It didn’t take long for the school to react. Surely someone had seen the huge group of students crowding up against the big bay windows in the cafeteria. Maybe someone saw the little scuffle from the breezeway across the grounds. Either way the cavalry was there.

Teachers and security guards started to push through with the nurse on their heels. Gathering them like an unruly concert crowd. Sweeping through till they found the group in the middle of it all, just outside the cafeteria doors. Mickey and Xavier pulling Shay up in a heap of tears, the black and blue starting to spread across her arm.

Emily holding back Braylee at the tables. Leah standing with a huge shit eating grin, with a red handprint across her face. Silently staring down her younger sister with a cold expression.

“That’s what you get” She snapped, looking proud of herself.

“What the heck’s happened here?” The principal Mr. Granger asked looking at the group in question.

Principle Granger was an older man, probably late fifties or early sixties. His hair was long and brown but tied up into what seemed like a hippie bun. Beard and mustache trimmed and well kept. Like a retired hippy singer.

“Nobody?” The head burly security guy stepping through after. “Somebody knows something? Everyone was here watching. So what went down?”

Of course he was turning to look at the crowd gathered at the windows. which had now started to slowly navigate back to class as the bell rung.

“Leah attacked Shay, to piss off our sister. And Mickey slapped her to protect her best friend” Caden mumbled, throwing his hands up and moving away towards the covered benches.

“So everyone except for Emily and Xavier in my office” He barked and everyone started moving.

~~~~~~

“So you dragged a girl through the cafeteria because she was eating in the bathroom alone?” Principal Grangers face was turned to the side a bit, confused at the entire situation.

“We’ll she’s a friend of my sisters. It should be thought more like an intervention” Leah said sudo-confidently tucking her hands into her lap. “Who eats alone in a bathroom stall…. A school wacko, somebody who’s depressed and in need of help. It was rash but I feel it was for the safety of the school”

Everyone else’s jaws dropped instantly, she sounded as if she was reading a prompt on the nightly news. The twins let off a quick chuckle and after receiving a glared by the principal, they stopped.

Principal Grangers office was a bit bigger then completely expected. None of them had ever been here prior. They weren’t bad students, but they weren’t exactly the a-list studious type either. Some where in the middle of complete outcast and popular.

A few bookshelves on the far corner of the room, filled with books all spine out. Names to far to read. A desk in the middle of a dark wood, it was nearly taking up most of the room. Seat littered across the entrance wall, mostly due to everyone being packed into the room.

“That’s bullshit and you know it!” Braylee shot back and instantly caught the judge gaze of their principal.

“Language!” He snapped and looked back at Leah. “Anyone who says another foul word will receive a weeks detention and a two day suspension”

“Fine” Mickey spoke next with a sigh.

“It was a power move I didn’t see coming” Braylee thought and Mickey turned with a knowing smile.

“None of us seen this coming” Mickey replied.

“Any news from the jailhouse?” Xavier asked and was surely chuckling in class to himself.

“Just bullshit from Leah. Nothing new” Mickey growled.

“So all of you watched it happen? And didn’t do anything?” He asked.

“We couldn’t do anything. We sit out in the picnic table area” Braylee started knowing it wouldn’t matter much.

“By the time we realized it. She was tossing her out to us. This wasn’t some intervention. It was a sisterly spat that could’ve hurt someone” Corbin was standing at Mickey’s side, holding the back of her chair.

“A spat about what?” The principle asked and Shay sat up a little straighter and looked deep into his eyes.

“It was brought to my attention that she knew about a crush. So Leah used that to make all of our lives miserable” Shay said as the door to the office opened.

“An officer is here to see you sir” His younger female secretary said before Shay’s dad stepped in.

The man was always happy, his smile quickly caused the room to perk up a bit. Or it might have been the uniform.

“So how’s everyone doing today?” He looked around the room.

“I’m sorry” Braylee spit out and instantly dropped her face into her hands.

“So from what I gather. Leah put her hands on your daughter. Then Mickey looking to even the score put her hands on Leah.” Principal Granger added in.

“Do you wish to press any changes?” Shay’s father looked at her and then his gaze went to Leah.

“No” They both said in unison without much thought.

“We’ll then. Now I’m here as a father.” He leaned against the wall behind the teens. “Seems like something that was fueled by drama and revenge”

“Seems the just of it” Principal Granger shook his head. “So I’m going to give Leah two weeks out of school suspension, Mickey your going to get three days out. Everyone else, stay out of my office”

Shay was the first to grab her bag and go running off out the door. Which only made Braylee want to disappear for a few days too. Everyone else was out the door in the hall when Shay’s dad motioned for Braylee to come talk to him at the edge of the hall.

“So you sister seems like quite the character?” He chuckled a bit looking down the hall to where Shay stopped and glared at him.

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault.” Braylee said crossing her arms and not looking up.

“It’s not your fault. You can’t control other people. You may have caused her reaction but it’s not your fault.” She still didn’t look up. “I’m sure that is gonna be talked about for a few weeks”

“Yeah especially when you’re in nowhere and nothing ever goes on. And when it does it’s always around you.” She sighed.

“It’s high school, someone else will do something dumb and you’ll be off the hook” He chuckled. “Not quite the end of the world”

“So….” She looked up and he could see the hurt clear on her face.

“Honestly I just wanted to know if you could help Shay fit in better. It wasn’t to long ago she lost her mom” He started then rubbed his temple. “I’m sorry, I just really want her to fit in. And your little group seems to have already tried to bring her in. So I’m just asking you to try a bit harder”

“If you only knew” Braylee sighed to herself.

“I can try” She smiled a bit.

“It would mean a lot to me. So I thank you.” He nodded to her; smiled, then started down the hallway.

