07

CHAPTERS 07

« Weston ? » Hazel’s worried voice breaks my thoughts. I look away from Caspian and my eyes travel back over to Hazel. « I thought he was gone. »

‘That’s what I thought too…’

« Are you okay ? Weston is such a…ugh. » She puffs out a breath of air.

A smile spreads across my face while Hunter laughs. Hazel didn’t curse, she’s pure as snow and has never uttered a curse word but I knew she kept her words purified because her youngest quadruplet, Archer, cursed like a sailor. She’s a potty mouth and Hazel grew to hate it which explains why she never curses. I admire everything about Hazel.

‘I’m fine.’

« Times like this I really wish I could comfort you. » Hazel pouts.

Her eyes told me she wants to hug me but the idea of her affection was unappealing. I love her but I still didn’t want her touching me, I didn’t want to freak out on her.

‘I’ll be fine. I’m tough.’

« That’s true. » Hunter agrees with the nod of his head and I smile at him.

Hazel playfully rolls her eyes.

« But why did Gnashton snap at Weston like that ? They’ve never really interacted before. » Hazel picks up a fry and feeds it to Hunter who sucks it into his mouth instantly, his arm going around her petite waist.

I shrug, tired of this conversation because I’m confused as well. The incident happened during first period, two periods passed by since then and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. My brain began to hurt because I kept conjuring up scenarios as to why he attacked Weston.

Maybe Weston and Gnashton have a feud going on without anyone knowing. Maybe Gnashton had a girlfriend that Weston stole but I’ve never seen Gnashton with a girl. Maybe Gnashton doesn’t have a reason, to begin with, and seeing Weston’s face just set him off. All of these maybes without one really making sense minus the last one that I was planning on going with because it was the only one that really made sense given Gnashton’s personality.

« What did you plan to do for your birthday ? » Hazel asks me.

‘Lock myself in my room binging on Friends while stuffing my face with Moon Pies. Might get up to occasionally pee.’

Hazel and Hunter spoke at the same time as Hazel said :

« Sounds lonely. »

At the same time that Hunter said :

« Sounds like a plan. »

Hazel looks at her mate and gives him a look. It wasn’t a glare because Hazel was literally never angry, ever. It was more of a, ‘are you kidding me,’ look that made me grin slightly.

Before Hazel can suggest I hang out with her, Easton, Eros, and Hunter, the bell rings dismissing us from lunch and to fourth period. I didn’t like hanging out with large groups of people. Socializing, in general, was exhausting even if all I did was sit there. It was hard keeping up in conversation when I had to quickly write down what I wanted to say and show everyone. Sometimes the topic would change and what I wrote became irrelevant and off-topic so I ended up waiting to contribute but by the end of it, my hand would be cramped because I kept writing constantly so I just gave up trying to make friends and interacting in big groups. Besides, a bunch of people in a room was already suffocating, to begin with.

It’s times when I’m in those situations that I begin to think about that single ‘what if’ I tried hard to suppress. That what if I could speak.

I shake my head and release a deep breath through my nose as I rise from the circular table I’m sitting at. I don’t wait up for Hazel and begin to walk out of the cafeteria by myself but slowly because of all the students leaving at once.

The final period went by in a blur, it was art but also the shortest period of the day. The only thing I consistently continued to hear about was the gossip regarding the events that transpired during first period. Version after version, it was all different and very unlike what actually happened. I’m over it all by now but it wasn’t like I could say anything or tell them to shut up. Even if I did speak I couldn’t do that because I didn’t have the courage to.

Eventually, I’m walking out of the back of the school and through the school parking lot trying to find Caspians red SUV. He’s the one who drove me to school and he’d do it all year because I’m afraid of driving. My adoptive parents are afraid of how small my wolf may be because small wolves get mauled in the forest so it isn’t a practical way to get to school but they also pay Caspian too so he does it. Elliot doesn’t know that I know that Caspian gets paid and continues to tell me that Caspian does like me but that’s not true, it’s fine because I didn’t like Caspian either.

I eventually find him. He’s leaning on the door of the driver’s side of the car and he’s talking to a group of six people with there being four males and two females. I throw my head back and groan silently because I really didn’t want to run into people. I’m exhausted and just want to go home, eat, and then sleep. I didn’t have any homework so this is the perfect day to do that since the rest of the year wouldn’t be so relaxed for me.

Okay, this is what I’ll do.

I’m going to walk up to his car and slip into the passenger side before anyone sees me. Caspian talks forever so I may not get home instantly but at least I don’t have to awkwardly wait outside the car while his ‘friends,’ glance at me like I’m some unwanted bug.

Sounds like a plan.