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Growing up, Maddy Smith had always longed for one of those movie-type best friends. Sure, her family was great. Perfect, even. Most kids growing up only had one parent, never mind two. They were the type of family to wake up at 6 am on Christmas morning, letting Maddy jump on the bed as they squinted in the bedside light no matter her age. They were the type of parents to spoil her rotten, tight-knit and loyal with an ache to protect their only daughter. She was given everything… Everything but a special person of her own. It was sods law. The only thing Maddy wanted was what her parents couldn’t give her. A best friend. Someone exactly like her, a special person she could tell her secrets to as they painted each other's nails over a Romcom. Not that Maddy had any interest in painting nails.
Science. Maddy hated science. In fact, during her early days of primary school, she spent most of her lessons gazing out of the window, her hair protecting her ears and, therefore, her skull from the excessive rambling about the life cycles of mammals. Little Maddy Smith would watch groups of friends laugh and chat as they walked across the playground with a quiet ache settling in her chest.
She had always dreamed of having a best friend – someone who would understand her without needing words, someone to share secrets with and laugh over dumb jokes. Despite being surrounded by people, Maddy always felt a loneliness that seemed to grow every day, longing for a bond that was deeper than casual acquaintances, a friendship that would feel like home. But of course, each time she tried to connect, something always felt missing, as if the piece to her puzzle was still out there, waiting to be found. After all, with a secret so sacred, it was forbidden to let anyone get too close.
In her later years of primary school, it got worse before it got better. She often found herself standing at the edge of crowded rooms, observing the laughter and chatter that surrounded her, yet never quite feeling a part of it. Even in the lunch hall she had people to sit with, yes, but they were more like acquaintances, girls she smiled at in the corridors or exchanged pleasantries with when she walked through the door. No one important.
Deep down, Maddy longed for a true connection, a friendship that went beyond the surface. The classic ‘ dynamic duos’ they would show in cartoons – the Watson to her Sherlock or the Tom to her Jerry. She dreamed of having someone who knew her innermost thoughts, who would understand the quiet spaces between her words and would listen to her without judgment. Someone to laugh at her silly jokes as though they were the funniest things in the world.
Long story short, Maddy’s heart yearned for a best friend, someone to share her hopes and fears, someone who would stand by her through the ups and downs, offering comfort and support without hesitation. She pictured long conversations that stretched well into the night, those rare moments of shared silence that spoke louder than words, where everything felt effortless and real. But most of all, Maddy wanted someone who would truly see her, all of her – the messy, the complicated, the vulnerable – and still choose to stay. Until that day came, she clung to the hope that somewhere out there, a best friend was waiting, just as lonely and eager for the bond that she herself longed for.
Which, like a dog to a bone, is precisely how she found her.
One morning in a science classroom, with walls covered in colourful posters and bulletin boards, each one showcasing students’ work, handwritten graphs, or educational charts about the solar system. In a science classroom with every corner filled with the sounds of children’s laughter and the soft hum of activity only drawing to a close when the door swung open with a soft creak, and in walked a girl who, at first glance, seemed like just another face in the crowd. But there was something about her – something magnetic that immediately drew Maddy’s attention.
Standing beside a brightly colored calendar and a clock that ticked steadily on was a girl with wild, unruly hair that seemed to dance with the rhythm of her every step, a mix of red waves and streaks of sunlight. Her eyes, a deep shade of green, scanned the space, taking in everything with an unspoken curiosity, and when they landed on her for a split second, Maddy Smith felt a jolt of recognition. It wasn’t a look of chance, but something deeper like their souls were intertwined, meant to cross paths.
The girl hesitated for only a second, then flashed a shy but sincere smile, her lips curling up just enough to show a touch of vulnerability as she introduced herself to the room.
“Shannon Kelly.”
Maddy noticed how she never seemed to force her presence; she simply existed. Effortlessly slipping into the background with ease as she headed to her assigned seat, never overshadowing anyone. It was in the way she listened deeply and attentively, as if each word spoken was important and the way her eyes sparkled when she found something truly funny or interesting.
As the class went on, Maddy Smith no longer gazed out the window, instead she gazed longingly at the new girl. There was a quiet kindness in her demeanor. After all, Maddy Smith was never one for flashy, over-the-top qualities, unlike the three K’s. It was the little things. Like the way Shannon tucked a strand of hair behind her ear when she was nervous, or the way she made everyone around her feel seen without trying too hard. In that moment, Maddy felt an overwhelming certainty, a kind of calm, steady conviction that this girl would be her best friend.
She found Shannon in the playground that day. The girl in question had effortlessly carved her own little space in the chaos, sat under a tree, knees held close to her chest while reading a particularly heavy looking book. An image which Maddy could only describe as romantic. It wasn’t that she was trying to be different; it was just who she was.
“Hey.” Maddy greeted Shannon with a slight smile and an outstretched hand, an offer for which Shannon closed her book and accepted gratefully.
