I should explain that I have always been socially awkward. But hey, it hardly helps matters when you blurt that out, does it? "What the hell is wrong with you?" - "I'm socially awkward!". Nah. Don't think so (trust me, happened to me one time). Anyway, I don't think it's a clinical term, so people will probably think you're trying to be funny. And failing.
I don't know if it's really my fault I'm so rubbish at friends and all that junk or if I just got shunned for my strange.. interests. And from then on I got so unused to talking to people cos if it, my whole ability to act normally got mucked up. This is what I tell myself if I'm trying to pretend I'm not funny in the head.
Standing at the front of that class room (ready to be sick all over the old cheap tiles) funny was the last thing I was gonna try and be. If there was one thing I knew, it was a buncha people who are NOT friendly. These kids were aggressive. You could tell by their welcoming scowls.
Mrs Brunswick looked like she was already sick of the lot of 'em. "Class, this is our new student, I hope you will all be helpful and kind." I panicked when she looked at me. "Would you like to introduce yourself?"
"No, not really." Damn mouth.
A few tittered.
"Miss Sallow!"
"My name is Jade Sallow, please don't hurt me." They all laughed and I felt my face turn from pale freckles to call 999 and ask for the fire department. And to make matters worse I couldn't help but cower when the teacher glared at me.
"Please take a seat next to Thor." (What kind of dumb name is that?)
I sucked in a breath as Thor raised a hand. I'd ask you to guess why, laugh with glee and shake my head as you suggest Thor is actually very good looking (and I'd be pathetic enough to be moved to gasping by this, HA. No) But y'know, that's really a waste of time as you won't guess it. Of all the possible candidates for a werewolf in the class, that boy was my number one most likely. Oh, AND he didn't look like he wanted to torment the life out of me. This might be the day. This might be a good day.
I thought that for all of two seconds before I tripped on my laces and landed on my face. Only not really, see I like to think I was attacking the floor. Now they were really laughing, and I almost didn't want to get back up and face them at the sound. Cos I heard the change, now they were laughing like: Awesome, found this year's idiot! What a douche! Now they were sneering at me too, a sort of jeering mocking quality coming into their laughter.
Yup! That's me! Yeah, did you know I was the inspiration for the original kick me sign!? Ha- you've heard of them - oh, oh you put one on me? Ha ha! Yeah, ha ha, you rascal you! I know right, I'm like count dorkula!
But I did get up, and I smiled too. Already I'd stopped caring. Though Mrs Brunswick didn't make 'em stop and looked like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I sort of lost my balance as I sank into the chair, but managed to spin my heel so I landed okay and it just looked like I was in a hurry.
Thor smiled and said, "Don't take any notice."
"Hm? Oh, I don't mind." And this was not the first time either. I have a bit of a long standing hatred for laces. An epic battle to last the ages, no matter how tight I tie 'em they always get loose and I REFUSE to keep retying them. Nope, I ain't gonna be the first to cave. One day they'll get SO trampled and muddy they'll be soul crushed and have to stay tied. Maybe. Perhaps.
Fine, it's doubtful at best.
Mrs Brunswick was shifting through papers, looking for something, and I nearly jumped up in excitement when I saw Thor's eyebrows - they reached nearly to his freakin hairline (horizontally, not vertically HA)! Maybe this is is it? Maybe I finally find a werewolf today! They told me it was crazy, they said I was crazy! But I knew they existed, I spent all these years doing every single ritual I found on the internet for becoming one (you'd think one of them would work, right?) and even one from a book I bought in a shop.
