Free Nocturne by Christine Johnson

something. You and Matthew are coming, right?" She opened the first can of soda and drank about half of it in a single swallow.
    "You're—you're going to Yolanda's?" Claire blinked in confusion. She hadn't known that. Yolanda's parties weren't usually Emily's thing.
    "Yeah, I know. They're usually a little bit too jock-beer-fest for me, but Amy really wants to go, and so I thought, what the hell, you know? I need a date, and it's the perfect hunting ground. Plus, I know Matthew's usually more into that stuff, so I figured maybe I could actually spend a Friday night with you for once."
    "That sounds great." Claire's sandwich suddenly tasted better. She didn't even mind the stray sprouts. Having Emily at the party would make her feel a lot better about abandoning her practice plans.
    "Awesome!" Emily took another swig of her drink. "So, are we still on for coffee Saturday afternoon?" Her eyes were jumping around in a way that made Claire instantly suspicious.
    "Yeah, we're still on. Why?" She kept her voice light.
    Emily spun the soda can around in her hands. "So, um, the thing is, Amy heard us making plans last weekend, and I sort of ended up inviting her along. Is that okay? She's never been to The Cloister. Can you believe it? And since she heard us talking about it, she's dying to see what it's all about, so . . ."
    "No, that's fine. Whatever you want. I'm sure she'll . . . She'll . . . I mean, I can't wait to hear what she thinks of Yolanda's famous parties." Claire bit her tongue to keep herself from saying anything else. She shifted in her seat, trying to shake off the irritation that spread through her like a thorn-covered vine, pricking her ribs as it grew. She knew Amy was Queen of the Nice Girls, but suddenly it seemed like she'd pushed herself into every corner of Claire's life. She couldn't exactly get mad at Emily for changing their plans, though, especially when it sounded like Amy was doing everything in her power to get Emily to bring her along. Claire had been unexpectedly changing plans on Emily for months.
    "Thanks." Emily looked relieved. "I really think it'll be fun." The first bell rang, and she shotgunned the rest of her soda. "Caffeine for lunch. Yummmmm."
    Claire laughed.
    "Okay, I'm off to the torture that is Spanish class. I'll text you later, and we'll figure out what we're wearing to Yolanda's."
    Claire faked a smile. She couldn't care less what she wore to the party. It would be clothes, not fur, and that was all that mattered.
    "That sounds great." She stood up and grabbed her bag. "Talk to you later."
    Emily waved over her shoulder and swept out of the cafeteria, which had turned into a mass-exodus.
    Claire turned and headed for class. A few more days. One lousy party. Then she could get through the new moon gathering and back to normal life.
    At least, as normal as a werewolf 's life ever got. That night, Claire was planning to slip off into the woods, but her mother eyed her running clothes with suspicion.
    "Are you going for a run or into the forest?" she asked.
    Claire hesitated.
    "You are ready for the gathering, yes?" she asked.
    "Yeah," Claire said, with more confidence than she felt. "I mean, I'm sure it's going to go fine."
    She didn't want to see the disappointed look that she knew would appear on her mother's face if she admitted she was having trouble.
    "All right. Well, enjoy your exercise."
    "Thanks," Claire mumbled, slipping out the door.
    She ran the long way into the woods, jogging a couple of miles down the road to a quiet spot where the trees strayed close to the pavement. It was a perfect cover—she'd be able to tell her mother, truthfully, that she'd been for a run, but she could still go make sure that she was ready for the new moon ceremony.
    She hurried to the main clearing, the one where they met for the gatherings. It was closer than her practice spot. She stepped into the open space beneath the trees, which was darker than usual since it was lit only by a thin arc of