Chapter Text
You know, it wasn’t the worst of days. Addison and the rest of the cheer squad were sitting in a cramped bus; they were heading back from cheer camp.
In the windows, a mystical forest rolled by, a thick layer of fog concealing its depths. Other kids in the bus looked a bit uneasy at the sight of it, but Addison couldn’t look away from the view, as if the mysteriousness of Moonglade Forest was just an intrigue to her. She wanted to know what was going on beneath the mist.
It was almost as if the universe heard her, and suddenly the bus started shaking uncontrollably. Everyone’s eyes widened as they clutched their seats and began to squeal.
Bucky and his girlfriend Lacey looked especially panicked as they clutched each other and screamed at the top of their lungs, “What is GOING ON?!”
The bus started going in a zig-zag line as the driver fought for control. Addison’s eyes were wide as she ran her hands over her seat belt. It was in place, but she still cowered in her seat with her hands over her head.
Suddenly she heard a thump on the window. Addison dared to look and saw a boy with infamously green hair hanging from the roof.
“Zed?” she screamed in horror, her hand reaching for him but being blocked by the window.
His face that was just full of horror smiled at the sight of her and he raised his hand to hers. “Hi,” he said, smitten.
Before Addison could respond, Zed lost his grip and fell out of view. “ZED!”
The bus jerked again, and she was thrown back down. Everyone screamed even louder as they crashed through branches and plunged into the forest. Well, Addison certainly wasn’t intrigued by the forest now, and they rolled down the hill for a while until they finally came to a screeching halt.
The bus driver, who was in a mascot suit during this incident, pulled his shrimp hat off. “Is everybody okay?” he asked, panting.
Addison began to nod, but was distracted as she heard an, “Ahhh! Nothing can happen to me—I’m way too important!” from Bucky as he abandoned his girlfriend, all his friends for that matter, and ran out of the bus.
Addison regained her bearings and stood up. “Everyone, stay calm,” she said.
Bree smiled from her seat beside Addison, eyes wide. “Great leadership, Addy,” she added, “Very future cheer captain of you!”
Lacey rolled her eyes at the comment. They had just gotten the news that Bucky was running for school president, and he was going to decide who the next cheer captain will be. Addison was trying to earn the role by trying her best, Lacey was trying to earn the role by being Bucky’s girlfriend.
But there are more important matters right now, Addison reminded herself. She needed to find Zed. She ran out of the bus and rushed through the woods, hoping to find a high place where she could overlook the forest.
And though she didn’t want to admit it to herself, she was enchanted by the rustle of leaves in the wind and the caws of birds. The air was so fresh and…piney. She felt free.
No, no. She just needed to find Zed. Focus on Zed. She just saw him fall from a bus for heaven’s sake.
She felt a rip sear through her shoulder. Wincing, Addison clutched her arm and she could feel warm blood oozing out of the cut. She cursed at the thorn branch that got in her way and continued walking through the woods, but a chill ran up her spine as strange noises echoed in her ears.
A sniff or snort coming from behind the bushes. The crack of a twig in the cave beside her. Soft footsteps rushing through the trees. And then, an ear-splitting howl filled the air, and a bunch more followed in its lead, all coming from around Addison.
What was that…
A hand grabbed Addison’s shoulder. She screamed and hit the perpetrator with a smack, stepping back in shock as she turned and saw Zed double over. “Ow…”
“Zed!” she cried, pulling him into a hug.
Addison could almost hear him smile as he returned her embrace. “I missed you too,” he replied with a chuckle.
“And Zoey,” Addison said when she spotted the small green-haired girl standing beside her brother. “Listen, we’re not alone,” she said. Zed’s face twisted in confusion. “We’re surrounded by werewolves.”
“Cool!” Zoey said with a giant grin on her face.
Zed looked at his little sister with an exasperated look on his face before looking back at Addison. His eyes widened. “You’re hurt.”
“Oh,” Addison gulped as her hand reached back up to clutch her arm again. “Don’t worry.”
“What do you mean?” Zed asked as he reached for her hand. Addison couldn’t help but squirm away from him. “You’re bleeding, like a lot,” he said as he reached for her another time.
Addison just shook him off again. “I know, but I’ll be fine. You don’t need to baby me.” His arms dropped by his side, looking ashamed.
Addison sighed. “Just look,” she reached for his hands. He accepted hesitantly. “I’m okay, everything’s okay, alright?”
He nodded, but he didn’t look convinced. Addison sighed, dropping his hands and turning away from him. Sometimes Zed was just a little…overbearing.
But when she turned, she was greeted by the faces of the cheer squad, all panicked and flustered. ‘WEREWOLVES?!” they screamed. Addison and Zed shared a look and sighed.
—\/|(o0o)|\/—
“Werewolves are real!” Bucky was yelling over the bustling crowd in the City Hall. “I always, ALWAYS, said the stories of monsters in the forest were real!” He sat down on a bench and said in a whiny voice, “And no one believed me!”
Addison did her best to ignore him, trying to convince her parents, “I’m okay!” Her parents still refused to listen, fussing over the bandage on her upper arm.
Sadly, Bucky found her. “Aunt Missy. Uncle Dale,” he addressed Addison’s parents, “The crash was horrible.” He put an arm around her. “But I protected Addison.”
Addison rolled her eyes.
“Anyone as courageous as me would have done the same,” Bucky carried on, “though, not really, I am super brave.”
Addison couldn’t believe this. “Mom, dad, everything is fine.”
“It’s not fine,” her father yelled, “there are werewolves circling around us right now waiting to attack!”
“Yeah!” Bucky agreed enthusiastically, “And I’m way too tasty,” he gestured to himself like he was God’s gift. “I’m always looking like a snack…Somebody has to do something!”
A look of conviction passed over her mother’s face. “And someone will.” She threw her purse at her husband. “Hold my purse,” she said as she walked over to the podium in the front of the room.
She banged the gavel until the room went silent. “By the order of the City Council, effective immediately, all anti-monster laws are reinstated!”
A mix of claps and gasps of horror filled the room, and Addison yelled, “Mom, that is unfair!” She didn’t even talk to the rest of the council, so what was she on about?
Zip, the mayor mouthed, and Addison let out a sob. How could she do this? Really? After everything they’ve done to reverse these laws, her mother was just going to throw all their effort away?
Before she could say more, Zed appeared in front of her. “Zed, we need to talk!”
“We do,” he said, smiling. “I know you’re irritated with me…but I hope this will show you just how much you mean to me.” He got down on one knee.
For a second, Addison freaked out. Was he going to propose to her? They were only fifteen! No, of course not, you idiot, she told herself.
“Will you make me the luckiest Zombie,” Zed began, his smile somehow growing even brighter, “and be my date to Prawn?!”
“No,” Addison said.
“Great!” Zed said before his face contorted with confusion. “No?”
Addison shook her head. “Everyone’s freaking out about werewolves so the anti-monster laws are in effect again. Which means…”
“Zombies can’t go to Prawn,” Bucky finished for her, gripping Zed’s shoulder with fake empathy. “Ouch!”
“But we’re gonna fight this, Zed,” Addison assured her boyfriend.
Zed started smiling again. “Okay, so that’s why you said no?”
“Yeah!” she said. Zed’s mouth opened with relief. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because, when you said ‘no’ I thought you didn’t like me anymore. But the only problem here is a bunch of blood-thirsty werewolves!” He practically jumped with excitement. “We can still fix that!”
Addison couldn’t help but smile back at him.