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Riza hesitated. She’d gone up to the roof plenty of times before, usually with Roy leading the way. But this time was different.
“Don’t tell me you’re scared of the Full Moon? What, got some hick superstition about it?”
“N-no! I’m not scared of the moon. What’s it gonna do to me?”
“Then why aren’t you coming outside?”
Riza stepped cautiously toward the window. The wind howled through the trees and she pulled back again. She knew that what the boys had said in town had been a joke. She knew that they weren’t real, that they’d just been trying to get a rise out of her, but she was trembling.
“C’mon, Riza. I didn’t think you were a chicken.”
“I’m not!”
“Then get out here and tell me what you’re scared about. It’s a really important night for Alchemy. And if you’re not gonna come up and watch the moon then you can just… go to bed or somethin’.”
“I… There’s… When I was getting the groceries today… The boys were sayin’ stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?”
Riza ducked her head shyly. “I-it’s stupid. You’re gonna laugh at me.”
Roy slipped back into her room. “Tell me, Riza. I wanna know.”
“They were talkin’ ‘bout… werewolves.”
Roy chuckled. “Werewolves aren’t real. It’s silly to be worried about them.”
“I know that! I’m not an idiot!”
He took her hand and pulled her to the window. “C’mon, Riza. I’ll protect you from the scary werewolves. Let’s go look at the moon, okay?”
She followed him outside and up to the roof. The air was starting to grow chilly. It was the first full moon of Fall, and she had promised she’d go watch it with Roy. The sky above them was clear, not a cloud in sight. Even with the wind blowing through the trees, Riza didn’t seem nearly as afraid with her friend. Things were fine.
The roof was quiet place and Riza loved to go up there and sit and think. With Roy, it was different. He was so excited by the moon’s light. Seeing the way he lit up with the light was a reward in itself. She simply relaxed and listened to Roy prattle on about the alchemical meaning of the moon, dozing slightly, her fears forgotten.