“I saw you in science today.” She giggled, tapping a space on a patch of grass next to her as an invitation for Maddy to sit. “You didn’t get any of it, did you?”
In most cases, when normal girls blush for the first time, it’s usually because a boy has said something either very sweet or very out of pocket. But Maddy Smith wasn’t a normal girl. The first time she blushed was when ‘weird girl’ Shannon Kelly insulted her inability to understand basic science.
A memory that Shannon Kelly would later hold tight to her heart.
Maddy hesitated, debating whether or not to play it cool or come clean about her loathing for science entirely.
“I didn’t get it. I’ve never got it.” She confessed, “It’s a load of rubbish if you ask me.” She weakly pulled at a strand of grass.
Shannon swatted her hand away, “Probably because you don’t respect it.” She laughed. “You can’t understand what science is about if you don’t respect what it is.”
And there it was. A laugh that wasn’t the polite, practiced chuckle people often give. No, her laugh, Shannon's laugh was loud, uninhibited, and a little goofy as though she didn’t care who heard it or how she sounded. And that made her even more intriguing. Shannon didn’t have the polished, flawless aura that some people wore like armor; she was comfortable in her own skin in a way that made Maddy Smith feel like she could breathe a little easier.
“But this isn’t science, it’s nature. It’s grass.”
“It’s photosynthesis.” Shannon quipped, “It’s the science of the sun mixed with water from the rain. If you put that together with the oxygen we breathe, then you get energy. An energy which grows the grass you’re sitting on, an energy in the trees so we can survive, even in the rivers that flow through the Moors.”
Continuing, she picked up her book, tracing her fingertips over a diagram of a sunflower, but Maddy wasn’t listening. She found herself captivated by the little things like the details on Shannon’s face that no one else seemed to notice. It was the way her eyebrows would furrow ever so slightly when she was deep in thought, a subtle crease forming between them as if her mind was always switched on. The gentle curve of her lips as the light played across her skin, highlighting the trim freckles on her nose and cheeks and the tiny scar above her eyebrow, a faint reminder of a childhood adventure.
Maddy Smith no longer hated science.
It was Monday. The day after the annual Brownie camping trip. A trip which Maddy’s parents thankfully pulled her out of due to the event taking place on a full moon. It made no difference to Shannon though. After the move up from Rainbows, this was her first camping trip as a Brownie and wasn’t going to miss it for the world. It also helped that her best friend at the time offered to share a tent with her. Not that Maddy Smith wasn’t a good friend to Shannon… just not a best friend.
No, Shannon’s best friend was Kay, an unlikely pairing which formed after she’d paid Shannon to do her homework. Her friendship with Kay was the closest Shannon Kelly had come to being popular. But as we all know, friendships with ulterior motives are never genuine. So, when Shannon started to freak everyone out about the ‘beast’ she’d seen outside of her tent, and the annual Brownie trip was cancelled because "one girl had too much sugar", rumours started spreading like wildfire.
Kay’s popularity did the worst of the damage. Cementing Shannon’s shame into Snapchat stories and Instagram posts. Overnight, Shannon Kelly had gone from the ‘Smart new girl with a future’ to ‘Town Weirdo’ and in class the following day, there was an empty chair next to hers.
Like every seven-year-old, Shannon couldn’t take embarrassment, never mind public humiliation. Science was always a subject that grounded her and brought her back to sense when imagination ran wild – science with equations that explained how the world worked and how her brain operated. Yet there was no scientific explanation for what she saw outside of her tent that day.
Swapping the Bunsen burners for bathroom walls, Shannon chose to skip science. It was a decision she didn’t take lightly but as she was suffocated by the tiled walls closing in, she couldn’t focus on anything else. Breath growing more shallow, Shannon clutched the sink, her fingers trembling as she tried to steady herself, but every breath seemed to escape her faster than it came in. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat thunderous and loud, as if the world was rushing toward her, and she couldn’t catch up as though she was drowning.
Then, there was a soft knock on the door, followed by a familiar voice.
“Shannon? Are you in here? You’re missing science.” Her voice, gentle and calm, cut through the storm in Shannon’s mind like a lifeline.
She didn’t answer at first, her hands gripping the edge of the sink harder, feeling like she was on the edge of losing control. But then the door opened slowly, and Maddy Smith stepped inside, her eyes immediately softening with concern.
“Hey, look at me,” Maddy said, her voice soothing but firm. “I’m right here, okay? You’re safe.”
She slowly closed the gap between them, standing just close enough to offer comfort without overwhelming her. She placed a hand gently on the small of Shannon’s back, rubbing small circles, a quiet reassurance.
“Inhale for me, okay?” Maddy guided her, helping her to focus on taking slow, steady breaths. "Breathe in... and out... nice and slow."
Her constant presence, the warmth of her touch, and her calm words gradually began to anchor, pulling Shannon back from the edge. Slowly, her breathing began to even out, heart rate slowing. She closed her eyes, letting the sound of her friend’s voice and the rhythmic pressure of her hand ground her, skin screaming for more as she felt Maddy’s breath graze against her ear as they hugged.
