building with the one employee hanging outside the door. He prepared two boards and paddles before getting them in the water. They quickly left their sandals behind and stepped into the cold water. Teresa began paddling out, sitting while doing so.

"First time?" Connor said.

"Yeah, please don't laugh."

"I figured you'd surf."

"Hmm?" She had no idea what he was talking about.

"Being from California."

"Oh, right. I've never been surfing I just said that I did in class for some reason." She tried getting up on the board. Both hands and one knee gave her leverage, her free foot straightened, and she stood up.

"Good job," Connor pointed to the end of the reservoir. "There are pelicans way the hell out there. If you want to check it out."

"Whoa, way out here, in the middle of the country, in Colorado?"

"Yeah," Connor said. And then he felt water splash on him. "Whew," he brushed the cold water off his face and saw Teresa in a stance with her paddle, ready to throw down. "Don't lose your balance."

"I won't," she said and splashed him again.

Connor reached out with his paddle and nudged her board. While her feet went with the board, her center of gravity remained, falling in.

"Ah!" She reached the surface and grabbed onto her board, and she tried to sneak a kick in on his board, but Connor didn't fall.

"I'm a stone," he shifted stances several times. "The board is a mere extension of my body and—" She timed her kick perfectly in the middle of him changing stances. Only one foot landed, and the board flipped over as he splashed in.

As he came up, a smirking Teresa sitting on her board with her legs in the water greeted him. "Look at me, I'm Connor, I'm the world's greatest paddle boarder, blah blah blah," she said.

Connor waded, surprised to see her on the board so quickly. "You're a fast learner."

"I'm good at floating," she said.

Connor flipped the board back over and rolled onto it. He lay down and looked up towards the meteor. It's visible even in broad daylight, similar to the moon but dimmer. "Strange. You, Stephanie, and the meteor, all at once."

"Whoa now," she kicked some water. "Let's not talk about our attractive teacher while you're on a date with me."

Date? He turned his head over to Teresa, who was dripping wet. Seeing her shirt stick to her the way it did was incredible. Was she looking at him the same way? He couldn't say how attractive she was with her brown skin and bright smile, especially compared to his pale white skin and awkward demeanor.

"Then how about the meteor? Let's talk about that," he said.

She touched her fingers as if her hands covered a ball. "It's just a bunch of concentrated neutrinos directed to a singularity with reversed properties."

Connor raised a brow. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing, just came from another galaxy or something," she said. She twirled her legs in the water and wanted to change the subject. "Are you going to Olivya's party tonight? I hear she has a pool with a hot tub."

"I've heard that too," he said.

She glared at him. "You're pretty easy to read, Connor."

He remained silent about the subject and stayed flat on the board.

"So you're crushing pretty hard on her?"

"No, I'm not."

"I've seen you get flustered around her at your locker."

"She's nothing more than a tease."

"I knew it! You like her. You wish she were more than a tease. I knew it!" She splashed around a little. "Admit it!"

He lifted his hands. "Whoa, whoa. Fine, I have a small crush on her. I'm not sure why you think you're some sort of oracle, as plenty of guys in the school do."

"Hey, come on," Teresa said. "It's fun to guess these sorts of things."

"For you, maybe."

She paddled with her legs and got closer. "Olivya and Connor sitting in a tree, k-i-"

"Oh God, please stop."

I'm not sure if I should be mad or find this adorable, Teresa thought.

"You're cute. Try flirting with her."

"I don't flirt."

Teresa burst out laughing, so much so that she about toppled off the board.

"I don't flirt," she repeated. "Connor, my dude, you're hilarious."

"I don't get it," he said.

"I'll go get something at a store, and someone, no matter what, will always try to start a conversation with me. ‘Hey, nice shirt,' that sort of thing. Then that opens the door for other guys to get the courage to chat with me. You've never done that?" She was speaking about a recent experience.

"I don't think so."

Teresa tapped her heels beneath the surface, "Well, tonight, mind coming with me to Olivya's?"

"Ah, man," Connor thought of Axel.

"Please," she said.

"I don't have a car. It's kinda embarrassing."

"I'll pick you up."

"No," Connor barked. "God, no."

"Why not? Are three dates in one-weekend overkill?"

No way in Hell I'll let Axel get a sight of her if she came over. Even if he met her outside, Connor thought.

"Don't worry about it. I'll ride my bike."

