*Pic on side Jade Green* * To see the rest of the cast go back through the previous chaps*

Chapter 10

Rumors

Jade Pov

The rest of the day passed without any more incidents. Which I was thankful for. What I wasn't happy about was the fact that I didn't see Jordan the rest of the day. It's crazy that when I see him I don't want to and when I don't see him he's all I can think about. It's so frustrating.

Leo is driving us home now and he and Trish are up front talking about some game. I tune out choosing to watch the passing houses instead. Finally we reach the pack house and I all but jump out the car. I'll take all the distance I can get from my girlfriend.

Angel is on the porch swing playing with one of her dolls but she looks sad.

"Hey babe want to watch a movie" Trish asks when she catches up with me

"Angel looks down. I'm going to sit with her for a minute" I say pointing at the little girl up the steps. She shrugs and kisses my cheek before dashing into the house after her brother. At least I get some peace.

"Hey kid" I say cheerily sitting down next to the pretty little girl.

She ignores me so I grab one of her dolls and begin playing with it. She watches me curiously but doesn’t make any move to join. Hmm guess I’ll have to turn it up a notch. I take the dolls plastic arms and move them robotically while making a beat box noise with my mouth. Angel starts laughing at my attempts at doll break dancing and then to my surprise begins to do the same thing with hers.  

We stay on the porch swing playing with her dolls for another twenty minutes. Angel’s mood completely changes and she happily chats with me about school and her friends. I’m so into playing and laughing with her that I didn’t even notice we had an audience.

Until the wind picked up.

His sexy scent washed over me pooling my insides with desire. I closed my eyes taking a minute to gather myself before looking up.

Jordan stood casually leaning against the porch rail smiling at us. Damn he looks so handsome when he smiles that it’s impossible not to smile back.

“Jordy!” Angel shouts dashing from the swing and leaping into her big brothers arms. My heart warms at the sight of their happy faces as he spins her around and kisses her forehead. Angel begins speaking excitedly to him about her day and he simply listens to the little girl. I can see the love he has for her in his eyes. It brings a smile to my face.

“Sounds like you had a great day bug” Jordan says putting her down

“Stop calling me bug! I’m not a little baby anymore” Angel says back with the cutest pout making both Jordan and I laugh.

“Go inside and get ready for dinner bug” Jordan replies with a lingering smile. She sticks her tongue out before running off inside the house.  

The front door slammed closed leaving us standing outside in an awkward silence.

Crap! What to do, what do I do! I begin biting on my lip staring at my shoes hard. Boy I really need some new sneakers. These ones are getting pretty worn out. I continue to stare at my feet completely failing to keep my mind off the sexy wolf a few feet away.  

I hear him taking slow steps until he was right in front me. He smelled so good I could just eat him. I refused to look up at him knowing I wasn’t strong enough at the moment to resist temptation. Gently he lifted my chin and softly pulled my bottom lip from my teeth. Sensations spread all over my lips through my entire body making me hot with desire. Suddenly my lips felt dry and quickly I used my tongue to wet them. His eyes followed the movement and he groaned deeply. The sound caused heat to shoot down my core. My heart began to pound wildly in my chest.

Luckily my cellphone chirped breaking the steadily intense moment. I pulled it out of my pocket to check who it was

New Message: Trish

Heyy babe, Angels inside what are you still doing out there??

I quickly shove the phone back into my pocket after reading it. I’m getting that suffocating feeling again. Like the air was only coming out of my lungs but not going in. I need a break.

Before I embarrass myself I take off past Jordan an all but run from the porch. I continue running until I get to the end of the street.

This is really getting harder to handle. Every time I’m close to him my mind goes blank. For those few seconds all I long for is his touch.

“Ahh!” I scream out to the empty street.

My wolf is so edgy lately it’s driving me crazy. Her need to be with her mate counters my need to be with Trish. It’s like I’m constantly at war with myself. All I want is some time away from both of them to clear my mind and just breathe easy.

An idea hits me.

I reach into my back pocket pulling out the tiny scrap of paper with Abby’s number. She did say whenever I was free. And now I’m free; physically anyway. I send a quick text which she replies to in seconds. Fifteen minutes later she picks me up in her red PT cruiser.

“I’m so glad you decided to hang out” she said turning down the radio. I felt peace washing over me the further we got away from the pack house.

“Yeah me too” I told her with a smile. So far she didn’t seem that bad except for that creepy smile but it may just be her own excitement or nerves.

