Howl In The Night (DNF)

Chapter 3: School

George POV.

After two long days of moving stuff in, and two shorter days of lounging around the house on the weekend, it was a Monday. My parents were planning on having me go for my first day of school today, not that I wanted it. I was turning eighteen in a few months, this was my last year of highschool and since this is a small town I’m probably smarter than a lot of them.

This may sound like I’m being a dick, but I can’t help it. These people have all been friends since they were toddlers, their parents and grandparents were probably also all friends when they were toddlers. I was a new person, one who they most likely wouldn’t want to invite into their perfectly structured friend groups.

My parents had suggested that if I called up Mayor Smith and asked nicely, he’d give me a ride and so I can meet his son on the way to school, but I said no for the same reason that I said no earlier, the fact I didn’t want an arranged friendship. Why couldn’t we just go back to the UK.

I was sitting on the edge of my bed, staring out the window into the woodlands that stretched out as far as I could see. ’Maybe I should just go there’ I thought. Because if I did run into the woods I wouldn’t have to worry about all this new school outcast stuff.

“George, get up and get ready for school!” My mother called from somewhere downstairs. “I have to go in fifteen minutes if you want a ride.”
“Coming!” I called back, pulling my shoes on before heading down the stairs. I had already been wearing my clothes for the past half hour.

The smell of my mother’s cooking was amazing, and I happily slid into the chair at the table so that I could get some of whatever she was cooking. “Morning,” she hummed without taking her focus off the food. “Are you excited to start at your new school?”
“Not really.” I admitted. “I wish we were still back in the UK.”

“I know you do.” She attempted to give me a smile as she placed the pan on the shove and brought me over some pancakes. “I miss my friends, and my sister and mother, but this is a new opportunity for us. You can make some new friends here.”
“Won’t be the same.” I muttered, before slowly beginning to eat the food on the plate.

“Never said that it would be the same. But we are here because your father got a new job opportunity, and we should encourage him. We can find new opportunities too, ones we didn’t get back home.” I didn’t respond to her speech as I continued to eat, since I knew that regardless of what I said or thought I’d be told to suck it up and ‘embrace this new opportunity’.

So without saying a word to my mother I continued to eat, taking as long as I possibly could to eat the pancakes piled up on my plate. ‘The longer I took to eat the more likely I would be late to school’, I thought to myself, but it seems that my mother thought this too as she pushed for me to hurry up.

The moment that I had the last bit of pancake on my fork she swooped in and stole the plate before getting me to hurry up and get to the car. I sighed as I reluctantly did as she said. My father had left for work a few minutes before I woke up, deciding to take the first bus in the morning which ran at half past six.

As I stepped out into the bright morning I saw the sights that I’d become familiar with after staring out the window for the past couple of days. There were groups of kids playing in front of the houses, seemingly wide awake despite what the time was. A couple of people were going for walks. And there were dogs, just wandering freely in the street without wearing collars.

All of this did seem weird to me. I mean, the kids would spend hours outside playing and had so much energy. The joggers and walkers would always keep glancing at our house and be whispering to each other in groups. But the weirdest thing to me were the dogs.

They weren’t like regular dogs like poodles, jack russells and labradors, they were all big, fluffy wolf-like dogs. Surely no rational adult would allow those large things walking around freely, especially when they would often approach the kids. I mean, if I were a parent I would not like big stray dogs approaching my children.

Quite a few of the passers-by stopped to look over at myself and my mother as we stepped outside, something which she concluded over the weekend of them just being curious about their new neighbours. However I didn't feel that that was the truth, or at least it wasn’t the whole truth.

“Come on George, you don’t want to be late for your first day of school.” My mother called as she slid into the driver's seat. At the sound of her voice I turned to look at her, and when my gaze went back to the street the people who were watching us all went back to their walk, still not worrying about the giant dogs walking around.

“This is such a weird fucking town.” I muttered as I stepped into the passenger seat. My stuff was all by my feet since I’d left it in the car the other day, some books and pens, most of which were half used back in the UK. My parents thought that it would be useful, but I disagreed, especially seeing what the people around here were like.

The drive was silent, and the entire time I could see people stopping and staring at the car while whispering with each other. My mother noticed me staring at them as we drove past and lightly smacked me on the shoulder to get my attention. “George, stop staring,” she instructed.
“Sorry, but they’re all staring at us.” I responded, not moving my eyes off of the people outside.

“If they are all beating people up does that mean you should do it?” She questioned, raising a brow at me which I could see in the reflection. “No. You should be better than them. Besides, Mayor Smith… I mean James… said that they were like a family, and we are new members of the family. It makes sense why they are staring.”

I grumbled while slumping back in my seat. I barely even noticed the vehicle stopping in front of a school building. “This is you.” Mum told me. “Want me to come in with you to the office?” She asked.
“I think that I’ll be fine Mum.” I reassured her, not wanting to be seen with her on my first day.

“Alright, well have a good day honey. I want to hear all about all the new friends you make when you get home.” She hummed.
“See you then.” I smiled before climbing out of the car. Then I took a deep breath before heading towards the front entrance.

There were a lot of kids grouped around chatting with each other but I tried my best to block out their stares as I walked in the entrance and headed over to the reception.
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1263 words

No Dream yet 😭
He gets introduced next chapter though

See you guys tomorrow!