Fire and Ice

Six: Corey

When I got home I headed straight to my room to change and go for a run.

I needed air.

I needed freedom.

The little encounter with Lucinda this afternoon was almost-troubling. I can't even remember how I reacted, if I did it properly anyway. And the best part was that I had just unknowingly befriended the one kind I was told since I was a pup not to.

Okay so I kind of lied there too. I also needed to run to get rid of the smell of metal before Mum and Dad noticed something.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and frowned and I stared at the bruise forming on my side. I tried to remember where I had been lately.

Maybe I banged my side onto one of the lab tables on Chemistry? That seemed likely of me to do, although I couldn't remember doing it. I sighed and looked at the inside of my left calf where an unusual cut was, with a bruise on the same shin. The bruise on my left shin I knew came from playing soccer with the pups the other day, but the cut on the inside-calf and the bruise forming on my side had shown up from nowhere.

Maybe I sleep walk? Maybe I shift without realising it at night?

So many possibilities but none seemed likely... except for the unknown shift.

Instead of walking out in just a touch bra and running-leggings, I slipped on an exercise shirt to hide the bruise from my parents before heading out toward the kitchen.

"Going for a run?" Mum asked me. I nodded.

"Yeah, be back in a couple of hours." I smiled sweetly, grabbing my phone and earphones off the kitchen counter. I walked straight for the front door but was stopped by the feeling of a pair of eyes staring at me. I turned around slowly to see Dad looking at me with a confused expression.

I looked around confused. "Yes?"

"You're wearing a shirt," Dad pointed out.

"That's a problem?" I questioned.

"You never wear a shirt when you run," he reminded me.

"I'm jogging into town, thought it might be a bit better to look, you know, respectable," I shrugged.

Dad wasn't convinced. I could see it. "Rightio, see you in a couple of hours." And he turned away. I swallowed hard before casually opening the front door and began walking down the street. As I did, I plugged in my earphones and fixed the music on my phone, taking off my shirt and tucking it in my leggings behind me.

Then Jacqui's car came screeching down.

"Want me to take you shirt?" she asked once she reached me. I smiled thankfully and handed it to her.

"Thanks, it would have been annoying me," I laughed. She nodded.

"I know, that's why I asked... Holy shit girl, nice bruise!" she exclaimed.

"Shh!" I hissed. Jacqui rose an eyebrow. "Mum and Dad don't know. I don't know where the bruise came from!"

She frowned at this. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know, I think I might be shifting at night or something," I shrugged.

"Hmm, I'll casually talk to Mum and Dad and see if it's possible, okay? Talk later," she offered. I nodded and watched her slam on the accelerator and screech away. I shivered at the the sound but readied myself to run.

I jogged toward the woods that skirted the city and focused on breathing and pace like always. The music set a nice pace too which helped.

Through the woods, I ran along the path I was most familiar with, completely oblivious to anything around me - I didn't have to pay much attention anyway, no one really came through this part at this time in the afternoon.