THOR
Unfortunately, I don't grab her before she hits the ground. And there's a nasty crack as her head hits the tiles. Max and I stare at each other and quickly pull her up so she looks almost like she's standing. Don't want a crowd or anything.
Max whispers furiously, "What kind of girl asks you if you're a werewolf?"
I grunt back, just as stupefied. "Max. What kind of girl believes you when you say yes?"
He wrinkles his nose, letting go with one hand to flick her face, "Nutter."
"Hey!"
"What?"
"Maybe I'll knock you out and flick you in the face, huh?" I mean it's true, she clearly is a nutter. But a little respect is surely standard form here...
Most of the people charging through the corridors don't really look much further than their friends, or the floor, or their next class. But this one younger girl sees us and I see her eyes get large and scared. I smile like it's a joke or something, and turn a bit so my back is blocking Jade from veiw. We have her propped against the lockers but suddenly her head rolls forward, and I feel worry creep over me.
"You don't think this is our fault do you?"
"What, because you told her you're a werewolf?" I snap at him. Then I sigh, "No, she's probably just got concussion. That'll be why she's still out." I start to feel a bit better, and Max looks suddenly cheerful again. "You'll have to carry her to the nurse."
Huh? "Why me?"
"Because-"
But he lets go and she slumps down so I have to grab hold of her. He grins at me and I pull a face at him as I heft her into my arms. People see now and I grin at their varying expressions. I laugh as Max goes ahead of us, "Make way! Make way!"
He pretends to ring a bell and people actually get out of the way. We go past people we know and they start calling out to us, laughing. "You know Thor, I warned you you'll get arrested if you keep kidnapping girls!"
Max rolls his eyes, "Yes, but there's just no reasoning with him."
We get half way there and I feel Jade move a bit. Then her eyes open. I keep walking but luckily don't bump into anything because I'm following Max. At first she just stares at my blazer and closes her eyes again but they suddenly snap open and she stares up at me.
"Werewolf!"
Ah. That's less good. "You passed out."
"Pumedown!"
I can't do this while she's struggling like a crazy person however, so I just have to keep walking. It strikes me as really funny that she's fighting so much she's red in the face but still has no effect on me at all. But when she sees me grinning she gets very angry.
"ThordowngroundsoIwalkcanshoemeput!"
There's cat calling and cheering and I wonder when a teacher will arrive to tell us all to get to class. Max turns around with not a bit of concern, "I wouldn't put her down Thor," she continues to babble incoherently, "sounds like she really does have concussion."
"Hear that Jade? You have concussion."
"Noo! Put me down!"
I let her down but her legs collapse under her like she's a puppet and she drops to the ground. I just pick her straight up again. This gets a big laugh from the people lining the corridors. I don't care, she is pretty hilarious.
I'd tell her we're nearly at the nurse's office but we aren't, and every new corridor there's someone to whistle and clap and make her more embarrassed. "Thooor!"
I laugh, and Max opens the medical room door. Nurse Jean puts her hands on her hips and looks affronted at Max and me, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Jade fainted so we thought we better bring her to you."
Jade makes some unintelligible noise and frowns.
"Well that is very kind of you, but Jade seems to be conscious now."
Max steps forward, "Yeah but she hit her head on the ground and she's slurring her words and stuff so..."
Nurse Jean looks at Jade kindly, "Jade, can you walk?"
Her chin jerks savagely, "Yes!"
I sigh and roll my eyes.
"Oh!" Nurse Jean reaches out to help Jade off the floor but she ignores this. Instead she drags her self along the ground and pulls herself up (shaking like a leaf) by the sick bed.
"Perhaps it's best if you lie down for a little while sweetheart, you'll feel much better if you have a rest."
I smile, because Jade looks so confused and helpless. She looks at us like she doesn't recognise any of us. But she can't argue with what the nurse says and lets her help her onto the bed.
The nurse bustles into the adjoining room and I turn to Max, "You know, Raul will want to hear about this."
He nods solemnly but then perks up. "Hey. I have Art first, doss lesson! See you later!"
But I don't have Art. I have stinking English. So I hang around. Jade's eyes can't seem to focus and her face is dizzy, like she's fighting sleep. But she gestures me to her and I inch forwards.
"Thor," she slurs.
"Jade."
