Half-Blood High

Un-Bear-Able

Frank POV

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My good day took a dark turn.

It was finally the end of the day. My locker was right next to Hazel's. I was packing up my stuff when a group of freshman guys pelted Hazel with a volley of crumpled-up paper balls.

"Martian Girl!" They jeered.

Hazel gritted her teeth and slammed her locker shut.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"It's nothing," Hazel said.

I kissed her on the forehead. "You're my girlfriend; you can trust me."

"Who's Martin Luther King Jr.? Who's John F. Kennedy? What was the Civil Rights Movement? Frank, you'll never understand what it's like to be dead for so long that you miss decades of history." Hazel slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I need to talk to Nico; he understands."

I met Hazel's bullies outside the school. I made an accidental fool of myself when I tripped over my own foot. Despite a few months of being this way, I hadn't gotten used to that epic growth spurt at Triptolemus's place in Italy.

"Klutz!" One of her bullies yelled.

I stormed up to them. "Look guys; you don't understand what Hazel is going through. Could you just lay off?"

Their leader, a guy with a chip in his tooth, sneered at me and said, "Sure we'll lay off...NOT! I don't care if you're her boyfriend or whatever. She's a freak that's been living under a rock for her entire life." His cronies snickered.

I hate bullies. My own father, Mars, is basically the king of bullies. I've dealt with them all my life. I wanted to punch them back.

Then, something happened. I started to gain weight and sprout shaggy brown fur. My face elongated into a snout. I fell on my knees; no, not my knees. I had four legs now. I tried to yell, but a deep roar escaped my throat.

The bully and his gang screamed and ran away.

I looked at myself in the windows of the school.

I wasn't Frank any more.

I was a bear.