Whispers

 I just want to be clear, the last thing that I wanted to do was move schools. But, since I have literally no say in the matter, here I am. Starting a new school. I sighed as I got into the car. I looked my step mom and sighed even harder. As if today could get any worse.  "Gill, please promise me you won't get into any trouble." I looked at Grace and smiled sweetly, as she was driving.   "I know better than to make promises I can't keep, Grace." I said through my smile. She sighed and shook her head and stared forward at the road.  This was her idea. After the last fight at my last school, she said it was a good idea for all of us to move back home and live with her pack. You see, Grace isn't my father's first lover. First there was my mother, and when she became pregnant and had me, everything was fine. Then Dad found Grace six years ago, left my mom, and moved us here. I'm sixteen now, and legal to the state to  make my own decision about who to live with. But I'm not a normal teenager. In the court of werewolves, all offspring go to the father. This is werewolf logic people. It makes no sense.  The first two school withdrawals weren't even my fault. I was being bullied. I can still remember walking down the halls to the sound of laughter from my fellow students. While at my second school, I started developing and my temper became out of control. The final straw was when I got into a fight with one of my bullies after she called me w*********h. Dad pulled me out and send me to my third school. I can't remember exactly what happened, but from what I was told I almost exposed myself in front of the school during a fight. I was expelled, and now I am here. My fourth school in six years. "Listen, Gill. Take this as starting anew. No one here knows you."  I roll my eyes and stare out the window as the school comes into view. West County High, home of the wolves. How ironic. I am nervous as we pull up to the curb, but I did my best to stay calm. As much as I did not want to be here, I still hope I will fit in enough that people will leave me alone.  Then again, I was never good at that. "Don't forget you have to walk home after school, Gill," I sigh as I take out of earphones. With a slam of the car door behind me and with my ears clogged with music, I start making my way to the front doors. Ignoring the whispers of my new classmates was easy. You get great practice after being the new kid a s**t load of times. I make my way to the doors, doing my best to ignore the stares of curious students who look like they have never seen a new student before. Goddess, the smell of mate was everywhere. People were mated left and right, which is not uncommon. Boys and girls are encouraged to mate as soon as they find each other. I, personally, hope I never find my mate.  I manage to make my way to the guidance office without much incident. I notice people staring, their mouths moving to form whispers, but I can't hear them. I don't want to hear them. I just want to get in and get out, then leave this place, this pack, and my dad forever. That day can't come fast enough.   "Hello, can I help you?" The lady's lips said. I took out one earbud; I have been so lost in my own thoughts that I forgot my feet had lead me to this office. I swallow and manage a smile.  "I need to pick up my class schedule," I say as I shove my hands into the pockets of my jacket. I didn't want anyone to see them trembling.  "Oh, okay! What's your name?" The woman places her hands on the keyboard, ready to find me in the system. "Gillian Kathrine Matthews." I say, clearing my throat. The woman smiled back at me and did some typing. I gazed around the office. The walls were covered in sports memorabilia, star students were placed on another wall, shaking hands with the principle and their respective pack leader. I chuckle to myself and look down at my shoes, getting impatient.   "Ah, there you are, Gillian. Come see us if you need any help," I looked up at the woman and grabbed my schedule from her outstretched hand and looked at it.  "Um," I said, scratching my head. The lade looked at me with a smile again, here eyes asking if there was something she could help with. "Where is Griffin's US history class?" The woman laughed.  "Sorry, it's been a weird morning. So, all the core subjects have their own hallway. Electives are downstairs. To get to Griffin's room you are going to go out the double door and turn left. His classroom is the third door on the right.  Just as she finished explaining, the bell rang above us. My heart sinks to the floor; I'm going to be late on my first day.  "Here, take this," She pushed a school map into my hand and ushered me out. Outside the doors, I followed her instructions. The room was a lot easier to find than I thought--Griffin's room had his name plastered across the door. I try the door knob and find it locked, much to my despair. With a heavy sigh, I knock on the door and waited for someone to answer it.  "Yes?" I looked up at the middle aged, balding man. I tried to smile, and shakily handed him my schedule. "Gillian Matthews. I'm the new student," I rushed, pulling out my earbuds and turning off my music, doing my best to keep eye contact at the same time. He gazed down at my schedule and nodded, then looked back up at me with a smile. "Well, come in." He said, stepping aside. I walk in, against my own volition and look for a seat. Everyone in the room had a healthy conversation going on before I stepped foot in the room, but the second I came in they stopped. Their healthy voices became quiet as they whispered about me, the new girl. I hate when this much attention is placed on me.  