"Promise, promise.." I start feeling bad about her fainting and all, but it's not my fault if she's so gullible and sensitive or whatever. Not my fault if Max says the first thing that comes into his head.
"Promise what?"
She blinks like she forgot she was talking. "Promise to change me."
"Sure, I promise."
The nurse comes in again and hands her a tablet, helping her sit up and easing water into her mouth. Before Jade falls lies back and looses the ability of speech, she mutters, "But I don't have any money.. and your toothbrush..."
Nurse Jean turns to me and raises an eyebrow, like, you're still here? I shuffle my feet and build up a really good smile. Sometimes if you really smile at people.. "Maybe I should stay and wait till she's better."
"Mm hmm." Not convinced, damn.
"I mean, because she's new. She won't know where to go for lessons or anything."
Nurse Jean smiles at me, "You always were very thoughtful Thor."
Phew, in the clear.
"But I'm sure Jade will understand that you wouldn't want to miss your own lessons."
I sigh. Dratt, stupid dull English after all. But if I die of bordem I am holding this girl responsible.
"Thor, one second."
I turn around; they say there's no point in delaying the inevitable but I disagree. English can seriously wait.
"If I'm wrong, and Jade is suffering from more than just a minor concussion, I'll have to get in touch with her parents. Do you know her last name?"
"I thinks it's Swallow - no wait. It's Sallow. Definately."
"Thank you Thor, off to class. When she's feeling better she'll have to have a little nap so I don't think you can help here."
JADE
It's bizarre. I've never been mad with a stranger before, so I don't really know how to act. All I know is I wanted to die as Thor carried me though the hallways. Enough to make yourself a fool in front of your class on the first day, but then to be carried through like a parade with everyone laughing at you, the whole school. Max announcing us like it was a freak show. I don't know what could be more humiliating. They were all whistling and cheering and then I changed my mind. I didn't want to die.
I wanted Thor to die. Because I could feel my face flaming and wanted to just run away, to bury my face so no one could see me. But my head was spinning and they were all so loud. And if anything I made it all worse for myself.
But I suppose at some point I remembered this was meant to be the happiest day of my life and got over it. Well, not QUITE over it. Fine. I wasn't over it and I cringed at the thought - but basically I wasn't going to rip Max or Thor's throat out on sight.
I count myself extremely lucky though. The nurse for some reason took pity on me and let me stay till lunch (hence I didn't have to face my classes and anyone who might have seen my epic fail earlier). I went to the canteen. I had a lunch box with me but I tend to eat in the canteen because nobody approaches you there. At least not at my old school.
As soon as I stepped inside I nose dived - AHEM - made to attack the floor. But two people grabbed either arm and swooped me upright.
"Jade! I was worried Thor and me got you sent to hospital!"
My first reaction was anger. I didn't shake Max off as he frog marched me over to a table though, because I'm not really very coordinated. Then I remembered what he was and I felt like I could have melted onto the floor.
Then I changed again and became myself. Awkward and not the brightest if we're honest.
"Great to meet you, I'm Tamas."
My eyebrows shot up in concern as I faced the smiling person on my left. Then I was literally lifted from the ground and placed between the table and the bench. "Hello."
Eight (including Tamas and Max) loud, hungry jostling boys stopped and looked up at me. "Hi!"
I sat down and put my lunch box on the table, cursing myself as I could feel how big my eyes were. Some of the boys saw this too so I looked at my sandwich quickly.
Max coughed, and chucked his water at one kid, slamming his things up and down on the table. They shut up and looked at him.
"Roll call. Max."
"Farrell."
"James."
"Tomas."
"Tamas."
"Si'."
"Thor." Bit sarcastic there.
"Bastian."
I don't know why I said it. I guess I thought I might as well start off as abnormally as possible, no point in breaking the habit of a life time, right? "Are you all..?"
About five of them started guffawing, Farrell snorted juice through his nose. Max answered, "Yep, and you know we-"
Thor scowled and he shut up. "But we don't talk about that here, right Max?"
I noticed they were all smirking and glancing at each other. Though none of them met his eye. What exactly is going on?
"But you did promise."
"Yeah. Sure. Just, not now.."