 We chit chatted about school the rest of the way to her home. Not even ten minutes later we pulled into the driveway of an average size two story white house. It was nice but didn’t stand out in anyway. She wasted no time leading me in and right up stairs to her bedroom. The queen size bed was decorated in multiple colors and the walls were littered with posters of Hollywood actors and male models. I will say she does have good taste in men.

 “Cool room” I tell her glancing over her extremely girly bedroom. Everything is various shades of purple and other than celebrities, her walls have pictures of what I presumed were her family.

“Thanks!” she replies happily flopping on her fluffy covered queen bed. “I didn’t think you would call, especially so soon”

“Yeah sorry about how I acted at school I have a lot going on right now” I explained taking a seat at her desk. It was a rolling chair so I couldn’t help but to spin around in a circle a couple of times. 

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you decided to hang out with me. You’re the talk of the school!” she told me bubbly. I stopped spinning and faced her.

“What are you talking about?” I asked. Other than the girls giving me death glares and the boys undressing me with their eyes, everything was typical to me.

Abby’s eyes widened with excitement as she sat up and launched into her explanation “Well for starters you beat up queen bee Tiffany! That girl is awful! People have wanted to do that for years and you did it in your first week here!”

I groaned inwardly. Of course I attacked the most popular girl in school and developed a reputation in my first week. “Is that all?” I question hoping the answer is yes.

“No.” she stated. There goes my hoping. “Tiffany hates you. All of Tiffany’s friends hate you too but not because you beat their leader but because your hot! The guys have this thing called the dime list. They choose the hottest girls in the school and put them on this list in the boy’s locker room, I’ve never been in there to see it but I know it’s true. Anyways, rumor has it Tiffany is no longer number 1 but 2. Take a guess who’s the new number one?” she asks practically bouncing in her seat.    

I groan again louder this time “I don’t think I want to know” I say rubbing my temples.

“It’s you!” she yells like I won a prize. Oh joy! Nothing like hormonal teenage boys writing your name on a wall to get you all riled up. Sike. “And that’s not the best part!” she adds cheesing at me. Geez she’s smiling so hard it looks like it hurts. If this gossip is all it takes to get her excited than she seriously needs to get out into the world. 

“Oh please no more, my poor heart can’t take it!” I say dramatically falling to the soft tan carpeted floor in a mock death. Abby laughs. My acting sucks, I was never really that good in drama class.

“Jordan has declared you off limits” She announced leaning over the bed peering down at me on ground.

That bit of information perked me up. My head snapped to her. “Come again?”

“Jordan is the top guy at our school. He’s the hottest, the most athletic and a total player. Basically what he says goes around here. Tiffany has been trying to get him to be official with her for years and it never works. Jordan has a new girl it seems like every day” I fight not to growl at that remark “Then you come along and he stops talking or even flirting with any girls. I heard after the guy’s named you number one hottie, Jordan threatened that any one going near you would regret it. The strange thing is no one has seen him make a move on you. It’s very unlike him because Jordan always gets the number one girl, quickly. So either he’s really into you or you guys are in a secret relationship already. Which is it?” she presses waiting expectantly for my answer.

I sat up stunned. Did Jordan really stop all the guys from hitting on me? It would make sense because no one has. Of course they look but that’s about as far as it goes. I assumed Trish was the reason I wasn’t bothered but maybe I was wrong.

“Neither” I answer a full minute later. All this gossiping girl talk is giving me a headache. Flying under the radar this school year seems more impossible the more she talks. “I’m dating Trish. Does no one care to gossip about that?” the sarcasm in my voice is obvious.

“Nah. Lesbians aren’t a big deal anymore. Well not after the feminist club was caught having an orgy at one of their after school meetings last year. Like twelve girls were expelled” she informed me getting up and flipping through movies stacked below her TV.

Okay that was way too much information. I’ll be sure to throw away that flyer they gave me.

“Besides” she says sticking the movie Magic Mike into the DVD player “The Tiffany, Jordan and Jade love triangle is way juicer” she starts making kissing faces at me and I throw a pillow at her. We both laugh.

I like Abby. She’s nice and fun and being around her is easy. I feel like we could talk all day about anything. Is this what it feels like to have a girl who’s your friend? No wonder girls hang out with each other then.

