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After a few long minutes of silence, we made it to our class. I introduced myself to the teacher before sitting down. Caspian sat right next to me and got out one single pencil. Of course, that’s all he had. Girls were much more organized and had the cutest school supplies. Boys never got all excited over that kind of stuff like we did. They were really missing out.
He explained to me that on a block schedule the classes I had today, which was a Friday, would be the same classes I had on Monday and Wednesday. My classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays would be different though.
“Do you know what this teacher is like?” I wondered if she was a hard ass or one of those teachers who just wanted to see you put in the effort.
“Mrs. Langford is an excellent professor. She’ll let you know if she doesn’t like your work. She’s honest.” He winked at me before the teacher cleared her throat to alert us that class was starting. Mrs. Langford made her way to the front of the class.
"Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen. I hope you all had a wonderful summer and kept up on the summer reading.”
Thankfully I had read all of the books on her reading list.
“We have a new student with us today. Brooke Woodrow, would you like to stand up and introduce yourself?”
I hated when teachers did this. I wasn’t super nervous, but I definitely wasn’t trying to draw attention to myself on the first day as the new girl. I rose confidently and pulled my hair to one side and brushed my skirt off, which by the way, was a little shorter than I had anticipated.
“Hi. I’m Brooke. I just moved from North Carolina with my mom and I’m very excited to be here.” I looked around before I sat down.
“We’re excited to have you here, baby.” I heard a few whistles and catcalls.
“We’ll have none of that.” Mrs. Langford said as she scowled at the boys who objectified me loudly. I looked over at Caspian who scanned the room to see who had made such a barbaric comment. The heat in my cheeks was hot and embarrassing so I tried to shove it down as far as I could.
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The class went by pretty quickly and I felt good knowing that I had read all of the books that were assigned for the semester. Mrs. Langford assigned a seven-page essay to discuss the corruption of the American Dream, which by the way was not a;; it was cracked up to be. After class Caspian and I made our way to pick up Amanda.
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“Did you enjoy Mrs. Langford's lecture?” He looked quizzically at me waiting for my response. I wasn’t really sure how to answer him. It was too soon to tell if I liked it or not.
“It was fine.” He looked puzzled.
“Was she too harsh for your liking?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’ll take some time to adjust for sure.”
“Maybe we could study after school today? The essay sounds pretty killer and it might be nice to work on it together.”
“Sure we could do that. Do you want to study here or at my apartment?” He took a minute to think about it before answering.
“Hmmm. Maybe your apartment? It would be nice to see your mom again.” In reality, he knew what a great cook my mom was. When we were younger she made the best snacks for lake days. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ate most of the leftovers.
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“Sure. She would love to see you.” As we rounded the corner we came upon Amanda's class. She was standing outside waiting for us. She looked radiant. Dang, it. She was so pretty and she complimented Caspian so well. It was hard to despise this captivating copper-headed beauty before me. She was charming as all get out and I almost felt calm when she was around.
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It was weird. I really thought that he had feelings for me. I mean, the way he studied my body was undeniable, unless of course, it is. No, it wasn’t all in my head. I could feel his eyes on me, hell I could see his eyes wander over my body every time I saw him. So, what was going on? We walked over to Amanda and started walking towards our next class.
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“Are you ready?” Caspian took her hand in his and led us to her next class. I think it was algebra from what I could hear from their conversation. Once we arrived at her class she said goodbye and went into the room. Watching them separate their adjoining hands made my stomach feel all light and panicky. I didn’t understand the flood of emotions in my midsection. It was almost as if my body enjoyed the sight of them together like this was the universe's way of telling me they were bond mates after all. When I tried to think differently my body rejected the idea as I felt the bile rising in my throat. What the hell was this?
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“Alrighty, what class is next?” Caspians deep, slightly hoarse voice pulled me from the deep and never-ending chasm of my mind. I pulled the schedule from my book bag and unfolded it completely, letting go of the sickly feeling I had just seconds ago.
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“Honors Government with Mr. Sullivan.” Caspian's eyes lit up but I could see how he tried to dim them. He shook his head before we started walking in the opposite direction.
