Chapter Five

Scott:

Beat you to the cliff? Skylar questioned all three of us as we raced around the woods.

Hell yeah! Tristan and Shay yelled.

Yeah! I said.

We were all running under the moon. It was like the moon gave us strength to run. ‘Cause, well, it kind of does. We’re at our strongest at night. We can shift anytime we want, but the time we’re strongest and the most powerful is at night when the moon is full and shining. This is the night all of our family’s wolves go out and race. It’s when we feel more alive than ever! I pushed my legs forward, hoping to pass Shay.

When I was next to him, I knocked my body against him and he growled at me, doing the same thing. We snipped at each other, but broke it off and ran. All the Russo family turned into giant horse sized wolves when they turn fourteen. I’ll admit, it’s a painful transformation, but everything feels better afterwards. Jamie's turn is coming up though in two months and I have never seen him so excited to finally be able to join us. He likes to follow us sometimes, and says that’ll be the day he finally turns into a ‘man’.

When we were closing up on the cliff where the lake was, we heard the waterfall. I pushed my legs to go faster, but so did everyone else. Skylar was first to jump in, then Shay, me, and Tristan lastly. We all went in as wolves, but swam back up to the top as human boys. I ran my hands down my face and pushed my hair back, chuckling.

“I’m getting fast guys, better watch it.”

They all smacked their teeth and pushed and dunked me. Skylar grinned though.

“No one can be me! I’m faster on the field and faster in the woods. All you pansies can’t keep up with me. You all better remember who the oldest is,” he said, going on his back and floating. We joined him and we all went into a debate about who should have really won.

When we noticed Tristan wasn’t saying much, we looked at him.

“Dude, what’s up?” Shay asked, hitting his chest.

“Bummed you came in last?” he asked, Skylar and I chuckling.

He shook his head and sighed heavily, “No, I would have won, but I have my mind on something else.”

“About?” Skylar asked.

“Colleen. She wants me to come over tomorrow night for dinner, but you know how her dad is with me. He still thinks I’m this jock who’s just trying to get in her pants after two years. I’ll admit, I have tried before, but always respected her saying to stop. He’s too protective of her.”

“She’s his only child, and his wife died, of course he’s going to be protective of her,” Shay said. “I mean, I would be. We all will be. We all won’t want our daughters to be with some boy who has as big an ego as ours.”

“But he should realize we’ve been together two years and she’s happy!” Tristan growled. “She was so depressed about her mom, but I brought life back to her. How could he hate the guy who makes his daughter happy?” We all just shrugged and looked up at the sky.

I pulled my arms up behind my head and thought about Abigail. The girl is stubborn, but I like that. I kind of like the challenge of trying to make her mine. It would be kind of boring if we just quickly got together. I mean, I am a wolf after all. I love the chase.

I thought about what my brothers went through when they found their mates. Skylar met Haley on the first day of their freshman year, and Haley was kind of a rebellious city girl who slept with guy after guy. She had a horrible rep when she moved here, and Skylar did not like it. He finally cracked her when he found out she was only being rebellious ‘cause her parents were getting a divorced.

She lives her with her mom now, and Skylar showed her that not everyone gets divorced by having her spend lots of time over at our houses. Haley spends tons of time there now. Skylar tamed her and her rep. Now she’s the popular head cheerleader, but at the same time, she’s been with the same boyfriend for the past four years and she’s been faithful the whole time.

Tristan and Colleen met in middle school. You know that story, though, about how he kissed her quickly, but what you don’t know is that her mother died when she was eleven from breast cancer and she was having a hard time dealing with it. Her dad was, too. They were getting more and more distant, but when she met Tristan, he treated her just like a princess and did everything she asked him to do. Tristan tries to make it work with her dad, but her father is a hard man.

Tristan knows it’s only because he doesn’t want to lose his daughter and be alone, but sometimes you have to let the bird fly out of the nest. It’s just Colleen’s father isn’t ready to let go.

Shay and Victoria met at a party when they were in middle school, too. It was at a friend's birthday party and they had a mutual friend. They had the quickest relationship. But last year, Victoria got pregnant. She was scared about telling her parents and she didn’t even tell Shay until she was three months pregnant. On the fourth month, she lost the baby from a miscarriage.

