Becoming the Cheetah

21 - Only me

"Bye Victoria," Flame said as I left his house right before he quickly kissed me on the forehead. 

The feeling of his lips on my skin gave me that familiar, comforting warmth that felt me longing for more. I blushed and started walking. It had been nice to spend a little time with his pack, though I still felt like an outsider there they had warmed up to me considerably since last time. Everyone seemed to want to talk to me, even Talon gave me a smile as I glanced in his direction. Summer was really friendly as always. Even if she is a lot older than me she still was nice to be around. She was my favourite. The others, there just always seems to be something off about them. Even though they were friendly there was just something. Something that I couldn't quite place.

I noticed my walking speed again. I seemed to be walking really fast. How am I doing this? I've never really been that fast before. Is this some sort of new skill I have randomly gotten? Maybe I should try running. I hadn't ran since the night in the forest. If it even really happened.

I looked around to make sure no one was watching me. There was no one walking in this street so it was all clear. There were cars rushing past though but I don't think they would really care or be able to see me. It was a highway after all. I took a deep breath and then started running. 

It was unbelievable I was so fast, the world around me was a blur. The wind ruffled my hair and stung my eyes a little but that didn't matter. This was so much fun. I laughed in delight and as I ran faster. Somehow I was even keeping up with the cars beside me. A child sitting in the back seat noticed me and he beamed at me. I smiled back and pushed my self further. This is amazing! I almost felt like I was flying!

I almost felt sad when I had to stop running because I got to my house but as soon as I stopped I was really out of breath. Exhaustion winded me so panting I sat down on my doorstep. I would go in when I caught my breath, wouldn't want to alarm my mother. Even though I was so tired it felt incredible I know I couldn't do it right away but I wished I could run again it was the most fun I had had in a long time. I felt free and fearless. Complete foreign concepts to me most of the time.

***

I keep noticing strange new things about myself. My reflexes were so sharp, my brothers were shooting at me with their nerf guns and I was able to dodge every bullet and even able to catch some in my hands. It was like everything slowed down when they were shooting but I was still fast. Also, my left eye has become even brighter, it's starting to become noticeable which is a little concerning. It was lavender to the royal purple of my right eye. Do I have some sort of disease or something? Maybe some sort of reverse disease because I felt better than I've ever felt but I didn't think a reverse disease exists or if that is even a thing. I felt powerful, more powerful than I ever had my body just felt stronger like I could do so much more. I went to a tattoo parlour they said that this wasn't a tattoo and that it was some sort of birthmark. It was a part of the skin, not just ink sitting on top of it. Except I only just got this mark and it is in the perfect shape of a cat. Also is it pitch black, I've never heard of a birthmark being that colour before. I didn't tell them that though, they would think I was crazy.

Back at school, Flame, Griffin and I were standing at my locker waiting for the bell to ring. Griffin was staring at me weirdly. He had been all day. He was about to tell me something during homeroom but Flame told him to shut up and they spoke about something outside the classroom. I am sort of curious about what they were talking about but it was probably just pack stuff. Still, I wish they wouldn't keep these secrets from me with my brushes with the vampires nothing can really scare me at this point. Though Griffin's staring has made me uncomfortable, he hasn't been himself today. No loud outbursts. No annoying questions. No random hugging. What Flame must have told him has really affected him. He won't even let me come close to him. 

A little voice at the back of my mind told me it was because of my eyes, they were even more weird than normal and that was the reason for Griffin's withdrawal. I was making him uncomfortable.

When Flame realised Griffin was staring at me he slapped him across the back of the head, "Stop that."

"Sorry," Griffin muttered and looked away.

"What's going on?" I asked them keeping my eyes to the ground.

"Don't worry it's just the vampires annoying us, nothing that concerns you," Flame told me, but for some reason, I could tell he was lying. There was way more to what was happening, something he wasn't telling me.

"Ok...." I replied. I should believe him, he wouldn't keep secrets from me, Would he?

The bell rang and they both said bye to me and walked off to their lockers. I got my books out of my locker. Since I had maths I would be able to ask Mr Pan what happened. I would demand some answers. Although it probably didn't happen and he will probably give me an answer that doesn't make any sense but he owed me something at least.

I walked to my math classroom and sat down in my usual seat. All the other students came in too. the anticipation was killing me, I kept my eyes glued to the door. Mr Pan is a little late, I guess. He probably has godly things to do. I giggled at that and a few people looked at me like I was insane. The mismatched eyes probably didn't help with that.

Someone walked into the classroom, I turned my head to see Mr Pan on his crutches but instead, I saw just my regular old mortal non-god maths teacher Mr Carlson.  Where was he? I needed to ask him some questions! The one time I really needed him to be there he wasn't there. That was just typical, he shows up at such random times good and bad but the one time I really needed him!

I tried to control my anger.

I raised my hand Mr Carlson looked at me and nodded.

"Where is Mr Pan?" I asked.

Mr Carlson gave me a funny look "Who is Mr Pan? Do you mean Peter Pan? And to that question I would answer Neverland".

The other students in the class laughed. There was no sense of recognition on any of their faces. The name Mr Pan meant nothing to any of them. All of them seemed to have forgotten all about Mr Pan. Was I really the only one that could see him or something? How could they have forgotten about him, they were in this class too!

I sat down with my face burning red and kept quiet thorough the lesson though nasty comments from the other students I heard in whispers. I tried to block them out but my earing had seemed to improve or maybe it was just the fact I was so self-conscious.

After class, I was going to find out if Mr Pan was ever here or was I just in some sort of weird dream. A lot of strange things have been happening to me lately so I wouldn't really be surprised. I walked into student reception and the lady at the office looked at me.

"I am here to see a teacher called Mr Pan," I told her secretly crossing my fingers she would know about him.

"Mr Pan? ...." She raised an eyebrow, glancing sceptically at me over the monitor. Damn ..... maybe he was just a dream.

"Thank you," I told her and walked off. That was kind of embarrassing.

***

I stood in the middle of the footpath. 

Waiting. 

This is where I first met Mr Pan and he had been here other times before this so I thought if he really did exist he would be here.

Hours passed as I stood alone on the street. I was starting to get cold and it was also starting to get dark. There was no sign of him. My mother would be worried if I didn't get home soon; I started walking home. I felt at a loss.

Mr Pan really must have been just a crazy dream. I was the only one that could remember.

Published - 28/4/2014

Edit 1 - 1/12/2016

Edit 2 - 7/11/2020