Hollow Mate: The Roma Academy

Chapter 3

-Tinsley POV-

I walk into Marco’s office a little panicked. Marco walks in and closes the door behind him.

"Sit." He says and motions to the couch where—like last night— food sits on the coffee table.

I sit and he hands me a plate with scrambled eggs and bacon.

"How did you sleep?" He asks.

He takes a plate and starts eating as well.

"Best night I have ever had." I say.

He smiles. "Good. Daniel should be up here soon. He'll let us know the results."

"Why is this so important? Why was Ezekiel so adamant that I had this blood test done?"

"We were testing your DNA." Daniel says as he opens the door unannounced.

I am startled and my plate of food almost falls. I would have been so angry if that had happened. A complete waste of good food.

"Why?" I ask.

Daniel hands some papers to Marco.

"It wasn’t easy but... Ezekiel was right." Daniel says.

"Right about what?" I ask but they don't answer me.

"Really?" Marco asks surprised. "How is it that she doesn't even know about it?"

"Well... the gene that makes her like us is a bit distorted." Daniel says.

"What? How and why?" Marco asks.

Daniel looks at me and holds his hand out. "May I see your medication?"

I am weary but nod. I take the medication out of my backpack and hand it to him.

"If I have to take a guess as to what is causing this..." Daniel says as he looks at my pill bottle. "... It’s the medication she is on. Her blood contains super high levels of endorphins, it is a stress hormone with receptors throughout your brain and body that calms you. Her overmedicating is causing... suppression of the gene. This medication is making her body release more of the endorphins than it is necessary and that is suppressing everything that makes her... unique.”

"I don't overmedicate and what are you talking about?" I ask.

(I am so confused.)

"Tinsley, why do you take this medication?" Marco asks.

I don't know what to say because it is hard to answer that question.

"I... well... I was hospitalized a long time ago. I was in a mental institution. They told me I had to take these, that I would get better and I did get better. I was released after that."

"How old were you and why were you in a mental hospital?" Marco asks.

I am having trouble with this. This is really hard for me to talk about.

I take a deep breath. "I was five."

Marco and Daniel look surprised.

“Five? Why?" Marco asks.

This is when I have an even harder time.

"I... I... I killed two people." I lower my head as I say this.

There is silence in the room but I don't dare look at them.

"What happened?" Marco asks softly.

"I started a fire and killed my foster parents." My eyes water, remembering.

They were my first foster parents and though they weren't the nicest, they didn’t deserve to die like that.

"Was it an accident?" Marco asks.

This is when I wipe my tears and put my guard back up because I know they are going to think I am a monster.

"No." I say. "I lit up the fire with the intent of hurting them but... I didn't want to kill them. I didn't know what the fire would do."

The way they look at me, I know it well. They have unreadable expressions but I know they are guarding their thoughts.

"Were they... bad to you?" Marco asks trying to make sense of what I am telling him. Maybe even trying to justify it but nothing can justify what I did.

"No."

"Then... why?" He asks still confused and I can see a bit of horror creep into his face.

I take another deep breath. "Someone... told me to use the matches... that it would hurt them. A voice? I don’t remember. That is what the doctors said that I told them, but after I started to take the medication, events from that time got hazy, I don’t remember. I don’t remember anyone. I don’t remember hearing a voice. I don’t remember anything from that night." Tears fall down my face and my emotionless shield falls. "I didn't think it would kill them. I didn't know the concept of death yet." I shake my head. "I didn't know."

I take a deep breath trying to control my emotions.

"That is why I was hospitalized, they said that if I don't take my medication, I will start to hear voices in my head again."

I can't believe I told them this. I haven't spoken of this to anyone.

“Do you think she got her wolf early? Is that even possible?” Marco asks now turning his attention to Daniel.

Daniel crosses his arms, thinking. “I never rule anything out. It could be a possibility.”

“My... wolf?” I ask confused.

Marco turns to me. “Ezekiel said you were being chased by cops when he met you. Why?”

He is obviously changing the subject.

I sigh. “They weren't really after me... I mean they were but it was a mistake.

Marco's eyebrow shoots up. “Explain.”

“Well, I was walking on the sidewalk when suddenly an alarm went off in one of the stores. I guy ran past me out of a store where I am pretty sure he stole from. When I looked behind me, there were cops running my way. They were probably after the guy but I panicked and started running too. The cops zoned in on me.”

“Why did you run?” He asks.

I sigh again. “I never had a good relationship with the cops. They always picked me up when I ran away from home before I turned eighteen and so I was always running away from them. Habit, I guess.”

“Why did you run away from your family?” He asks and now I get irritated.

“Okay, I can’t. I am not going to give you my whole life story.”

Marco closes his eyes and nods. “I am sorry. I got caught up. I should have been more sensitive about all of this.”

I huff feeling angry and look away.

When I look back at him, he stares at me as if he was thinking of something. “You said foster parents... do you not have a family?”

“No.” I say. “I’ve been jumping from foster homes since I can remember. Five in total. The last ones had me the longest.”

I can’t say that the Jefferson's were the worst foster parents I’ve had because they weren't, but they were not good. Mrs. Jefferson was always arguing with neighbors and she was very problematic and loud, always yelling at me and the other foster kids and sometimes would spank us if we did something bad. Mr. Jefferson was either never there, or he was and was drunk and when he was drunk, the whole neighborhood would know.

I left a few months ago. They allowed me to stay after I turned eighteen because I helped them with the younger kids but it was too much to take. I decided that I’d rather stay on the streets than in—what they called—their home. It was too stressful to be there.

