I sat in a daze in one of my classes.
“…Miss Marco?” I jumped at my name and looked up in wide-eyed horror at the teacher, who looked just about ready to throw a hissy fit because of my inattentiveness, standing next to me. I hadn’t heard a single word she’d said since she stepped into the room so I had no idea what she was talking about, let alone what class I was in, so sure enough I was pretty much screwed. I gulped and stole a glance over at the twins, who were sitting a few seats away from me snickering at my current dilemma, my expression pleading. They both subtly held up two fingers and I grinned confidently despite myself at Mrs. Whoever.
“Two.” I answered, assurance evident in my voice, and the twins burst out laughing. I slap a hand over my face and sigh heavily.
Freaking bastards.
“Miss Marco this is English.” She stated, giving me the evil eye.
“Right. I knew that,” I muttered under my breath as I shot a glare at the twins. I’d been way too preoccupied with the text Regina had sent me last night; it was too much for me to actually be able to function properly after reading it. She’s asked me to be there for Hunter’s first baseball match of the season, and the thought of ever going back to that place was just a bit out of the question.
Knowing I was in English, I gave the teacher a bored-out-of-my-mind look and asked her to repeat the question. My voice held no pleading, only authority and challenge because I was positive I could answer whatever hardball question she threw at me.
“Who was the American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement? He was best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre.” She narrowed her eyes at me and flashed me a knowing little grin, thinking I was just another one of her students who didn’t know shit about English. Well guess again.
“Edgar Allan Poe,” I answered and shot her a look that said, Is that all you’ve got? Since I’d actually gone and bothered to do research about the guy for our recitation I knew quite a lot about him, but I’d long since gotten bored waiting because she went around asking everyone alphabetically.
“Correct,” she said, disappointed, walking back to the front of the class to finish the recitation. She then went and called on Leon and Cam for laughing out loud and asked them more about Edgar. But both just looked like lost and confused puppies as they scouted their brains for answers and came up with nothing. They glanced pleadingly at me and the amount of satisfaction that rippled through me was just so gratifying that I couldn’t help but do the same thing they did to me.
I held up two fingers to my face and did that theatrical sad face; eyes somewhat closed and mouth hanging slightly open in a frown. The bell rang and I wasted no time cramming my junk into my bag and running out of the room, not wanting to have to face the wrath of the twins. In human form I easily outran them, in wolf; it was the other way around. I headed to the cafeteria and saw Kendall and Jayden out in the hall surrounded by slutty giggling love struck girls.
Why don’t you let them wake you up in the morning, then we’ll see who's in love.
In the past two months that I’d been living with the four insanely hot brutes, I’d learned many things about life and boys. One is: To show off what you’ve got. Because according to them I have a lot, plus seeming as it’s a blessing from God one must appreciate what God has given one and flaunt it to others to show Him just how much we appreciate it. And two, which is directly related to one, is: To lock your doors always. Because boys will be boys and sneak into your room, read you diary or maybe even take all your clothes and donate it to charity. I know all this for a fact so take my word for it and always lock your doors.
The two looked up when I walked by and dismissed all their little fan girls to follow me into the cafeteria. The twins joined us shortly after and together we all burst into the room and everyone’s eyes were immediately on us. Another one of the stupid life lessons I’d learned and my brothers constantly practice is to: Be the center of attention wherever, whenever. And for some unknown reason the people never get tired of the same old routine. Every lunch they would still stop and stare at us in awe for, I don’t know how long.
We had been going to this school for about a month and a half and we’d already made a name for ourselves. The Marco siblings were not to be messed with. Since my brothers have read my diary they know all about my situation from my old home, and that knowledge had led them to feel overprotective of me from all the other wolves in the pack who had a thing with hybrids. I don’t exactly see this as a bad thing; I actually think it’s pretty great, being with the four of them has helped me build up my confidence.
So I figure that if I go ask one of them to come with me tomorrow to Hunter’s game, maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe all the confidence I’d worked hard on to build won’t crumble back down to a size of a button.
After eating lunch the boys dropped the twins and I off at our class and made their way to theirs. The twins, not really wanting the same thing in English happening a second time and assuming I would give them the answer if they were called, chose a smarter approach and sat on either side of me this time. The bell rang and the teacher walked in. He started his discussion and I made sure to pay close attention to what he was saying this time. He went into a topic I’d read and done research about so I felt no need to listen to what he had to say and went off into my own little world.
Classes dragged on and I seriously just couldn’t help but thank God for it being Friday. As soon as the bell for the end of classes went off I was out of the building faster than you could say, Smell you later. I ran to towards the school’s parking lot and looked for my car; it was a sleek little red Lexus that was given to me by Terrance. I pulled out of the parking lot and drove around town aimlessly, enjoying the feel of being behind the wheel, till I remembered I needed a new sketchpad.
I parked my car in the large driveway of our house to find my apparent pre-birthday celebration, arranged by my most beloved stepbrothers, in full swing; complete with the drunken teenagers and random strangers dancing obscenely and making out in just about every corner of our lawn. The entire house was booming and red plastic cups littered our lawns.
I grabbed my bag and the paper bag that held my newly bought art materials inside it and stepped out of my car. I made my way inside the house and next thing I know I was being thrown over someone’s shoulder and my world was upside down. I recognized the person’s back was put at ease when I figured out it was only Leon.
“Hey everyone, look who decided to show up,” Leon screamed at everyone in the room as he carefully placed me back on the ground. “Peebles, everyone, is in the building. So let’s get this party started!”
The crowd cheered and, as if it was even possible, the music got louder and more partygoers entered our home. After thirty minutes of partying I got sick of the atmosphere and I headed upstairs to my room. I laid down on my bed and stared at the still pale pink painted ceiling of my room. The place wasn’t as bare as it use to be when we first moved in, making it feel more homey and nice.
And in the two months that I’d been going to my new school I’d discovered a new passion for art and track. My walls all had pictures both drawn and photographed pinned up against them. And even though I’d already figure that no human could possibly rival me in speed I still always went out with one of the boys for runs and training.
I sat up and stared at the smiling face of my mom on one of the pictures taken during her wedding. She stood in the beautifully decorated gazebo in front of the makeshift altar with Terrance, grinning wide and looking genuinely happy. I couldn’t help but smile at the memory of the joyous occasion even if I had been forced into wearing a frilly puffed up dress that resembled my mom’s an awful lot since I was supposed to be a younger smaller version of her, the bride, and Kendall played mini-Terrence, the groom. It was exhausting having to walk around with them in a long gown and heels but Kendall was more than happy to oblige when I went and asked him to carry me around. Plus everyone else seemed indisputably pleased seeing the mini versions of the newly married couple being all lovey-dovey in public.
I stood and walked over to my table and pulled out the sketchpad I’d bought. I grabbed a pencil and started to sketch as I bobbed my head in tune to Five Minutes to Midnight by Boys Like Girls.
“Cause oh oh oh. I've got a sickness, you've got the cure. You've got the spark I've been lookin' for. And I've got a plan, we walk out the door.” I sang as I continued to draw. I finished just as the song was about to end and found myself staring into the intense blue eyes of my mate.
Fan-f*cking-tastic.