It took a while for both of them to heal. But they made it through together and moved on. Though I know Shay was more destroyed by it, since he would have had a baby girl and it was his child after all.

“Guys?” Skylar said and I heard the nervousness in his voice.

“Yeah?” we all said.

“You can’t tell mom and dad this yet, but,” he said and his voice sounded terrified, “Haley's pregnant.” Those words made us all quickly get up from floating on the water and look at him like he was crazy,

“What?!” We all questioned.

“Yeah, it was two months ago. We did it with a condom, but it must’ve broken without us even realizing it until we finished. She was a few days late on her birth control too. We…we just found out an hour ago.” he said. “I’m freaking out, guys. I…I don’t know anything about kids.”

“You’ll be fine,” Tristan said. “Is she keeping it?”

“Of course she is,” Skylar growled. “She wouldn’t think about killing our child and it’s not really like she could give up a baby that’ll turn into giant wolf when she or he turns fourteen. I’ll be damned if someone else raises my child.”

“Well, just hope she doesn’t miscarriage,” Shay said. His voice was bummed and down as he turned getting out, his shoulders broad, telling us he was angry. We all watched him leave and turn back into a wolf.

“He didn’t mean anything by it,” Tristan said speaking for his twin.

“I know,” Skylar said. “He’s just mad and upset. Jealous even, but he’ll be fine. But guys, you can't tell anyone. She’s scared like hell right now.”

“I won’t,” I said and Tristan nodded.

*

Abigail.

I looked down at my dry hands and wished I could do something about it. My skin was a little dry from the hot shower my dad gave me last night and it was annoying the hell out of me since my hands felt rough, not smooth. I was in my dad's car as he drove me to school, and I didn’t make eye contact with him the whole time.

“You will ignore that boy,” my father said. “If you come home smelling like him again, it’ll be worse. Do you understand me, Abigail?”

“Yes, daddy,” I replied. He pulled into the school parking lot, and I turned in my seat and grabbed my backpack. When I was about to get out, I felt his gaze on me. I turned and raised an eyebrow, “Yes, daddy?”

“I…I just realized how much you've grown,” he said. He turned back in his seat and looked out the window. “You need start wearing more clothes.” Maybe you should give me money to get some more clothes, I thought, but just nodded my head and got out. I threw my backpack over one shoulder and made my way up towards the entrance.

While I was at my locker, I was getting everything I needed. My binder, books, and trying my best to find a damn pencil before I was late for Mr. Jens class! Ugh, this sucks and I have a feeling the bell will go off soon!

I dug around in my backpack, but found nothing but junk of old paper. I groaned and sighed heavily. I was about to speak to myself when someone patted my shoulder behind me and I jumped, a small squeal leaving my lips as I turned around. My stuff was pressed against my chest, and I came face to face with Scott.

He chuckled at me, “Sorry I scared you.” I just waved him off and when I went to look down at my shoes, I saw into his binder. In the extra space were four pens. My eyes widen slightly and I pointed at them. His eyebrows furrowed together and he looked down at them.

“You want one?” he asked and I nodded. He took one out and handed it to me. I gave him a smile, ready to make it on my own. I closed my locker and turned to leave, but he softly grabbed my upper arm. “Wait, I have something to give you,” he said and I looked at him confused.

He opened his binder by the zipper and chuckled. “It would have looked kind of weird walking around with this and I wasn’t sure when I’d find you, but I got you this for whenever you want to just talk. So, now you won’t have to keep using my phone. I noticed you don’t have one,” he said, taking out a pink notepad with a whole bunch of girly crap on it like hearts and smiles and girly words.

“You can carry that around now and write down whatever when we’re together, Abby.”

I stared at him in shock. Did he just call me Abby? No one calls me Abby, not even my parents. There was something about the way he said it, it sounded so casual and smooth coming out his mouth…a mouth I couldn't help but stare at. His bottom lip was fuller then the top and they were full and kissable. I couldn’t stop imagining myself kissing on them and wondering what they taste like.

“Abby, hello, are you there?” I heard Scott ask and I woke up. I looked away from his lips and gave him a confused look. He grinned.

“Are you alright?”