Maddy knew that no one would believe her friend. Why would they? Werewolves weren’t real. A Nordic myth made up to scare people into taking care of their sheep or something dumb like that. But Maddy Smith was real. And Maddy Smith was the closest thing to a werewolf there was.
“I believe you.” She whispered, “I’ll always believe you.”
They shared many secrets throughout their years of friendship. Secrets about family and friends, secrets about their personal doubts and their dreams. But this was a secret Shannon Kelly would take to the grave. It was the secret that Maddy Smith stopped her from giving up.
In that bathroom, Shannon felt a surge of determination rise within her the second Maddy looked into her eyes. It was as if the weight she had been carrying, the burden of doubt and fear, suddenly lifted. For so long, she struggled alone, fighting against the voices of peers and parents who told her she wasn’t strong enough or that she needed to be checked into a psych ward. But hearing those words, spoken so simply yet with such conviction, ignited something deep inside her. It was as if someone had handed her a lifeline, pulling her back from the edge, reminding her that she wasn’t invisible. With Maddy’s belief, she felt a newfound strength, a quiet confidence building in her chest. It was no longer just about proving herself – it was about not giving up on what they believed in, together .
Shannon's parents would never let her have a dog. So Shannon Kelly found herself a best friend instead.
As they progressed into High School, Shannon was no longer the new girl in town. Instead, it was Tom Okanawe, a boy who moved from a small city called Manchester. Shannon was wary of him at first, aspiring footballers are never good news with too much testosterone for their own good. But Tom was different. He was soft… and squashy? Some would even describe him as attractive. But not Shannon Kelly, she was never one to thirst over a person. Or so she thought.
They were back in science again but this time it was different. The classroom was a drab, uninspiring space that seemed to drain all energy from the moment you stepped inside. The walls, once white, had long since faded to a dull, yellowish hue, stained with years of forgotten experiments and countless lessons. The desks were arranged in squares, their metal legs scratched and worn, with uneven surfaces that made it hard to concentrate with a few empty beakers and half-used textbooks. As always, her best friend was struggling, gawking at a partially complicated equation as though the answer would jump off the page if she dared blink. To Shannon, Maddy Smith was the brightest thing in this lab. She made these little quirks that Shannon found endearing – like how she would sometimes talk to herself, not in a crazy way, but more like she was having a conversation with her thoughts out loud kind of way. She’d mutter under her breath, as though she was constantly thinking through everything at once. In a world full of liars and fakes, it made her smile, because it felt so honest. Shannon loved how her friend didn’t apologise for being different; she just embraced it, as if the world was her canvas and she was painting outside the lines.
That being said, Shannon couldn’t bear to see her friend struggle with such a simple equation for much longer, quickly scribbling the answer on a piece of paper and sliding it over to Maddy’s workbook with a wink, unaware that her gesture was being carefully observed from afar.
Like Vultures, the Ks sat in their usual spot at the back of the room, glancing around the room with practiced, effortless grace. They were no strangers to people watching, often getting the best dirt and information on their classmates purely by watching in silence. Today was no exception either, their eyes narrowing when they spotted a few folded notes being passed between Shannon Kelly and Maddy Smith at their table in the corner.
At first, it was just a quick glance, but as the notes continued to travel from one hand to the next, a sense of curiosity mixed with a hint of smugness crept into their expressions. They exchanged knowing looks, whispering among themselves.
"They’re definitely love notes," Kara giggled, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a dramatic flourish. "Look how they're passing them like it’s some big secret."
The girls leaned in, their voices low but sharp with excitement. They loved the drama, especially the idea that someone was confessing their feelings, pouring their heart out in secret notes like something from a high school romance movie.
Watching the two girls from across the room, exchanging private glances between each other's lips suddenly filled one of the Ks with a heavy feeling in her stomach. Ever the overlooked, Katrina Mackenzie surveyed the exchange with her own longing, a personal one which struck deep in her heart, tugging on her internal organs and filling her chest with a heavy dread as she experienced a feeling which her friends had already felt for the boys in their year but unlike them, Katrina MacKenzie wasn’t feeling it for a boy.
Desperate to hide her internal shame, Katrina redirected it onto the only two girls brave enough to show it.
“Just quit it and get a room you two.” She shouted over the desk, student heads turning at the confrontation, “You’re practically saying ‘I love you’ with your eyes.”
Almost instantly, Shannon Kelly froze to the spot, the cheat note sitting delicately between her finger and her thumb. Ever since her failed trip with Brownies, she hated attention, Shannon much preferred to spend her time in High School invisible, only ever speaking up when she had confidence that she wouldn’t be mocked or made fun of. But here she was, already with a reputation for being the school’s weird kid, now publicly being accused of being in love with her best friend. Her best friend who’s a girl.
Thankfully, Shannon could keep being invisible.
