I woke up in a pool of my own blood, the bathwater, which was once ice-cold and clear was now lukewarm and tinted red. Standing up, my head pounds forcefully against my skull and my muscles feel exceptionally weak and shaky, it was the worst one yet. I don’t really remember what happened, or from where I’m bleeding but I must’ve injured myself last night during an episode.

Looking into the mirror I realize the blood is coming from a massive gash extending from my neck down to my collarbone, it’s not deep but it’s ugly and noticeable.

I literally look like I’ve been hit by a bus, my eyes are sunken with dark circles rimming around them and my body is covered in black and blue splotches, particularly the area where the gash is, I resemble a walking corpse.

I bandaged the wound as best as I can and try to make it as unnoticeable as possible, but even that wasn’t accomplishable. The bandage looks huge, bloody, throbbing, and feels sensitive to the touch. Yeah, there’s just no hiding that.

Luckily, my dad should still be asleep and I’ll leave the house 1 early so he won’t see it at all. I’ll think of some lie later on, but as of right now, my brain is fried... and pounding.

I wore a maroon long sleeve shirt that did cover most of the splotches, but not the bandage on my neck. I was so incredibly fatigued, I drank some ice-cold water from the fountain to help me swallow down the nausea. I don’t think I can handle Keenan and his gang today.

Fortunately though, for once it seems as though luck is on my side. I’m happy to find out that I won’t have to deal with Keenan‘s crap today seeing as he has far more pressing matters to attend to.

The minute I enter the lobby of the school, a loud commotion could be heard from the entrance. I see a crowd gathering and immediately I know Keenan’s at the center of it all. He easily towered over everyone in the school and he stood in the midst of it.

I really don’t want to walk through whatever mess that is, but there’s no other route to my class.

I mentally steeled myself anyway and charged forward, planning to sneak through the crowd unnoticed. The first voice I hear is Vivienne‘s and she’s shouting, I have never seen her this angry before. She’s animatedly spitting vocal fire at her younger sister as Keenan stands between them, shielding Britney from Vivienne's wrath. Everyone in the school has stopped to watch, students and teachers alike.

Huh, guess she found out.

“Really Keenan?! Really?! My own sister?! You fucked me over and over last night but you still sneak off into my little sister's bed… and you marked her?! My little sister?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME BRITNEY?!” She screeched, trying to maneuver around Keenan to swing at her younger sister.

“You wouldn’t understand! I love him! And he loves me! You’re not his mate!”

“Neither are you!“

“But I could be! I will be! I’ll be 17 soon, eligible to find my soulmate, and you’ll see! We were meant for each other! I can feel the bond between us already! He’s my moon-chosen mate!”

I had no idea what the freak they were talking about but I wasn’t planning to stick around and find out either.

But it was too late, as usual, like a sixth sense his eyes found mine. God, I hated looking into his eyes, it always knocked the breath out of me.

I don’t know how long we stood there staring at each other in silence, could’ve been seconds, could’ve been years, I don’t know. His eyes slowly trailed from my face to land on the wound on my neck, his eyes ever so slightly widen in… realization? Recognition? Surprise? I couldn’t name the strange perplexed look on his face.

But Vivienne and Britney took that moment to find their way to each other, then a full-blown catfight broke out. Hair extensions and clothing flew all over the place. I could do nothing but stare at this chaos in awe. This fight was no ordinary girl fight, there was no weak slapping or rigorous hair pulling.

No, they were abnormally fast, almost a blur. The force, strength, and speed that went into their punches were almost humanly impossible. It was horrifying, how were they recovering so fast?

I always knew I was never a match for Vivienne, but watching her brawl with her sister makes me realize how easy she went on me.

Finally, Keenan and Tanner managed to successfully separate them again.

After that I booked it.

Where did I go you ask?

Straight to the principal’s office, and this time? I demanded my classes be changed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I told you already, all other classes are full and you’re way out of the time frame to change them.“

“You’re the principal of the school, I know there’s something you can do.“

“I’m sorry, but it’s too late.“

“That’s bullshit!“ I snapped, “if you can’t stop them from harassing me. This is the least you could do! I’m only asking for a schedule change!“

Principal Anderson silently stared at me through calculating and narrowed eyes.

“Please.“ I begged, the earnest in my voice must’ve been convincing because he said, “okay, I’ll do it.”

A breath I didn’t know I was holding expelled out of me in relief “thank you, Principal Anderson, that’s all I wanted.”

I’m glad the guilt trip worked, for a second there I thought I was gonna lose this argument for the second time. Principal Anderson managed to change it so that I no longer shared any classes with Keenan and Vivienne. On the upside though, I was now in choir and shared another class with Jean.

————————————————————————————————-

For the next couple of days, the rumor around the school was that Keenan and Vivian really did break up for real, and he was dating Britney instead. With all this new drama coming to light, everyone was too distracted to pay me any attention. Just the way I liked it.

Now that Vivienne was no longer Keenan’s main piece, her energy is focused elsewhere, also known as trying to actively-make-her-sister's-life-hell.

Sigh, it was the first real break since I arrived here.

As the days went on, it became evident that there was an obvious divide in the school. Some sided with Britney, mainly the sophomore girls, but the majority of the school sided with Vivienne. If you were any smart at all you would side with Vivienne too, out of both of them, she was definitely the most cunning. Not only that, but her pride was hurt, she was betrayed, and humiliated, she will not be letting this go. I almost felt bad for Britney.

As long as they left me in peace though, I was content.

————————————————————————————————————————-

With this newfound freedom came a lot of precautions. As the weeks went by and the tension in the school became so thick you could cut it with a knife, the sisters went to war with each other, and I successfully avoided all of them. Keenan also stopped coming to school for like two weeks and they were complete bliss. I knew because I could no longer “sense“ his “presence“ anymore, so that was great too. According to gossip, he was helping his dad with “pack affairs” whatever that is.

With Keenan being gone, I can honestly say it was the best two weeks of my life.

But today? Today he was here. I could feel it. Every time I got a hunch that he was coming towards me I switched gears and ran the opposite direction. I didn’t care if it made me late to class. I did this for the first day he came back and was prepared to rinse and repeat it every single day if I had to. Even though I shared no classes with him, I didn’t want to accidentally run into him either.

The second day was much harder, it was as if he caught onto my strategy and I almost slipped up and ran into him, just saving myself in the knick of time. I stayed on top of it by always being the first to arrive at my destination and the first to leave, it’s a crucial role I take seriously.

My crucial rule is broken when I sense him waiting for me outside my choir classroom the last class of the day. This time I wasn’t the first to leave, instead, I opt for blending in with the crowd. Coincidentally it was a class I shared with Britney, who is actually kind of nice. Nicer than her sister at least.

So maybe that’s who he was really here for?

I hope.

Luckily, Britney keeps him occupied as I make my escape.

“Awww babe!” Britney exclaimed, “you’ve been waiting for me outside my class?”

I drown them out as I practically ran for the bus stop. I’m almost to my bus when all the books and papers in my arms slip and fall to the ground, scattered everywhere.

Crap!

I didn’t bother stuffing them in my bookbag, I was trying to save time!

I was really regretting that now.

I hurriedly began picking all my books up, as not to miss the bus, but it’s too late.

The hairs at the back of my neck stand up, and panic slowly fills my chest. I don’t have to turn around to know that he’s behind me.

Every nerve in my body is paralyzed, but it is snapped awake by his dark voice of steel.

“Did you really think you were that slick?“