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Chapter 11: Hormones
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The True Nature Series Chapter 12: Bobby
THE NEXT FEW DAYS moved along slowly for me. And the sole reason was that Zander seemed to be avoiding me. I kept seeing him around campus, but he slipped away before I passed him. In class, he sat as far away from me as possible and avoided my gaze. I couldn't help but assume he had heard about me, the "me" from last year. It was inevitable, I guess, but it like that unexpected sliver under the skin that you couldn't get out. Examining it made it worse and not removing it allowed it to fester. He had been a knight in shining armor the first time I met him, as stupid as that sounded, and I had hoped he was going to be different than everyone else.We didn't see him at lunch, either. My friends wondered where he was, too, except Isaac, who seemed rather pleased about it. Phoebe and Isaac were continually bombarded by hopefuls, and Val took up permanent residence next to Ruthie. Isaac kept edging closer to me, making me think perhaps Ruthie had it right and he did like me, but then with
The True Nature Series Chapter 13: Tight Places
AFTER SCHOOL I WAITED for Ruthie to do her flirty goodbye thing with Val before we took off. Isaac walked up to us flashing his commercial smile."Hey, Ruthie," said Isaac, "can you give Phoebe and me a lift to our mom's shop?" His mom ran a jewelry counter inside a clothing store that was kind of on the way home for Ruthie."Sure, but it'll be tight because I've got Tru, too.""No prob," replied Isaac. "And here's Phoebe, right on time."Phoebe glared at Isaac, who just stared back. It was like they were having a silent conversation. Ruthie leaned over to me and whispered, "It's a twin thing, I think. They do that all the time. Used to freak me out."Whatever the problem was, it seemed to be over in seconds. When we looked at them expectantly, thinking they might clue us in to whatever had been going on, Isaac just smiled and herded us down the hall, saying, "Come on, ladies, let's go!"As we got close to the car, Phoebe yelled, "Shotgun," unenthusiastically."Oh, come on," I
The True Nature Series Chapter 14: Sleeper
RUTHIE PEELED AWAY FROM the curb, ranting about her parents' stupid rules before moving on to complain about her teachers and the mountain of homework they'd given her. According to her, that should never be allowed the first week of school. I didn't disagree. When she got like this, it was better to just let her vent. It was a Ruthie bubble that just got bigger and bigger until it popped and then she could see everyone else again.When we arrived at my house in record time, I frowned with disappointment because I had yet to hear the whole scoop about her and Val. I had no idea that she'd been carrying a torch for him all these years. I wasn't exiting the car until I found out what was going on."So, what's up with you and Val?" I asked, giving her a look that I hoped told her I wasn't leaving without an answer.She squeezed her eyes shut, as if she could block out my question."Ruthie," I prompted. "What are you thinking?"With a long sigh, she wrinkled her nose and peeked at me.
The True Nature Series Chapter 15: Just Like a Girl
BEFORE I KNEW IT, I was opening my eyes to Friday morning. For a moment, I felt something was amiss. Then I realized what it was - no nightmares! They had been plaguing me on and off this week. Fortunately, they hadn't been bad enough to wake Dad.I sent a heartfelt thank you out into the great unknown to whomever or whatever had helped me, because I was really grateful for the uninterrupted night of sleep. Sure enough, the mirror reflected that sleep really could do miracles. By the time I headed downstairs, Dad had been long gone. He had left early so he wouldn't be stuck in the traffic that wound through the mountains toward Silicon Valley, where his office was located. It was a horrible commute. A Post-it note stuck to the front door:"Have a great day, Tru! Lunch in the fridge! Love, Dad"I smiled and grabbed breakfast. Ruthie chatted all the way to school about lame little brothers and how late she had stayed up to finish homework. She was still stuck in her bubble.
