Brandon woke up the next morning. He had slept peacefully throughout the night, but now his alarm was screeching at him to wake up even faster. He got up out of bed and started getting ready for school. Once he got downstairs to eat breakfast, he noticed Crys wasn't around. He figured she was still getting ready, so he quickly ate something and got his shoes on so he and Crys could start their walk to school. There was only one problem. Crys was still nowhere to be seen. Confused, Brandon went upstairs and went over to Crys' room. He peeked through the doorway only to find Crys still asleep in bed. He walked over to her.
"Crys?" Brandon said. He nudged her shoulder.
"What?" Crys murmured, sounding very annoyed.
"Come on, we need to get going for school." Brandon said.
"I want to sleep in!" Crys said, a tad aggressive.
"Crys, come on!" Brandon said, getting annoyed. "We're going to be late!"
Crys gave a frustrated groan.
"Crys!" Brandon exclaimed.
"Fine!" Crys snapped back, kicking off her covers. She got up and pushed Brandon gently to the side as she grumbled under her breath.
Brandon shook his head and left to go and wait by the front door.
A few minutes later, Crys met Brandon by the door and the two of them headed off to school for the day.
The walk to school was relatively quiet. Neither friend said much of anything. It was like there was a tension between them. Something just didn't feel quite right.
Brandon took a few glances at Crys on occasion. She had her head slightly tilted with a cross between a vacant expression and a mildly annoyed one on her face. She was walking a little more aggressively, too. It threw him off a bit to see Crys like this. It wasn't the usual way she acted when something was wrong.
"Are you okay?" Brandon asked out of concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine, why?" Crys asked back, sounding ever so slightly off. It was like she was bothered to be asked in the first place.
"I don't know, you just seem a bit... off." Brandon said.
Crys shrugged. "Well, other than that maniac Seinhou showing up again last night, I'm fine." She said with an edge to her tone.
"What'd he do this time?" Brandon asked.
"How should I know!" Crys snapped. "It's not like he ever tells me anything!"
Brandon went quiet. He didn't understand why Crys was so on edge today, and her snapping at him just made everything more tense.
"Stupid gun, yeah, sure, I'm a mistake. Gee, great... Love to know how you thought that one up. Maybe if you weren't taking the time to insult me every five seconds you could actually figure things out and..." Crys muttered angrily to herself quietly.
Brandon tuned out Crys' murmurings. He figured it was probably best to let her be and have time to just cool down... at least, he hoped that was what he should do.
Crys kept murmuring to herself for most of the walk to school. She just didn't care.
Once at school, Crys and Brandon made their way through the hallways and to their first class of the day. As the teacher taught, Crys was paying absolutely no attention whatsoever, just sitting back in her chair and zoning out. When class was done, everyone moved on to their next class, and then the next. The entire time, Crys was paying no attention to what was going on, not caring in the slightest. Now in the cafeteria for lunch, Crys and Brandon joined with Tomas and Emma as per usual.
"I think I'm just going to go home." Crys said flatly.
"That would be unwise." Emma said.
"I wish I could do that." Tomas murmured.
"Does it look like I care if that would be unwise?" Crys said frankly.
Emma looked slightly stunned.
Tomas gave a quick glare at Crys.
Crys didn't know why she said that. She tried to think of why she said it, but when she did, she winced.
"What's wrong?" Brandon asked.
"My head hurts." Crys said.
"That's what happens when you're mean to your friends." Tomas muttered under his breath.
Crys rubbed the back of her head. The pain subsided and she went back to eating.
"Still feel smarter than me?" Connor butted in rudely approaching the table.
Crys immediately stood up and glared at Connor. "Get lost!" She said with a sudden burst of ferocity.
"Ooh, feisty today!" Connor commented.
"Leave!" Crys demanded loudly.
The lunch room went silent.
Connor kept looking straight at Crys. He figured if he didn't leave on his own that a teacher would make him. "See you later." He said flatly to Crys as he walked off.
