Iridescence

FOUR

I cannot believe my eyes. Chelsea has been my best friend since we were 5 years old. I told her everything, shared my every emotion with her, my deepest secrets and feelings. We were as close as sisters. we always had each other's back. I never in life expected this from her. As I stand there mouth gapping staring like a weirdo at them memories of my years of friendship pass my eyes. Chelsea stood up for me to kids who bullied me about my father. us spending countless nights in either of our rooms telling each other everything, laughing. we did everything together, homework, sports, shopping. She knew that it was always Conner for me, she always pushed me to make a move and was there to help me when I would make a fool out of myself in front of him. Tears start to stream down my face and I try to hold back this feeling of betrayal. The sadness turns to anger and I hit with the intensity of it. looking from Chelsea to Conner I am starting to shake with the rage. I have loved conner since I could comprehend what love is. perhaps even before that. He knew it. I know he knew it. Hell everyone did. they slowly break away from each other and turn their heads to look at me, instead of the usual reaction I expected which would be shock and regret. They look proud and malevolent like they wanted me to see this. Slowly Conner whips Chelsea's bottom lip with his thumb and then puts it to his mouth and sucks on it.

"H-How, W-why." I stammer my vision starting to blur as the rage takes over and I am fighting the images of what is in front of me and the memories we have all shared. "You two! Together! knowing how I feel! Are you not even ashamed?! Chelsea! everything we have been through! you are my best friend!" I scream at them shaking profusely. "well what can I say" she smiles slyly "I put out, you don't" she replies in a bored tone. looking back at him licking her lips. That was it for me. I couldn't concentrate anymore "Scarlett!!!" I hear in the distance as my brother shouts for me. he sounds so far everything is a blur I'm shaking and a sharp pain is coursing through my entire body. I feel like I am burning from the inside out.I hear faint laughter in the background and I can feel my bother coming to my side and my parents in tow. "Breath Bokkie!" my mother says trying to help, but the rage the pain, the hurt from the betrayal is too much for me and the next minute it is all gone. My eyes are still closed, everything thing is so quiet, the only sound I can hear is deep hard breathing. Then Conner and Chelsea kissing flashes through my mind once again and I feel that same rage start to bubble up. then a loud snarl or is it a growl that I heard makes me open my eyes to find I'm looking at my brother and parents but I'm starting head-on at my brother and not looking up at him like I would normally do. 'what's going on? I try to say but another growl comes out and I take a step back. I look around and then down and I don't believe my eyes. pieces of fabric are laying all around and I'm looking down and two black furry legs and paws? "it's alright bokkie, just breathe, calm down. everything is going to be alright. We have you" my stepdad calmly says approaching me. I snap my jaw at him, baring my teeth growl loudly. Suddenly, out of nowhere I hear a disturbing popping sound and see start to change and in a flash, a large grey wolf is standing in my brother's place. shreds of fabric littering the ground. he cautiously approaches me and starts to nudge me towards the back exit. away from people and the party. my mother and stepdad follow behind us as well walk outside towards the trees. I try to speak again, but nothing comes out except more growls. "don't try to talk, sweetie. we won't be able to understand you yet." my mother says stepping closer to me and gently stroking my side. "I'm so sorry this happened the way it did my bokkie," My stepdad says with sadness in his eyes as he looks down and holds the back of his neck in a strained pose. "I wanted to sit you down and explain this to you sooner, at least before you changed." he says. "this was the surprise we had for you" to tell you about who and what you truly are, about what we are." he explains. I shake my head and left out a very animalistic gruff sound. "it's my fault, my baby, Uncle scheun wanted to tell you sooner. but I asked him not to. I didn't think you would carry the gene because your"she pauses mid-sentence looking pained. "your father is human" my stepdad finishes through gritted teeth. "let us just go for a run and try not to feel too much, this is the first shift you need to run and embrace the change and we will sit down and discuss everything tomorrow. I promise I will tell you everything you want to know and need to know." I look up and out towards the tree and start to turn when I see my mother and stepdad also turn into giant wolves in front of me. my stepdad is much larger than the rest of us. his wolf is grey like my brothers but his back and face are darker. My mother is just a bit smaller than my stepdad and is a beautiful golden brown wolf. nothing makes sense to me but we all turn and make a run for the trees together. I feel inside me that this is what I need to blow off steam and with everything, that happened, I just want to run until I am numb and that is what we do. together as a family, we run through the woods. We also eventually are playing and tumbling around with each other and enjoying ourselves. soon the sun starts to rise and we head back to the hall where my party was. somehow it feels like it was so long ago and my life is forever changed. I see it's already been cleaned up. I see my brother go behind a tree and my parents as well and they come back out, as themselves again, dressed in comfortable clothes. my mother brings me a set of clothes and walks with me towards a tree." don't think too much about it. just see yourself in your mind and let it flow and it will happen on its own." she says calmly. I do as my mother says and it works. I shift back into my human form and land on my knees on the ground. I cannot control the tears as they stream down my face. my mother waits calmly and shushes me as she rubs my back "it is okay my bokkie. we will explain everything I promise. for now let us just get dressed and go home to rest. we will talk later after you have slept." she says soothingly. I stand up and put the clothes on and hold my mother close as well meet up with my stepdad and brother at the bakkie. we all climb in and make our way home. The trip home is quiet except for the sounds of my brother snoring against the window. we get home and I make my way to my room and fall to my bed and let the exhaustion consume me as I drift off into a dreamless sleep.