Broken Half

IV. The Werewolves

I tuck my hands into my jacket and lean my head against Brenda's shoulder. The show is about to unfold.

Lana is a girl who, amazingly, has no friends. She transferred here late last year, and let's say-

"Oops," Rosario accidentally knocked over her plate.

She isn't that welcome at school.

It's been a month into the year, and this has happened repeatedly.

Rosario Rowland is the school head cheerleader - the most popular girl in school. She doesn't necessarily like Lana. Lana didn't respond. Instead, she bends down to pick up her food.

The whole cafeteria was quiet.

"Skank," Rosario said before she passed by Lana.

Last year, Rosario and Lucio broke up because of Lana. They said Lana transferred in and took Lucio from her. But, if you know them, you would know Rosario and Lucio were only f**k buddies. Everyone assumes they were together since they spent so much time together.

It's the same cliche thing you would read in a book. Lucio made a bet with his friends to hook up with some random girl. This isn't the first time they did that. Unexpectedly, Lucio fell for Lana.

But then Lana found out about the bet. Over the summer, she left town, and their problem was never resolved.

But, Rosario bullied Lana since the start of the school year.

It's not about Lucio anymore.

It's personal.

Its pride.

Rosario is supposed to be queen, and the king is only her decoration. She doesn't like it when someone takes what's hers, even if she doesn't want it.

If I ever meet Rosario's parents, I need to talk with them. Ask them how they raised Rosario and do the opposite for my children.

Once the show was over, everyone went back to doing their own thing. I notice how a guy walks towards her and helps her. She glared at him before she took her plate and left.

I guess she doesn't trust anyone else after what happened to Lucio.

But, that distrust is also what's pushing everyone away.

I tried to help her once.

She dropped a pencil, and I told her that she had dropped her pencil.

The girl looked at me with crazy eyes and told me to leave her alone. Then, she cried.

I got in trouble.

The teacher thought I was bullying her, so he gave me detention and called my parents. My parents taught me the importance of not bullying for three hours and grounded me for a week.

Then, they forced me to be friends with Lana. I tried to talk to her a second time, but she completely shut me out and asked if I enjoyed the show. If I enjoyed ruining her life.

At first, I felt bad for her, but now, I do enjoy the show - b***h.

That was last year.

Ever since then, I didn't bother talking to her. I know she's going through something, but snapping at every person who approaches her isn't going to solve anything.

Rosario isn't a saint, but Lana isn't one either. They both need therapy.

After school, we decided to have dinner at Brenda's and Brian's house. "Let me go call my mom," I said.

"Your parents are so old-fashioned," Brenda snickers before going to the front with the other two.

It's not true.

My parents aren't old-fashioned. They used to be okay with texting until they saw a documentary about how a stranger carried on a girl's life. The stranger murdered her and pretended to be her through messages. So, now, they want me to call whenever I'm coming home late instead of texting.

"Come on," I heard someone say. "No one comes to this part of the school. Let's rattle her up a bit more."

Sucks for you. I walk through this part of the school all the time. It has the best water fountain that isn't tainted by other people's mouths.

In the school corner, I saw Lana getting shoved around by a few other students.

Time to be the hero?

Nah.

I walk away.

When I spotted Mr.Huber with a few hall monitors, I walked towards them. "In the back of the school, a few students are picking on another student. They're physically bullying her."

Immediately, they rush towards the back of the school.

People would think I would jump in and help with my hunter skills. But, the students around her are also hunters. I could sense it.

And I'm not down to getting a beat-up for someone I could barely call an acquaintance.

Steadily, I walk towards the back of the school to see the adults pinning and screaming at the students. They lock them with hunters' cuffs to prevent them from using their ability.

Once everything was done, I walked towards the office and gave my written statement. They'll bother me for one later, so I'll do it now.

Finally, I went to the front of the school.

"What took you so long?"

I shrug, "Parents like to talk."

The next day, unsurprisingly, the student body talked about the expulsion of the students who got caught picking on Lana.

"Julia Elias to the principal office. Julia Elias."

Brenda looked at me, "What did you do?"

I shrug, "Hopefully, something good with a prize."

Once I was inside the office, Mrs.Rodriguez stared at me for an uncomfortably long time. I'm not worried since I haven't done anything that would get me in trouble - as far as I know.

She smiles, "I heard what you did yesterday."

It took me a moment before I understood what she was talking about. I nod, "Duty as a student."

Mrs.Rodriguez exhales, "You're a good student, Julia."

I have a bad feeling.

"But, I've always wondered. Why do you hide?"

"Pardon?"

"You do know we keep track of all the written statements. We don't make you all write them for fun. And you, Julia Elias, have one of the highest amounts of written statements."

"I'm doing my duty as a community member?"

"If I didn't know any better, I would think you made all these situations happen so you could be the hero," she said.