I opened her mouth to speak, but remembered my father’s rule about no talking anymore. Crap! I shouldn’t even be around him! But he’s like a magnet and it seems like I can’t get rid of him. I closed my mouth and waved him off, rolling my eyes, and nodded.

Rinnng! Rinnng! Rinnng!

My eyes widened in worry and he held the notepad out for me to take. I hesitated, but took it before running off to my next class. Hopefully I could slip through the door before it fully closes! I came up to the room and I heard Mr. Jens voice at the door, so I picked up my speed, my breathing hard since I had a pile of stuff over my stomach. I saw the door starting to move and I slipped my body right through the foot-size space.

“Nice of you to join us, Ms. Crow,” Mr. Jen said and I gave him an apologetic look. He sighed heavily, “Since it’s only your second day, I’ll let this time slide. But I won’t be this nice next time, understand?” he asked and I nodded.

“Good, go to your seat.”

I just nodded and made my way to the back and the only seat left was the one next to Colleen. She gave an oddly calm, yet sad smile. I just sat down and got all my stuff ready for class. The notepad Scott had given me slipped off the pile of books and I reached down, getting it and when I was about to close it, I came across the first page that had stuff written on it.

My eyebrows furrowed together and I looked at it closely now and couldn’t help but think, How Middle school of him! I reread what it said on top ‘Do you like Scott??’ and it had those three boxes with a ‘Yes’ ‘No’ and a “Maybe’.

I couldn't help but smile at that. It was really kind of....... cute. And right under the boxes was a note telling me that once I answered I had to go to a certain locker and drop it off. And a code was beside it.

“What you looking at?” I heard Colleen ask and I quickly closed the notepad, my cheeks burning up. I turned my head to her and shook my head. “Nothing?” she questioned and I nodded. She looked a little amused. “Okay, if you say so.”

I took a deep breath and ran my fingers through my hair. Close call, I thought. I can’t let her know about what Scott gave me, it’s too embarrassing. Even though it was cute, I won’t fall for it. One minute I’m alone with him and he’ll try to undress me. I won’t be played for a fool and I don’t need to end up like what father thought last night. I can never get in a car filled with boys ever again. I opened the notepad and ripped the page out and threw it in the trash. I can’t be thinking of boys and I most defiantly cannot be thinking about Scott Russo. He got me in trouble once; I won’t let him do it again.

I rubbed my rough, dry hands together and sighed.

*

I was yawning and leaning on my desk when someone appeared in front of me. I jumped a little because they scared me. I looked up and blinked at Scott, wide eyed.

“So, I didn’t find my note back,” he said. “Did you not find it or something?”

I shrugged and nodded, my cheeks heating up.

“I didn’t get an answer then?” he asked, chuckling. I shook my head and played with the end of my hair, twirling a strand around my finger.

“Hey, I have an idea,” he said, lowering himself down to lean on my desk. “Let’s hang out after school. We can go to the movies or to the mall in the next town over.”

I shook my head and opened the notepad where I had stuff written when Colleen was talking to me and wrote down, I have to do chores after school.

“Oh, well what about we just skip that?” he suggested and I shook my head. His eyebrows furrowed together. “You’re stubborn.” I meant to chuckle, but it came out a huff. But then I flashed him a smile telling him I didn't take offense to it. It really was my only defense to keep people out. So yes, if I have to be a bitch to someone to keep them away from me, then I’ll do it.

He looked shocked. “Is that a smile on your face and it actually has…a happiness feeling to it?” I smiled bigger to his fake shock and I couldn’t help but open my mouth. My smile widened from the unfunny things he did that were still somehow amusing to me. I lowered my head and pushed one strand of my hair behind my ear. I always hated my smile because I never liked my teeth since I always found them to be a little…small.

But I was the girl with the big smile…whenever I did smile. I felt his hand go under my chin and tilt my head up to look at his soft brown chocolate eyes that had gold outlines, making them so beautiful and amazing.

“So how about it?” he asked. “After school, you and me? Skip the chores and come with me.” He’s really trying to get me in trouble, I thought and my frown slowly dropped. I shook my head and wrote down, No, I don’t want to. Now go away, class is about to begin. He clicked his tongue and looked annoyed, but said,

“Okay, but we will hang out soon.” he promised, taking the seat next to me.