“What? Is something wrong?” He pulled out his schedule and showed me as I caught up to him.
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“We have that class together too it seems.” I tried to squish the excitement that was bubbling up inside me. I felt like my insides were made of Coca Cola and I just swallowed a pack of mentos. He was taken and he was happy. I guess I can support Caspian regardless of my emotions. We were best friends after all. We walked and talked on our way to class. Once inside the classroom, I made it to the teacher's desk and introduced myself.
“It’s nice to meet you, Brooke, I’m Mr. Sullivan. Sit wherever you’d like.” I took my seat next to Caspian and pulled out my notebook and pencil. I felt him staring at me again. I turned to him and saw him staring at my parted thighs. I knew my skirt was a little shorter than I had anticipated but geez it wasn’t that bad.
“What?” I closed my legs even though they were hardly parted and used my cardigan as a modesty shield. He cleared his throat before answering. Busted.
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“Wait, what? Sorry, I must have zoned out there.” He shifted awkwardly in his seat, sweat beading on his temples. His voice sounded a bit strained, but I wasn’t worried. It seemed like he was trying to play it off.
“Oh, nothing. I just thought I saw something.” LOL. Yeah, saw him looking at my thighs which were hardly split and he bore into my center.
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He looked down at his desk with his lips between his teeth. Did I make him uncomfortable? Good. Wait, no that’s not good. He. Has. A. Girlfriend. A role that isn’t filled by me. God this was hopeless.
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Mr. Sullivan made his way to the front of the room and welcomed everyone back from the summer break. Thankfully, he didn’t encourage me to get up and introduce myself. He simply stated that I was the new student and carried on with the lecture. I chewed on the end of my pen and let the cap rest on my bottom lip thoughtlessly. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Caspian’s hand clenching into a tight fist by his side.
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Worried, I asked, “Caspian, are you okay?” I was concerned at his pale complexion and tightened neck.
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He breathed a heavy breath and sighed. “Yes, of course. Just frustrated, that's all.” I laughed.
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“The democracy system can be pretty frustrating.” I joked, not understanding why he looked so weird.
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“You’re telling me.” Confusion filled my mind as I turned back to the front of the room. So I definitely did have some sort of effect on him. Then again, all high school boys were always thinking about sex. My short skirt probably wasn’t doing him any favors.
After class, the girl next to me introduced herself. “I’m Lacey. Your name is Brooke right?” She had really pretty long blonde hair and green eyes.
“That’s me.” I returned her smile and she asked what my next class was. “Next, I have trigonometry.”
“Oh, so do I, who do you have?”
I was so hoping we had the same teacher so I would know one familiar face. Once again I pulled out my crumpled-up schedule. “It looks like I have... Mr. Howard.” Lacey giggled at the information.
“Great, so do I! I’ll walk you there!” She was super friendly and I wasn’t worried about her ditching me if she spotted her friends in the hallway. There was something about her smile that made me trust her. Weres were like that sometimes. It was very obvious to me that she was one with her bouncy curls and vanilla scent that was so strong I thought someone was baking cookies.
I let Caspian know that I had someone else to show me, my next class. I could have sworn he looked relieved by the news. Probably because he was tired of showing me around and feeling obligated not to leave me.
“Sure thing. Amanda and I will wait for you after class.”
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“I’ll see you after class.” As Caspian turned the other way to go to his class a draft carried his scent directly to me and I was enveloped by it. I was at his mercy with his citrus and woodsy scent wrapping around me. His aroma was driving me crazy and being a she-wolf, my senses were already heightened. I could feel my body losing control-312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwq5B3izHz
“Yep. He's totally sexy, huh?" Lacey said. I had to do a double-take and make sure she was talking to me.
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"It's literally so distracting," I admitted.
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"I know last year I had a grossly huge crush on him. I ended up getting his number and we texted a few times. After a few weeks, he said I was a great 'friend.' I didn't come to school for an entire week." She pretended to fight back tears. I could not control my laughter. He has never been known to be discreet.