“Yo Katrina what the hell?” Tom stood from his wooden stool, Maddy in hot pursuit. “Don’t be making jokes like that, man, there could actually be people in this room who love that way.”
Cemented on the defensive, Katrina retorted, “What? Like the lesbos in the corner?” She looked at the Ks for backup, face void of colour when she realised that backup wasn’t coming.
“What’s your issue, K?” Maddy growled, “You saying it’s wrong to be in love with my best friend? What? That it’s not natural?” She wrapped an arm protectively around Shannon's neck, “Well guess what, I do love her. And for your information, they weren’t love notes. But if Shannon Kelly were ever to pass me a love note then well, I’d be honoured.”
Dozens of eyes watched as Maddy Smith pressed a gentle kiss against her friend's cheek, grinning like a kid on picture day as she made her way back to her assigned seat under the watchful eyes of their teacher. And as the mob of eyes dispersed, Shannon discreetly reached up to feel the spot on her cheek where Maddy’s lips had just skimmed, her heart skipping two times too fast.
Shannon Kelly was one to believe in tried and tested theories. She was one to never believe in love because love was never tested, love had never been tried in a scientific experiment because guess what, love was unpredictable – a constant anomaly. But Maddy Smith loved her. And she loved Maddy Smith… she’d loved Maddy Smith for years.
Clearing her throat, Shannon crinkled the note, swallowing her nerves along with it.
“Mads?”
“Yeah?” Almost instantly, her best friend’s head shot up, their eyes locking with understanding, the expression on Maddy’s face reassuring Shannon to take her time.
“I love you.” She meant it.
Instantly smiling, Maddy wasted no time telling Shannon that she loved her back. Garnishing the statement with a little signature giggle and the playful throw of a stray pencil rubber.
Shannon chuckled, finding it endearing how her friend’s weirdness didn’t feel forced or awkward. Instead it felt like a part of her soul, as natural as breathing. It made Shannon feel that she didn’t have to hide parts of herself to fit in. Maddy wasn’t afraid of looking a little silly, and in doing so, she made everyone else feel like it was okay to be imperfect too. The more Shannon watched, the more she realised that this wasn’t just a platonic love shared between friends, it was a deep-rooted sort of love, a love which meant you would go to the ends of the earth for each other, no matter the cost. A love which Shannon could only hope was reciprocated.
She walked home that night.
As she wandered deeper into the woods, the rustling of leaves underfoot and the gentle whisper of the wind through the trees were the only sounds that filled the air. Her thoughts, usually scattered and racing, had quieted, and for once, she allowed herself to take in the peaceful solitude around her. Looking up at the canopy of branches above, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. But as her gaze drifted, her mind wandered back to Maddy Smith – her best friend. The one who had been by her side for as long as she could remember, who knew her better than anyone, the girl who believed her when no one else would. It was strange, the way Shannon’s heart fluttered when she thought of her, the way her stomach would tighten with excitement whenever Maddy smiled or laughed. It was subtle at first, but now, in the quiet of the woods, she couldn’t ignore it any longer. The realisation hit her like the breeze which raced through the tree leaves: she was in love. In love with Maddy Smith.
The thought stunned her, yet she felt so stupid for not noticing it before. Take Occam's Razor for example, ‘when faced with competing explanations for the same phenomenon, the simplest is likely the correct one.’ Shannon had always believed that their bond was something rare, something unbreakable, but she hadn’t allowed herself to see how deeply her feelings had grown. And now, surrounded by the calm and beauty of the woods, she understood: it wasn’t just friendship. It was love. A quiet, slow-burning, and undeniable love for, not a boy, a girl.
Shannon never cared about gender, of course, and as a scientist, she favoured facts over feelings. Even when watching cartoons as a child, Shannon would always favour the female lead but had simply put that down to the character in question being a mirror image of herself and never because she had an underlying attraction. But now, reflecting on her life growing up, the signs were glaringly obvious.
She shook her head and proceeded along the dirt path, wetting her chapped lips as she avoided puddles and potholes – Facts over feelings . Shannon thought. The fact was that Shannon was in love with Maddy Smith. Maddy Smith, who just happened to be a woman. Even if she had a distaste for gay marriage, which she didn't, her feelings wouldn’t matter. Shannon Kelly was in love with a woman and it didn’t take long for her to make peace with that.
As her feelings grew, so did the trio and their friendship with Tom. Their bond had become something of a quiet legend in their small town of Stoneybridge. Maddy, Tom, and Shannon had become the trio everyone knew, the trio that always stuck together. They were the ones who sat together in the cafeteria and walked home from school through the Moors, not just entertaining Shannon's beast theory but theories of their own. Their friendship was effortless.
