"Why would you say that?" I ask.
"Well, look at him." We all look at Mark. He stood there and pretended not to notice how all the girls were drooling over him and his crew. "A werewolf who hasn't found his soulmate won't look as calm as him."
Well, I'll be damned. I didn't think about that.
"Good morning." His voice is somehow deeper in the morning.
I turned around and stepped to the side when I saw Marcelo's face. Beside him were Jenny, Dylan, and a few other ones. All eyes were on us.
"Morning Mark," Brenda says.
"How's your Thanksgiving?"
With that single question, everyone dives straight into their Thanksgivings. Somehow, Marcelo manages to get close to my three best friends without my knowledge.
They all laugh. "I remember. That boy you're talking about-" Brian told Marcelo some story about his cousins, "he's the one in the blue shirt in the family picture, right?"
They're exchanging pictures?
"Yeah."
After the stories died down, Marcelo looked at me with what seemed to be a mocking smile. "Julia, right?" I give him credit. He's a good actor.
"You know me?" Well, he's not the only actor around here.
"A little bit," he responds. "Hopefully, I don't sound creepy saying that."
I smile, "A little bit."
He places out a hand, "I'm Marcelo, but you can call me Mark. We talked a bit on the phone."
I shake his hand, "Werewolf?" I'm trying my best to make the conversation as casual as possible.
"Yes. Hunter?"
"Yes."
"Oh? It seems like we're mortal enemies," he casually jokes.
"Yeah." I laugh at his pathetic joke.
He leans his head, "You're cuter than you sound."
Stop it. "You're pretty good-looking too."
I know what Jenny and the rest are thinking when they look at us. I'm not the one.
"Have you found your mate?" Brian asks.
"Yeah," he responds, wiping the smile off of my face.
"Oh? Who is she?"
"She asked me not to put her in the spotlight, and I respect that. I mean, I understand it's hard, you know. To be together with someone like me."
I cannot believe they're all falling for it.
Marcelo was unnecessarily close to me while he talked to everyone. Eventually, Jenny and everyone else headed into the building, but we were all still outside. More students arrive at school, and it only gets busier. People came and went, and steadily Marcelo got close to everyone. Even with people he doesn't know, he somehow manages to charm them.
If I weren't stressed out by being his soulmate, I would be charmed by him too.
Somehow, unlike other alphas, he makes it easier to breathe.
More people appeared, and I was forced onto the cold stoned wall.
Everyone laughs about something Marcelo says.
The sun made its appearance from the grey clouds, and I squinted my eyes. I want to go inside the building, but I can't find my way out of the crowd. I look at my phone and notice there are more than a few minutes until the bell rings.
A large shadow cast over me - Marcelo.
He's blocking the sun from getting into my eyes.
Everyones' attention was on Eric and Brian, who was telling a stupid story.
I can feel a hot hand tangling around mine. When I tug my hand away, Marcelo only tightens it. He pulls me forward slightly until my arm presses against his pecs. No one notices how close we are because everyone is close together. Marcelo made small circles around my palm, and I forced myself to calm down.
"What's wrong?" Brenda asks.
"There's a lot of people here, so I'm feeling a bit hot."
"Oh." She smirks, "And here I thought it's the hunk of meat next to you." She probably thought that Marcelo couldn't hear us because of all the sounds around us. When I feel the slight squeeze, I know he's listening.
"Don't you have class?" Brian question. He's right. Marcelo's school is across town.
"I tested out most of my classes." Surprise. Surprised. The guy is a genius.
"Seriously?" Brian made a weird sound from his throat. "Isn't this a bit too unfair?"
Marcelo chuckles, "It's not that hard. Anyone can test out of it if they study a bit." Marcelo isn't wrong. High school education is all basic. With a bit of a push, a lot of people can study out of it. "Plus, I'm taking over my father's seat."
"And here we are, taking the educational route with college and such," Eric says.
"I didn't say I'm not going to college," Marcelo stated.
We were all surprised. Alphas, betas, and gammas don't go to college. When you're born into the right family, you can take over their business. For them, they take over their packs.
"My dad is actually pretty tough when it comes to my education."
Before I got the chance to brainwash someone to ask him which college he applied for, the bell rings. That way, I can avoid going to the same place as him.
"I got to go. I'll see you all after school." Marcelo gave everyone a bro hug before he left. He even hugged Brenda and a few girls that were in the circle.
When he turned towards me, my eyes widened in an almost hysterical way. He smiles, "See yah, Jules."
Anyone would typically overlook that action. It was casual. He didn't hug and only said bye. But, if you were really paying attention, you would notice how he called me Jules...in front of everyone.