I could feel everyone's stares piercing my body. My strawberry blonde hair was in a messy french braid, and I didn't put an effort into looking good for my first day at this school; I am wearing my normal, olive green rain coat, a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, and a pair of black Vans. Everyone else looks trendy, while I look like a washed up nobody. I swallow my nervousness and smile weakly at the class. "Everyone," Griffin clears his throat, taking everyone's eyes off of me, "This is Gillian, she is a new student. Gillian, welcome to West County. There is an open seat in the middle of the room, go ahead and sit so we can get started today," I released a held breath from my lungs. I don't have to introduce myself, thank the Goddess. I make my way to the desk and plop down in it, ignoring everyone around me. I closed my eyes and repeated the same thing I always think when I start a new school, 'the first day is the hardest. It'll be over soon.' "Oh, pass this back to Gill," I look up and watch as Griffin gives another student my schedule. The first person passes it back, but the second person drops it on the floor in front of me. I look at the girl, who turned and gave me a threatening smile.  "Oops," She said with a snarky laugh. I looked up to see Griffin turned away from us, writing something on the board. I lean over to pick it up, only to have the girl's foot step on my hand, pinning it to the ground just centimeters away from my schedule.  "Oh no, how terrible of me! So sorry, Gillian," She fake apologizes and laughs. I roll my eyes, grab her ankle with my free hand and remove it from my hand. I sat up, my schedule in hand, as she glared at me. I crossed my arms across my chest, I stare up at Griffin, who just turned around from his writing. I kept up with the note taking without further incident from anyone, but I knew I did not retain any of it. I would have to look over it later to make sure the information stuck. The bell rang 55 minutes later, and all the other students started filing out of the room, leaving me alone to find my next classroom. I packed my things into my bag and looked down at the school map.  Chemistry is on the science hall, and the specific classroom I was looking for was on the other side of the school. I groan at myself and throw my bag over my shoulder. I wasn't going to be late to my next class.  I walked, quickly, across the school doing my best to navigate between people and keep my head down. People were still staring at me, and without the help of my music I could hear them whispering--although what they were saying about me was unclear. I made it to the other side of the school, and to my classroom, without incident. I walk into the classroom and find that I am not the only one there. I stopped in the doorway, unsure if I should proceed, when the smell hit me. I covered my face in embarrassment. "Uh, hello? We're kind of busy here!" said a voice from inside the room. I barely took a step inside, so I was hoping my presence had gone unnoticed. Apparently not. Before I could think, I rolled my eyes and sighed.  "Did you ever think that s*x was for the bedroom, not for the Chemistry lab?" I backed away and placed my back against the wall right next to the door. I couldn't see anything, but I didn't need to.  I waited and two minutes later a tall girl and a guy came out, out of breath. "That was quick," I whispered to myself. In a second I felt a hand wrap itself around my cheek, sending a loud slapping sound down the hallway. Whatever noise on the hall stopped dead in its tracks. I looked around, my eyes brimming with tears and see some other students looking at me like I had just committed a cardinal sin.  Without a second thought, I felt my bag slip down my arm and onto the floor. I watched my hand as it raised and the collided with the other girls face. Whatever fear or nervousness I held inside me earlier completely disappeared.  I came back to reality, realizing what I had just done. Wow, it was a new record. "You--," "That's enough! Leave her alone!" I jumped as the guy came between the two of us, towering over me. I felt my temper shrink in his shadow. He nudges her along, and I watch thankfully as she walks away, shooting daggers in my direction as she does. I sigh and rub my cheek, which was still tender.  "You're welcome," The guy said, looking down at me. I look back up at him with a look of confusion.  The guy in front of me is attractive. Probably one of the most attractive guys in this school. He is tall, easy on the eyes and had perfect hair, although none of that really matters at the moment. "I didn't need your help. I've been enough fights without anyone else's help," I moved passed him and went into the classroom, which had started to fill up with other students that, I assume, saw the whole ordeal. My cheek felt red where I was slapped, but I don't care. I held my own.  "She would have torn you to shreds, princess," He said, reaching out to touch my shoulder. I put my bag on an empty desk, the flow of students coming into the classroom dissipating to nothing, and knocked his hand out of the way. "Don't call me princess. I'm nobody's princess, especially not yours," I say, earning a shocked look from the guy and a bunch of shocked faces from the rest of my classmates. I guess no one was used to someone standing up to this guy. I turn to my bag and take out my notebook so I could try to be productive.  I heard a scoff beside me, "Do you have any idea who I am?" I looked up at him as the teacher walked in, and shrugged.  "No, and I don't care," I sit down at the desk with him still looking over me. He looks at me like I have a deformity, but I refused to back down. I cross my arms and lean back in my seat, engaged in a stare down with this guy.  "Luke! Leave the new girl alone, and take your seat!" I smirk as the teacher yells at him, and he smirks back at me. He makes his way passed me, to the back of the room, where his seat is.  The second he was away from my seat I felt my body go into flight or fight mode, just like it was earlier. I swallow, and allow my body to shake a little before calming myself with a deep breath. I made it through the rest of the day without much incident. I got to all my classes without anymore issues, followed by the stares and whispers of my fellow students. No one made an effort to hide their whispering or stares anymore, all opting to talk about what happened right before second period. I did my best to ignore them as I made my way through the day, until it was finally time to walk home.  