However, as Maddy grew older, she became a little more reserved, Maddy's secrets stayed secret, and movie nights over at her house became few and far between. Though to Maddy, it never changed the way she thought of Shannon and Tom. To her, they were still the same two best friends she’d spent years with and who could make her laugh even on the toughest of days. But with time, those said secrets finally caught up to her, and Shannon and Tom started having their own adventures, but Maddy Smith was always there, always in the background, never too far away. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be a part of things, but with every passing day, she felt more and more like an outsider in her own trio. Always watching, always longing, but never able to step forward. She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but suddenly, it felt like the trio was shifting in a way she couldn’t control. Maddy didn’t want to lose them, but she didn’t know how much longer he could keep pretending that things were the same. Worst of all, she didn’t know how much longer she could keep lying.
Like two sides of the same coin, Shannon Kelly was beginning to feel the weight of her unspoken feelings. She'd watched Maddy grow into someone more than just a friend – someone she longed for but could never have.
Every compliment, every passing moment where another person would make her smile just a little brighter made Shannon’s heart ache. It was subtle, but the less Maddy let her friends into her life, the more Shannon distanced herself. Not because she didn’t want to be around her best friend, but because she was too afraid that her feelings would show, that something might slip from her eyes, betraying the friendship that she holds so dearly to her chest.
Tom noticed, of course. He was always the observant type. He had always been able to read Shannon in ways that no one else could, and now, it was like his friend was carrying around an invisible weight. He’d never asked, never pushed, but he could tell. Despite his suspicions, Tom stayed silent. He didn’t want to ruin the dynamic, didn’t want to create any tension between the three of them. Coming from a city with no friends and no dad, his friends were too important, and Shannon was his closest. So for years he kept his thoughts to himself, letting the silent tension hang in the air like a cloud, never acknowledging the storm beneath.
One evening, the three of them sat on top of Stoneybridge hill, upon a decaying wooden bench, watching the sunset from the edge of town. They’d done this a hundred times before, but tonight, something felt different. Maddy laughed at something Tom had said, her face glowing in the light, and Shannon couldn’t help but feel the familiar pang of longing, that ache in her chest that had become a constant companion.
She glanced over at Tom, who was looking out at the horizon, his expression unreadable. It was as though he could sense the storm brewing between them, but he wasn’t sure how to calm it, or if it could even be calmed at all. They sat in silence for a long while, the only sounds the soft rustling of leaves and the distant hum of the town below.
“Hey, guys,” Maddy finally broke the silence, her voice light and carefree. “Do you ever wonder where we’ll all be in a few years? Like, after Sixth Form?”
Shannon Kelly swallowed hard. She had thought about it too many times, imagining life without Tom and Maddy by her side, imagining the pain of watching Maddy move on with someone else, someone who wasn’t herself.
Tom spoke up first. “Going pro.” He grinned, his voice steady, though his eyes held a glint of aspiration. “I guess we’ll all have to figure it out when the time comes.”
Maddy smiled, resting her head in the crook of Shannon’s shoulder, something that had once felt entirely natural to her, but now felt like a cruel reminder of what Shannon couldn’t have. “I hope we all stay close,” she said softly, her voice almost wistful.
Shannon didn’t know if she could handle that. Could they really stay close forever when she was quietly in love with the one person who was so out of reach? All Shannon Kelly could do was nod, her throat tight with the words she would never say.
In the quiet that followed, Tom shot her a short glance, his expression fleeting but knowing. For a moment, Shannon wondered if he understood, if he somehow already knew what she was feeling. But the thought was gone as quickly as it had come, and they all settled back into comfortable silence.
Quiet didn’t last for long though.
Shannon was never one to make enemies, which ultimately meant that she didn’t have any, either. But Rhydian Morris was a new type of enemy. He was an enemy only in Shannon’s head. To Rhydian, they were friends, part of a shared group that had each other's backs. To this day, Rhydian Morris never knew how much of a threat he was.
The day Rhydian Morris walked into school is a day that still haunts Shannon’s nightmares. At first, he was just another new kid, but there was something about him that made everyone stop and take notice. The first thing you’d notice was his eyes, piercing and intense, with an almost animal-like gleam that seemed to see straight through you. He stood tall, his posture relaxed and so fucking cocky Shannon swear it made her Exma flare up and there was something about the way he carried himself that grated on her.
Straight away she could tell he was someone who’s never had to learn the meaning of 'shy' or 'insecure.' Rhydian Morris was the type of boy that seemed both effortlessly cool and strangely out of place in the clean-cut school halls. It was clear he wasn’t trying to fit in, or even make an impression, but somehow, he was doing both effortlessly well and Shannon resented every bit of it. She mainly resented it due to the look in Maddy’s eyes when he entered the classroom, there was a ripple of curiosity, whispers flowing through the Ks like electricity, yet he didn’t seem bothered by it. Instead, he scanned the room, his gaze quick and sharp, as if he were already sizing everyone up. He found an empty seat near the back without hesitation, settling in with a calm that made him stand out even more in a room full of teenagers all trying to figure out who he was.
