1 The end of my world

 

 

                       Someone bursts into my room screaming, happy 17th birthday! I moan and pry my sleepy eyes open. My mom, dad, and little sister are all standing in my room with a cake. I prop myself on my elbows, eyeing them like they were crazy for invading my sleep.

              “Come on Ash let’s give her a couple of minutes to wake up.” Mom tells my little sister Ashely through a laugh.

              “You go; I want to talk to her for a second.” Ash says with pleading eyes. My mom nods and her and dad leave my room. I stare at my little sister for a couple of seconds. She looks exactly like my mother. They are both really pretty with they’re dark brown wavy hair and beautiful features. Only difference is that my sister is 12 and her eyes are a light green, and her hair brushes her shoulders just long enough to style in her favorite root top ponytail and my mother is 37 and she has dark green eyes, and her hair is long and beautiful. I have always been so jealous of my mother and my sister because of their high cheek bones that get all the boys attention, and there beautiful complexion that never seems to age - in my mom anyway - My dad has light brown hair and dark brown eyes. I on the other hand have long blond hair that stops at my mid-back, and bright blue eyes with gold around my irises. Ash walks over to my bed and sits beside me.

              “Happy birthday big sis.” She says.

I hug her. She has always been my best friend. She looks up at me and smiles.

              “You want to dance with me after you get dressed?” She asks.

I smile and nod. When we dance we turn on some loud music and just… dance. I don’t really know how to dance that well, my sister on the other hand can dance. She is amazing at it, at everything really. She hugs me one last time and gets up and leaves the room. I get up, grab a red tank top and a pair of black skinny jeans, and head to my private bathroom to shower.  

 

            After I am clean I head to the kitchen and grab some bacon off of a plate my mom had just made. I head to Ash’s bedroom and she opens the door when I knock. I walk in and Ash shuts the door. I look at the clock, It’s 9:30 in the morning. I smile and hook up my phone to her speaker and start blaring loud music. We start dancing and laughing only taking breaks to eat, get a drink, or just laugh together. About seven hours of dancing and laughing and goofing around mom comes in the room and we turn off the music off.

              “It’s time to open your presents!” Mom says excitedly. I smile at my mom’s over enthusiastic attitude wondering how she is always happy and we follow her into the living room and sit on the couch. Dad gives me his first. I open it and smile. He got me an IPod. I turn it on and my small smile

grows. He loaded it with all the bands he thought i would like. Flyleaf, Black Veil Brides, Skillet, Red, White zombie, Evanescence, Trap, Three Days Grace, Nickelback, Imagine Dragons, Black Eyed Peas, Destiny’s Child, Bea Miller, Sabrina Carpenter,  Pvris, Since October … and so on. I set the IPod carefully besides me on the couch and stand up so fast I almost fall over. I give my dad a huge hug smiling.

              “Thank you dad I love it.” I tell him.

“You’re welcome.” He says smiling like he won a prize.

I pull back and sit on the couch again. Mom gets up and hands me two presents that are beautifully wrapped in gold paper. I open the smaller one first and shake my head a smile tugging at my lips. I got an IPod from my dad and a new phone from my mom.

              “I have already transferred all your data from your other phone into that one for you.” Mom says proudly.

 I laugh lightly. My parents, mom especially, new how to do that kind of stuff without me even having a clue they did it.  I set my new phone down and gently pick up the bigger of the presents. I open it, carefully pulling the golden colored wrapping off. I gasp looking at a beautiful diary. The diary is a shade of black leather that I haven’t ever seen before. A huge symbol is printed in the middle of a lock holding the book securely closed and locked to where no prying eyes can see. At the first look I thought it was a diary but now?  I am not so sure, because there is neither a key … nor a place to use a key. I look at mom confused. How in the world am I supposed to open this book?  She smiles and looks at the book thoughtfully.

“It’s a very unique journal. Me and your father will explain how to

open it later on tonight.” she says still smiling.

I nod and set it to the side. But before I can move again my sister jumps up and holds out an envelope. I take it hesitantly and open it.  My eyes grow to the size of golf balls. I look up at Ashely.

“Do you know much money is in this envelope?” I ask her. She nods.

“There’s 317 dollars in it.” She says in a matter-of-factly tone. I look at her suspiciously.

“ How did you even get this much money? Why would you give it to me? It must have taken forever to earn this Ash.” I ask.

“ Cause that’s what I wanted to give you and it’s my allowance from the past year.” She explains.

“I can’t take your allowance Ashely.” I tell her. She lifts her head stubbornly, a habit I guess, and says;

“Yes you can cause I won’t take it back.” I sigh and glance at the clock. I must have woken up late because it was already 6:30 p.m. It would take about thirty minutes or so to get to my favorite restaurant so it would be dinner time by the time we got there. I look back to my stubborn little sister.

“Fine then if I have to keep it then at least let me buy us all dinner at Schlotzsky’s.” I tell her, she looks at dad who looks at mom. Mom sighs a smile playing at the edges of her lips.

“ Okay be in the car in ten minutes.” Mom says.

Ash and I nod and run to our rooms to get ready. I grab my purse that is black leather with, put my new phone and IPod into my purse, then I grab my black skull candy headphones, I glance at my new leather journal

and decide to bring it along. I stuff the journal in my purse before grabbing my blue wallet taking the money I got for my birthday and adding it to the money I already had in my wallet. Now I’ve got 365 dollars total. I shake my head as I recount the amount of money I have earned over the last year and a half. I pull my black leather jacket on and put my purse strap on my shoulder. I quickly check my reflection in my full body length mirror. With a satisfied grin stuck on my face, my jacket on, and purse slung over my shoulder I run out of my room and out to the car.

 

About ten minutes into the drive I notice mom keeps glancing in the rear view mirror and she keeps frowning and glaring into the rear view mirror. Why would she be so paranoid? I mean wow she’s never this… mom interrupts my thoughts by saying;

“ Darrick we have a tail. Dark van tinted windows.” My dad looks out the mirror and lets out a heavy sigh looking wary. I look out the window and realize mom has pulled into a dirt road. Trees flying past my window, the sky dark and the tree tops seem to be looming over us as we drive by at a frightening speed. I breathe out a shallow breath and try to calm down because I don’t know what’s going on for all I know it could just be some kids trying to scare us. And as for the dirt road it could just be because we have a flat tire or because it could be a short cut or… I better stop thinking about this or I am going to freak myself out.

“ They have found us.” Dad says pulling me back to the conversation.

“ Who found us? What are you talking about? Mom why are we on this dirt road?” I ask my fear clear in my voice, fear was practically oozing

out of me. They ignored my questions to continue the conversation.

“We will not be able to get away this time.” Mom says with a large intake of breath. I glance at Ash. She looks as frightened as I feel. Mom sucks in a sharp breath.

“Give Melena the book and the passcode for the voice box in the front.”  Mom orders. Dad bends down and grabs something from under his seat. He hands me a leather bond with frayed edges and small tears here and there the book looks to be a couple centuries old, then he puts his hand on my knee and closes his eyes seeming to focus on something. A rush of warmth runs through my body and veins as if he was filling my veins with lava. After the heated feeling starts to fade he opens his eyes and takes his hand away. He looks me straight in the eyes.

“ Put that book in your bag and don’t ever leave it anywhere. Promise me Melena that you won’t leave it anywhere.” He says sternly.

“ I promise.”  I say scared because, and I could be imagining it but this sounds awfully like a goodbye.

I stuff the book in my bag before zipping it up and looking at dad. He glances at Ashely and then back at me.

              “ Do whatever you can to protect your sister” He whispers quietly. I nod scared and confused.

              “ Dad what’s goin-” Ash begins to say but  the car behind us crashes into us. Our car flips over and over and over. An ear piercing scream comes from my sister; my mother yells our names worried not about herself but about us. My head whips from side to side making my brain feel like a cherry slushy. Then everything goes still. We are upside down. I moan

and realize it’s quiet. To quiet. I try to unbuckle my seatbelt but can’t quite get it. I look up at my mom. Horror strikes me in the heart with a sledge hammer.

“ Mom?” I sob. My mother’s body was covered in dark maroon blood and there was a piece of metal embedded in her chest. My heart feels like it’s going to shatter.

“ Dad?” I sob again as I take in his broken form.  My father’s head was turned at an odd angle and his chest was covered in blood and ripped cloth. It looked as if he had been torn apart by a wolf or wild animal. I wonder how a car crash can do that much damage.  I hesitate before I look at my sister. I really didn’t want to see if she was all bloody and dead. I didn’t want to believe that my sister was dead, that my sister no longer walked the earth. I didn’t want to believe that my sister was no longer with me.

