I'm Not an Animal (Slow Updates)

Chapter 3

"What was that boy?" Misha asked, picking at some fluff on her shirt.

"A lion." I said, running my hand through my hair. The bell rang for class and I cursed out loud. "Misha, put my bag over my shoulder when I change. I have to get to the other end of the school and the hallways will be packed!" My friend nodded and I changed, then she hooked my bag over my shoulder. I ran forward and knocked the doors open.

I roared loudly and everyone turned to see me. They pushed themselves against their lockers and I ran past. A group of girls was still in the middle of the hall so I jumped up, landing on the top of the lockers and ran over them. I crashed to the ground and ran down the next hall, taking a right, then a left, then straight down the final hallway.

I crashed into my classroom just as the bell went and shifted to sit in my chair. Lachlan looked on in awe as I shifted. I kept my ears and tail and sat proudly. This was the story of the day: Tora McGrath changes into a Big Cat!

I pulled my Viewer from my satchel and turned it on, opening my School folder and selecting my Homework app. I flicked through to my maths homework and set the Viewer down on the desk. The teacher came around and checked off the homework. He stopped, startled, when he reached my desk.

"Hello, sir." I flicked my tail and turned my Viewer towards him. He marked it quickly as the rest of the class struggled to hold in laughter. When he had finished marking the homework and had checked the roll, he started to write equations on the board.

"Tora. Come and simplify this question, please."

"Yes sir." I walked up to the front, changing into my animal form on the way. There was a chorus of animal screams as everyone who could change, changed. I roared loudly and shifted back as I reached the front of the classroom. I lifted the Whiteboard marker and simplified the equation.

3z-squared times 1z-squared plus 3y

= 3 x 10 x 5 x z x z x z x z x z x z x z + 3y

= 150z + 3y

"Very good, Tora." I smirked and walked back to my seat, flicking my tail lazily. There was a chorus of wolf-whistles, and one of the boys, Talem, changed into his wolf form and howled. The teacher formed into what was once referred to as an African Hunting Dog and yapped loudly to silence us. I took my seat slowly, sliding into it almost suggestively. Some of the boys fell over their desks, staring at me.

"I know you've all found puberty, but this isn't how a bunch of fifteen-year-olds should be acting over a girl!" The teacher roared. I slid a lock of hair behind my ear slowly and one of the boys fell from his chair. "Get up, Simon!" Mr Halks screamed. Simon staggered to his feet and fell, dazed, into his chair.

What was happening to me?

~*~

"What did everyone think of your arrival in Math?" Misha asked as she dug through her locker. It was right beside mine.

"Lachlan stared at me in awe, Mr Halks stopped and stared when he got to me, when I went up to answer a question I changed into my animal form and so did everyone else, then I roared and they all called out, then when I finished I walked really strangely back to my seat and everyone wolf-whistled, Simon fainted and the boys kept staring at my butt."

Misha stared at me for a moment, silent. Then she smiled and clapped my back. "They loved you then!" I smiled and rolled my eyes, grabbing my English textbook.

"Misha, this is why we're friends!" She laughed and shifted into her Monkey form. Then she climbed up the lockers and swung from the ceiling. We had class together now, so I hurried down the hall to keep up with her. We slid into the final class of the day with five minutes to spare and I was startled by a group of boys staring at me like I was the most amazing thing they'd ever seen.

"Hey, Tora." Simon said.

"Hi... Guys. What's going on?"

"Nothing, we were just waiting for you."

"O-kay." I sat down quickly and Misha swung into the seat next to me. "Hey, save my seat? I need to check something."

"Sure." Misha tossed her bag down on my seat and I smiled, grabbing the Guide Book from my bag. I ran into the hall and skimmed through the Tiger section. I didn't read it, I'd do that later. I was just looking for something.

Tigers are beautiful, striking creatures. They have strong wills, and can be feisty. Many are attracted to them thanks to their sexy attitudes, quick minds and caring hearts.

That was it! Being a Tiger made me... Sexy? I'd never felt sexy before. But now I felt comfortable in my own skin. I summoned my ears and tail and waltzed back into the classroom.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Misha asked, lifting her bag.

"Hhm? Oh, yeah. I wasn't looking for anything, I was just checking my shifting." Misha nodded, and I felt a pang of guilt.

Was it bad that I was lying about so much? Was it bad that I was lying about this book? And if it was... Why didn't I feel anything when I let the lies slip? Why did they roll from my tongue so easily, as if I was made for lying. I was looking for something.

I was looking for answers.