Going back to school was interesting. When I first entered, everyone stared at me and speed walked past me like I was a serial killer or a criminal. Most of them were whispering amongst themselves.

I sighed as I walked towards my locker. As I was putting my things into my locker, someone shouted my name from behind me.

I turned around at the sound of my name and Naomi was speed walking towards me. I greeted her with a smile and she told me she was searching for her sister, Trinity, who had been acting strangely that morning and basically had rushed to class without speaking a word. Naomi and Trinity are both younger than me.

Then I told Naomi that I hadn't seen Trinity and that I just arrived a bit before she got there-also proceeding to ask her if Trinity saw what happened a few weeks ago.

Naomi hesitated for a moment before actually answering with a yes. That could've been the reason for her behavior.

Naomi glanced down the hallway and her face shifted to a shocked expression then disgust.

"Um Jake?"

"What's wrong?" I asked. I took a peek down the hall, but I didn't see anything odd.

"Cody is talking to Lucinda. Look," Naomi said as she pointed her finger towards two people.

I froze after I saw what she was talking about. Cody is Kevin's brother. He is a jerk and "liked" Lucinda around this time. He was also disgusting and still is to this day.

A smirk was always on his face as he talked to every girl he's around. His eyes would spark with mischief and allure. He tried looking up a girl's skirt once. Earned him a slap to the face. Classic immature little boy behavior.

I slammed my locker shut and told Naomi that I would talk to her later. I began to solemnly walk towards Cody and Lucinda.

'Why is he talkin' to her?'

Once I got close to Lucinda, I threw my arms around her, hugging from behind. "Wassup."

"Hey," she giggled, blushing.

I stared at Cody with intense eye contact. He stared back, a fake smile plastered on his face- I could see the fire in his eyes.

"Why so happy?" I asked, my eyes leaving Cody to look at Lucinda.

"Oh nothing."

"Mhm sure."

Lucinda moved away. "Well I have to get to class. I'll see you later."

I watched her walk down the hallway until she disappeared. Cody was also watching. Not just watching, he was staring at her ass.

"Dude, is she yo' girlfriend?" Cody chuckled.

"What? No. I'm just her best friend," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah right. She does have a nice ass."

"Hey, you don't get to compliment her ass."

He snickered, "And so you can?"

I scoffed.

"Just stay away from her. You got it?" I told him in a stern voice, pushing my index finger into his chest.

"What you gonna do if I don't?" Cody scowled as he swatted my finger away. "Turn into a ferocious dog?"

'Wolf.'

I didn't say anything for a moment. Then I grimaced, "You will regret it."

Cody scoffed and walked past me, nudging me in the process.

At lunch, I sat with my friends as usual. Mike was sitting next to me, Kevin sat next to Mike and Josh was on the other side of the table.

"Are you ok bro?" I heard Mike say as he slightly nudged me.

I looked at him as I was picking at my food.

"No. My senses are growin' stronger,'' I mumbled. "And Cody keeps flirting with Lucinda!"

"Calm down Jake. Everyone is gonna start looking at us," Kevin said.

"They were already starin' at me in the hallway."

I gazed ahead at a table where Lucinda sat. Next to her was Cody. Her friends were also at the table with them. They seemed uncomfortable.

I shifted in my seat as I watched Lucinda talk to Cody. Part of me wanted to just go over there and confront him. I smiled at the thought.

"Jake, why you didn't tell us that you could turn into that thing? Do not avoid this question again," Kevin said.

"Umm," I said, pulling my attention towards my friends. "I don't know. I was gonna tell you guys eventually, but Mike is the only one I told besides Lucinda."

"What? You told him and not us?!" Josh shouted.

"Josh, please, he probably has a good reason," Kevin told him.

"Mike and Lucinda are my closest friends. You out of all people should kno' that," I said to Josh.

"And what about us?!" Josh asked.

"Josh, I swear you have anger issues," I mumbled.

"Says the boy that gets mad easily when somethin' happens," he grumbled.

I picked up my milk carton and drank a bit. I winked at Mike and threw the carton at Josh, making milk spill all over him.

"What the hell Jake!"

Mike and I chuckled darkly.

"Why did you do that?" asked Kevin, holding back a smile.

"I did that cuz he doesn't know how to shut his mouth," I said.

I stabbed my fork into an apple as I stared straight ahead at the table where Cody and Lucinda were sitting.

During the whole day, I spent my free time following Lucinda and Cody around. They hung out in the library. They were looking at books, scamming through bookshelves. Every 5 minutes, Cody would rub her shoulder or put his arm around her.

It took everything in me to not snap. My wolf was threatening me to go over to him and do something irrational. I didn't know why I was feeling this way. Probably because I actually had a giant crush on Lucinda and didn't like the fact that Cody was chatting with her all day, making her laugh.

I almost blew my cover when I almost went past them as they were walking down the aisle. I could've walked right into them, going to the next.

I tried waiting for her at our favorite spot in the hallway which was a wall with an ocean blue background that had a golden sun mixed with orange painted on it. It was a symbol for our school name and district. Sunset.

Lucinda didn't show up.

She was probably off with that pervert. It just made me so upset that I decided to avoid her whenever she wanted to talk to me.

After school, before I started walking home, Lucinda came up to me. I groaned and said, "What do you want, Lu?"

"Why are you avoidin' me?" her voice was tight with frustration as she frowned at me.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not stupid Jake."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I'm not the one doin' the avoidin'. You are."

She pretended to be confused. "What do you mean?"

I stepped closer to her, my brows furrowing. "What do you mean? Really? You've been glued to Cody all day, laughing at his dumb jokes, following him around like a lost puppy like I didn't even exist. You left me all alone."

She crossed her arms defensively, clenching her jaw. "He's a friend."

"Lu, are you crazy? Cody is a pervert. You should know that. I saw you guys. He was having wandering eyes and being touchy."

"You were spying on us?"

"That's not important right now and no, I'm just looking out for you. Big difference." My patience was running absolutely thin at this moment.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't trying to leave you alone."

"Lu, you skipped our favorite spot. You never do that," I said with a hurt expression.

Lucinda looked me in the eye with a hint of sadness in her eyes. She reached for my hand, but I moved it away. "Jake, I'm sorry."

I shook my head and walked away.