"What? I wouldn't."

"No, you wouldn't," Mrs.Rodriguez responds softly. "If this is all so you can play the hero, you would've played it thoroughly and made the public aware of you. Instead, you have used multiple pseudonyms since elementary school." Mrs.Rodriguez laid out two large folders with a stack of papers inside.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No." That's a relief. "But, I do want to know why."

"Why?"

"Why do you hide?"

"Hide?"

Mrs.Rodriguez raises a brow, "Julia."

"I'm not hiding," I said in a low voice.

"Your ACTN3 gene mutated at the age of 2."

"Yes." I was there.

"Do you know how much children's ACTN3 gene mutates?"

"No."

"5% of human genes mutate at less than the age of 12."

"Oh."

".05% are younger than 5."

"Oh."

".001% are younger than 3."

"That's a specific percentage."

"Do you think that no one would keep tabs on you?"

"I was hoping."

"When you enrolled into school, you were at the top. But, somehow, subtly your grades...skills...performance declined."

I smiled, "Stabilized," I corrected her. "I average out."

"Average out." Somehow I could sense the mockery behind those words. Mrs.Rodriguez leans back and slightly moves the leather chair from left to right.

"It happens."

"I'm quite sure it does."

I had a smile on my face, but my body was covered in sweat. "What exactly is it that you want from a has-been hunter?"

"For her to be careful." Mr.Rodriguez grabs the folder and slides out a paper shredder. I watch as she shreds a few pieces at a time.

"If you're here to convince me to try being a hunter again."

"I may not know your full story, and I don't intend to," Mr.Rodriguez says. "But, from an educator standpoint, I would like it if you don't cause trouble at my school."

I smile, "I would never. May I leave?"

"Yes."

I stood up and made my way towards the door.

"Julia?"

My hand halts from the knob, and I turn around, "Yes?"

"What do you think about Lana Moon?"

"Not much," I responded. "She's another student."

"That's all?"

"Never really talk to her to have an opinion," I said.

Mrs.Rodriguez nods, "I see. Perhaps, you should try."

"You really did read all of the statements," I said. Before she could respond, I left. There's no reason why she would stop me or punish me. Unless being rude is a crime.

The classroom bell rings the moment I leave the office. I grab a lollipop from the side of my backpack and put it inside my mouth, then travel towards my locker to put some books away.

When I closed my locker, I could hear a crash sound. I turn around to see Lana on the ground with papers scattered over the floor. I looked around for a teacher, but there wasn't any.

I wonder if they're hiding behind a trash can because they never seem to be around.

Rosario and her crew laugh, but everyone else only stares at the scene. It feels as if we're in a movie, and we're all extras.

We couldn't move...we shouldn't move.

Lana gathers her papers, and the same guy from the cafeteria helps her. "Hey," he says. "I didn't get a chance to introduce myself. I'm Nolan Chamberlain."

That name rings a bell.

Lana quickens her action then leaves.

Nolan looks at her for a moment before he turns his head. He smiles, "Hi Julia."

He knows me.

I return the smile, "Hi, Nolan." I take a step towards him, "You know her?"

Nolan looks at the area where Lana left, "No. Not really. Just kind of feel bad for her. You know? She hooked up with the wrong guy and stepped on some toes, but she doesn't deserve this."

I ran my thumbs through the gap in the straps of my backpack. "Yeah." I didn't bother extending the conversation. "I'll see you around."

"See ya."

When I saw Brenda and the duo, they tackled me with some questions - mostly curiosity about whether I got in trouble. It was short-lived.

"Do you remember a guy named Nolan Chamberlain?" I ask.

The three of them were quiet for a moment before Brian responded. "Isn't he in track and field? I heard he's pretty fast."

"But, do we know him?"

They all shrug.

"Only heard of him," Eric says. "Maybe see him passing by in the hallway?"

"Oh."

"Why?" Brenda question.

"I saw him earlier, and he seems to know me."

"You two probably talked at one point," she responds. "Had a class together."

"Yeah. That sounds possible."

Then, another week passed, and it was still the same except for one thing.

I found a job as a part-time dishwasher.

I also found a talent for washing dishes at an amazing speed.

"I found a passion. I'm quite sure," I said.

Brenda closes the car door, "Passion? In washing dishes?"

"You should see how clean they are!" I kind of like it. It's simple, and I didn't have to use my brain when I scrub the food off the plate's edge. Plus, I get paid.

"Oh, Julia." Brenda hugs me, "You can live in my basement."

"Can I get a dog?"

"Sure."

"Your charitable contributions will be-"

There are several screams.

We stop walking. "What's going on?" I ask.

When I saw Natalie, I pulled her back, "What's going on?"

"What's going on?" she repeated. "The werewolves. That's what's going on."