3

by Shera Eitel-Casey

  After Algebra, I rounded the corner to Cale's locker and there was Nic talking to Cale. I stopped cold in my tracks, oh crap, was she breaking up with him for me? I quickly turned around started walking back the way I came, as fast as I could and 'BAM'. I walked right into Jett. “Crap” I said quickly then stammered out a “Sorry.”

  He smiled at me and said “In a hurry?” and everything stopped as we looked at each other. It felt like an eternity, but undoubtedly was only a few seconds. I was dazed by his gorgeous smile, dimples, not dots but that second crease running along his smile line; perfectly straight teeth and that twinkle in his eye. How embarrassing, my face flushed, I said a quick “Yes, excuse me.”

  I ran for the stairs and tripped going up them, dropping all my books. Someone helped me pick them up but I couldn't even look them in the eye. I said a quick “thanks” and kept going. I was mortified – I didn't break up with Cale, Nic did it (I think), I literally ran into Jett and then I tripped going up the stairs. Who does that? I hope Jett didn't see me in all my glory.

  I got to the top of the stairs. My shin was killing me and I gave it a little rub, I could already feel the knot. I was almost running to Home Ec, Nic and I had decided to take Home Ec right before lunch so we could eat all the stuff we made. I got there and of course she wasn't. I sat down and just started fidgeting and checking the door every few seconds. I don’t remember confirming the need for her help to break up with Cale for me, but why else would she be talking to him. Did I tell her it was okay to help me? Did I tell her to break up for me? Oh my gosh, I wonder if he's mad because she did my dirty work for me? Calm down a little. If she did break up with him for me, on the bright side, the task is done. I'm sure it's done and because for some reason I know she did it. Now I just have to worry about him being mad at me because I didn't do it myself. Worst case scenario, if she didn't tell him, I can do it right before lunch if I can find him.

  She walked in the classroom and stopped at the first table to chat. I quickly went over there and gave her big eyes, nodding toward our seats trying to tell her she has more important things to talk to me about. She smiled and I walked back to our table and started pacing.

  “So what were you talking to Cale about?”

  “He called me over and asked me what was up with you so I told him you wanted to break up…. I figured why lie.”

  “That's what I like about you, you're so direct. What else?” I was talking quickly.

  “He said he understood but his jaw got tight and he seemed real tense. And then he told me to tell you no hard feelings.”

  “I find that hard to believe for some reason. I tried breaking up with him this morning but we ran into Jett at my locker and I froze.” So I told her the whole sordid affair, even the part where 'I ran' into Jett after Algebra. She started to laugh, so I pulled up my jeans and showed her the huge mark on my shin; it was shiny and red in the middle and already beginning to bruise. Plus, it broke open the first couple layers of skin but wasn't bleeding. We both said “Ooooo,” at the sight of it. Our Home Ec teacher, who was lecturing, came over took a look at my leg because she heard us “ooooo” and kept talking, turned around, got a bag, filled it with ice and handed it to me never stopping her lecture. It did help.

  Cale didn't show up for school that Friday and he didn't call me either. I felt bad, maybe I should have still talked to him myself. Nic said that doing it over the phone was lame but I bet having your friend do it for you was even worse. Now I wished I hadn't chickened out – or I wish that Nic wasn't there after Algebra, maybe I would have still gone up to him. In any case, it's done.

  My parents dropped us off at the football game, it was fun. No messages or any drama, just fun. After, at the bonfire, Storm offered to give Nic and me a ride home. All we had to do was wait for his brothers.

  Kyle and Jett came out of the locker room, hair wet and bags in hand. They didn't look too happy when they saw us standing with Storm, and when he told them we needed a ride home, they were definitely pissed off. Jett was extra grouchy because he fumbled the ball once, plus they lost. Yep, Jett's on the football team which I hadn't noticed before. He still looked hot, bad mood or not. Storm, Nic and I sat in back and we acted like the other two weren't even there, chatting about this and that. I told Kyle he could turn around at the bottom of my driveway. So he pulled all the way to the bottom. It was large enough to park a few cars.

