"I bet she's pregnant"
"Yeah, that's the only way a guy like him would be with her"
"I heard they're getting married"
"Look at her scars from that addicent she was in, she's so ugly"
"She's gotta to be knocked up"
"I heard she almost died this summer!"
"But who would ever do it with her?"
"He was probably drunk"
"I mean ... just look at her. Why? Even drunk I wouldn't hit that"
The words cut through me like knifes as I walk down the hall and to my locker. Leo and I almost have no classes together. So I had to walk to my locker which is on the other side of the school from his and suffer through this. Everyone in the school is talking about Leo and I. Oh and if Jess and Max's are getting back together. Which will never happen.
"Hey, are you pregnant?" asks some guy chucking a wad of paper at me
"No" I whipser looking at my feet and trying to get to my locker as fast as I can. Everyone else gets to class besides for the head cheerleader. Oh God.
"But why would Leo be with you?" sneers Missy the head cheerleader wearing a skirt that is smaller than my shoe
"Maybe because I love her" says Leo wrapping is arm around my shoulders and kissing the side of my head
"Oh... I didn't see you there Leo" says Missy in a flirty manor.
"How's your day so far?" asks Leo addressing me completely ignoring the bubble brain
"Same old school" I say and me frowns opening his mouth to say something when a teacher interrupt
"Where should you be right now?" asks Mrs Whyte
"Class" I say and she nods
"Then get there" And gives me a smile, she is the best guidance councillor.
"Gotta go, babe" says Leo giving me a peck on the lips and walking off the the class beside mine
"Better hold on to him Giant, I might just need to show him a real good time" says Missy using my nickname that I've has since grade one. My wolf growls at her words. Leo is my mate. No one can question that.
"Whatever" I mutter going to class which is havoc. People were everywhere. The teacher isn't even in the room. I try to get to my seat as fast as I can but Missy trips me. I fall. But somehow I fall and end up landing on my elbow. I hear a snap and a let out a small scream looking at my elbow which as bent in all the wrong ways. Suddenly the room goes silent. I moan as I snap my bone back into place. And the whole room epurts in to laughter.
"Why would you trip her, she could have lost the baby" says a girl from my class who just took a picture of my sitting on the floor
I stand up I go to my chair and put my hood up. The teacher walks in and its like it never happened.
"Good Morning, Class." says Mr Brey
"Morning" we all grumble
"Well, this is your last year here" he says. Mr Brey is a short guy with a squeaky voice. He's kinda like that little teacher on Harry Potter. He keeps on talking but I'm not really listening. I'm just sitting there at the back of the class. My arm is healing its self. Soon it will just be a memory among scars. The damned scars that make me look littered and dirty, the same ones that nearly stole my life. I've grown to hate them. Leo says I'm beautiful, regaurdless of my lines that coat my body from glass, fire, and twisted trucks.
A folded up piece of paper hits my desk. I look up to see who through it. Everyone is looking forward or talking. I slowly unfold it. Its a letter that just about everyone in the class has contributed to.
Giant,
You are ugly- Kristy
You are fat- Jonhy
You are a waist of space- Kim
I hope Leo leaves you and the baby dies- Jake
I feel bad for the poor baby, its gonna look like you- Sam
Kill yourself and save us the trouble of having to go through the school year with someone like you- Cate
If you were to die, we would have a party! No one would miss you- Amy
We all hate you, because well you're you!- Jacky
You're rude and stupid, if you were to die no one would care- Artie
We hate you! Move, Die or just switch schools. Become someone else's problem- Carter
Go and die- Mason
I hate you- Clair
Screw you, bitch- Jaycee
I could show Leo a good time, something he'll never get with you- Mary Anne
Why did you even come back?- David
Just leave, and save us the trouble of killing you- Sammy
I hope this letter has made you understand why we can't have you around. You've always thought you were perfect. Trust me you're not! You've been trying to show me up since day one. So please just leave. We all hate you and unless you want a locker full of horse shit, I would suggest leaving now.- Missy
I closed my eye's and crumpled the paper up. My eye's were burning with unused tears. I shoved the piece of paper into my book bag. And wished I could just disappear. The period was over and it was time for lunch. I got up last and left last. Looking at the floor and making my way to the west hallway. No one is ever there during lunch. I found a spot that even if someone was to come they probably wouldn't see me and sat down. I took my homemade lunch out of my bag and started to nibble on it. My phone buzzed. I picked it up
"Hello?" I answered
"Hey, where are you? I have lunch now too. Why arn't you in the cafaretia?" asks Leo and I sigh.
"I've never eaten lunch in there a day in my life." I admit
"Well, where are you?" he asks with an impatiant undertone. His wolf hates not being with me 24/7.
"The west hallway" I say "But I'll meet you at the library"
"Okay, see you then" he says and I hang up.I get up and go to the library. The only place in the school that I love and feel safe in. I had sat down at a table with my book when Leo showed up.
