Chapter 11
THE
Tala’s Point of View
I jolt awake I don’t know how much later and take in my surroundings. It’s still dark out, but I can somehow tell that it’s early in the morning meaning I’ve been asleep for a few hours at the most. It’s only when I remember what happened that I instantly look for the knife. I can say I’m a little surprised that my leg is all skin and not furry anymore. The only downside is that I can see my injuries clearly and it’s pretty icky.
The bullet hole in my side missed anything important in my body, which is good, and went straight through. The knife, on the other hand, is
still in my leg and hurting more then ever
I grab a stick lying a few feet away and bite down on it to keep from screaming. Counting to three in my head, I pull out the weapon fast and without cutting myself any more then I already am. I was thinking it would be like ripping off a band aid, but much more painful and I’m right.
I feel the stick crack between my teeth and a hiss escapes my mouth. Fresh blood flows freely from my leg and once I know I won’t yell, I
throw the blasted tree limb away from me.
Did I forget to mention I have no clothes on? Yeah, I’m lying on the ground naked, What surprises me the most is that I’m not really cold. I feel
the night chill, but it isn’t affecting me like it normally would.
Knowing I need to do something other then sit here and bleed out, I carefuly stand up and use any tree close by to make my way
Shane’s house. Honestly, no clothes is the least of my problems right now.
I pick up
ip a rock and once I’m close enough to the house, I throw it at his window. If it’s not his… I’m in so much trouble.
towards
I walt a few moment, hiding behind a tree, before the window cracks open and he sticks his head out. His hair is ruffled from sleep and I can tell he doesn’t have a shirt on either.
“What the hell? Who’s out here?” He whisper yells, loud enough for me to hear, but quiet enough so no on inside can hear him.
“Shane. I need help… now” My voice comes out hoarse and I clear my throat. His head tilts in my direction and he squints to be able to see
“Are you okay?” His annoyed tone immediately changed into one of concern.
“Can you bring me some clothes and if you have a first aid kit, I’ll be needing that.” My voice cracks at the end and Shane quickly disappears from the window. I rest my head back on the ground and shut my eyes. I did sleep for a little, but I’m still exhausted.
Minutes later, light floods the yard from the back door being opened, but it disappears as quickly as it appeared. I hear quick footsteps coming towards me and I turn my face to look at Shane.
“Tala, what happened?” I move to sit up and he tosses me some clothes before turning around. I appreciate that too. Being naked is weird enough without your guy friend standing right there.
The easiest and least painful of the clothes to put on is the large 1–shirt. There’s only a twinge of pain as I raise my arms to get them through the sleeves. It isn’t as easy to slip on the pair of heart covered boxers I assume are Shane’s, If the situation wasn’t as it is, I’d be laughing my ass
off.
The knife was lodged in my thigh and it’s still bleeding. I carefully pull up the boxers and bite my lip when I have to lift my bad leg.
“Shane.” I whisper and he quickly kneels by my side.
“What happened?” He asks again, looking at the growing bloodstains on his clothes. I give him a weak smile and he frowns.
“You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you dude, so for now I just had an accident.” He looks like he’s going to ask something else, but! slence him with a look. “I promise I’ll explain everything eventually, but right now, can you please help me inside?” He nods and picks me up. holding me in his arms like I weigh nothing.
“Have you been crying?” He asks, peering down at my face with a smirk.
“It’s possible.” He chuckles and turns his body to fit us through the back door.
1/5
“Never thought I’d see the day when the girl with no heart would cry.” I roll my eyes and flinch when he bumps my foot on the door frame.
“Sorry.” He apologizes quickly
He sets me lightly down on his bed and I move to get up, but he stops me.
“I don’t want to get blood on everything.” He rolls his eyes and grabs a box from his desk.
“Stop worrying about the bed and start worrying about yourself” He kneels down next to the bed and hesitates with his hand on the bottom of his shirt. “Can 17” I nod and fight off a blush. He doesn’t seem to realize just how awkward this is for me. It’s been a while since I’ve had a person who isn’t my dad, Halley or Tyler care for me and truly mean it. Shane knows exactly how to act and apparently what to do as he grabe some gauze and bandages from his box..
“You jus
just keep that stuff around?” I tease, trying to lighten the mood and I see the slightest hint of a smile.
“My brother plays hockey and my mom’s a little paranoid something bad will happen so she keeps all this stuff around just in case,” I hold the short up as he carefully begins wrapping my abdomen in the gauze to stop the blood flow.
“Makes sense.” We sit in a comfortable silence, well, I sit and he works, but you know what I mean. “Thank you Shane.” I mutter after a few minutes. He peers up at me briefly before focusing back on my stomach.
“You would do the same for me Tala. It’s nothing really.” I give him a look.
“Shane, it’s like three in the morning. You should be sleeping because there’s school later.” He shifts his weight back to be able to look at me clearly. The moon shining in from the window only illuminates half of his face, casting the rest in shadow, but it doesn’t take a genius to know he’s giving me a disapproving look
“Tala, it’s okay.” I let the shirt fall back around me and open my arms for a hug. “I should realy wrap your leg fir-” I cut him off.