He didn’t seem to need to befriend anyone either, nor did he act like he wanted to be left alone. It was a strange balance, and one that only made people more intrigued. Rumors about him started to circulate almost immediately – whispers of him being Welsh, an outsider with a dark past, or just a plain and simple loner. No one could quite figure out whether he was a mystery to solve or just someone who didn’t care enough to let anyone in.
But that quickly wasn’t true. He let Maddy in, her Maddy. For weeks, Rhydian Morris didn’t want to get to know anyone. He carried a quiet force, like he was constantly holding something back from prying eyes. But Maddy knew, Shannon could tell by the way they looked at each other.
It wasn’t all bad, though. While Maddy and Rhydian were running wild in the woods together, her friendship with Tom quietly grew, and they spent lunches alone researching extraordinary creatures in the darkroom. Additionally, Rhydian’s presence encouraged Shannon to project the energy she spent hating him into her blog, and when the pair weren’t in the darkroom, they would be looking for Shannon’s Beast up on the Moors. It was an unspoken method that worked perfectly for everyone involved, so when Maddy finally approached them and said that she wanted Rhydian to be a part of the group, Shannon understandably explicitly cursed at the sky.
“Not in a million years, Mads.” She slammed her locker door, turning to her friend with a stone cold expression.
She’d spent years carefully constructing and rebuilding her image at this school. Lesser known as the ‘freak’ or the ‘weirdo’. Instead she was smart, always perfect and polished with a logical answer to everything. People may not like her, but they respect her mind, and she can live with that. She’s worked hard for that. But with Rhydian, it was all so natural. He had this effortless air about him, like the world was something he didn’t have to try to win over. Shannon knew that boy hadn’t worked a day in his life. Girls always looked at him, and everyone wanted to get to know him, as if they needed to know him. It made her blood boil.
“He saved our dark room.” Maddy reasoned as her fingertips grazed her hand, sparking against her skin.
The photography club meant everything to Shannon. At first, she was the only member of the trio to join, claiming that she wanted to use the resources to take better pictures of her ‘beast’. But the reality was that most of the time Maddy would be on the other side of the lens as a test dummy for shots or filters. Shannon would even go as far as organising sunset walks where she was the photographer and Maddy Smith was her muse. Over time, as previous members graduated and the club needed to maintain numbers to stay alive, Shannon’s muse officially became a member, followed by Tom a few weeks later, which is why it was ironic that Rhydian of all people would be the one to keep the club alive.
Shannon crossed her arms, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag as she watched him, that stupid, carefree look on his face and a dangerous confidence that seemed to be a magnet. She couldn’t help but feel this rush of jealousy, hot and uncomfortable in her chest.
Turning her attention to Maddy, she put pride aside, “Will it make you happy?”
Shannon had always been more intelligent than the average student and this moment was no exception. She’d seen the look in her best friend's eyes when they were together; Rhydian had something Shannon didn’t. B ut still, it gnawed at her. She wasn’t used to feeling this way, to feeling like she was competing for Maddy’s attention.
“It would make me very happy.” Her best friend beamed and Shannon forced a smile replying as casually as she could.
“Then it’s settled. Invite him to Bernie’s tonight.” A beat, “Might be fun?”
She didn’t even know why she said it. Maybe to convince herself more than anyone else. As much as she wanted to ignore it, the feeling of being something stirred inside her and Shannon Kelly didn’t like it. Not one bit.
Getting worse before it got better, Shannon’s relationship with Rhydian progressed. As much as she wanted to like him, for Maddy and Tom’s sake, she simply couldn’t bring herself to co-exist peacefully with the person stealing away her best friend. He and Maddy would spend whole weekends in each other's presence, just going for runs together, walking to and from school, even ditching her and Tom for an evening alone. For the first time in their friendship, Shannon was the one in the background, quietly fuming, and that was a position she was used to but didn’t like to be in.
There were quiet secrets exchanged between Maddy and Rhydian that Shannon didn’t even know about. Sly glances and giggles across the room, and the passing of notes exactly how she used to do it. Even like a schoolboy in love, Rhydian would draw Maddy pictures for her to pin on her wall, signing them with a nonchalant ‘R’ and nothing more.
The worst part was that Shannon didn’t hate her best friend for this. Most people would resent someone who pushed them away as much as Maddy had pushed her and Tom, but Shannon had too much love to give... until one day when she found herself in the science lab. Her and Maddy had just had a fight, something that was becoming a regular occurrence since Rhydian had so unwelcomely invited himself into their relationship.
In her fit of rage as Maddy was apologising, however, an array of partially corrosive and explosive chemicals hit the floor, starting a fire.
Through the smoke and haze, everything was distorted. The air felt thick and choking, as if the world around them was collapsing in on itself, and the instant heat was unbearable. Shannon’s head hit the floor, knocking her on the verge of unconsciousness so her limbs became unresponsive and her mind sluggish.