  My parents and some friends were on the porch having a few drinks. I got out and yelled “Hi mom,” our porch was one story up; my mom replied back over the railing "Tell those boys to get up here and eat this food so I don't have to put it away."

  I asked Storm if he was hungry and he shrugged and nodded toward the other two. I knocked on the window on Jett's side, he looked very grumpy but he rolled his window down and I nodded toward Kyle in the driver’s seat and asked "You want some food and beer?" That put a glimmer in his eye and a he gave me a half smile. "Come on we'll make you some plates" I said. Jett kinda grumbled. I didn't care about his attitude this second so I leaned through his window, across him, and turned the car off and kept the keys. Kyle got out lickedy split, I opened Jett's door and said “Come on grouch, maybe food will make you feel better.”

  I introduced the three boys, explaining that they were on the football team. Storm on the freshman team and the other two on varsity. My parents asked for my program and made them sign it in case they were ever famous. The boys perked up after they had some food, I put the keys in the middle of the table. My sister and Alec came walking up the steps.

  My dad looked at me and said "You wanna play some ball with your old man?” I looked at him and shrugged “Sure.”

  Kyle and Jett looked at him like “really.” “Don't worry boys, you don't need to play, I need you to polish Mrs. Gellar's food off so she, I mean so we, don't have to put it away. Nic, Tori and Alec get down to the field, I'll get Kit." My dad went into the house, turned on our flood lights that lit up our very large side yard and retrieved Kit. When we girls got there Storm was behind us. The teams were Storm, Tori and I against Nic, Kit and my dad. Storm complained “These aren't fair teams…”

  “Don't worry, Nic stinks and I'm faster than my brother, plus Tori plays dirty” I said with a raise of my brow.

  We played a couple of plays and Storm, Tori and I did well, we were winning. Alec came out a few minutes later, followed by Kyle and Jett. My dad chuckled and turned to the boys and said "This is touch football, do you know how to play touch football?" being facetious. They both smiled cheerfully and said “Yeah.” Storm and I got Kyle and my dad got Jett and Alec. Storm looked at me, like he was going to say these aren't fair teams but I told him reassuringly not to worry. He gave me a crooked smile and I said “Trust me - -” all I could think was those damn McGaven boys have nice smiles.

  We huddled up, the play was to pass to me so I got to the front line, Alec was covering Tori, Nic and Kit were on Storm, Jett was to cover me, I looked up and said "Hey! This is not fair..." Jett interrupted with "Chicken!" and a smile. The food must have worked.

  "Look here boy” I replied “I bet you’re really tired from all that playin' you did tonight…”

  "Hut1," Kyle exclaimed, "Hut2....Hut3." I shoulder checked Jett off the line and took off. Tori just grabbed Alec at the knees and he, being too afraid of hurting her, went down. Storm actually had Nic and Kit on him like glue and my dad was trying to rush Kyle. I ran up and then bolted two steps right and then rolled left losing Jett for a second. Kyle threw the ball and I made a touch down!!!!!

  "Whew" we yelled and Jett just looked at me and gave me a slight body check walking by and I said "What do you think of that old man." Everyone laughed, Jett was smiling too.

  We were up fourteen points and about to huddle up one last time when I noticed a dark truck driving by the front of our house, really slow. I stopped to stare, and then Storm came by my side and Kyle on the other. We all watched the truck and we started walking toward it - as soon as
it came upon the driveway they must have noticed us and sped up, taking off down the road. Storm turned to me and said "Is that your lover boy???"

  I shrugged my shoulders "I don't think so, he doesn't have a truck like that as far as I know. And he's not my lover boy anymore." I said exaggeratedly. Giving Nic a high five saying “Yeah!” Nic said “It sure looked like him from afar though.” I was a little wary of Cale ever since I saw him in that house. I looked at Storm with worried eyes and he gave me a dirty look back. “What?” I said and I pushed him. “I broke up with him! Sorry he knows where I live!” I ran up behind him and grabbed him around his shoulders bringing him down for a soft tackle.

