Torn

Chapter one

This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful lady @SassyReads
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Luna!" Is all I heard before I jumped out of my sleep.

I looked around and realised I was sitting at my desk in class. I must've fallen asleep again, that's the third time this week! What is up with me?

I mumbled a quick "Sorry," and tried my best to at least look like I was paying attention for the remainder of the class.

For the past week I have been zoning out and dreaming through memory lane. I kept remembering times were Jason, Qalum, and I used to spend almost every minute of every day together.

Unfortunately that was not the case anymore.

Jason...he mysteriously "moved" one day without warning anyone. Well that is what the teachers and staff told us anyways. They said that Jason's family did not want to be contacted, and even when Qalum and I called Jason's phone several times, he did not answer. He did not even send a simple: "Bye"! It was as if he never existed after a few weeks had passed. Only Qalum and I spoke about him, and that was rarely.

That was when Qalum and I still hung out with each other that is... lately he has also been avoiding my calls and dodging our weekly ice cream trip. Was the pack pressure finally getting to him?

So much for an unbreakable bond!

The shrilling sound of the bell that announced the end of class, dragged me out of my thought's and unfortunately brought me back to reality...which sucks.

I picked up my books from my desk and shuffled out of class to my locker. And as if the world was mocking me, I was stopped by someone who absolutely despised me. Ashley Myers. She, just like most of the student body population, took every chance she had to make my life a living hell. But her remarks and side comments were the least of my worries, so I tried my best not to take it to heart and let it slide. I do not know why Ashley is so cruel to me, perhaps it is just an unwritten rule that my pack has. Pick on the weak ones. The thing that separated Ashley from the other pack bullies was that she did not have to use her body in order to get what she wanted. She was not a slut, or anything close to that. She respected her self, and made sure men respected her too.

"What do you want Ashley?" I sighed, with a slight undertone of disgust.

"Nothing...wait, actually, yeah there was somthing. The party you are planning to have for your big 18th.... Yeah, well no one is going to go." She said with a snicker

I blinked a few times to try to comprehend what she meant by that. She was joking...right?

"What do you mean?" I splutter. Was this some type of crud trick in which she intended to embarrass me by twisting my words or taking them out of context?

She rolled her eyes, and flipped her ever-so-perfect hair, "Are you deaf? It's not happening. No one is going to go. Not even the pathetic humans." With that said she turned on her heel and began to walk away, leaving me astounded.

"Why not?" I cried running to catch up with her. My 18th birthday party was going to be the first party which I actually invited people other than Jason, Qalum, and Dad. It was supposed to reinvent me to the pack. To prove to them that I was worthy of being a pack member.

Ashley threw me an annoyed look and groaned, "Ugh! I don't even know why the Alpha kept you. But I'm sure Qalum will make a much better decision and kick you out the first chance he gets."

Qalum?

"I...he...what?" I stuttered. With what authority was Qalum able to expel me from the pack? Yes, his father was the Beta, unless.... "Qalum is Alpha." I whispered.

Once again Ashley rolled her eyes, "You really are the last to know everything aren't you? Look, Qalum isn't Alpha yet. But he will be. His Ascendant Ceremony will be the same day as your pathetic loser club meeting or whatever it is. Now, stop wasting my time and go get a life." She gave a dry chuckle as if she remembered something, and then scoffed, "Or at least try."

I stood there speechless I didn't know what to think or do. This was big news and the fact that Qalum did not tell me the big news was astounding. He usually told me everything!

After Ashley's announcement, I began heading toward my locker once again to put my books away, before heading home.

Soon enough, my head was clouded with so many thoughts that I didn't notice a person right in front of me until I bumped into them.The impact, caused me to fall backwards and painfully slam my head against the floor. Thankfully, it was not a serious fall and so I knew there was nothing to worry about. When I glanced up, I was shocked to realize who it was.

"Qalum?" I asked whilst looking at him.

He whilst he helped me get up, he apologized, "Sorry"

"It's okay...." I said.

"Ermm... yeah I can explain why I haven't been answering" He said whilst rubbing the back of his neck.

All warmness I felt when I first saw him was gone. I remembered what he had not done and anger flushed through my veins. "No need to. I already know, thanks for telling me. So much for unbreakable bond" I shouted with venom laced in my voice whilst walking away.

He shouted my name but I ignored it. To heck with putting my books back, the faster I get away from him the better I would feel. I walked to my car whilst looking for the key's in my bag. Once i found them, I unlocked the door and sat in the drivers seat. I was sat there for five minutes thinking about everything. I've lost everyone important to me my mum, Jason and now Qalum the only person i had left.

No, I thought to myself. I haven't lost everyone. I still have my Dad.

Although I knew deep down that it hurt him just looking at me, he still was a good father. He provided everything I needed. Especially love when I needed it the most. But I couldn't tell Dad about all the drama that evolved in my life. He already had too much on his mind, my minisicule teenage drama had to take the back seat for the greater good.

Because of my train of thoughts, I had not noticed that I was the only one left at the student parking lot.

The last lame duck, I mentally scoffed at my self while turning on the ignition and pulling out of the parking space. What if I left after graduation? Would my life be much easier?

No. I couldn't leave everything I had ever known behind just because some silly party. They would think I was being a spoiled brat. I have to endure this for Mum. I have to.

Pulling up to the small but cozy two bedroom house that was home, I was quick to take my bag out and lock the doors to the car. Soon enough I opened the door and was engulfed in the acrid smell of something coming from the kitchen.

"Dad?" I called out. Dropping my bag by the front door I went to investigate. Usually I came home to a full home cooked meal that Dad had prepared on his lunch break, but what I found in the kitchen instead was more than unusual. "What on Earth are you doing?" I exclaimed watching him tear page after page from a book and drop it onto a lit pan.

Dad looked glanced up calmly and gave me a broad grin, "I'm Spring Cleaning."

"In the middle of fall?" I began to question his sanity as he continued to rip page after page and drop it into the pan. "You do know that we have a chimney?"

Dad gave me a teasing look, and answered, "Why thank-you for informing me. But that would leave too much evidence."

"Evidence of what?"

His smile grew even wider, "Evidence that we are debt free!" He then dropped the book completely into the pan and ran over to embrace me. "I did it Luna! I paid off everything! The house, your car, everything! I even have a little left over if you decide to move away for school once you graduate."

Ever since Mum died we have been through some rough times economically. After Mum's death, Dad fell into a deep state of depression that forbid him from working for several months. During that time, he fell behind in the house payment which made him go into debt. It has taken him quite a while to come back out of his dark shell and start looking toward the future, not the past.

But I was glad he did, because I have a feeling that I'm going to need a bit more of his support soon...