Shape-Shifter

Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

I hadn't realised I was crying. How embarrassing.

“Why don't you come to here. It's a empty classroom. Come on,” the teacher said. I think I should consider learning everybody's names. “So, sit down and wait just two seconds.” He shuffled around a bit, put down all his stuff and sat down opposite me.

“So, why were you crying?”

“Well,” I quickly rubbed away the tears, “it's just that in the lesson, with my teacher, she kind of always picks on me. Well, sort of anyway. I have a tendency to day-dream and she always gets annoyed with me. She doesn't like me at all. Well, to stop me from day-dreaming she sat me away from the window and next to a new bow, Alex, who took to visiting me this week-end. Alex kept talking to me. In a way her theory worked, didn't it. I didn't day-dream any more. But she accused me of Alex's talking.

“Why doesn't she like me?” I asked.

“Well, I don't think she doesn't like you. Who's your teacher?”

“Um... I'm in eighth grade, English teacher...”

He laughed shortly then said, “That will be Miss Grey.”

“Yeah, her mood is constantly grey,” I muttered, not really intending the teacher to hear me. “Why doesn't she like me?” I asked again a bit louder.

“She doesn't not like you. You're simply tedious in a lesson. Now day-dreaming is usually a sign of boredom. Why are her lessons boring? Now that's an interesting question.”

“It's just, I don't care about what she has to offer. I have more important things to learn. I rather be riding on Night, my horse, or in the woods spending time with Lupa, my friend. At the very least in the stables at home caring for all of our horses.”

“I see. Do you become oblivious to the world when you day-dream?”

“Sometimes. Usually, actually. It's just that today, well, we kind of pissed each other off today, like more than usual. We just kept coming up with clever come-backs and somehow we both went a bit too far and-”

“Okay. You two need to talk to each other. You need to come to a kind of agreement, if you know what I mean.”

I nodded. The thought of having a civilised conversation with Miss Grey was somewhat horrifying. “Do I really have to?”

“Only if you want to understand your problem with Miss Grey better. Do you want me to arrange something for you? Do you want your parents involved?”

“No parents please.”

“You ready to go back to the classroom?”

I nodded again, wiped my eyes to make sure they were dry and got up. “Thanks for everything.”

“No problem.”

I left the classroom and hurried back. The bell rang and students flooded into the hallway. I wanted to disappear before Alex or Aaron could find me. The school day wasn't over yet, but I left anyway. I waited quietly and then went back into my classroom, took my bag, and left quietly to the school stables. I too Night, Black-Beauty and Sugar. I jumped lightly onto Night and the three horses carried me through the morning, over the grassland. The country flew past us and I couldn't hear anything except the wind whistling in my ears and my hair whipping around me.

I knew I was pushing the other two horses, but they needed the exercise.

There was a loud howl on the wind. I recognised Lupa with her pack immediately. How couldn't I? Either way, it wasn't the fact that they were howling that's worth reporting. It's the thing they're howling about. They were telling me to beware of the the human I'd presented the the other day. It felt like years ago. They were telling me that he wouldn't be any good, that I should be careful. That he might get carried away with his science. And the pack told me that they forgave me for not telling them. Sweet, right?