Under The Moon

Where it all began

I tapped my pencil on the paper on my desk in annoyance and frustration. My brow furrowed and I rubbed my nose bridge closing my eyes and sighing out very heavily. 'How am I supposed to focus under these fucked up conditions?' I thought to myself in complete and udder annoyance as hormones and God knows what else was flooding my nostrils. Not only was it mating season but everyone was reaching that "oh-so-delightful" part of their life where their wolves released their pheromones into the air to attract a mate. Well, that is everyone except me. Why does it have to always be me? Why am I always the late bloomer to everything? I stared down at my paper and began chewing the side of my bottom lip. My eyes lay fixated on the question at hand and I began to relax my gaze. There was only like 5 questions left and then I'm golden. No more test and I can go home after just-

"Sera?" The voice rang out loud and clear right next to me and it snapped me out of my thoughts making me almost fall out of my chair. My bright golden eyes fixated on the teacher hovering over me. Her deep red eyes looking at me with confusion and concern. "Sweetheart, didn't you hear me calling you?" Mrs. Romero was always so intimidating due to her appearance and she just had this aura about her yet she really was one of the most tenderhearted wolves you would ever meet. I stared blankly up at her and blinked, "huh? No, I-I... I didn't.." I stammered over my words a bit grabbing at my paper and she carefully took it from my hand. "Testing time is over dear..."

I sat there staring as she took the paper from my hand and walked back up to the front setting it in the basket. As she did this, I was able to really pay attention to my surroundings and I realized I was alone. I was the only one in the classroom with Mrs. Romero. I pressed my back to the back of my chair and let out a long, exasperated breath. Reaching behind me, I pulled my long white hair over my left shoulder and began to play with it and twist it still getting my bearings. I spent so much time in my own head I never even noticed I wasted all of my time thinking about shit I can't even control. 'Mate...' I thought to myself. 'What is that like...to have a mate...to have... that rush of absorbing there scent..." I took a deep breath through my nose and a rush of warmth filled me and I smiled bright. Mrs. Romero had the window open and the Hyacinths outside were making the entire room fill with their beautiful aromatic sweetness.

"Alright, Mrs. Hartt. I think it's about time you start heading home now before it gets too late and your mother calls the school wondering where her pup has gotten off to." She crossed her arms at me and smirked, "and that means go STRAIGHT home! Not go dillydallying around beforehand!" I sighed heavily and grabbed my bag, "Sure thing, under one condition-" She began waving her hands in the air "No, no, I don't want to hear that. No conditions, especially for you, young miss." I playfully rolled my eyes and shrugged, "fine, straight home with no conditions!" She smiled warmly at me and sat at her desk looking over all of the tests. I tossed my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the room and down the hall.

Once I was outside the doors of the school, I sucked in all that warm spring weekend air and stretched, "Spring break is at my fingertips!! I can FEEEEL it!!" I felt a hard finger stab into my outstretched belly and I jolted forwards. "AH!! YO!!" I yelled glaring over to my black-haired dude friend. He smiled a toothy smile at me and leaned down to meet my gaze, "Yo, wassup shorty? Do something about it if you're mad, dork." I swatted at him completely missing as he dodged my hand. He chuckled at me and placed his large hand on my head giving me soft pats. "You still up for going to the skate park today? There's gonna be this whole shebang going on apparently and you still gotta get changed." I pouted and kicked a rock while staring at my feet, "nah.. can't do it, sorry."

He widened his gaze and furrowed his brow at me, "what? Why? What happened?" I looked up at him with the biggest and most pitiful puppy dog eyes I could possibly muster. "Mrs. Romero said I gotta go straight home today. Aw boo..." He squinted at me and smacked me in the face with his beanie, "WOOOOW okay you, dork!!" I laughed and snatched his beanie away from him and putting it on after. My gaze met his and I shoved his shoulder playfully, "Yeah, I will see ya there. Remember, 6 o'clock sharp." He snapped his fingers at me and winked before hopping on his skateboard and riding off towards the park. I watched as he went and shook my head before heading towards my house with the biggest smile in the world. "Aaron.. you're such a weirdo."

I got home and tossed my bag on the loveseat. My mom was in the kitchen making what definitely smelled like her world-famous chocolate chip cookies and my dad was out back working on one of his masterful projects as usual. "Mooooommm, I'm homeeeee!" I sang as I hobbled to my room to change and grab my skateboard. My mom stopped what she was doing and walked over to the kitchen sink to wash some dough residue off of her fingers, "Seraphina, make sure you clean up before heading out! Especially your stomach!" I stopped and looked down at my stomach. Sure enough there was some weird blue dot on my stomach that looked kinda like some ink. "BRUH! AARON YOU JERKFACE!" He took full advantage of me wearing a crop top and he got me. I finished changing into a white crop top, plaid opened up button up shirt, and ripped jean shorts with my gnarly checkered converse shoes.

I ran through the kitchen with a different bag and my skateboard, "Mom can I have some??" She turned around with a little bag of cookies and smiled plopping them in my hands. "I already knew, you be safe and get home by 10 or I will come get you." I shuddered at the thought of my mom coming to get me and carrying me home like a newborn pup. She winked at me and kissed my forehead, "I mean it, now get going and have a good time. And stay away from those boys!" I smiled putting the bag in my mouth and said very muffled, "I won't" before dipping out of the doorway and heading to the park.

Upon arrival, I was already pleased by the rad turnout. There were dozens of people here, the big bulb lights were strung around giving a nice dim but well-lit area, there was some great music playing, tables with snacks and drinks as far as the eye could see and cookout food. I scanned the whole party area until my gaze finally landed on Aaron. "Yo!" I yelled as I started making my way over to him. He was standing there chatting with some guy I had actually only seen around the park a handful of times which honestly was not much considering I am a skate park regular. I put my hand up waving to him before freezing in my tracks. I stared blankly feeling my heart sink. My eyes fixed on my best friend ever since I was 5 years old, lip locked with that guy and my whole world crumbling into a bottomless pit of pain.

What was happening right now? Why do I feel like this? Who is this guy he's kissing? Why wouldn't he tell me about him? Did he not trust me? I opened my mouth and the cookie bag hit the pavement at my feet. Aaron turned his gaze over to where the sound came from and froze. Our eyes locked and neither of us said a word.