~~~~~~~

“I hope your moms not pissed at me” Mickey said as her and Braylee moved to the car.

“That bitch deserved it.” Braylee grumbled jumping into her suv. “I can’t even believe she did it. Even now if feels like a bad dream”

“I’m sorry your sisters a bitch”

“She’s no sister of mine!” Braylee growled and her eyes started to turn a bright glowing blue color.

“Uhmm. You might want to tone it down a bit” Mickey was pointing to the steering wheel, that had started to indent due to her grip. “That’s totally not normal…”

“Strength….” She groaned. “I can’t even get mad anymore…. Ughhh…”

“Just chill for a second. Wusahhh” Mickey said rubbing her ear lobes lightly in a circular motion.

“Really, at a time like this” Braylee’s chuckle broke through her angry glare.

“Hey. It works. Just cuz it’s in a movie, doesn’t make it true” Mickey started laughing a bit. “Im surprised Shay didn’t smack a bitch when she grabbed her”

“Wait. I didn’t even realize that” Braylee gave her a confused look. “She’s got strength, speed, and hearing. Fuck what if she can here us talking about her…. That’s why she’s eating in the bathroom….”

“We’ll dam. So she does know your coco for coco puffs about her” Mickey laughed.

“God. Why” Braylee spun her head and glared at her best friend. “I’m gonna die. As if having your sister out you to the school wasn’t bad enough.”

“Why hasn’t she talked to you then?” Mickey questioned. “Well you ready for the war of the worlds at the house?”

“Yeah, definitely still better then at school” Braylee sighed and then started the car.

“Well… nope I don’t see any way to flip this positive. Ughhh am I gonna have to go home” She sighed.

“I’m not facing all this shit alone. So we can head to the store. I’m sure she’s getting an earful anyway” Braylee said with a smile.

Of course when they go to the store they hadn’t expected both parents still there. Unaware of why they were out of school early.

“Shouldn’t you two be in school?” Braylee’s dads stern words made them both freeze in place down the center isle.

Neither of them turned but they could feel his eyes on them. Waiting for an answer. When they didn’t answer after a few seconds they heard her mother sigh coming around the corner ahead of them.

“Hunny I just got off the phone with Principal Granger. It seems ….” She stopped mid sentence startled by the girl’s presence.

“I figured one of you would be at home…” Braylee replied covering her face with a single hand.

“We’ll I came in to help your mom out. What the principal say?”

“He said me and Leah got into fight at school and we are both suspended.” Mickey hung her head a bit in shame. “She started it thou…”

“We figured you’d need help here” Braylee answered and shrugged a bit when her dad looked straight at her.

“We are thankful for your honesty, but…” Braylee’s mom started.

“Also figured that Leah was going home and it was best to let everyone cool off” Braylee said as the front doors swung open.

Everyone looked up to see Jayden’s smiling face headed in their direction. Which of course had her father moving to greet him.

“Hope those generators are going well!” Her father gave the man a quick “man hug”.

They parted and Jayden’s eyes met Braylee’s for a second and he nodded.

“They have definitely come in handy” He replied and my father motioned to my mother to come to him.

“We’ll if you need anything else. Let the girls know. We have a situation that needs to be handled at home” That was all that her parents said before moving out to her dad’s truck in the parking lot.

“That didn’t sound to good” Jayden said turning back to the duo.

“I smacked her sister, after she dragged Shay from the girls bathroom; across the hall, and through the cafeteria, just to toss her into the dirt outside where we eat.” Mickey explained, moving towards the counter.

“We’ll y’all had a fun day it seems” He chuckled and looked at Braylee. “She grabbed your mate and man handled her. And you didn’t shift.”

“It all happened so fast… I didn’t really get time to think…” Braylee said as Mickey gasped.

