Mel
I said nothing and quietly stood up warping myself in my red duvet. Still trying to wrap my finger around what just happened.
I turned into a wolf, I let my wolf out fully for the first time. I stood on a pile of thorn cloths which happened to be the one I had on when I woke up. My yellow SpongeBob pyjamas with SpongeBob and little Patrick, one of my favorites.
"Seriously!. I don't see why you aren't excited but I am. I thought I was the only red breed lady left in the pack. Now that you're here, maybe everyone will stop being on my neck and being overprotective and maybe move to you a little bit" she began pacing around thoughtfully, "Scarlet you can't go there!. Scarlet you can't go to parties!. Scarlet stay indoors, you have to keep yourself safe. Scarlet don't do this, don't do that. Scarlet don't pull your hair, Scarlet you can't cut your hair! Scarlet you have to be responsible" she mimicked different kind of voices.
"Now, who's daughter are you?. Where have you been this whole time?. Freddy, Anderson and I thought we're the only surviving teenage red breed in Crescent Valley. Anderson is a little older then a teenager but still. Who's your father?. I've never seen you in the pack."
"I told you I'm not from around here" I said wrapping the duvet closer to my body.
Scarlet continued her chat, "Ah! No wonder I've never seen you. It's good to finally meet a girl of my kind. We should be best buds yunno."
I nodded absentmindly, my mind still clouded by the fact that I just change. I became the wolf I've been hiding from my entire life, the abnormal part of me I had chosen not to accept. I just have to stay calm.
Scarlet kept talking about a conditioner she bought a while ago and how amazing it was, I tuned her out completely.
The sound of my new phone ringing merged with Scarlet's voice. Grateful for the distraction, I jumped to unplug it from the socket beside my reading table.
A familiar strange number popped up. This same number had called me a couple of days ago but I just have forgotten to save it on my phone, now I can't recall who it is.
"Hello?."
"Babe, I'm at your school."
Gambi!.
"Gambi?. Hey. Uhm!. Hey. I can't talk right now" I said going back to seat on the bed.
"Actually Mel I'm already at your school!" I could feel him smirking from the other side of the line.
"What?. It's not our visiting day Gambi."
"I know that but I know an inside person on the school board. Anyone can visit the authorities whenever they want so I'm using that excuse to meet you today."
"Oh uhmmm?. I...I..."I stammered. What am I supposed to say?, "Sure" I guess a stroll would keep me out of my own head.
"Oh yeah, great. I'll be at the school building. Apparently they don't allow male visitors straight in the girls dorm, so I'll wait here."
"Okay. I'll meet you there in like 30" I chimed and hung up.
Scarlet cooed, "Okay gist me. I heard everything already."
"Well it's my ex!" I jumped up and began to pace around the bed length unable to focus my mind on what to wear.
I continued ranting, "He and I broke up after his birthday party when I caught him kissing and hugging a bitchy girl named Ivy who I totally hate. And then I stopped going to school and decided to switch to this academy. We haven't seen each other since then, but then he phoned me last week and said he wanted to get back together but I told him I'll think about it and he said he'll visit whenever I have a visiting day but now he's here today because he surprisenly knows a high person in this school. And now Gambi wants to see me."
"Gambi?" She asked with a curious frown.
"He's Italian" I admitted.
"And hot?" She smiled mischievously.
A blush rose to my cheeks, "Yeah" Italians are hot.
Scarlet sat up from the bed, sweeping her red wavy hair to the left, "Ohh! Sinister!. You wanna pretend you're okay and doing great without him?. Count me in!" She jumped up enthusiastically and approached my wardrobe.
I have to admit, Scarlet is the most funnest person I've ever met, not that I've had friends in the past but I quickly warmed up to her catchy, friendly and embracing attitude, as she searched my wardrobe for the perfect cloth to wear to Gambi.
We settled for a mid length black dress with a v neck and straps, I wore slightly high heels just to seem casual and I carried a little white purse. I've had that dress and that shoe for a while but never worn it because I was still conscious but today I was eager to appear good.
She tried to persuade me about my real hair but it was a NO NO for me. Instead, I picked out one of my long black wig that I always use.
"You're going to cover it up!" Scarlet groaned, "Now everyone will still think I'm the only Red haired girl. I'm just going to go ahead and ask whyyy?."
"I don't want anyone to see it" I can't go into details of how I was bullied at my last school for having a striking red hair and eyes, especially not now that Gambi was waiting, "I just don't want to draw attention to myself. You're the only one here who knows so promise me you won't tell anyone."
"I doubt if anyone I know would be interested in your business but sure" she said with a shrug.
"Thanks. I'm ready to go" I twirled in front of the mirror.
"Why do you have so many wigs to cover up your hair?. I don't see why you would hide this beauty" she flipped her own red hair proudly.
I rolled my eyes, "I thought you were interested in my business. Do you mind helping me choose a lipstick?. Red or nude?."
"Go with red. It's more seducing."
And so I did.
*****
Gambi's eyes widened as I approached him slowly, careful not to trip on the little heels I was putting on for the first time. My aunt would be elated I was finally putting on her present.
I noticed his eyes ravel at my body and the curves I hide in baggy clothes till today. I grew up being shy and withdrawn, feeling like I was ugly and needed to be invisible. She so I made myself half invisible in baggy clothes and no make up.
At my old school, I was afraid if the girls saw me appearing this nice they would grow even more jealous and bully me and prank me even more. To stay on a safer side I always wore something extra large.
Gambi never pushed things when we were together. He didn't ask me to dress up like other girls or try to get me to have sex with him. He stopped them from bullying me and he was always kind to me.
As Gambi's brown eyes met mine for the first time, it made my heart skip two beats. I still liked him, it was outrageous for me to have ended things like that and just left.
"Hey.... uhn" I cleared my throat. He tore his gaze back to my eyes as I said, "You remember that shirt uhn?."
He was putting on a jet black polo that I got him a few months back, with a hoodie jacket and ripped jean.
"Shirt?. Oh! Yeah! UHM! yeah" he stumbled over his words and his gaze fell on my hair, "You changed your hair?."
"It's a wig" I whispered, "To prevent what happened the last time" I added.
He nodded thoughtfully, "Can we uhmm?. Can we talk?."
"We're talking already aren't we?. We could go inside?" I pointed towards the entrance door of the school building hoping it wasn't locked. He pushed it open and lo and behold it wasn't.
I was blushing hard by just staring at him.
"Shall we?."