My sister… My best friend… My world is gone, my world is dead. Ash’s cheek was slashed open deeply and her collarbone was snapped and poking out of her skin. The sight was horrifying and gory. Tears leak out of my eyes and I sob. I struggle to reach her. I move and my purse slaps me in my face. I hurriedly move it out of the way and go to unbuckle my seatbelt. This time I get it unbuckled and fall onto the roof of the car, landing on my head. A searing pain rips through my head and I let out a pain filled sob. My vision goes black around the edges and begins to fade in and out of focus. I straighten and hit my head on  a piece of medal on the door and sink down. I let out a whimper.

“ No I have to help her!” I say my voice weak and broken.

My vision fades some more and is almost completely black when I feel

silent tears rolling down my cheeks. I look at Ash and whisper;

“ I’m so sorry.” I whisper to no one in particular.

Then I am invaded by blackness.          

 

              

My eyes flutter open then close. The light in the room is way too bright. I slowly open my eyes and let them adjust to the blinding light. I look around confused at why I am in a hospital. That’s when I catch sight of my purse and memories started rushing back to me in massive waves. The crash, my mom’s lifeless body covered in blood with a piece of metal stuck in her chest, my dad cut into ribbons, and my sister my sweet little sister with her collarbone out of place. Tears well up in my eyes and fall over my cheeks in what seems like an everlasting river.

 

              

Throughout the next couple of days nurses, doctors, friends, family, even people I have never met come into the room and told me that they were sorry for my loss and that things will get better things will be okay. Yeah they’re sorry but so am I. Things will get better but that doesn’t mean anything. I still don’t have a mother to turn to for advice, a father who will protect me from boys or from the sorrows of high school. I don’t have a  sister who I can stay up late with laughing until we get caught and sent to bed, who can make me smile when I am in one of my if-the-world-went-up -into-flames-I-wouldn’t-care-less moods.

My grandparents came by telling me that I will be moving in with them and I told them thank you the words hollow and far away. On the fourth day after the accident the hospital released me to go home. Only I won’t be home, I will be at my grandparents’ house. Well I guess now it is my new home. I change into a pair of pants and a T-shirt that my grandparents brought over to me, and look in my bag to make sure I have everything and to make sure everything was okay. My bag was ripped a little on the side but other than that there was no damage to the bag.  I grabbed my journal that I got from my mom and let out a slow sigh of relief. It’s unharmed. I grab the old book dad had handed me last night before the… the… I couldn’t bring myself to think about the car crash that killed my family, the crash that ruined my life. The centuries old book was perfectly fine. I grab my new phone, and IPod and smile softly because all my stuff important stuff is okay. My smile melts off my face when I realize I don’t have a family anymore. When I realize I will never be able to simply enjoy another family shared meal. I don’t get to talk about my problems or boy’s I might like with my mom or share a wicked smile with my sister when we have done something and we don’t dare tell our parents. My family is gone and I am the only one that is alive. All my money was still in my wallet.

I carefully put all of my stuff back in my bag and sling it around my shoulder. Unfortunately when I first got here they had to cut my favorite jacket off of me because they were too lazy to unzip the thing. I will have to get a new one. I walk out into the hallway thinking of everything but my family. I find my grandparents waiting for me. They both hug me and go to take me down to check me out of this misery hole.

 

After we get me checked out and we are in my grandparents car I turn on my IPod, put in some earbuds, and start blaring loud music. When we get home my grandparents tell me that my room is the old guest bedroom upstairs and that all my boxes of stuff and pictures are already in my room. I nod and plaster a fake smile on my face and head up to my room.

There are boxes with labels on them scattered around my room. I sigh and grab the boxes labeled family picture, decoration for Melena’s room, and the boxes labeled other family stuff and stuff them all in the closet. I am left with about five boxes with the labels clothing, bedding, and bathroom stuff. I spend the next three hours unpacking my clothes and folding them neatly in my dresser, decorating my bathroom with my toiletries and with the small decorations that was in the box and I was to lazy to put in the closet, (there was only my room and the bathroom upstairs) and making my bed. I go down to eat dinner but come right back up to my room when I finish. I barely leave my new room for the next few days.        

When the day before the funeral finally arrived my nanna dragged me to the dress store and we buy new fitted black dresses, heels and a pack of tissues for the funeral and then head back home. Nana tries her best to keep small talk but the conversation is very one sided, and that’s not my side. I am silent on the whole trip and I am silent the whole way back as well. I don’t try to worry them I don’t but I can’t bring myself to pretend to be happy or like I am fine.  When we get home I slap together a ham sandwich and climb the stairs to my room. I hang the dress up on my closet door and sit at my computer that is like a million years old to eat my sandwich.  I sit there looking at my empty room as I finish eating and sigh. I crawl into my bed and close my eyes wishing this was all just a horrible nightmare that I will soon wake up from.

 

 

 

My nana knocks on the door startling me awake.

“Melena honey wake up. You need to get ready for the funeral.” She says her voice already thick with tears. I moan miserably and push myself up in my bed with a heavy breath. I sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes. I haul myself out of bed and into a hot shower. I stand under the hot spray of water until it goes cold. I wrap a towel around my body and walk into my room.  I slowly dress and fix my hair into a sloppy bun on top of my head.  I had gotten a new purse to hold all of my stuff yesterday as well. But nana didn’t let me spend any of my own money. I make sure I had my new journal, the old book, my phone, my IPod and my headphones. I

stomp downstairs and head to the running car.

 

 

              We drive in silence to the grave site all lost in our thoughts. I sit through the whole ceremony just staring at the three graves thinking that there should be four graves not three. I should have died with the rest of my family. I feel as if it is my fault that they died. If I hadn’t wanted to buy them dinner this would never have happened. Before long people split into groups talking about their memories. Lots of people come up to me and hug me but I stay rock solid. A small group of people to my right catch my attention. And I try not to listen in but I can’t help it.

              “ She was a very nice little girl. Real fun and smart and very lively and, …” She kept going on and on and on. I fall to my knees tears running down my face. I can’t take it anymore! All the feelings I have been trying to hide for the paced weeks come spilling out and I can’t stop them. There’s an ear piercing scream somewhere close by me. All heads turn in my direction and that’s when I realize the scream is coming from me. That the feelings are too much for this girl or her heart to bear. Nana and pops comes rushing over to my side they pat my back and say soothing things and they try to calm me. I keep touching my lips to see if I am still screaming. My screams are loud and rough. I am crying and sobbing, tears rushing down my face. My ears are ringing so I can’t hear anything.

My blood rushes to my head making me dizzy but I don’t care I don’t care I don’t care! I don’t want to be here, I shouldn’t be here! I should be dead like my family is! I scream and cry until my throat goes raw and my voice cracks into a million different pieces until it shatters completely  and  my tear ducks go dry. By that time the sky is a dark black color and stars shine brightly above me. Some flicker but others stay full and bright, some bravely show their colors and stay strong when I feel the world is broken. When I feel like the ground should just open up and swallow me whole. I feel strong arms slip under my knees and behind my back before I am lifted into the air. I just want to curl up in a ball and die. I take in a breath and sniffle not caring if I am a mess or if I look like a monster with me tear stained face. I look up to see the boy around my age that used to

live by me, he was looking down at me in barely concealed concern. He carries me to the car and carefully buckles me up.

              “ It will be okay.” He says and then he turns and walks away. It will be okay he said yeah right. My world is just going down to hell.

 

 

 

              The rest of the summer passes in a blur and I have yet to open the boxes of decorations or pictures that is in the back of my closet. On the first day of school I wake up to the song headstrong by Trapt. I hit the dismiss button and crawl out of the comfort and warmth of my bed and into the shower. After a thirty minute shower I wrap a towel around my wet body and blow dry my hair before going back into my bedroom. I turn on my IPod and play music while I get ready for my first day at my new school.   Most girls dress up for the first day of school, they put on pretty dresses and heels and make sure their hair and makeup is perfect, but honestly? I think it’s pointless and stupid to dress up for the first day in a prison -school-. I mean I see no reason for me to dress up for something I don’t even like. I throw on a pair of dark blue jeans, a dull blue undershirt, and a black zip up hoodie that I had tour the sleeves off of.  I pull on a leather jacket that Nana had bought me to replace the other one. I grab my book bag and put my journal, book, phone, and wallet in it and slip it over my head . The bag was black and had a long adjustable strap. There were metal stars along the bag making the design of a rose.  There was a violet strip running along the inside of the rose making the design a lot more pronounced. The bag hangs

low stopping at my waist. I grab my skull candy headphones and plug it into my IPod. I tug on my socks and sneakers and pull my hood over my head. I race downstairs and grab an apple from the fruit bowl on the dining room table. I flip through my playlist to the song dollhouse by Melanie Martinez and slowly make my way to the bus stop.

