The Damned

Homecoming

Nix POV

Tonight is the homecoming game.  I can’t wait to watch the game.  I would normally have Yvonne with me, but she’s living in the States now.  And all though it’s called homecoming, families who have moved to the States because of their children don’t get to visit the island for homecoming.  It’s going to be weird going to the game by myself.  I am just glad that no one hangs around where I usually settle in for a game.  That way I don’t have to deal with anyone.

I get ready for the game then wait for the rest of my family to be ready.  Nina and I go in her vehicle while Theo rides with Mom and Dad.

The game is exciting.  At halftime, the game is tied 2-2.  Darian scores the winning goal, so, the game ends with a score of 5-4.  After the game is over, people can meet with all the players.  Nina drags me with her to see Darian and Lucian while Mom, Dad, and Theo head home.

“I don’t want to go meet up with them.”  I whine as she pulls me.

“Oh come on.  It’ll be fine.”

“I’m going home.”  I state in a matter of fact tone.

“Fine.”  Nina releases me and I start the walk home.  As I’m walking, I hear thunder.

‘Uh oh.’  Isla says.

‘It’s just a little water.  It’ll be fine.’  I say back to her.

‘I guess.’  Isla defeats.  Just as the rain starts, a car pulls up just ahead of where I’m standing.

“Want a ride?”  The voice hollers and I recognize it as Darian’s voice.

“Sure.”  I say and run to the car.  “Thanks for this.”  I say once I’m buckled in.

“My pleasure.”  Darian says with a smile.

Darian POV

I see Nix walking home from the game.  So, she was there.  I smile to myself.  I pull over just ahead of her.

“Want a ride?”  I holler from the car.

“Sure.”  She runs to the car.  “Thanks for this.”  She says as soon as she is buckled in.

“My pleasure.”  I smile still looking out the window.  “So, how did you like the game?”

“It was incredible.  Your winning goal was impressive.”  Nix says and I chance a glance at her to see her smiling.

“Thanks.”

“How long have you been playing soccer?”  She asks.

“I’ve been playing since I was six.”  I reply.

“That’s a long time.”  Nix says with a hint of a smile in her voice.  “Why did you offer me a ride?”  She asks after a minute.

“It’s raining.”  I answer avoiding the truth.

“Yes.  But it’s just water.”

“There’s thunder and lightning as well.”

“I’ve walked home in a thunderstorm before.”

“That’s not safe.”  I growl.

“I’m sorry.  But sometimes one doesn’t have a choice.”

“Well, if that kind of situation ever arises again, please call me.  I’d be happy to take you anywhere you want to go.”  I say honestly while holding Xavier back.

‘Thunderstorm walking?’  He growls.

‘Relax.  Hopefully she will listen to me and call me when need be.’

‘Still.  What if she doesn’t call?’

‘Then I’ll check in with her family.’

‘Okay.’  Xavier settles.

“What does your wolf look like?”  Nix suddenly asks.

“Well, aren’t you a curious one.”  I smile.

“Sorry.  You don’t have to answer that.  I don’t even know where that came from.”  I look over as she bows her head.

“It’s okay.  Seriously.  My wolf is midnight black.  His name is Xavier.”  I reply.

“Xavier?”  She says testing out the name.  “That’s a strong name.  My wolf is Isla.”

“That’s a pretty name.  So is Nix.”  I smile.

“Thanks.”  I hear a smile in her reply.

“What do you think your wolf will look like?”  I ask curious.

“I’m hoping that she will be a tannish color.  I think she’ll be pretty.  Prettier than me.”  Nix says deflated at the end.

“I think she’ll be just as pretty as you are.”  I say softly.

“Thanks.”  I pull up to her house.

“Have a good night.”

“Thanks again.  Have a good night, too.”  She smiles and gets out of the car.  I watch her enter her house before pulling away.  I pull into the garage at my house.  I go inside and find my mother in the living room.

“Oh good.  I was nervous about you getting home with the rain.  You’re not very wet, so, you must have taken your car and not your bike.”  Mom smiles.

“Yeah.  I took my car.  I heard the weather forecast this morning, so, I knew to take my car.”

“Good.  Sorry I couldn’t be there for your game.  Alpha Winston had some concerns he needed help with.”

“It’s all good, Mom.”  I smile.

“So, how was it?  Did your team win?”

“It was good.  At halftime we were tied 2-2, but the end score was 5-4.  I scored the winning goal.”

