Chapter 181: The Return of a Friend
Nina
A couple of hours later, I arrived at the diner with Lori, Jessica, and the hockey team to volunteer. Even though I was exhausted from my night of sleeping in the freezing cold in the woods, the thought of having something like this to distract me and help my community gave me something to look forward to, and the hot coffee that Phil offered us helped sweeten the deal as well.
Soon enough, we were all working hard to provide food to our community. Phil had a couple of the hockey players drive around town and post signs, and the dean sent out a campus-wide text announcing the food drive. Before I knew it, we were busily giving plates of hot food to students and Mountainview residents alike, and we were having a bit of fun while doing it as well. I didn’t
even realize it at the time, but hours went by without worrying about Enzo.
Around noon, another familiar face showed up to volunteer at the food drive. It was Justin.
“Um… Hey, Nina,” he said, walking up to me with his hands in his pockets. ” Can I help with the food drive?”
I couldn’t help but smile. Justin had never really been the type to volunteer as long as I had known him, so this sudden change in attitude was a welcome discovery. I happily agreed and handed him an apron.
“You can help us hand out food,” I said, gesturing to the table that was set up outside beneath a pop-up tent. I then led him inside to the kitchen, where the other volunteers were working hard to prepare hot meals for people. There were various meals to choose from, all of which were packaged in cardboard takeout containers for people to take:pancakes, eggs and sausages, soup and bread… Anything that Phil still had in the freezers. He even had us handing out cookies and slices of cake with each meal, and there was a constant stream of fresh, hot coffee and tea being handed out in takeout cups.
Justin helped me carry a few more trays of food out to the table, then stood beside me and helped me hand them out. The line of hungry students and Mountainview residents stretched all the way across the parking lot, and having an extra pair of hands to help was much appreciated.
“You know, I think it’s really awesome that you’re doing this,” Justin said as he worked alongside me. “This town really needs you.’
I shrugged. “It was Phil’s idea. I’m just here to help.”
“Yeah,” Justin replied, then gestured around at the tables and all of the other volunteers. “But you’ve taken charge so easily. You’re really good at stuff like this, Nina.”
I couldn’t help but blush a little at Justin’s kind words. I hadn’t actually meant to take charge; it just sort of happened. But back at the beginning of the semester, I wouldn’t have been able to take charge like this so easily even if someone had begged me to do it;
maybe everything that happened did help me gain some confidence. Either that, or seeing how the Fullmoons
refused to be of any real help gave me the drive to pick up the slack and fill in where they were lacking. Regardless, I supposed that it was a positive change in some ways. I just wished that the circumstances behind gain were different. my confidence
“Um… Thanks,” I said. I paused, handing a student a box of food and a wrapped cookie, then directed her over to the coffee table for a hot drink. She smiled and thanked me meekly, then shuffled away and the next person came up to the table. “What made you want to volunteer, by the way?” I asked, glancing over at Jusin.
Justin pursed his lips and shrugged. He paused then and turned to look at me; when he did, his eyes were genuine and sweet, much like the boy who I had first met before he cheated on me. And before Edward brainwashed him.
“I dunno. I know that I’ve always been a bit of an ass,” he said, hanging his head a bit and staring at the pavement as he spoke. “I was selfish. But… After everything that happened this semester … After seeing your kind, smiling face when I was stuck as a rogue… I guess your kindness imprinted on me somehow. And I want to be different now. I want to be better, and it’s all because of you.As Justin spoke, my heart fluttered a bit in my chest. I couldn’t help but smile at his words. It was so unexpected to hear Justin talk like this, and for a moment, I was reminded of our nights spent
together hanging out on the hockey bleachers or behind the arena. If only it hadn’t been sullied by his cheating… I really did care for him back then. But now, I loved Enzo.
And even if I never met Enzo, I didn’t think that I could ever get over what Justin did to me, no matter how much he changed.
The food drive went on for the better part of the day, until all of our food supplies were finally depleted. Once the tents and the tables were put away, I sent all of the other volunteers home and decided to stay behind on my own to clean up the kitchen while Phil worked in his office to order more food assuming that the shipping
companies could even get here, if all of the surrounding towns were really overrun. There was still no local news coverage thanks to the local satellite stations being knocked out by the Crescents, so we had no real way of knowing for sure, and it was too remote out in these parts for outsiders to even know what was happening. But at the very least, there was some comfort in knowing that the rogues wouldn’t be able to spread easily. We were located on an island and the only way off was via ferry or airplane. I hated that fact most of the time, but right now, it was a blessing in a way. I just wished that we weren’t so isolated, so that we could get help.
While I was working and thinking about all of this, I suddenly heard the bell on the front door chime. I looked up and opened my mouth to tell the guest that we were all out of food, but when I looked through the kitchen window, my eyes widened.
It was Luke.
I didn’t waste a moment. I threw down my dish towel and bolted out of the kitchen, running around the counter to throw my arms around him.
We hugged each other tightly for several long moments before we finally pulled away. When we did, there were tears in both of our eyes.
“What happened?” I said, wiping my tears away and gesturing to him. I thought that he had reverted to being a skeleton, but he stood in front of me now in full flesh. “Enzo told me you lost your human disguise. And Edward
Luke shook his head, smiling. “I sent Edward running for the hills,” he said. ” And after that, I found a witch. She gave me a new disguise and opened a portal for me.”
I couldn’t help but grin and throw my arms around my friend again. A wild laugh escaped my throat; not only was I thrilled to have Luke back, but it was also a good sign. If Luke could return, then so could Enzo.
“Where is Enzo?” Luke asked once we pulled away again, looking around.
It was then, however, that my tears of joy turned into tears of sadness. I couldn’t stop it; my face twisted into a sob, and I felt my heart sink just thinking about Enzo.
“What’s wrong?” Luke asked, his eyes widening. “Is he okay?”
I didn’t know where to begin; Luke had so much to be caught up on. So, we sat in a booth and I explained everything. When I was finished, Luke’s face was shocked. He reached across the table and took my hand while I sniffled quietly, and looked deeply into my eyes.
“We’ll find him,” Luke said gently, squeezing my hand. “I promise.”