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“I don’t know. I’ve known him practically my entire life and I promise you, he hasn’t always looked so…” I couldn't finish my sentence.
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“So fine?” Lacey finished for me. I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"Who says fine anymore?" She rolled her eyes at me. "My mom doesn't even talk like that." I laughed mocking her.
"Next time I'll call him a hot piece of meat." We laughed walking into class. 312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yCsRAHMP2
Mr. Howard continued the tradition of welcoming everyone back to school and carried on with this lecture. Class flew by and we already had so much homework on the first day of school.
“So what did you think of Mr. Howard?” Lacey raised her eyebrows as she asked me, anticipating a knowing answer.
"He seems nice enough. I'm happy he didn't assign any homework I don't know if I can take anymore." I seriously didn't realize how bad these students had it. I have never had homework on the first day.
"Yeah, he's really nice....to look at." Okay, so Lacey was definitely on the prowl.
“He’s like forty.” I chided.
“So? Hot is hot. But I did hear that he bought a fake wedding ring because a lot of females, and some male, students kept coming on to him." She said.
"At least you're smart enough not to try anything after knowing that information," I told her shrugging my shoulders. 312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmthFDmvCh
"Yeahhhh, no I'm not. I want a piece of that." I laughed out loud several times during our conversation. This girl was not shy at all about who she found attractive.
"How much do you know about Amanda?" That was a little too direct but I needed answers.
"Mandy is super sweet. Why? She rub you the wrong way?" She asked.
“No! Not really. Caspian just never mentioned her.” Lacey bobbed her head up and down as she listened. Rolling her lips in and out she answered. 312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhvFxU7vJp
“They’re kind of off and on. So, it must be a complicated relationship. I know last year they had a nasty fight about his commitment to her, but I guess they resolved it.” My stomach sank. I knew, KNEW I shouldn’t pine after a taken man. But this was Caspian we were talking about.
She replied again, “Every girl here would get down on her knees and beg for his attention. I’m sure that’s exactly where he would want them too.” I laughed loudly at her gross remark trying to think of the tall, lanky Caspian I remembered from when we were kids. It was hard to imagine him... doing those... activities.
Capsian and Amanda turned the corner and walked down the brightly lit hallway towards us. Great.
“Hey, guys. How was class? How do you guys feel about Mr. Howard?” He smiled at me as he waited for my response, but instead, Lacey answered.
"Class was amazing and so was Mr. Howard," Lacey answered confidently. I couldn't take her seriously and started laughing.
"What's so funny? Did we miss the joke?" Amanda questioned seeming put off.
I lowered my eyebrows at her changed demeanor. "Ummm, no. Mr. Howard's class seems like it will be a lot of fun." I smiled. I don't know why she sounded so weird. She seemed so nice before but all traces of kindness were gone.
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We walked to the courtyard located in the center of the school. Poison ivy stretched around the corners of the building for an added layer of protection. It allowed our kind to come and go without detection from warlocks and witches. If they caught wind of us we would cease to exist since we threatened the strength of their powers. For centuries we've been at war. One scratch from a werewolf and they lose their powers forever. But, if they cast certain spells on our kind we could be in our wolf form permanently.
One side of the courtyard was completely open, permitting a beautiful backdrop of the city. We didn’t have anything close to this beauty in Hendersonville. Lacey led Caspian, Amanda, and myself to a table with a few people.
“Brooke, this is Jamie,” She said as Jamie gave me a small wave and smile, “And this is Aiden.”
Icy blue eyes, black jet hair that shined deeply, and a blemish-free complexion greeted me kindly.
The next one who spoke, had big round eyes and ashy brown hair, sort of like mine, was Jamie.
“New York must be a big change from Hendersonville.” It wasn’t a question. "My family and I used to visit every summer."