Crys sat back down and prodded at her yogurt with her spoon.
"What was that?" Tomas asked, shocked.
Crys shrugged.
"I don't think I've ever seen you that aggravated before." Tomas continued.
"Oh well." Crys said harshly to Tomas before going back to silence.
Tomas looked to Brandon and gestured toward Crys, looking quite annoyed.
Brandon just shrugged in response, looking completely dumbfounded.
The rest of lunch passed in complete silence for the four friends.
After lunch, Tomas took Brandon to the side, away from Crys' earshot.
"What was all that about!?" He quietly demanded to know.
"I have no idea." Brandon replied. "She just... started acting all mean today for some reason. Plus she hasn't been paying attention in class whatsoever. I just don't get it."
"Neither do I." Tomas said. "All I know is that her lashing out at Emma and I like that wasn't fair at all."
"She lashed out at me, too." Brandon said.
"At you?"
"Yeah."
"Why would she lash out at you?"
"I have no idea."
"Is something wrong?" Tomas asked.
"I don't know." Brandon replied. "She wouldn't tell me."
"Well... good luck with the rest of the day, then. I'll tell Emma she's just in a mood, though a proper apology would be nice when she's less cranky." Tomas said.
"Well, I'll see what I can do. See you later." Brandon replied.
"Later." Tomas replied back as he went a different direction from Brandon.
In the next class they had together, Brandon and Crys sat next to each other. Crys was blatantly ignoring what was going on while Brandon was taking notes.
"Crys, you really need to pay attention." Brandon whispered to her.
"I don't want to." Crys replied, talking fairly quietly, but not as quiet as she should.
"Crys, you haven't paid attention at all today. You need to." Brandon replied.
"I. Do not. Care." Crys repeated.
"Please?" Brandon asked.
Crys gave a little grunt of annoyance and went to pick up her mechanical pencil. As she reached for it, the pain in the back of her head reappeared. She stopped reaching for the pencil and rubbed the back of her head instead. She then went right back to ignoring what was being taught by looking at her phone.
Class continued, then ended. The last bit of the school day passed by and it was time for dismissal. Brandon and Crys were making their way across the field from one building to another when Connor walked up right behind Crys.
"I said I'd see you later, didn't I?" Connor said with menace.
Crys spun around and balled her hands up into fists.
Brandon saw Crys' aggressive stance and took hold of her arm to try and back her down. She snarled at him, but he wasn't going to budge.
Connor gave a harsh laugh. "You really need him to hold you by the leash!?" He mocked. "Come on, there's no one around, just go ahead and give me your best shot."
Crys went to move her arm, but Brandon still had a grip on it. She wanted nothing but to punch Connor in the face. She looked at Brandon and glared at him, but he just looked back at her. He looked worried. About what, she didn't know, but it made her think... She twitched. Her head hurt again. She winced in pain.
"What? Catch a migraine right on cue or something?" Connor kept mocking.
Crys snarled, getting even more pissed.
"Come on Crys, let's go." Brandon said, hoping to bring Crys to her senses.
Crys' head hurt even more. She violently shook her head to get rid of the pain and then took a breath. She looked Connor dead in the eyes. Her hands were no longer fists, so Brandon let go of her. She took one small step closer to Connor.
"This supposed to intimidate me?" Connor asked in a superior-sounding tone. "You shaking your head and staring at me?" He scoffed.
Crys swiftly grabbed Connor's wrist with her left hand while not breaking eye contact. She started to squeeze it. "You know, I could easily shatter your wrist right now." She said harshly, slowly and constantly increasing the pressure of her grip. "I am sick and tired of you coming up to me and my friends and tormenting us. I don't care about you or how tough you think you are. You want to see how tough I am? Well, let's see what you think after I break your wrist."
