Waking up was so comforting with Jon still laying by my side and it was peaceful just to watch the gentle rise and fall of his chest, like hearing the ocean waves except there was no ripples of anything on his body, just smooth planes and muscles. When had Jon become so good looking? With that disturbing thought I nudged him awake as I made my way to the bathroom to scrub my face as if to purge it of thoughts like that. It was Jon!
I splashed water on my face to finish up my ablutions and walked back into the room where Jon had taken it upon hisself to start changing into some of the clothes he always kept here, like a wardrobes worth. I had to choose the minute he was butt naked in my room to walk in which never use to bother me but now I was blushing furiously at catching a glimpse of all of him. That certainly had- changed since the last time I saw him.
He'd turned around when I entered- not quick enough- and glanced over his shoulder at me with a wolffish smile on his face. "Most girls kill to see me like this and yet having seen me before you're looking away? My ego is well and truly scarred." He winked at me and against the odds I found myself relaxing and going back to seeing him as Jon not just a really hot naked guy in my room.
"Most girls would be astonished that it takes you longer than them to get ready." I shot back and he -thankfully?- pulled on a pair of loose running shorts that looked more like slacks with the lower legs cut off. "No underwear?" I blurted before my filter came to life and my blush was suddenly deeper than it had ever been.
"Nothing wrong with letting the boys hang loose once in a while." He came over to me and gently cupped the back of my neck before placing a kiss onto the top of my head like he always used to do. Was it just me that was changing? "You'll be fine today, Andrew won't even register as a blip on anyone's radar and if he does he'll end up being a blip on the front of the windscreen of my car."
The ride to school in Jon's car was as natural as it used to be before the falling out but I knew something was going to go wrong today, I could just feel it, and when we pulled up at school I instantly saw what it was. "You could drive straight into him and produce that blip on your windscreen like you promised?" I chimed as we drove past a crowd of students circling round the bane of my life and what appeared to be his new entourage.
Finding a spot at the back of the car park away from where Jon usually parked we got out and made our way to the back door because I didn't need the commotion that was Andrew. "That tool knows how to annoy even from a distance." Jon growled and glared at the throng of people making me laugh.
"It's reminds me awfully of our last school don't you think?"
"Feels good for it to be us against the world again don't you think?" Jon was staring off into the distance and I wasn't sure how to answer that with the feelings that stirred up in me towards my best friend.
"It's always been us against the world Jon, even if you stopped seeing it for a while." He winced and I instantly regretted saying that, was my brain spasming? "Look Jon-"
"Trouble in paradise Cass?" Andrew stepped directly in front of me leaving my only option to plough into him which he used to his advantage to grab me.
I shook of his hold on my arm and sneered at him. "You're like a bloody cockroach that just won't die!" I screamed in his face and stormed around him because I just wasn't dealing with that today. Why couldn't I have less frustrating boy troubles like normal people? I wouldn't mind two fit jocks fighting over me or even one fit jock fighting for my love, not a psychotic ex who hated my best friend and was best friend's with a guy I thought I could be falling for.
"We'll talk later!" I heard Andrew shout behind me but something in his tone had me walking quicker and dragging an enraged Jon closely by my side.
"I'll-" Jon started but I couldn't listen to it right now. I just needed to get to home room and try to get my day as normal as possible. Andrew would not ruin my life again.
"You'll come with me to home room, not leave my side for as long as you can get away with it and try to pretend Andrew doesn't exist okay?" He nodded and followed me to class where I managed to snag us a couple of seats on the opposite side of the room from Simon who seemed oblivious to my distress or just didn't care not his best friend was in town. I sat down and pulled out my sketch book letting it fall open to the page where my incomplete drawing of Simon still remained. I glared at the stupid reminder of what I thought might have been possible not too long ago and I stared at it the image started to morph until I no longer saw Simon in those eyes but Andrew's scheming look stared back at me causing me to slam the book and shoot a look over to where everyone were in hysterics over something one of the populars said. I needed to leave. Now.
The door beckoned so who was I to resist its call? Without saying anything I shoved everything back in my bag and ran out into the corridor and then through the side doors out into the dead courtyard when an arm looped itself around my waist and slammed me into the wall beside the steps, knocking the wind out of my lungs and blurring my vision. “You thought you could outrun me Cassandra?” Hot words were whispered into my ear with menace lacing every one of them but I couldn’t respond because my breath was burning my throat. “You stupid little girl. Didn’t you learn from the last time we were together that I always get what I want and now I want you so be a good little dog and heel to my commands.” Did he just call me a dog?
“Go-” I breathed and he laughed while I tried to catch more breath to finish my sentence, “To. Hell. Andrew.” The laughter stopped and the arm around my waist loosened until he eventually let go of me. I let my eyes drift close while my lungs took in all the oxygen they needed and when I could finally breath normally again I opened them again to see Andrew stood mere inches away from my face with a scary look that was bordering on sadistic on his face.