"Oh, okay. Don't worry. I won't learn where you live and see the dead bodies and piles of porn."

"Oh, you can see all that before you pull into the driveway."

Teresa chuckled.

***

Connor pulled his bike off the rack in the garage. It hadn't been ridden in a while, not much since he found Joules. After dusting it off and hopping on, it felt a tad smaller than he remembered, and his knees were higher.

Axel is home. He thought as the car was still in the garage.

He pressed the garage door button, and Axel burst through the door as he hopped on his bike. His wrist was bandaged, and he wore one of his more expensive designer t-shirts.

Axel saw his brother getting the bike ready. "Good."

"What?"

"The car is mine," Axel slammed the door shut.

Connor sighed and pedaled to the garage panel, then closed the door.

It didn't take as long as he thought. Timing it by bike, he mapped it out on his computer which said thirty minutes, and it took exactly that. The scene was like when he delivered pizza a week prior. Cars lined up on the street, and the music was loud enough to be heard a few homes down.

Connor looked around for a place to stash his bike. He kicked the stand out and set it next to tall bushes by the home. As he walked to the walkway, Teresa surprised him.

"Hey!" She ran up to him.

Connor nodded and tried to play it cool by not saying anything.

Teresa approached him, and her sundress bounced along with her short hair. "You look nice."

"This is what I normally wear."

She collapsed her head on his shoulder and thought, This guy is clueless. "Yeah, it's a good look. Blue jeans and rolled-up sleeves. It's hot."

"Oh," he was taken aback by what she said because it was a first for him, and he noticed she had raised her eyebrows. "You look nice too."

"This is what I normally wear."

I don't think I've seen her in a sundress before.

"I'm joking," she said. "Come on."

It was more crowded than before, surprising for a Sunday. Extra cars, extra people, even a few in the front yard chatting. He seemed okay with it and wanted to forget what he saw between Olivya and Axel the week before. And then he saw his mom's car across the street.

Axel, Connor thought. He beat him here despite leaving later.

"On second thought," Connor said. "I think I might go."

"What?" Teresa was surprised as they had so much fun together earlier. "We just got here."

"I mean," Connor tried to think fast. "I might have something come up."

"You're bailing?"

He didn't want to bail. Maybe with the size of Olivya's house and the added people, he could keep some distance.

"There's someone I need to avoid, so if I act weird, please know it's not you."

"Okay, whatever."

She perked up when she saw someone she recognized in the window.

Is that Jeanice? Connor thought. Did they share a class? She was waving at people from his school after one week of being there. Connor had never spoken to Jeanice in his life. Yet, Teresa looked like she had known her for much longer.

People cheered as they saw Teresa enter the living room, and another girl hugged her. Connor awkwardly stood and watched as everyone he's known for some time greeted her. He got a few looks and nods, though.

Is that Chris? Another person, Connor, sat next to him in class once but has yet to speak to him. Classmates he knew all seemed a little friendly with Teresa.

Whatever, he thought.

He looked around—no sign of Axel, Olivya, or Neville.

So far, so good.

"Connor," Teresa nudged him. "Come on."

He followed her into the kitchen. Red cups and bottles piled on the counter where he had left the pizza a week prior.

Someone walked by Connor and said, "No dog today?"

"Nah," Connor was about to continue, but that someone walked out of earshot.

I do hang out a lot with Joules, Connor thought.

Teresa held a drink and nodded for Connor to go outside with her towards the backyard. Cliques clustered around the pool, so Connor stuck close to her. One clique, Neville and his lackey, Christian, played on their phones in pool chairs.

He froze. Axel was on the other end, chatting with Olivya. It was startling to see Axel mixed in with his crowd, like getting caught in headlights. Someone who didn't get the memo about growing up. Then it occurred to him, maybe it isn't my crowd.

Axel spotted him but was unphased, keeping his attention on Olivya. His beer bottle was close to empty despite having just gotten there. Olivya was examining the injured wrist, showing sympathy, and rubbing it gently with her hand. What was he telling her?

Teresa noticed Connor looking across the pool. "Some dude is talking to your girl. It looks like you're all mine."

"Whatever," he said.

It got blurry, like a tire swing that crashed into his body. Teresa looked to be falling, but she was still standing. His head rang in pain. An arm up flared up. Senses changed direction, sight, all of it went haywire. A step to the left—no, right—and into darkness, Connor sank.

It's cold.