“Yes. But I’m excited to do some sightseeing and learn about the city. I’ve always wanted to go to the Museum of Modern Art. I’ve heard it’s beautiful.” Being an art enthusiast I've been so curious to see all the different mediums and artists. 312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnffUrX0mL
They all nodded in agreement. Caspian and Amanda had been whispering quietly on the other side of the table since we sat down. She sat on his lap kissing his neck, leaving a trail of pink lipstick as if to mark her territory. Heat began to rise in my stomach, bubbling into my throat. The sight of him staring adoringly into her eyes ignited the bitterness I could now taste on my lips. His hand was woven through her velvet red hair, her legs crossed over his lap just below his member, and fury kindled within my heart as I stared at them. Although I knew no one at our table could see the emotional bloodshed raging within my limbs, I tried to douse my irritation. Amanda lifted her head slightly and caught sight of me examining their every move. I quickly shook my head and began to pull apart the sandwich in front of me averting my gaze. Jamie and Lacey were having a sidebar while Amanda and Aiden bonded over their love for alternative rock. My focus was redirected to Caspian. He saw my head pointed in his direction and we locked eyes. 312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnghSZmIRQl
Intensity was the best way to describe what was happening. His eyes never wavered as he studied my face. I couldn’t tell if he was studying me to find the things he didn’t like or the opposite. As I wondered, a nauseating blow hit my stomach and whirred around in my brain. I suddenly felt the need to hurl but couldn't force it out. I steadied my breathing and took a healthy sip from my water bottle. My closed eyes lessened the nausea feeling and I quickly glanced around to see if anyone had noticed my sudden onset of illness. No. Not one of them seemed to notice. Well, I guess that was good. I looked over again at Caspian and his face held a weird expression but I couldn't tell what it was. Strange. Maybe Aunt Flo was coming sooner than later.
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As the conversation carried on I felt enthralled and calmed by the beauty surrounding me. The ground was entirely made of brick. Virginia creepers scaled the walls, allowing for a more rustic feel in such an urbanized setting. I couldn’t help but look all around. The small-town girl bewilderment I was exuding must have caused a stir at our table because everyone talked at once. Jamie suggested we all take a fairy out to see the Statue of Liberty, while Lacey recommended the M&M factory that was located on 1600 Broadway. Aiden on the other hand had another idea. He told us that his band was going to be playing at a new venue tonight and invited each of us to come.
“I’ll give each of your names to the bouncer so you’ll be able to come in without any I.D.’s.” Tonight would be the first time I went out into the city. Apparently, Aiden was the lead vocalist and guitarist for his band. He pulled a few flyers from his pocket showing us the address and the time they would be performing.
“Brooke, think you can make it tonight?” His smile lit a small fire of panic in the pit of my stomach. Why was he asking me?
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“I should be able to.” I swallowed the awkward lump in my throat. I took the flyer and examines the words. "Curfew." The flyer read.
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He lazily strolled away I couldn't help but stare after him. His black skinny jeans made some parts of him very apparent. His light grey shirt clung to his muscled shoulders and biceps. He was intriguing and someone I wouldn’t usually be interested in. Too hot, I would remind myself. Hot guys always break the most hearts and hymens. God help me these New York boys would be the death of me. Why were they all so attractive and so far from reach?Well, this should be exciting.
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Amanda eyed the flyers carefully and showed them to Caspian. I wondered if they would be making an appearance at the show tonight. To my curiosity, Jamie spoke.
“Hey, mind if Lacey and I take the last two flyers? You guys can take a pic if you want,” she said. 312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyerVyN6eo9
“No, not at all. We actually were invited to a party tonight. Tiffany’s parents are out of town and is throwing a huge bash,” he said. 312Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSLzJ11U6Y
A party full of teenagers and alcohol sounded like the perfect mix for trouble.
“You guys should stop by after the show! It would be so fun to have everyone there!” Amanda exuded excitement as she spoke. It seemed like she really wanted us there and it was a nice feeling. Much nicer than how she seemed earlier.
Lacey and Jamie looked at each other and then at me.
"Yeah, I'm in. You guys?" Jamie asked Lacey and me.
"Duh," Lacey said. They all looked at me waiting for me to answer.
"Absolutely," I smiled as I answered them.
The bell rang indicating lunch was over and our next class was about to start.
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