Slipping in and out of focus, she could hear Maddy’s voice faint but desperate, calling her name. It cut through the crackling flames like a lifeline, but she couldn’t quite reach it. Her vision flickered, her surroundings a blur of orange and black, the walls bending and warping in unnatural ways until they locked eyes through the smoke.
Maddy had always come to Shannon’s rescue. Even in the school bathroom all those years ago, but today was different. Her silhouette, barely visible in the haze, seemed off as though it was unnatural. It could be the flames or the toxins from the smoke, but Shannon knew what she saw: Maddy Smith dropping to her knees as her hand reached out through the fire, fingers trembling but steadfast, as they stretched out toward her.
"I’m here!" she growled, a physical, real-life growl that caused Shannon to feel more distressed than reassured.
The room was dark, and even when she replayed the event in her mind back home, the room was unmistakably dark, apart from the two yellow eyes that blinked through the smoke. Shannon wanted to reach out, but in the hazy blur of consciousness, she noticed that her best friend’s canines were more canine than usual, with black veins slinking up her neck and to her wrists.
All this time, Shannon had been searching for her ‘Beast’ on the Moors, but it turns out it had been in front of her face this whole time in the form of Maddy Smith.
The events that followed weren’t some of Shannon’s proudest moments – wishing illness upon her friend, plus Rhydian, to prove that she was correct in her theory. Following them in the evenings or deliberately splitting them up and ‘sticking to them like glue’.
Like Shannon, Tom had multiple theories for his friend’s new obsession with Maddy being a werewolf. It could’ve been jealousy, plain and simple. Shannon was upset with Rhydian for side-lining her, so she projected her energy onto a new type of research, still with Maddy at the forefront. Or, it could be the heartbreaking idea that the only person in the entirety of Stoneybridge ever to believe and encourage Shannon Kelly was actually the beast itself. Concealing and hiding its identity in plain view. Knowing that this whole time that Shannon was right yet never coming out of hiding to reveal itself, playing its role as her best friend so perfectly yet existing solely to laugh at Shannon’s idiocy behind her back. Whatever it was, it was tearing his home apart and he needed to fix it.
Turns out, the problem was one that Tom would never be able to fix. Maddy and Rhydian’s blood tests did all the work for him until that fateful day with Ceri when Shannon could finally pronounce that she was right. She’d always been right . Maddy Smith was her ‘Beast’ on the Moors and she finally had the evidence to prove it but the victory was bittersweet.
Trees closed in around her as she ran. Usually Shannon was at home in the forest, but today it was suffocating. Her footsteps pounded against the earth, the crunch of leaves underfoot a constant reminder that she couldn’t breathe, not from the fear of being chased but from the betrayal. Each breath was sharp and ragged, and Shannon’s heart raced not just from the sprint but also from the burning realisation that the one person she had trusted more than anyone had shattered that trust in an instant, and now, she was running alone. Every branch that scratched at her skin felt like a slap from the past, but she pushed harder, her legs screaming in protest. It didn’t matter. She would run until the world no longer felt heavy.
Shannon was in love with the very thing she set out to destroy.
Finally collapsing at the foot of a large stump, her heart ached a mix of warmth and fear that tangled inside her chest. She paused, taking a deep breath, trying to steady herself against the rush of emotions that swirled within her. The thought of it made her stomach twist. They were best friends, and that bond was too precious, too fragile to risk, yet Maddy tore it apart in almost an instant.
Granted she revealed who, no, what she was to save Shannon and Tom, but this whole time it felt like Maddy Smith was just pretending to be her friend. Only pretending to be close to her to make sure Shannon didn’t get too close to her secret. And of course, Shannon had to be stupid enough to go and fall in love with her.
If she had told her how she felt, what would’ve happened? Would things have changed between them? Would Maddy feel awkward, pull away, or reject her altogether? Would she have still revealed her wolf if Shannon hadn’t stayed in the closet? She closed her eyes for a moment, the cool bark against her back offering some semblance of comfort. Maybe it was better that way. Maybe loving her quietly from afar was the price she had to pay to keep Maddy in her life. After all, if Maddy loved her back then it would’ve made the decision to reveal herself all the more difficult.
Even after the events that had just occurred, Shannon couldn’t bear the thought of losing her friend, of watching their easy laughter turn into uncomfortable silences or, even worse, nothing at all. She had spent years building this friendship, and it was too important to her to throw it away on the off-chance that Maddy might not feel the same way, so why was that any different now? Just because Maddy was her ‘Beast’ on the Moors now didn’t change their past. She ran her hand through her hair, catching her breath with the birdsong. After all, Maddy was still hers , Shannon’s ‘Beast’ and now, Shannon had a direct line to protect it. After years of Maddy rescuing her, she could finally come to Maddy’s aid instead. Her greatest wish was to be in on the secret that her best friend and Rhydian shared, and she wasn’t going to throw it all away for exposure. Maddy Smith was the ‘Beast’ that Shannon had dedicated her life to finding. Which also meant it was Shannon’s responsibility to protect.
