Jasmin

Chapter 8

Song Feeling Good by Nina Simone

The council punishment for me was more school. Grade 12 at a close by school in the city that buses kids who don't go to the pack school. The pack school was really different from my schooling up north where we were integrated with the outer community and went to a regular school. The pack school is set up very individually with shifting schedules and changing groups. I was far behind my age when I got here, and instead of just placing me with my age group I was moved around depending on what I needed to learn. It took some getting used to, but I have to admit putting all the kids ten and up in shifting kitchen groups to make lunches for the whole school with some volunteers was awesome, and with all the kids fast metabolism, food skills were pretty important.

We had a week one year where a group of college kids came with different science stuff and the whole school had only science for a week. The older kids were put into different skill sets; I have been going to electrical every Tuesday after lunch for a few years now when Chris Little, who is a licensed electrician as well as pack warrior, comes in. Also Friday mornings were spent in Old man Georges shop, he used to make furniture and was a great carver before his arthritis got too bad. Now some kids coming over once a week is all his old tools get to work. The academic education is flitting and watched over by standardized tests from the government.

I actually think grade 12 at a regular school would be ok as last year I finally caught up in high school classes, I may not take anything too hard, but should be able to accomplish the classwork without banging my head against the wall. The school worked for me. It isn't for everyone but usually the council tries to keep all the kids going by finding something they like to push them farther.

Eric is beside me on the bus. He has been going to this city school since Grade 10 as its science classes are top notch and he is trying to get into a botany program to study to be a medicine man. He was always so serious, total middle child syndrome to always prove who he is. Although His older brother Blake has always lived with his Aunt Isobel, his mother Marys' sister, for as long as I have been with the pack. Eric knows he has lots of work ahead of him for years but you could see it in him when I first moved into his house that he was going places. He cared about the pack, about traditions, about his family.

When I first got here I was something to look after, with all my baggage, and Eric hated me. Thought I would bring his pack down. The first year we barely talked. David and Tim were my lifeline to the pack with their basement group and somehow Eric quickly decided that instead of waiting for me to self destruct, he would help. We have been best friends ever since. As after my first two months I wanted to stay and needed the help. I know he helped decide this whole school thing with the council. They know I will look to him with respect, and not want to hurt his chances at his school in anyway.

The whole bus ride with Eric is silent. Think thats why we are such good friends, no need to talk. No need to fill any emptiness. Just enjoy the comfort and listen to all the rest of the kids that have slowly entered the bus, stop after stop.

The bus stops outside a big brick and cement two story building. It looks nothing like my northern school, or the pack multipurpose building. The number of kids around is outstanding. I sling my bag onto my one shoulder and follow Eric into a hallway lined with lockers and kids two deep on either side.

Eric leads me towards the office. Mark already sent my transcripts from the pack school so we just have to pick up our schedules. There are lines for each Grade cut into alphabetical last name groups. Eric puts me in the Grade 12 third line as he heads to the last table in the hall. The whole thing makes me feel like a sardine in a can. Kids jostling everywhere, bumping into you, no personal space. I keep my head down and just slowly inch forward. I get to the front of the queue pretty fast and had listened to the girl in front of me as to what I needed to do. "Marcus Peters" I say just loud enough that the lady behind the table can hear me, her painted nails flying through a stack of papers, and soon I am handed a booklet. The front is a small card with my locker info on it and a grid sheet of classes and times. I look at it as the girl behind me says her name quickly and grabs hers. I am jostled as she leaves while I am still trying to look at my paper. Then I hear a familiar voice. "Josh Prontis" I look up and back up to let more people through accidentally bumping into someone behind me. I try not to look at his face. A face I know a bit after these few years as I had seen him around her a few times. I look up and around for Eric. Josh kinda pushes me back politely farther away from the table.

"Hey; Marcus. You new here? You look a bit lost." Josh had looked down at my time table that has my name pretty big on it. His smile seems calm and the hand he had on my shoulder wasn't pushy or rude. I am trying not to get upset. He is always close to Her but he has never touched her, that I have seen. I remind myself that she wouldn't be near him if he didn't treat her right. He wouldn't touch her. My silent conversation with myself has Josh looking confused. He drops his hand and plants his feet as two more kids push past us.

"Do you need help finding your locker. Textbooks will be given out each class, so just head to your first block and bring a binder and stuff." Yep this guy is just nice. I think of what to say.

I finally try to smile and remember to look at his face, that was grilled into me the last few days with Eric, how to act at the school, look people in the eye, nod often and try to answer in complete sentences. Though the smile is not very big, it did seems to relax Josh a bit. We are close in height and build. Never really bulking up like Chris and his warriors, but with some good strength. Josh just waits. I finally get the wording right in my head.

"I am going to wait for my friend Eric Whitehead to get his schedule, he said he would show me around." Perfect.

"Hey yeah Eric was in a few classes with me the last few years, he will be out this way towards the Grade 12 wing." And the person I least expect to ever talk to leads me over down the hallway and I can see Eric. He is standing at a corner, leaning against the wall and staring at his own package of papers. Too bad that boy is just way to perceptive for his own good, and looks up before we are up to him. I see Erics eyes when I walk up together with Josh. He says Hi to Josh and asks about his summer, just a quick conversation, but he keeps looking at me as I mask my face.

"So Marcus is from your hometown then? Just transferred?"

"Yes, he needs to work harder to get good grades, it will be nice to have someone wake up so early with me to catch the bus." Eric has always flowed conversations so much easier than me. Not as talkative as David but able to mask his inner dialogue and just converse with others. Guess that will be my first big step in this new place.

"Josh!" I get pushed aside a half step by a brunette I can normally sense a mile away. Too many people. But if Sally is here, that must mean She is at this school. I feel as if my head is full of air and my feet with rocks. She goes to this school. I will see her every day. I can watch her. Keep her safe. Even with all these others pushing around in the halls I try to look around and figure out where Sally had come from, there are just way to many people. She must be here somewhere.

"Josh, how do I change classes, they didn't put me in Jasmin's math class or Calm. Why would they split up the dream team. They know we get better grades when we work together."

"You get better grades." Chuckles Josh. Grabbing his sister by the shoulders so she would stop moving for a second. "Look Dad doesn't have as much pull at this school and did what he could, so you guys are going to be in lots of classes together, but your getting big now, you will be fine."

"I am not worried about me." Whispers Sally, as she steps to one side, forcing Eric to take a step back to make room, Josh turns and I shuffle back looking down the hall to Erics left to see if I can see her. I think me and Eric are the only one that hears her soft whisper as Josh is scanning the halls. He finally seems to spot what he was looking for over my left shoulder and waves them over. As soon as she stands behind me I smell her sweet scent. My whole body relaxes a fraction at being so close and I step to one side closer to the wall as she joins the group between me and Sally. There she is. In my sweater. I can just barely smell how our scents mixed, as I wore it a few times before leaving it for her. I freeze when I hear Eric let out a soft gasp, I guess I am not the only one to notice.

That will not go over well. I try not to look at her short hair. I step around both girls as Josh starts to usher them towards their own hallway, talking low and calming Sally.

Eric is pinning me with his eyes, I squint at him, and he sighs. I know he will tell Segenam. Part of the Medicine Man training is understanding all the people in the pack, what they need to keep them whole, so that will be discussed I am sure. I know they are close to my secret, but they wont get hers. I wont let them find out who she is. She will never have to go back.

With a sigh, I take my last step beside Eric, he turns to lead me, as he shows me my locker and how to read the numbers on my table. There are way too many classrooms, so many kids. First day of classes. I am very excited about being at school.