“That’s awesome.  Your team had a run for their money then.”  Mom giggles.

“We sure did.”  I smile.

“Well, I’m off to bed now.  Glad you won.”

“Sweet dreams, Mom.”  I say and she leaves the room to go upstairs to her room.  I sit in the quiet of the living room for a while.  I keep thinking about what Nix said in the car.  How could she possibly believe that she isn’t pretty?  I just don’t get it.  Her eyes.  Her complexion.  The blush she sometimes gets on her cheeks.  Her smile.  Everything about her is so attractive.

After sitting in the living room and thinking for about twenty minutes, I decide to go upstairs and take a shower.  I dry off and get into my pajamas.  Curling into bed I can’t help but think about Nix’s beautiful silver eyes.  There is so much life in them.  I fall asleep picturing those eyes.

Nix POV

Tonight is the homecoming dance.  I am not so sure I want to go, but I decide that I help Nina get ready later on.  She always goes to the dances.  Yvonne and I would always hang out and watch movies.  This time around, I guess I will just watch movies with my family.

This morning, I take a shower, get dressed, and go downstairs to have some breakfast.  Once done, I start to go back to the kitchen to put my bowl in the dishwasher, but that feeling comes over me and I drop the bowl on the tile in the kitchen.  I immediately bend down to start picking up the pieces not caring that they are cutting me.  This is what happens when I have an episode.  I hear footsteps and know that someone in my family heard me drop the bowl.  Dad picks me up off the floor and carries me to the car.  Mom is already there and, once Dad gets me buckled in, he gets into the car and we head for the hospital.

“I’ve alerted Doctor Alec, so, he’ll be ready for us when we get there.”  Mom says as she looks back at me.

“I’m sorry about the bowl.”  I say with tears forming in my eyes.

“Our biggest concern is you, sweetie.”  Mom says with a pained smile.

“I know.  But I’ve broken so much stuff.”  The tears are now falling down my cheeks.

“It’s okay, honey.  Those things are replaceable.  You are not.”  Dad says turning into the hospital.  I nod even though he can’t see me doing so right now.  Mom and Dad get out of the car and I see Doctor Alec is waiting with a wheelchair.  Dad helps me into the wheelchair and I am immediately taken to the emergency department.  Doctor Alec starts an IV right away so that he can give me some morphine for the pain.  I don’t remember falling asleep, but I am woken by my machines going off.  Nurse Jeda comes into the room to check my machines.  Once she leaves the room, I fall back asleep.

Darian POV

I have this weird feeling that something is wrong this morning.  However, I can’t place the feeling, so, I shrug it off and finish my breakfast.  After breakfast, I decide to take a shower.  Once dried off, I get dressed in something casual for now.  Tonight is the homecoming dance.  Last night, while taking Nix home, I had a thought of asking her to be my date.  However, I never see her at dances and thought she might be uncomfortable there.

Afternoon comes and Mom is busy in her office.  I wonder what pack she is helping today, but I know not to disturb her.  I go into my office and work on a bit of homework before I need to get ready for the dance.  The weird feeling I had this morning is still bothering me though, so, I can’t really concentrate on homework.  Instead, I decide to give Lucian a call.

“Hey, bro.  What’s up?”

“Want to carpool tonight?”

“Sure.  But what’s really up?”  Lucian says knowingly.

“I just have this weird feeling that something is wrong.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, dude.  I can’t place the feeling.  I’ve been trying to shrug it off all day, but it just keeps gnawing at me.”  I say.

“I see.  Well, maybe because you’re the future Alpha, you are starting to feel things going on with other pack members.”

“Yeah.  Maybe.”  I say still unsure.  “Anyway, I need to eat before I start getting ready.  Pick you up in an hour?”

“Sounds good.  See you then.”

“Bye.”  We hang up and go downstairs to the kitchen.  I decide to have a turkey sandwich and some chips.  Once I’m finished, I go upstairs to my room and begin getting ready for the dance unsure if I should go or not.  I mean, I always enjoy myself, but now that I’m aware of Nix, I don’t think it will be the same.  I finish getting ready.  When I get downstairs, Mom is the living room waiting for me.

“You look so dashing.”  She smiles.

“Thanks, Mom.”  I say with a slight smile.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

“I have just had this feeling all day that something is wrong.”  I admit.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll forget about it during the dance.”  Mom knows something, but won’t tell me.

