Fighting the Wolves

Chapter Twenty Four

I walk into school at a normal pace, new glasses resting on my nose and a neutral outfit to help me blend in. No black skinny jeans and flannel, no ginormous hoodies or sweaters, just a pair of regular blue jeans and a plain grey hoodie that fits like it should. I'm not even wearing my usual shoes, just a pair of plain white sneakers.

Like I said, very neutral.

The prickly feel of light sweat is adorned on my hairline, my poor hair is already pulled into a perfect without looking like I tried perfect bun. I keep my chin up today, my face with light makeup to make me seem like your average boring student.

Why can't people see my eyes?
Just look at me!
...help me.

They're watching. Act as if you have a normal, functioning social life as your typical American teenager.
I force myself to make eye contact with people in the hallway, when their eyes meet mine I wave and mouth hello. (I even say it aloud if they're close enough) this new, strange thing called socializing with shitty teenagers is very vexing. No wonder I'm always burying myself in hoodies.

I turn the corner, my back straight with good posture as I head towards my first class. Of course, I don't make it halfway down the hall when I meet his eyes. Jackson's eyes. His gaze burning me with emotion, sympathy and pity. The two exact things that I've been trying to avoid. It's not just the feeling of people pitying you, it's what becomes of it after it festers in their minds for a day or two.

But no focusing on Jackson, I have a mission. Survive the school day. Pretend to be Normal. Don't screw up and make my parents do any worse. Although I'm not quite sure it can get worse, not after this past weekend.

I march into my class like I love to be here, and sit my butt down in my usual assigned seat in the second row. I feel two burning wholes seer into my skin as I grab my notes out of my bag. Although for some reason, I know it's not Jackson. I look up and glance around, noticing someone quickly leaving from the open doorway. My suspicion grows as I see more people looking at me, there's nothing weird about me, is there?

"Ms. Walker?" My teacher gives me a quizzical look as he enters the room, nearly dropping his folder in the process. I straighten my back for the millionth time before looking him directly in the eyes for better manners. For today, I have good manners, and that's what matters.
"Uh...how are you?" I can't tell what he's so confused for. I wore neutral clothes, I'm being very neutral. 
"I'm wonderful today, Mr. Mamwright, how are you?" I throw in a fake smile for extra emphasis.

Don't mumble.
No typical folly.
Too much folly is bad for a girl.

Jackson walks in seconds before the bell rings, handing the teacher a pink slip of paper. Mr. Mamwright reads it quickly, still glancing up at me from time to time before handing the paper back to Jackson with a simple nod.
Jackson approaches me, reaching for my hand which I quickly pull away. Jackson reaches over again, forcefully grabbing my arm; no chance of escape. I barely have time to grab my bag before I'm dragged out of the classroom.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask frustratedly, trying my best to keep myself from swearing. After all, they're still watching.
"I'm taking you to a place." Haha, what a typical, original, smartass comeback.
"Nice try Miller, I'm the Queen of comebacks." I don't get a response, but I begin to panic once I see us heading out the front doors of the school. "No, no, no, no, no!" I pull back on my arm, trying my best against Jackson's unfair advantage of werewolf strength to get back in school. "I can't leave, not today!" I lean backwards with all of my weight, panic completely setting in.

Not again.

I begin to heave extremely hard, all air removed from my lungs as I fall backwards onto my butt. There's a familiar constraint wrapping itself around my chest; I recognize it as the all too regular, panic attack. A more mild one to say the least, but nonetheless, a panic attack.

"Shit, Amelia!?" I lay down on the cement steps of the school, breathing heavily. I try to focus on the blue sky through my blurry vision, attempting to calm myself down. I wait through the couple minutes of torture, not once receiving any comfort from Jackson. It's strange, I don't want him around me, but it still hurts when nothing happens.

Stupid mate bond.
Stupid werewolves.

Once I've finally calmed myself, I sit up. Jackson's hand is already reaching out, offering help. I act on my internal pull and grab his hand without thinking. He leads me gently this time, but I still follow him down the stairs and into the parking lot. Of course I had to forget the one thing that I couldn't forget...

"I want to go somewhere. No tricks, nothing involving us, just driving until we can't find the road." The thought seems intriguing. The mere concept of escape never even crossed my mind, especially not with him.
"How far does the road go?" I wonder. Is there even a possibility to go that far? To a point where everything else is lost?
"Not sure, do you want to find out?" I murmur a quiet yes as I climb into the passenger side of Jackson's Jeep.

There's a numb state that can ruin a person.
A state of mind that can make you forget the most important things.
What am I forgetting?

Jackson starts the car; I felt my sense of mind back in that parking lot as we raced out of town.
As we drove, I stared at him. Call me a creep, but I've never noticed how actually beautiful he is. How he always has been. Was he this beautiful back in freshman year? I honestly couldn't remember.

Damn men, aging like a fine wine.
I bet in ten years he'll be even hotter.

I feel a slight buzzing from my right butt cheek, which I promptly ignore. Why would I turn away from this gorgeous face?

The buzzing intensifies as we drive out of town. It's actually starting to worry me slightly. What the hell is in my pocket, if my phone is in my backpack? I lean forward to grab whatever is in my pocket and display it in my hand in front of me. My eyes widen at the small buzzing square in my hands.

Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
I forgot.
Abort, abort!

"STOP!" I yell loudly, causing Jackson to screech on the brakes and veer off the road. We stop just before the car almost falls into a deep ditch.
"What the hell was that?!" Jackson asks angrily, but I'm not paying attention. I'm too busy focusing on the sheer black car that pulled over behind us. The very familiar black car.

It's the man, I'm done.
Buh bye graduation, hello institution.

"Open the window."

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Welp, here's what I delayed an extra week for. Hope you guys are confused and freaked out, cuz that's the plan.

Song above is Gorgeous by Taylor Swift.
Im loving her new music, I can't wait for Reputation.