Working Under the Wolf

Working Under the Wolf

Chapter 1: The Snake Tattoo

I struggled to make my way through the crazy sea that was the main hallway in my school. Even if you're not a pushy person, you gotta be around here.

Lakewood High is a racially diverse school with close to 2,000 students and during the few minutes that it takes people to go to there hangout spots there was a possibility that some students would be lost.

Unfortunately for me, my 4th period was located inside the main building, the most pact building and the farthest building from the lunch room.

By the time I got to the lunch line, it would be super long, which sucked.

Right now I wasn't even sure I would survive this jumble. Kids were going this way and that. I felt people's elbows burying inside my sides. I was being pushed by hands and I was pushing others. This was my first day back from going to Mexico to visit a dieing relative. This was the 3rd scare that Uncle Beto had given the family and he always made it. I was convinced that Uncle Beto just did this to get everyone together and visit him.

Because of my sudden visit to Mexico, I missed the first week of Junior year which I was nervous about but it turned out I was nervous for nothing.

The only thing that made me nervous now was the halls, a few more harsh pushes and I was out, thank God!

I walked past the bike stalls, staring at my baby, a cherry red mountain bike, and passed the courtyard to where the vending machines were at. I knew I wouldn't be able to get food because of the line so I figured buying something would be better than nothing.

" Maria!" I heard my name being yelled as I got my chips and soda. I smiled as I recognize the voice of Marisol.

My smile turned to a 'whoa!' when Marisol hopped a little to close to me. I'm not exactly a close range sorta person.

I gently pushed Marisol out of the way. Her blonde curls bounced slightly as she shook her hood.

"Maria, Maria, Maria, you need to get over this fear of yours." she said as she planted her hands on her sweat pants sheathed hips.

It was the middle of fall and in Lakewood with all the trees and mountains around the fall felt like winter so Marisol's grey sweatpants and black thermal long sleeve wasn't out of the ordinary. It was the cool thing to wear. While Marisol looked like a cool, tough chick. I looked like a bloated snowman in my big light grey coat.

"Pssh, yeah, yeah, whatever." I said as I began to walk to the lunch room, Marisol in step with me.

Marisol's curls bounced as she laughed. " You have no idea how much I missed your non-touchiness the first week of school! I had no one to torment!"

I rolled my eyes and pushed her shoulder. "Yeah, well, Uncle Beto got sick again so we all flew down there immediately. I volunteered to stay back because of school but my mom said she wasn't letting me stay alone by myself."

We escaped the chilling air of the outside as we entered the lunch room. During the cold seasons hardly anyone stayed outside at the stone tables and benches, the only people who usually stayed out there was hot and ready couples, stoners and just scary people.

"You could have stayed with me!" said Marisol, her eyes casting a sad glow, her arms stretched out dramatically.

I widened my eyes and laughed. "Pssh, yeah right! They haven't exactly forgiven me since the whole 'Senior Party' fiasco"

Marisol's gave me a look. "I still don't know how you got caught. My parent's didn't find out and I left that party like at 3 in the morning."

Out table was located at the middle of the lunch room but the last one in the corner. We had a clear view of the open lunch room doors. The lunch room wasn't that big so God help the poor kids who ended up sitting near the tables next to the open doors. Our school was pretty cheap, so cheap that the doors inside the lunch room didn't close, they just were left open every day. I'm assuming the money that could go to fixing the doors goes to increasing the teachers coffee budget. The teachers here have 'stress issues' according to my English teacher.