And no one ever calls me that.
Thank goodness no one was paying attention to us.
We watch as Marcelo hops onto his motorcycle and rides away from the parking lot. Neglecting what happened this morning, the whole day went reasonably well.
"Are we still all down for Rubi's birthday party this Friday?" Eric asks. "Her mom sent us some thank you gifts." We all lean towards his phone to see two hundred dollars.
"I may not be religious, but bless you, Valery."
Eric sends us each a cut.
"I'm bringing someone," I say.
"Who?"
This is where I need to be careful. A simple but believable story is what I need. "I met a kid at the park during the break and her parents like me. Ask me to babysit her some time."
The key point in making a story as believable as possible is not to exaggerate things and keep out anyone you know.
If I say, Kai is a relative, one of them is bound to bring him up to my parents.
If I say Kai is a friend's sibling, they will ask which one?
"Cool," Brenda says. "Hustling. I like that." Her eyes went towards the hallway, "Woah. Someone leveled up during the break."
At the end of the hallway was the usual werewolf crew. My eyes squint, "Is that...Lana?"
Holy cow. I didn't even recognize her.
"Holy shit," Brian says. "Was Lana always this hot?"
It wasn't the glasses. Girls can look hot with glasses. It was her attitude - confidence. The change in wardrobe and sprinkle of makeup helps too.
Brenda grabbed Natalie's arm when she passed, "What the fuck happened?"
Natalie and Vicki look at each other. "Haven't you heard?" Vicki question.
"Heard what?"
"Apparently, Lana went to the werewolves' territories, and they say she is the chosen one," her voice almost sounds almost mockingly. Not almost. She is mocking. I should know because she put quotation marks around - chosen one.
We all snorted.
"Chosen one?" Brenda question. "What age are we living in? What is she chosen for?"
"To save us from some war."
We all exchange looks.
"I know," Natalie says. "Apparently, we're about to enter some war."
Silence.
"Okay," Brian says slowly. "What about us? Who is our chosen one?"
"Huh?"
"Well, the wolves got a chosen one. We should get one too. Only fair."
I glance at him, "There can only be one chosen one." It's as if he hasn't watched all those chosen one movies.
"Well, boo. That's not fair."
"Yeah. So ya'll better get ready," Natalie says.
"You believe this shit?" Brenda asks.
Natalie and Vicki snort out a laugh, "No. But, it's interesting to listen to." We all stop talking about what happened to Lana when they pass by. When they disappeared at the end of the hallway, Natalie moved closer, "I'm sorry, but it's funny. They're walking as if we're in some sort of movie."
Vicki shakes her head, "Even if she is the chosen one, I still don't like her."
None of us comment because it's a mutual understanding.
All because you change how you look, it doesn't mean people will automatically like you.
People who haven't interacted with you personally may want to now, though. And for her to be mated to an alpha is the cherry on the top.
Well, good for her for turning her life upside down.
"Where's Rosario?" I ask. We share some of the same classes, but I haven't seen her all day.
"Isn't it obvious?" Natalie says. "I mean, I wouldn't go to school either if the girl I hate has a higher position than me, and she's the chosen one." Natalie puts quotation marks around the last term. "She's at home. Probably drowning in anger."
I can imagine her bedroom right now, and it's not a pretty sight.
After school, I hung out with the guys a bit before I head home. I can't run straight home, or else they will get suspicious. When I did get home, Kai was asleep in bed with comic books all around him.
There was leftover chip sauce all over his mouth and an empty bag in his hand. I left a bunch of snacks and drinks upstairs for Kai just in case he gets hungry.
Clearly, he's making use of the food.
"Kai?" I call for him.
Kai rubs his eyes, "Julia?"
I pull some wet wipes and wipe the sauce from his face.
"I need to pee."
"What about the empty bottles?"
He points to the corner. There were three yellow bottles. The little boy can pee.
"Alright. Let's go downstairs. You can use the bathroom to clean up, and I'll grab you some more food."
My parents should be at work late. Usually, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, they get swamped.
Kai grabbed some new clothes and went downstairs with me. He went into the restroom while I went downstairs with the bottles of pee. One of them is still warm. I held my breath before I opened it and poured it down the toilet. After I finished, I threw the bottles away and grabbed new ones.
More food.
More water.
And a bucket with a few rolls of toilet papers just in case he wants to poop.
When I set the bucket on the floor, I squat down. "Is this really how you want him to live?"
After I restocked the attic, Kai finished bathing.
I help him dry his hair until the doorbell rings.