Finally being in on Maddy’s secret had its perks. But much to Shannon’s dismay, it also meant that Rhydian didn’t have to hide their bond anymore.
Above all, Shannon Kelly was a scientist – facts over feelings. It was a fact that the human body needed 2 liters of water and seven hours of sleep, which is why it was unusual for her to be up past one am, coffee in hand and laptop on knee, the soft glow of the laptop screen illuminating her face in the quiet darkness of the room. She sat wrapped in a blanket, her eyes flicking back and forth, focused intently on the screen as she scrolled through page after page of information with focused determination.
The question she couldn’t shake buzzed in her mind like a whisper she couldn’t ignore: Do wolves mate for life?
Hours passed as Shannon read through endless pages of scientific journals and PDFs, devouring the details of wolf packs, their social structures, and the bonds they formed. Some articles confirmed this, others questioned it, but the idea that wolves could form such deep, enduring connections struck something inside her. She clicked on another link, her eyes narrowing as she read about the intricacies of alpha pairs, the way they would stay together through the seasons, raise pups together, hunt together, and even face hardships side by side.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she paused, thoughts swirling. She felt a strange connection to what she was reading – something about the idea of loyalty, of finding someone who would stay with you through it all. It was a fleeting thought, but one that made her wonder if the concept of forever was really as impossible as it sometimes seemed.
The world outside was still, the early light of dawn barely peeking through the window, but she barely noticed. Everything in the world had narrowed down to this search. She wasn’t tired, not yet. The only sound was the faint click of the keys as her fingers moved quickly, almost urgently. Shannon Kelly was driven by an insatiable need to know and understand why something so simple as a wolf’s love felt so complex. Did she even have a chance?
Brow furrowing in concentration, Shannon’s mind worked fast to piece together the information she was finding. The search was relentless, leaving her high and dry with no clear answer. It seemed like every study had undecided or conflicting answers, which is why Shannon had to do a study of her own.
In the early hours of the morning, she grabbed herself a stray camera and meticulously worked it into a padded case. Fingers working overtime as she padded it with fluff and spherical cardboard into the shape of a wise old owl. A cheap trick yet effective one. A Trojan horse disguised as a peace offering to the Smith family. A way that Shannon could project what was hers, and finally, after a year of watching from the outside, be as close to Maddy as Rhydian is.
As for her feelings? She would bury these feelings deep, push them down and lock them away in the quiet corners of her heart where no one, even Tom, could ever find them. She could pretend. Keep the smile on her face and laugh with her best friend just like before, and never let her see how much more she meant to her than anyone ever would. It would hurt, of course. It would always hurt. But if protecting their friendship, if protecting Maddy’s wolf meant keeping her love hidden, then that’s what she would do. As always, Shannon Kelly was fated to watch through a camera.
Every love story is a tragedy, and Shannon Kelly’s love story is no different.
In the end, her research wasn’t enough – it would never be enough. Even as the four friends walked up the highest hill in Stoneybridge with Maddy’s parents, Shannon still didn’t feel as though she was enough. The girl she loved was leaving forever, hand in hand with the boy she hated, and there would forever be a lump in Shannon Kelly’s throat from the words she never said.
Like the very day Rhydian arrived in their small town, the pair were still whispering to each other, giggling at something the other had said. Shannon could feel a knot tighten in her stomach. It was ridiculous. Why should she care so much?
But still, she couldn’t stop her eyes from flickering between them, always falling back to Maddy Smith. She was still walking, her gaze flicking around the mountaintop like she was taking everything in before she left. And Shannon hated how much she selfishly wanted to be the one in Maddy’s line of sight.
Their relationship had always been a quiet one, like the unspoken bond between a girl and her dog. A relationship built on trust, comfort, and the occasional gentle touch that carried a world of emotion. Shannon Kelly loved Maddy Smith with everything she had – her heart, her soul – but she couldn’t return it in the same way.
It wasn’t that Maddy didn’t care for her, because she did, in her own way. They spent their days together, laughing and talking, sharing moments of joy and sorrow. But wolves mate for life, and even though her heart would leap whenever Maddy smiled at her, Maddy had her own love with Rhydian Morris. She would never fully understand the depths of Shannon’s love, the kind of love that went beyond friendship, the kind that lived in the quiet spaces between their words. It was a love that was unconditional on her end, a love she knew would never be fully reciprocated, yet she couldn't help but give it freely.
Rooted so deeply, Shannon’s feelings sometimes felt as though they might spill over, like the way a dog’s loyalty is so constant and unwavering, even when it’s not always needed. And yet, no matter how much she gave, the love she felt would always remain one-sided, just like the girl and her dog. She knew Maddy cared, but she would never be able to return it in the way she wanted – never in the way she needed her to. But just like the comfort of a dog curling into her lap, she always found solace in her presence, in the way Maddy was there, even if only as a friend. In the end, it was enough, because Shannon Kelly loved her for who he was, even if she could never love her the same.
Ironic.