Theirs to Claim (Under minor editing)

Chapter 21

"You're cruel to your mates."

"No I'm not, Jane."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not."

"Are."

"Not."

"Yes!"

"No." I raise my hand to put our senseless bickering to a stop.

"Josh here had locked Els in his room, together with him, during the whole week her heat was up. Forgot already?" Jane says pointing to Josh and Els.

"Yeah... And maybe we should do that again." Josh whispers at Els' ear. But of course, we hear it.

"Ew. Can't you use your link for those kind of stuff?" Paula dramatically shivers with disgust.

"What about you, Nick?" Jane gets on with her 'I'm gonna make you feel really bad 'coz you're cruel to your mates' drama-rama. I roll my eyes at her. "What would you do if you were in their shoes?"

Nick looks at Veronica then to me, then back to Veronica. "I guess, I'd just accompany her all the time." He says scratching the back of his neck.

Jane gives me the look that basically says 'see?'

"Whatever, Jane." I roll my eyes at her and completely ignore everyone.

I may have been a bitch to Euan and Luca four days ago, alright? But I need to live my own life! High school's over and the last of it would be graduation. I don't want to look stupid on the day itself – not knowing what to do, or where to go, and when to get stuff. Maybe I said some harsh words, I admit it. But excuse me, I was too hormonal at that moment.

"Trey would have let me!"

Okay, maybe that was a low blow. They literally stopped talking. Gawd, even Luca became so quiet. And believe me, it was very disturbing. It would have been better if they yelled at me or stuff like that. But I was so desperate to win the argument! A lot of things had happened, and for just some time, I wanted to feel normal again – like just a regular teenager without the fucked up stuff about being lupis. Can't they give me that?

I did win in the end. However, as a result of my 'stubbornness', Euan and Luca are giving me the silent treatment and won't even look at me.

Fine, fine, you guys, go ahead and team up.

Today's the third and last practice for our graduation. We decide that our group will go into the town to shop our outfits for the graduation, after the practice. I don't bother to inform my mates.

Duh. Surely, they won't let me go. If they want to shut me off, then I'll do just the same.

Carter's my ride to the town. Josh, Els, and Jane went together; then Paul, Paula, Veronica, and Nick.

"Well, hell to them. I think I've been able to think clear again after they shut me off, you know." I sigh. "I've been in relationships continuously. And you know how shitty the previous one was. So now, I'm kinda thinking... that maybe I need a break." My lips fall into a thin line.

Confiding in Carter about the stuff with Trey's really one of the best decisions I've ever made. He's become my own Dr. Phil.

"Why?" Carter turns serious.

I really love him for the moments like this – he lets me talk and listens attentively, then he gives me his opinions after I'm done chinwagging. If this was years ago, I would not believe that Carter's capable of such a disposition. Well, by now, through all the shitty stuff, I've really learned my lesson about not judging books by their covers.