Chapter 3

Sephora

“Psst,” I whispered in Brook’s ear while Jason and Mark went off on a tangent.

“What?” she answered really loudly.

“Who’re you staring at?” I asked, still whispering. “Looks like you got a crush on someone.”

“Ew, hell no,” she responded (still not whispering) even though I could see straight through her act. Not having parents has overridden her experience in plays, so she’s a bad liar, but the guys buy it. “Who’s that new kid?”

“He raises sled dogs,” said Mark. “Well, his parents do. Don’t know his name though.”

“And you know this…….how?” I asked.

“I can speak to dogs. Remember, dippie?” he retorted. That’s another thing about were-things: they can speak to their species. Like, werewolves can speak to dogs and werecats to cats, even in their human form.

“I think he might know something,” she said vacantly. Everyone stared at her. “You know, about us.”

“How would he know anything, Brook?” asked Mark. “He just got here.”

“Mark has a point, Tiaret,” said Jason for the first time this morning. He’s the only one Brook lets call her Tiaret because his family raised her when she arrived on their doorstep. Just don’t ask her about it, she’ll tear your head off.

Jason is practically her brother. She’s always defensive of him. Like in second grade when kids were teasing Jason for not being able to go in the sun, she sent them crying off to the teacher. Then, the teacher yelled at her and she flipped out on the teacher. She’s been afraid of Brook ever since. It’s hilarious actually…..if you get Mark to tell you.

But now the kids who were mean to us regret it. All their girlfriends have crushes on Jay or Mark and their boyfriends get pissed at us. Or the girls’ boyfriends have crushes on us (well, the girls crush on Mark and Jason more than the boys crush on us. Me and Brook are a little hyper….just a little). But we can’t help that our species is not only better looking than theirs, but stronger, faster, more agile and smarter. It’s all simple predator and prey stuff that goes back to the beginning of time.

“Okay! Everybody upstairs!” shouted the teacher-person we call Lobster because his face is always red and looks like he has really flaky sunburn. Then the raging mob of middle-school-ers progressed up the stairs to their homerooms/first periods. Brook’s and mine are next to each other, but the guys’ are next to the janitor’s closet; far, far away from ours. Our teachers assign us lockers, regrettably. At least we all have first period together. And at least it’s science, and not math. Ugh, math. I hate math. Last year I flunked out of Pre-Algebra, otherwise I would have next period with Jason and Brook. Or, if I was in the other Pre-Alg class, Mark. I’m all alone!!

yay!! a longer chapter!! i'm getting better at this. as u've noticed, i've been naming the chapters after songs.

chapter 1 "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls

chapter 2 "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects

this chapter "Eyes on Me" by Celine Dion

keep an eye out 4 chapter 4!!