Where There's a Howl There's a Home [2]

Chapter 2

Sang

This is it. My first day of school. My leg bounces due to the nervous energy filling my body as we pull into the parking lot. Nathan smiles at me before getting out of the car on his side. I reach for the door handle but it opens before I get there. I look up and smile at Victor who bows slightly making an exaggerated arm movement to usher me out of the car. Giggling, I get out slinging my backpack over my shoulders.

"Trouble, you ready for your first fucking day?" Gabriel asks as he joins us, Luke, North, and Silas following behind him. Owen and Sean had to ride separately from us because of their mission. I still didn't really get what they had to do but they said that I didn't have to worry about it. Still though, I planned on keeping my ears open just in case I could help at all.

I nod as Kota walks around the car completing our group, well almost. Victor must notice because he nudges me with his elbow.

"Don't worry you'll see them later," he says. I nod and sigh.

"You remember what we talked about, Ten?" Kota asks me. I nod.

No shifting, growling, or biting other people. I'll have to talk out loud unless it's just us. And if I have any trouble to get one of you immediately. He nods and then smiles.

"There's at least one of us in every single one of your classes so you'll never be alone." That thought makes me happy. I'm already feeling so nervous and we haven't even gone inside yet. More kids than I can count pass us and head towards the front doors. I gulp at the sheer number of them. Luke chuckles and steps forward grabbing my hand.

"Come on, Cupcake. We don't want to be late for homeroom," he tells me playfully as he pulls me along. The others follow behind us thankfully. Once inside though we split up. Only North stays with us as we weave through the halls.

It seems to take forever but finally Luke pulls me through an open doorway. The classroom is already starting to fill but Luke spots three empty desks in a row and pulls me toward them. He places his bag in the front one letting go of my hand. North takes the back one motioning for me to sit in the middle of them.

I let out a sigh of relief at the sight. Someone watching my back and someone in front of me to remind me that I'm not alone. I can do this. I sit down in the cool metal desk and take out a notebook and pencil from my backpack.

In the past few weeks we had worked on my motor skills, at least that's what Sean called them. Using a pencil still takes concentration but at least I can write semi-legibly. Apparently that's required for school.

Luke turns in his chair giving me his signature goofy grin. "How you doing, Cupcake?" I hesitate wanting to answer him through the link but remember the rules.

"Okay," I reply in a soft voice. His eyes soften.

"It'll get better, I promise," he tells me. "You get used to all the people." I am really hoping he's right. The amount of varying smells and sounds in this room alone is overwhelming. I feel a strong hand land on my shoulder. I flinch a little not expecting it but relax when I identify the grip. North squeezes my shoulder comfortingly before letting go. I settle in my chair and wait for homeroom to start.

Another bell rings making me wince. It takes another ten minutes before the teacher strolls in. They plop themselves down at the desk in the front of the room and begin to read a magazine that was on the desk. I glance back at North questioningly. This isn't what they said would happen. The other students in the class begin talking again.