The True Nature Series Chapter 16: Smooch
"HEY, ISAAC! CAUGHT SOMEONE for you!" He laughed evilly. Isaac was on me in a second, grabbing me from Hugh's arms. Ignoring my pleas, he laid one on me, milk and all. And it wasn't horrible, just super weird because I knew everyone was staring; I hated that. Hugh released me, cackling. The entire quad of students was laughing and pointing at us, at me. I froze. This was way too much like my outcast memories of last year. Isaac caught on to my extreme discomfort before anyone else noticed my freaked-out state. As quick as lightning, he threw me over his shoulder and hauled me around the nearest building. Plopping me down on the pavement against a wall of lockers, he crouched down to cradle my face. With a corner of his shirt, he wiped the milk from both of us.Regret practically bled from his eyes. "Tru, I'm really, really sorry if that hurt you in any way. I was just having fun."I knew that already, and I totally knew I was blowing things out of proportion. I smiled sadly, wish
The True Nature Series Chapter 17: Ping Pong
I WOKE UP SATURDAY morning exhausted. Another night of dreaming. But I didn't remember much. Just bits and pieces. Back to the cavemen people. Something about families attacking one another, a woman with seven wolves howling around her, and glowing red eyes. It was just creepy. No wonder I slept poorly.I decided to make Dad breakfast for a change, so I hustled into the kitchen in my PJs and took out some bacon and hash browns. I got those started before mixing up the eggs. The tediousness of my actions was soothing and soon erased the eerie feeling from my dreams. It didn't take long for Dad to smell the food. Waking up to bacon was the best.Dad and I spent the day cleaning and sprucing up the place. It was long overdue and we rewarded ourselves with pizza and a movie that night. It felt nice, normal. No school drama, no boy problems, and no strange wolf appearances. For the first time since Mom died, it seemed that our life would, indeed, get better. This was us moving on. It was
The True Nature Series Chapter 18: New Friends
A BETTER SOLUTION PRESENTED itself when Bobby ran into me on my way to the library. He looked sharp today, just jeans and a t-shirt, but he was still like a different person. For one thing, he looked like he actually cared what he looked like. His hair was neatly styled with gel and his clothes weren't dirty or wrinkled. He also radiated positivity, the kind that made you want to join him wherever he was going. He was plain 'ol confident. Good for him, I thought. After we briefly caught up on his family, he invited me to sit with him and some old friends for lunch. I was so pleased to hear that he was hanging with other people again, and I wanted to support the new him, so I agreed. Plus, it solved my little lunch dilemma. I doubted Ruthie would care. She and Val would be all over each other anyway. I sent her a quick text so she wouldn't wonder and give me crap about it later.Bobby's friends huddled around a table at the far edge of the quad, which was completely opposite my regular
The True Nature Series Chapter 19: Homecoming
AFTER SCHOOL, ISAAC AND Phoebe begged another ride from Ruthie, and once again, I found myself smashed up next to Isaac in the backseat.Ruthie decided to drop me off first. As we pulled into my driveway, I noticed that Dad's truck was missing, and I remembered that he would be working late a lot this week.Phoebe stepped out and helped to extract me from the backseat. With surprising strength, she whisked me out and onto the driveway."Geez," said Ruthie, "you guys are turning my cute car into a sideshow!"I chuckled. "It's like a clown car." We were still cracking clown jokes as I pulled out my backpack and prepared to leave them. Suddenly, Phoebe and Isaac froze and gave each other one of their twin looks."Oh, for pork's sake, what's wrong now?" exclaimed Ruthie impatiently. She glanced at her car clock, obviously worried about getting home on time. I knew she didn't want to risk the sweet deal she had with her parents, who were threatening to take her car away if she didn't
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The True Nature Series Chapter 230: The Promise
ZANDER WAS STILL GROGGY, and I helped him lean up against the railing of the general store. I wanted to stay with him, but another problem had cropped up. Polaris was trying to move Dad, and Knox wouldn't let them. No one wanted to risk getting close to his teeth and I feared they might try to drug him or something worse. I sighed and pushed myself up."I'll be right back," I told Zander.I headed across the road and carefully approached the growling Knox. "Hey there, buddy," I said in a soothing voice. "You still have me, remember?" I reached out my hand, letting it hang in the air like Dad had taught me the first time Knox and I had met. Knox's ears flattened, and he whined as he pressed his nose into my fingers. If dogs cried, I'd say Knox was crying now. His eyes looked sticky wet. I ran a hand down his neck, coaxing him off Dad's body and toward me. With a hand on his collar, I eased the two of us several feet away, allowing the others to move Dad. When his limp head dropped t