Where? Where is up? Connor struggled. His thoughts were gone, and raw instincts took over to survive. He felt nothing. There was nothing under his feet, nothing to see, and nothing to breathe. His instincts screamed sideways. He was sideways kicking, punching, and reaching. Still nothing. He reached and grabbed nothing over and over and felt nothing. He advanced anywhere he could. Voices gurgled, but no one was there. Help, help! The darkness turned blue and blurred shapes materialized. He reached again and again for anything he could grab.

And he gasped for air. His instincts subsided, and his hand hit the concrete side of the pool. He held on and coughed up some water. Pain throbbed in his head, and his mind registered the laughter.

"Holy shit, literally," Neville yelled, "did you throw that Axel?"

"Hell yeah."

Cackled laughs rose amongst the cliques. Those who missed what happened had no problem yelling at Neville across the pool.

"I got it on video!" Neville hollered.

Connor held onto the pool's side, his lungs pulsed like a racecar, and he couldn't muster the strength to pull himself out. A beer bottle floated up and bumped into him. As he struggled to get out of the pool, he raised a hand towards Teresa, but she stood away like a frightened child.

"Help?"

The commotion picked up again as they heard Connor. Olivya walked over from the other side, ignoring Connor, and approached Teresa. "Was he bothering you?"

Teresa looked down at Connor. "He was harassing me as soon as I walked in."

"That makes sense," Olivya said. "The schizo sicked his wolf-dog on his brother for no reason. Axel could have been killed. Go home, Connor. I did not invite you."

He couldn't believe what he had heard. Did Axel fabricate a story?

"Hurry up, let's go," Olivya said.

He complied, picked himself up out of the pool, stood straight once his footing was sure—or as sure as he thought—and hobbled towards the door.

"Wood floors," Olivya grumbled, "go around the house."

Water dripped off of his face and clothes.

Olivya is an asshole.

It hurt as his head changed axis, a throbbing rhythm of pain with no sign of ending. He balanced, not glancing at Teresa as he propped up against the side of the house.

Guess I was wrong about her.

He hobbled to the bushes, and the bike was missing. Within the five minutes, he'd been to one of the few parties he thought he was invited to. Some jerk took his bike.

He tried his phone, but the screen wouldn't turn on, so he walked home.

***

Stephanie soaked with an absent mind. Her home was a mess, but a productive mess. The phone woke her up when the vibration on the bathtub's edge resonated into her submerged ears. She set her wine on the tub and picked up the phone.

"Is that Axel? A former student?" A teacher posted in a group chat.

Beneath the text, there was a video. She tapped play.

It was a house party. She could see the users' legs and feet on the reclined pool chair.

"Why are you recording?" The camera panned over to Christian sitting in the adjacent chair.

"Literally, no reason."

Sounds like Neville, Stephanie thought.

The camera zoomed in on Olivya, and her backside wearing shorts took center stage on the camera. Axel was also in view, talking to her, but the phone didn't pick up what he was saying.

She noticed he still worked out and kept the same short brown hair, and his sleeves went just past his shoulders due to muscle mass.

He hasn't changed one bit, she thought.

She continued watching the video of Axel and Olivya talking. Eventually, Axel looked across the pool and chucked his beer bottle. The camera followed it as it rainbowed over the pool, striking Connor on the side of his head. The sound of the collision startled Stephanie more so than her phone did. As she watched Connor stumble and fall into the pool, she gasped and leaned up, glued to the phone. She held her breath and feared the worse as he didn't move after he splashed into the water.

She nearly jolted out of the tub. "Oh my God."

His mouth and nose faced down as he floated to the top. Nothing was moving. But after a few seconds, Connor moved his arms and legs and lifted his head to breach for a gasp of air. She grew furious as she watched him ask Teresa for help and get no receiving hand. The fury grew more when Olivya and Teresa ignored him as he struggled to get out, as Neville and the other students laughed at him.

A part of her was relieved. He's still alive, she thought.

The phone vibrated.

"Do we get involved?" a teacher asked.

"No, the person who threw the beer is no longer a student. And Olivya's dad is a lawyer, so I'm not dealing with that."

Stephanie put her phone down and sank further into the bathtub. She spotted the gift bag from her coworkers on the bathroom sink, the soap that created her bath bubbles was a part of it. I thought I had good coworkers, she thought.

The gift bag also contained a gift card to a coffee shop, which gave her an idea.

The weak sides with the powerful, Stephanie thought. I'll show them power.