The Best Cliché Yet

Chapter 3

"Have a good break!" my science teacher called to the students eager to file out of my last period class.

"You too, Miss," I responded, since no one else seemed to want to.

She smiled warmly at me.

"You stay out of trouble now, Miss O'Conner," she teased.

"I'll try my best."

I left the smouldering confines of the classroom and walked into the wondrous outside world.

"We're free!" McKenna shouted, appearing beside me with a raised fist.

I laughed at her dramatics. We were technically only 'free' for 3 weeks, but I didn't want to rain on her parade, so I kept my comments to myself. 

"Hey, do you have work on Sunday?" she asked, but left no room for an answer as she soon followed with, "I was thinking we could go to 'Strikers' maybe?" Her expression was eager.

I sighed. McKenna and I went to 'Strikers' - the best, and only bowling alley in our town - almost every weekend. I loved bowling, but when I go with McKenna the same thing always happens; we bowl, I win, she demands a rematch, I let her win. I guess superb bowling skills are one of the many benefits of being a werewolf.

"Pleeeease!" she exclaimed, extending the word when she realized I was about to deny her.

I sighed again in resignation.

"Fine."

I winced when she squealed in delight.

"Okay, ow!" I said. "You're assaulting my eardrums."

She gave me a sheepish grin.

We did our handshake and went our separate ways; me, to the diner and her, home. The diner wasn't far from my school, just a 10 minute drive.

The old, vibrant diner, not so cleverly named 'Our Little Pizza Place' is a small, family and friend owned business. My parents had started it after Tatiana was born, it was only an idea at the time, and when we had settled here, the diner opened. It was mostly something for my mom to do; my dad didn't want her to feel resentment towards him, considering she left with him and couldn't do anything without risks. There was that reason, and also the fact that my mom makes the best pizzas in the country. 

Our diner is called 'Our Little Pizza Place' because we serve little pizzas. The whole pizza is fit for one person. That idea is quite genius, I think.

When I finally got to the skinny, grey building, I walked to the side entrance in the alley. My heart picked up when I felt eyes watching my every move. I paused and looked at my surroundings. Garbage bags and the dirty, green dumpster were the only things I saw. I shook my head.

"You're being paranoid again, Tori," I muttered under my breath. 

I started to walk again, almost to the door when my heightened ears picked up the almost inaudible patter of feet behind me. I quickly swivelled around but saw nothing. Now my heart was beating double time. 

I didn't make a noise. I always thought how stupid it was when the lone girl walking down the dark alley hears noises and asks "who's there?" Because the perpetrator is obviously just gonna yell, "it's me, Joe, I've come to rape you, don't worry."

I slowly turned back to the door and yelped when I saw the figure now directly in front of me. When my brain registered that there was no real threat, I shoved my older sister's shoulder. She giggled as she stumbled back. 

"I'm sorry, but that was funny. You know for a girl with your abilities, I thought you would have picked up that it was me," she taunted.

"You're a jerk," I glared. "I hope you step on a lego!"