I frowned and ripped a bite out of my peanut butter sandwich. I love peanut butter. But my face wrinkled up in distaste and chewing it was worse than cardboard. But I kept munching. And munching. Even though I knew what I wanted. What I really really wanted. But I couldn't articulate it.
Untill I couldn't take it any more. I chucked the barely eaten thing back in my lunchbox and ground my teeth. "Urgh, disgusting."
I started chewing the inside of my cheeks, like this might help. Ha. Made it worse if anything.. Meat. Was this what it was like to have pregnancy cravings?
"Why? What is it?"
I ignored the Bastian. I was drooling. I couldn't help it, "I want something else."
Tomas laughed, "Then you should have brought something else, shouldn't you?"
"I want something else."
"Geez, eat your sandwhich Jade!"
But I couldn't; I started moping, whining really, though even I'm not sure what I was saying. Thor looked at me irritatedly. "Fine, shut up! I'll buy you another OK? Cheese?"
I leaned across the table and snatched Si's as yet untouched burger straight of his plate, sinking my teeth in. "Hey!" He went to take it off me but I just growled at him through my mouthful. I swallowed hard. "I need meat!"
"What am I meant to eat then?"
"You can have my sandwhich."
He picked it up forlornly and took a dainty bite. "I don't like peanut butter." He said quietly - sorrowfully.
"Sheesh, Jade! You always eat like this? Snatch people's food from under their nose?"
I shook my head at Max. Groaning and pulling out the salad. I took another bite. NO. STILL NOT RIGHT! I tossed aside the buns and ripped off a mouthful of just burger, gripping it like it would save my life. they all stared at me with open mouths, food forgotten.
I held it closer to my chest, defensively. "What, who are you to question my eating habits?"
I crammed in some more and didn't even chew before swallowing it. Max said quietly, "Jade, I think you should give me the burger."
"No!"
I squirmed away from him, horrified. He raised his voice, "Jade, give me the-!"
"No, no I'm eating it!"
He tried to take it off me and I started trying to shove him off and stuff the entirety of what was left over into my mouth. All the while protesting his increasingly pleading demands. Not easy, let me tell you.
"If you don't- Stop whacking me with- ! JADE GIVE ME THE BURGER!"
"NO!"
I swung my feet onto the tight packed bench and tried to fend him off like this, one foot on his lungs, one on his face. I'll add here that I'm not wearing a skirt. It was pretty evenly matched, untill Tamas grabbed hold of my arms from behind me.
"Jade! It's not cooked!"
The three of us froze and looked at Thor. He was staring at the mess of remaining burger I clutched in my hands.
"Are- are you sure?" My fingers were pink. "It doesn't taste uncooked."
Si' shook his head, "And to think I was going to eat that." He took a wondering bite from my sandwich. Max stared at me. "Jade. That thing is raw."
"You should complain to the staff about that."
They all seemed to have eased up, and I looked at it sadly. And tore off the quickest bite. I didn't even mean to! I swear it's the last one!
"Jade!" They all yelled at me, and someone smacked it clean from my hands. I felt Tamas and Max lift me again and stand me on my feet. The rest of them stood too, like soldiers. I suppose it must have been the concussion (Nurse Jean wanted to call Ian but I wouldn't let her) because all I could smell was the burger, and the smell of it- Oh! I wanted to faint again, straight out. But they were all talking like I wasn't there. Which was fine. Because I felt like I wasn't.
They all looked so serious. "Not here, have to move quickly though."
"..Car park and go."
"What about lessons?" This was from Tomas, who seemed worried.
"Sorry, have to skip."
Max and Tamas were gripping onto me so firmly I didn't try and snatch up the food. But suddenly we were all moving, all of them holding some part of me; a leg, a shoulder, an arm.
"I can walk myself!" I snarled. They put me down without slowing their pace. the second I was free I turned around and ran back to the canteen for the burger. But arms grab me and I'm carried off again, howling in frustration. They're hurtling along the corridors so fast they pant.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To someone who can help you."
This made me scared so I didn't say anything untill we were all jammed into a huge people carrier, with Tamas scrunched up in the boot. Why do I need help? I need help? I need help. What kind of help?
I looked out of the window as we pulled away, expecting a teacher to appear, screaming and waving their arms. Nope.