The True Nature Series Chapter 229: Picking Up the Pieces
BOTH POLARIS AND THE Efotis arrived within minutes of each other. The folks from Polaris had found several locals disabled or dead outside the park, as well as two empty police cars. Someone must have called the authorities about the gunshots or the helicopters. Others had probably been curious enough to investigate the noise themselves. The Nasaru had silenced them before they could see anything. With heavy faces, Polaris began searching the perimeter for more victims and loading up bodies on stretchers to take them away. When the Efotis arrived, Caroline rushed up to me, her eyes wide and desperate. She grabbed me and hugged me like she was never letting go. Despite my reluctance to admit she was my mother, I found her arms comforting. It just felt right. Thaddeus stood as still and straight as a fencepost watching us with soft but wary eyes. I completely understood. My reintroduction to Caroline had been rocky. In fact, it had been like meeting her for the first time, because I'
The True Nature Series Chapter 228: Of One Mind
THADDIE AND I JUMPED away from each other, our eyes wide as saucers. "Shanna!" I breathed out in surprise. But her voice had faded away. "What the heck?" Once again, I'd lost my connection to her."Your eyes turned blue," said Thaddeus with surprise. "Does that happen often? Was that our sister?"I pressed my lips together, frustrated that we'd been so close to talking to her. "Yes, it was Shanna. But she's gone now. Dang it." He opened his mouth to say something else, but I beat him to it. "Wait. Did you just say my eyes turned blue?" "Yes," he answered, looking at me strangely.I thought my eyes had done that before, too, when I'd heard a strange voice. But at the time, I'd convinced myself that it was my imagination. Did this happen every time she talked to me? I held out my hands to Thaddeus, hoping that together we could bring her back. He looked at my outstretched arms with confusion."Just testing a theory," I said. "Take my hands. Maybe we need to be in physical conta
The True Nature Series Chapter 227: Retreat
"THADDIE!" I choked out."You know him?" asked Maverick in surprise.I huffed out a deep breath as we heaved another dead body off his wing."Yes," I said, giving him a watery smile. "He's my brother."Maverick stared at me slack-jawed. After tonight I didn't think anything could surprise him. "You're kidding," he muttered."Yeah, I was going to tell you about him. Turns out, the other sharum guy was my biological father. Is," I corrected, reminding myself that if they took him, he must still be alive."The other guy with Dr. Frankler?""Yeah, I know," I nodded. "Just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder."Maverick grunted an agreement.I examined Thaddie, who still struggled with consciousness. "Let's carry him to a brighter area. It will be easier to help him there."Together, we maneuvered him onto Maverick's back. Amid grunts and gasps, he carried Thaddie to the center of the main street and set him down near Zander, who was still unconscious and oblivious to the
The True Nature Series Chapter 226: The Aftermath
I GAVE MAVERICK A wan smile. "There're gone," I sighed, standing up to move wearily to the next body. Kneeling by the woman from Polaris, I gently closed her eyes. There was no fixing her. The other Polaris soldiers were no better. The rest were Gerard's men. My heart pounded, knowing I'd have to face my dad's body now. I dragged myself to my feet and looked toward Dad. A furry head rested on top of his chest. I ran over to them, wondering how Knox could still be alive, not to mention how he had moved. As I dropped next to them, Knox whined softly. I bent over to press my head against his. "Oh, Knox. You're okay," I wept, running my hands along his fur. Blood matted in several spots, but I couldn't find any injuries. Shaking my head at the miracle, I hugged him. "I know, boy," I crooned. "Dad isn't ... he's not waking up. But you still have me." Knox's tail pounded on the dirt, but he remained pressed against Dad.I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Maverick. "I'm
The True Nature Series Chapter 225: Just Like Dante
THE CIRCLE OF SOLDIERS tightened around us, drawing my attention away from my disappearing friends. Zander pulled me to his back, spinning us around as we faced their weapons. It quickly became clear that even with our abilities, we wouldn't be able to overpower them. "Tru," Zander said, mind-speaking. "This is going to hurt, but you can heal yourself. Protect your head." "What?" I barely had a chance to gasp before he grabbed me, lifted me up in the air, and threw me over the heads of the soldiers. I cleared them by at least five meters and landed in a dense thicket near the line of trees. Branches jabbed me, cutting my skin and shredding my already ruined dress.I groaned. What the heck did Zander think he was doing? I started to crawl out of the bushes and yelped when I felt a sharp pain in one hand. It felt wrong, like broken wrong. Looking up, I saw a few of the soldiers peel away from the circle around Zander and head toward me. "Run!" Zander yelled in my mind.The path
The True Nature Series Chapter 224: From the Frying Pan ...
