He entered his classroom, practically bursting through the door as Mr. Furegson was mid-lecture. He adjusted his glasses,
"A little late are we?".
Jeremy found himself zoning out, until Mr.Furgeson cleared his throat. Then Jeremy's vision was focused on Martha. He felt his cheeks warm up, as he shook his head. Snapping out of it.
"S-sorry Mr. Furgeson", he replied guiltily.
Mr. Furgeson looked cross, "Well if you're finished gawking at Miss Stewart. Than I suggest you find a seat Mr. Lupin. And since this is your 7th tardy this month. I would like you staying after class."
There were muffled snickers and awkward faces and Jeremy felt infuriated as much as he felt embarrassed. As if Mr. Furgeson HAD need to go to this extent.
"Yes, Mr. Furgeson", Jeremy said glumly, dragging his feet to his desk that was between Martha, and normally, Grey. But his seat was empty, and cold. Jeremy sighed, remembering that night. Before he winced after Martha touched his arm. It startled her, but she whispered. Glancing at Mr.Furgeson whom went on with their lesson.
"You weren't kidding about getting attacked last night, were you", she said in a tone as if she already knew. Jeremy was locked eyes with hers. That shimmered brilliantly despite the jocose rims that adorned her fragile face. Her glasses then fell onto her nose while she stared back at him, and she adjusted them.
Suddenly Jeremy's headache, having been dull, skyrocketed with a painful quake. He felt every heart beat pulse loudly in his temples and he felt like he was going to be sick. His world spinning and only 5 minutes after sitting down, he rose his hand.
Mr. Furgeson ignored Jeremy's desperate, clammy hand, and Jeremy knew he act like that. He shouldn't have expected any more, and that when his vison began to sparkle with little stars, and he made a hasty retreat towards the hallway bathrooms. Not with out leaving an dramatic exit, with Mr. Furgeson cursing at him to return to his seat. But Jeremy stumbled into the men's bathroom and locked himself in the farthest stall. He took a seat over the toilet bowl and held his pounding brain in his hands. Until it would stop... It wouldnt though, not for a while...
Until after what seemed like half an hour. Someone came in and it startled Jeremy out of his trance. He felt as if he had just woken from a restless dream, but he heard someone whimpering from the stall beside him. The one farthest from the door, at the far wall. His head was still pounding, but the crescendo had fallen to a soft drum beat. He could hear himself think again, and he pressed his ear against the side of the cool metal stall. He could hear a familiar voice, whimpering.
"Uh. Are... are you alright in there? Bud?", Jeremy asked of the mysterious weeper softly.
There was silence. Not even the gentle sobs could be heard anymore, but then there was a squeak of sneakers against the lenoliem, and the other wondered,
"J-jeremy?".
"Grey?", Jeremy's brows jumped up, and he moved to stand atop the toilet bowl, tall enough to look over the edge of the stalls and he found Grey. Seated and hunched over, before he slowly lifted his head up to meet Jeremy's eyes.
Jeremy felt like he was punched in the stomach by his friends obviously tainted emotions. He was a walking lament, his skin pale. A few butterfly bandages littered his face, and his eyes were shrunk and deep black bags made him look like a depressed raccoon.
Jeremy didn't know what to say, and was caught staring when Grey's once bright voice broke out shallow and hoarse,
"Hey Jeremy."
"Hey, are you okay?".
Grey let out a breath of air, and the ghost of a smile,
"Not exactly. Don't feel good at all."
Jeremy licked his lips, leaning at the stall edge and he frowned,
"We didn't see you ride the bus today. Thought you weren't coming."
"Had a doctor's appointment this morning."
"Oh."
"It wasn't very long."
"Clearly. So why'd you still come then if you dont feel so good, Grey?".
Grey looked like a shell of who he was just the night before, and the shining dawn the day before that. His look darkened,
"I don't want to dwell on my own self pity all day, alone, at home."
Jeremy gave him a playfully deadpan look,
"So you come to dwell on it in here?".
Grey scowled, and he seemed angry. And genuine about it.
Jeremy furrowed his brows, before he swallowed,
"What happened last night, you know it wasn't your fault-"
"Cut the crap Jeremy", Grey snapped, turning his head towards the wet floor. "You didn't see what Justin hit."
"You really shouldn't have come to school if you're still seeing the wreck in your head. That's some Post Traumatic Stress right there."
"Fucking idiot", Grey groaned and Jeremy was ever growing tired of his snapping.
"No one else saw it. But I did. I saw it right there, in the middle of the road, getting bigger as we kept speeding. It was so dark, it looked like the trees. But we all spun out to miss it."
"Miss what? What is it?!"
"The thing, Justin hit it. It was like, a wolf. A giant wolf! , and it took his full throttled force! Barley fucking moved! After Justin was flung off somewhere, same as his bike this thing just got up and left!"
Jeremy felt his heart sink lodge itself in his throat. Was it the same brutal, wolfish and muscular beast that sank its teeth into Jeremy's flesh. He swallowed the lump as he said,
"Grey, I have something to tell you."
But before anymore could be spoken. There was a loud, high pitched beep, before the school's shanty intercom system came through and one of the front desk ladies's raspy voices came through,
"Jeremy Lupin. To the Front Office. Jeremy Lupin, to the Front Office. You're Mother has your lunch."
And right after, the class bells rang and both Grey and Jeremy flinched as they did, and soon the hallways were piling with feet and voices.