We watch the movie leaving my “love triangle” talk behind and instead chat about school, Channing Tatum’s body, cool hairstyles and the latest trends. Turns out Abby has good taste she just doesn’t use it on herself. It feels good to have girl talk and just giggle about nothing really. I hadn’t felt like this in a long time.

Not since my sister left…

 I shake off the depressing thoughts creeping and replace them with Jordan. I’m really curious about this list of names. My old school was superficial but this seems way over the top.

Then an idea strikes me.

“Let’s go find the list. The dime list.” I announce sitting up from my previous laying down position on her bed.

“You can’t be serious” she responded flatly. Abby reached into her night stand pulling out a package of Reese’s pieces.

“Of course I am! Come on it’ll be easy, schools out for the day” I inform her.

“Yeah but the boys basketball team is having practice right now. If we go we’ll get caught.” Abby declared popping a couple of tiny candies in her mouth. She held the bag out and poured some of them in my hand.

Okay so we could get caught but I’m a freaking werewolf for crying out loud. The one thing I can do well is hear. I’ll surely be able to hear the guys coming long before they are close. But I can’t tell Abby all this. Humans knowing our secret are a big no no.

Oh well, guess I just have to lay on the charm.

Or cry.

Whichever works because I want to see that list. Maybe it’s crazy or maybe I’m trying to avoid the pack house awhile longer, either way we are doing this. 

“Don’t be scared we will not get caught. Trust me” I plead giving her my best puppy dog face. Abby sighs deeply and I know I got her. That was easy.

“Okay, okay” she whines. Yes! I playfully smack her on the back and she winces. Whoops forgot she wasn’t a wolf or a boy.

“Before we go, does your dad have any cologne?” I ask innocently.

Abby gives me a strange look but doesn’t question my need for it. After popping the last of the candy in my mouth we climb into her tiny car and head for the school.

Fifteen minutes later we are speed walking through the deserted hallways of the high school. The closer we get to the gym the clearer the voices become. I can make out the coach yelling drills to the players and the sound of dribbling basketballs and shoes squeaking on the court. If I focused I could hear every word said in there.

Right before I pull open the locker room door labeled “boys” Abby stops me.

“Wait! I think this is a bad idea. I mean what’s the plan here? See the list and then what?” her voice has a bit of panic in it. Cleary she never gets into trouble and so help me I won’t let her start today.

“Look if you want to wait in the car you can. But I really need to see this list.” I say glancing back and forth down the hall for added measures.

“What will you do when you find it?” Abby questioned. I shift on my feet before reaching in my purse and showing her some of the contents “Spray paint?” she says confused.

“Yeah” I reply “I used to tag with my sister years ago. Now there’s just this one place in the woods I tag when I get the feeling to. Still I can’t help but carry a couple of cans with me all the time. When I find that list I’m going to turn their shallowness into art.” I state proudly.

Granted it’s not the best plan and I’m supposed to stay out of trouble but screw that. Girls shouldn’t be treated like objects for these boys to say and do what they want. This is just my way of telling them I’m not to be messed with. They’ll probably just re-write it after but that’s not the point. The point is someone dared to cross them. That someone is me. Later I’ll figure out how to deal with Jordan and his threatening the guys at this school. I don’t need him or anyone else to protect me.

“You’re crazy. But I’m in” she beamed regaining some of her earlier excitement. I like this girl even more now.

Quietly I pull the door open and we slip inside. The first thing I notice is the smell. Oh it’s terrible! It’s like feet, sweat, and corn chips. Both Abby and I plug our noses immediately. Do the boys not smell this? Maybe they are just used to it. Although I don’t know how anyone could get used to this smell.

Abby and I maneuver quietly through the rows of blue lockers and stained benches. It may smell badly but it’s not as dirty as I imagined. Clothes are thrown about here and there but nothing major. There’s a faint smell of Jordan lingering in the air. Believe it or not it still smells delicious to me even though it’s clouded by funk. Ugh get a grip Jade!

“Hey! I think I found it” Abby called out.

 I followed the sound of her heartbeat over to the showers. She stood outside the shower entrance staring at the tile wall. And I could see why. Nearly the entire thing was covered in names. The wall was divided into three sections. One was titled pennies aka uglies, the other was nickels aka average and the last and largest was dimes aka hotties. I scrolled through some of the names and noticed not only students but teachers and even the cafeteria ladies. One lunch lady even made the dime list.

