REINCARNATED TO BE THE WOLF'S SAVIOUR

POV – Annabelle I always believed that life was meant to be lived, not survived, and that hard work and talent mattered. That is why I pushed myself, maybe I could be worthy enough for the life that I envisioned for myself, but when staring at the announcement board on this rainy afternoon, in the hallway of this godforsaken high school, I realized my place. I began to see the line I shouldn’t have even dreamed of crossing. Here I was, just behind that line. My name is Annabelle, the smartest girl in school. I had all the brains to succeed if I do say so myself, but the problem with life is, you can’t have it all. I was smart, but I was poor. I only wore a single pair of uniform each day. And although my mother bent over backwards to make money, all we could afford was food. A few weeks back, the class teacher advised me to write a project for a scholarship for one of the best universities in the city, and I did. I wasn’t going to pass on a fully funded scholarship and a ticket to escape from this town. But why is it, why is it my name is not on the board of the selected three? ‘Aww,’ one of Cathy’s minions jeered, I didn’t realize she was beside me. I cleaned my tears quickly, ‘I don’t seem to see your name anywhere.’ But Cathy kept silent. She had always pretended not to hate my guts because she was the perfect girl in the school. She was rich, pretty, and her grades were not at rock bottom, at least. But how, how did she manage to get selected? It’s screaming nepotism. ‘But at least you get a round of applause, right?’ her other minion said loudly, clapping her hands and drawing attention to us. I could sense the sarcasm and all the eyes on me. Including him. Ken. ‘Something must have gone wrong. I’ll meet the teacher and-.’ ‘Don’t worry,’ Cathy held my hand, ‘you can try again in another slot,’ she smiled. I snatched my hand away. I wasn’t going to play house with her, not at this moment. Then I saw the look in her eyes. They were not the same old look of feigned friendliness that she gave people while she walked around with these bullies who said her mind. She looked like how she felt, for the first time. She came close to me and whispered in my ear, ‘That’s why you should know your place. You think I didn’t see you kiss Ken at the school library. You should know better. Using this,’ she lifted my voluminous breast, ‘to seduce rich boys is what an animal would do, ’her smile was mocking. But more than that, had this b*tch just touched me inappropriately? She’s about to know her own place, beneath my shoe. If I could just take two steps backward, I could finally practice the flying kick my karate master had been teaching me. For free, by the way. But wait, someone knows about our relationship. My eyes shifted to Ken, in the background, pretending to take his books from his locker. He was the one who suggested we keep our relationship under wraps. I think he foresaw something like this happening, and I was desperate enough to agree. ‘Ken and I,’ I told her, ‘is none of your business. But I am glad you’ve begun to show who you really are. Pretending must be exhausting; look how slim you’ve gotten. That is what I planned to say, but I was stuck in my hurt. Maybe, she might be right. The evidence was glaring at me on the board. Cathy didn’t need a scholarship, but because of her spite for me over a spineless man, she took away my only hope like it was nothing. Tears filled the corners of my eyes, but I couldn’t bear to cry here, not in front of everybody. I ran to the rooftop. The air was cold, and the breeze dried my hot tears. I stood by the edge and wondered, should I jump? I would c***k my skull, but I’d be dead before I know it. But my mother, my only purpose for living. I can imagine her— frantic, sad, depressed. I couldn’t bring myself to jump. I was supposed to become a ghost and haunt those b8tches for life. ‘Ugh,’ I sighed, Mum saved you this time, Cathy. When I turned, my eyes met with Ken’s. How long was he standing there? Ken was among the higher class in school. He was only the second-hottest guy in school, but beyond all that politicking, I could see his hurt, and I knew his secret. He was the illegitimate child in his family. A boy born out of wedlock and abandoned by his mother. His father was cruel to him, and so was everybody else in that house. So he sought my help to at least perform well at school, maybe then he’ll get his father’s approval. I had something he didn’t love at home. But in a few weeks, we went beyond studying. The first time we smashed was under the library desk, and then, we slapped a name for the relationship we had, friends with benefits, although I didn’t benefit much from it. But in my defense, the s*x was good. It kept me from crashing out every single day. ‘Don’t tell me you were thinking of jumping,’ he had a smirk over his perfect face, and I realized exactly why I’d kill for this man. ‘What are you doing here? School is still in session,’ I sighed, ‘It makes no difference. Our secret is out there. Cathy saw us smashing in the library.’ ‘She must have been so lucky to watch that,’ he chuckled, ‘and what? Did she touch herself after?’ ‘Just stop, okay,’ I felt a smile play on my lips. This was my paradise. He came closer and wrapped his hands around my waist, his face inching close to mine. ‘Not here-,’ I began to say, but he stole the rest of my words with a kiss. I couldn’t say no, I couldn’t resist. It was like he had a button that controlled me. I wanted more. My hands reached down to his pants. A quickie would do. I paused. He wasn’t hard. ‘What?’ he paused and looked at me. ‘I thought you had a motive when you came up here. Your general is not awake,’ I told him seriously. ‘School is still in session,’ he said, mocking me. I could seduce him. What should I do to him? ‘I have something I have to tell you,’ he said, ‘don’t think I’m crazy or anything.’ ‘If I can help it, ‘I joked, but his face was serious, my hands fell from over his shoulder, ‘okay, shoot.’ He hesitated, thinking and reconsidering, ‘Do you trust me?’ ‘Sure I do,’ I breathed, ‘What’s it? You’re scaring me.’ I felt him hold my hand, but something was between our hands; it felt like a ball or something, and before I realized it, he shoved me. He shoved me all the way to the edge of the building and off it. I felt myself falling, and it was taking an awful lot of time. But I saw him, looking from where he stood. He mouthed something I was too shocked to read or process. Fuck you, Ken. I’ll become a ghost and haunt you instead. Then I thought of my mother. Her face filled my mind. I’m sorry, Mom, I tried.