Marco has been very quiet, just staring into the distance, thinking. I look at Daniel who is just staring at me and now I see why Ezekiel thought he was creepy. Daniel is looking at me as if I was a new toy to tinker with and find out what makes me tick. He has a fascination in his eyes.

“Tinsley...” Marco finally speaks. “... this school is different than others.”

I internally sigh. (It’s for crazy people.)

“First things first... you need to know what you really are and I am not going to sugar coat it.”

I nod and wait to see what the hell is he talking about.

“You... are a werewolf.” He says.

I slowly, slowly nod but panic starts to rise inside of me.

(I knew it! I knew they were crazy!)

I smile as I get up and get my backpack ready. “It was really nice of you to do all of this but I have to go now, see... I have a dog to walk-”

Marco gets up with his hands up trying to calm me. “I know, I know it sounds crazy but just hear me out.”

I give him a strained fake smile, eying the door that is to our side.

Marco notices and walks in front of it.

“Listen, I am not going to stop you but, just come with me for a second. Some of the students are out running and-”

“No!” I shout, finally breaking my act of calmness. “Let me go!”

I stand defensively but backing myself towards the window.

I look out of the window and remember we are up on the second floor.

“I will jump out and teach myself how to fly if I have to...” I shout and then add. “...I'll... probably die... but at this moment, I just want to get away from you two nutjobs!”

“Please Tinsley, calm down.” Marco has his hands out trying to calm me down but then Daniel taps his shoulder.

“I hate beating around the bush.” Daniel says when Marco looks back at him.

Daniel takes his glasses off and then suddenly, his head twitches and the cracking of bones starts to sound in the room.

Marco backs up, giving him space. “You're a damn doctor, you should know that this could make her go into shock!” Marco says with an irritated tone.

“It’s the fastest... way.” Daniel says, grunting.

“Holy f**k!” I shout with vigor. I quickly stand behind Marco, grabbing his suit in a fist and tugging him towards me as a shield.

My eyes widen and I stare in shock as Daniel's body grows fur, his clothes rip, his face contorts into a canine profile and his teeth grow sharper. More bones break and he doubles down, his hands turn into paws, and his ears elongate. Within a few more seconds, I am speechless staring down at a brown wolf.

My lips quiver and I am sure I have lost it.

“He won't hurt you, Tinsley. This is a school for supernatural beings like Daniel, me, and you.”

I shake my head. “No... I am not...” I can’t seem to breathe. “...like... that... what... is...”

My vision starts to blur and everything swirls.

“Breathe Tinsley, breathe!” Marco says.

When I come to it, he holds me up, preventing me from hitting the ground.

“Breathe Tinsley!”

I take deep breaths with him. He lets me go when I am able to stand on my own. He then helps me sit down and I watch as Daniel turns back to human. In a few seconds, Daniel is in his naked human form. Marco hands him a towel and he covers himself.

“This... this is real?” I ask.

Marco nods. “Yes.”

“How?... how is this real?”

“I... don’t know how to explain that to you. We just are.” He says.

“And I... I am...”

He nods. “Yes. You are like us. A werewolf.”

“Are you sure?” I say as I shake my head, still denying it.

Marco nods.

“Yes.” Daniel says assertively. “You need to stop taking those pills.” He says.

I panic. “I can’t! Bad things happen when I do.”

Marco lifts an eyebrow. “When you do? So you have stopped before?”

I nod. “My foster parents forgot to get me the medication when I was out of them. It was just for a few days but... one night... I woke up naked in the forest. I couldn’t remember what had happened but... I had blood on me, on my mouth.”

It is one of the nightmares that keep me awake some nights. That scared me to death and ever since, I have taken my medication religiously.

“That was probably your wolf that came out. When was this? How old were you?” Marco asks.

“I was sixteen.”

Daniel nods. “Our wolves come to us when we are fifteen. Yours is suppressed because of the medication. It is not something that it would normally happen but since you’ve been taking these pills since you were a child, that has probably affected you.”

“Can I keep taking them then? I mean, it has worked so far.”

Marco stares at me for a few seconds. “Do you really not want to know who you truly are?”

I look down. “I am... scared.”

I am feeling very vulnerable right now and I don’t like it. I don’t like people seeing me like this.

“I understand but trust me, it is not scary, this is... it is hard to explain. It’s something you have to experience for yourself.”

“What... do I do then?”

“This is something that will take time.” Daniel says.

Marco nods and gets up. “Classes for this semester here will be starting in a few days. Ezekiel has extended a scholarship for you should you choose to go to this school.”

My eyes widen. “What?! Why?!”

“He owns this school and since you arrived here, he was sure of what you were. He wanted to give you a chance to have a better life.”

My mouth almost drops.

(Why would he do that?)

“You can learn everything you need about our kind here. What do you say?” He asks.

I don’t know what to say...

“I, have no money. Is there anything I have to-”

“All expenses paid. You’ll have a room, you’ll have an allowance for food and that you can use for clothes or whatever you need.”

“... but... why?” I ask still feeling lost about all of this.

“This place is not just a school, Tinsley. This is also a home for those that don’t have one. We accept all supernatural creatures like you. We even accept rogues who... wish to change their lives. A safe place where we can be ourselves and not have to hide who we are.”

“Rogues?”

“Something you’ll learn about if you go to school here.” He says.

(I would be the stupidest person in the world to refuse this.)

“I have many questions.” I say.

“Understandable. Let's get through the paperwork and I’ll answer all of your questions.”

I slowly nod.

I am really doing this. I am now going to be going to The Roma Academy and—though it is still hard to believe— they say I am a werewolf.

(Werewolves... are real...)