A Pride of Werecats

Chapter 5

Cale's POV

Lunch time, the most important hour in a high schooler's life. Who it's spent with and where you sit shows what kind of person you are. And all that matters for some reason unknown to us all. My lunches were spent with my team. All the popular kids crowded around chatting louding and mocking any so called 'loser' who walked passed. 

I might not have liked them but I felt safe with them. They were like armour. A hard shell to protect the soft inside. 

Gossip hurtful enough to make someone commit suicide was thrown around so casually out of the ears of teachers and I am ashamed to say that I participated. I had no choice but to. It was just part of being in the group and I needed them a lot more than I cared to admit but... 

"So like what was going on with that girl in Bio Cale?" Monique's probing and pointy question was aimed at me. 

I looked at her. Her face wanted a reaction, she was hungry for it. 

I shrugged "she's helping me out. I'm trying not to fail."

Beth laughed and slapped me on the shoulder "as if the perfect boy would fail."

I brushed her hand off me "I'm not doing so well in that class so I need a tutor."

Monique hugged me around the neck, it felt like she was trying to put me in a head lock and take me down. My instant reaction was to cringe down. "I'll tutor you!" she squealed.

I ducked out of her grip "No thanks, you're actually doing worse than me," I smiled to make it seem as if it were a joke. But I meant it.

"Well I can tutor you in other things you know," she ran her finger down my face.

"Sure, anything other than school you could do," I smirked.

Her face went a little red in embarrassment. Teasing them was too easy.

Monique poked her big dip-dyed-blonde head in again "But seriously that girl is weird, it's like she actually is trying to be dux or something."

"Yeah that is like really weird."

I rolled my eyes and looked over to my footy team. They made up pretty much all of the males in the 'popular' group. They were throwing globs of blue tack at the roof to see what stuck. I laughed to myself and joined them.

***

Mum would pick me up everyday after school when I didn't have practise. Today for whatever reason she was late. Probably traffic. 

I stood outside the front of the school flicking through my phone. None of the apps could hold my attention passed a minute. Something had me restless. Maybe the dream. I really didn't want to think about it again. My eyes darted around looking for something else, anything else. 

They fell on a man not too far from myself, he was wearing a large broad brimmed hat that covered his eyes. His clothing was crumbled, unwashed and visibly dirty. He was obviously some kind of homeless guy soon he would be told off by one of the teachers for being around the school. And not to nicely either. So I thought I'd give him a warning.

I walked over to him. Despite his appearance he smelt good, like a deep breath of forest air.  

"Hey mate," I said warmly.

He looked up at me, his hat tilting upwards allowing me to see his eyes. They were breathtaking. Beautiful complex and layered green like I had looked into the wild heart of the amazonian forest. 

"Hello," he greeted me with a smile.

"I'm sorry but you probably shouldn't stand outside a high school like this. A teacher will probably tell you off or worse call the police without even telling you. I thought I would just come say something because I'm sure you're a good bloke," I rambled.

He held his smile "ahh fair enough. Thanks for the warning, I appreciate it. I just came here to meet with someone."

"Oh, are how far away are they?" I asked.

His smile didn't falter. It made me a little nervous.

"They're right in front of me."

I turned around but there was no one behind me and when I looked back he was gone. I took a few steps back. That was weird. I shook my head, maybe I really did need sleep. That dream really did shake me up.

I didn't get much time to think about the mysterious man because my mum pulled up and I climbed in the car.

"How was school?" she asked over the radio.

When I told her about the test she didn't reply. I don't even think she heard me she just turned the radio louder, blasting a pop song.

"I hope practise went well!" she shouted over the music.

I didn't bothered replying this time. 

I called her my mum but she really wasn't my real mother. My dad had my real mother had a big angry divorce which ended in her taking half of my dad's money and leaving for Europe and warmer weather. I didn't know if she had remarried but my dad certainly had and since he was the stable one he had custody over me. I hadn't seen my real mother in years. She would send me selfies from the most beautiful parts of the world every once in a while. I had starting ignoring them along time ago though. She wasn't going to come back any time soon. 

Maybe for my wedding. Maybe.

My stepmum was a lot closer to my age than my dad's age which made for some awkwardly relatable childhood stories but I got along with her fairly well. We just kept out of each other's way most of the time and she supported my dad and made him happy so I didn't give her too much thought.

We arrived home without another word and my mum left me to do as I pleased. Dad would have liked me to watch old matches or something. But he wasn't home so I slunk up into my room. I had a few hours before he finished work and would demand my presence. I closed the door and pushed a chair up against it. I listened carefully. The house was in silence until my mum turned on the TV down stairs. I smiled.

In my closet there was something forgotten to the rest of the family. I swung open the doors and pushed apart my clothes. Above them there was an entrance to an attic they didn't know existed. I pulled down the stairs and crept up it. It had been my little hide out for years. I pulled up the stairs in the pure darkness, using memory to guide me. I waved my hands around until my fingers brushed the cord, I pulled in and the lights sprang to life.

There was colour and beauty everywhere. It was hot and stuffy in the attic but it was the only place I could feel alive, this was where I did my painting. My true passion in life.

 First published 17/4/18