It was silent in the car for a while. Dorly is a pretty wooded English town. The town itself is fairly small but there is no lack of winding lanes or trees. And the bus service is very good if you want to visit a more main town, I hear.
It's also where my father lives. My real father I mean, not that I give a to- toffee about that. He's showed no interest in me theses past sixteen years, and I can say in perfect honesty I share his indifference. This is what I think about as we fly past trees at what should be breakneck pace.
But I can't think of this for long, because I have the most dreadful sick feeling come over me. Fear. It lurches in my stomach and I feel like I'm turning somersaults. And there's something else too, something that isn't fear. It's like everything inside me has decided to become hyper alert, every detail screaming at me, every stitch in the fabric of the car seat.
And I feel every bump in the road like I'm going over a mountain. And my stomach is trying to twist into a bow, then untying and squeezing tight. This makes me need to vomit more than ever but I feel adrenaline too. I've been paint balling before, and this is pretty similar. Pumping though my body like crazy, my blood too. I feel like I'm under attack.
And my vision distorts and swims in front of my eyes. So I sit tight and squeeze the seat in front of me so hard the seams tear. "What's happening? Who is this person?"
"You- you're going to change pretty soon Jade. We're taking you to the boss."
"Oh."
I don't know how I feel about this. But I know we aren't going fast enough. I look over Thor's shoulder and past the steering wheel. 60mph. Must be faulty, feel like I'm moving in slow motion. "Like- like an alpha?"
They find this funny, but Max's lip curls and he says, "Yeah. Like an alpha."
And they're talking and talking and I can't hear a thing. I feel like a coiled spring and I'm scared I'm going to snap back. But I can't stop gripping the seat. Can't unlock my limbs. "Can't you go faster?" I whisper, my throat hoarse.
"Not if you want to live."
They all laugh. And I know I'm not scared, I know I'm not. Because this is what I've always been waiting for and it's my dream, and I'm so very very happy. But that doesn't explain why my heart is trying to leap out of my throat. And I'm not scared. But I feel so bizarre, and I don't like it. And I stare at the back of Thor's head and will him to go faster.
I try to sound casual. "Does it er- does it hurt?"
Max grins slyly, and looks at me from the mirror, he's riding shotgun. "Jade isn't having second thoughts is she? Getting cold feet?"
This makes me so mad, I feel stupid and cross. And just a little disturbed that I'm so transparent. "No!"
"Whatever you say."
"It's sooo painful, you like, have to practically shove down the paracetamol!"
Thor calls back, "Shut up Tamas!"
I hope this is a joke. I can't tell anything anymore. Except that I need to go FASTER. And I need to relax, and I wish I had Wolfy so I could sink my hands into his fur and just stop gripping this fabric that smells funny. And as I think this my eyes go wide and I have to stop myself from reaching forward and touching Thor's hair. that wouldn't go down well. Anyway, he'd have a heart attack and we'd all go flying off the road.
But why are we going so SLOWLY? I need to go FASTER!
"Stop the car!" I announce. They all jerk forwards as the breaks are slammed on, and turn to me. "What is it? Is it happening? Are you changing?" Stupid questions like this. I manage to fling open the car door and stumble out. I practically yank the handle off the drivers door, glowering at Thor's surprise.
"Get out."
"What? I-"
"Get out! Get out, I want to drive!"
"But you don't know where-"
"Thor! Get out!" They all yell. He gets out and I climb straight in. The door barely shuts behind him as he climbs into the back seat, and I twist the car keys and jam my foot down. They all yell as we hurtle forward and I find that I am smiling crazily. We fly of bumps and speed round corners as they shout "LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT!"
"Slow down!"
"I'm gonna be sick!"
"I don't want to diee!"
I haunch down and scream as I swerve to narrowly avoid driving the car into a deep ditch. "Let me drive!"
"No!"
"I'll drive!"
"I'll drive!"
"Tomas, you can't drive!"
He shouts back hysterically, "Neither can she!"
I grip the wheel tightly, wanting to laugh and cry at the same time as my heat leaps about. They mostly sit tight for the rest and suddenly scream "Turn right!"
I do, and pull into a driveway, speeding towards a house.
"STOP! STOP!"
I jam the breaks on just before I smash through the front wall. I sigh, feeling suddenly happy and calm. I unclip my seatbelt and turn to examine my passengers. They are sitting stone still, holding onto anything. Their eyes are very big.
