Chapter 35
1737 Words
“You’re going to have me arrested?” Renee challenged. “For standing up for myself?”
“You clearly can’t think straight. Lying to school about us, all of these fights?” her mother spoke soothingly, just past the speaker, as if she cared. “I’m getting too old to be able to regain control of you physically.”
“This is complete crap,” Renee surged past her mother, shoving her into the wall.
“Where do you think you’re going?” her father whipped her back against the stairs she tried to retreat down.
“Leaving!” she hollered. “It’s clearly what you all want.”
“You’d want to leave us?” her mother sobbed fake tears. “After all we’ve done for you?”
“After what you’ve done for me? Like STARVE ME?” Renee snapped. “BEAT ME?” she hollered as if she could yell her response back into the sensitive speaker her mother now held like an infant. “Yeah… I’ll take my chances on my own!”
Renee shoved away from her father, narrowly escaping his grasp. Leaving this way meant forever and honestly, she’s seen some of her classmates hack it with less. She already had the starving portion of living on her own checked off. Now all she had to do was figure out the rest.
Unfortunately, the cold air surrounding her victory swiftly reminded Renee that it was in fact winter. January’s freezing temperatures did not disappoint either. Her initial step forward was met with the sound of the door locking behind her which honestly shouldn’t have burned the way it did, but the depth of their emotional damage haunted her.
Without a plan or an idea of where to go, Renee set off as if she did. She left the stoop with her arms by her sides refusing to show weakness.
“I give her an hour,” she mouthed off like her brother would. “I call a room change,” her father would say given the fact that Karri and her old room was the biggest in the house. While Karri might protest, she’d still win, being bribed off with something else of Mom’s. Either way, Renee couldn’t hardly find it within herself to care.
What she had to do now was listen for cop sirens. She had to avoid people.
“I suppose wishes do come true,” she muttered to herself.
As ugly of a thought it was, her homelessness feels like a blessing. She did it. She told them off. She had enough and it didn’t come at the bottom of a tasteless vile. It came with words and the hope that someone else had the nerve to out them.
Although, her mother seemed controlled in the whole endeavor.
Like it was staged.
Renee shook her head, feeling a rush of cold hit her scalp. Her fingers tentatively reached for the spot finding only skin. That b!tch…
How was she going to fix that?
Quickly Renee combed down her hair against the skin there. No one had to know. No one would know.
Renee looked up her street. It was far safer heading back to the school but what she really needed were the police. Her frown deepened. That’s not right, she told herself. She couldn’t go to the cops. As always, cops meant trouble… especially after her mother’s performance.
No, no… it couldn't be done.
It left options to reside in the school itself or figure it out like another species altogether. Maybe living outside wasn’t as bad as it sounded in the winter. Maybe she could really wing this.
Another skin burning gust of wind shoved her in her original direction.
“Fine, fine,” she ushered out as she headed towards IVHS. “I have a lot to catch up on anyway,” she admitted to herself.
“Renee?” Kris’ worry rang loud and clear in her mind.
Renee’s focus snagged on it.
… Why would this guy give a sh!t?
… He’s probably just a spy like Jason.
What a trip that turned out to be…
“Please. Renee,” he panted as if he was running. “I need to know you’re okay.”
“Yeah… okay buddy,” Renee steeled herself.
“Yeah, you’re okay? Or…” Kris trailed, seeming unsure of himself.
“I’m great,” Renee deflected. “How about you?”
… Anything to get him off of her case.
“Honestly?” he questioned, his voice pitched far higher than before.
Renee rolled her eyes. To her honesty was a seven letter word that could set her world a blaze. What on earth did it mean to this guy, she wondered.
“Yeah, honestly,” she parroted.
“It’s complicated,” Kris admitted.
“I know what that’s like,” Renee aided him. “No need to dive in if you don’t feel comfortable. Honesty only ever got me in trouble.”
It was nice to admit it. Even if it was to no one…
“It’s just,” Kris’ panting failed to end. “Since we first talked, I… oh I need to sit down.”
Renee heard him try to sort himself out.
