Animal

.:9:.

"I could come with you," Jada blurted, taking me completely by surprise. I wish she hadn't said those words when I was taking my second sip of the delicious drink Bear made me.

"Y-I-what?" My eyes were as wide as saucers as I stared at Jada. "You want to come with me?"

"Yeah, I've been waiting for an excuse to get out of this hellhole," Jada told me, nodding hopefully. "I mean.. I know I shouldn't just jump with a person I just met, but you don't seem like some sort of ax murderer so.."

I hesitated in answering her. I wasn't sure if I wanted to have someone to travel with. What if I shifted in front of her? What if I hurt her, or even worse, killed her?

I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did something like that. But then again, having someone to have my back did seem nice, and maybe if I could try to control myself ..

Don't be foolish, Mckenzie, I chided myself, feeling a bitter laugh try to force its way to the surface. I took in a breath and gulped down the noise, as if I was swallowing bile. I can't control myself .. I nearly did shift in front of Jada earlier ..

But I also remembered that Jada was the one who pulled me aside and calmed me down. Without her I might be out in the forest somewhere in the middle of this storm, lost and confused as fuck. Without Jada, God knows what would have happened to me.

Maybe Jada could help me. She thought I was having a regular panic attack, brought on by anxiety. I mean sure, some of it was major anxiety. I could certainly pass it off as that, and she could help me through --

No, Mckenzie. When Shark decides to become conscious again, I won't be able to calculate how she'll be. She could either be relaxed and laid-back, or she could be in the mood to rip somethings -or someone's- throat out. I wasn't sure I wanted to risk that mood swig with Jada around.

A pair of fingers snapped in front of my face, instantly jerking me away from my thoughts. My eyes glided back to the dark-haired beauty in front of me. Both of her eyebrows, this time, were raised with the curiosity. "Where the hell did you go?"

"I didn't go .. Anywhere ..?" I stuttered in reply, unsure of what she was asking me.

"You spaced out," Jada explained, cocking her head to the side as she stared at me. "It kinda freaks me out when you do that."

"Why?" A small grin pulled my lips.

"Because you look like you're .. Not at home. It's almost like you're having some sort of out of body experience."

"Out of body experience?" Another grin lifted, this time it was slightly larger than the first. "What are you, some sort of gypsy?"

"Hey." She whipped a finger at me and narrowed her eyes. "First of all, they exist-"

"I know they do, Jada."

"-and I know for a fact that they have real powers that fucking turn you into a duck or some shit."

"A duck." I gave her a nod, my eyes widening dramatically. "Scary stuff."

"Don't patronize me."

"I'm not, I'm agreeing with you. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Answer my question," she commanded, retreating her finger and folding her arms on the table.

"Which one?"

"For fucks sake. The only one I asked you," Jada empathized.

I knew what she meant. It's just to much fun pissing her off. I thought it over very quickly, going through the pros and cons, but paying most attention to the pros of having Jada with me.