SERAPHINA'S POV
It's the second time in less than a week of school that I find myself stepping out of the nurse's office.
The first, getting ointment for the bruises my sparring partner had left, and now, for the bruises on the back of my palm.
Thisas time, I needed a bandaged for the broken skin that had bled a bit and my lungs still hurt a bit from the continuous torture I had endured in the female lavatory
Not once did the nurse bother about what happened and why I keep coming back.
No one in this school cares as long as you're not important, I guess.
I find my way to class right after - the third time I'm being late for a class already, making a name for myself as an irresponsible student.
The only reason I'm able to attend this one is the fact that I had a spare shirt in my locker to change into from the previously soaked one.
I stumble right into class, opening the door and the minute I walk in, the entire class grows silent with the teacher turning to look at me. There's an immediate look of disdain in his eyes once they meet mine.
"Miss Hawthrone, is it?" He asks, facing me now. "I've been filled in on your records in school this past week by the Administrator. Am I to expect that this will be you behavior in my class?"
"No, sir." I say dryly, too weak to argue or make a point that it really isn't my fault. Who would believe me anyway?
He remains silent, wanting to say more but choosing not to instead.
"Just walk in, find a partner in the back, and let this be the last time you stumble right in the middle of a lecture." He warms me sternly.
I nod, simply dragging myself to the back of the class while everyone else snickers as I walk by, whispering about the weird smell coming off me.
Yes, I'm a human soaked in toilet water.
I finally find an open seat right next to a guy sitting off on his own and drop right next to him without bothering to ask if he has a partner.
What's the point even if he doesn't? I doubt he'd be interested in working with me.
Once I'm settled, the class continues and I enjoy the first few minutes of peace since walking into school, unconsciously rubbing at my wrapped hand that still hurts so bad.
"Psst." The hissing sound comes right at me, pinching my ears but I ignore it, trying to focus on the chemistry class, one of the few classes that has actual subjects I'm familiar with.
"Hey." The guy beside me says, nudging me in the arm to get my attention.
A vein pops in my head, pissed by the intrusion he's making into this very peaceful moment.
"Hey, what happened to your hand?" he asks again and I finally face him, half fuming and trying to control myself.
If I lose my shit, everyone is going to think I came at him for nothing.
"What is it? Why are you bothering me?" I whisper harshly, glaring at him.
He seems taken aback by my sudden but quiet outburst, adjusting the circular glasses hanging at the tip of his nose.
"Oh, I'm sorry for bothering you. I was just curios, that's all." He responds, all nervous and jittery, apologizing unnecessarily.
His words touch me someway and I find myself immediately letting go of my anger and annoyance, seeing as he suddenly apologizes and seems like he means it.
"No... it's fine, sorry for jumping at you like that." I apologize, running back to the class again.
Weird.
A wolf besides Olivia being nice to me. I guess not all of them are as bad as Artemis.
"It's okay, I was as anxious as you are when I first got here." He says calmly, relating our situation.
I want to ask if he had been targeted by the school's most prominent bully and his psycho girlfriend as well, but I don't bother, deciding that we don't need to be friends just because he's nice to me.
I say nothing at his remark, focusing on everything else and it remains quiet for a while.
I wrote my notes down with my pencil, minding my own business until a spit ball comes flying from the other end of the class room right on my face.
I groan, wiping the disgusting shit from my face, looking towards the group of boys chuckling at me while the teachers tuned away from the class.
Fucking assholes.
"Here." My seat mate offers me a crisp white hanky immediately.
I look at it and back at him, checking for ulterior motives but there seems to be none. The smile he offers looks too genuine.
"Thanks." I say awkwardly, wiping my face.
"I hate those jackasses. They terrorize everyone in class because they can get away with it. Their parents are in the school board. It sucks." He laments to me.
"Yeah." I agree with him immediately.
"I'm Gabe." He adds now, stretching his hands out and offering me a warm smile.
Again, I'm surprised. No one's shown me goodwill anywhere else, but if Olivia existed, then they'd definitely be more people like her, right?
"Seraphina." I say, accepting his hand shake that feels firm yet gentle.
"Nice to meet you, Seraphina the human." He says awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
Cute.
I chuckle lowly to myself, admiring how his nervousness makes him like a cute squirrel even if he's bigger than I am.
His looks are more than average with his brown eyes and chestnut brown hair that I kind of want to play with now, but I look away from him, hiding my smile.
The class ends once the bell finally rings and every one rushes out of class as soon as the teacher walks out.
I stand up, picking my books and getting ready for Shifting class. I don't know what that's about but I guess I'm about to find out.
"Hey!" Gabe calls out again just as I'm about to leave the classroom, rushing up to my side while I walk. He immediately matches my much slower walking pace.
"Where do you want to discuss today's topic in, class partner?"
He words take me aback that I have to stop right there in the middle of the hall way to look at him with wide eyes.
"Partner? You want to be my partner? You sure about that?"
"Why wouldn't I be? You seem cool."
Cool? Did this wolf boy hit his head or something?
"I'm anything but cool. I'm sure you already know that I'm a target at this school. Hanging out with me could mean your eventual down fall." I explain it to him just in case he doesn't get what is going on.
"Trust me, you don't want me for a partner."
As soon as I say the words, for added effect, some asshole runs right by me in the hallway, nudging my shoulder with great force that pushes me backwards and down on my butt immediately.
"Out of the way, human filth." He yells at me while he rushes away without even apologizing.
Gabe bends sown to my level, helping me up on my feet instantly and stabilizing me.
"You see what I mean." I point out to him, hoping the obvious example he's just witnessed is clear enough for him.
He smiles sadly, looking at me with something that almost looks like pity. But I don't want to be pitied.
"I'm sorry you have to experience this. It's hard for most wolves to acknowledge any species physically weaker than themselves. Queen Coraline tried to abolish that mindset before, but people don't change so easily."
He's right, people don't, but I want to stop letting that dictate who I am and what I want to be, not any of these obnoxious prideful wolves.
"I want to be your partner though." He continues.
"What...?"
"I mean it, you are cool. Even with all the bullying, you still drag yourself to class and never let the enemy see your weakness. Hopefully, after being partners, I could even end up being you friend." His cheeks turn into a warmer hue before he looks the other way, nervously rubbing the back of his head again like a shy kid.
I stare at Gabe, speechless for a while before I break into a sudden chuckle. Laughing to my heart's content for the first time in a while. Even while my lungs hurt, I can't stop it.
I wipe the under of my eyes, looking up at him again, the small but firm determination in his eyes while he stares back at me.
I guess having another ally in a school full of enemies won't be so bad, especially if they're as sweet and cute as Gabe.
"Fine, you have yourself a deal."
I stretch out my hands to him, plastering a wide smile on my face.
"Let's be friends."