^Gif is of Alyssa Asher :) 

I walked the long way home. Instead of cutting through the woods straight to Maple Street, I went through town. I needed a new book from Rosie's. 

Rosie's used to be a sweet shop, Dad tells me. It used to sell these things called Hot Fudge Rocks that melted as soon as you put it in your mouth. It had been renovated right before I was born. I walked inside the shop on Old Folk Rd, today. The shop was now a bookstore. It still sold sweets up the back in the cafe but Dad says that it's not like how it used to be anymore. I picked up a book I hadn't seen before off the new arrivals shelf and turned to read the blurb. 

As soon as my eyes read the word 'magic' I put it back down. I soon found a book that was a mundane 'girl-falls-for-new-bad-boy-and-eventually-he-gets-the-guts-to-ask-her-out-before-he-cheats-on-her-so-she-breaks-up-with-him-and-then-he-makes-it-up-to-her-by-doing-something-super-cliche' type of novel. My shelf was full of them because although I dislike cliches, they're cliches for a reason; they're good. 

I took it to the counter and gave the old lady a thin smile, "Hi Edna."

She handed me back the book and my credit card and nodded her head, "Until next time, Miss James."

"Bye," I said, slipping the items into my schoolbag. 

I stepped back out onto the pavement. The sun made me sweat as I walked the quick way home from Rosie's. Even under the canopy of trees, I was boiling. I sighed at the heat before clicking my fingers on my left hand. The air around me became a degree cooler. 

Mum had taught me a while ago that if you associate your commands with actions then it's a lot easier. Sometimes Artemis doesn't always understand your thoughts but actions she always sees. 

I escaped the woods onto Maple Street and made my way up to House Seven. It was a medium-sized house, not too extravagant, but it houses the six of us well. The Beta Family live in House Fourteen, up the street. A few other families are scattered around the place but the Beta Family needs to live close in case of an emergency. 

I jumped over the gated fence in our driveway and crossed the garden. Eight-year-old Mia Asher and my youngest brother Dylan were hiding up in the treehouse. I waved up at them and Mia grinned back, "Come hang out with us?"

"Sorry, Little Asher," I grimaced, "I got homework to do."

She pouted, "Ok..."

Dylan waved me off. I slid my shoes off by the door and walked inside, "Hey everyone!"

The noise in the kitchen, I realised, was pretty loud. They probably didn't even hear me. I dumped my school bag by the staircase and entered the kitchen. 

It was an unusual raucous. Mum was baking, Tommy and Kota were fighting over something and Aimee was sitting on her phone. Why she was here; I didn't even know.

Mum noticed me, "Hi kiddo. Anything exciting happen at school?"

"Not really," I murmured, "Anything exciting happen at home?"

Mum wrinkled her nose, "Sort of?"

The room went quiet. I realised the quiet before I realised the cool change in temperature. I tried to let it rise back to normal warmth but I asked quietly, "What do you mean by sort of?"

"Aunt Liv is coming home, at last," Mum answered, plating the cookies. 

I took a deep breath. Good; it wasn't Alpha related.

"Mum's coming home?" Aimee grinned brightly, "That's perfect. I'm going to go tell Dad."

Aimee was twelve, the daughter of my Aunt Liv and Uncle Aaron. Her older brother is the Beta but as of far it's ineffective - we still don't have an Alpha. 

Our three families are sort of all intertwined. My dad's cousin is Mia and Alyssa's mum. Mia and Alyssa's dad is the brother of Aimee and Josh's dad. Aimee and Josh's mum is the sister of my mum. As I said - intertwined. 

Aimee had left before I noticed, as I was mulling this all over. Tommy and Kota were still arguing though.

"I saw her first!" Tommy shouted.

"No, I did!"

"I saw her as soon as she walked into school!"

"I saw her when she walked into Pop's Soda yesterday!"

"I talked to her first!" Tommy kept arguing.

Kota huffed, "No, because I talked to her yesterday!"

I narrowed my eyes between the two of them. Were they arguing over a girl?

"You suck at talking to girls!" Tommy bit back.

"You can't even talk to one," Kota said. 

I tapped my thighs and the air became freezing once again. Both boys stopped, goosebumps appearing across their arms. They both glared at me. 

Kota let out a growl, "Rica."

I stepped into their conversation, "Rule of thumb: If two people start arguing over someone, neither gets the person."

"What's the fun in that?" Tommy raised an eyebrow. 

"There isn't," I sighed, "It just prevents a lot of arguing. So neither of you are allowed to be more than friendly with this girl."

