Hearing His Words

Chapter 2

Not much happened during the rest of the weekend.  I did homework and watched TV, while occasionally texting my friends.

By the time that Sunday night rolled around I was camped out in my parents living room, and was repacking my bookshelf to take over to the pack house along with some trinkets I had left.

I had forgotten to set an alarm on my phone, so I woke up thirty minutes late, so had to rush through my morning routine leaving the house ten minutes later, eating a bagles as I walked.

The walk to school from my parents' house is quiet with out any one else.  Sometimes on these walks I would text my friends during the half hour walk while listening to music.

It's still slightly dark out when I head out the door for school, although it's only 7:10 in the morning, and it's still February.  Walking through the dark doesn't freak me out though, I'm used to it after three and a half years, not to mention all the times I've been out late with the pack.  I suppose my werewolf senses help as well, but I've always had them so I tend to take them for granted.

Walking up to school I immediately head to my locker when I feel my headphones get pulled out of my ears.  Looking up I see Lisa beaming next to me.

"Did you see Eric already?" I asked intrigued by her level of excitement. Lisa may be a happy person, but she is almost never this excited or excitable.

"No," Lisa said drawing it out, "He just took me on a date last night."

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" I ask angrily

"I'm sorry.  I just didn't want to hurt you, and I know that no matter what you say that it hurts you to see mates happily enjoying their time together." I open my mouth to protest when Lisa sends me a glare continuing, "It also felt so surreal I wasn't sure that it was happening.  When we got back to the pack house it was so late that I just collapsed in bed."

"So tell me what happened."

"Well I was lounging around doing laundry when he texted me asking if I was busy at all.  Of course I told him I wasn't and he immediately called me asking on a date.  After he picked me up we went to that dinner over on third, before going and seeing Frozen—that new Disney movie—and taking a walk in the park.  We talked a lot and I learned tons about him.  He was so sweet and he gave me a kiss on the doorstep when he dropped me off at the pack house."

"That sounds great," I lied.  My best friend was fond of cheesy and cliché actions, so the date was perfect for her, but I didn't exactly like that sort of thing.

"So..." Lisa started when she jumped up squealing as a thick pair of arms wrapped around her.  Eric stood behind her grinning like an idiot as Lisa slapped his chest complaining that he had snuck up behind her.

I continued to change out my books as the two flirted continuously.  Eventual we move away from my locker and joined the rest of my friends and their mates near Casey's locker.

Talking amongst ourselves we were startled when the bell rang signaling time to get to class.

Sitting in first period I'm listening to Ms. Lewis and taking notes as I dwell on the topic of my mate again.  I am finding myself thinking of him a lot more often than I used to.  I worry about how he is doing now, weather he is safe, I wonder about his eye color, his name, what his voice sounds like.

Everything that I think of is something that has run through my mind before.  Mostly, though, they've run through my head after felling an echo of pain or emotion through our forming mate bond. The bond it's self is something that each set of mates shared, allowing them to feel each other's pain and emotions, and—after they have marked each other—share their thoughts effortlessly through a personal mind link.  Our bond isn't very strong, due to the point that bonds mostly grow through proximity, and I have tried to block the bond from displaying my negative feelings or pain.  It's overwhelming.

It hurts me when I think about my mate.  In no way dose this mean I don't want to be with him, but it prevents me from dwelling on things that aren't within my current reach.

The bell rings, pulling me out of my thoughts.  Packing up my bag I made my way to my forensic science class, where I immediately great Doug and Jill.  Sitting between the two of them I listen to their conversation on baseball, so I can keep myself distracted.

Across the room I can see the new kid from Friday and vaguely wonder if he is the friend Eric mentioned when we meet him.  Turning back to my friends I interrupted their conversation, voicing my curiosity, "Hey, do you think that new kid might be Eric's friend?"

"I'll ask." Doug says as he gets up.  Before he can move too far Jill add in what the three of us are thinking, "If he is bring him over to sit with us."

It doesn't take long for Doug to come back with the subject of our conversation in tow.  Eric's friend looked surprisingly average, not something I was expecting because from what I saw on Friday I would say Eric was an all American boy.  Eric's friend smiled at us introducing him self, "Hi, my name is Philip.  I'm the friend Eric talked to you about on Friday."

"Nice to meet you.  My name is Jill" Jill says shaking his hand, before he takes a seat behind me.

"I'm Lisa's best friend, Buttercup."  I say looking back at him with a smile.  Once again I meet a new person who wasn't my mate.

As Mr. Gomez wheels in a television I explain to Philip "Because we had a test and a work book Friday, Mr. Gomez puts on an episode of Dexter, so he can grade stuff."

Turning to the front of the room I enjoy the opportunity to watch a crime scene show and relax with out doing schoolwork.  It takes my mind away from thinking about my mate for the time being.

"Do any of you have Ms. Charles's class next," Philip asks as the episode ends.

"I have her class.  It's interesting" I say, unsure of exactly what to tell him about the class.

Doug and Jill exchange glances knowing that I am thinking of the teacher's ability to bring up sax as a casual topic every class period.

Philip nods absorbing the information.  As he opens his moth to say something else the bell rings interrupting him.  Walking out of the classroom with my friends I tell Philip that I have to stop at my locker before going to class, saying he can go ahead of me if he wants.

When I reach the classroom after switching out my books I spot Philip sitting awkwardly next to Eric who is making out with Lisa while Laura sits behind him reading a book.  Approaching the group I slide into the seat clearing my throat.

"You know it is possible to get written up for PDA?" I ask looking at Lisa pointedly.

"Yeah, but Ms. Charles won't write up people for it," she counters.

"No, she won't, but she will talk about if for the rest of the class period." I remind her.

Lisa effectively distances herself from her mate at my comment, even though other couples in the room are going at it as well.

Eric leans over whispering something in Lisa's ear making her gasp and look over at me.  Irritated by my curiosity I'm about to demand that Lisa tells me what is going on when Ms. Charles starts to lecture about our pack's history, a unit she says we will be finishing this week.

Through out class I send Lisa glances, asking her to tell me what's going on.  As we reach the end of class she motions that we can talk later.  I don't like not knowing what's going on.

I don't get a chance to talk to Lisa before I head to computer applications, she ran out of the room dragging Eric behind her as soon as the bell rang.  All through out Computer Applications I am focused on what Lisa was unwilling to talk to me about.

When it finally gets to be lunch I relies I'm not going to have an opportunity to question my best friend.  The rest of our friends are gathered around Eric and Philip.