 

 

 

              I sit in the front of the bus with my head down low so I don’t have to speak to anyone. The bus ride lasts twenty minutes. - Longest twenty minutes of my life if you ask me.-  I look up at the school and let out a heavy breath. The school was huge. Bigger than my last school by far. The school’s name hung loud and proud on the front; Asher High school. Home of the Mighty wolves!  A pain shoots through my heart as I study the Ash part of Asher high. I shake my head this is my new start I tell myself. I am guessing the wolf is the mascot. I turn off my IPod and pull my earbuds out my ears before heading into the building labeled office building. I get my schedule, locker number, a map of this school, and a sheet for all my teachers to sign. I give a weak smile to the attendant and thank her for her help.

 

 

 

My first four classes - History with Mrs. jade, Math with Mr. jack , Physics with Mr. love, and  creative writing with Mrs. nick - all pass in blur

and soon I find myself trading my creative writing book for my English book. I walk to Mrs. Gifford’s room. - My English teacher.-  and she looks up from her work and tilts her head checking her watch.

              “ Can I help you?” She asks.

              “um yeah, I am the new student Melena Black. I was just wondering if I could stay in here today during lunch?” I said. She sighs and nods. I thank her and go sit at the back of the classroom and pull out the apple I had snatched from the fruit bowl this morning. I grab the old book my dad had given me the night he… nope not going there I tell myself holding back tears. I open the book up to a random page.  As I nibble on the apple something cold and hard plops into my lap. I grumble looking around to see if anyone was in here.

 But… other than the teacher I am alone in the classroom. I snatch it up and set the book down face down on the table. I look up to see if the teacher was watching me only to find her walking out the door oblivious to what I was doing. I look back to the object in my hands. I examine it. The thing was a shiny blackish color, the metal was smooth and cool to the touch, with a label in big bright red letters on the side of it. How did I miss that before? I ask myself for the thousandth time in the past month.

                           Put headphones in here

The device read with an arrow pointing  at a hole in the top of the object. - Or bottom I couldn’t tell which. -  I dig out my headphones and plug it into the designated hole. It crackles for a moment as if it hasn’t been used in forever. I turn the object around wondering if it was some kind of old music player.  On what I assume to be the front of the box thing is a

screen with a green play button on the lower right corner. I hesitate before I push the button and listen.

              “ Give the password.” A mechanical female voice says.

              I frown and think of any possible thing it could be when a code flashes through my mind. - 17639527S- I make a face wondering where I got those numbers. I repeat the code out loud hoping these random numbers and words do the trick. The voice crackles before speaking again.

“ Password correct,” A new voice comes on. A male voice this time.     “ If you are listening to this that means you are special.  Not like others. Not special as in everyone’s special but like no other kind of special. You have gifts and powers only one can dream about. All you need to know is contained in this book -”

The book that the device, the voice box, came out of starts glowing and floats a couple inches off the table. The book is suspended in the air and I am frozen in place.

         “ - This is not the only way to activate one’s powers or gifts. There are other more complicated ways to activate your powers of course.  But this happens to be the easiest and less stressful way, now if you have this that must mean you must be young around four or five and probably don’t understand much of what this says, with parents that are the same as you. That have the powers and gifts you will have in a couple minutes. This device will now activate your powers, it will hurt but there’s nothing anyone can do about that little part and for that I apologize young one. Any further information will be provided inside your book that this device came in or with. Take good care of this book for you may need it someday.  Good

bye now.”  The book stops glowing and plops back down on the table making a loud banging noise. I pick up the device and my right hand starts rippling in a pain so intense it brings tears to my eyes. I gasp in surprise the tears rolling down my face. I let out a cry of pain. It pulses even stronger before it stops. Just stops like it never happened.

         I open my palm and my eyes widen to the size of golf balls.  My palm now has a big glowing red symbol on it. I swear I have seen this symbol before. I dig out my journal and hold up my hand to compare. The teacher comes back in the classroom and I shove the book, journal, and voice box thing and say;

              “ I need to use the lady’s room.”

              “ Make it quick.” Mrs. Gifford says and waves me on to go to the bathroom. I practically sprint to the bathroom. I shut myself in a stall and slowly open my palm the symbol is no longer red it’s now a pitch black color. I inspect the symbol more closely. It’s a diamond inside of a circle with a s that is as dark as night and another s that was a dark grey color. The symbol was beautiful and the colors were vigilant. But the question is why is it there? How did I get it? And is it permanent.

         I mean I know the voice box said that it was going to activate my “powers” but what exactly does that mean? Am I going to get the power to walk up walls like Peter Parker from Spiderman? Cause I wouldn’t have a problem with that but come on. I need to read that book my dad gave me. And why did my parents have it? Where they hiding something from me and Ash? I study the symbol until the first bell rings and then after that I hurry off to class not wanting to be late on my first day of school.

The rest of the day drags on rather slowly. When the final bell finally rings signaling schools out I pick up my books and rush out the door. I hurry to my locker and then to where the buses wait. When I see my bus is not there I groan too restless to wait. So I run. I run from the school to my grandparents’ house. When I get home I rush up the stairs and into my room. I slam the door shut locking it just to be sure. I hurriedly dump the contents of my bag onto my bed and grab the book. I flip it open to the first page and begin to read what has been written in the book.

              I assume you have heard the voice log so I will just jump right to it then. When someone does something and it causes you to get mad, really mad you must learn to control that anger or bad things will happen. Things that would haunt you for a long time. For another example if you get embarrassed by something or someone and you don’t watch yourself you could get someone else or yourself hurt or even killed. And I assume you don’t want to have that to worry about because that is just a big mess to clean up.  When you get really angry or really embarrassed it triggers something inside you and your body and your powers crash into each other, when this happens your powers and body have a great reaction. This reaction causes your body to transform into something dangerous. Only once you have learned to control your anger and your powers you can do it on command. You can change into this form, this dangerous form that can hurt people, but this form can also protect those you love. This other form gives you power, strength, stealth, improved senses, speed, and it gives you an advantage if you know how to use this form. Most happen to be small. Maybe the size of a mini horse or a mountain bike or perhaps a five foot tall person . But some - Only some males are bigger,

there has not yet been a female to be as big as the special males yet. If ever. - Those that are special are bigger than a horse. The males that are as big as or bigger than a horse are the leaders or the Alphas as we like to call them. The Alphas are the leaders of the smaller formed people. Most Alphas tend to stay away from each other and have their own packs, and when they do cross paths they typically fight for the title of the bigger Alpha.

I try to read on but the words blur together and switch around so much it gives me a headache. I groan and set the book on my computer desk. I look around my empty room and sigh. I slowly make my way to the closet and start pulling boxes out not bothering to look at the labels. I start opening the boxes and hold back my tears.

I spend the next five and a half hours decorating my room. When I am finished there are family pictures hanging on the wall, my bookshelves are put up and fully stocked with all my favorite books. In the corner by my window I set up a small table with a soft rainbow chair and moping lamp that has blacklight light bulbs. My window has black and golden curtains that have skulls and roses on it, with a window seat. Posters of one of my favorite singers - Melanie Martinez - are hung up around my window and desk. Above my bed I hung a picture of me and Ash in the woods. We were out in the fall picking leaves we thought beautiful.  I set up bean bags in front of my TV and I have a chair that hangs from the ceiling by my bookshelves. I put my speakers on my bedside table so I can listen to music in the mornings and by my dresser I have my computer desk with lots of my favorite CD’s and movies in small shelves under the desk. I put my violet computer chair at my desk and then I stretch looking around at my

room and smile. Nana calls me down to dinner and I head down the stairs to eat a quick meal. When I finish eating I head back upstairs and change into my pajamas. I crawl into bed exhausted.

 

 

 

              I wake up to the song Headstrong by Trapt again this morning. I jump out of bed and hit the dismiss button. I take a shower and dress in a long sleeve black sweater with the Pvris logo on it and black skinny jeans, I grab put all my school stuff as well as my book, journal, wallet, phone and IPod  in my book bag. I put on a pair of black sneakers and pull on my leather jacket. I sling my bag over my shoulder and drag my feet down to the kitchen. I make myself a sandwich and a small bag of jalapeno Cheetos for lunch and make my way to the bus stop. - You’d think I would have a car by now, - I sit in the front of the bus again and again I keep my head down my music keeping me company. When I manage to actually get to the school I walk to my locker and grab my history book. As I am on my way to my history class I bump into someone. This someone was huge and very strong. I ricochet off of them, I prepare myself to fall on the ground and to have to pick up my books, and then steady hands land on my shoulders stopping me from falling and as soon as his hands touch my shoulders the world blurs and changes into a scene I have never seen one that I don’t recognize as one I have ever been to or seen in a picture . I am now in a very large room. The walls are covered with different weapons, some I recognize but others I have never seen in my life. Most of the weapons are some that you        

can find in the middle ages and there are treadmills in one of the corners, and in the opposite corner are punching bags  and targets. Only I am standing in the middle on a large blue wrestling mat, my hands up and ready to do a counter attack and block when needed. I was fighting a boy. A very attractive boy. He has bright blue eyes and dirty blond hair that was cut close to his ears, tan skin shows and lots of muscle can be seen through his shirt. His arms are lifted in front of his face ready to fight as well. Than the scene blurs again and I am back in the hallway the tardy bell is ringing but I can’t make myself care.