"Never. Again." Bastian whispers.
A voice calls from in the house. "Come in! The door's open!" When we all get out I go to give the keys to Thor. He snatches them from my hand, glaring.
Silence falls in the room. I feel like I have been punched in the chest. All my earlier feelings of adrenaline and sickness and headaches are gone. I am just numb.
THOR
She turns and her gaze sweeps over us all. Angry, hurt. Accusing. "I knew you were funny.. but this is really something. I suppose you planned this all along? Well congratulations."
We say nothing. We can't. All we can do is stare at him, waiting for the eruption. If there really will be one. None of us saw this coming. We didn't even know he..
We all stay deadly still, submissive and on edge. My gaze flickers to her and gets stuck in the same way. Horrified by the absolute transformation. Back and forth, back and forth. We don't know who to watch.
"I can hardly help laughing myself, you don't have to hold back you know. I mean, it's hilarious isn't it? Yeah, we're werewolves, you can be one too! Yeah, we'll take you to our leader!" She might not have been eloquent - but her voice was so thick with wrath, with cold emotion.. and we all see her mistake. She thinks we're cruel.
None of us are brave enough to say a word.
Or I think so, till Farrell shakes his head. "I swear Jade, it's all true. We weren't-"
"We didn't know."
I silence them with a look. They're forgetting themselves. Raul is just sitting there, chin resting on his clasped hands. I can't even read his face. He's just watching.
I groan mentally, wishing I could shut his mouth with my mind. Because I see Si's mind spinning, preparing to put his foot in it. And I don't want anyone provoking Raul. This situation is unheard of; who knows what he might do. But I can't stop him.
"I- I don't understand."
"Look at her Simon. Look at her. Who does she remind you of?" I hiss. I can barely stand to look at her myself. We were so stupid. SO stupid. Simon gasps quietly. Idiot.
I look at Raul as he isn't watching me. His thick black hair, only he has streaks of grey. The green eyes. The shape of his face. I suppose the only difference is that Raul isn't pretty. It still makes me sick to look him in the face and see how moronic we are. Does he think we knew? Surely not. He can read us as well as we read each other. He must sense our shock.
He turns his (green) eyes to me. "What is she doing here?"
I swallow, but my voice is steady. "She came to school today, talking about werewolves. Tried to eat a burger raw at lunch, we thought- it looked like she was changing."
Raul says nothing and Max adds desperately, "Raul, we didn't realise."
"Well? Let's have it then." We all look at Jade and I note that her mood has become as difficult to tell as her Father's. "Hello daddy. I'm Jade, your daughter. This is your bit - you tell me how you're glad to see me, and how sorry you are. "
We all gasp. We can't help it - no one talks to Raul like that. But he just raises an eyebrow. Like this is the least concerning thing in the world and he is at perfect ease. And he is at ease, but I can see he's watching her. Assessing her.
"What for?"
"What for." Her eyes are so cold. " What for? I don't know. I never really cared to know you, and it's obvious you never cared to know me. But I thought maybe a phone call when I moved into your town. Just a word. No?"
"What would you have liked me to have said?" He finds it funny. No - amusing. But there's a fine line and I feel her getting closer to crossing it.
"You- what about your wife?"
Me and the guys cast looks, this is getting seriously uncomfortable. None of us feel like we should be here - it's too personal. We can't see Raul like this. I step forward a milimetre, "Raul, maybe me and the others should go, so-"
"No!" They say together, so firmly we all step back closer to the walls. Then Max and I look at each other grimly, no point making it worse for ourselves. We sit down and so do the rest. Except for Jade. Now she's really angry. She's a second away from losing it. And I feel so sick. He was like that.
"We were divorced Jade. It doesn't always work out, surely you're old enough to-"
"Old enough to understand?" She shouts, making our eyes fly to her - popping from their sockets. "If you were going to say that- Never say that to me! You think I'm angry because you divorced! How dare you! HOW DARE YOU?"
I can't breathe, her face is red and her fists are shaking. And I can't breathe because she's shouting at Raul. And he's standing now - clearly showing his dominance. But she doesn't care. She doesn't back down like we would.