Connor tried to look serious, but the pain was getting to him. Crys' grip on his wrist was stronger than any normal persons. He could barely feel his own hand as Crys kept tightening her grip. It hurt. He couldn't move his arm whatsoever. He started to cry out in pain.
Brandon butted in. He grabbed Crys' arm and pulled on it a bit. "Crys, stop!" He said.
Crys kept staring at Connor, not budging.
"Crys!" Brandon cried out. "Stop it! Stop!"
Crys' head started to ache again. She let go of Connor's wrist and shook her head, feeling terrible. She looked at Brandon, confused, then back at Connor, then back to Brandon again. Brandon looked scared. He let go of her arm. Everyone stood there for a moment, processing what had just happened, then Crys started to walk away.
Brandon followed his friend, leaving Connor behind with a very sore, but not broken, wrist.
"Crys, why did you do that?" Brandon asked on the walk home with great concern.
"I..." Crys trailed off. "I wanted to." She said flatly.
"Yeah, but why did you do it? You could've gotten in serious trouble! You can't just try to break someone's wrist!"
"I couldn't help it." Crys replied. "He's a jerk and he deserved it. I had to teach him a lesson. I wanted to do it, so I did." She said harshly.
Brandon shook his head, confused. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem really out of it today."
"I'm fine!" Crys snapped back at Brandon. "Just quit bugging me already!"
Brandon shut up and focused his eyes towards the sidewalk.
The remainder of the walk home was uncomfortably tense and silent.
Later on that night, Brandon was in his room just minding his own business. He had the TV on as he messed around on his laptop. It was pretty late, but he didn't really care. He had been in his room ever since he got home from school. He didn't want to mess with Crys, especially after their walk home. Unfortunately, who should walk right up to him but Crys herself.
"Brandon." She said.
Brandon looked at Crys. She was in her werewolf form and looking down at him. "Hm?" He said, not really wanting to talk.
"Come on, let's go out." Crys continued.
"I don't really want to." Brandon replied.
"Oh come on!" Crys replied, sounding a bit frustrated. "Let's go out, just you and me. We'll go hang out at the stadium."
"Why?" Brandon asked.
"Because I want to." Crys said back.
Brandon pondered the idea for a moment. "Fine." He said with a sigh. He really didn't want to go, but he thought that maybe this would help somehow.
Just a few moments later, the two friends were off to the stadium. Brandon had his worries, specifically concerning how odd Crys had been acting all day, but he kept them to himself. As for Crys, she wasn't even thinking as she was going about. Her mind was empty, though it was hard for anyone but her to notice. In fact, she didn't even notice how quiet her brain was. It was almost like she was on autopilot.
Upon arriving at the stadium, Crys let Brandon down from her back then waltzed in through the main entrance with a pep in her step.
Brandon followed a bit behind Crys, a bit baffled about just how pleasant she was being after what he had seen earlier today. It was like she was a whole different person, almost.
"So, why did you want to be here?" Brandon asked Crys as the two of them made their way into the heart of the stadium.
"I dunno." Crys replied back. "Just wanted to."
"Yeah, but like, why bring me along then?" Brandon asked.
"Because I wanted to." Crys said again, just ever so slightly less bubbly than before.
Brandon went quiet to think for a bit.
Both friends found themselves looking over the field now. They were in the seating area, side by side. Crys stood vacantly while Brandon looked off to the side, not very happy.
"Crys, what's been going on with you today?" Brandon asked with some concern.
"Nothing." Crys replied with a careless shrug.
Brandon sighed. Crys wasn't herself. He knew that, but apparently she didn't.
Crys turned and looked at Brandon. She put a hand on his shoulder.
Brandon looked up at Crys.
Crys could see Brandon's concerned expression, but it just didn't register with her. "Brandon." She said quietly.
"What?" Brandon asked with some gloom in his tone.
"How about a kiss?" Crys asked.
"What?" Brandon said, confused. This was completely out of left field.