I put in my earphone just as the last bell rings above me. I make my way out of the school, and start walking along the road, ready and willing to put as much distance between me and West County as I could. When I finally get home, I groan internally when I see my dad's truck in the drive. I feel my heart rate increase; He shouldn't be home yet. I walk into the house, and see him with his back turned to me, reading the mail. Music was still blaring in my ears, but I knew Grace and the kids were home by the look of the house. I pulled my earbuds out in order not to upset my dad when he finally notices that I am home. Quietly, I start walking to my room to put my things away, when I am called back. "Gillian," My dad's deep voice reverberated off the walls, silencing the house. I groaned, and turned to face him.  My dad is not a small man--quite the opposite actually. He is six foot four, very well muscled, and has the worst resting b***h face I have ever encountered. His dark eyes make it look like he is staring into your soul. We didn't get along, and never have. "Dad," I readjusted my bag on my shoulder.  "You have something to share? A little story that involves you slapping someone at school today?" His voice got deeper with anger, making me more nervous. I knew there was a reason he was home early, but how did he even find out about that? "Dad, she came after me first!" I yelled, my breath catching in my throat as it made a desperate attempt to escape. "I don't care, Gillian! You have been to enough schools in the last six years, you will not be going to another one. I swear to the Goddess--," "Dad, she slapped me first! It was an automatic reaction, I didn't mean to!"  "You're grounded. Go, get out of my sight!" He yelled, pointing down the hallway. I clenched my jaw and did turned around. There is no fighting my dad, once his mind is made up it doesn't change. I get to my room and slam the door behind me. With a sigh, I press my back against the door and slide down to the ground.  This is ridiculous. I pull my hair out of its braid and shake it out, thoughts of how my life with my mom would be different. I wonder if he missed my mom as much as I missed her. I shook my head and laugh sadly; Why would he miss the woman who wasn't even his mate? I started crying. I want my mom and wish that she was with me. I take in a deep breath, kick off my shoes, wipe my face and get up from the floor. I flop down on my unmade bed and scream into my pillow. I close my eyes and take some deep breaths, allowing the anger I felt to leave me with those breaths. I must have fallen asleep because next thing I know someone is pounding at my bedroom door. "Get up, you are going to this pack meeting! We have to be there in ten minute" My dad yells on the other side of door. I groaned and buried my face back in the pillow, opting to ignore him. I was almost asleep when I heard, "Gillain! NOW!" I sit up, "I'm grounded, remember!" I scream back, not expecting him to be on the other side of my door in a split second. I jumped up to my feet and got on the far side of the room.  "If you don't get your ass in the car right now--," "What? You'll threaten to send me away again? Where you going to send me dad?! Nowhere is worse than here!" I yell back, my anger bubbling over.  "You're going to the pack meeting, Gillain," He said, eerily calm.  "I'm not going, and you can't make me!" I yelled. My dad comes towards me, grabs me by the arm, an starts dragging me out of the room. I clawed his arm, almost drawing blood, to see if he would release me. In response to that, he picks me up in a fireman's carry. As he's lifting me on his shoulders, I kick him in the stomach. He drops me with a groan as I fall onto the living room floor.  "You're such a brat!" He yelled, his eyes turning darker. I got up to my feet, my wolf still undecided if it was going to fight or run. Usually why my dad's eyes darkened it meant his wolf was taking over, and I am in no way able to take him on when his wolf is in control. Normally, I wouldn't even entertain the idea of pushing back at my dad when he was like this, but today was different. My wolf growled inside my chest, ready for a fight. "I got it from you and the mistake you made! You should have let me stay with mom six years ago! Then I wouldn't be here to be such a brat!" "Is that what you want?! To be with a woman that didn't even want you?! To be with someone that told me to take you with me?!" I swallowed my rage. I could feel my bones threatening to splinter and change. I held myself together as best I could. "You're lying!" I scream, angry tears spilling over as my lungs did it's best to take in air. My body ached with the change, which I am still holding back with all my might. Instead of saying anything else or making me go to the meeting, he just looks at me, his face as solid as cement. I could sense he wanted to say something, but he didn't know what or how to say it. Either way, I don't care. "Get in the car," He said, breaking the silence. I swallowed, my resolve shaky but still standing.  "I'm not going anywhere," I growl at him. My face is hot and my chest hurts, but I am not giving in. He stared me down, waiting for me to give into him. I've given in before for less, but I am not a little kid anymore. I am done being bullied by a man who doesn't want me.  He straightened himself and sighed heavily. Without so much as a goodbye, he walks to the door and slams it behind him, leaving me alone in the empty living room. I listen to the truck pull out of the drive and down the road. He is going to be late to the meeting, and that is probably why he decided to give in and leave me here.  With my body sore and mind still racing, I walk to my room and close my door behind me. I flop down, again, on my bed and pass out without a second thought.