Heather's One-Chapter Bits

My Social Failure (I Failed Part IV)

"Come on, Gina," I plead. "Talk to me."

She turns her back on me. I sigh. She hasn't spoken to me since yesterday, when I told her I was reassigned to a new room.

I throw my hands up in frustration. "It's not even my fault!" I exclaim. "I'd much rather stay here than in some fancy apartment."

She shoots me a glare over her shoulder. "You're leaving me with Janice," she spits. "Do you know how obnoxious that girl is?"

"I'm sorry, Gina. I promise I'll visit every day and we'll see each other in classes and at meals and we'll hang out."

"Pinky promise?" She slowly uncrosses her arms.

"You're a college student, not a fifth grader," I say. Gina glares at me. "Fine." I reach my pinky out and link it with hers.

"Alright!" Gina bubbles, suddenly happy and full of energy. "Let's get your stuff moved into the apartment." She scoops up the biggest bag and bounces down the hall.

I grab the rest of the bags and hurry after her. How my best friend ended up so... energetic, I'll never know.

"So, do you know who your new roommate will be?" Gina asks, marching across the quad.

I shake my head. "I don't even know her name."

"You have seen her before, though, right?" Gina says.

I readjust the heaviest bag on my shoulder. "No," I admit. "For all I know she could be six." We walk down the lane of apartments.

Gina stops in front of the right building. "This is more like a condo," she comments, taking the key from me. Before I know it, she's in and off like a cheetah on steroids, inspecting every inch of the front room.

I grab my stuff and search the back hallway for bedrooms. There are two, placed right next to each other and connected by a shared bathroom. I dump my stuff in the one on the right.

"Gina!" I call.

She appears from behind the kitchen counter. "This is nice. I think I'll crash here often."

"Please do," I laugh. "How long are you going to stay?"

"I think until your roommate shows up. I want to meet her," Gina decides, flopping on the couch and turning on the TV. "Netflix?"

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Once again, I find myself crouched in a tree on campus. This time, though, I didn't have to climb it. I guess Dr. Walsh did make my life easier.

Gina left the condo an hour ago, since she had homework and Ms. Roommate never showed up. I decided I should tackle my last fight before having a partner/babysitter. Brian should be around here somewhere.

Half the football team approaches my tree. This one'll be fun; I used to date one of them and the whole lot are idiots.

I close my eyes and appear in front of the group. The front two guys flinch back, but soon realize I'm 5'4" and thin, and not likely to pose much of a threat.

"I think you chose the wrong target, villain," the quarterback growls. Oh, that one's the ex, isn't he? He cried when I broke up with him. Now, though, his friends fan out behind him.

I cross my arms, cock my head, and let my lips slip into a grin. "Did I, though?"

I strain my muscles, letting them stretch and thicken. My head broadens and my ears move up the the top of my head. Fur sprouts from my skin and the tight black suit melts into my new body.

I growl, and as the ten beefy boys run for their lives, I howl.

"...Jackie?"

I shift back and grin at Brian. "You like?"

He touches down on solid ground, eyes wide. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Neither did I," I answer.

Brian shakes his head. "Since when have you been able to do that?" he asks in disbelief.

I put a finger on my chin. "I think since yesterday. Maybe the day before. Not sure, though." I shrug.

He blinks. "Okay then, Night Howler. You just made my job much harder."

"I try," I say, smiling sweetly. "Now, try to let me win this time. Tomorrow they're giving me a babysitter, so I'd like to be able to do something myself." I aim a punch at him.

He dodges, still shocked. "Who gave you a babysitter? And why?"

I kick at him. "You know, the big men downstairs, the guys in charge, the ones who run the whole kitten caboodle, those who must not be named. And I suppose it's because I'm not just human anymore, suddenly."

He catches my leg and twists. I hiss and flit away, appearing behind him.

"Woah, woah, woah," he exclaims. "Two new powers?"

"What can I say? I'm special," I smile, sending another punch at him. "Besides, you have two powers."

"True," he admits. He punches me back. "Anything else new in your life?"

I flit behind him and swing at his back, but he knocks my fist off course with a blast of wind. I stumble. "Hmmm... they made me move into a new room. My roommate's pissed."

"Is she?" He returns my blow. "How mad?"

"Wouldn't talk to me for two days," I answer, "and now she's back to her usual bubbly self, but I can tell she wants to throttle me."

Brian throws another fist at me and smirks. "Would that be so bad?"

I look a him, hurt. "Of course," I say. "Throttling me is reserved for you and my mother."

He catches my wrist with one hand and places the other over his chest. "I'm honored."

I aim one last kick and look around. "Coast is clear," I announce, relaxing.

Brian checks his watch, which is not-so-cleverly hidden under one spandex sleeve. "I've gotta go, anyways. So you won?"

"Yep," I grin.

"I have to win next time, or they'll replace me. We have a three-strikes-in-a-row, you're-out policy," he warns.

I shrug. "Okay. You're going to have to try next time, though. Babysitter, remember?"

He smiles and lifts into the air. "Can't wait to meet her." With that, he disappears into the air.

I decide to run back to the apartment on my newer, stronger legs. One shift later, I'm running from shadow to shadow along to campus.

Finally, I appear in front of my new front door. Shifting back quickly, I slip inside and pull off my mask.

The I realize the TV is on.

"Hey, roomie," calls a dark-skinned guy from his spot on the couch. "Got any popcorn?"

So, from now on any updates on I Failed will be in its own book!!! 🎉 Please take the time to get it from the @rabidfangirls page. I promise, it will be tons of fun. I've got plans. 😉

-Heather