"I want to kiss you." Crys said back.
"Crys, no." Brandon replied, getting a bit defensive. He knew something was definitely very wrong with Crys. None of her actions made any sense.
Crys frowned. "Why?" She asked, sounding a tad annoyed.
"Crys, what's going on with you?" Brandon asked firmly. "You haven't been yourself all day long!"
Crys scowled. "What, just because I want to kiss you?" She asked.
"No! That's not it at all!" Brandon said. He took a few steps backward, letting Crys' hand slide off his shoulder. "First you sleep in and say you're not going to school, then you don't even pay attention in class, you threaten Connor then nearly break his wrist, and now you had me come here and want to kiss me? None of this makes any sense!"
"So what?" Crys said back harshley.
"Crys it's like you're on autopilot and just doing the first thing that comes to mind! What is going on with you?" Brandon asked again harshly.
Crys growled. "That's it!" She snapped. "I've had enough of this! All day you've been on my back, do this, do that, you shouldn't do this or that or whatever. I'm tired of it!" She took a step towards Brandon.
Brandon kept taking steps back as Crys approached him. He tried to say something, but no words would come out. He was getting scared.
"Why can't I just do what I want, huh?" Crys kept going.
"Crys, I- you, what's gotten into you?" Brandon asked, his tone going from harsh to fearful.
"What's gotten into me?" Crys asked back, getting angrier, emphasizing the 'me'. She gave a frustrated grunt. "How about you stop asking me that! Maybe you should just leave me alone or even better, just quit trying to tell me what to do!" She kept getting closer and closer to Brandon.
Brandon kept trying to back up without taking his eyes off of Crys. He wound up backing himself up against a chair, and with nowhere else to go, he fell back into it. "Crys, please! I'm just worried about you! I-I don't know what's going on! I'm sorry!"
Crys stood right in front of Brandon and towered over him. "Sorry!? Now you're sorry!?" She exclaimed, sounding even angrier than before. "Maybe if you were so concerned about me you would've done something already, but no, you just have to do nothing! You can't even help your best friend when she's being tormented by some psychopath!"
"Crys I-I-"
"Shut up! Just shut up!"
Brandon had tears welling up in his eyes. He was horrified. "I..." He trailed off.
Crys snarled and held her arm up high, claws out and ready to lash out in fury.
Brandon saw what Crys was about to do, and in terror he turned his head to the side and shut his eyes tightly, holding his breath out of reflex. Less than a second later, he felt a gust of wind brush the side of his face. It took him a few moments to register that the side of his face hadn't just been sliced into shreds, but he wasn't completely certain about that. He nervously opened his eyes and ever so slightly turned his gaze to the left to see five razor sharp claws barely an inch away from his face. He looked up and saw Crys frozen. Her expression was still furious, but unchanging, like she was frozen in time. He started to breathe again as well as start to tremble.
Crys' expression started to crack. Her face twitched, her hand started to shake, then her whole body started to tremble as she drew her hand back away from Brandon's head. She was struggling to do so, but she was doing it.
Brandon could see Crys' expression start to change from fury to pain. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she grunted in agony.
Crys felt terrible. Her head felt like it was on fire as she desperately fought herself to stop what she was doing. As she finally drew her arm back close to her, she couldn't stand the pain anymore and let out a loud cry of agony. She dropped to the floor like a rock with a loud thud.
Brandon looked on, trying to process what just happened. "Crys?" He asked quietly, scared for his friend. "Crys!?" He exclaimed haphazardly getting out of the chair and dropping to the floor as well to check on her. He put his ear near her head to try and hear for breathing, and thankfully, there was. He would have tried to check her pulse, but he knew he wouldn't be able to find it under all the fur. He instead picked himself up and tried to nudge Crys' limp shoulder. "Crys!?" Brandon exclaimed again in shock. "Crys, please!" He went quiet. He was terrified, but there was nothing he could do but wait.