“Just wanna have a conversation

Forget about the obligations

Maybe we can stay in touch

Oh that ain't doin' too much.”

--

--

Voldemort to Harry Potter. Coke to Pepsi. Jealousy to relationship. These are just some examples of hardcore enemies.

Biggest of which is me and my alarm clock.

No one. I repeat, no one in the world can enjoy waking up early for school.

You can be an early birdy for all we cared but when it comes to walking up for school, we all hate it.

And I was obviously, no exception.

Goddess knows how much I wanted to throw the alarm clock across the room every morning, but my alarm clock was my phone and my parents weren't going to buy me a new one if I broke this.

Groaning, cussing and complaining I got out of my bed in the morning like I always did.

Today more than any day, I had a stronger reason to not want to go.

First of all I know that the teachers are going to give me pitiful and curious looks as if I just escaped death.

I mean I did, but they don't have to remind me that every single second.

Second of all, I don't want to deal with the students. I am probably overthinking and hyperventilation at this point. Maybe nothing will happen and no one will give a shit. But I'm a teenager, and I've every right to believe that everyone is talking about me behind my back.

<><><>

Nothing happened. And I don't know how to feel about it.

Walking in the halls of the school, no one said anything to me, or give me any weird looks and no one came up to me and said anything mean like I had expected to.

In fact it was eerily normal. As if either people didn't give a shit, or as if they had convinced themselves that nothing has happened to me in the first place.

I decided to shrug everything of and celebrated the fact that my day was drama free till now.

I jerked my locker open, after a few minutes of trying to remember the passcode when a flood on books almost fell on my face attacking me.

“Woah,” I muttered to myself as some books that I must have stuffed there forcefully in the past, spilled on the floor.

Sighing, I started taking all the books off and arranging them again.

Now that the locker was clean I could more clearly listen to the voices from the other side of it.

‘I cannot believe she's here.’

‘Exactly. After our pack literally denied to help her, she's still here. And alive. Doesn't she get the message that nobody likes her?’

‘She’s got a habit of sticking around and mooching on things and people who didn't ask for her. Basically she's a leech. Don't you remember how she clinged onto Chance even after he made it clear that he didn't want her? What a hoe. And now she's doing the same to our pack. No one wants her here, but she doesn't understand. My parents had thought that she'd be gone for good. But she's still here! For god's sake.’

'For real. Couldn't have she died? That would have been better for all of us. I feel like she wasn't even that miserable. Those people probably just kept her in a cell and did nothing. Look at her! She looks perfectly fine. Drama queen. And there was such a mess in the pack house because of her allegedly being tortured. Does she look tortured to you? I don't even see a bruise.’

I couldn't even listen to anything more. I didn't want to.

I stepped back from my locker with clear shock on my face.

Their harsh and cruel words rang in my head. Words they had spoken without thinking. Words they had used without knowing. And words that they didn't know where going to tear my heart.

My stomach felt like it had started churning and tieing around itself as it pained so much. I gasped and doubled up, clenching my stomach as nausea kicked in. With one hand on my mouth, I ran to the washrooms because I didn't want to create a bigger scene.

I didn't want to attract any attention because it would add onto the list of when I acted like a drama queen for them.

Running into the cubicle, I slammed the door close behind me and emptied the contents on my stomach into the toilet.

I had barely eaten anything so barely anything came out— but there were tears.

So many tears that were flowing at my face that it hurt my head.

Trying not to make any noise, I slid onto the bathroom floor, and curled myself up into a little ball.

Isn't it funny how you could tell yourself that everyone's words can't hurt you and you feel that you're so strong. But then they'd say something and you'll reduced to a bawling mess again?

Maybe I'm just weak.

Still weak.

I have to be, to let them affect me so much that I threw up.

I have to be so weak.

<><><>

I played their words in my head over and over again and I was 100% sure that the conversation was about me.

And I was also 100% sure that they despised my guts above everything.