“You don’t get it do you Cassie?” His hand clamped around my throat and started to squeeze until breathing yet again became difficult. “I’m here for one purpose. You. I don’t care about the people at this school but they care about me so without me you’re nothing to them. Less than nothing, just how it’s always been between us so stop being stubborn and step back into your rightful place that’s by my side.” His hand tightened even more and the smile on his face showed how much he was enjoying this, enjoying me being at his complete mercy. Again.
Not anymore. A growl sounded from somewhere close by but the sound made Andrew smile even more for some reason like he’d finally seen something he’d been waiting a long time for as he stared deeply into my eyes. My knee shot up into his groin and the connection he seemed to find was lost as he learned what it felt like having the wind knocked out of him. His grip loosened enough for me to wriggle free and start running away as quick as I could manage with my what must be bruised throat. The problem was I could hear him catching up with me.
(Simon’s POV)
I watched Cassie race out of the room but only thought to follow when Jon shortly followed her. That didn’t take long for those two to rekindle their relationship, my lip curled in distaste at her choice in guys as I followed him out of the side doors and into the courtyard where Andrew was grabbing Cassie’s wrist and she was screaming profanities in his face. The scene was shocking enough before Jon growled and hurtled into their direction, his inner beast starting to come to fore as if Cass was his mate. The forced he hurled himself at Andy with was astounding and had them both soaring into the air with fists flying before they even hit the ground.
My initial move was to go to Cass who seemed to be clutching her hand to her chest and protecting her throat? While staring helplessly at her friend and Andy but I glanced over at the two of them and was shocked to see Jon winning out of the two of them. Andy had always been a strong fighter but he was nothing compared to Jon, Jon could even rival me. I took a step towards the fight and Cassie’s eyes shot to my own as if she could sense me moving towards Jon and the look of hurt in her eyes burned right through to my inner wolf who was howling in pain in response to that look. Why was my wolf upset at the sight?
She quickly looked back to the almost ended fight and then back to me with renewed hatred and I must be hallucinating because I could have sworn I saw her eyes flicker but as I blinked it was gone. “Cass-” I stepped forward but she turned away from me and took of on a quick run towards the car park shouting back, “Jon!” who stepped away from Andrew who was lying on the ground looking black and blue.
As Jon turned to look at us both his eyes shone as brightly as I thought Cassie’s had, the only difference was that Jon looked nigh on mad. “Neither of you are worthy enough of our pack.” He growled and took off after Cass leaving me staring blankly at his departing back. Who the hell said I wanted to be part of his bloody pack when I was the future alpha of my own?
“Ignore him.” Andy groaned and started cracking stiff joints as he rose; the good thing about being a werewolf was the incredible healing speed we had.
“What’s he mean about wanting to be part of his pack?” I watched Andy closely out of the corner of my eye to see if he was hiding anything from me as he responded.
“No idea man he’s more psychotic than the girl. I mean I only asked her the time and she said something about not liking new people and then went to slap me but as I caught her wrist she started screaming at me. Clearly they fell out of the crazy tree together.” He slapped me on the back and didn’t wait for me as he headed back into the school but something didn’t feel right and my wolf yearned to run after Cass not have the back of my best friend. I glanced one last time and ignored my wolf because who was she to decide who is or isn’t welcome just because they’re new? If she wanted to be like that then let her do it by herself or with the help of her lap dog, I was through with her. Why didn’t that feel right to think?
(Cassie’s POV)
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jon asked for the thousandth time and yet again glanced at my wrist and neck instead of the road even though he was bleeding out of his nose and a cut above his right eye.
“I’m fine Jon. You’re the one who went bat-crap crazy on Andrew’s ass so I should be asking if you’re okay. I mean you’re bleeding, let me see to that-”
“No!” Jon snapped and glanced at me as if instantly regretting it. “I mean I’ll be fine Cass, I’m a quick healer so concentrate on yourself kay?” I nodded and could feel his awkward tension all around me that meant he had something uncomfortable to tell me. “There’s Liv’s speed dating thing that we both signed up to a while ago tonight...” And there it was. Jon pulled up in front of my house and turned to me. “But if you don’t want to go anymore we don’t have to-”
“No. I’ll go.” Let Andrew think he can intimidate me? No chance.
“But what about Simon, Liv and Andrew?” I loved Jon for how concerned he was about me.
I shrugged, playing the indifference card towards those names as if they meant nothing to me. “You’ll be there so I’ll be fine.” I opened the door and hopped onto the ground but added before I shut it, “besides, screw ‘em if they can’t take a joke.” I winked and slammed the door.
Andrew, Liv, Simon, Jon and myself. Tonight was going to be fun!