Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 42: The First Step

Dean dreads going back to school the next day. He hopes and prays that Katie didn't say anything, not wanting his secret to be out. Also, he's nervous about seeing Elisabeth, but that's for a completely different reason.

"So? You ready?" Copeland asks.

Dean inhales and exhales slowly. "Yeah...I guess."

"It'll be fine, dude," Mitch says, laid back. "Just go in and apologize, maybe Katie won't be so bad."

"OR...she'll dump you and you can date Elisabeth!" Dakota chirps, grinning lightly as she claps her hands together.

Dean shoots her a glare. She returns with a smug look that tells him that she doesn't regret her words. Asher runs a hand over his hair as he fixes his glasses.

"Well...either way, I hope it works out for you," he says.

"Thanks Ash." Dean smiles lightly. "I hope it goes well too."

There's a brief beat of silence as they stare at the school. Copeland lets out an obviously fake yawn and adjusts her guitar case on her shoulder.

"I'm gonna go and find Tiki, from where we will probably go chill and fiddle around with my baby," she says, patting her guitar case. She salutes and heads off. "Later, dudes!"

"Bye!" Mitch calls. He perks up. "Oh! That reminds me! Nixie said she wanted to try out something new...said it was French." He frowns a little, but then shrugs. "Ah well, guess I'll find out later."

He practically skips away, leaving Dakota, Asher, and Dean staring at the front steps. The twins smile at their oldest cousin and each pat one shoulder.

"Good luck, Captain. We're here for you," Asher says.

"Have fun," Dakota adds, smirking a little.

They spin around, waving to Kelly and Lukas as they dash off to join their friends. Dean takes another deep breath and heads into the school, hoping he finds Katie before he finds Elisabeth.

Sure enough, he finds his girlfriend near her locker. She's oddly quiet, her hair done up in a multicoloured braid that's slung across her shoulder.

"H-Hey Katie," he greets her.

She looks up, and to his surprise, she laughs. "Hey Dean!"

"Um...yeah, hi. You seem happy," he comments, put off.

She giggles. "Oh, I'm just thinking about last night."

He stiffens, trying not to fall into the row of lockers as his knuckles turn white around his backpack strap.

"Y-You are?"

"You got me so good! Oh man!" She laughs even harder, earning a few weird looks from passing students. "I mean, seriously? A wolf-raven?! That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen you come up with...EVER!" she exclaims, holding her gut. "You looked so terrifying too, like woah! You definitely got your nerd cousins to help you out with that one, or it was that stupid blond one, right? Right?"

"Yeah...a prank," he repeats, shocked.

"You are so funny! I didn't know you had anything besides a pretty face, really."