"Oh. Hey" I say putting my book down and looking up at him. Why does he look so mad?
"Give me the note." he growls and he clench his fists
"Leo, clam down." I say standing up and resting my hands on his chest.
"Give me the note" he repeats himself. I turning and grab the crumpled up paper from my bag and hand it to him. His eye's get darker and darker as he reads it. He then crumples it up in a ball and tucks it in his back pocket.
"Leo...." I whisper stepping back and he grabs my arms
"Don't move" he growls and I can see he's trying to calm himself down. I wrap my arms around his torso and kiss his cheek and whisper little words of comfort.
"Leo, I'm okay. I've learnt not to listen to them" I say he slides his arms around my waist
"You deserve so much better" he says and I almost giggle think about how Dad had said the same thing when he had left that day in the woods.
"I'm out of here this year, I can handle it. The letter isn't true they never act apon it. I've gotten one every year since grade two. I don't even cry over it anymore." I mummer into his shoulder.
"Why don't we skip the rest of the day?" he suggests and I nod. I go to step back and he gives me a kiss before releasing me.
"Lets go." I collect my stuff and take his hand
We walked out to the parking lot. And are instantly noticed by Missy and the tramp stamp group they walked over to us and I thought there hips might have been broken they were swing them so much.
"Hey Leo" purs Missy fluttering her makeup covered lashes
"Come on, Princess" says Leo leading me to the truck blowing the cheerleaders off
"Oh Leo don't be like that, there's a party at Max's tonight. You should come with me" says Missy and she laughs leaning down the her incredibly low cut top leaves nothing to the imagination.
"Yeah, Leo you should totally come with us" says one of the Cheerleaders
He says nothing, opening up the truck door for me and I climb in smiling in thanks. He walks around and hops in the drivers seat in seconds turned it on and drove out of the parking lot. I tucked my legs up and rested my chin on them looking out my window.
"You know I love you" says Leo and I look over at him
"Yes, and you know I love you." I in the most seroius voice and the truck creeps to a crawl
"And you know that you're beautiful, so beautiful sometimes it hurts me." he says and I frown
"I don't want to hurt you" I say in a small voice
"Its an amazing kind of pain" he says speeding up ever so slightly, his voice lighter than before
"How did you know about the note?" I ask, stepping on eggshells
"I overheard someone talking about it." He says sadly "Baby, please don't believe them, you are so, so amazing and wonderful."
"Don't worry." I say and he pulls into our driveway. "Besides we have a wedding to plan."
He smiles and smile that fills his whole face "We do, don't we"
"We still need to set a date" I say smiling
"Whenever you want, beautiful" he says putting the truck into park. But we don't get out.
"Maybe fall... when all of the leaves are changing colors" I say "I know its only like a month away, but I don't really want a big wedding"
"As long as you're happy" Leo says "You can have whatever kind of wedding you want"
"Well... Leo... I was wondering.... Do you want to invite anyone from your old pack?" I ask nervously. He doesn't answer for a while and I look up at him to find him smiling
"Why?" he asks and I can tell his smile is fake.
"Because...I thought you might miss your little sister, and we don't have a flower girl... " I say and he gives me a kiss.
"Why don't we go and visit them tomorrow?" he asks and I'm shocked.
"Should we call or.." I say and he laughs
"Ryan, don't worry, if you want to meet my family we'll go" he says and I smile and then start to think. I wonder if Leo wants kids. I snuggled up against him and he wrapped his arms around my chest.
"Leo..." I say not sure how he will react
"Yes, love?"
"Do you want a family? I mean like maybe one day we could move out and start our own family?" I ask and the truck is filled with silence "But we don't have to if you don't want.... or anything"
"Ryan, do you want kids?" he says and I cant see his face because of the position we're in. But he starts stroking my arm
"Maybe... I don't know" I scrunch up my nose in thought and he chuckles
"Love, if you want to have kids I will love them and protect them. One day I might want a family... I just don't want to be a screw up Dad" he admits and I turn to that I'm straddling his legs. I give him a hug.
"Leo, I'm sure you will be the best Dad in the world. But we don't have to worry about that right now" I say and he returns the hug. We just sit in the truck holding each other until Charlie comes outside and finds us.
"Um... what are you guys doing?" he asks knocking the the window
"Nothing" I say getting off Leo and getting out of the truck.
"Why arn't you in school?" Charlie asks, clearly trying to disregard the 'cozy' position we were in.
"Because.... We're skipping." I say taking Leo's hand when we gets out and shutting the door.
"Why?" asks Charlie
"Because people are mean" I say, trying to brush it off "Where's everyone else?"
"Izzy's having a nap, Reeve and all of them are playing video games" Charlie says looking Leo when he asks "So what happened at school?"