“I can’t get you out of my mind,” Kris rushed out.
“What?!” Renee screeched.
She looked insane, yelling at nothing. She looked like she needed to be sent to the nearest mental health facility but the evening shrouded her in darkness. It kept her safe for now…
“No offense, but I’ve already been set up with a demon, of all creatures, and I don’t really need that attention again.”
“I’m not like him,” Kris protested.
“Uh huh…” Renee ignored his assurance. “I’m somewhat free right now and all I want is my sanity back.”
… If there ever was any.
“Please, Renee… I just… I—“
“Listen, from one liar to another, stop while you’re ahead,” Renee replied, searching the street ahead for predators.
“Liar?” Kris sounded like he backed off, his tone telling. “I’m not a liar.”
“Then you’re telling me that’s a speech impediment?” she groused.
“I just ran to find you!” Kris argued.
“And that’s the end of this,” Renee began ignoring him.
“I’m not a liar…” Kris replied, hurt.
“Yeah… says the guy that ran to find me. I don’t even know you. How would you find me?”
The sound of his breath caught in his throat was enough for her.
“Exactly,” Renee bit out shakily.
The weather and its darkening nightfall ripped through her.
“Listen, I don’t want to be mad anymore. I don’t have the energy for it,” she spoke clearly. “Can you just be quiet…” Renee murmured.
She shuffled on past lit homes, adding, “I’m tired of people telling me what they’re doing and how they’re supposed to make me feel because of it. Like they’re doing me a favor, using their time and energy to help me… it all just feels fake.” Renee paused, “It is fake.”
“Not everyone’s like that,” Kris tried to point out, his tone sorrowful.
“Right, but I don’t know you past whatever this is. I could just be talking to a figment of my imagination.”
“You aren’t.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
“Werewolf…” Kris sheepishly corrected.
Renee stopped in her tracks. Not out of fear but contemplation.
“Werewolf?” she questioned.
“Yes?”
“Have we met?” she asked.
“A couple of times,” Kris replied carefully.
Renee began walking once more, softly nodding with acceptance.
“... You have my scent then?”
“Yeah…”
“When’d you pick up on me?”
“R-Recently…” Kris’ stuttered.
“Hmm,” Renee hummed, pocketting his answers away for future reference.
“Hmm?”
“Yeah?”
“You don’t want to know anything else? Like when?” he pushed out.
“Not really, no,” she answered evenly.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Does it matter?” she continued to the end of the road to look both ways.
A gray truck passed her, zooming up the steep hill she was about to cross.
“Careful!”
“Azzhole,” Renee complained as slush sprayed her.
All the more reason to go into the high school and dry off. Engines sounded off in both directions, some revving for attention while others grinded their gears to get up the hill, following the baztard in the truck.
“Busy tonight,” Kris changed the subject.
“Yeah, maybe there’s stuff going on at school.”
“Is that where you’re headed?”
“Yeah. I left some stuff there,” Renee let the traffic pass before darting out to cross.
“Oh,” Kris replied, unsure of what else to ask.
… Finally, quiet.
“Do you have anywhere to stay after this? Surely, you’re not thinking of staying at the school,” Kris rushed out.
… Oh, come on!
“Actually, that’s exactly my plan.”
“What? Staying at the school?” Kris worried.
“Yeah?”
“You can’t be serious.”
“What do you think the regulars do?” Renee huffed as she crossed the parking lot to get to the main building.
“Regulars?”
“Oh, I guess you’re not in high school then,” Renee stopped and he stayed surprisingly quiet. “Regulars are immortals of all species that don’t leave after graduation. They keep finding reasons to repeat grades.”
“Ah… why would they do that?”
“Maybe they can’t let go? I don’t know, I haven’t really spent a whole lot of time with them.”
“But you’re in high school, surely you have.”
“Here and there. A lot stay for sports, but not really. Humans aren’t immortal so we have to establish ourselves differently. You know, be successful for the long term even though our lives are short?”
Kris sighed.
“This shouldn’t bother you, man…” Renee replied, slipping into the school. “I’ll be fine. I’m always… fine.”
- Writer