  “Addie” my dad said “Don't hurt the boys.” Jett and Kyle of course gave a laugh and called out some names to Storm. I rolled on top, kissed him on the cheek and ran behind Kyle.

  “Don't use me as a shield girl,” Kyle said “You started it.” He stepped left leaving Storm and I face to face. I held my arm on his chest holding him arm’s length away, leaning forward. We were both laughing.

  “Storm...” I warned, “My dad is here and this flirting... Shelby won't like it.” He stood up, stopping the commotion, then grabbed me around the neck and knuckle rubbed my head. The game continued. We covered the same guys who covered us before, giving me Jett. The good thing was the boys were afraid of hurting the girls and Tori and I knew it, so we took full advantage. Tori and I gave each other a nod, we had a plan.

  We lined up, I actually touched Jett's shoulder and said “I saw you limping earlier are you hurt is that your excuse for not being able to run fast.” He brushed my hand off his shoulder “You can't touch me, it's illegal.” I replied “You don't like girls.” He straightened up. My dad yelled “hike.” I tackled and rolled into his legs, Tori doing the same to Alec, both boys hitting the ground and my dad started laughing. Storm and Kyle were covering Nic and Kit. When my sister and I headed toward my dad, he started laughing more, and we two hand touched him right before he threw the ball away. My dad was laughing so hard he started crying, contagiously making everyone else laugh with him.

  Everyone was out of breath and in a great mood. My dad called the game. We won! Storm was happy. “You didn't tell me you and your sister played dirty, glad you were on my team.” I gave him a wink.

  “Those boys sure can eat.” My mom said as we got back to the deck, she was re-warming some food on the grill. We hung out and chatted all night, the boys ended up leaving around two in the morning. That was the latest any of my friends had ever stayed. Maybe things are changing because we're in High School now. As Nic and I walked the boys to their car, Nic pointed to the street across the way down a couple blocks. The same truck as before was parked with its lights off.

  The wrestling room was a little more crowded than usual when they started warm ups today. It looked like they had more newcomers. Nic and I were conversing effortlessly when the coach startled us by yelling at a newcomer who was late to practice. We both looked up and to my surprise my stomach dropped, my face went flush immediately, and my heart accelerated. I felt weak. I had to get up “Nic, I'm going to the bathroom.” Everyone saw me get up in a hurry and I darted out the door to the nearest bathroom, down the hall just around the corner. Nic followed. “What’s wrong Addie?” she asked “What’s wrong?”

  I rinsed my face with cold water and dabbed it dry with a paper towel. “Was that Jett who came in the wrestling room? I swear it was him. I can’t go back in there.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know, as soon as I saw Jett, my heart started to race and my hands got all clammy.”

  “Girl you got it bad, but why are you acting so weird we just played football with him Friday?'

  I paused, I had none of my usual come backs right now. “Maybe it was just because I didn't expect him...... so what is Jett doing in wrestling? He's never been there before.” I asked Nic very concerned.

  “He must not have been able to come before because of football. I heard the football players can either do weights, run or wrestling practice since the last game is this Friday.”

  “Ugh” Could this be true? Jett on the wrestling team, of course it could. Nic and I took our time. We chatted in the dim hallway right outside the bathroom, like I said, I don't like hanging out in bathrooms.

  As we were talking all nonchalantly I glanced down the corridor and grabbed Nic's arm. There was someone standing at the end of the hall, a light was on behind them but the hallway between us and them was dark. We could see a silhouette standing with his feet spread and his arms held slightly away from his body. A second shorter silhouette appeared next to him, both seemed to be in hooded sweatshirts.

  Nic said “I swear they are looking our way...” and backed up a few steps and so did I. Nic shouted “Hey!”

  They started walking toward us “Did you just hear a growl?” I asked Nic as we took a few more steps backward. She grabbed my hand “Uh huh!” We looked at each other and ran, turned the corner and ran down to the double doors to the wrestling room. We tugged and pulled on the handles to the gym doors but they wouldn't open. Suddenly, one side clicked open. We pushed ourselves inside, pushing Declan aside, and we pulled them shut and held them closed.

