Jasmin, the name I go by now. Who really knows me? Who do I let know me?
I have hidden so long, ran so far. Will I ever be normal?
For her, its was always for her. I gave up everything so long ago. I found her, I saved her. Will she remember? Will s...
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"Your back again I see Marcus. Pleasant trip into the city?" Just stepping into the basement of Eric and Tims' house feels almost claustrophobic after spending so much time under the stars. The cheerful voice pulls after so much silence in the river valley.
I grunt at David. Sitting with his girlfriend perched on his lap on the old sofa. The basement room is the one place I feel like I belong in this pack now. I am so glad it was Mary and Andrew who took me in as it is in their basement that so many teens get together. I walk past the sofa with David and Sherri sprawled on it, and nod to Tim on the old matching love seat. Looks like they are watching some action flick. The large bowl of popcorn balanced by Sherri and scooped by David into both their open mouths.
This small tv has seen so many movies and so many kids surrounding it, today its a small group but there is the squeaking chair that matches the sofa set pushed just a bit back between the two, and numerous old kitchen chairs that can be moved around to accommodate whatever group of kids came to either watch a movie or to try to set up some kind of outdoor game; wrestling, basketball or hockey, depending on the mood of the kids that gathered.
Since getting into the pack a few years ago; after my parents finally cratered and let me leave, I have stayed with Eric and his brother Tim. With David the four of us are usually really close but I just cant tell them about HER. They know I disappear into the city often and I know the council asks about me a lot but they have my story from my original pack. I will always be an outsider, always have the scar.
I cross in front of the tv and hear David continue talking now that he swallowed his popcorn, as I go throw my bag into the room I share with Tim.
"Council is convening in a few hours, and we were told if you were home to send you. So want to bet on your punishment this time? Or are you finally going to finish going rogue?" David asks. He is usually the talkative one, always bugging me about my mark, like its a joke, or I chose it and wear it proud. I grunt again as I head to the small bathroom, thinking about living with the Whiteheads. They really look after me and the whole pack works together, yet I don't call it home. I haven't felt right since I saw her over eight years ago. She is home. Being with her makes everything click into place. I sigh, any punishment is worth the last four days with her. Even if she never saw me.
"Hey wheres you sweater? You had it on when you left. You were so glad to get that thing, name brand and dark green. Even though I don't think green is your colour." I hear Sherri ask, she was there with a bunch of other kids when we went shopping. David looks over at me in my long sleeve gray shirt.
"Don't tell me you lost the silly thing, it cost you a ton."
