1 School’s not so bad...right?

The overwhelming smell of humans haunts me. Excuse me while I mentally throw up.

No, seriously. I may sound dramatic but these people smell terrible. Sweat mixed with deodorant and fruity perfume. Yep, you guessed it. Gym class.

The locker room is empty as I change into my gym clothes. I check my phone. Fifteen minutes late.

Oh well, I'm the best in the class anyway.

As I walk through the door and into the gym, the coach looks up at me and down at her clipboard.

"Sage? You're late." She seemed to be asking if she had the right person but I know she doesn't care. "Fifteen laps around the track."

I hear snickering behind me as I silently walk through the double doors into the cafeteria. To my left, there's an exit. I calmly walk to it like I know where I'm going.

You would think as a senior, I would know my way around. But no. I was homeschooled until this year. Something about "needing to get in public school to graduate," blah blah blah. Who cares? It's not like I'm going to get a job anyway.

There is a small hill about ten meters away. I walk up the hill and notice pavement in the shape of a circle.

That's probably the track.

I start jogging. Slowly, I start to go faster and faster. I enjoy the wind blowing through my hair and the scent of the woods near the track. I didn't even bother counting the laps. After five minutes of sprinting, I decided that was enough running for now and made my way back to the door.

I really don't see why these humans hate gym class.

Today is dodgeball day.

I used to play this with my brothers when we were younger. I could dominate these pathetic weaklings.

"Sage, you finally decided to join us. You will sit out for the day."

Ugh. Just because I broke a record of laps in five minutes doesn't mean you can take away the rest of my fun.

I grabbed a ball as it bounced toward the wall and I threw it as hard as I could the other direction.

Then I heard someone fall. And silence.

Everyone was looking where I threw the ball. Except the coach, who was looking right at me. She marches towards me and I mentally sigh.

"Excuse me, Sage. I know darn well I told you to sit out today. Normal people would have just sat down on a bleacher and waited until class was over but you decided to take your anger out on a student. I'll have no choice but to send you to the principal."

Oh wow. It's not like I killed the kid. I look over to where I threw the ball and my heart stopped.

A guy was sitting on the floor holding his head. There was a small crowd of girls and some guys standing around him asking if he needed help walking to the nurse or whatever.

His emerald eyes found mine past everyone else and my heart jumped to my throat. His straight brown locks were swept to the side. His right forearm was facing me with how he was propped up. I could clearly see a rose and dagger tattoo.

Well, it's not exactly a tattoo. That's just what we call it.

I looked at my own forearm and saw the same tattoo.

I quickly looked away as to not draw attention to it. The coach was still looking at me.

"I will give you one more chance, Sage. Go to the office, now." She turned to the guy. "As for you Hart, go to the nurse and get an ice pack. Come back to class and you can sit on the bleachers."

A couple of guys tried to help him up, but he swatted them away, getting up himself. He looked at me one last time before heading to the door.

I took that as my cue to follow.

He held the door open for me. My heart jumped again but I kept going.

"So," he started, "you have a tattoo, huh?" His voice was like honey. I wanted to melt into his arms but school was hardly the place for that.

"Yep. And I saw yours too."

There was a myth I heard when I was growing up. When werewolves find their mates, the first words they will say to each other will appear in a dream the night before your sixteenth birthday. I fell for it even though I thought it was merely a way to trick us pups into going to bed early. But there it was, a honey sweet voice asking about my tattoo. It rang through my head throughout my birthday party.

Back then I didn't understand why I had the tattoo. I never got it done. I had it for as long as I could remember. But recently my parents told me my mate will have the same tattoo as me.

I didn't need the tattoo to know I was walking beside my mate.

"I don't need the ice, I'm really just going so I can show you where the principal's office is."

I nodded my head and we continued walking in silence. The hallway was empty and I studied the tightly packed bricks in the wall as we walked by. It was a large hallway connected to the cafeteria behind us.

"This is your stop. Do you want me to wait for you?" His pools of green looked at me in a way that made my heart melt. But I had to pull myself together.

"Nah, I'm good. It won't be that long anyway."

I stood at the door and watched as he walked back down the hallway and entered the nurse's office. I opened the door in front of me and was greeted by a secretary.

"First day of school and someone's already in trouble," I heard her mutter. Her tone quickly changed as I raised my eyebrows a little. "Can I help you?"

"I was sent to the principal by Coach Green. We were playing dodgeball and apparently I threw the ball a little too hard and knocked someone down."

"Well, you didn't hear this from me sweetheart, but she is one to exaggerate. I'll let the principal know what happened and you can go on back to class. What's your name, dear?."

"Erika Sage."

"Perfect. Let Coach Green know the principal let you off with a warning since it's your first day here."

That was easier than I thought.

I forced a smile and walked back into the hallway. I looked up and the ceiling was glass, slightly pointed up at the middle. The bright lighting was pure sunlight.

I stood there for a minute. I don't know what to do now. I saw a bathroom sign and started to walk towards that just to pass time when I heard a door open.

It was him. He held an ice pack to his face and put it down when he shut the door.

"Hey."

My stomach fluttered with excitement as I turned towards him.

"Hi."

He grabbed my right hand with his and admired our matching tattoos. I looked at the dagger with the rose above it. The stem slithered around the dagger with the thorns pointed everywhere. I snatched my hand away.

"We shouldn't admire them here. Someone will question why they match."

He looked into my eyes. He seemed a little sad that I pulled away but I had to stand my ground.

"Yeah, you're right."

We started walking towards the gym.

~~~

I held my tray and walked away from the lunch line toward the tables. He was right beside me.

"So, you seem pretty popular."

"What makes you say that?" He said with a slight smirk.

"Well, maybe the fact that three guys tried to help you up earlier. And there was a crowd of girls around you asking if you were okay."

"True. Nearly every girl in school has had a crush on me at some point. A lot of them do now. But I knew I should wait for the right one." He looked at me, hoping to get a reaction. But playing hard to get was my favorite game.

We continued walking until he stopped at an empty table with six chairs. He pulled out a chair for me and I sat down. He didn't even get to sit down before a girl rushed over to him.

"Oh my God, Noah, are you okay? I saw you get knocked down by that girl in gym-" that's when she noticed me. "Oh. It's you."

"Yeah, it's me. Do you have a problem with it?" I didn't even look at her. I was opening my water bottle and started to drink it.

"Yes I do, actually. You-"

"Okay, okay. Veronica, I know you care about me but please just leave."

"Oh I see how it is. Boyfriend stealer." I look at her. She is wearing a short skirt that probably isn't in dress code and a small shirt that I think is called a crop top. She gave me what she thought was a death glare and speed walked away, her heels clicking rapidly.

I raised my eyebrows and looked at Noah, who was sitting now.

"I know what you're thinking. She's had a crush on me since first grade, but we never dated."

"Mhm. Sure. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Why did you go to school your whole life while my family is homeschooled until senior year?"

"Some packs are different, I guess."

I nodded my head. I unwrapped my burger and started eating.