She-Wolf

Chapter One; Luke

Phew! Finally- a rewritten chapter one! Onto chapter two... *sigh*

It was only the first day of school- first period hadn't even started yet- and I was already done. I was overstimulated, all the people, the sounds, the scents, it was just too much for me. I rubbed my temples in an effort to get rid of a headache, only to have it flare up even more as the trailer door slammed, two boys entering mid-conversation.

"For all I know you could be one too!" one practically yelled, playful accusation clear in his tone. I grimaced, anticipating the other guy's response. There was lots of racism(species-ism?) towards my kind, nowadays. I heard it everywhere.

"Shut up dumbass," a deep voice responded. His tone was exasperated, a little annoyed, but I could hear the affection he held for the original speaker. "You know full well I'm not a fucking werewolf." And there it was.

I cringed at the distaste in his tone on that disgusting word. 'Werewolf'. At first, I had been proud to wear that title, but my pride had quickly been snuffed out, replaced with shame. Werewolves were nothing but vile beasts, monsters destined to a life of violence and evil. Well, according to my mother they were. I wasn't sold on the idea that all werewolves were bad, but that didn't stop her words from getting to me.

The first boy spoke up again, sounding excited. "You might not be, but have you seen all the people in this school? There's bound to be at least a few! It could be anyone! That boy over there, that girl... maybe even a teacher!"

A third voice joined the conversation. "Be quiet, Luke. If there are any werewolves- which is highly unlikely- you've probably already offended them. They probably can hear you, you know."

I felt my face heat up as I slouched in my seat, trying to make myself look small and invisible. One of the boys inhaled sharply. "Kota! Look! That girl is blushing. Do you think she's a werewolf? You said they can hear us!" He had whispered as if he thought I wouldn't be able to hear, causing my uncomfortably warm face to grow even warmer.

The second boy piped back up. "I doubt she's a werewolf, idiot. I mean, aren't werewolves supposed to be all hairy and ugly and shit?"

"What's to say a werewolf can't look nice?" Luke said, sounding offended.

"Gabe, stop it. Mr. B doesn't want you swearing in school," Kota reprimanded, then, as an afterthought added, "And Luke is right. There's nothing to suggest werewolves can't take care of themselves and look nice."

Luke interjected something along the lines of a victorious 'I told you so!' I think, but his words were drowned out by the high pitched ring of the bell. I almost whimpered at the earsplitting volume.

I had a feeling it was going to be a long school year.

~ | ~ | ~

The class period passed surprisingly quickly, the English teacher simply reviewing class expectations and rules, and then passing out a syllabus with the warning we started working on our poetry unit tomorrow. Most of the class groaned at that, but I was actually kind of excited. I hadn't tried my hand at poetry before, but I really loved reading it- especially lyrics! Who knows? Maybe it'd be fun.

A boy squeezed out the door behind me as I started back towards the school from the trailer, his chocolate brown eyes warm and friendly. He had a strong chin, and high cheekbones, with skin a shade darker than mine. His blond hair was so long it almost reached past his shoulders, pulled back into a bun, though a few strands hung free. With his model-like looks, I'd imagine he was popular with the ladies. "What's got you smiling?" he asked, and I recognized him to be Luke. "Have you found a way to get out of poetry?"

"No, I actually think it'll be interesting," I said, shifting my backpack so it would stay on my shoulders as I reached for the school doors. "Poetry is actually pretty cool- give it a chance."

Luke cocked an eyebrow, looking at me like I was crazy. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," I repeated, but my voice was lost in the crowded hallway.

"What class are you headed to?" Luke asked, but before I could respond he blurted out, "Actually, I never got your name. I'm Lucian Taylor, but my friends call me Luke."

"Sang," I said, hoping he could hear me now that I was talking louder. "And I'm on my way to Geometry."

"Sang? That's a unique name." Luke frowned as he stopped in the middle of the hall, glancing towards the library door. "I've got study hall, but if you have sixth-period lunch you should find me and my friends and sit with us in the courtyard."

I wanted to put more thought into the idea- I hadn't ever been invited to sit with anyone at my old school- but if I just stood around in the hall thinking I'd be late. I didn't want a detention on my first day. "I'll think about it," I said. "See you at lunch, maybe."

Luke flashed me a smile, looking as if he had won some sort of prize as he slipped into the library. 

~ | ~ | ~

By the time lunch rolled around, I was still uncertain. I was tempted to sit with Luke and his friends, but I had no idea if my sister was in my lunch period. If she saw me sitting with boys she'd tell our mother, and if our mother found out... my knees ached with phantom pains.

Not to mention I wasn't sure how Luke or his friends would react if they figured out I was a werewolf. Gabe had sounded racist, honestly, and something in Kota's tone had me cringing. Luke seemed intrigued by the idea, but how would that affect his attitude towards me? Would I become more of an experiment than a friend? 

I groaned. I was getting ahead of myself. All he had done was ask if I wanted to sit with him and suddenly I was classifying myself as his friend. Why was I imagining a future with friends? I wasn't really capable- or allowed to- make friends.

"Sang..." a familiar voice whispered, catching me off guard. My eyes were immediately drawn to the courtyard where Luke stared at me through the open doors, and I shifted uncomfortably in the lunch line, quickly drawing my gaze back to my feet. "Sang, can you hear me?"

Oh lord. He was totally onto me. He had been so certain in class that I could be a werewolf, now he was trying to test his theory.

I sighed. I wouldn't be able to sit with him. Not if I wanted to keep my secret.

~ | Luke | ~

I watched as Sang approached the lunch line, her hips swaying as she seemingly floated across the floor. She looked confident but restless, as if ready to break out into a run at a moment's notice. Almost like a wolf.

Quietly, I whispered her name. She froze, turning to look, and I knew- I was right about her. The others might not believe me or care to theorize, but I knew Sang was a werewolf, and I wanted to know what it was like. I was curious. So little was known about them, they were all so quiet and closed-lipped about their race(species?). Maybe, if I convinced her to open up to me, I could learn more.

My attention was called away from Sang as North snapped at me to eat, and begrudgingly I did. He couldn't force the image of a blonde wolf to erase itself from my mind, however...