A Pride of Werecats

Chapter 12

Naoko's POV

"Mana is coming home for her holidays," Naoko's mum stood in the door fame of her room/sanctuary.

She was applying her eyeliner at the time of this horrendous news it almost made her slip and ruin her entire face, almost. She wasn't going to let Mana ruin another thing for her. Mana was her older sister who was usually away at Melbourne University. At her perfect dorm living a perfect life. Always better than Naoko. Naoko couldn't do anything impressive as far as her parents were concerned and she had stopped trying.

"Yeah... that's great mum," Naoko growled.

"You know what that means?" She watched Naoko waiting for her to realise.

Naoko lowered her eyeliner and turned to her "What does it mean?"

"She's going to need her room back," She turned and left leaving that to sink in.

"Damn it," Naoko hissed.

Since she had moved out Naoko had this room all to herself, it was her perfect little bat cave. Now she would be sleeping on the couch. She sighed not having the will to finish her face. One winged liner could be a fashion statement. 

***

Walking to school She turned heads. After all she was a goth living in the outer outer suburbs of Melbourne. There were kangaroos and bogans everywhere and there she was looking like a vampire bat. So of course she would turn heads. 

Luckily she wasn't alone in my vampire bat-ness. Standing at the school gates were her best friends and probably the reasons why she hadn't gone nuts and murdered half the town. Cherry her friend since she could remember,  Anne her newer high school bestie and of course her boyfriend Ian. 

Naoko J-walked across the street to meet them. Cherry hugged her as soon as she cross the road.

She laughed "Cherry we're goths no affection remember?"

Cherry stuck her tongue out "says who?"

Ian leant down and kissed Naoko on the cheek "Yeah I'm with Cherry."

Anne crossed her arms "now we're all here," Anna said as they made their way into the school turning more heads as they went "While I was waiting for you guys to get here Karen from my homeroom told me that in the upcoming athletics carnival they're forcing all of the senior school to compete."

"Oh you're kidding," Cherry exclaimed.

"This day just keeps getting worse," Naoko sighed. 

"What could have possibly happened this morning that was worse than compulsory sports?" Ian asked.

"Mana is coming home," Naoko muttered.

There was a resounding Oooo from the group. They knew of the legendary terror that was Mana. Naoko received pats on the back from each member of the group, still she had had the worse morning. 

During homeroom everything was confirmed, first from Naoko's own homeroom teacher then from a text on her phone. Her faces smacked into the table getting head turns from the entire class who had come to terms with her appearance long ago.

Cherry stroked her back reassuring everyone with her usual smile.

"Cherry my life is over!" Naoko whispered.

"It will be fine, it's just your sister."

She looked up at Cherry "That's exactly why it won't be fine! Do you remember what happened last time she came back?"

"You spent a week on my couch?" Cherry suggested.

"That wasn't the worst part. While I was doing that Mana convinced my parents that my white foundation was the devil or something and when I came back it was all gone. They threw it all out."

"That is pretty bad."

Naoko mutter "that stuff is expensive."

"Well what's the worst that could happen?"

"She could convince them that wearing black is also the devil so there goes my whole wardrobe," Naoko paused "Or Ian..."

Cherry bit her lip, Naoko was right, that would be worse than last time. She could see her friend in pain but what could she do to help?

The bell rang before she could think of anything anyway.

The rest of the school day was just average for Naoko. She was the average student. Maybe a little above but to her parents average just meant not good enough. In the past Naoko had tried to be above average but it had never paid off, here sister was always there with her perfect scores making Naoko's hard work for an 80% just not good enough. So she gave up and she was happy that way. Even if it made her the black sheep.

But black was always better, who would want to be a white sheep anyway. So basic.

After they had all flooded out of school Naoko and her friends went to the milk bar. A common place of theirs to stay in. Cherry's older brother worked there so he would give them a good price on anything they wanted. But today he wasn't in. An older man stood in his place.

Naoko locked eyes with him. He had a thick beard and was quite scruffy but the most alarming part about him were his eyes. They were like looking into the heart of a forest and Naoko was entranced.

While she was staring she was off her guard and wasn't looking at the windows, none of them were. But a face peered in through those windows, a beautiful and perfect Japanese face, Mana. And she watched her little sister.

Mana watched at they wandered around the store in a little confusion with eyes on the man at the counter and she also watched as the boy in the group leant down and kissed her little sister.

Meow myths,

I'm sorry. It's been far too long since I've updated. You've probably all given up on this book but I haven't! I just started a new job which really isn't an excuse but... it's the truth. 

That aside I hope you liked Naoko.

Meow for now.