  There we stood holding the doors shut panting from being chased when I noticed how awfully quiet it was, I nudged Nic, we both turned around keeping our hands on the handles. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and all eyes were on us. Declan was smiling, like it figures, we were always getting into trouble. Nic's face was void of any color and I bet mine was too. We let go of the door handles slowly.

  Coach yelled, “What are you two ladies up to?”

  “Uh, they were, um, chasing us?” I said pointing my hand back toward the hall. “They growled at us.” Nic added and I shook my head in agreement. There was a low rumble of amusement in the room. The coach walked over to us, we moved aside. He pushed open the door and stepped out into the hallway, he yelled “Hey, you two come here.” He dropped his clipboard and was running after them. He was down the hall in a flash with Declan and Storm on his heels. I held the door open and a couple other wrestlers followed, including Jett. When they got to the end of the corridor they stopped, just peering down its end.

  Coach threw his hands up and said “Back to work guys.” By the time they trekked back up the hall, my hands were no longer trembling and I felt warmth returning to my face. When they re-entered the wrestling room they all gave us a look though, especially Jett.

  We sat down in our usual spot and everything went back to normal, like nothing had happened, so we did the same. After all the wrestlers were in action coach came up to us and asked if we knew who had chased us. Unfortunately neither of us did, so we both said no. However, I had a sneaking suspicion…..

  I went into a little bit of a trance just watching Jett wrestle; I couldn't really hear Nic either. I was just watching him swirl his body around his opponent and then locking his arms around the other wrestlers arm and neck until his grip was broken. Then he would move around again and try another hold. When his arms would lock they would flex and show every line of muscle. It was a thing of beauty. I could tell they weren't really going at it; it was more of a warm up wrestling match, trying different moves. I could still hear Nic mumbling in the background and I thought I better pay her a bit of attention before she gets mad. She said “I'll do it tomorrow.” So I replied “okay Scarlet” so as not to hurt her feelings.

  I was hoping I could catch a glimpse of him after his shower so I could see him in his leather coat with no shirt and his hair tousled again, but my mom picked me up before any of the wrestlers came out. I was disappointed, especially because my mom usually runs late. I said good bye to Nic and took off.

  When I woke the next morning, I remembered my dream; I was running away from my wolf, this time we took a different route. It chased me in the woods, and then in the sand, I kept running and running. It was a never ending dream that wouldn't stop no matter how fast I
ran or what I did. I was looking for the dirty slide to end the chase, when I found it and ran half way up a man grabbed me from behind and tried biting my neck. My wolf barred his teeth and jumped on his back loosening his grip but not before we tumbled to the bottom of the ravine. I got up ran to the top of the slide. I looked back at them and I could see their eyes and fangs glistening in the moonlight. I didn't wake up at 3:17a.m. which was a relief. However, it was one of those dreams that left an impression on me, one I wouldn’t forget, at least not anytime soon.

  Things don’t seem to happen in the dead of night they all happen just before dusk and when I wake from my dreams, the waking hour.

  CHAPTER 10

  I was proud of myself when I got through practice the next day without blushing or being embarrassed. When the wrestlers started to get up to leave, Declan, my supposed friend and confidant for the past two years, said very loudly across the practice room, “Hey Addie, I heard you broke up with Cale.”

  The hair on the back of my neck stood up, I was in a little bit of shock. How do rumors travel so fast? I stood up brushed off my pants and replied “Wow, how did you hear that already?” We walked toward each other, very grateful for any kind of distraction, even if it was walking toward the problem.

  “Why did you break up with him?” Declan asked.

  I shushed him “Can you keep it down. He really wasn’t my type.” I said in a softer voice and, now that I thought about it, he really wasn’t. “Why are you so interested?”

  “Just curious, since I got my own car I've been driving to school and we haven't really chatted lately.”

  “Hmm” was all I said and I started walking to the doors with him slowly.

  “Did you know you are the first girl in history to ever break up with Cale Winters? It's awesome! A lot of us guys loved hearing it.”