The Hunter and the Hunted (Bear Naked 3)

Chapter 26

Amanda 

Amanda stared up and down the hallways of Blackfoot High School. She couldn't help but marvel at how much it reminded her of Hempstead High back in Dubuque. It seemed, in Amanda's limited experience anyway, that most schools were designed along the same lines.

But it was more than that. Blackfoot was smaller than Dubuque, small enough to only have a single high school, so the school was almost exactly the same size. Their mascot was the Bronco, Hempstead's was the "hoof prints" so many of the decorations were similar. Dubuque was a predominantly white town with a growing hispanic population. Blackfoot was a white community just a few miles north of the Soshone Indian Reservation at Fort Hall, so the mix of kids she had seen matched as well.

Connor came out of the office and stood beside her. "It'll be awhile," he muttered.

Amanda snorted. She had expected her registration to be the tricky part but it had turned out the other way around. She was seventeen but with Darren MIA, she was considered her own legal guardian. The secretary made her sign a couple of forms to that affect and had registered her with no problem. Connor's registration had been nearly as easy.

The secretary was stumbling over the others. Apparently trying to register multiple foster kids in school was unusual enough to raise some red flags and Karen had to do some fancy talking to explain why Jonathan, Erica and Tanner were also her kids, legally speaking. Just one of many little foibles with raising a werewolf pack in the twenty first century.

Erica, Courtney and Tanner had joined them by the time the first period bell rang. The halls filled with students. Many eyes checked them out as the students filed past. A group of boys gave Connor a calculated look and a small nod of recognition.

A skinny bleach blonde pushed her way right up to Connor. "Hi, you must new around her. I am Jenna, Jenna Jensen."

She stood to his right, conveniently between Amanda and Connor. Amanda knew she was supposed to feel jealous, but irritated was as close as she could come. She knew better than to doubt Connor. The girls would learn that soon enough, whether they ever understood it.

Indeed Connor said, "I'm Connor," and then immediately gestured over the girl's shoulder at Amanda, "that's my girlfriend Amanda, this is Tanner, Courtney, today, and Erica. And Jonathan," he added as Jonathan stepped out of the office.

Three girls and a couple of guys had joined Jenna's welcoming committee. One of the guys scowled and muttered something to his friend. Amanda followed his gaze and saw Jazzy's distinctive form moving through the crowd. She was flanked by Tyee and one of the broad shouldered boys that had been with them the other day. She was wearing an oversized T shirt that came to her knees, with a belt around the waist and tights underneath. She was still wearing Brianna's Raybans.

The two boys and one of the girls were alternating giving Jazzy dirty looks and shooting dark glances at Tyee and his pack mate. Amanda snorted. Bullies are always the same, never open their mouths when someone bigger is around.

"He's a cross dresser or something," Jenna was whispering to Connor. "They tried to get him in trouble for breaking the dress code last year, but his cousin Moth threw a fit with the school board, said it was a cultural thing among indians or something."

"Hey, Jazzy," Amanda called out as Jazzy broke out of the crowd and came towards them. She watched the girls expression out of the corner of her eyes, her mouth twitching.

"Hey, Amanda," Jazzy called back, waving.

"You guys?" Tyee said with a questioning gesture.

"Seniors," Connor said, "one semester to go, but Mom's insistent we get those degrees, you know."

Amanda felt Erica's form press through the crowd next to her. "Hey, Jazzy," Erica said.

"Hey," Jazzy returned. "You guys gonna be going here, too? Wow, that'll be cool."

"Those shades look good on you," Erica said.

Jazzy laughed. "I know, I feel like a movie star or something. Thanks again and I will pay you back."

"They're a gift," Erica insisted. "And I love your hair, by the way." She held her hand out, brushing the ends of the puffball around Jazzy's head.

"Well," Jazzy said, blowing a stray strand out of her face, "its so frizzy it won't stay down anyway, so play to your strengths, right?"

The bell rang again.

"Better get to class," Tyee said. "See you guys around."

With that they were gone. Amanda had to check her schedule again to see where her second period class was. There was a small map with the schedule. Even the layout was similar to Dubuque High. She headed off to English class wondered if the teacher would have a similar name even.