Mum said, "Listen to her, boys. She's your Luna. And, Rica, can you please shut off the cold! I'm baking here!"

I tapped my thighs again. 

The boys grumbled beneath their breaths. I raised an eyebrow, "What was that?" 

"Nothing, America," Kota mumbled, storming out of the room.

"I'll survive without her," Tommy shrugged, running out after his twin. 

There was silence for a long moment.

Then Mum interrupted, "So... the Alpha of the Yellow Gem-"

"No," I shut her off, "My mate will come to me. I don't need to search for him."

I just hoped it wouldn't be too long our pack's without an Alpha. The Red Tribe pack is only getting more and more reckless with the laws. 

***

The doorbell rang and ran from the living room to grab my bag from the staircase. I opened the door, revealing Alyssa - as always - and gave her a small smile. I stepped through and stuffed my feet into my school shoes before adding, "Morning."

Alyssa gave her bright smile and replied, "How'dja sleep?"

"Fine," I shrugged, "You?"

I noticed Dylan and Mia were hiding up in the treehouse again when we walked down the driveway. 

I shouted, "Oi!"

They poked their heads out.

"When did you get here, Mia?"

She thought for a long moment and then answered, "Sometime this morning."

"Both of you, go to school," Alyssa ordered. 

They made groaning sounds but obeyed, slowly climbing down the ladder. 

Alyssa and I walked to school, making idle chit chat. Alyssa was my cousin but she was also my best friend. It just made it easier having friends who knew about everything anyway. 

Today? I learnt she can gossip like Dan Humphrey himself. 

"She's new to town?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah," she grinned, "She and her brother arrived Saturday to live with their mum instead of their dad. She came to school yesterday but her brother ditched."

"Ditched? How do you ditch in Crestview?"

"Rumour has it that he just smoked and drank all day somewhere in the forest."

I rolled my eyes at her as we emerged from the forest onto Old Folk Rd. We passed by Rosie's. 

The sound around the corner made us slow down slightly.

No one in this town uses their car. We all walk. It's convenient because it's such a small place - we only use a car if we're going somewhere far away. Which is why it disturbed me to see the black BMW that turned the corner onto the road. Alyssa and I slowed our walking, watching it. 

"Girls!" Josh shouted from across the road, though his gaze was also transfixed on the car. 

"Let's cross here," Alyssa said. 

We crossed the road, now standing outside the school. The black BMW was sitting on the kerb, idling. The two of us came to a complete stop next to our soon-to-be Beta. 

"Who uses a car in Crestview?" Josh murmured.

"No one," Alyssa answered immediately.

What happened next happened quickly. And I mean, quickly. 

The door to the passenger's side opened and an arm held it in place whilst murmuring in the car occurred. Then two leather school shoes hit the kerb and a body slid out of the car, with a schoolbag on it's back. 

My eyes followed up from the school shoes to the school pants, the tucked in school shirt with the sleeves rolled up and then to the boy's actual face. Josh's hand gripped my shoulder. Alyssa let out a small gasp. 

The boy had chocolate brown eyes - like a lost abyss with something hard and cold in them. His hair was a dirty blonde, sticking up from his head in gelled tufts. His jaw was hard and sharp. He wasn't pretty boy handsome like you see in movies but he was hot. The calculation in his eyes should have drawn me away but it made him just more appealing to look at. 

Josh murmured, "America..."

"I know," I whispered, "Shu'p."

He slammed the car door behind him and it echoed across the schoolyard, which I noticed was quieter than usual, staring at the boy. 

"America," Josh said more urgently.

"I said shut up," I threw him a glare before looking back to the car. 

The boy gripped his bag on one shoulder before marching away from the car with a slight swagger. He walked past the three of us without a glance.

"America," Josh repeated.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

Josh whispered, "It's boiling."

I was confused for a moment before I realised what he meant. It felt like the sun was beating down on us harshly. I tried to relax my body but it was still boiling heat. So I commanded, Normal temperature. It took a moment but soon the warmth was normal. 

Josh narrowed his eyes at the boy's back, as he turned. Josh then crossed his arms, "There's something... off about him."

"I'll say," I replied.

Alyssa let out a wolf-whistle, "Damn, that boy is fine." 

Josh raised an eyebrow at me.

"What, Josh?"

Josh grinned and then began whining in a high falsetto, "Oh, random new boy, you're so hot! I wish I could just fu-"

"Josh!" I shouted at him, glaring.

He shut himself up.

***

Song: All You Are is History - State Champs

Dedicated to: dianabugg11 for helping me choose the actor to play 'New Kid'. 

xx Sharky.