Shapeshifter

Chapter One: School

The teacher started talking and I zoned out, still staring out the window. I had other things on my mind, like my eighteenth birthday - which was today. It was a day to spend with family and friends but I hadn't seen my actual family in over a year. They betrayed me and I couldn't go back. I couldn't and I wouldn't. Someone nudged me in the side, snapping me out of my thoughts and sending me back into reality, or more accurately, hell; Math. "Ow!" I growled, glaring at the person who elbowed me.

"Cj Jenkins?" The teacher asked. I looked up at her.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Pay attention. Mark Johnson?" I scowled and listened to the teacher mark the rest of the roll. When the roll was marked, we were instructed on what we had to do today. Pythagoras' theorem. She stopped talking after a few minutes and everyone got started on the work. I looked around the room before I glanced at the opened textbook. Triangles and many words covered the pages.

"Ugh." I complained to myself. I ran my fingers through my silky brown hair and blew out a deep breath. I tapped the end of my pen on the desk, earning a stern glare from my teacher. When she looked away, I rolled my eyes. Old cow, I thought to myself. She didn't help me much. I always got help from Mandy.

"Do you need help, Cj?" Mandy asked. I looked at her and smiled.

"Yes, thanks. Math is the only thing I can't get my head around." I said. Mandy grinned and made me mentally cringe. She was too enthusiastic about math. English, I was great at, it was one of my favourite subjects. Science, I wasn't the best, but I was still better than some in my class. Pe, I was a pro at! Geography, I loved. History, well, that was on my list of non-favourite subjects, and math... Let's not go there. 

I stared at the triangle on the page in front of me. I pushed the textbook away. "Why do we need to learn about Pythagoras' Theorem? When, in my life, will I ever need to measure a triangle using A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared?" I complained, making Mandy laugh. It wasn't funny, I was dead serious, but I sighed and looked at the textbook again, groaning and resting my forehead on the desk, mumbling, "I give up."

The bell finally sounded and I mentally sighed. I packed up my things and left for my next class - English. I sat down at the back of the classroom, where I sat by myself. No one wanted to sit next to me and I was glad they didn't. No one talking to me and annoying me, it was just me and my thoughts. And of course, my English teacher who came and talked to me every now and then, as she did to most of the students in the class. When we didn't do much work in a lesson, I'd spend the time drawing pictures - of horses, wolves and panthers - I'd read, or just stare out the window, as I occasionally did in most of my classes. It let me escape the stress, if there was any, from school. I would go into some trance and dream or think about things.

My English teacher, Ms Robinson knew more about me then most of the students in the whole school. She understood what I had been through and she listened to me. She could tell if I was unsettled, distressed or just not happy through the day and she'd understand if I wanted to just sit. Most of the students in my class were nervous around me or just ignored me, so no one would bother with what I did or didn't do. In this class at least.

One of those days was today and I just stared at my desk with all my books and equipment out, not doing any work. Ms Robinson looked at me and frowned as I looked up at her, then back to my desk, opening one of my books and scribbling before drawing a horse.

The time passed quickly. By the time it was five minutes before the bell, I had finished my drawing; a horse rearing. I felt no proudness from completing it, I just frowned. "Ok everyone you can pack up now and talk quietly amongst yourselves." Ms Robinson instructed. Straightaway, everyone talked to their friends and put everything back in their bags. I slowly collected all my stuff and put them in my bag too but I paused when Ms Robinson sat next to me. She was one of the younger teachers, early twenties. She had light brown hair, which she wore in a high pony tail, and brown eyes; and today she wore navy blue jeans and black T-shirt. I looked at her and gave her a small smile. "What's up?"

I sighed, "It's my birthday today." I said sadly.

"Ah," she sag back in her chair. "It must be hard not being able to spend it with your family."

I nodded and looked down. "Yeah," I agreed. "Leo and Sebastian are my family now. They are like my older brothers and sometimes they act like a father."

"How is it? Living with those two?" Ms Robinson asked and I laughed sadly.

"It's interesting. At least the two actually help cook and clean. Then again, when they don't, they know I'll 'persuade' them to help." I said with a laugh and Ms Robinson smiled.

"Of course. I'm sure the 'persuading' works well." She said.

"There's only a few threats." I said. We both laughed quietly. "No, they're really good and they always help. Sometimes they're the ones doing most of the work." She smiled.

"Have they planned anything for your birthday?" She asked.

I snorted, "I certainly hope not. Those two should never be trusted with planning my birthday. They'll have something up their sleeves which will be hilarious and most probably embarrassing for me."

Ms Robinson chuckled and stood up, pushing the chair back under the table. "Happy birthday Cj."

I smiled. "Thanks, Miss." I watched her walk to the front of the room where she talked to a few other students and I sat back in my chair, waiting for the bell.

Edited 01/12/2017