My Mother Runs With Wolves

Chapter 5

Ending the school day is Physical Education. I'm glad P.E. is last. I don't like showering in public, and I don't like being sweaty all day.

After being cooped up in classrooms all day, I'm looking forward running around a little. I'm assigned a gym locker, given a school t-shirt, and then I hear Lydia calling me from across the locker room. "Maddie! Hi!"

Her loud voice bounces off the lockers and I have to stop myself from cringing. I don't want to draw attention to myself, so I wave and wait for her to trot closer before saying, "Hello again."

"This is great, I look forward to seeing some of your moves," she says.

"What moves?"

"Like you don't know." She elbows me.

It's rougher than I expect and I rub my arm. "Um, sure."

Before she can say more, she's distracted by another girl calling her from across the room. She squeals and trots away, her blond ponytail bouncing, leaving me alone again.

When I get outside, I groan. Trevor is in this class too. As we line up for roll call, I'm careful to place Lydia and her boisterous friends between me and him. Not that I'm scared of him at all, but he's trouble. I can already tell. For some reason, he's already put a target on my back.

"Hey Trev," one of his friends whispers. It's fairly low, but my sharp ears pick it up. "That new chick is here."

"Is that so," I can hear the smirk in his voice. "We're going to have some fun this semester."

My heart sinks. I was so looking forward to staying out of trouble.

The instructor decides to start the class by making us run a mile. A chorus of groans ripple through the students. I don't mind though. I actually enjoy a good run. Shifters are generally gifted athletes. In wolf form, they can run thirty miles in a night, just for fun. I personally don't know what that's like, but my stamina is better than the average person's.

I keep myself in the middle of the pack where most of the students are plodding around the track. I hear Trevor bringing up the rear with inappropriate whistles and comments about bouncing cleavage. Then he starts getting closer.

"Hey, Gallows," he calls. "Your milkshakes don't bring the boys to the yard, do they?" This is followed by multiple guffaws.

I clench my jaw and pretend to ignore him, choosing instead to pick up my pace.

Unfortunately he follows suit.

"Aw what's the matter," he taunts. "Don't you like me?"

I pass other runners, some of whom already sound winded. When I get to the front of the herd, it's led by Lydia and her other tall friends.

"Hi," she says without breaking her stride. Her breathing is steady, like she's just standing in a hallway talking. "Nice of you to join us."

"Oh, I get it now," Trevor shouts from behind. "You joined the Brookfall dyke team!"

I shake my head and glance at Lydia. Her mouth is clamped shut and a vein bulges in her neck. I'm tempted to fall back and give that goon a few choice words, but decide against it. A reaction is just what that guy is looking for.

Eventually he gets bored of us ignoring him and turns his attention to shoving his friends off the track. Back in the locker room, Lydia seems to be her energetic self again. She approaches me just as I finish changing and says, "You should considering trying out for a team. Unfortunately volleyball season is almost over, but basketball tryouts are coming up. You should go."

"I don't know. I'll think about it."

My ambivalent reaction seems to make her uneasy and she shifts on her feet. "Are you hesitating because of—because you think..." She clears her throat. "I'm not... you know, like that." I don't know her that well, but stammering seems unusual for her.

I look up at her—she has a good three inches on me—with curiosity, not sure what she's talking about. Then I realize she's referring to Trevor's stupid comment.

"It's all the same to me," I say. "Who cares if you like boys, girls, or zombies? Anyone who thinks differently is an asshole."

She brightens. "You're all right." She slaps my arm before she leaves.

I wait until she turns the corner before rubbing my arm.

I vote for tolerance! *click* *turns around to peer at you*