Memories

Chapter 11

Sunlight was streaming in through the window when I woke up. The smell of bacon and pancakes washed over me catching me by surprise. I sat up and winced slightly as I attempted to stand only to feel my skin pull and stretch the stitches. The smell of the food came closer, and I stared towards where it was coming from to see Riley standing in the doorway with a plate of bacon and chocolate pancakes. I sat there staring at him as he walked over and moved the table closer to me before placing the plate down.

"I remembered how much you loved bacon and chocolate pancakes, so I made you some...I hope they're as good as how they were in Kindergarten when your mom brought you food..." Riley mumbled.

"S-She...um...wasn't my real mother..." I mumbled looking at my lap as a wave of sadness washed over me.

"Oh..." Riley said before sitting down beside me and pulling me into a hug.

My eyes widened in shock as he hugged me. Last time we spoke before yesterday was when he was still bullying me and that was four years ago. Why would he remember what I liked for breakfast anyways? As he hugged me, I felt his chin touch the top of my head and blinked as I sat there staring at his chest. Before I could move or ask him to move, he leaned down and kissed my forehead the same way as the person who did so the night before.

"W-What was that for?" I asked shocked.

"I wanted to tell you again the same thing I told you last night. I'm sorry I bullied you so long ago. I didn't realize how much you meant to me until last night. It was like every agonizing scream you made caused my soul to shatter piece by piece. I hated hearing that from you. I-I love you, April..." Riley spoke as he moved me to stare down at me.

"R-Riley!" Scott yelled as he ran into the room only to be followed by Peter and Rick.

Rick stood there staring at me with wide and terrified eyes while Peter smirked and walked towards me slowly. Scott leaped over the couch while Riley stood in front of me protectively. I struggled to sit up as I heard someone growl. The growl wasn't coming from Jason or Kayla. They probably went hunting. Scott and Riley were humans, so the growls couldn't have been coming from them. I wasn't growling.

As if to prove me wrong, Riley let out a growling grunt of pain as he changed. Within seconds I was staring at the back of a Bali tiger who had brown eyes. Rick glanced at my left thigh and saw the wound. As if that sparked a notation that I could do no harm, he raced at me only to get intercepted by another Bali tiger smelling strongly like Scott. I stared at Riley and Scott as they attacked Peter and Rick. I struggled to my feet and quickly turned into my tiger form. I limped towards Rick and as soon as he saw me, he bolted out the front door where Jason and Kayla were running back in their tiger forms.

"Peter, we can't beat five Tiger-humans!" Rick yelled as he tried to slip into a shadow only for Scott to intercept.

"I'm having no difficulty at all with this mangy ball of fur." Peter chuckled as I heard Riley let out a roar of pain.

Almost as if my body had forgotten about the wounded leg, I launched myself straight at Peter. Peter seemed taken back at my response as he fell to the floor with me pinning him down and baring my teeth in his face. My claws were digging their way into his shoulders as I growled to threaten him to try to stand up. Pain seared up from my wound and I immediately released Peter as I saw his hand had snaked its way to my leg where a pocketknife now sat digging into my flesh.

Riley launched himself at Peter with a roar of anger as I limped heavily towards the wall. I felt my legs buckle under me as I fell to the ground, unable to help them anymore. Kayla was busy helping Scott while Jason rushed to help Riley. I changed back to my human form and grimaced in pain. Grabbing the pocketknife firmly, I yanked it out only to let out a scream of pain as blood poured from the wound. Riley immediately glanced at me and rushed over.