True to Abby’s gossip I saw my name in huge letters in the number one spot on the dimes list. The sight made me gag. When will these boys learn that beauty will never outweigh personality? Since I know it’s not my winning personality that earned me this title I can hardly wait to destroy it. Or should I say turn it into a masterpiece.

“I’m on the pennies list” Abby whispered sadly “Becky Bergeson made the nickels list and she has a mole on her face the size of Texas!” she added growing angry.

“Hey don’t let this crap get to you. These idiots aren’t the deciders of what beauty is. And true beauty I believe comes from in here” I say pointing at her heart. “You are beautiful. Never let anyone make you feel less than that” and then I used my sharp wolf nail and scratched out her name, chipping the tile.

Abby looks shocked by my actions but her expression soon turns to gratefulness.  

“So what are you going to do to it?” Abby questions curiously. I took a step back and looked at the whole wall. It was a decent size meaning this isn’t going to be as quick of a job as I expected.

“How much time before practice ends?” I ask as an idea forms in my head.

Abby checked her watch “It started about thirty minutes ago so about another hour. Coach Bevin has been really working them hard lately” she told me. Perfect! I could create my masterpiece in that time. I drop my bag on the ground quickly palming my cans. Too bad I only had glittery black, eggshell white and neon pink. That would have to do for now.

I went work as fast I could. Every tagger has their own style and signature. Some are more creative, others just like writing their name or slang but me I saw tagging as art; a way to express oneself. My personal style centered on recreating strong images. I sometimes like to remind people of the beautiful things in the world they may have forgotten. Or maybe I just like to remind myself there are still beautiful things in the world no matter how tragic my life has been. Today I was going to that and mess with the boys at the same time. My glee helped me as I moved from painting the outside and began the center. The boys had writings in all types of colors and sizes and I used a little of those colors to my advantage in my work. Of course I covered enough so that no names could be recognized and only tiny bits of color popped through here and there. Once finished I stepped back to admire it.

“Uh what is it?” Abby pondered. She raised a brow and she stared at my painting while tilting her head to side as if she couldn’t quite figure it out.

“It’s Jack in the Pulpit No. IV. Well the best I could do with the colors I had anyway.” I answered. My creation was pink in all the places the original work of art was black. Yes, it was definitely a different spin on Georgias work but I still think it looks awesome. I cross my arms smiling proudly at it.  

“Oook, I don’t know who or what Jack is but if you ask me it looks just like a va-”

“Do you hear that?” I ask cutting her off. Abby snaps her mouth shut glancing all around.

“I don’t hear anything” she shrugs. That’s the problem. The gym is just on the other side of the locker room. With my werewolf hearing I should have been able to hear a pin drop over there. Yet I heard nothing. That’s strange. Too strange for my liking but now isn’t the time to play detective.

 I open my mouth to tell Abby it’s time to go but the sound of the locker door opening cut me off.

A second later male voices followed.

Abby froze; eyes wide and face pale. She was panicked.

I looked around trying to think fast. Fuck! Do something Jade! Searching around frantically I see a laundry bin in the corner. I toss my cans in my bag and pull Abby quickly to the bin. Inside it’s filled with dirty jockstraps and tee shirts. I hold my breath as I move some aside.

Ew ew ew I never want to eat with this hand again…

I mouth to my new friend to get in but she shakes her head no profusely. The boys are getting closer now. Thank the moon goddess we were in the far back because it truly bought us some time. Time I wasn’t wasting arguing with Abby. I’m in enough trouble and getting us both busted wasn’t going to happen on my watch.

Using my strength I lift her up and not so gracefully drop her in the pin. She slaps her hand over her mouth and nose but her eyes say she’s not very happy. Ill blame adrenaline for my strength later if she questions me. I hurriedly throw more dirty undies over her head to hide her and spray some of her dads cologne to cover her scent from the werewolves on the team.

A few guys come around the corner heading for the showers and I narrowly miss them using my speed to dodge into a row of lockers.

Shit!

I have nowhere to go.

The bin wasn’t big enough for two and I didn’t have time to get in anyway. I peek into the blue lockers searching for an empty one to hide in. They all have clothes in them. Laughter drifts over me and I know my time is almost up.

Seeing no other option I sprayed cologne and dove into the furthest locker right as a group of guys entered my section.

As soon as the small door closed me in I realized the terrible mistake I made…

His scent was all around me causing tingles to spread through my skin

My panicked instincts lead me right to it…

Jordan Hunters locker…

…And he was headed this way

Ah hell! 

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