Don't touch them.

Chapter 3

   I wake up to Aspen's light blue, almost white eyes and his pure white for. My husky friend is gently patting my face with his paw. He's a familliar, a goblin in the shale of a pet. And he's a good alarm too. I pet him for a minute before rolling out of bed and gathering clean clothes. I left my bag by the door last night, and slept in my shoes and clothes. So I just grab some clean jeans and a grey t-shirt and head to the bathroom to shower. To wash away the stench of boos and sex before work and school.
   I use the cold water to wake myself up. To shock myself into composure. I try desperately to shove Mr. Charlie to the back of my mind. I can't get the image of his dead body, of the blood, out of my head. Did he know they were there? Was it instant and painless or did he bleed out, horrified to his last breath? If I had just left school on time, could I have saved him...?
   I kiss Aspen on the head and promise to bring him some food as I leave. I don't run into mom on the way out as I quickly grab my bag and head to work.
As usual, the store is empty except for the manager, who keeps to his office in the mornings. It doesn't take long to stock the shelves. While I'm there, I dig my wallet out of my bag and grab a large roll of summer sausage and a small bag of dog food. It should last a few days. I check out the food, stuffing it in my bag, before heading to school.

   Samuel and Anna are already by my locker when I get there. As I alroach, Samuel's the first to notice me. He looks me over, his eyes lingering on the new purple bruise on my jaw. It doesnt take an idiot to figure out it was made by knuckles. I go around him to the locker and shove the dog food and sausage inside. When I close the door he's right there.
   "Can I help you?" I step back.
   "Who did that to you?" He slowly reaches up and runs his fingers along my jaw line. I shiver.
   "It's nothing, I'm handling it." I zip my bag back up and sling it over my shoulder as we start towards math.
   "We saw you on the way home yesterday." He says quietly, "Coming out of that neighborhood. Was it someone there?" I tense.
   "No. That was something entirely different." I whisper. I can't believe this. Do they actually care? Do I want them to care...? I don't want pity. I don't need help and they don't need my problems. I'm handling things just fine.
   "You wanna come home with us tonight?" He asks suddenly. I freeze.
   "W-what?"
   "I mean, just for dinner, if you want.    You're too thin. Besides, my moms would love to meet you." He says.
   "I uh-"
   "Okay, we can all walk together then!" Anna chimes in.
   "You guys walk to school?" I ask.
   "We live in the neighborhood next to the one you were in yesterday. There were a lot of cops yesterday..." He comments. I ignore him as we go into class. Looks like I've got a dinner date.

   At lunch, I once again just grabbed an apple. But the twins were ahead of me this time, so I couldn't lose them. Still, I went outside. I just sat on the step in front of the school this time. I figured if they weren't going to leave me alone, I wouldn't be the reason they missed class. Samuel... Asked me to call him Sam.
   Still, but 5th period art, I was regretting my desicion. I could draw. I was good at it. But it brought too much attentio once the two pointed it out. Even the kids who would normally avoid me at all costs were glancing my way. All for a rose. I just like to take time on all the details, that's all. But Sam and Anna were amazed. So was the teacher, even though this is actually my second year in his Art 2 class. I was relieved when the bell rang.
   The rest of school went by quickly. By 7th my stomach was growling again. It always does. Sam asked me about it yesterday and I told him I'd have dinner at home. Today he just grins and tells me that his Mama makes the best spaghetti. I'll take his word for it. Soon the bell rang again, and school was out.
I was in no rush to go to their house. I didn't know them very well, but something told me that after my birthday tomorrow I'd learn a lot more.    I know Sam's eighteen. Tomorrow I will be too. But they don't need to know that.
   They accompany me to my locker, since they don't seem to have use for their own. I slip on my leather jacket and shove the sausage and dog food into my bag again.
   "You have a dog?" Anna asks.
   "A husky."
   "What's her name?!" She's super excited.
   "His name is Aspen." I slam my locker shut. We continue to walk. She continues to ask questions about him, and I continue to answer in a sentence or less. I really shouldn't be doing this. I should be at home, taking my hits and going to bed. But Anna seemed really excited and Sam was pretty insistant. Maybe, if they don't totally hate me, I can stay long enough so mom will be asleep when I get home. If she doesn't see me tonight, maybe she'll get smashed enough so she won't remember tomorrow. So we go.
   As we pass the neighbor hood where Mr. Charlie used to live, I can't help moving to the other side of the twins, on the far side of the side walk, looking away. Anna continues to talk happily about some of her favorite books, Harry Potter, To Kill A Mocking Bird, Tiger's Quest. I've read a few she named, but not many. It's not safe to keep books around my house. Not for the book, or for me. Mom threw a bible at me one time and I couldn't lay on my right side for three days. Good times.
   Their house is big and grey. It's built kind of like an apartment building actually. It's a bit past the neighborhood, and on the edge the woods. Perfect for a small wolf pack.
   It has black, metal stairs leading up to the third floor on one side, and to the second on the other. Of course the first floor doesn't have stairs.
   They lead me to the left, and to the third floor. As soon as they open the door I can smell the spaghetti. The garlic. Garlic won't kill me, but the smell is kind of nauseating. It's nothing to do with being a vampire though, I just don't like the smell.
   "Mom! Mama! Were home!" Anna walks straight through the living room, complete with leather furnitire, dark brown carpet, and a stained oak coffee table, to a hall which I assumes leads to the bathroom, laundry room, and bedrooms. Directly ahead is a doorway which leads to a large kitchen, complete with white tile, a small stained oak table with two chairs at either end, a ranch style sink, brassy marble countertops, stained oak cabinets, and a large stove and oven.
   In front of the sink, resting dishes on a towel, is a small woman, maybe 5'5, with blond hair that's full of dark blue streaks pulled back in a ponytail. She's petit and cute with a slim face and skinny jeans and a baby blue blouse that frills along the vneck, hugging her hourglass figure.
   The woman at the stove is much different. She has a masculine looking cut, dark brown hair with deep green eyes, she's wearing skinny jeans and flannel that compliment her broad shoulders and hips. She's more buff and filled out with a round face.
   "Hey hon, dinner will be ready in- oh, you brought a friend!" The petit one is staring at me with wide eyes, drying her hands on a small grey towel. I take a step behind Sam, keeping my head down and reaching up to make sure my hair covers my eye.
   "What the fuck happened to you?" The larger woman asks, scowling as she steps forward.