When She Says No

Gym Class And The Broken Heart

    Calista and Beth went to the girls locker room to get changed. Their lockers were right next to each other so they raced to see who could get out to the field first. Since it was Friday all they had to do was run some laps and then they had free time to play different sports or just sit around. 

    Beth got out of the locker room first with Calista hot on her tail. “No fair,” Calista whined “you have longer legs so you run faster,” she ended with a pout and her arms folded over her chest. 

    “I still won though, so pay up.” they had bet 15 dollars to see who could make it out the fastest. A bet they made often; by often it really meant at least once a month, but when they couldn’t pay they had to do whatever the other person said for all of the next week.

    “Fine.” Calsta said with a huff. Chris just laughed which earned a glare from Calista.

    “Okay,” coach Stephens said with a bombing voice, “y'all know the drill line up on the track; only after roll can any of you move. Am I understood?” the class responded with a ‘yes’ that was said in unison.

    “Remember we have an extra lap this week for the shenanigans that were pulled by our favorite Ralph and Marcus last week.” The boys had gotten into a fight over something stupid that hadn’t been told to anyone, but some of the students said it had to do with a girl although the two guys wouldn’t say anything to anyone about it. Ralph and Marcus were friends a month ago, but something happened between the two although no one but them knows why and they get really defensive if anyone tries to talk about it.

    Calista could feel eyes on her so she looked around and found both of them looking at her. They both looked at her and smiled, then ended up looking at each other and scowling. Causing a small laugh and slight blush at the realization of what their fight was about. She turned to Chris and Beth who were already looking at her. “Care to share with the class bunny?” Chris asked her.

    “Oh nothing major behemoth. Just figured out the cause of the fight between Ralph and Marcus last week. Turns out it was about a girl and said girl is yours truly.” She ended with a chuckle but the twins just looked at her with bewilderment before realizing what she was saying and letting out laughs of their own. 

    “I thought everyone already knew that you were a certified heart breaker Ms. I’m-not-after-anyone-other-than-my-mate.” Calista rolled her eyes. The twins had freely dated, but Calista had made it a point to have her mate as a first everything. She wanted to figure everything out with him. Her first: kiss, hand hold, time. She wanted it all with the person that was made just for her so that it would always be special. She didn’t want an empty relationship that she would have to end anyway. They wouldn’t be able to understand what or who she really was, after all it was all just fantasy to humans so it’s not like anyone would believe her anyway. She wanted to feel the spark of her mate and smell his scent with every romantic thing she would ever do, and her wolf Clementine agreed with her 100%.

    “You’re right they should already know that.” Calista said nonchalantly. Beth just shook her head and mind linked her.

‘You know your mate won’t judge you if you do date Calista?’

‘I know, but I still want to wait for him. It's important to me I want to share everything with him.’ Calista said with a smile in her voice.

    “Calista Luz?” coach Stephens asked as he was taking roll currently.

    “Present sir.”  Calista was half listening while she stretched getting ready to run; she had a short conversation with her wolf.

‘Clem what do you think our mate’s doing right now,’ she pulled the watch that she wore to cover the magic ink that was embedded into her skin telling her how far away her mate was from her as the numbers were going down.

‘I don’t know Cali, it normally doesn’t go down that fast.’

‘That’s why I was asking. It's getting me a little antsy, but I also feel like something bad’s gonna happen pretty soon and that worries me.’

    The last student’s name got called so Calista and her friends started running with the rest of the class following her. She started off slow, but gradually sped up as she saw her friends slowing down. Even though they were werewolves and had more energy than the average human her friends didn’t do a very good job of using their energy properly. This resulted in them always starting off sprinting and then slowing down pretty quickly, so Calista used this to her advantage and won the friendly competition pretty quickly. She went to sit down at the tree they sat at every Friday and waited for them to finish.

‘Clem what pack do you think our mate is from?’

‘I don’t know but I hope it’s a strong one with more people our age. It would be nice to have more friends to hang out with.’ 

    After her wolf finished talking her friends trudged over panting obviously exasperated from running in the way that they did. Chris collapsed on the floor panting while his sister just bent over and glared at Calista who sat smiling at the twins completely unaffected. 

‘You’re a cheater.’ Beth mind linked her

‘Am not I just know how to run properly.’ Calista responded in a somewhat sassy tone that earned her an eye roll from Beth and a glance from Chris.

‘Yeah right. As if the Beta’s children don’t know how to run properly.’

    Calista just rolled her eyes and laughed. Before she noticed Marcus walking over to her small group offering him a small smile as he got closer to them.

    “Hey do you mind if I steal you for a second Calista? I have something very important to ask.” Marcus asked with a shy smile.

    “Sure Marcus. I’ll be back guys.” Calista said while standing up.

‘Don’t break his heart too hard Bunny.’ Chris mind linked her as she was walking away with Marcus. She gulped at that she didn’t want to hurt him; he was always so nice to her, but she just couldn’t say yes to him either.

    They went a few feet away from her friends but she knew they would still hear the conversation between the pair. “So what’s up Marcus?” she pretended she didn’t know what the conversation was going to be about for his sake.

    “I just wanted to tell you a couple of things or um feelings  before we graduate. Feelings that I’ve  had for a while and didn’t know how you would respond to them so I just tried to hide them and push them aside, but they just grew instead. And before you say anything I’m not expecting you to I definitely wouldn’t if I was you.” she just gave a smile and said.

    “Whatever it is you can tell me I won’t judge or hold it against you, but I also can’t guarantee you’ll get the answer that you want from me.”

“I understand that I just wanted to let you know that I’ve had a crush on you for a couple months or actually since sophomore year.” she was shocked he’d liked her for almost three years how she didn’t know or figure it out till now was a complete mystery to her.

    “Oh I’m sorry Marcus, but I don’t feel the same. I wish I did you’re a great guy and there’s someone out there for you who’ll see what an amazing, kind, and funny guy are and love you for that,” Calista felt really bad that she had to do this Marcus was truly someone special but he wasn’t for her and she couldn’t lead him on like that it would be wrong. “But that person isn’t me.”

    His smile came back, but she could tell he was hurt by what she said, or rather didn’t say. She could see his eyes fill a bit, but he laughed it off and clenched his jaw and fist for a minute before he finally said, “It’s alright Calista I understand. I hope we can still be friends though, but only if that’s okay with you of course.” he gave a halfhearted smile.

    “Of course someone as brave and kind as you doesn’t deserve to lose a person just because we don’t share the same feelings.” She smiled and went closer to give him a hug to try and comfort him some. She hated making people cry and it broke her heart that he almost cried because of her. 

    “I’ll see you next week then Calista; have a good weekend.”

    “You too Marcus.” She said with a smile before turning back to her friends who waved to Marcus and offered a smile to Calista. They knew their friend hated doing things like that.

    “Come on bunny let's go get dressed it’s the end of the period.” Calista just nodded and walked to where the locker rooms were with Beth’s arm wrapped around her shoulder.