I blink and look up into breathtaking bright blue eyes and blond hair that can make any girl fall in love with this boy. His eyes could put any girl in a trance. He releases me and I stumble backward, the boy looks at me confused and worried all at once. I clench my right hand into a fist and run out the nearest exit. I run into the woods behind the school confused at why my dad gave me that book, confused at why I have this mark on my hand, confused at why I just had a vision or daydream or whatever that was. I need my mom back. I would give anything to be able to talk to her and be able to hug her and have her tell me I was not crazy and I was fine. That everything will be alright, but no I will never get that because she and the rest of my family are dead, gone, desist, they are taking dirt naps. I will never get to hold my little Ash again and I can never again ask my dad for help.  

Tears of frustration rush down my face. I run for a couple more minutes until I can’t breathe and I am choking on my tears. I fall to my knees and crawl to the nearest tree. I lean my back up against it and pull my knees to my chest. I burry my head in my hands and the tears come faster and harder. I am going crazy. Something is seriously wrong with me. I sob into my hands. I hear a twig snap and look up to see the boy that I bumped into in the hallway than had that vision thing about that room and him and me fighting. The boy studies me for a minute then he bends down and grabs my left hand - Thankfully -. He holds my hand in between his and looks at me his eyes soft.

“Hey what’s wrong? Are you okay?” He asks. I look him in the eyes tears still streaming down my cheeks. He lets my hand go and wipes my tears away with his thumbs. He catches the stray tears and smiles softly at me.

“Whatever it is that is bothering you it will be okay. I promise it will get better.” He says. How does this boy that i just met think everything will be okay? How is that even possible? I mean is there anything that is alright? That isn’t in hell? Even though I doubt that things will be okay I give him a weak smile and nod. The strange - but helpful - boy gently moves my knees so he can see me clearly and sits down in front of me. He holds out his hand.

“ Hi I’m Nash.” He says. I can’t help it I laugh lightly and shake his hand. He has good grip that’s for sure.

“It’s nice to meet you Nash, I am Melena.” I say my voice a little shaky.

 

 

We sit and talk for a little while before he helps me up and we head to class. As we walk to my 4th block class - since 3rd block was going to end

in two minutes -. Nash walks beside me quietly.

              “ If you want you can sit at my table for lunch, you don’t have to eat in the teacher’s classroom.” He says. I ponder how on earth he knew I ate in the classroom yesterday. I smile and nod. When we get to my fourth block class he bends down and places a kiss on my temple. My breath hitches. He straitens just as the bell rings signaling the end of class and the beginning of another. Nash walks away quickly disappearing in the crowd of kids.

 

 

 

              After sixth block ends I grab my lunch from my locker and head to the cafeteria in search for Nash. Someone pushes me and I fall hitting my head on a door knob pretty hard. I feel blood trickle down the side of my face as I stand. People have started to gather around me, they were all laughing at me. My face burns with embarrassment. Somebody starts to push through the crowd and the thought of more people trying to see me so they can laugh at me made me even more embarrassed and it made me angry. What had I done to any of them to deserve being pushed around then laughed at? What did I do to make myself a target?  My hands began to burn and I look down. My skin was rippling and the veins in my hands were beginning to turn black, my nails growing longer and sharper. I gasp in pain and hide my hand behind my back terrified that someone will see what was happening to me. I can’t believe this! What is wrong with me? First that weird voice box, than the boy Nash, than that vision or daydream or whatever that was, and now this. I am literally losing my mind slowly.

I look up just in time to see Nash break through the crowd and grab my arm. He pulls me into an empty room with no windows. He locks the door quickly and turns to me eyes concerned. There’s a horrible pain bursting through my body and I throw my head back. The pain was horrible the worst pain anyone could imagine but two times worst. I try to scream but no sound comes out of my throat. It feels as if something is breaking my bones one by one. I try to scream again but again no sound comes out. My lungs squeeze tight making it impossible to breathe. My legs snap and forcibly bend the wrong way and refix themselves. I choke out a breath. I fall to the ground my body breaking in all different directions. Tears rush down my face the pain getting worse. I shake my mouth and jaw rips out of my skin stretching forward. My senses grow stronger and my body stops shaking. I drag my heavy body up off the ground on my hands and knees.      My eyes dart around the small room. Something in front of me moves catching my attention. The boy Nash swallows and looks at me his eyes gentle but stern at the same time. I try to stand on two feet but I can’t I fall on my side a whimpered cry bursting out of my mouth.

I look down to see what’s wrong and I screech the sound more of a low yelp. My eyes widen to the size of baseballs. I freak out scared of what I have turned into. I wasn’t normal that’s for sure. My parents had a lot of secrets that they kept from us because this, turning into a beast is not normal. I wasn’t the average teenage girl that I thought I was before the crash. Fear runs through me as I think of everything that has happened since the crash. I need my mom, I need my little sister, and I need answers. I have no idea where I am going to get them but I need answers. I wasn’t human anymore.

I am a giant wolf! A WOLF for goodness sake! With black and golden fur. I am the size of a horse. Probably even bigger than that. Nash pulls my attention back to him by taking a step toward me. I let out a warning growl without really meaning to. He holds up his hands in a peaceful gesture. He doesn’t seem to be scared.

“ Whoa. Whoa. It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” He says. I just look down at him. He takes another step and I growl on purpose this time. Trying to warn him to stay back because I don’t want to hurt him. His eyes suddenly change color to a more vivid blue that seems to glow. His nails grow into long sharp points and his ears slide up the side of his head. He begins to look like a…. wolf. My eyes widen and I sink to my belly putting us at the same height.

“ It’s okay. See? You can trust me. Do me a favor and change back for me?” He says. I shrink in on myself a little bit and whimper not knowing how to return to my normal self again. Nash looks confused for a minute and then understanding bathes his features.

“ Do you know how to change back Melena?” He asks. I avoid his eyes not knowing how to respond. I mean what kind of question is that? Do you know how to change back huh he was asking it like it was common knowledge for goodness sake! I don’t understand how he expects me to just change back like it’s so natural to turn into a freaking wolf in the middle of the school day. Oh and it’s perfectly normal to have a vision about a boy you literally just met so yeah it’s just been a real normal day for me. I sigh the sound more of a deep breath coming from a large wolf.  I shrink a little more in on myself a little more and a whimper escapes my throat.

“ I am going to help you. So please don’t attack me.” He says.  He swallows a breath and steps forward. He crouches down on one knee and lifts his left hand slowly as if not to startle a wild animal. Oh wait I am the wild animal. He looks at me.

“ Come here.” He says softly but I can tell it’s an order. The command clear in his voice. I hesitate for a moment before crawling over and pressing my head to his palm. He strokes my forehead before looking away. I feel the pull of power as my body begins to shift back. This time though for the shift back it wasn’t as bad as turning into a giant dog.  Nash growls softly and I make a face I must have said the dog part out loud without meaning to. He was probably offended by my comment. I grimace a little not meaning to offend anyone.

Nash still doesn’t look at me as he stands and turns his back to me. And for that I am grateful. He unzips his jacket and tosses it over his shoulder. I catch it and slip it on zipping it up to my neck. I sigh softly because it barely covers my butt. But at least I am no longer naked. Due to the uh…. change my clothes were shredded, torn at the seams. I look down at my shredded clothes and shake my head. Even my shoes are torn apart at the seams. I grab my bag and thankfully it was not ripped and nothing inside was damaged. My books and phones happened to survive my little freak out. I am surprised that they survived but I am thankful because I am nothing without my stuff, the things my parents gave me.   I stuff my shredded clothes in the bag and hide the material with my books and papers.

“ Thank God.” I say on a sigh of relief. Nash looks at the bag and then at my face. He pulls out his phone and makes a call. His phone case was black with a white skull on it.

“Somantha I need you to bring by a pair of girl’s clothes to the school. And quickly.” He says, and pauses while someone speaks on the other end of the line.

“ I don’t know-” He is cut off by whoever he was talking to. “ No I don’t think you understand what I am trying to tell you. I couldn’t tell if she was a Werewolf or a Sinder. She was like no other female that I have ever seen.” He stops talking for a brief moment. “ No she is new here.”

He stops again and listens for a minute or two.

“ She is not normal whatever she is,” He says. “ She can’t be. She didn’t even know how to change back into human form.” Nash says. And again he pauses.

“ I don’t know what happened.” He listens for a couple more minutes as I stand there in nothing but a jacket that barely covers my butt, board out of my mind and freezing. He holds the phone out to me and nods to it. I hesitate wondering who this…. what did he call her…. Somantha that’s it, who this Somantha girl is.

