Chapter 3: Day 8. Monday, Waning Crescent
Heavy rain set in midday, prompting Hunter to stay indoors. He swathed himself in blankets and checked through his messages. Much to his surprise, there were inquiries from his pack members about his whereabouts. Hunter kept his replies limited to short text messages. He wanted to tell them more, but it was too risky. There was no telling who might read or overhear his location. He tried to distract himself by binge-watching a show on his phone, but loneliness crept up on him. He looked at Ashley's text again. Sure, they weren't a pack, but they could at least be friends.
He awoke that evening to rumbling thunder. The sky was dark. He checked the time.
Unfortunately, he was going to be late to Lugosi's class again.
He moved as quickly as he could across the lawn. His leg brace didn't make things easy. Hunter slipped in the grass, landing on his butt in the wet dirt. His hands stung from dragging himself up, but he continued on his way.
He arrived twelve minutes late.
Lugosi didn't seem surprised. His permanent pinched expression had not changed. "I thought you would have taken heed from last week's lecture--"
"I'm....ugh...sorry..."
"You already have one absence--"
Hunter leaned against the door frame."I transferred late--"
"And two latenesses already." Lugosi continued as if Hunter never spoke. "As written in the syllabus, two latenesses equal one absence. After 3 absences you will be removed from the class. Redwood University's rules are very clear. Perhaps you would be better off at a smaller institution? Something that would cater to your..." He looked down at Hunter's muddied jeans. "Condition."
Hunter's eye twitched. If they had this exchange a week earlier, his wolf side would have sent him charging across the room. Perhaps he would have tackled the thin man to the ground and bit down into his neck. Would campus security be called? Would it be on the evening news?
"Are you with us, Mr. Reeds?"
Hunter staggered over to a seat in the front row. "I'm sorry Mr. Lugosi." Frustration made his eyes water. He kept his gaze on the desk. "It won't happen again."
After the class ended, Hunter was in a sour mood. There was no special lecture on attendance, but the remark about his 'condition' did a number on him. None of the other students had said a word either. As his class was held in the same building as the English department, he decided to go up to the office and make a complaint. He tried to remain optimistic. If complaining didn't work, perhaps there was still time to change classes.
Other late classes had just come to an end, and only a handful of students and faculty remained in the building. The occasional set of footsteps echoed as Hunter made his way to the office.
Not only had the office closed, but a notice on a bulletin board told him it was too late for course changes. He leaned his head against the department door for a moment and took a deep breath. His vision was blurring again, with tears threatening to fall at any second.
Normally he wouldn't feel so emotional, but he knew it was his wolfside edging him on, making every small issue much bigger. With a frustrated growl he turned quickly, causing a loop on his messenger bag to snag onto the door. Hunter yanked at it with too much force and the bag flipped, scattering his belongings across the floor.
He paused and stared at the mess he created. How hard did he have to fight to make this work? He steadied himself against the wall and tried to crouch down. While his joints were better due to the coming new moon, bending his knees was far from a walk in the park.
He sucked in a deep breath through his teeth and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. As he reached for his planner he heard footsteps against the linoleum.
A stranger knelt down in front of him. "Let me help."
Hunter blinked away his remaining tears. He recognized the person helping him. It was the boy from the library. Sadness was replaced with embarrassment and confusion as Hunter watched the young man collect his belongings from across the floor.
"We meet again." Grayson smiled.
Hunter looked at him over his sunglasses, speechless. The last time they had met he couldn't get himself to shut up. Now, he couldn't speak at all.
Grayson's smile drooped. "Do you remember me?"
Hunter nodded his head slowly, still trying to remember how to talk. This doesn't have to awkward, He told himself. The wolf isn't even here to mess things up. Now speak.
"I remember. Thank you." He blinked. "Uh, for helping me...not for before, uh well..."
Perhaps being silent wasn't so bad. Hunter stuffed his things back into his messenger bag and closed it tight. "Sorry. It's been a long week."
"Already?" Grayson raised an eyebrow. "Good luck with the rest of it then."
"Grayson!"
Hunter looked down the hall. A small group was watching them. One guy in a letterman jacket asked, "You still coming?"
"Yeah! Go on ahead!" Grayson called back before returning his attention back to Hunter. "We're going to the mess hall over in the Green building. You wanna come?"
Wallow in self-pity or eat with strangers? It didn't take long for Hunter to think it over. "I can go."
Hunter tried to pull himself up, but Grayson offered his arm. He was everything Hunter wasn't--tall, muscular, he had a normal set of teeth....It didn't seem fair.
Grayson's friends had gone on ahead. It was understandable, as the hour was late and the Green building's mess hall would likely stop cooking within the hour. The other kitchens on campus had closed hours before, and Hunter felt bad for any hungry individuals who didn't possess any rations of their own.
He followed Grayson into an elevator.
"So." Grayson tapped the L button. "About the other day...I'm sorry--"
"They're real." Hunter rubbed his hands together, drawing out nervous energy. "It's a valid question, it just doesn't come up as often as you would think. I mean, I'm from New York." He gave Grayson a sideways glance. "I'm far from the weirdest thing you're gonna see there."
"Ah. Gotcha. I'm from Boston." Grayson replied. "What brings you out here to Redwood?"
