By the time lunch came I was extremely tired. I wanted nothing but to go home. Mark kept asking me a lot of questions when I told him what happened between me and the guy in the hall, but he was mostly gloating that he was right about Angie coming through.
There was an indoor cafeteria but most kids wandered outside to the picnic tables. I followed suit as I didn't want to be inside this place more than I had to.
Scanning the crowding area I get a whiff of wolves. Immediately my eyes settled upon a table furthest from the rest. It was on the verge of a tree line. There were three people there, a red haired girl, more like magenta, probably dyed. A kid that looked like he should be in grade school and not high school, and a brooding one. He just oozed that kind of aura. He looked annoyed at whatever the kid was saying.
For a school in werewolf territory I only managed to sniff out a handful of scents. Most reeked of other odors but completely and utterly human. Which was fine by me, made it easier to avoid them. Or so I tell myself as I catch myself looking for gray eyes.
Scolding myself I head for the trees. The sun was shinning brighter now, as in the morning it looked to have been absent, it was sure making its presence known now.
A pulsing in my head began as I pull my shades out of my bag and onto my face. I walk far enough to be out of sight but close enough to see the school.
Sitting on the ground I stretch my legs putting one ankle over the other. I lean again the tree and let the cool breeze from it's shade soothe me. Looking up at the treetops I see a squirrel dash from branch to branch. I watch it for a bit as it wandered about until it froze then scurried away as if it heard something.
I sit up alerted. I look around but I can't sense anything. I could still hear the chattering of the students just beyond but nothing out of the ordinary. That was until a dark blur dashed just by me. Luckily is was heading the opposite side of me. I was about to stand and follow it but I hear voices.
Rooting myself in place I drag my legs closer to sit crossed legged as if it would make me smaller and somehow more invisible.
I take my phone out and plugged the headphones in I put music loud enough for me to hear but not too loud to get anyone's attention. Instead of putting them into my ears I clutch them tight to muffle them.
"There it goes again," a voice growled. "They're getting more and more bold."
"They must know he isn't here or they wouldn't dare cross lines," a familiar voice said.
Call me a coward but I didn't dare make a sound much less lean to see who was speaking.
"We need to chase them off before they could get any other ideas," a feminine voice states.
"Right, I'll go with Theo and you stay with the girls," the familiar voice says.
"What? Why? I want to go too, I can help!" An irritated voice answers.
"Jay, just listen to me," the familiar voice says sternly.
Someone mumbles a few choice words but no one says anything else. I stay still until I heard footsteps leading out of the trees.
"Robb, can I talk to you real quick?" the same feminine voice asks shyly.
"Theo go ahead I'll catch up," the familiar voice orders. I can hear someone start running when there was a pause I hear something heavy rush on by. He had shifted.
"What's up?" The familiar voice said. I was starting to wonder if they really can't notice me there. They should be able to hear a heartbeat or even my breathing. Maybe they just didn't care. Maybe they thought I was human. I did have my headphones and music was playing.
"I think there's another wolf here," she finally says.
I sit frozen, before I can panic he replies. "What makes you so sure? I haven't smelled anything besides the rogues."
"I don't know, it was faint. I was talking to this girl and I swear I thought I smelled a wolf on her but I'm not so sure." She seemed sure enough to have brought it up.
I was trying to think if I had any encounters today that might have given me away.
"Maybe it was a rogue nearby, or they brushed upon someone," he tried to reassure the girl.
"Maybe, I just thought I'd let you know since you know isn't here," she quietly said.
"And I appreciate it, I have to go. Don't worry about it okay. If anything just call me and I'll come." He starts to run off not even waiting for a reply.
"Yeah, sure," is all she says before walking off.
My heart starts to beat fast as I quickly take a peek at the one left behind. It was the same girl that had talked to me in the locker room, the one I was completely rude to.
My heart picked up as her head snaps up to look at me, I managed to look away quickly. I hope she didn't see me. She had been lost in thought looking down at the ground as to see she wouldn't fall or something by my irregular heartbeat caught her attention.
I could hear her tentatively make her way towards me. I try to calm myself down as it would give me away. I put the discarded headphones on, leaning against the tree once again I close my eyes and let the music take over me as I focused on taking calming breaths.
I try to shut off her steps as she got closer and closer.
She clears her throat once she reaches me but I pretend to not hear her. Taping my shoulder I finally acknowledge her.
"Oh, hi," I play dumb.
"Hi, what are you doing here?" She asks warily.
I shrugged my shoulder, "thought it'd be quieter," I tell her.
She nodded her head absent minded.
Before she can say anything else a kid stumbles upon us. "Can I eat with you guys? Andrea is being insufferable again," he mumbles.
Before I can even say anything he sits on the ground just beside me. Which causes the girl to sigh and join him. Sitting just beside him but not directly in front of me.
"What you guys got?" He happily asks.
"I got sushi," the girl replies taking out a container from her bag. It looked good but I wasn't really a fan of it.
"Lucky, I got sandwiches," he sighs deflating as he keeps staring at her food.
"You want some?" She offers but he quickly shakes his head. He reminds me of Mark whenever he wanted to eat something I had but reluctantly decline just so I would eat it. Especially if it was the only thing I ate all day.