"YOU DIDN'T COME TO YOUR OWN WIFE'S FUNERAL! Remember that? REMEMBER? It was about four months back, and you didn't even have the decency to reply! What's wrong with you? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"
We sit in stunned silence.
"Don't talk to me that way. I told you, we aren't married anymore."
"Why not Dad? Why didn't you come to her funeral?"
"You don't seem to understand Jade. You can't stop and drop everything at a two days notice. It doesn't work like that."
He means the pack. But she thinks it's made up.
"It was two hours drive, three at the most. For the mother of your daughter. That doesn't mean anything to you? She's dead Raul."
"Jade. Don't be pathetic. I told you, you can't drop everything, it's different when you have your pack to think of."
She loses the fire in her cheeks and just stares at him. "Your pack. That's the excuse you make for not coming to her funeral; a non-existent "pack"."
He spits back at her. Because she doesn't understand what it means, what it's like. Words I don't want to hear. "And what was her excuse for not coming to Jasper's?"
"Jasper?"
Her anger falls. All of it, just the confusion is left and, well- it's like she's missing something. I don't mean like when you skip a bit in a conversation. I mean like when there is really something missing in a person, and for just one second or one moment - it shows.
"Your brother Jade. Your brother's funeral."
For a long moment we are all silent. The eight observers and the Father and Daughter. But now we all feel in on it, caught up in the lies of a lifetime. "I er," she tries to speak, but clears her throat - casually, "I didn't know I had a brother."
"A twin brother," Raul smiles wryly, "who was about as bad at hiding anything as you are." We all laugh at this and Jade seems dazed. Not really surprising. She just found out she has a dead twin brother. Yeah, I'm good at putting a positive spin on things aren't I?
She says (only half protesting - most of her doesn't seem to be here) "You haven't known me long enough to decide that."
"Boys, take her out and-"
"No. Stop. I have a brother and- and he's a twin. No, I'm a twin. We're twins. His name is Jasper?"
He shrugs, "Was."
"How did he die?" She has no problem saying it, which makes me stare at her. I really can't help this and try to work out why. I suppose it's because of her Mother. Her Mother died four months back and she talks about the death of her brother as though it were nothing. And she isn't even faking it.
Guess she's a bit like Raul. That's a weird thought.
"Enough. Thor, you said she was changing?"
"Well she was fighting Max over a raw burger and she looked like she was boiling alive. And er- well her teeth. And eyes."
"She's still in the room. What? What's wrong with me?"
"That could be a lengthy answer." We grin at Raul as she trips over to the mirror. All of us hear the high little intake of breath as she sees her eyes going grey - and way too big - and her pointed canines. But a normal human wouldn't. She thinks we only hear her when she turns and says, "Like Father like daughter."
"Right, take her out to the woods and show her how to change. Before she hurts someone."
"What happens if I don't change?"
He fixes her with his stare. None of us say a word. "They never lived long enough to tell.."
"BOO!"
She jumps into the air and the guys bend double laughing at her. "Take her to the woods then."
She frowns, crossing her arms. "What if I don't want to be taken?"
"Then I suggest you take yourself, Princess."
Typical Tamas. Jade scowls him like you wouldn't believe - considering her whole tripping on her laces and smiling while the whole class mocked her. I've been pretty dim today, thinking Jade was some dizzy girl then seeing her have a shouting match with Raul, fighting us for the burger. Not realising she's Jasper's sister. Who cares, Tamas could take a life time of scowling from Raul - has taken a lifetime of scowling from Raul - and never become less cocky.
Tomas is quieter, and some people think that means he's dull and well behaved. Right. I imagine Tamas without Tomas, or Tomas without Tamas. It doesn't make sense. How did we not know about Jade for all these years? Did Jasper know? I'll ask Raul later.
As it is we troop back out to the drive, and I picture the front wall of the house with my car sticking out of it. That's why I don't think twice.
Her green grey eyes perk up a bit, face hopeful. "Can I drive?"
"No. Get in the boot."
She does, with her shoulders just a little slumped. I see the others are sorry I was so harsh to Jade - they feel bad for her, they wish we could make her feel better (even if she hasn't spoken one self pitying word). But I also know if it were their choice they'd rather blind-fold Bastian and let him get in front of the wheel.
We pile in and set off, this time much more slowly. I sigh and try to relax. What a joke.