"Not too far, yet not too close to home." Hunter shrugged. The elevator doors opened. They stepped out, following the remaining teachers and students back into the night air. The campus grounds were mostly hidden in the dark, except for spots lit by old-fashioned lamp posts.
Hunter caught a glimpse of the tiniest sliver of the moon before it was covered by the clouds.
"And uh, why did you come Redwood?"
"A recruiter came to my school."Grayson shrugged. "I didn't have anywhere else in mind, so it seemed like a good idea."
They walked side by side down a concrete path that ran alongside the grass. The land sloped downward, leading to a stone staircase, and at the foot of a hill sat their destination.
The Green building was the heart of the Redwood campus. It was large and mostly green tinted glass, connecting to several smaller buildings by short bridges of more glass and steel. It was often the host of parties in bad weather and featured the largest cafeteria on campus, earning it the nickname the 'mess hall'.
After quickly moving down the sloping path, Grayson looked back to see Hunter still making his way down. He wasn't sure what to say. When they first met, Hunter had been on crutches but with no visible injury. He wanted to ask, but he was worried he would get a negative reaction.
"Tired?" Was the best he could come up with.
"A little." Was all Hunter would say.
They entered the building and crossed the lobby filled with Redwood maps, awards, banners, and other forms of 'propaganda' for the college. Hunter half expected a small tour of starry-eyed teenagers and parents to come waltzing by, but it was too late at night for that to happen.
The mess hall was a wide circular room filled with long, lacquered wood tables and matching benches. Food and beverages were either acquired by using one of many vending machines or joining one of three lines for sections against the wall labeled 'Meals', 'Snacks', and 'Salads'. A closed 'Juice and Coffee' stand sat in one corner. Speakers pumped in upbeat music, and several flat screens found around the room displayed different shows.
The room was crowded. Grayson looked around for his classmates until Hunter tugged on his shirt and pointed to the far left. They made their way over to the table and squeezed onto the remaining space at the end of two benches.
Introductions were short, as one of Grayson's classmates launched into a rant about their shared class. Hunter felt alienated instantly. The group ate from shared bowls of chicken strips, wings, and fries, but Hunter kept his hands on his lap all the while. It reminded him of his first trip to New York City. He had gone with a small group to see some relatives, and came through on a train to Grand Central station. While making their way around, he had been separated from the group in Grand Central's largest hall, the main concourse. There he was surrounded by more noise, light and people than his eight-year-old self had ever seen in his life. Never before had Hunter had never felt so truly alone. So he howled.
Now, Hunter kept his mouth shut. His English class already thought he was crazy. There was no need for Grayson or his friends to think the same. He rubbed his hands together again. Did everyone get this feeling when they moved away from home? This strange, creeping loneliness?
"Do you have any teachers bugging you?" Grayson asked, looking directly at him. Perhaps that was the topic of conversation.
"Yeah." Hunter joined in to escape. "Lugosi. He's the worst."
"What did he do?" Grayson asked, staring at the fry basket.
Hunter realized he had not seen Grayson eat since they arrived, but thought nothing of it. "I showed up late to class last week. My legs were bothering me, you probably noticed the crutches I had." Grayson nodded and he continued, feeling multiple eyes on him. "Anyway, he made a big deal out of it and gave a speech on the importance of attendance. Then this week, he suggested I wasn't right for Redwood because of my...'condition'."
"Because of your condition?" One person repeated. "He sounds like a jerk."
"My friend had him last semester." Another person chimed in. "He made some dude cry. He has tenure here though, so the school won't kick him out no matter what he does."
"Is that why you were by the English office?" Grayson asked, looking concerned. "Were you going to complain?"
Hunter rubbed the back of his neck. "Something like that." Part of him wanted to cry again. "Or just switch classes."
"The deadline was yesterday, dude." Another person replied. "Sorry."
Hunter let out a heavy sigh. "I guess..I'm just going to have to deal with it." He rubbed his hands again in a nervous gesture. "Maybe camp outside the door for a few hours. Get the door opened by maintenance. Sit at his desk. Wait until he walks in. Tell him I'm the teacher now." He spoke with a deadpan expression and monotone delivery, causing several people at the table to laugh, Grayson included. Hunter ignored the warm feeling in his chest and adjusted his sunglasses. They spent the next hour swapping stories about weird teachers past and present, until the kitchen was officially closed, and the mess hall began to empty out.
To their dismay it was raining again, albeit lightly.
"So, which dorm are you in?" Grayson asked, unfazed.
"Howard." Hunter replied as he hooked his sunglasses on his t-shirt. It was dark enough that he could see without them.
"I'm headed that way."
"Oh--kay."
Their group had dispersed, leaving them alone. As they began to trek back up the hill, the rain grew heavier. Hunter fumbled with the railing. He stopped on a step to rub the fat raindrops away from his eyes. Grayson stopped two steps above him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah--" Hunter tried to pull himself up onto the next step, but his right foot slipped and he toppled forward. Hunter was expecting to hit the pavement. Instead, his face smacked into Grayson's chest. He could feel two hands holding him steady. "Nice catch." He said into the taller boy's shirt. As he pulled away he found himself staring into earnest eyes. "It's okay." Grayson smiled, his hands on Hunter's shoulders. "I've got you."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Trixterdark
Trixterdark I hope you enjoy!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone