Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

I don’t know what Angelo means by not trusting anyone. I don’t trust him either. I was forced to trust his family for the sake of our safety. Not trusting others was an easy task for me. I don’t talk to strangers, especially social people who only know how to talk a lot.

Angelo’s first class was different than mine. My brothers were familiar with my previous classes that’s why they picked the same for me. I picked AP US History before because I thought that would be amazing and entertaining. I was wrong. The teacher we had was boring. It felt like an hour of speech and not an engaging lecture. I took European History back in junior year and the teacher was great. In US History, we are forced to finish a certain number of pages for the recitation next class.

I do love reading. Being a reader since I was a child was an advantage for that class. It took me a few minutes to read fifty pages while others took more than an hour. I hate the thought of forcing myself to read a material I don’t even enjoy instead of teaching it to us.

The class was quiet as I entered. Their eyes were on me. I’m a transferee and a human. I had to remind myself that all these peers are werewolves. They are different from me. They are dangerous. I should not trust anyone.

The teacher, who entered the room late, introduced me to the class as a transferee. I was lucky that no one asked where I was from. They were silent. No one even bothers to smile at me.

The teacher was great at teaching the class. We have recitation about the topic after he discussed it thoroughly. Even though they are werewolves, no one opened a topic about it. I guessed it’s a rule in the town.

The feel in this new school was bland. Before, my classmates would approach me though we were not friends. Now, they were creepily looking at me. After a few seconds, they wouldn’t care about it.

During lunch, I ate alone in the cafeteria. The food was cheap. I hope it wasn’t human pork. When it tasted chicken, I breathe comfortably. I guessed that werewolves also eat normal meals like us.

 I ate alone. I don’t have any friends aside from Angelo or Gelo. I don’t really care what nickname he’s using. He’s exactly not my friend. A neighbor or a savior was a better predicament for that. I also don’t want to get involved with him. In my previous school, anyone who’s a friend to the campus crush is in life-threatening danger. I wasn’t sure if he’s a campus crush but he has the looks for it.

I had to attend a few more classes after lunch and headed back home alone, without Angelo.

…

On Saturday, I got out of the house as soon the sun rises with my audiobook. I missed running and the safest hour to do that was early in the morning. I hope werewolves won’t be awake at that time.

I wasn’t right the moment I saw Nana watering her plants around her house. I don’t know how old she was. There were wrinkles on her face, which were crumpled like paper. She’s still strong despite her looks.

“Good morning, dear,” she said. A wide smile on her face.

“Good morning, Nana. What are you doing?” I’m too bad at communicating. I wish I knew other phrases or sentences to reply to a person and not to ask the obvious.

“Here watering my plants. I love flowers during the spring. You wake up early, don’t you?” She scanned my body. “You’re going for a run. Gelo loves to run occasionally. He’s busy with other things. I can tell him if you need a running buddy.”

“I used to wake up early. Late-night movies were an exception but it happens rarely. Also, I don’t want to bother your grandson for running with me. You just said he’s busy.”

“He’s free during Sundays. He isn’t at home right now.”

I checked the time on my phone. Why was Gelo wasn’t at home early this morning? I guessed he has a part-time job or doing something else. He wasn’t my business and my friend. I don’t have to think about him.

…

Gelo appeared in front of my house the next morning. He was wearing running gear and the same white sneakers he used at school. He looked good but unbathe. We’re the same. We don’t like a cold shower in the morning.

Nana probably told him about being my running buddy. I don’t like having partners in activities. I’m the type of person who would volunteer to go individual instead of having groupmates. Unless it’s a group performance.

“Nana said you want me as a partner for your morning run?” he asked. This wolf. He’s just so nice.

“I don’t.” He blinked twice. I almost forgot that I need to explain things so other people could understand what I’m trying to say. “I mean she saw me running yesterday, and she volunteered to ask you about it. She said you’re busy yesterday.”

“Ah, yes! I wasn’t at home. I was on training.” Training? Was he training for a war or something else? Maybe he’s a wrestler. But he’s too thin for that! “Since we’re already both in our gears. I guessed we should try to run around the town with each other.”

As if I have the choice. I’m bad at rejecting offers and people. That’s why I nodded at him. “Sure. That would be good. Please wait for me here.”

“Okay.” He smiled at me. He was one of those people who has a genuine smile. Felix smiles mysteriously. Angelo and Jay were the same. They were a happy person who casually smiles.

I got back inside. Felix was already awake. He saw me wearing my running shoes.

“Are you going for a run?” He blinks his scratchy eyes. Also stretching his arms upward.

“Yes. With our neighbor, Angelo.” I don’t have to explain to him that it’s Nana’s fault that I’m going to run with our neighbor this morning. 

“Good. You’re starting to make friends. He’s the only one in this town that you can trust.”

I know. He’d been telling me that for a couple of times as if I would talk and befriend everyone in a town full of werewolves. I bid him goodbye and went back to Gelo who was still standing in front of our house.

“It took a while for you to wear your shoes.”

“Felix asked me where I was going.” He kept silent. “It’s a natural thing between brothers and sisters.”

“I also have brothers and sisters. I do understand what you’re saying.” Does he have brothers and sisters? I didn’t know about that. Except for Nana, he’s the only person I saw in their house. “But they were only here during special occasions and long holidays. They’re busy with their job.”

He started walking and I copied him. I didn’t bring my phone and earbuds with me. The last time I listened to an audiobook while running with a companion was a disaster. Jay thought I was having an anxiety attack because of my facial reaction to the thriller book I was listening to. I don’t want Angelo to think of me like that.

“Are your brother and sisters are also like you?” I hate asking the obvious. If there’s a habit I would like to erase, that would be it. 

“You mean werewolves?” I nodded. “Yes. Our family is a full-blooded werewolf.”

“I didn’t know that werewolves are anywhere on Earth.”

He smirked at me. “Humans aren’t the only creatures present. There are a whole bunch of creatures in the world. Werewolves are anywhere else, Catherine.”

He removed the letter-e on the way he pronounced my name and I liked it better. All my life, I’ve met different people in different places. I’ve always thought of them as humans. I guessed fifty percent of them are werewolves.