"Long story short, we wont be going back, at least not to that school." Leo answers and Charlie frowns
"Oh..." says Charlie, taken aback
"Where's Greg?" says Leo with a deap, and serious tone
"In his office" answers Charlie and we starts to walk towards the house.
"Ryan, come on we need to talk to your Dad' says Leo and I'm dreading it
"Do I have to?" I whisper and everyone gives us a weird look
"Yeah, come on" he says giving my hand a comforting squeeze
"Why are you guys home already?" asks Noah, cramping a peice of cold pizza in his mouth.
"Because... I'll talk to you guys later" I say and starts walking towards Dad's office. Leo knocks on the door
"Come in" Dad yells through the door. I open the door and we step in.
"Hi" I say and Dad looks up from his laptop
"What are you guys doing home so early?" he asks and I take a shaky breath
"Because... Well, I'm. It's. Urg. Here, read this" I say taking the note from Leo's back pocket and handing it to Dad. He unfolds it and reads. I look down at my feet and let my hair fall around my head shielding me
"Ryan... What is this?" growls Dad and I gulp looking up to meet his angry gaze
"A note... " I say, I know its a halfassed answer
"How long has this been going on for?" Dad asks trying to keep calm and is slightly shaking and his eye's cloudy.
"Since like, Grade two" I say and my eye's burn again. No I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why hasn't one of your brothers told me?" he asks and Reeve, Charlie and Noah walk in. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.
"What are we supposed to tell you?" asks Noah and Dad hands him the note. They all read it. I will not cry. I will not cry.
"How many more notes like this do you have?" asks Charlie who is beyond mad.
"Um... "I say doing the math "like ten maybe" I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.
"Why didn't you tell us?" asks Reeve who seems hurt that I've kept this to my self for so long. Dont cry, I wont cry. No tears. Nope. Nope. Nope. Dont cry.
"I don't know...." I say and fighting back tears. Don't cry. Don't cry.
"Love, why didn't you tell anyone?" asks Leo I look up at him and he seems so sad. Dont cry. Dont cry.
"Because, I didn't want to be a problem." I whisper and he scoops me up in a hug. And the tears just start falling. He lifts me off the ground and holds me tight agaisnt his chest. A protective rumble comes from his chest.
"I'm sorry" I sob and Leo kisses my neck.
"You have nothing to be sorry for" Leo says
"Oh Ryan... Why didn't you tell us?" asks Noah and I starts to sob.
Sobs that shake my whole body. A tear for every time someone pushed me and kicked me when I was on the floor. A tear for every time someone wrote loser on my locker. A tear for the "Pinch the Giant" day that happened once a month. A tear for being pushed around and shoved down. A tear for all of those times that I ate my lunch with the janitor.
"I'm so tried of being pushed around... I'm tried for being hit, I'm tried of being told how ugly I am everyday. I'm tried of it" I say and Leo lets me stand. But keeps his arms wrapped around me.
"Oh Ryan" says Reeve and only now do I notice Jenna behind him.
"I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to go and get Mason to get Jess." says Charlie and I rest my head on Leo's chest and just listen to his heart.
"You arn't going back there." growls Dad
"I need to finish school" I say not wanting to go back but I know I need to finish high school.
"We'll figure something out. But none of my kids will ever step foot in that school again" Dad grumbles
"What should I do in the meantime?" I ask wiping my face
"Plan your wedding." he says smiling
"Right... I should start that." I say and Leo smiles at me warmingly.
"Come on Love lets go" says Leo picking me up and carrying me
"You know I can walk" I sniff
"But where's the fun in that?" Leo asks carrying me out of the office and up to our room.
"You want to meet my family, I'd start to pack. If we leave tonight and we'll get there early tomorrow." he says setting me down.
"Really?" I ask excited to meet his family.
"Yes, if you want to meet them then we'll go. I'm sure Suzy will love you" he says mentioning his youngest sister
"Logan, Mia and Suzy... Waits whats your Moms name? And what do I call her? " I ask looking up at him
"Her name is Grace, and you can call her whatever you want" he says chuckling.
"So when are we leaving?" I ask
"As soon as we're packed" he says
"Arn't you going to want to sleep?" I asks
"No.. probally not. I'll sleep when I get there." he says and I can tell he's nervous
"Okay, so lets get packed!" I say and grab my suitcase out from under my bed. "How long should I pack for?"
"A few days" he answers grabbing some clothes for himself and packing them. Soon my suitcase was full of Leo and I's clothes.
"Hold on let me get stuff from the bathroom." I say and grab a small bookbag and starts cramming shampoo and tooth paste in it.
"Alright, I'm ready" I say after I packed a book or two.
"Perfect, now lets talk to your Dad about leaving." he says and I nod. Dad was fine with it. We said goodbye and packed up the truck. 30 minutes later Leo and I were on the road. I'm going to meet my future inlaws.
A/N- what do you think?????