“ Who is it?” I ask knowing her name but wanting to know who she is.

“ My step mother.” He says. I slowly take the phone and hold it up to my ear as if was in questioning of a bomb.

“Hello?” I ask my voice shaky.

“Hi sweetie. Now listen to me. I need you to tell me what happened and what size you wear.” I take in a relieved breath and tell her my size and what happened before I turned into a giant beast. After I finish she says

“ Okay I will be at the school in a little while.” She hangs up and I hand Nash his phone back and he puts it back in his pocket. Tears stream down my face and he pulls me into a hug - being careful not to touch anywhere below my waist. - He buries his lips in my hair. He plants a kiss at the top of my head while I cry on his shoulder. I was scared and concerned for my mind and I might be actually crazy. It would make a lot more sense than this that’s

“ Hey? What’s wrong?” He asks me.

“ Something is wrong with me.” I sob feeling like I have lost my mind. Nash pulls back and cups my cheeks gently in his hands.

“ What are you talking about? There is nothing wrong with you.” He says confused at why I would say such a thing. Really? Really? There’s nothing wrong with me? Yeah that’s why I just turned into a giant dog!!

“ Yes there is. Earlier today when I bumped into you I saw us fighting in this place with weapons covering the walls and machines and punching bags. And now? I turned into a giant wolf! A WOLF!” I sob loudly. He brushes the tears away with his thumbs. He smiles softly at me looking amused and careful. I frown at him my tears slowing and eventually stopping altogether. How could he possibly be amused by this? I know I wouldn’t if it were him instead of me. I check my phone for the time. We have been in this room Nash trying to help me for an hour and a half. It’s most likely that we are in eighth block or rather supposed to be in eighth block right now.

“ There is nothing wrong with you. I promise.” He says. I smile softly choosing to believe him otherwise I would lose my mind. Nash carefully wraps his arms around my waist and I wrap my arms around his neck. He pulls me into a tight but comforting hug. Someone knocks softly before the lock clicks and the door swings open slowly. Nash pulls back and steps in front of me. Someone comes in the room but Nash is blocking my view of the person. Whoever it was shuts and locks the door again.

“ Somantha.” Nash says on a sigh of relief. Somantha clears her throat and Nash says;

“ Oh. Right.” He walks over to the door and keeps his back to us.

“ Hi I am Somantha Nash’s stepmother.” She says in a polite tone.

“ Hi I am Melena Nash’s uh…. friend I guess. We sort of just met today when I almost knocked both of us to the ground.” I say grinning. Nash chuckles at the memory. Somantha smiles her teeth white. She was a very beautiful woman. Her hair was a rusty red color with freckles dotting her face. She had the most beautiful brown eyes and her clothes were flawless. She wore a pink blouse and some boot cut blue jeans, leopard print flats covered her feet. A sparkling diamond hanging from a chain around her neck and a pair of matching earrings shined when she moved her head. Her smile shined and was white. She looked like she belonged in a catalogue.

“ All right Melena here are your clothes.” She said and hands me a bundle of cloth. She turns to face the door. I quickly change pulling the clothes on thankful to be in something again.

I tell them that they can turn back around and Nash looks me up and down, before smiling and walking to my side.

“ Thank you.” I tell them both for helping me. The final bell rings and everybody is off in a rush to go home. I hadn’t realized how long we have been here.

“ Call your guardians and tell them you’re just gonna run to the house and grab some stuff to spend the night with a friend for a couple of days. We have a lot of explaining to do.” Somantha says and I nod. I pull out my phone and dial my grandparents number. I put my phone up to my ear and wait for them to pick up. My grandmother picks up on the third ring.

“ Hi Nana, I’m spending a couple nights with one of my new friends houses, I will just be running home real quick to grab some clothes and stuff.”

“ Okay, that’s wonderful sweetheart. Don’t forget your phone charger so we can still talk to you.” Nana replys happy that I made a friend.

“ Alright, love you Nana.” I hang up the phone and smile. I look up to see a happy Nash and a smiling Somantha. We head to Samantha’s car avoiding cars zooming past in a hurry to get home as we cross the street to her car. A red SUV with orange/green flames on the sides and I guide her to my house giving careful directions as not to confuse her. She only had to turn around once due to my horrible sense of direction.

 

 

 

When we get to my grandparents’ house I quickly open the car door

and Somantha grabs my arm.

“ Don’t forget your bathing suit.” She says then releases my arm. I grin and dash into my house. I grab my overnight bag that I had pulled out of one of the boxes that I had unpacked yesterday. I packs my pajamas, enough clothes for three days, my bathing suit and my bathing suit cover up, my toothbrush, and hair brush along with my other toiletries I might need like my razor, perfume, and so on. I race downstairs and grab my charger from the counter that Nana had so kindly reminded me to grab. I throw my bag in the back of the car before climbing in. Soon enough we are speeding down the streets headed for a house that I didn’t even know the address to.

I open my school bag and dig through the contents until I find my journal. The symbol on the front of the journal that matches the symbol now burned in black ink on my right palm, starts to glow a dark blood red. I watch the light mesmerized by the beautiful color.

“ What’s that?” Somantha asks turning toward me. I  snap out of my daze only to realize we have parked in what I assume is their garage. I put it away quickly not ready to trust them with everything just yet.

“ Nothing.” I say. They seem to understand my feelings of uncertainty and just nod. We inside the house with my bags in hand I gasp loudly not believe my eyes. The house was beautiful and professionally designed. -or at least that’s what I assumed because the design was just so amazing. - And big! The living room has three couch’s and four recliners and a huge TV that takes up over half of one of the walls. The kitchen is glorious and the almost new utensils were shiny. The whole house is so wonderful. My eyes

are huge and my mouth feels like it is on the floor. I glance at Nash and he smiles wonderfully at my reaction. I pull myself together and look at Somantha.

“ Give her a tour of the house and show her to her room.” Nash nods and turns to leave before pausing and turning back around.

“ Can I try explaining to her in my own way?” He asks Somantha. She seems to know exactly what he means but I on the other hand am as confused and swan among geese. She gives him a suspicious look.

“ What is your way?” she asks. Nash shakes his head and takes my head as he chuckles as if someone said something funny. He shows me around the house before he shows me to my room. I walk in and  set my bags on the bed. Nash leans up against the door frame and studies me.

 

“ Put on your bathing suit.” He says and turns and leaves before I can speak a word of protest. He closes the door and I sigh opening my suitcase and dig out my bathing suit and bathing suit cover up. I quickly change into my bathing suit and tie on my bathing suit cover up -a dark purple tie on skirt that hung at an angle on my waist.- I study myself in the full body length mirror. My bathing suit was black with golden dots scattered over the fabric and is the only swimsuit that I own and unfortunately it happened to be a bikini. I open my door to see Nash in his swimming suit already. It is black with a white skull on the low corner of the right side of his swimsuit and hangs low on his waist. I look up and my heart speeds up. He is shirtless and a trail of hair leads from his navel and disappeared beneath the fabric of his shorts I swallow thickly forcing my eyes up. His abs and chest so glorious like valleys. I get caught in the beauty of this boy that’s in front of me. This boy that I just met yet I seem to be completely captive by him. My mind wanders and I can’t help but wonder if he has a girlfriend and if she would be mad that I am in his house. Nash snorts quietly. So quietly I am not even sure he did it to begin with. My eyes move to his face just in time to see his eyes glide slowly down my body as if he were examining me. His gaze thickens and he meets my eyes a need in his gaze. I blush and he pulls away from the wall. He walks toward me and grabs my hands. He cages my body with his, my back is against the wall and he leans down. His nose skims my jaw and my breath gets caught in my throat, my heart feels like it’s trying to break out of my chest. He laughs and straightens. He leads me through the house by the hand and into the back yard. I gasp.

There was a fifteen foot deep pool in their backyard. The water glistens in the sunlight. Nash lets go of my hand and slowly trails his fingers down my skin to my bathing suit cover up and unties it slowly. He lets it flutter to the ground and takes my hand again. He leads me to the deep end of the pool and let’s go of my hand once again. He looks at me and grins.

“ Can you swim?” He asks. I roll my eyes and smile.

“ Of course I can swim.” I say. He caresses my cheek gently before  turning and jumping in with a big splash. Water laps up on my feet and small drops sprinkle on my face. When he surfaces he waves me over and says;

“ Loosen up! Have some fun!” He laughs and ducks back underwater.

“ Come on and get in!” I sigh watching him as he swims around and

do a dolphin dive into the water using the form my mother taught me when I was little. I come back up on the other side of the pool. Nash smiles impressed at my dive and swims over to me. His tan arms sweep through the water each stroke bringing him closer to me.

