Page 20 of First Kiss with a Mothman

“Yeah, but my good friend helped me.” I recall Tanner mentioning that Seth is connected to everyone on campus. Surely he knows all the frat guys? I shouldn’t indulge in gossip about my new friend who I’m low-key crushing on. But I am a single gay dude in college, and who knows when I’m gonna be chatting with Seth again?

“Glad you got the assistance.”

“It was from Mort Rain. The mothman.”

“Oh?”

Warmth prickles my cheeks. “He’s been really chill to me, taking me around campus when my cousin isn’t around.”

“Really?” Seth sounds more than a little intrigued.

“He offered me an invite to his frat party this weekend.”

“Is that so?”

“And I heard you’re connected to everyone on campus.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” he replies, trying for a tone of modesty.

“What can you tell me about Alpha Claw Omega house?” I lean forward and add, “And how much do you know about Mort?”

“Well, I mean…Mort is…he’s a private dude. Some might even call him grumpy.”

I chuckle and lean back. “He’s always been very pleasant with me. But the semester just started. You think he’s faking being my friend?”

“I think the guy doesn’t want to be friends with anyone. But the fact that he’s choosing to leave his metaphorical tower to spend time with you is significant.”

“And he helped me do my laundry.”

“And helped you do your laundry.” He taps the table, finding the words. “It seems like he now wants to be a social butterfly again. Err, social moth. You know what I mean.”

I grin. Seth truly is a gossip gold mine. “Do you think you could put in a good word to him about me?”

“I don’t think you need it. He’s already branching out to talk to you. And he got you that super exclusive invite to the Alpha Claw Omega party.”

I snicker and ask, “Why does it sound sarcastic when you say that?”

“Because literally anyone can go to their parties.”

Hearing this, my smile falls. If what Seth is saying is true, then why did Mort act like a frat party was exclusive? Either he’s pranking me, or he…actively wants me there.

Nah, that’s just wishful thinking. I’m hearing what I want to hear.

“I’ve never known anyone to be Mort’s friend outside of a select few. So he must see something in you.” My face burns hot at Seth’s words. “But like, why do you want to know about him? He’s your friend now.”

I can hear the smug grin on his face. Seth is insinuating that I have a little crush on Mort, which isn’t true―my crush is rapidly growing every moment of every day. But none of that matters if he avoids me, and I haven’t seen him in days.

“Speak of the mothman, and he shall appear,” Seth murmurs. “Pardon me, Arie.” I hear him get up, and I turn my head in confusion. The sounds of several students approaching catch my attention, and Reginald hops up onto my shoulder.

Yards away, I sense people talking to Seth. That buzzing noise I recognize as Mort’s wings fills my ears. After a whole week of radio silence on my phone, I can’t help the urge to want to know all I can about Mort. He’s here, and I want so badly to see what he looks like. I’ve been so good, not indulging in my hidden ability. So, I utilize my secret, the one thing I refuse to share with anyone.

“I’ll be quick, I promise,” I whisper to Reginald. He hops down to my palms, and I focus. Turning to the sounds, I pivot my body so Reginald can gaze in their direction. Then, I hone in on our connection, the unseen tether between me and my pet.

Finally, I blink my eyes open. I’m inside Reginald’s head, and I can see. The vibrant colors are almost overwhelming. The coffee shop is decked out in yellows and blues, all part of an Egyptian motif to fit the monstrous moniker. However, now’s not the time to take that all in.

Seth is presumably the curly-haired dude in the apron. He’s high-fiving all the guys who just walked in, and their auras scream fraternity bros. One guy has a tail with horse-like ears. The other guy appears to be a werewolf of sorts. I can’t discern the other monsters, but all of them look mighty fine and fit.

And there’s the one man in the back, the dude who looks like he doesn’t want to be around anyone. I nearly gasp when I recognize Mort a few yards away. He has antennae, dark, fuzzy skin, and red eyes. It’s evident that his black hoodie is hiding a massive set of wings on his back. There is no denying he’s a mothman.