“He knew before me!” Mickey was quickly at her side angrily glaring at her. “But I’m your best friend”

“I’m like the wolf info guy I guess. But she didn’t really have a chance to lie” Jayden added in, grabbing a few items off the candy shelf next to them. “So I found out she’s actually come back around here due to the fact her father is human. Her mother must have carried the genes”

“How do you even find stuff like that out?” Mickey questioned.

“Humans are very bad at keeping secrets. They gossip a lot” Jayden laughed. “Once you all shift I can give you some pointers”

“You really think we are going to shift?” Mickey questioned, leaning over the counter with a sideways look.

“I’m still not sure how or why? But you all have been blessed or cursed with the gene”

“What does that even mean?” Braylee groaned.

“It means. Whomever is responsible is working alone but keeping it dam tight lipped” Jayden tossed the candy onto the conveyor. “I can only find out what’s happening around y’all. How much the other kids see. Some teachers too. But nothing leading to why.”

“Great. It’s one big secret” Braylee stopped as the front doors slid open to reveal Bruno.

His left eye looked like he got hit by Mike Tyson. Except he didn’t even really look there way, just started off down the first isle.

“Bruno!” Mickey called out but he didn’t come back around the corner or acknowledge their existence at all.

“Isn’t that one of yours?” Jayden motioned to the boy but both girls exchanged a quick glance.

“Yeah” Was all Braylee could say.

“Who the fuck socked him like that?” Mickey looked at them both with disbelief. “He’s like a big ass football player. How does that happen?”

“Cheap shot?” Jayden shrugged, tossing Mickey cash for the candy.

“You know I can hear you all right.” Bruno’s voice sounded over the mind link.

“What happened?” Braylee said like a caring mother as he turned the corner behind them.

“Remember when I said my dad was kind of a dick… when it came to this football stuff…. Well I told him I was gonna quit the team..” Bruno rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what else to do.

“That’s fucked” Braylee was standing on a stool looking at his eye, that had a red spotted area. “Popped a blood vessel and gave you a black eye”

“That’s wild” Jayden said, tossing a handful of candies into his mouth.

“It will heal…” He said. “How’s everyone else?”

“Leah and Mickey are suspended. It’s a whole story” Braylee gave her Bestie a sideways glance. “The entire school knows I have a thing for Shay. And we are Werewolves”

“Wait! your gay?” Bruno started and then the wheels turning in his mind caught the last bit. “Werewolf…. Your lying”

“Nope. Next full moon you will all shift for the first time. I expect.” Jayden said through a mouth full of chewed skittles.

“When’s that?” Bruno says tossing a armful of food items onto the counter.

“Tomorrow night. First shift sleepover at Braylee’s” Mickey chuckled.

“So what’s the plan with that?” Braylee looked at Jayden.

“Stay away from humans, hopefully you have a basement with a door.” Jayden groaned watching them all watching him. “I can’t watch five different wolves at one time”

“Also we do have one problem…” Braylee looked up with a sigh. “Emily can’t come to the sleep over. Says her dad won’t allow it”

“That’s definitely problematic” Jayden shrugged. “Hopefully she’s got enough sense to get away before it all comes out”

“So now I gotta tell my dad I’m going over to a girl’s house for a sleepover?” Bruno gave them all a cocky smile.

“Ewww no” Mickey giggled.

“You can tell him one of the twins wants to join the football team or something” Braylee added in. “Xavier will be there too”

“Well if I got two black eyes you know why” He laughed a bit and gave Mickey some cash.

“I wouldn’t expect that to still be there in the morning. Fast regeneration is another effect” Jayden grabbed two bags of chips.