We swim around for a while splashing each other and grabbing each other to drag the other underwater. After a while Nash pulls himself onto the edge of the deep side of the pool and motions for me to join him. I pull myself up beside him- with him watching me the whole time- and he wraps  his arm around my waist and pulls me towards him until I am nearly sitting on his lap. Everywhere his skin touches mine fire races through me. Burning me. Not in a bad way that you would burn yourself on a stove or over a fire, but in a good way. A way that makes my heart race, my breath to speed up, my lips to tingle aching for his lips to meet mine, and different feelings to swirl around in my head clogging my thoughts. I expect him to release my waist but he doesn’t. His warm arm pulling me closer. He seems to be deep in thought for a moment.

“ Okay so I told my step mom Somantha I would try and explain to you in my own way what you are.” He begins choosing his words carefully. He grabs my right hand and flips it palm up. I clinch my fist not wanting him to see the mark on my palm. Nash looks up at me confused.

“ What’s wrong?” He s asks. I look at my closed fist and I can’t help but remember the brief pain that flashed through my hand, the pain that rushed throughout my body for that brief moment in time. I bite my lip with the memory that happened not too long ago at school . And soon  images of the deep black tattoo like mark that had burned it’s into my

palm on that first day in my teacher’s classroom flashes through my mind. I look back to Nash and he smiles at me. Nash opens his right palm and holds it up for me to see. He has the same symbol burned into his palm as I do. I look up at him and he grins at me knowingly. He motions to my hand and I slowly pluck my nails out of my skin to show him the symbol on my palm. His eyes widen and his brows came together in confusion.

“ That’s um…. Weird.” He says. I look up at him my eyes worried.

“ It’s nothing bad. It’s just your symbol is as big as mine. When the symbols are that big it means that we are Alpha’s and it’s weird to me cause I have never in my life seen or heard of a woman - or girl - have the sign of an Alpha. It’s just never happened before.” He pauses a moment and gently strokes my palm. “ That’s why I didn’t know whether or not you were a werewolf or a Sinder. You were so big. Werewolves don’t normally very in size.” He stops talking looking at my palm.

“ Why didn’t I see your sign on your hand when you put your hands up?” I challenge.

“ Because we can make them disappear for short periods of time it’s one of the many powers of a Sinder.” He says easily explaining. I nod slowly and look at the water. I sit there taking in the new information and I can’t help but wonder why my parent didn’t tell me any of this when they were still alive and breathing. I look up at the sky and wonder if my mother, father, and sister were watching me and what they would think of me spending the night with a boy who I just met. I can imagine my father freaking out and trying to grab the shotgun in the gun box we kept and mother trying to calm him why scolding me. I let out a small chuckle.

“ Okay um…. I got it. I will explain this in two parts. The first part is the physical part. I guess you can say.” He says taking my hand in his and studies our intertwined fingers.

“ The physical part of being Sinder has to do with what happened today with the wolf thing.” He glanced at my head where I hit my head on the door knob and lightly touches my wound. My head jerks back a slight pain shooting through my head Nash mummers an apology and then again lightly touches my wound I try to hold still and soon he drops his hand the pain completely gone.

“ You can change into anything you want, most of the time it’s extremely painful. But if you are embarrassed or really mad and you don’t know what you want to change into you will always turn into your wolf. No matter where you are if you can’t cool down you will change and it won’t be too pretty if you are in front of a lot of people. ” This is all so complicated. I open my mouth to ask a question when he adds;

“ And no you don’t have to be embarrassed or mad to change. There are other ways more simpler ways…. yes it will always hurt” He answers my unspoken questions. I swear he can read my mind. He laughs- Probably at my expression- his face soft and full of light amusement. I can’t help but smile at him as he stops laughing.

“Would you like me to show you?” He asks. I nod eagerly. He eases off the side of the pool and into the water. He swims a little ways out, and turns to face me a smile climbing onto his face as he sees me almost jumping out of my skin excited to see a demonstration.

“ Do our clothes always tear apart when we change?” I call out to him.

“ Yes.” He says smiling as I look at his shorts a little frightened at the thought of him naked.

 “ But Somantha makes us these undergarments that we wear all the time. When we change they expand and blend in with our form so when we change back we won’t be completely exposed. That’s what Somantha is doing now. She is making you the undergarments you will need.” He says. I nod relieved.

“ Is it like a full body suit?” I ask. He smiles.

“ No. For us guys it’s just the normal boxers just made in different material. Same for girls only you have underwear and a bra. Somantha will make several pairs for you.” He states like it’s normal to talk about a girl’s undergarments. I blush a deep crimson and he laughs clearly amused by my blush.

“ She will also make you a bikini so you can change and practice in the pool if you like. The only reason I am showing you is because these swimming trunks are the special swimsuit Somantha made for me.” He says. My blush deepened my ears burning along with my cheeks. Nash just smiles at me. Knowing why I seem to be blushing wildly about his comments and what he says.

“So you want to see?” He asks.

“ Are you sure you will still be clothed afterwards?” I ask suspiciously. Nash just laughs his face lighting up with true amusement.

“ Yes I am sure.” He says through another laugh. I grin and shake my head in amused defeat.

“ Alright than.”

“ So you do want to see?” He asks again.

I nod eagerly. My blush slowly draining. Nash closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, in…. hold for three seconds then slowly release.  I grin realizing he probably only added the whole breathing routine for dramatic effect. He begins to shift. Nash’s hair turns a deep blue and his legs meld together a blueish color running down the length of his legs. His legs grow longer and a then fin like skin blooms at the base of what used to be his feet. Nash opens his eyes a cocky grin tugging at his full lips. I smile and stand up. I dive in and swim to him. Water drips from my nose and lips as I surface from the water, I lick my lips the water sweet on my lips. I swim around him in amazement.

              “Melena honey, I have a special swimming suit ready for you if you would like to try and practice with Nash.” Somantha calls through the back door. I smile and glance at Somantha. I turn my eyes to Nash as if to ask for permission. He grins and nods for me to go. I pull myself out of the pool.

              “ I will be right back.” I call back to Nash over my shoulder as I follow Somantha to my room.

“ Here you are. I will come back in after you dress to make sure it fits properly.” I nod and she leaves me to change closing the door behind her with a soft click. I grab the bathing suit and smile softly to myself. The top was a rich black background with golden flames dancing along it. The bottoms were black with the same golden flames as the top. I quickly trade my old bikini for my new one, and open the door for Somantha. She checked the suit out and made sure it fit than she smiles her teeth perfectly white.

“ Now I am not one to brag or anything like that but, I have got to

admit this one looks better on you.” She says with a smirk. I nod in agreement. I go back out to Nash and when I step through the door he looks me over and awards me with an approving smile. I dive in the water and swim over to Nash. I can’t help but notice how water glistens from his lips. I shake my head squashing the thought. What’s wrong with me? I have never stared at someone’s lips like this before. Hell I can’t even remember ever having a crush on someone before. It’s so weird I can’t help but wonder what his lips would feel like on mine for what must be the millionth time. I mentally scold myself for my unusual thoughts. Nash still has his blue hair and the tail that seems to stretch for miles.

              “ Can you teach me to do that?” I ask. Nash smiles and takes my hand in between his.

“ Okay close your eyes and visualize what you want to become. The color, the style, the design, the pattern, the texture everything.” He says. I close my eyes and imagine long flowing light blue hair, a seaweed bra that wraps around me several times and a long bluish green tail. I imagine my legs growing into the tail like I had seen Nash’s do. I can see my hair slowly turning from blond to blue and the seaweed grow and seer itself to my skin. There’s a searing pain in my legs and chest. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and clench my teeth against the pain. I fight the urge to cry out with my teeth locked until the pain stops. I unclench my jaw and slowly open my eyes to see a very proud smiling Nash in front of me. I look down and squeal with delight. Instead of a bathing suit I had a seaweed bra that wrapped around my chest and upper torso and a blue green tail the exact mix of each color as I had imagined. I had hair as blue as Nash’s eyes.

I smile triumphantly and run my hand over my slimy tail.

“ I did it!” I beam. He pulls me into a hug running his fingers through my long blue hair. I pull back and smile. Nash smiles proudly back at me, his gaze slowly moves down my features. I can’t seem to help myself as I look at his lips again and wonder how he tastes and if his lips were soft. I wish I could press myself into him and lean in close capturing his lips with mine. But I don’t I stay firmly rooted to the spot I am in. I look back up to Nash’s eyes to see him studying me. I blush and he grins mysteriously.

“ Do you want to swim around? My tail is getting stiff.” He asks.

“ Sure.” I say with a nod.

We swim around for a couple hours jumping out of the water and doing flips before landing back in the water with a large splash! We talk and laugh as we make a mistake and mess up a flip or trick.  We splash each other and chase each other. Laughter steams up from the pool and I am sure Somantha can hear us we are so loud. Once Nash captures me in his arms and tickles me making me squirm and laugh as I try to break free from his vice like grip.