“1 really need this. Please?” I give him my best puppy dog eyes, which is just ironic now, and he gives in after a few seconds. One thing I’ve learned is he can’t say no to this face.
“Fine.” He stands up and wraps his arms around my shoulders. I smile slightly in victory before realizing something.
I’m a freaking wolf and Shane la human. What happens if I change when he’s around me and i can’t control myself?
f? What if I act lik wolf instead of a human and kill him like i dd with the deer? I can still taste that in my mouth and it’s pretty gross.
act like an actual
“Are you okay?” He pulls away from me and immediately looks at the growing bloodstain from my leg “Shit. Can you roll them up?” He asks and I begin to do so. It isn’t too high up on my thigh so I don’t have to roll up too much of the fabric. “This might hurt a little.” He says before dumping something onto the would. It starts to burn and I instantly pull my leg away from him, growling a little. When I realize what exactly I did. I snap my mouth shut and peek through my hair to look at him.
“Sorry.” He seems to either have ignored my growl or didn’t hear it. How I hope it’s the second option.
“It’s okay. I knew that would sting.” He gently begins to wrap up my thigh like he did with my stomach, but even the small amount of pressure from the bandages is causing my leg to hurt again. “So can you tell me what happened yet?” I sigh and turn my head to look out the window.
“It’s complicated.” I would know. “Would you still be my friend even if I wasn’t what either of originally thought?” He doesn’t answer and I slowly turn back to face him. To say I’m shocked to see him looking angry is an understatement. If anything. I thought he’d be confused.
“What kind of question is that?” He finishes up the wrap
p and gives me his full attention.
“What if I’m not normal?” My voice seems to be getting quieter every time I speak.
*First of all, you’re not normal. You’re Tala and I’m going to quote my mom here, but everyone is special in their own way.” I laugh “That’s what all parents are supposed to say I drop my head to stare at my hands in my lap. “At least you have a functional family.” I mutter the last part, needing to say it, but hoping he didn’t hear it,
“Hey.” His tone is soft and I soon feel his hand under my chin. He tills my h bink away tears and his thumb makes sure to wipe away any that escape.
my head back up to look at him. “Tala, I’m sure things aren’t that bad.” I
“I’m a freak, Shane. You shouldn’t be near me. I shouldn’t be near anyone.” Including my family and everyone living in the place I’m supposed to call home. Even Tyler, Hailey and my dad. I can’t ever see them again
“You’re not a freak and for whatever reason you think that then forget it. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” I launch myself into his arms. really needing that hug now. He wraps his arms around me and holds me while I cry. I’m not even embarrassed. Tonight has been a rough night; one that I just want to forget. Any happy feeling I had while running has long since disappeared, leaving me broken and confused all over again. “‘ll be okay” He rubs my back in a soothing manor, but the tears don’t seem to want to stop.
We sit there for who knows how long and finally, I calm down enough to stop crying. Still, Shane holds me in his lap, murmuring nonsense in
my cars.
“You’re really good at this.” My voice cracks and lift my head from his shoulder. He gives me a sad smile.
“My little sister wakes up with nightmares and since she’s next door I hear her first.” Rina is his little sister. She’s a raven haired beauty at nine years old and she’s super nice. I always wanted a little sibling, but my parents stopped after two. Max is her twin brother, the one who plays
hockey.
“You’re a good person Shane. I wish I was like you.” My eyes start to close, no matter how much I fight to keep them open.
“Get some sleep kid.” He lays me down and my muscles relax on their own accord.
“Thank you Shane.” I mumble, before drifting to sleep. I’m not even sure if he could understand my words because to me they sounded Jumbled together.
I slowly come to and the first thing I notice when I open my eyes is that I’m not in my room. The walls are a dark blue instead of green and there are a few sports trophies on the desk along the wall. My desk has my computer, a few pictures and my school stuff littered in and around it.
The bed itself is very comfortable, much more then mine back at the house. It’s only been used for as long as I’ve lived there, but this one is very lived in, if that makes sense. The soft cotton sheets are a change from the smooth linens my mom uses, but I guess these won’t be used after I leave. I kinda bled on them.
I guess I slept at Shane’s house last night. Speaking of, where is that boy?
I move to sit up and feel sore in my one side. I place a hand over where it hurts, but peer over the edge of the bed. Sure enough, Shane has a blanket and a pillow on the floor to sleep. He could have taken the bed and I would have slept on the floor, but then again, I kinda passed out after everything that happened
I hate that he’s such a gentleman sometimes. Now I’m going to feel guilty that he slept on the floor while I got his bed.
Not wanting to wake him, I throw my legs over the side of the bed and take a deep breath. At first, I keep almost all of the weight off of my sad leg. Slowly, I apply pressure and notice I have the same soreness as in my side. I can walk, though, which is what I was worried about.
I tip toe to the door and slide out through a small gap, closing it softly behind me. After keeping him up, he deserves to sleep late. I say, who cares about school.
I listen for anyone else in the house, but don’t hear anything, but Shane’s soft breathing. Letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I start my walk downstairs. I’ve been to his house a lot in the past month and his parents love me so they won’t mind me making breakfast. My stomach sounds like it could attack anything at any time so I better feed the beast.