But I don’t remember doing anything bad or mean to them. I don't remember doing anything that will make them hate me this way but they did.

The kind of hate that makes you blind to everything and all you can only think about is hurting the other person.

I am well acquainted to that hate to know how toxic it is.

Yet I choose to live in that toxicity.

<><><>

When you tell the world that you've pained and you show them your scars— you're called attention seeker. And then if you try to hide them from everybody— you're accused of lying.

I thought while washing my hands in the sink. They said that because they didn't see me getting tortured, I wasn't tortured. They said that just because they didn't see my scars, they didn't exist.

And if tomorrow, I decide to wear a shirt that shows my scars, I'm sure they'll be the first to accuse me of wanting sympathy and attention.

I huffed, trying not to let their words get to me.

They don't know anything, Olivia. They haven't been through half of what you have. You don't have to care what they think. You're here just to get your education and teach Reece a lesson. Remember that.

They don't matter.

It's really easy to convince yourself. It's easy to tell yourself that it doesn't matter.

But there would always be that one lingering voice in your head that will tell you that everyone hates you and it will eat you up before you'll even know.

I was okay with letting go of that. It's not like I could change their opinion.

But still one question remained. The one I could simply not brush off.

And it was why they hated me so much? What made me despise me to the extent that they wanted me to die?

And why did I not know about it?

I had to get answers. Because I knew something was wrong. And I was kind of tired of staying in the dark.

<><><>

The day rolled by quickly and soon it was lunch. I hadn't found Ryder the entire day. Mainly because he had come to school early because he had some duties and then I ran of to the washrooms. He and I barely had any classes together because I was in almost all advanced courses.

I wish I wasn't though now because I have so much to deal with and studies along with it are going to be a nightmare.

I found myself a seat on the corner of the cafeteria and plopped my head on the table. I wasn't hungry and I didn't plan on eating. My stomach was filled with nerves and anxiety.

I took a deep breath and folded my arms under my head. I texted Ryder to let him know where I was before I went back to doing nothing.

<><><>

“Can we sit here?” A feminine, small voice said timidly, making me almost jump up in shock.

I was half asleep and being woken like this made my senses go haywire. My body goes in defence mode when this happens and it's not good for my anymore.

My heartbeat increased and I kept a hand on my heart, sighing.

“You scared me,” I muttered to the girl, before looking up at her.

When I did look up, I saw that there were actually 3 girls, and a guy looking down at me with amused expressions.

“We're so sorry,” a girl with the same voice said politely and smiled.

“If you don't mind, me and friends would like to accompany you.”

I shook my head, “it's not a problem,”

They all sat down and before I had to ask them, the girl started introducing everybody.

“This is my fraternal twin, Maria,” she said, pointing at a girl who was sitting beside her, beaming at me. She seemed like a very bubbly girl and grinned at me, waving her hands while I awkwardly waved back at her.

“Hi, I'm Olivia,” I said in a small voice, suddenly feeling shy.

“This is our friend, Alisha.” She said, pointing at the girl who was sitting beside Maria, but she wasn't looking at us. She was busy stuffing here food with some burger and fries.

Not gonna lie, I was amused by her. She gave me a “I really don't give two flying fucks” vibe.

“And lastly, our other friend, Aiden.” She said, pointing at the last one out of them. The only guy amongst them. But he wasn't looking at us either, instead he was into his phone the entire time.

“And I'm Rosalita.” She concluded, grinning at me.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, smiling at her.

“You're in the Mercy Wolf pack, right?” She said, suddenly, catching me off guard.

They were werewolves?

“Urm, yeah…” I said, awkwardly. After hearing that I was despised by everyone in this pack,it was kinda hard to think that I'm a part of it.

“Oh, you must have heard about us then. We're the guests you were expecting from Philippines.” She said.

It was only then that I noticed their Asian features. I don't know how I didn't before. But perhaps my brain was filled with other crap.

Rosalita and Maria had Filipino features with characteristic eyes, nose and lips. They also looked alike due to the fact that they're twins.