After a while more of goofing off with Nash, I swim to the edge of the pool and close my eyes intending to change back only to realize I didn’t know how. I open my eyes and Nash is there. Just inches from my face his lips hovering above mine. My heart picks up speed and my lips start tingling with excitement. God he smelled so mouthwatering! I nearly moan at the smell of him like mint chocolate and those strawberry hard candies. He licks his lips his eyelids growing heavy. Nash smiles like he knows exactly what I am thinking about him. He moves to my side pulling himself onto the edge of the pool before reaching down and picking  me up and setting me in his lap. He wraps his arms around my waist and puts his lips to my ear.

“ Did I ever tell you I can hear your thoughts whenever I want to?” He whispers in my ear. I go rigid in his arms my mind racing back to me wanting to feel his lips against his and every other one of my usual naughty thoughts. A blush creeps into my cheeks as I realize he can hear my thoughts and he probably is right now and so he knows about my naughty thoughts.

“ So you want to kiss me huh?” He whispers in my ear. I swallow hard and look at my tail laying neatly over his. I am sucked into a vision of me turned around with my knees locked at his waist. Or maybe it was just another of my naughty thoughts. Nash chuckles softly. Nash brushes his lips over my neck, his hot breath sizzling my blood. I fight back a shiver of pleasure. I swallow my breath.

“ Close your eyes and think of normal everyday human things in your head to change back into your human form.” He murmurs against my neck. I take a deep breath as his lips press into the base of my jaw. I catch a moan in my throat and strangle it back down. I close my eyes and think of books and games, laundry and homework, clothes and music. I start to change back and I feel Nash’s slimy tail turn to legs beneath me. I open my eyes and see my body back to normal my bathing suit still firmly in place. Thank you Somantha! His eyes were shining with an emotion I couldn’t quite place. I am glad I am sitting down otherwise I would have probably fallen because my legs would be Jell-O now. Nash turns me towards him slowly and my knees straddle his waist as if they had a mind of their own. Nash smiles and strokes my cheek softly. Somantha clears her throat from behind us and I jump off of Nash like I just caught stealing and I wanted to make a run for it. Nash jumps up as well. I am blushing so much my face burns with heat. Nash places his hand on my arm and a rush of calmness rush’s through me. I could have accidently changed again if Nash hadn’t done that freaky calming thing. I shoot him a grateful smile.

              “ Time for dinner. And after dinner Nash take her to the family training room. This time though don’t start fooling around and trying to kiss and that kind of crap. We have a lot to do and we have no time for you to make your move today.” She scolds Nash. I can’t help it a giggle erupts from my lips. Nash rolls his eyes and Somantha looks at me.

              “ There are some things a mother… a stepmother doesn’t want to see or know about her child. And I do not want to be here when you make your move on her.” She says to Nash. My giggles turn into full blown laughter. I bend over at the waist holding my stomach as I laugh at the expression on Nash’s and Somantha’s faces. After I calm my laughter we nod to tell Somantha that we understand. We start to head it to the house to get dressed but Somantha stops me and waits until Nash has closed the door to whisper in my ear.

              “ I am sorry for um….trying to uh….kiss your son.” I stammer a blush once again filling my cheeks. Somantha laughs the sound beautiful.

              “ It’s quite alright honey just try and do that later….and when I am not around,” She says I grin and nod. “ Now I have put several pair of the undergarments that I made on the bed for you. Remember to always wear a

pair.” Somantha says in a whisper. I nod and rush up to change. I quickly dress in a pair of red undergarments that were on the bed and a red T-shirt and black skinny jeans. I dry my hair with a towel and then head back into the room. I put the rest of the remaining undergarments in my suitcase and run a brush through my damp hair. Someone knocks on my door as I am shoving my suitcase back under the bed.

              “ Can I come in?” A husky voice that is becoming dangerously familiar asks.

              “ Sure.” I say standing from my crouched position. Nash opens the door and slips in closing it with a click behind him. I turn towards him and smile sweetly. Nash runs his eyes down my body.

              “ Damn.” He whispers in a low voice making me think that I wasn’t supposed to hear it. Nash chuckles as if to say of course she would hear me. I blush lightly and look away. He smiles and walks toward me. He holds out a beautiful shiny golden full body suit. It looked small but I had a feeling that it would be able to stretch and fit me perfectly.

              “ What’s this for?” I ask.

              “ Somantha just finished it. Put it on it’s to train in.” He says. He turns to leave but I grab his arm stopping him.

              “Can I ask you a question?” I ask.

          “ You just did.” He says with a playful grin.

              “ Smartass.” I murmur under my breath.

              “ Why is everything of mine that Somantha makes me black and gold?” I ask. Nash pauses and glances at me over his shoulder. I meet his eyes a challenge in my eyes. I don’t know why but that makes him smile.

              “ Because that’s the colors of your wolf. All Alphas’ have a little black on them. Most have very little black or are all black. There are very few like me and you that has designs on us in another color.” He says throwing me a big grin.

              “ But I don’t have any designs.” I say confused.

              “ Yes you do. I will show you later just put it on. It might look small now but when you put it on it will be like wearing pretty much nothing. The suit stays room temperature to keep the suit from heating up. It’s also armor of the sorts. It’s more like a second more durable skin.” He says with a wink. My eyes widen slightly.

              “ Don’t worry too much I have wear one as well,”  He says. “ Only mine is black and white…. and it doesn’t have breast plates.” He says laughing as I throw a pillow at him. He leaves the room and I roll my eyes. He was such a guy. I slip out of my clothes and unfortunately I have to ditch my bra due to the built in support. I pull the suit on and reach behind me for the zipper. I struggle to get it zipped all the way but somehow manage to zip it up. Nash was spot on though. Wearing this suit was like wearing nothing. I study myself in the mirror. The suit was in fact very tight but somehow breathable at the same time. The only bad thing? It fit to my body perfectly not leaving any room for a guy’s’ imagination. I sigh eyeing myself in the mirror.

 

 

 

              I walk into the hall and find a pair of black knee high boots that fit

perfectly. When I move not a sound comes from my steps I smile knowing I am going to have fun with this one. I walk into the dining room and see Nash dressed in a white bodysuit and black combat boots. I sit next to Nash who is staring at me open mouthed. Somantha brings in two plates of food and sets them in front of us before heading off to make herself a plate. Nash and I dig in our food.

After we eat Nash leads me into a large room that match’s the room from my first vision. I press my lips in a thin line wondering how I did that, not once but twice. I turn to find Nash looking at me intently. His eyes meet mine and he whispers;

“ How am I not going to kiss you?” I blush a deep crimson and look at the wall.

“ What are we doing here?” I ask to change the topic.

“ Training. Now change into a wolf. All you have to do is close your eyes and focus on the colors you are wearing on your body right now.”  He orders as if snapping back into reality. I close my eyes and the colors burn themselves into my brain. My body begins to ache and I groan as pain shoots through my entire body. My bones snap and my skin rips. Tears poor out of my eyes and my legs snap, refixing themselves in the opposite direction. I drop to my knees and palms crying quietly as the pain grow. My jaw is aching and then I hear a sickening pop as my jaw slides forward and ears slide up the sides of my head. Right at the point that I feel I can’t take it anymore the pain disappears. It’s just gone as sudden as it started. I lift my head feeling a little weird. I search for Nash but instead I catch sight of a huge black wolf with a large white skull on his back. I look at him then

walk over to the wolf. I know it’s Nash. I walk up right beside him and am surprised to see we are the exact same height. And by the looks of it I might be taller than him. Nash licks my head in between my ears. and walks forward.

Now time to train. A voice runs through my head. I growl softly

What the hell? I demand in my head more of a question to myself other than to Nash.  

Talking to another wolf. It’s how we communicate when we are in wolf form. I shudder. Than a horrifying thought crosses my mind.  I don’t have to fight for um…. Alpha right? I ask.

No, not me but yes you will have to fight others. He says honestly. I follow him to a log row of mirrors which seem quite out of place in a training room. Nash motions toward the mirror.

You do have a design on your wolf like I have on mine. He says. I step up to the mirror and see that I am all black with a gold front paws like socks. I turn and my eyes widen. There’s a golden rose that shine brightly as I move printed on my  flank with a trail of small skulls that get smaller as they go down my leg. On the opposite shoulder as the design on my flank is the same symbol that is tattooed into my palm. All the designs were the same shining gold color.

I look myself in the eyes and they widen some more not used to the changes. My eyes are still the same color of blue with the same golden scattered around my eyes only now they are glowing. I don’t mean just brighter in color but literally glowing a vivid color. In fact my eyes seem to be changing as well. Little by little my eye turns from the bright blue to a

vivid violet like my mother’s had been when she got mad. They would flash violet; I didn’t notice how different my parents were from other parents until they were gone. I look back at Nash a wolfish grin playing at my lips.

