And Then There Was 4

Today couldn't get worse as I shove my project in my backpack and grab the piece of toast out of the toaster. Shoving the bread in my mouth and holding it between my teeth as I slip on my combat boots and grab my jacket off the hook. Running out the door, I see the bus driver wave and keep going. "piece of sh*t" I exclaim, realizing that the bus driver still has a grudge against me after I flipped him off and told him "screw you" after he asked me if he could keep me company at my house over the weekend. The vomit still creeps up in my mouth just thinking that someone 20+ years older than me thought that would be appropriate. I make the 20 minute walk to the school, but it takes more like 25 as I avoid the rain filled potholes along my path. My all black outfit is now speckled with brown dots, that now annoy me more than anything. Grumbling to myself, "first stop, bathroom...second stop, English." Not ashamed, I enter in through the front doors and I am greeted by the vice principal. "Launa, your tardy again, is it the same bus driver excuse or are you going to be honest today?" I roll my eyes, giving up on talking or associating with anyone at this place they call a school. I can feel my wolf comforting me with a warmth growing in my chest. We have made a pact, me and Silver to not talk while I am around others because I haven't gotten better at speaking in my mind to her...and I really don't want to add talking to myself to the list of things people say. Silver is really good at using feelings though, so good that sometimes I think they are mine. Chuckling to myself, I remember I was in 6th grade and the teacher was punishing the wrong kid. I just stay in the back and mind my own business, but then I started to get angry, so much so that I ran up and put my body in between the teacher and the student. I didn't know what to say, but this was the last time Silver talked to me in person. "F*ck off!" Silver growled, and I repeated not knowing the meaning. You can imagine the pain of my beating after that scenario, and the reputation that grew everyday after. Now I am the tardy, cussing, good for nothing, foster care kicked out student that no one talks to unless they are inching for a fight. As I don't want to let down my reputation (eyeroll), I had straight to the bathroom to clean up from my walk. Sarah is washing her hands when she sees me come in. Sarah was my foster sister before her parents kicked me out last week when I turned 18. "Hey Launa, I'm sorry you missed the bus again. " She says as she grabs papertowels and starts helping me get the mud speckles off the back of my jacket. "You know you don't have to do this, " I question her, as she laughs. "Someone has to be on your side, and besides the sooner you get to class, the sooner Mr. Beezle starts getting bothered!" she exclaims with another giggle. I can't help but smirk at that comment as I bend down to clean off the last on my shoes. "Thanks" I say as I open the door for her. "Everyday!" she always responds back. Walking into the room a student clears their throat and everyone giggles as they move their desks away from mine in the corner. I pull my beanie down a little more, adjust my bag and take a seat. The teacher was writing on the chalkboard and suddenly his writing gets harder and louder as if he is taking out his anger on the board. *snap* the chalk breaks out of his fingers and he is frustrated with the outcome, "Launa, come clean this up! " I stay seated, "why do I need to clean it?!" I exclaim and can now feel Silver bristle getting ready to fight. I push her back in my brain and take a deep breath, but release a little to fast when Mr Beezle remarks, "your grades are dropping, you pick fights everyday you can't win, your foster family kicked you out at their first chance... would you like me to go on? Or are those good enough reasons for you to learn to clean for your future career? " he mutters as split sprays out hitting a few of the students in the front row. I start clapping my hands in applause and stand up from my seat and then go to step on my chair as 3 smells hit my nose as the classroom door opens. Silver is too distracted by how upset she is, that she pushes that pull away to look and has me focus on my target. Standing on the desk I keep on clapping, " well done Mr. Beezle, it looks like your counseling sessions are doing well for you. You now not only have the confidence to tell me how you hate me, but have been practicing that monolog for a while I can see! Congratulations on being a total *ss and rubbing it in." I grab my bag and shove past the 3 tall guys in the doorway. A tingle hits my shoulder that smacks into one of them, but I brush it off. As I march down the hallway, I can here cheering and claps, but at this point I am just going to head to the bathroom like usual and wait for the bell to ring. Hiding in te stall I perch on the back and hang my bag on the hook. Weirdly this bathroom feels more comfortable than all of my classrooms combined. A small knock on my stall snaps me out of my thoughts, "in use," I say. "I know it's in use, " Sarah replies, "now open up!" I hope off the toilet and join her sitting on the counter by the sinks. "How are you holding up?" she asks but always knows the answers. I don't say anything, because I just wait to break down till I get home... I don't want to ruin my reputation, at least that is what I tell myself. The bell rings breaking up the silence between us, as we hop off the counter and head our separate ways to class. Drama isn't too bad because I can hide in the back of the auditorium and she just has us write our name on the attendance sheet. I personally think she does that so she doesn't have to remember our names. I settle into my seat and start doodling in my notebook. The moment I flip my page I smell those scents I had before, but this time I can actually pay attention to what they are. The smell of chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven overpowers everything, I turn around to see the outline of 3 large guys and the crisp muscle edges of their arms brought out with the backlight from the hall. Even I was drooling over them, but I would not admit that to anyone. They walk right past me, ignoring me like everyone else, no change there. "Welcome Alpha's, welcome back from your studies, what can I help you with? " her voice sounding sickly sweet. The taller of the 3 speaks up, "We are giving out invites to every family to attend our Birthday celebration this Saturday." I can now see that one has lighter brown hair and he is beaming with excitement "We would like everyone to attend as we will be getting our wolves and hopefully finding our mate that night!" he claps to himself with excitement. I laugh with how the glee he feels is doing the same for me, but my laugh came out a little too loud causing the attention to serve towards me. " Launa!" Ms. Lancaster shouts, "go to the office, I should have known you would be the one that would be disrespectful!" I grunt in frustration as I gather my items into my bag and take for the door. "Wait, what family are you from?" one alpha yells from the stage. Great! Even the alphas are in on me being without a family! The outline of my body in the doorway shows me flipping them the bird and making my way home for the day.