Sirens (Theo Raeken) [1]

Sinema

It's three twenty and Theo is a no-show. I decide he would've showed up by now, since he usually is on time for everything.

My car is currently being used by my mom, since hers has something wrong with it that I don't understand. I need to walk all the way to the bus stop. I check the time, and coming up with the conclusion that he won't come, I start walking towards the bleachers.

I hear the footsteps coming up behind me too late. The claws clasp onto my throat. My phone clatters out of my hand and onto the concrete, and I hear a crack. I can feel my attacker's breath down my neck as they hold me against them.

My breathing is heavy and strained. "What do you want?" I say between breaths. I can feel my heart beating so hard that it feels like it's coming out of my ears.

Theo spins me around to face him. "Rule one. Always be ready."

What did I get myself into? I can hardly go up stairs without losing my breath, let alone fight off would-be attackers. I put my face in my hands and groan. I glare at him and then down at the ground. "That over there is a thousand dollars," I tell him. "You're paying for repairs."

He raises his eyebrows. "I'll tell you what, as soon as you beat me at sparring, I'll buy you a new one," he says smugly.

"Sure," I tell him. It can't be that hard, can it?

"Deal," he says. "Can you help me get the stuff out of my pickup?" I pick up my phone and follow him.

He parked his truck strategically hidden behind the bleachers, which is probably why I didn't see it pull in. "Where's your car, by the way?" he asks on the way. I tell him the story of how my mom's car is broken and she has to use mine.

His truck is an electric blue Toyota that looks nearly brand new. He has a gym bag in the passenger's seat that seems to weigh even more than me. I thought he would want me to carry something but he carries it by himself and says that we'll do weight training later on. I snicker as I imagine myself with those too-big bodybuilder muscles.

He sets the stuff down in the middle of the field. "To start off, I want you to do ten laps around the field."

I put my hands on my knees and lean over, looking at him. "Ten? I can barely run two."

He looks up from what he's doing. Standing up, he's a head taller than me. "Okay, so say I was some out-of-control werewolf on his first full moon that wants to kill you. You're going to need to be able to run. And fast."

I sigh. "Fine." I take off and by the third lap, my lungs are burning and my legs are shaking. But I keep going. I need a drink of water. Bad. I keep running. I think I'm on my fifth lap, now. My cheeks are on fire and sweat seems to drip from every pore. I can't do it. I need to walk a lap. I slow down to a fast walk, keeping my hands on my head.

Theo looks up from what he's doing and frowns at me. He cups his hands around his mouth. "Why did you stop? Keep going!"

Fuck that. I give him the finger and walk up until I reach to half of my sixth lap. I take off again, pacing myself to keep going longer. My calves are burning and the heels of my feet ache.

Seventh lap. I push through the pain and sweat. I'm worried I ate too much before this, because my stomach feels like it's preparing to heave up my lunch.

Eighth lap. Theo is sitting on the bleachers, feet up and on his phone. He looks over occasionally to make sure I'm doing what I'm supposed to.

Ninth lap. I already want to give up on these lessons. It seems like Theo is using this as another excuse to be an asshole to me.