All of my thoughts ceased to exist the second I finished reading his sentence.
Then, as I tried to reassess my situation, millions of thoughts converged on me. Normal? Of course he's normal! More normal than I, of course. He had to be!Though... he did have eyes of other worldly creatures.

Creatures.

I gasped for air. My head grew heavy, and my fingers fluttered.
WHAT?! He couldn't know! He must NOT know. Maybe... maybe he just meant that he's smart too! I drove that thought against the other scary conclusions.

What do I write? 'Oh, cool, your a math fanatic too?' or rather, 'I don't know what you're talking about'.
No! No way in hell could he know.

I cleared my head, and gained control of my out-of-it body. Thrusting my pen to the page I wrote: 'No one is normal.'
And then, I let it lay simply to the corner of my desk for him to read.

Edgar stared at the paper for seemed like centuries. Finally, his eybrow arched, and took the paper back. Scribbling fast, he pushed it back at me.

'Abelinda, do not insult me. The air around you does not look warm, and definitely does not smell human. Now, you can be stubborn and not tell me, or be nice and cooperate.'

My anger bubbled. Was he actually threatening me? Warning me even? I turned my head sharply and let the temper fill my eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you? If you talk to me like that, then of course I will be stubborn!", I hope my voice shook with menace, and not underlying cowardness.
"Keep your voice hushed. Abelinda, I didn't mean to offend you. But, surely you can understand. I don't want any trouble from you or any other... well, different people." Edgar's eyes were looked as if he were pleading with me.

He was. He really was.

His hand grabbed mine, and squeezed it. "Please, understand me. We haven't met any others different like us before."
He had said 'we'. That meant there were others. He's not alone, I thought in a grimace. Others like him, trying to search for answers. Search for the truth.
The truth about.. me?

Though I did understand him, to a point. I thought I was alone. And knowing I wasn't now, I was afraid... could he hurt me? I shook my head.
"That's the point though. Why did you feel the need to warn me if, as you said earlier, you might have wanted to be friends", as far as I knew, that's how you made enemies.

"I just needed to make sure you wouldn't be against us. If you were, I wanted to warn you. I'm sorry for offending you", he amended quickly. He then left it at that. We sat there just looking down. Thinking.

Then I realized, he was something. Also, I realized he was still holding my hand. Edgar seemed to notice as well, though he didn't let go.
As the minutes passed, neither of us looked away from our hands. Palm to palm, finger to finger pressed together.

Suddenly, at a rather peculiar time, the bell rang a screeching ding. It seemed to pop our dream-like state. When he let go of my hand, I felt a piece of me wrench off, and go with him. I didn't know how to quite process that. So, I ignored it for now. Standing up and put my bag strap over one shoulder, I saw Edgar was already planting our paper into the iron basket.

As I walked towards him, I tried to absorb my sanity, where it seemed glued to my seat at the window. I was scared and excited all at once. Fidgeting with my strap, I thought of the reasons why. Clearly scared that he knew I wasn't normal, in the human way. Also, becuase I wanted to know what he was. The only unusual thing about him were his playful eyes.

I was excited for more intimate reasons. What if for once, I could have a friend on the inside? Someone I could show the authentic me. I registered I was hoping, and tried to extinguish it, not wanting disappointment.

"Coming or not?", Edgar had waited for me at the door during my mental squabble. Impatient, are we? I took my precious time moving into the hallway. People were filling the space, talking and socializing. They didn't have a clue. Two creatures were walking right by them, bumping elbows. I laughed and sighed.

I was letting my feet roam while I tried to think out of this predicament. Was I just to fold, and tell him? I wanted to keep my pride intact, thank you. Should I make sure of my safety first, and uncover him as well? I smiled and chose that. Maybe Edgar wsn't a creature who caused harm. He could be just some weird mythical being.

A hand slipped under my elbow, pulling me off to my right. During my in depth thinking, I guess our destination appeared. I let him guide me towards our secluded table in the back. I was still trying to sort through the precautions of talking to him.

We sat down simultaneously. I could tell he was thinking the same thing. Mainly due to our identical tense postures and the furrowed brows. We were also being cautious. Of what? I don't exactly know. I finally looked full at him, and waited for him to speak.

"I'm suprised, you see, I would think you to have been full of questions for me." He stretched and tried to lighten the mood with a smirk, which worked for the most part.

"Edgar, if I were to ask questions, would I actually get straight answers?", I tried to keep my voice calm, and when I acheived it I smiled to myself. But, I didn't expect his answer so quickly.

"Why, yes, of course. Though... I do have some questions myself", he winked at me.

"Well, who shall begin then?", I whispered this. Mrs. Vaughnin was starting her unfinished lesson from yesterday. She eyed the room, concious of some chatter. I rather her not yell at me on mysecond day.

"Ladies first I presume", he gestured with a sideways glance, and looked almost frightened. I frowned.

I opened at the most obvious question.

"What are you?"

With being as curious as I am, I studied his reaction. At this moment, I wished to the ends of the earth that I could be looking at his eyes. But, I had to settle with a profile perspective.
Edgar had gone lifeless in the middle of my immense staring. i don't think I've ever met someone who could be so still. Almost appearing empty.

That was until he blinked, and his face grew into a concentrated mask.
Would he lie to me? I mean, I didn't know much of him other than his name. Would I lie to him?

Edgar turned suddenly, and bent his head near my ear. He pushed my unkept, and muddy brown hair out of the way.
And he whispered his secret into my ear...

" I am a lycanthrope, Abelinda."