"You can get what they give in the cafeteria if you don't want any of this," she says pointing between her food and his bag.
"Nah, I rather eat mine," he tried to smile. His face said he would rather eat anything but whatever he had. Maybe the cafeteria food is worse but he still seemed deflated. He looked longingly at her food before reaching for his bag to pull out a clumped sandwich.
Tuna sandwich, a pang in my chest resonated by just the smell of it. Shaking it off I reach for my bag. I had a container with the salad Angie has made for me. She had insisted the night before to make my lunch but just wanted to know what I'd like. Obviously I upped for something that would be quick and easy. I would have said a sandwich but Mark had finished the loaf of bread that morning from the toast and jam he kept shoveling in.
I chose a salad thinking she would just put lettuce, some pieces of chicken, and some dressing, and call it a day, but I was wrong. I'm always wrong it seems.
She added olives, cherry tomatoes, some shredded cheese, ranch, dressing, and croutons. As I pulled the container out I notice the girl staring at it.
She looked like the kid looking at her food. But unlike him she quickly looked away and began to set up. She pulled napkins out offering some to us and took a cloth out to put on her lap.
"Would you like to trade?" I ask her surprising both of us. "My salad for your sushi."
"Umm, yeah sure," she handed me her container as I handed her mine. She looked confused at first but smiled a sweet smile as she took my salad.
"Wanna trade?" I ended up asking the kid. He looked shocked, as he looked between his full sandwich and my newly acquired food.
His face changed from one expression to another before he smiled the most brightest smile I've seen. "Okay, yeah," he reached inside his bag pulling out two sandwiches wrapped in a clear wrapping.
As I took them he ripped right into the container shoving the sushi into his mouth. He moaned and enjoyed every bite. Making us laugh as he made faces of delight.
I unwrapped a sandwich and ate it. It was better than I thought it'd be. Better than the ones I made for sure. "This is great," I said covering my mouth as I finished my bite.
"Really?" He asked hopefully. I just nod as I take another bite. Giving him a smile and a thumbs up he brightens as he continues to eat his food.
I look at the girl that was looking at him with what looked like a mixture of sadness and joy. She began to eat when she noticed my stare. We ate our food in silence I thought it would be awkward but it was nice. Something new.
The girl kept insisting he take a napkin to wipe his face off but he kept brushing her off as he devoured every last bite. He even had half the sandwich he was originally eating.
"Stop being pushy D, I don't need a napkin," he said with food stains on his face.
"Jay, stop being a child and just listen," she said sternly but they both end up laughing.
Reaching for his face she managed to wipe some of it but he moved fast. "Stop it!" He said as he moved away from her.
"Fine, go walking around looking like a fool with food on your face for all I care," she pouted crossing her hands on her chest.
I laugh getting their attention, they smile awkwardly at me before the bell rang.
Standing he brushed the dirt and crumbs of his pants before wiping his face with his long sleeve earning a glare from the girl. He just stuck his tongue at her before turning to me and giving me his brilliant smile. I couldn't help but smile back.
The girl took another napkin of her bag and wiped the now empty container where Angie's salad once resided. I should probably ask for it back since it's not mine but I didn't want to sound rude, I mean I already had been rude to the poor girl that has only shown me kindness. I felt shame for that. I flinched just remembering our first encounter.
"Here, I cleaned it the best I could," she handed me the clean container. I thanked her as I shoved it in my bag.
"Here's yours," the kid gives her a practically licked clean container.
"Did-did you lick it clean?" She asked bewildered.
The kid just shrugged unashamedly. We laugh as he got red from the face trying to act like he wasn't a little embarrassed.
"What's your name?" He asked me out of nowhere.
"What?" I ask dumbfounded.
"I mean we just ate each other's food basically bonding over how awesome I am, but I don't think we caught your name," he bashfully says.
"I'm Diana and the annoying one is Jay," the girl says.
"I'm Vanessa," I finally answer.
They look at each other before turning to me with big bright smiles. "Can we do this again tomorrow?" He asks optimistically.
I was about to answer when an irritated voice interrupts us. "Hurry up, we're going to be late!"
They both groan as they say goodbye to me leaving me alone in the woods. The magenta hair girl was waiting impatiently for them. Rolling her eyes as she saw them walking from the trees.
"Here carry my bag. I swear you're so rude sometimes. You left me all alone, what were you guys even doing in the woods?" She asks clearly annoyed but doesn't wait for a response. She shoves her bag onto Jay as he grunts from the force and weight of it. She seemed to be carrying everything in that bag. It was bulky.
Both Diana and Jay follow her as she nags to them of how she had to sit all alone like a loner and who knows what would have happened to her.
Dramatic much, I say to myself as I dust myself off. Mark's chuckle startles, rolling my eyes I talk to him. Eavesdropping, are we? I tease.
Nah, you just think too loudly. I enjoyed that though. I thought you didn't want to make new friends. He says.
I'm don't, I say flatly. But we both knew I was a softy. No matter how much I try to act like a hardball I always crack when someone manages to get my sympathy.