Abnormalities

(Mason's POV) Chapter Nine

As quick as the nurse had called, Mom had already pulled up and was waiting for me in the school parking lot. I hobbled over to the front gates, thanking the kind nurse for all she was able to do; she bandaged the wounds on my arms and gave me a pill that would slow down my bleeding.
"Oh gosh, this is worse than before," Mom rushes to say, placing her hand gently on my back as she leads me to the minivan.
I nod slightly, trying not to let the blood that welled up in my mouth drip out. An itch suddenly hit the back of my throat, causing me to cough blood once more; this time, it sprayed all over the asphalt. I lose balance and nearly trip into the fluid.
"Woahwoahwoah," Mom quickly shouts, helping me take my bag off of my shoulders and grabbing my arms. "You need water..." She then scrambles, grabbing my half-drank water bottle from the side pocket of my backpack. Unscrewing the cap, she hands me the bottle while I continue to choke.
"Drink, quick."
The crisp liquid flows smoothly; I throw my head back as I chug the water and satisfy the itch in my throat. Mom picks up my bag and, after throwing it in the back seat, helps me into the front passenger seat.
"Those wounds'll take some time to heal, even with my magic..." Mom says, shifting the gears and backing the car out of the lot. "I didn't think you'd get this beat up, honey..."
"It's my fault, I left campus in the first place."
"Please, explain," she asks sternly.

Just an hour or so earlier, I drove off school grounds in Cam's car to go and get lunch from the local McDonald's. The line was long, but worth the wait, as I was able to buy myself a simple fries and burger.
Sitting down at the table, I recognized the manager from when I last came across the room. I unwrapped my burger from it's iconic printed paper and went in for the first bite, but as I looked up to grab a few fries, I noticed that the manager was staring. I shrugged it off, thinking he accidentally started spacing out, but when I looked up again, I felt his piercing red eyes shoot darts at my head. His stare was filled with anger and disgust; I decided to rewrap my burger and stuff my food back in its bag. As I was exiting the building, I felt an aggressive tap on my shoulder.
"I'd like to talk with ya, out back behind the building," the manager's voice quietly hissed in my ears. He pushed on past me, shoving me out of the doorway with his elbow. I didn't have a second thought about it, so I dropped my things off in the car before walking around the side of the building. Other customers inside the building stared as I walked past the giant glass windows from the outside, but what for..?
"So, ya've been hanging out with Lena lately, haven't ya?" The manager stated as I came around the corner, walking onto the roof-covered platform. I noticed him leaning against the wall and stepped back in shock. I kept my distance and stood as far away as possible.
"First, why are you asking?" I asked him, shoving my hands in my sweater pocket. "And second, it shouldn't be any of your business. You don't seem like someone who's currently enrolled at any of the schools around here."
Standing up from the wall, the manager draws close. "It's all my business if it's concerning her. She and I are dating. I wouldn't want anyone stepping in and stealing my girl, ya hear?"
"Dude, chill. I never said anything about liking Lena in that way. We're just friends; we aren't even that close."
"Sure ya are.... listen, kid, I don't to know what your relationship with her is. Just stay away from my girl, got it?" He said in a harsh tone.
"Got it, damn..." I muttered. I took one more step back. "No wonder she doesn't talk about you, you're super aggressive..."
"I'm sure she talks about me all the time, you're lying. I'm the greatest thing that ever happened to her," he stated in pride.
"In the past month of knowing her, I've never heard a single sentence come from her about you, never heard the name 'Thomas,'" I said, instantly regretting speaking up.
"It's 'Todd,' kid. Ya better watch your mouth."
I made the terrible mistake of continuing my previous statement. "I mean, a girl like her wouldn't seem like the type to dwell on her exes, would she-"
Swiftly, Todd's hands clenched tight to my throat. His thumbs pressed down hard, pushing my head against the leaf-covered wall behind me.
"Ya wanna run that by me again, Mister Wise Guy?" He threatened me.
"L... let go," I managed to cough out.
"Or what? You'll call your mommy and daddy?" He said as he tilted his head slightly.
"I might."
"Grow up, kid. They won't come to rescue your sorry ass." He tossed me to the ground; my cheek and forehead scraped against the asphalt. I got back up shakily, and as I tried to make a run for it, he kicked me back down in the rib.
"Pathetic, trying to run. Ya won't escape as easily as ya did last month."
"Wha-"
"I knew well that Lena was with y'all that day. I recognized her friend that was with you and that kitty boy in line. If it weren't for all the customers around and my employees, I would've ran out there and got her all for myself."
"So, you were lying, then, about dating Lena-"
Todd dug his heel into my rib cage; I could've sworn I heard something crack then. "Bold of you to assume she isn't mine! Once a vampire marks a human being, they're bound together for eternity."
"That's ironic, seeing as they're mortal and you aren't-"
"And that's why I've been waiting for the chance to truly make her mine, you idiot." He lifted his foot and kneeled down, shoving his grease-stained shirt in my face. "I-"
I pushed his face away, and as I scrambled to get away once more, I felt a tug on my leg. Todd pulled me back to ground and, as he kneeled over my body again, he held my head and arms down against the rocky surface.
"You have no right to take her away from me. She was my girl and I will never stop trying to get her back."
"She isn't property, man! Just leave her alone, she clearly doesn't want you anymore!" I tried to shout with part of my face that wasn't submerged in ground.
"That's what she thinks! Once I turn her, this will all become a silly little thing of the past and she'll never want to leave my side." He applied more pressure to my already broken body by digging his knee into my back. "Besides, Lena would never even think of being in a relationship with someone like you."
"What do you-"
Todd brushed my hair aside and exposed one of my pointed, elven ears that I purposely tried to hide.
"There's more than what's under the surface, ain't it kid?"
"How-"
"Don't play dumb. I can smell the magic in your blood. You're not human like you've been trying to convince everyone you are..."
I rolled my body over and slapped his face with my forearm. "What I am is none of your concern!!" I yelled.
"Stop playing this stupid game of yours, kid! Everyone's going to find out eventually."
The fight lasted on for ten more grueling minutes of smack talk and grinding of bones, mostly my own. He only gave up when I could barely whisper and appeared to be dying before his feet. He left with one last say before returning to his office in victory:
"Stay out of my way, kid. She's off limits."