Shapeshifters

12

A FEW HOURS later, we were walking out of Williston High with my schedule in hand. Sunny wouldn't stop talking about how excited she was that we were in three of the same classes and that it looked like we would have lunch together. 

"Yay!" I had told her very sarcastically. "It will be so much fun!" 

I had started really regretting not taking Petunia up on her school staying idea. She had offered to let me stay with her during the school year, but I had turned her down for I was just starting to get the hang of things. 

"You've been down in the dumps all day," Sunny stated. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, smiled, and said, "Nothing, I'm fine. Really. Don't worry about me."

She didn't buy it, but she also didn't push any more. A lot of things were happening. If I was going to survive, I would need a guide to help me.

A guide! I exclaimed to myself. One of Valley will guide the young pups. That was what Shapeclaw said. I had remembered. As long as I stuck close to Tawny, I would be fine.

"Okay, I won't," She said. "But get out of the dumps by tomorrow for school."

I groaned. "Don't remind me. Nine months of hiding from teachers and students. Sounds like a busy and boring year of school for me."

"It's not that bad. I've been doing it a lot longer than you!"

I didn't need that reminder. But she's right, and Tawny can't be with me helping me. I have to do this alone.

"We have to go label everything and get our bags packed for school!" Sunny declared excitedly. "We also have to color code everything with Petunia."

I followed her and we got in the car to go home. When we were in the car I asked, "Does Petunia have lunch with us?"

Sunny shrugged. "I don't know. You'd have to ask her yourself."

"Just another thing I have to add to my list of things to do," I mumbled.

Sunny gave me a weird look. I stared blankly at her, as if nothing was wrong. 

*****

When we arrived, I went out to the side yard and with my back against the house, facing the fence. I started thinking about Tawny, Dust, school, and everything else that had happened. I kept thinking about the time that had past since I'd been in the human world. Somehow, only two and a half months here was only a few days there.

I sat there until well past nightfall, Sunny came and got me when Petunia arrived to go through school stuff. We spent the next few hours laughing and organizing. 

"How's everything Rose?" Petunia asked me. "Sunny driven you over the edge yet?" She chuckled while Sunny playfully slapped her arm.

I laughed, "Everything's good. But of course it's different from where I'm from." I didn't know what else to tell her.

"She learned everything really fast, she's all caught up with everything we learned from school." Sunny told Petunia.

"That's good," Petunia said. "Well, I should go and get as much sleep as I can before the school year starts."

"Yeah," Sunny replied. "Us too. What lunch do you have?"

"I don't know," Petunia responded. "I didn't pay attention."

"You never do," I laughed.

"I'm 95% sure I have second. You?"

"We both have second," I told her. "Let's hope that 5% doesn't bite you and you end up having first." I giggled. "That would suck."

"Yeah," Petunia remarked. "See you girls tomorrow!"

When the door shut behind her, Sunny headed upstairs to get ready.

"You coming?" She asked.

"I'm going to clear my head first, then I'll come," I told her.

She nodded and went upstairs. When I heard her bedroom door shut, I went to the side yard and sure enough, she was there. Waiting for me. I shifted and padded across to Tawny. We talked about the next little while and what it held for me until it was moon high. I sent her away with a message for my pack.

After she was out of sight, I shifted back to a human. I went inside, got ready, laid in bed and slowly drifted to sleep.