“Lucian thinks that because I’m future Alpha, I am starting to feel things with other pack members.”

“That could be.  It could also be that you are feeling something wrong with your future mate.  Your father felt a connection to me for almost eight months before he finally turned eighteen and the mate bond became more prominent.”  Mom says.

‘Nix.’  Xavier says with a hint of worry.

“Mom, do you know if anything is wrong with Nix?”  I ask.

“So, you feel a connection to Nix, huh?”  She smiles.

“Yeah.  Ever since the first day of this school year.”

“Well I am sure Nix is fine.”

“Okay.”  I say hoping she is right.  I give Mom a kiss on the cheek and head out the door.  I get into my Audi and drive to Lucian’s house.  Throughout the entire dance, I keep thinking about Nix.  What if something happened to her?  It can’t have been too serious because Mom would’ve told me otherwise.  I also think back to what Mom said about Dad knowing there was a connection between him and Mom before he had even turned eighteen.  Maybe Nix really will be my mate then.  I hope so.

After the dance, I go home and crawl into bed.  As I drift off, I picture Nix’s eyes bright with a smile.

Nix POV

‘October 17, 2028,

My ideal mate.  Hmm.  Well, for starters, he has to be kind.  Looks don’t mean much to me if my mate isn’t kind.  He won’t reject me right away, but get to know the real me.  He will be tall so that I can wear high heels.  He will enjoy things I like.  He won’t see me as an outcast.  My mate will a true gentleman by opening doors for me without me having to tell him to do so.  He will steal kisses every chance he gets, but take things at my pace.  He will understand me better than any of my own family understands me.  My mate will be the best thing to ever happen to me.’

I finish writing today’s journal which is the weekly topic.  As I finish, the bell sounds for us to go to second period.  I walk to my locker, grab my art supplies, and head to the art studio.  Next week the second clay project is due.  It’s a sundial that the four sides and top have unique designs in them.  My sundial has a symbol for each season on it while the top has a knot design on it.  Our small island doesn’t actually have separate seasons, but I know what the seasons in Midwest America are like.  For one part of the year, there’s snow then rain then sun then leaves falling off the trees.  I love the way the leaves turn colors then fall.  On the island, we only have one season and it’s similar to fall in America.  The gray skies, chill in the air, and sun some days, but our leaves stay on the trees and are vibrant green.

As I work on the design for winter, I wonder what my mate will truly be like.  Will he be a gentleman?  Will he reject me upon first meeting me?  Will he be kind and caring?

I wrap my project back in the plastic and put it in a cubby just before the bell rings.  I walk to Short Stories.  Today Mrs. Tucker simply hands us tablets and lets us work on our story due in November.  The story we are to write is actually placing ourselves in a famous short story.  I’m working on adding myself as a maid for “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allen Poe.  I have it planned that I escape the evil of the house with the narrator at the end.  I watch with the narrator as the house sinks into a lake.

After Short Stories, I head to Herbology with Mrs. Sprout and the junior students.  Classes come and go for the day.

Nix POV

‘October 20, 2028,

Next weekend is Fall Fest.  Not sure why we have Fall Fest since we don’t have seasons on the island, but that’s beside the point.  I have two and a half school days to finish my art projects.  My sundial is coming along nicely.  I can’t wait to turn it in and hear what Mrs. Muir thinks of it.  For paint class, we are to paint our favorite animal.  I’ve been working on it for weeks now to get the red panda family perfect.  For Sketches III, I’ve been trying to perfect my self-portrait.  It looks good to me, but I hope Mrs. Muir thinks so too.’

Nix POV

Today is the day I get my grades for the sundial, red panda family, and family crest.  During Clay Basics II, Mrs. Muir calls us into her office one by one.  I’m the last one to be seen.

“Well, Nix.  You’re sundial was amazing.  The artwork on it is so detailed.  I definitely give you an A for it.  Great job.  But then I wouldn’t expect less from my best student.”  Mrs. Muir smiles.  “Now, let’s join the others and discuss the next project.  I nod and follow Mrs. Muir out into the main part of the studio.  I sit in my seat and Mrs. Muir gets everyone’s attention.  “All right, everyone.  You’re next project is a mythological character.  It is due November 20th.  So, that gives you all plenty of time to pick one out and perfect it.”  Mrs. Muir announces.  A mythological character.  Hmm.  “I want you each to research a little bit about the character you choose.  I also want to know the character you decide because I don’t want everyone to pick the same character.”  Mrs. Muir hands out tablets so we can look up mythologies and their characters.  I raise my hand.  “Yes, Miss Delaney?”

