Hooked

Chapter One: Pilot

Photo on the side is Barbara Palvin as Sophie Thwaite. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Chapter One: Pilot

"But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more." -Hans Christian Andersen

I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so betrayed.

In fact, I didn't recall ever feeling as awful as I felt when I left Will, my boyfriend of nearly eleven months, staring at my mermaid form in utter horror and hatred. It was a terrible feeling to know that someone I loved completely could flip a switch so quickly and shove me out of his life.

I pushed my scattered thoughts to the back of my head as I drove into the college parking lot in Chalance, South Carolina. I'd been here for a week, staying in a grimy hotel on the outside of the city limits. Although it was in an undesired part of town and judged as dangerous, it was the best I could afford until I could find a job or start college here.

I exited my car and walked up the steps to the main office. Chay University was a quiet, private college that I'd been accepted into only two days ago; today I would choose my courses and familiarize myself with the way things worked in this school.

A small woman who appeared to be in her early forties sat behind a large desk in the lobby of the Main Building. As I walked toward her, she glanced up and smiled politely.

"Hello, how may I help you, dear?" Her voice had a gentle undertone.

"I'm Sophie Thwaite. My application was accepted a few days ago, I'm here to choose my courses."

She looked down at the computer on the desk and typed quickly, and my enhanced senses caught my name being tapped into the system.

"Oh, yes. Miss Thwaite, it says that you are experienced in marine sciences and care. Would you like to continue that here?"

She handed me several sheets of paper with the listings of different classes. After scanning in briskly, I chose courses with somewhat appealing names and handed it back to her, watching as she scanned the paper and gave me a large packet.

She smiled, "This is all the information you'll need about the school and your new courses. If you have any questions, call the number on the top of the folder, okay? It was nice meeting you, Miss Thwaite."

"And you," I mumbled out of habit.

As the door shut behind me, I swallowed in a deep, slow breath and tried to convince myself that this was the best thing for me. If he exposed me, I'd lose everything; this was the only way I could think of to stay out of laboratories. Shuddering internally, I once again pushed the thoughts away and began walking towards my car. My eyes wandered around the large campus and took in the sight of several groups practicing sports or simply relaxing with friends, and suddenly I felt a small ping in my chest. When I'd left home to come to Chalance, I'd left more than just Will behind; all of my friends hadn't seen me in over a week. I'd ignored their calls, and now I felt a bit ashamed at my runaway, cowardly behavior. It wasn't that I didn't want to speak to them, it was that I didn't want to admit that they'd been right about Will: any surprises would send him sprinting out my door and straight to his next girl.

I deposited the packet of papers inside my car, deciding that I'd read through them tonight when I needed a distraction from the thoughts in my head. Clicking the lock, I left my purse in the front seat and began walking about the campus, only keeping my keys with me as I tried to commit the building numbers to memory.  I'd walked for nearly twenty minutes, and the layout of CU was becoming easier to understand. Everything was simple and convenient for, save that every few blocks I'd come upon one of the large, beautiful fountains that I knew I'd have to strictly avoid. Giving away any part of my shifter identity had proven to be an awful thing in the past, and I wasn't at all keen on repeating that horror ever again.