“That’s gonna be fun to explain. Well at least nobody will see it at school tomorrow” Bruno replied and grabbed his bags. “I’ll let you know how it goes”

~~~~~~~~~

Jayden and Bruno left the girls to close up and then off to the shit show they headed. Pulling up to the house. They immediately realized Logan’s keep outside.

“Great” Braylee groaned heading towards the door.

Entering the house they heard shuffling upstairs, then coming into the living room. Braylee’s dad and Logan sat on opposite sides of the couch watching television. Logan waved at them a bit, probably hoping to cut the tension.

“Great your other daughters are home!” Leah hissed from upstairs, probably seeing the car in the driveway.

“I’d just stay in the basement tonight” Their dads voice came as a warning.

“Actually I think I might just have you take me home” Mickey didn’t look at Braylee but was looking at the front door instead.

“That’s bull. Mickey wasn’t in the wrong. Why do we get punished because someone else wants to be a bitch” Braylee clearly wasn’t having it.

“Language!” Her father warned but she growled under her breath.

“Braylee…” Mickey said, touching her Bestie on her shoulder.

“I’m not going to let her win here too” Braylee started for the stairs and Mickey was quickly on her tail.

Pulling on her arms at the bottom of the stairs.

“Someone found her claws” Logan chuckled for a second till dad glared at him.

“Don’t go up there!” He said his voice starting to elevate.

“So she’s just gonna get no sort of backlash for outing me to the entire school. While dragging some poor girl across the cafeteria?” Braylee couldn’t believe it, Mickey was in shock as well.

“She’s going to be leaving soon. Just let her finish packing” He retorted, still not looking away from the television screen.

“You kicked her out?”

“No. I just want away from my lezzi sister and her weirdo friends” Leah huffed running past her on the stairs. “You think I’d get kicked out for calling you out. After you nearly killed me”

“So that’s how she got out of it” Mickey said over the mind link.

“No it’s fine. Let’s go Braylee” Mickey was pretty much trying to drag her away.

“No. Your just a hateful hag that doesn’t have shit going on after she graduates. So now you wanna ruin other peoples lives.” Braylee spit out like a snake backed into a corner.

“We have neighbors. So take your friend home. And we can talk later” Her father said and she just started towards Leah.

Grabbing her arm, she forced her older sister to the floor. Like she’d done to Shay, grabbing her arm she dragged her to their dads feet. Tossing her to the floor just short of the couch.

“There’s your reanimated version of what happened. And I didn’t try to kill her. She just keeps starting stuff with me and I’m getting tired of it” Braylee didn’t say anything else, just grabbed her keys off the counter and headed towards the door.

Mickey was at her heels holding her mouth in awe. Braylee kicked the suv in gear and backed out the driveway.

~~~~~~~

Braylee’s parents owned a small two story house in the suburban neighborhood built just outside the towns high school area. Mickey’s parents house on the other hand was part of the older district a block away from the downtown stores.

It was a two story brick building that had a small front lawn and a black metal gate. Of course as they pulled up and parked. Mickey’s grandmother was rocking on her chair and waved.

“Ready for this” Mickey groaned, hoping out the suv.

“Your grandma is so nice” Braylee called after her getting her night bag out the bag seat.

“So what brings you home mouse?” He grandmothers toothless grin made them both laugh.

“Mickey grandma, not mouse” She giggled correcting her. “How was your day?”

As the stepped up onto the porch they noticed the assortment of yarn balls and her grandmother’s needlework. Kroching had always been her favorite past time. Now it was either for the big hospital baby ward; or selling them online, even the neighborhood people had started inquiring about buying them for the winter nights.

“Just more of my hard work” She smiled. “I heard your out of school now for a few days? A fight?” She questioned and Mickey sighed.

“I promise it wasn’t to bully someone. I was just protecting my friends” Braylee looked at the ground for a second not catching the old woman’s gaze.

“It was my sisters fault. One of the reasons we aren’t at my house” Braylee was quick to respond so that Mickey’s grandmother wouldn’t get upset.

“I heard you slapped Leah pretty good” Her grandmother chuckled a bit. “I understand stand. But how are you doing my little mouse?”

“I’m doing good. How’s the house holding up?” Mickey was quick to change the subject as Braylee started to giggle a bit.

“Did she tell you about her boyfriend?” Braylee continued to laugh holding onto the pouch pew.

“My little mouse has herself a boyfriend?” Her grandmother gave her a stern look and the chuckled as she looked up seemingly remembering a time past. “I remember my first boyfriend”

“Why are you like this?” Mickey said mock angrily into the mind link.

“I get all teasing rights cuz it’s my brother” Braylee replied with a smile.

“Soooo is it ok if Braylee and I stay the night GG?” Her grandmothers face dropped a bit, and then she smiled.

“If you’re sure you can handle being back here. The house is always open to you mouse” As she spoke Braylee and Mickey started into the house.

Unlike Braylee’s parents fairly newly built house, the architecture of the running boards was a swirling pattern that fed all the way through the house. Coming to a circle swirl on the wooden banister at the stairs.

It was a beautiful house, but it held a dark side that Braylee understood. The summer she’d spent comfortably at Braylee’s, now she’d stepped into the living room in hell.

Mickey didn’t look around, didn’t even grab for the banister as they climbed the first set of stairs. The second floor was hauntingly quiet and unlike the downstairs dark.

“Gg doesn’t do steps anymore…. So it’s always dark up here” Mickey mumbles, looking at the red carpet and not at the closed doors.

The next set of stairs was narrow, heading up to Mickey’s bedroom. Where she’d probably only spent a single night in since the summer’s tragic events.

When they got up to the top of stair’s everything was perfectly cleaned. The dresser hadn’t been touched, the tv across the room was just sitting, clothes weren’t spewed across the room like Braylee’s.

Then she just collapsed onto the colorful center Carter, bawling her eyes out. Braylee’s only reaction was to give her a quick hug from behind.

“It’s gonna be alright Bestie” Braylee tried to soothe her.

“I just don’t get it. Why…” She continued to sob.