One
Did I plan this? No, I did not and if I had I probably would've had more class about it.
My plan at school was simply go unnoticed, but that failed when I promptly walked into my first classroom's door. I do mean the door was closed. I am such an idiot I tell you.
The teacher's eyes took me in and she handed me a packet of papers. "Nice of you to join us, Miss Jean. Now class welcome our new student from Boston."
The students snickered as I took my seat in the back. Someone whispered over to me.
"Don't mind them, Alaskan schools don't get many new students. I'm sure this is overwhelming." I looked over curiously. It was a girl with short curly blonde hair. It was more surprising that it was a blonde talking to me. My mind was caught up in stereotypical situations. This was going to get old quick.
"I'm Lila, and you're Jean right, or is that a last name?"
"No, Jean's my first name." The teacher shushed us suddenly, and that cut off our conversation.
After class Lila jogged to my side.
"So are you new here too?" I asked. She nodded, "I'm considered an official student since you showed up, but I transferred here last month from California."
"So what's the groups at this school like." She pointed straight ahead.
"There's really only two you should stay clear of. The group that's straight ahead is the one you want to stay with. Others here don't take well to strangers."
"I've noticed."
She smiled as the warning bell sounded.
"I'll show you the dangerous ones at lunch. I've got to run. It was nice to meet you," she said in a rush. I headed for my locker and collided with someone by mistake. A pile of books fell to the floor. I knelt down instantly to pick them up.
"Sorry, I'm too easily distracted." I looked up and met a pair of dark eyes. They were startled and I pushed the books into his hand without much warning.
"Nice to meet you."
"I can't say the same," he muttered and headed off. I sighed feeling a bit more helpless. Dad should've known that I wouldn't fit in here. I'm too much of a freak even in the small schools.
I ran to my next class and sat through boring lectures on nuclear fission and solar radiation. If the teacher called on me I gave a half-assed answer and they eventually stopped calling on me.
My mind was elsewhere while time dragged on and lunch was a relief thank god. Lila sat alone and when I sat with her she smiled.
"Welcome to my group."
"I thought you were part of the group you pointed at."
"No, that's not what I meant. I mean to keep them on your good side and they'll watch your back." I nodded. A tray flew across the cafeteria and the sound of punches broke into the chants.
"That's usual, I wouldn't worry about it."
"Will the teachers break it up?"
"The teachers don't care, this is a pretty bad school district if you haven't noticed." I stood seeing blood fall from the kid's face. He looked like a freshman and it just wasn't quite right. "Oh no, don't do that. You'll get pulverized. They don't care that you're a girl."
I shrugged and pushed my way into the circle. The guy was bulky and probably a Junior.
"Looks like the fresh meat forgot the rules."
I didn't see his fist fly, but I felt it hit me in the gut. I went back and felt my usual anger spark the worst side of me to life. He went to swing again and I ducked.
My mind took in things easily and his didn't. "Is this a game of cat and mouse," he yelled and the crowd booed me.
I looked to the Freshman who had finally gotten up.
"Get out of here," I said and he ran through the crowd.
"You just made a mistake," the junior bellowed. I shrugged and as he swung I grabbed his fist and bent it funny. "What was that?" I asked.
He brought his other arm down on the side of my face and I winced away. "Ok, now you're going to regret that," I muttered. He ran toward me and I grabbed a book of a table and brought it down on his head.
He went down hard and I dropped the book. "Next time don't beat someone twice as small. It's just as dirty as me beating you with a book." He grabbed my foot and I brought my boot down on his hand.
The bully howled in pain and I knew I had won.
Lila was waiting at the table open-mouthed. "Are you crazy? that was one of the groups that you want to avoid. They're all meatheads, yes, but they'll have most of the student body out to get you."
"If I cared, I wouldn't have gotten involved." She sighed and my eyes drifted across the poor cafeteria.
I saw the boy I had walked into, and he was looking at me. "Who is that Lila?"
"Scott? Oh, I wouldn't talk to him. Major personality issues. He's the head of the second group I mentioned."
"I've already met him. I just found it funny how quick he took a disliking."
"He does that with everyone. He doesn't like weak, clumsy people."
Great, I must seem like one of those people.
The rest of the day was a blur, but Lila was right. That fight sparked something in my classmates. They gave their best hateful glares, and I was more than relieved to head home. Dad was on the porch and glared at me as I walked up the stairs.
"Did you get into another fight?"
"Just stating some facts dad. No one cares."
"That better be the case, you have two hours before sundown, I expect you'll be out tonight."
"Yes, I want to see what I'm dealing with. I already hate this state by the way."
"Too bad, stop being a teenager and get to work." I sighed and headed upstairs.
I changed from my school clothes and headed back downstairs to cook dinner.
We both ate quick and as my second hour ticked away I started outside toward the trees. You see there's one entire reason I move a lot, and here is better than most thanks to the forests. A swirl of cursed ink ran down my body as the darkness nightfall brought wrapped around me and my cursed form took over.
I guess humans like to call my kind lycanthrope, but the legend is sick and twisted.
It doesn't come from some demonic disease. It's usually a blood curse passed down through generations. My mother and father had it so naturally so do I.
Also,the full moon stuff is a bunch of baloney. A real lycanthrope turns every night with complete control of their actions. I usually stay home with dad, who probably is sleeping his furry head off.
I stopped down at a roaring creek and dashed along the sand bar looking for a way over.
Instead, I found a nice little lookout that I now deemed my very own. My house was higher in the mountains than I had thought. I looked over the small town and sat. This was probably the only enjoyment I'd get out of Alaska.
I didn't stay out long before going home. I went in through the basement and up to my room. That was my day, one hellish way of life, but it could be worse.