I GASPED, RECOGNIZING Gerard's creepy grin. "No! It can't be!"He laughed, throwing back his head and clasping his hands together. "You've done me a favor, my dear. I may have lost my mate." A fleeting look of sorrow crossed his face. "Trust me, you'll pay for that. But now I have an even more powerful aramusatu, one that will link you and me together forever." He laughed again, and then held out his hand. "Join me, Tru. You belong with your family."I gagged and stepped away. Had I only made things worse by killing Gerard? "No!" I yelled. I felt the world caving in as Wynona's words flitted through my mind. She's a soul jumper. At that time, she'd meant Ruthie. But apparently, she wasn't the only one. Somehow, Gerard Hughes's spirit had taken over Peter's body. I had a feeling that I'd just leaped from the frying pan into the fire."What happened to Peter?" Gerard's eyes swirled, shifting to yellow slits. He squeezed them shut and shook his head. When he opened his eyes, they w
The True Nature Series Chapter 223: Backfire
OBVIOUSLY, I WAS A healer. But I was definitely no savior. But what about destroyer?The thought of that destiny had filled me with dread before, but now I wanted it so badly that everything but my enemy faded away. I wished I could channel my healing ability into a weapon. Then it struck me. If I could heal wounds why couldn't I un-heal them? I stared at my hands, wondering if it was possible. A dark feeling swirled inside me, like attempting such a thing was straight up wrong, but as Gerard stepped closer to Ruthie, and as Zander continued to bleed out, I knew I had to do something. With shaking hands, I laid Dad's head on the ground. It was too late for him but I might be able to help the others. A fiery rage whipped up inside of me and my eyes locked onto Gerard. He wore a demented look of his own as he considered the chaos around us. I took off toward him. When I was almost upon him, he saw me and pulled out his gun. I plowed forward anyway and tackled him, sending the weapon f
The True Nature Series Chapter 222: Inconceivable Choice
I YANKED AWAY FROM the guard holding me and ran back to Zander, who gasped, "I'll be fine, Tru. Go to him." I knew he meant my dad and that he'd realized the same thing I had. Ignoring the guns pointed at me, I rushed toward Dad and Knox. Donavitch was grinning at me, clearly enjoying my terror, and Knox was barking out a warning to Mrs. Taylor as she pointed her gun at Dad. "Look out, Dad!" He looked from me to Mrs. Taylor and flinched when he saw the gun pointing at him. "No, Eleria!" yelled Mr. Taylor.Crack!In the blink of an eye, two bodies fell to the ground. At the last second, Mr. Taylor had raced after his wife and thrown his body in front of my dad. They both went down. I fell to the ground next to Dad, frantically searching for his wound. A bright red stain in the center of his blue flannel shirt expanded to the size of my hand within seconds. Had the bullet gone through Mr. Taylor and Dad? Of course! The gun had been loaded with cutters, the Nasaru's usemi-killin