Now that you know what you look like as a wolf I want to teach you how to fight in this form. It is very important to know how to fight when you’re in this form because you will have to fight more than once while you’re in this form. Not just to determine your place but also to defend the pack if and when the time is needed. He says. I nod after a moment wondering how my life can change so drastically in a single day.

Nash shows me several offensive attacks and several defensive attacks. We practice for a couple hours Nash would attack and then take me down. But I learned fast and began with counter attacks. Sometimes I would be at the advantage and at others I would end up on my back trying to push Nash away from me. Nash never hurt me he always stopped and gave me the chance to get back up before attacking again. After a while though I ask Nash if we can take a break panting like I ran three miles.

Yeah, let’s take a quick break. He agrees just as worn out as I am. We go to an empty corner of the room and I lay down on the ground my back pressed to the wall. He nudges me with his snout and I scoot away from the wall to make room for him. Nash lays down behind me wrapping his tail around my back paws to keep them warm. I nudge him with my nose in a thank you gesture. In response Nash licks me in between the ears and lays his head on his paws. I set my head on my paws mirroring Nash and I peek sideways at Nash who is lying no more than two feet away. My eyes drift closed and sleep takes hold on me as I drift off into a sweet dream.

My ears perk up to the sound of someone approaching. I am too asleep to investigate so I just lay there trying to force my eyes open. I feel Nash sit up a deep growl rumbling in his chest.

Nash it’s just me Somantha. I came to tell you to get to bed. Somantha says in a calm voice.

We will just stay here. I don’t want to wake up Melena. With her being a new wolf and all. I don’t want her to get angry she hasn’t learned to control her powers yet. Nash objects. Somantha heaves a heavy sigh and places something on the floor a couple feet away from where I lay.

Alright than I set the alarm on your phone so you can get up for school. And here’s a blanket It gets pretty cold down here. I will put yours and Melena’s lunches for tomorrow in the fridge so don’t forget to grab them. She says. I feel Nash nod and something is laid over us. A blanket I assume.

I am going to turn her back into her human form but I won’t move her since you insist that you sleep down here. She says. I feel Somantha’s small hand on my head and a rush of warmth coats my skin. A long second pass’s before searing pain rips through every inch of my body. I can’t imagine ever getting used to having to change and change back so painfully. I also don’t understand how Somantha thought I would be able to stay asleep through this horrible pain that has taken over my body. I keep my eyes squeezed shut and let out a pain filled groan. The pain is gone after a second more and I hear a retreating figure as Somantha moves away. I open my eyes thank goodness I am still wearing the suit. I shiver a little suddenly cold without the fur and turn snuggling up to Nash who is still in wolf form. I fall asleep snuggled up to Nash who gives me a big wolf grin. He is so warm I can’t help but think that I would love to do this every night.

 

 

 

              I wake to a loud beeping sound and groan. How annoying does that stupid phone have to be? I think my mind still slow with sleep. My eyes flutter open and I hear Nash groan. I look down and see Nash’s arms wrapped securely around my waist. He must have changed back sometime last night while I slept. I turn toward him and he pulls me into his chest and I look at him a mock frown on my face.

              “ You shouldn’t do that.” I say but I can’t keep my composure and burst out laughing Nash joins me.

              “ I don’t want to go to school.” I groan laying my head against Nash’s chest. He laughs and says;

              “ Comfortable?” He grins as if knowing my answer. Oh wait he does! Nash’s grin stretches into a huge smile. I lift my head and give him a wicked grin anyway. Nash laughs and releases his iron grip and stands. He bends down and picks me up cradling me in his arms.

              I gasp and say “ Hey! You can put me down now! I can walk!” I try to squirm out of his grip but he throws me over his shoulder so I am dangling over his shoulder my butt in the air and my torso was in line with his back. That means my knees should be level with his navel. Brave boy. I playfully pound on his back. I bring my knee up and hear a satisfying grunt as my knee digs into his flesh. I snicker. He tickles me and I squeal.

“ Put me down!” I yell loudly through a laugh. Then I remember Somantha and wince hoping not to wake her.

“ She left for work already and my dad’s dead so you don’t have to worry about him.” Nash says I shake my head surprised.

“ I am so sorry.” I say. Nash tickles me to lighten the mood. It works. I squeal again and laugh. I roll off his shoulder and he catches me before I hit the ground. I kick out my leg and before he falls. When we land - thankfully we are on a training mat - he rolls me to my back putting me underneath him. I laugh and buck trying to squirm out from under him.

“Nice try.” He laughs as he pulls himself off of me. I grin wickedly as he holds out his hand to help me up.

“ We don’t have to go to school.” He says I grin.

“ Okay than let’s stay here and do something fun.” I replied.  He laughs and looks down at our training suits.

“ How ‘bout we change into our bathing suits and go for a swim?” He asks in a low husky voice.

“ Okay I am good with that.” I say in a singsong voice. He leads the way through the house and to my room but pauses at the door frame lost in thought. I grab my bathing suit and set it on my bed. Nash steps into the room and closes the door. I raise my eyebrow and glance at him. Nash walks toward me and grabs my hands in his. He looks me in the eyes and leans in toward me. He puts his lips to my ear and a growl rumbles in my chest. He was testing me to see my reaction.

“ I will explain the second part of the whole Sinders thing when Somantha gets home. For now let’s just have fun.” He whispers in my ear.

I put on my new swimsuit and open my door. Once again Nash is standing against the wall. He is shirtless again like he was yesterday and I find myself staring at his amazingly tan chest. I look up at his face he grins and a blush fills my cheeks.

Nash reaches for my hand and we head for the pool. I dive in and as I am under the water away from prying eyes I close my eyes and picture a mermaid with long black hair that fans out around my figure and a long black tail with golden designs snaking up my newfound tail. I feel the pain in my chest and legs as the picture I imagined. The next thing I knew I am a mermaid. I resurface to find Nash has already changed into a merman. I smile and swim to him with my tail propelling me forward.

We swim around chatting and laughing  about anything and everything. We avoid the topic of my family’s death because the memory was to painful to bring up. We ask each other questions and just have fun for a long time. We are changing into different forms when he suddenly turns serious. He’s in his teaching mood.

“ When you are in the form of a vampire or werewolf don’t bite anyone because they will actually become a vampire or werewolf. When you change you actually become what you envision. The powers, the venom, everything can be used against someone when you are in that form.”  He says. I nod before pausing to think.

“ If someone bit me what would happen?” I ask .

“ Well for starters most girls if bitten by a werewolf don’t survive the change. But if you got bitten and you survived a werewolf bite or a vampire bite you would still be able to use your Sinder powers but you will no longer

be human. You won’t be able to change into a human at all.” He warns me. I nod slowly, than we fall into an uncomfortable silence. I try to think of something to say to lighten the mood. Than a thought pops into my mind.

“ Do you think your friends will like me?” I ask though he already knows what I was going to say. Do to the fact that he can read my mind. That skill is probably a burred most of the time. I mean damn it has got to suck being inside my head, I am going to admit I have my fair share of dumb ass thoughts. Nash laughs and shakes his head smiling and thinks for a moment before opening his mouth to answer my question.

“Most of them will but I can’t guarantee that the Alpha Sinders in the pack will really like the idea of another Alpha, let alone a female Alpha. It’s just never happened before. They will all be surprised that’s for sure. Not to mention you are just so beautiful they won’t believe you could possibly be an Alpha.” He says the last part to make sure I don’t feel insulted by his comment about me being a girl and all. I nod in understanding. I tap my chin deep in thought. Than confusion locks me in its jaws.

“Wait, why won’t the Alpha’s of the pack like me?” I ask hesitantly.  

“ Because we have a system. I guess you can say. I am the true Alpha of my pack because I earned my position. I battled each one of the other Alpha’s in the pack and beat them.” He pauses as he gathers his thoughts. And stretches out his gorgeous muscles. “They won’t like that you are an Alpha because that means they have to fight you and risk their positions in the pack. Of course at first they won’t think of you as much of a threat at least most of them won’t. But once you battle for fourth position they will see you as a big threat. Cause let me tell you, you are not as weak as I

originally believed. I am sure you will be second in command in minutes and if you want you could battle me for Alpha.” He says. I frown my mind buzzing with panic.

              “ That’s not funny.” I say.

              “What?”

              “ You said I will be in second in command in minutes and that I could even battle you for Alpha. I wouldn’t beat your fourth in command let alone you or your second. It’s really not funny.”

              “ I was not joking. I really believe that you could be Alpha, let alone be my second.” He says.

              “ I will not fight you to become Alpha. I am okay with fifth in command.” I say.

              “ I’m not. You will not be fifth in command. You will at least try to move up to third or second. You won’t have to fight me for Alpha but you have to at least try to move up or I will make you fight.” He says the last part teasingly but I can hear the threat in his tone. I push out a heavy breath.

              “ Okay fine, I will fight my best. But I will not fight you for Alpha.” I say after a moment. He lets out a sigh of relief and smiles.