“Is there a certain mythology you want us to pick from?”  I ask.

“Yes.  I want you to choose from Greek mythology.”  Mrs. Muir says nodding.  After some time, hands begin raising.  Centaur, Cerberus, Cupid, Aphrodite, Delphic oracle, Atlas, Chimaera, Furies, and Sirens are all chosen leaving me to choose the character I first thought of:  Medusa.  I look up some information about her.

‘Medusa is one of the three Gorgons.  Medusa is generally described as winged human female with living venomous snakes in place of hair.  Those who gazed into Medusa’s eyes would turn to stone.  Most sources describe Medusa as the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto.  The myth is that Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden who, upon having s*x with Poseidon in Athena’s temple, Athena punished Medusa by transforming her beautiful hair into horrible snakes.  Medusa is said to have been beheaded by Perseus.  Perseus was sent to fetch her head by King Polydectes of Seriphus because Polydectes wanted to marry Perseus’s mother.  Apparently, the gods were well aware of this and gave Perseus help.  Since Medusa was the only one of the three Gorgons who was mortal, Perseus was able to slay her while looking at the reflection from the mirrored shield he received from Athena.  According to legend, Medusa at that time was pregnant by Poseidon.  When Perseus beheaded her, Pegasus, a winged horse, and Chrysaor, a giant wielding a golden sword, sprang from her body.’

I finish writing down the information I find important just as the bell is about to sound.  I gather my things, leave my tablet at my spot, and head for Short Stories.

After lunch, I head to paint class.  We are getting grades in this class, too.  Lucian waves at me as he enters the studio, so, I wave back.  He sits next to me.

“So, I’m thinking you’re going to get an A and I’m going to get a B.”  He smiles.

“Why do you think so little of your painting?  It’s so good.”  I smile in return.  The bell sounds signaling class beginning.

“Thanks, but yours is better.”  Lucian chuckles.  Mrs. Muir calls the first student into her office.

“I’ve been at the whole art thing since I can remember.”

“Fair.  This is my first art class since junior high.”  Lucian says sounding ashamed.

“Nothing wrong with that.”  I smile to reassure him.

“Thanks.”  He smiles back.  Mrs. Muir calls Lucian into the office now.  He comes out of the office a couple minutes later holding his painting with a smile on his face.  “I got an A!”  He exclaims as he sits back down next to me.

“See.  I told you.  It’s better than you think.”  I smile then it’s my turn to go get my painting and grade.

“Nix, this painting is incredible.  So life like.  One would think you could reach out, touch the painting, and actually feel the fur.  You definitely get an A.  Good job, Nix.”  Mrs. Muir smiles and hands me my painting.  I go out into the studio and tell Lucian what she said.  The last couple people get their grades then Mrs. Muir comes out to announce our next project.

“For those of you in any of my other art classes, this next project is also due November 20th.  For this project, I want you to do a sports scene.  Repeat sports are allowed on this one.”  Mrs. Muir announces.  I grab my sketchpad and start working on it.  I think for a minute about what sport I’m going to do.  I finally decide on bowling.  Most people don’t consider it a sport, but it takes a certain talent to bowl.  I start sketching some ideas.  I think I want to show someone bowling a strike.  So, like the ball hitting the pins and the pins flying everywhere.

The rest of my classes seem to fly by.  In Sketches III, I got a B on the self-portrait which doesn’t upset me.  Drawing myself is not a skill I readily possess.  Our next project is our idea of what our family crests should look like.

Darian POV

For the past few weeks, whenever I look at Nix at lunch, she is drawing.  I still have the lion sketch in my possession.  The Saturday after I turn eighteen, I will be getting the sketch tattooed on my shoulder blade.  I hope the tattoo artist is as good as everyone says.  Lucian says that all her art is just as good as the lion.  I wish I could see some of her other artwork.  Tomorrow Fall Fest starts after school.  I still have yet to figure out why Fall Fest happens every year.  Maybe it’s because of the fact that Halloween is in the fall season for Americans.  Classes seem to come and go so quickly these days.  The only down time is lunch.  But even lunch seems to go by too quickly for my liking.

Tonight I go to Fall Fest but don’t really enjoy it.  I wish I had someone to share these events with.  I can’t wait to find my mate.