Change my mind

feed the growling beast! oh wait no thats just my stomach...

                Sophie’s POV

Classes were boring and dull as usual. The first part of the day went by in a blur of “Hello my name is…” Then the lunch bell rung, and who was leading the way? None other than Jason, who I have learned is actually very smart academically, and is the star of the football team. I have to admit that at most of my other schools, the jocks did not mix with the nerds, and Jason was a lot of both.

He kept looking back at me as we were walking and it got me a little nervous.

“Why do you keep looking at me?” I asked him very bluntly.

“What? I can’t look at the most beautiful girl in the school every now and then?” Okay I thought I was being blunt. Wow, what do I say to that?

“U-um, w-well there is no need for you to and I am definitely not pretty.” I stuttered as I pulled my hoodie over my head to cover the scars before we walked into the most crowded room in the whole school.

“Hey now, I didn’t mean to make you feel self-conscious. I was only half joking. Not about you being beautiful but about staring at you. Take your hoodie off, you really are gorgeous even with some battle scars.” He came over and pulled the hoodie back over my head and slung it over his shoulder. He gently took my hand and pushed open the doors to the cafeteria. I thought everyone staring at me in class was bad. This was a million times worse. The whole café went silent and everyone stopped and stared.

Mainly at our intertwined hands. I got looks of curiosity and looks of hatred all in one room.

Jason’s POV

He could feel Sophie tense up next to him when they entered the café. The looks people were giving her made him seriously angry, jealous, and possessive all at once. He gave a low growl that his pack mates would hear and no one else. It was a threatening growl that gave everyone a warning to look away and never look back. Since more than half of the student population was his pack, mainly males, they all unthawed and looked away. That gave the other human students their cues to look away and move on as well. He would not have his mate being uncomfortable.

“I’ll just go sit outside, okay?” She made it seem like a question when he knew she wanted it to be a statement.

“Okay, but my friends will join us as well.” He motioned over at the table he usually sat at for his friends to go outside and that they would join them.

Sophie started walking away from him when he grabbed her sleeve to pull her back.

“Do you have a packed lunch?” He asked her. She shook her head. “Then aren’t you going to go through the line and buy a lunch?”

“M-my parents have never given me money and I don’t have any of my own so I’ve never eaten lunch at school. It’s okay though, I’m used to it.” She said in a sad, defeated voice.

“Well that is going to change for as long as you are at this school. Come on, I’ll buy it for you.” My wolf wanted to shove food down her throat to make sure she was sated, and my human wanted to go and slap her parents for being such ass’s to their own daughter.

“No really, you don’t have to, and I couldn’t accept it. Really though I will be fine, I go without meals all the time.” She tried to say it nonchalantly but I knew it was hard for her to admit.

“I don’t care. You are not going unfed as long as me and Darren are here. You’ll meet him in a minute but for now just follow me and tell me what you want and I will pay for it.” I grabbed her hand again very gently, I was afraid I would hurt her if I didn’t.

As we stood up in the line I could already tell she was eyeing the pizza. But she grabbed an apple and a water bottle instead. That made me frustrated. I grabbed two colas and three pieces of pizza, plus her apple and water and went and paid. I didn’t let her carry a thing as I led her out the door and onto the nice lawn and over to the picnic table.

I quickly did the main introductions of Lily and Darren. “Lily, Darren, guys, this is Sophie. She just moved here from Ontario.” I really wanted to blurt out that she was my mate and that she was mine but I fought back the urge. That would freak her out and scare her away.

As Sophie went to grab her apple I went to hand her a slice of pizza. She briskly nodded her head and I gave a quick scowl and then a very challenging look her way. She saw it and quickly took the pizza and bit into it. I swear I heard her moan. I knew I heard her stomach growling earlier in one of our classes and after what she admitted in the lunchroom, I wonder how often she is allowed to eat or offered food. I would invite her over this weekend for my mom’s Sunday dinner buffet.

As I was caught up in my thoughts I hadn’t even realized that Sophie had moved onto her apple and was now engaged in a conversation with Lily.

“So how many places have you moved to?” Lily asked her.

“Um, I think about twelve. My dad joined the army when I was in…fourth grade and we’ve been moving ever since. I never got to finish a year at the same school. We would always move before it ended or after it had started.” She had a lot of eyes on her and I knew she was feeling a bit uncomfortable, so I took her hand under the table, gently brushing my fingers against hers. She looked startled at first but then relaxed into the touch, which I was grateful for.

“Wow, I’ve lived here my whole life. I have no idea what that would be like.” Lily said dreamily.

“It’s definitely not something to wish for, constantly being the ‘new girl’. Being made fun of because you are too far behind or even too far ahead. Never having the same fashion sense as majority of the other kids and standing out in bad ways. Nobody ever wanted to help me with my schedule, so I learned quickly how to read the maps and not ask questions. I always sat alone at lunch, no one ever tried to engage in a conversation with me. But as soon as everything would start, it would end just as quickly. Just to start up again with new faces. That’s why I’m a little uncomfortable here today because no one has ever been like this to me before, accepting.” I wanted to hug her to me. My wolf howled in agony at the fact that our mate was without our protection and bullied and harassed. But she was definitely a fighter. I was so proud of her for being so strong through all of her life. From what she has said, it did not sound like she ever broke, at least not in front of others.

Lily, as well as the others, went speechless. So I decided to speak.

“I’m so sorry.” I whispered into her ear in the most sincere voice I could muster, because I really was sorry.

“Well the cycle seems to have changed and I’m glad for that.” She said with a timid smile.

“Yeah, we will never let anyone at our school be like that towards you. As well as you know you are all of our friend now too so if you need anything just finding us. I can pass a paper around and we can put our names and numbers on them to you can call or text us…” She didn’t get to finish before Sophie gently interrupted.

“I’m sorry but I don’t have a cell phone and I’m not allowed to use the house phone. So I’ll just have to talk to you guys here.” She said it lightly like it has never affected her before. I can’t imagine not living without my cell phone and she isn’t even allowed to use her homes landline.

My mate’s life is definitely going to change if she accepts me like I do her.