The tile floor of the kitchen is cool under my bare feet and I shiver slightly. I love this place… it’s so open and bright. No secrets like my house
I pull open the fridge and take out the carton of eggs. Omelets sound pretty good right now and if I add some bacon bits, ham and cheese to it hey’ll hit the spot.
Fifteen minutes later, I have a plate stacked with four or five omelets and another on the stove. Believe me when I say it’s taken a lot of will Jower not to eat them all right away. For some reason, I’m hungrier then I would be in the morning. It’s like I haven’t eaten in days.
“Mom? You here?” I smile.
“Do I look like your mother?” I call back as he trudges into the room. His hair is a mess and he’s still not wearing a shirt.
“Definitely not, but you made me food so you could be a serial killer and I wouldn’t care.” He grabs a plate and two of my breakfast specialities. These smell amazing.”
“Thanks. I’ve been told I’m a pretty good cook.” He takes his first bite and moana
“This is fantastic! I should pay you for these.” He starts to inhale the food like a vacuum and I hide my laugh with a cough.
“I don’t think so. It’s the least I can do after last night.” I get my own plate and sit down at the table across from him. “You didn’t have to sleep
on the floor.”
“Don’t even start with me kid. I wanted to so end of story.” I roll my eyes, but choose to leave it. There’s no arguing with this fool.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at school?” I ask, changing the subject and he shrugs.
“I decided I wasn’t going today. You need a friend right now.” That’s so sweet
“You deserve a better friend then me. I shouldn’t have dragged you into any of this”
“By this, you mean… he pushes away his empty plate and give me his undivided attention.
Promise you won’t freak out. He nods and I take a breath. “I tumed into a wolf last night: I close my eyes and wait for him to call me crazy or
at least run away screaming.
“I don’t care if you’re Godzilla. As log as you’re all right, then it doesn’t matter.” Not what I was expecting him to say, but it certainly makes me
happy to hearit.
“I really wish you were my brother right now.” He laughs and turns to get another omelet, only to find the plate with them empty
“Did u
you eat four of those?“What? I look down at my empty dish. I didn’t think I ate all of them, but if he didn’t then I must have. Ash isn’t here
to steal any people food so it definitely wasn’t her this time.
“I guess, but in my defense, I was hungry.” He smirks and messes up my hair on his way by to get to the sink. I glare at his back and try to fix
the mess on top of my head.
“You just keep surprising me kid. I furrow my brows.
“Why do you call me kid?” He chuckles and turns around to face me, leaning against the counter
I’m older then you, which makes me the adult here.”
“No way, sir. That is total bull!” He gives me a cheeky smile
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
“That’s not.” The phone rings, cutting off what I was about to say. Shane walks from the kitchen to answer it. I take this as my chance to dean
up breakfast.
“Uh, Tala, it’s for you.” Excuse me? Who calls his house and asks for me? I guess the better question is how did they find out I’m here?
I set down the glass he used for orange juice and follow his smell to the living room. Before you think it’s weird, I didn’t even try to do that.
Something inside me said that it’s the easiest way to find someone.
I take the phone from his outstretched hand and hesitantly lift it to my ear
“Hello?” I start, not knowing who it is.
“Tala!” Oh shit. “Where have you been?! And why didn’t you call or tell someone you were leaving last night!” I sigh. “You had us all worried sick! I wouldn’t have even called here because I didn’t even know you made a new friend!” My mother sounds like she’s about to hyperventilate
“I’m fine. I went to Shane’s house yesterday and fell asleep before I could come home. No big deal.”
“It is a b
is a big deal! I had no idea where you were and I was about to file a missing persons report!” I roll my eyes. Over dramatic, like always.
“Take a chill pill. I’m old enough to make my own decisions and if I want
nt to go to a friends house I certainly don’t need your permission.”
“You-“Thear the sound of the phone being snatched from her hands.
“What’s the address? I’m coming to get you.” My brother demands which makes my anger start to show.
“Barron, I am not a little girl anymore. You cannot boss me around and I don’t want to come back. Shane and I are hanging out today and you can’t do anything about it.” He pauses and I hear the distinct sound of him taking a few deep breaths.
“Come on, kid, give me the phone before you break it.” Shane holds his hand out for the device. It’s only then I realize my hand is clenched tightly around it. The plastic is starting to crack from my applied pressure and I quickly hand the phone over. No need to have to explain to his mom why their one house phones are broken.
“Please don’t call again. Tell Mrs. Taylors to have a good day.” He presses the end call button and I can’t help the small smile that appears on
my face.
“You hung up on him.” Shane shrugs and puts it back on the table.
“It’s obvious you don’t want to talk to them, but they can’t take a hint.”
“Once again, thank you sir. You seem to get what I need, unlike some people.” I glare at the phone as it starts ringing again. An annoyed look crosses over my friend’s face and he stuffs the technology into the couch cushion, effectively silencing it. I can still hear it, but it’s easily forgotten
now.
“No problem. Now, what do you want to do today?” I smirk and a look of uncertainty crosses his features.
“Let’s play a game.”
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