"It's election day Seabrook! We have an assembly to hear from our presidential candidates, and it is going to be so good to see you all."
I let out a quiet scoff under my breath, hearing our principal's over eccentric excitement over the speakers. This whole presidential election was definitely being hyped up too much.
Barely able to get my feet on the ground as I hopped out of the annoyingly pink van, my brother placed his recently moisturized hands on my shoulders, halting any future movements.
Nudging the door shut with his hips, Bucky began to speak to me and lead me up the steps to the school entryway.
"So, big day for me sis"
Oh please let me disappear into the polished floors.
"Your very own brother is going to be president of the school, and since you are my darling sister I have decided to elect you as," He patted my shoulders quickly as a drum roll, "vice president, yay"
The grin on his face couldn't be wiped off, even if a boulder hit it.
Hating to have to break it to him (not really), I responded, "Bucky, you haven't even been elected president yet"
Hearing a loud series of 'shh shh shh' my brother opened his big mouth to continue speaking.
"Yet little one" he patted the top of my head as we continued down the hallway towards our lockers.
Darn the last name order.
"But seeing as though I am the most...qualified, it'll be no doubt that I receive such a high honor"
Sucking a sharp breath between my teeth I almost sighed in relief when I felt the literal weight (of his hands) lift off my shoulders, his attention now on opening his locker.
Muttering my words of disapproval I followed his actions and opened my locker as well. Retrieving the worn down notebooks and my pencil bag, which was decorated with a variety of doodles smudged across every inch. Placing my backpack carefully inside I grabbed the small wooden box which held the two most important pieces of jewelry I had ever laid eyes on.
"My first act as president will of course be cleansing the annual Prawn of any freaks."
Slamming my locker shut in annoyance I spun on my heeled boots to look at my brother straight in the eyes.
"Those freaks, are people too" I sternly spoke. My jaw clenched tightly, causing the muscles in my face to ache.
Bucky, with years of experience with my stubbornness, only rolled his eyes and huffed loudly.
Turning back to his locker, he ran his hands a few times through his hair, looking directly into the oversized mirror placed in his highly decorated locker, responded snipely.
"This is why it'd be best for you to become vice president. You'd be spending much more time with me and the Aceys and much less time with" he tilted his head to the left quickly gesturing me to follow his gaze, "them."
Walking down the hallway at that moment were my new friends.
The wolf pack. Leading the way as usual was Willa, with Wyatt and Wynter by her side.
"Just-" hearing his voice brought me out of my staring. "don't get tangled up in their...mess"
And with that my brother closed his locker and sauntered off in the direction of his first class.
Before turning the corner and continuing his way through the school he turned back to me and spoke. "And please change your outfit, I'd rather not have my sister be mistaken for a gang member." Before continuing his journey through the busy school.
Once he was for sure out of hearing range I groaned loudly in annoyance and banged my head against the cold metal of my locker. Startling the boy next to me, who then grabbed his things in a rush before scurrying away.
Going for another blow to the head I leaned back for momentum before completing the action.
Although this time, instead of hitting the hard locker door, I hit soft and calloused flesh.
A hand. But who's?
Tilting my head to where the rest of the arm led, I was face to face with the wolf boy I had become highly fond of.
He smiled down at me, fangs showing in an innocent manner.
"Wouldn't want you hurting that pretty head of yours."
My green eyes must've been shimmering with adoration at this point.
Not wanting him to feel my rising temperature out of attraction and embarrassment tangled in one, I lifted my head from the palm of his hand.
Giggling nervously, I anxiously clutched onto my stuff tighter.
My embarrassment, although I hoped had been missed by onlookers, was definitely not.
The wolf pack with much friendlier looks than the first time I had met them, surrounded Wyatt and I.
"Nice attire." Willa smirked.
I smiled at the girl (who slowly but surely had been opening up to me), "well I did have the best stylists".
Grunts of approval came from the pack, proudly smiling at my newfound confidence when talking to them, and at their own handiwork.
The annoying and nightmare fueling sound of the warning bell rang throughout the now almost empty halls of Seabrook High School.
"See ya around fellow wolf" Wynter chirped, sending a hilariously terrible wink my way before prancing off to her class she shared with most of the pack.
And by most I mean all but Wyatt.
Somehow this punk had transferred into my AP Calculus class.
Brain and brawn?
This boy was seriously a gift from the heavens above.
(A/N seriously though, Pearce graduated when he was 15. Just- how can someone be that perfect. Edit- he actually graduated at 14 bc he started taking college courses at the age of 12)
His sister playfully nudged his shoulder with hers as she led the pack towards their morning class.
Wyatt, walking to stand right in front of me, bowed slightly and gestured to the direction of our class.
