Chapter Two
1047 Words
“You know what I mean. “my brother says as he keeps driving. “ Me and Trev will take care of mom and things here. You need to study, I don’t know…” he drops the wheel and waves a hand in the empty air of the car.
“Have a future. “
“Have a future?” I snort, “What future are we talking about? Let’s be real, Brandon. All the future I could possibly have is here. It never was otherwise. Besides, we can’t afford it. ‘
His eyes leave the road and he fixes them upon me.
“Money is not your concern, I will take care of this. “
He looks back away and I shake my head.
“Yeah, right.” I mutter but I don’t go on arguing. We’ve done this before, it’s no use. All I know is- and it’s not just me, he knows that as well- I can’t afford studying.
It’s enough that he sacrificed his entire life for mom, Travis and me, and now he is saying all of this.
No chance I am wasting their money for myself.
“I am planning to work, anyway. Full time, I mean. “
I declare and he only says in a simple, deep and vibrating voice.
“No. “
It doesn’t suggest room for arguing, yet I still try.
“But…”
“I said no. “
I look at him to find out he’s angry. His eyes are flashing and the red colour has started creeping up his irises.
Trevor looks angry, for real. His wolf too. I don’t know if it’s because of me and because of what we’ve been talking about, or there’s something entirely different that’s pissing him off, but I resign.
“Fine. “ I say, calm. “ But I am going to today’s exam only because I promised you that I would go, and because Miley said she wouldn’t apply for Lunar Crest if it was just her and by herself. “
He nods. Then he realizes what I just said.
“What?”
My brother exclaims.
“What what?”
'`Wait, you are applying for Lunar Crest too?” he ask, incredulous. “Are you kidding?”
“Nope. Cross my heart. “
I grin at him .
He picks up a cigarette from the inner pocket of his leather jacket.
“Don’t tell mom,” he mutters as he lights it and I snort.
“Anyway,” Brandon says through a puff of cigarette smoke. “ If you were going to apply for Lunar Crest, why was all that talk about not having money for education and …”
“I’m not actually applying to get in there.”
“Then why are you sitting the exam?”
“Because I promised I’d go with her, I told you. “
He takes another drag.
“You girls are brave. And you’re not the worst friend in the world.”
Brandon jokes.
“Actually very nice of you.”
“And you are not funny. You’ll kill a minor with all that smoke. “
I fake irritation.
He laughs and I laugh with him.
“But she is. “ I say eventually once we’ve stopped teasing each other. “ Miley wants to apply for Lunar Crest, I am doing it for moral support. I’ll never get in, anyway.”
“You never know,” he says and exhales.
“Yeah, well, sometimes you do. “
We both exchange a smile.
The truth is- yes, one never knows what fate has in store for them, but sometimes you do. In my case, I’ve always known that I’m staying here.
Because this is me, who had to work as kitchen staff and whatever she could get in this god- forgotten small town since she was fourteen to help her family and is definitely not headed towards the most prestigious and elite Academy not only in the country, but probably in the whole world.
***
We arrive soon and Brandon stops at the school gates. The fog has lifted, but only slightly and the air smells like wet ground and approaching rain. I can't wait for all of this to be over for today and go for a nice, long run afterwards. My wold is very quiet, she always is, but on day like those, when I am restless for no apparent reason, I swear she is restless too.
Quiet, but somewhere deep inside me is telling me she doesn't really want to be here. My wolf is a bit different from the others.
Trev started talking to his wolf when he was probably fourteen. Bran- hell, he says he talked to his wolf before he was even five. I guess it's different for everyone. The two of them talk to each other through the link, but I know they have out loud dialogue because of me and our mom. My mother is human, so she can't share a link with their wolves.
As for me- I honestly have no idea about myself. I know she is somewhere in there, but as strange as it seems, I don't talk to her. My pack and all the others say it's super strange.
For me, it's normal.
“Right, thanks for driving me, Bran.”
I open the door and the old truck screeches.
“No worries, Trev owes me ten bucks now, thanks to you. “
“I hate you. “
I hiss and he laughs.
“Okay, sis. Be back by dinner, okay. “
“Okay.”
I zip my jacket against the wind and nod to my brother. My other hand is still on the door and I don’t want to get off. No idea why. I feel like I’m going to war. He most likely senses it.
“Nervous?”
Brandon asks as I hesitate before closing the door.
“Nah.” I say eventually, and after going through all the things I am thinking of. To be completely honest, I don’t really have much to be worried about.
“I am not actually applying for anything.”
I shrug.
And it’s the truth.
“I’ll be home by five. “
I promise and shut the door, heading towards the entrance.
- Writer