Alisha on the other hand, did not look like she was completely Filipino. Maybe she was a interracial child.

And Aiden strangely enough did not look Asian at all.

“Are all of you Filipino?” I asked, out of curiosity.

She shook her head, “I mean, we've all come from there, but only me and Maria are fully Filipino by origin. Alisha is half Filipino, half indian— although she looks completely Indian. And Aiden is half Filipino and half caucasian.”

“Oh,” I nodded my head. “Interesting.”

Everyone were quiet for a while before I asked. “If you don't mind, can I ask why you've come here? From Philippines? Our Alpha didn't tell us that. He just said that you'll be coming and that you're the Alpha's daughters.”

“Oh yeah, we're the Alpha's daughters.” Maria said for the first time. “But right now our pack isn't doing the best. You see, like me and Rosalita, our father is also a twin but when our grandfather had to crown the next alpha, he chose our father. My uncle was mad about that and he was unhappy with his Beta title. We didn't know that but he was forming an army under our nose. And now, he's launched a civil war in our pack. His army is huge and our pack is in great danger. Somewhere along the line he became crazy enough to believe that if he destroys my father's heir, he will have more chances. We are our fathers only children. So he wants to kill us now. That is why my father sent us away here. Alisha and Aiden are our best friends and he sent them so that we could have some company, to help us adjust in the new pack.”

My mouth formed an ‘o’ as I disgusted the information. Migrated for refuge and safety. That wasn't unheard of in werewolf world. But why our pack?

“Why did you choose this pack then?” I said. “No offence to us but we aren't the strongest pack out there and we recently fought a war so we're weaker.”

“That isn't important. Your pack is well hidden by the woods, my father was looking for some inconspicuous pack so that our uncle won't be able to guess that we've come here.”

I nodded my head in understanding. “Well, it must be difficult for you to adjust then, in a new pack.”

‘Also one that is so judgemental and horrendous,’ I thought to myself but didn't say.

“Oh no, it's nice here. I feel good.” Rosalita said, smiling. “I kind of always wanted to go somewhere new.”

“Oh.” I said, smiling.

“Yeah and also because you wanted to find a mate,” Alisha said for the first time as she had seemed to finish her food.

“That's not true!’ Rosalita protested, but her cheeks already spotted a blush.

Alisha raised her eyebrow challenging before muttering a “uh huh.”

"Have you found your mate?" Rosalita asked, suddenly, looking at me.

I was caught off guard, not gonna lie. I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to tell her the truth because then I'd have to tell her a long story.

"Urm, it's complicated." I ended up saying, making her look at me weirdly.

"What?" She asked and I shrugged.

"I don't believe in love anymore." I said, meaning it.

“Each and every person that says that they don't believe in love secretly wishes for someone to come along and prove them wrong.” Rosalita said, smiling at me.

I opened my mouth to say something, but then closed it again because I didn't know what to say anymore.

I didn't have to say anything because before I had to, Maria started teasing Alisha.

"Alisha doesn't believe in love either." Maria said, looking at her friend and Rosalita sighed.

"You all are cynical because of the kind of media we're exposed to."

Alisha didn't seem interested in Rosalita's lecture though as the next second, she was on her foot.

“Whatever I'm going to buy a muffin.” She said and went away.

I was watching her walk away when Maria suddenly said, “Don't mind her, she's not rude. You'll understand her in sometime.”

I smiled at her. “I wasn't thinking that, don't worry. I'm used to having loud mouthed people around me.”

“Really?” Maria beamed. “Where are your friends?”

Her word was like a little punch in my stomach as I realised that I don't really have any friends anymore except for Ryder. And he was probably sticking around only because he's my protector.

“Urm.. I…” I was just going to finish my sentence when a loud voice said from behind.

“Livy!”

I turned around to see Ryder jogging towards me with an unexpected person with him.

And that person was none other than my childhood friend— someone I had thought would never like to see my face again— Andrew.

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