"Shall we, milady?" The boy had chuckled while saying this terrible line. But deciding to go along with it to ease his regret, I responded.
"We shall" I nodded while curtseying.
We both laughed at our own stupidity before making out way to class, walking in comfortable silence.
***
Wyatt and I had continued our separate paths for the rest of the day, offering each other a smile and a soft and sweet 'see you later'. He had returned to his pack, while I made my way to Addison.
Who wasn't hard to find in the sea of pink and blue.
"Becca!" My cousin waved her perfectly manicured hand (courtesy of the werewolves) frantically to grasp my attention.
Squeezing past the many students chatting and finding their own friends before class starts I had managed to make it to Addison fairly quickly.
"Do you have it."
Chuckling at her usage of the term it. I nodded, understanding what she was referring to.
Holding out the wooden box to her she delicately pulled out the necklace she seemed fit.
That one being the sun.
I didn't mind, for the one that had in a way been reaching out to me was the crescent moon.
Tucking it away safely in her pocket, she smiled anxiously at me.
"Had you come to your decision?"
I silently shook my head no.
She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded in understanding, knowing that this was not only important for her but for me as well.
"We still have two more classes at least" she said to me, hoping to rid ourselves of the anxiety that looked over us.
Smiling down at my necklace, still laying in the wooden box, I shut it softly and hummed in agreement.
"Whoa"
Lifting my eyes up to lock with my cousin's we both scrunched up our faces, knowing exactly who's high pitched voice that was.
"Bad hair day?" Lacey asked, her tight ponytail swaying with her excessive movements.
"Bad hair life?" Stacey added, scrunching up her nose in disgust as she looked the two of us up and down, although only voicing her opinion about Addison's hair.
"We personally think it looks great" I harshly spoke to them.
Jacey looked at us with clear judgement, "yeah not so much".
The three of them snapped their fingers annoyingly in front of us.
Lacey looked at me with vicious eyes, "Becky, if you ever expect to get your place back as cheer co captain-"
Having enough with their stupid and judgemental words and glares I bursted.
"Maybe I don't! Maybe I don't want to dance around all smiley and giddy next to the wicked witch of the west"
That felt good.
Sighing in content at my outburst I didn't care about the many eyes of Seabrook High students staring holes into me.
And it would be a lie to say I didn't feel proud of myself in that moment.
It would also be a lie to say I didn't enjoy seeing the horrified expressions on the Aceys faces as they scampered away.
The smile that stretched on my face made my cheeks hurt in the best way.
Turning to Addison we both screeched and bounced around in excitement.
"Did you see-"
"Their faces"
"You just-"
"I did"
Pulling each other into a tight hug, we hopped in place once more before steadying our erratic heartbeats.
Pulling away from each other we giggled and spoke out our goodbyes as the teachers standing in the hallways nudged students into the direction of their classes. Taking my leave I practically skipped to my next class.
I was ready to confidently walk in when I heard familiar voices softly echoing through the hallway. Turning the corner I came face to face with the wolf pack, hunched over, staring intently at a worn down blueprint
"This is how we sabotage the demolition and stop it." I recognized the voice to be Wyatt.
Willa, stretching slightly from her previously hunched over position, spoke up with authority.
"It's my responsibility to make sure we're all safe. We follow my lead."
Huffing at his sister's leader-like actions, Wyatt shot back.
"It's a good plan Willa." He told her firmly, folding up the blueprint before placing it in his pants pocket.
"What plan?"
Jumping from my spot, heart almost leaping out of my chest in fright, I saw my cousin march up to them. Deciding to follow, I jogged up behind her, holding my belongings close to me, as if to shield me from their eyes.
Wynter excitedly started speaking. "We're going after the moonstone. Top secret, you can't tell anyone." She smiled proud and wide at us before realizing her mistake. The wolves around her sighed at the loud werewolf.
Furrowing her eyebrows she brought her fists up to her head, "bad wolf, bad wolf" she muttered as she banged her fists on top of her head upsetingly.
"You're going after the moonstone now?" Addison asked.
"It won't survive the destination" Wyatt spoke matter-of-factly. Frowning at the harsh reality of things.
"Then let us join you, we're ready to become werewolves."
My lips curved downward when she spoke for the both of us. But then I realized the predicament I was in, and the thought that had immediately flown through my mind at her words.
I'm not ready.
I am not ready.
Shakily letting out a breath I placed my things down onto the table in front of me and wiped my sweaty palms onto my pants.
Willa's next words seemed to evaporate, as my only focus was on my current conclusion.
I was not ready to become one of them.
But does that make me weak?
Before I could question myself any further, my cousin's softly spoken words rang cut through the atmosphere like a knife.
"It's gone."