Eyes of a Wolf

Chapter Three

Lunch rolls around slowly and on my way to the cafeteria, someone skips up beside me, making me jump in surprise. I am still stuck in my mind from seeing that wolf.

Lisa-Anne smiles up at me with big doe eyes, her blonde curls bouncing at her shoulders. "Do you want to sit with me and my friends at lunch? I noticed you were by yourself yesterday."

I shrug, trying to appear friendly. "Sure, thanks." As much as I hate to admit it, I don't like sitting alone, I usually slide right into some clique at other big schools. I look at her. "You don't know much about me yet, do you?"

She gives me a fond half smile. Again, with the fondness thing. What the hell.

"I don't pay attention to mindless talk. I know a good person when I see one."

We enter the cafeteria and she pulls me over to one of the big, circular tables, grabbing my arm and tugging me along, like we've been best friends forever.

How can someone be so nice to a stranger?

"Guys, this is Kadin! She's gonna sit with us." She looks to me, pulling me down to an empty chair next to hers. "This is Shara, Molly, and Molly's boyfriend, unfortunately, also my brother, Justin."

Shara has long dark hair and sparkling mint eyes, and she waves shyly from her spot next to mine.

Molly has brown hair with a pretty face and brown eyes, and Justin has blonde hair with blue eyes, just like Lisa-Anne.

I give a general wave to all of them and sit down as well.

"So, where are you from, Kadin?" Molly asks, taking a bite of her sub.

I unwrap my mozzarella sticks. "Washington."

"How long you lived there?"

I glance up at her. "A month."

All of their eyes fall on me, and Shara nearly chokes on her sandwich.

"I, uh, move around a lot." I clarify, stunned at their awe.

"Oh, really? But that's such a short time, how often do you usually mo-" Molly's voice is cut off as everyone in the room goes quiet, and I furrow my brow, glancing behind me were all their eyes are glued.

Hunter, that big guy that he sat next to in chem, and several other boys file into the lunch room. Hunter's eyes roam around until they lock on mine.

He smiles and nearly every girl in the room swoons.

Well someone's popular.

As if hearing my thoughts, the girls' eyes turn to me accusingly, jealous that he gave me the attention.

I take my time to glare back at every one of them.

People- mostly girls, watch as he walks over to me, and I turn my back to continue sipping my apple juice, unconcerned with his presence.

I feel him lean down close to my ear, breathing the smell of my conditioner openly before whispering softly, "Can I talk to you?"

I turn to look at him, feeling my face try to heat, but I force it down. I won't let myself be humiliated that way. I pick up and hand him my tray. "Walk with me." I say, pushing my chair back loudly. "I'll catch up with you guys later." I promise the group before walking up to the garbage.

Hunter follows me closely, and walks up next to me once he takes care of my tray, brushing his arm against mine. I take a step away, but he follows me like a magnet as we disappear into the hallway, leaving the other kids in shock. He takes my elbow and pulls me around the corner, then releases me and runs his fingers through his hair as if he is stressed about something.

I stare at him conspicuously and he looks at me, dropping his hands. "You okay there?" I ask, standing in the middle of the empty hall with my arms crossed.

He takes a step forward and smiles. "Yeah. So, there's something that I want to ask you."

I raise an eyebrow, wary of what he might be about to say. "Go for it."

He sighs. "Can I see you?"

I stare at him blankly, not understanding. "You're seeing me right now, numb nuts."

He gives a quirky smile and chuckles. "I meant out side of school, brat. On a date- or something." He says the last part sort of awkwardly.

I pause to think my answer over carefully, letting him sweat. Do I want to see more of him? ... I'm curious about the way he makes me feel- it isn't like anyone's ever made me feel or react before, and I want to know more about it. Besides, I'll be gone in a few months, so it isn't like this could ever really go anywhere, anyway. One date isn't going to hurt anything. "Sure. Or something." I mimic.

He gives the biggest, truest smile I've ever seen. "Friday? I'll pick you up."

"You know where I live? Geeze, you are a stalker."

"Everyone knows where you live. When someone buys a house like that and has a kid starting school here- the only new kid since seventh grade- the town makes it their business to know who bought it."

I bury my face in my hands in humiliation. "Darn it, and here I was, thinking I could hide that."

He gently peels my fingers away from my face, sending sparks of delight through my arms and torso, and holds them in his hands for a moment. "If it makes you feel better, my parents are like that too. Always working, never home... Dress me like a doll."

My head snaps up at his last words, and I yank my arms back from him, offended. "Are you saying I look like a doll?"

Hunter's widens his eyes a little, his arms falling to his sides for a minute before reaching up to punch my arm, just enough to hurt a little. "No, but if you were, you'd be the hottest Barbie I've ever seen."

I feel my face redden, earning a smile from him, and I shove him hard.

He hardly moves at all and he laughs softly as if it were cute that I tried. "I'll walk you back."

I shake my head. "I don't want to go back, those girls might have rallied a mob to kill me." I say seriously.

"Sorry." Hunter says, lowering his eyes.

I throw my head back and groan, which gains his attention. "Why? Why is everyone so polite here? Someone be rude to me! I'm bored with life!"

Hunter has an adorable half smile plastered to his face. Why does it have to be adorable? Why can't he look like a troll? "I can be an ass if you want."

I laugh, making his grin grow bigger. "No, you can't. You're like everyone else in this Nutella forsaken place! Even the  principal won't argue with me! Come on, people!"

He chuckles, actually making me smile in return. "Nutella?"

"Yes, Nutella. My friend in Washington used to say it all the time."

He grins. "It's adorable."

--------------------------------

30 reads already? ... I'll take it! :) thanks guys, any questions or comments, let me know! Thanks a bunch guys, enjoy! A picture of Jaxson, Kaden's horse!

~A.