Chapter 148

I wake up surprisingly early considering I stayed up late texting Dale, he couldn't come over the night before.

I remember that today is the first day of school and butterflies move in slow motion in my tummy, something like anxious anticipation thrumming through my veins.

I take my time with the cleaning up and preparations, I wasn't in any hurry to get to school.

I study my curls in the mirror, I really should look into snipping a few inches off or I could go for the ponytail look.

Well, that's a mental discussion for another day. I dress up in jeans and one of my endless knitted sweaters, my Grammy would have a fit if she saw me walking around in these which would only lead to a shipment of designer, cashmere sweaters being brought over by Rodriguez no doubt.

I make my way to the living room to see my mom fully dressed and coming out of the kitchenette with a tray piled with breakfast things.

"Morning, mom." I greet her, going to help her.

"Hi, baby, hurry and eat up so I can take you to school." She says in a flurry. "I have to be at work soon."

I just give her a confused look. "Excuse me, what?"

"Work? I told you I got a job, didn't I?"

"Not that, I'm in senior year, why would you want to take me to school?" I ask in disapproval.

She blinks in confusion. "Well, how else are you going to get there?"

"With my friends?" I say dryly.

"Oh!" She whispers with wide eyes. "Well in that case, I better go get ready." She walks away. "I'll drop Apple over at Julia's since I won't be home either, she say she'll help pet-sit."

"Sure." I mumble around a mouthful of food. "We'll get an inflated balloon back by the end of today." I tag on.

My mom huffs out a laugh. "I don't think so, Apple seems to be dieting, she'll probably not eat much."

I shrug. "I don't know mom, she hasn't seen her beloved fish casserole in a while." 

My mom reappears with Apple and some necessary things in her other hand, like her toys.

"I'll be gone before you get back." I tell her.

"Sure, just take some money for lunch, it's on the side table." She smiles at me, making her way outside.

"Mom!" I complain. "It's the cafeteria at school not a five star restaurant." I reprimand her, waving the crisp one hundred dollar bills she had kept on the side table.

"Go for ice cream after school or something." She throws over her shoulder going out.

I know I'm going to get an earful if I don't take the entire stash of money so I just shove it into my backpack, feeling like a beacon for robbers.

My mom just went down the hallway so there's no need to be worried about the unlocked door, I push my long hair back from my face before I missed a step on the staircase and went sprawling.

I know I might have teasingly told Mae that I might do it, I really wasn't interested in touching the stairs with another part of my body that isn't my feet.

The flights of stairs feel endless today and I'm panting again by the time I get to the end of the stairs on the second floor.

"Need a piggy back ride?" Luke teases behind me.

I just flick my eyes unhappily at him. "Don't you have work to get to?"

His laughter stings but I still wave him goodbye in return to his happy little wave.

The advantage to the capturing of Alexis was that everything returned back to normal and we weren't living in a strange world that had patrols and trainings anymore so naturally Luke went back to the pet shop.

Shana had texted me that they would wait at the parking lot for me, definitely in Virgil's car.

There's talks about building the two Pack Houses side by side to improvement familiar relations with both Packs, which meant Dale was about to move into my backyard.

"Over here, Hay!" Shana's voice calls me over and I make my way in that direction.

It's still pretty early in the morning so the parking lot is still filled with cars.

"Hi." I pant breathlessly, nearly falling inside the car. "Who's idea was it to not put in an elevator?"

Shana grins at this while Mae bursts into peals of laughter from her seat in front.

"Well you don't look so good." Shana comments with barely concealed laughter.

I don't even have the energy to glare at her. "You think?"

My eyes invariably get drawn in Virgil's direction and I catch his eyes staring at me through the rearview mirror, he gives me a small smile which I return with a much bigger one. I had lots of questions but that would have to wait.

A rustling sound drags my gaze from his and I look to the side to see Shana searching through my school bag.

"What the fuck!" She exclaims when she pulls out a fistful of cash.

I just eye her casually. "My mom said I should get ice cream after school."

"For everyone in the entire fucking year?" 

I just snatch my bag from her. "Why are you dipping your grubby hands in my bag anyway?"

"She wants to check if we had holiday assignments." Virgil says with laughter.

"Couldn't you have just asked?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"You'd tell me?" She prompts with wide eyes. "Virgil refused to tell me."

"No, I wouldn't." I tell her plainly, Virgil and Mae bursting out into cackles. "You could have still asked anyway."

"I don't like any of you." She pouts with her arms crossed.

I just give her a look. "Where were you on the last day of school?"

"In class." She huffs defensively.

"He meant your mind, dear." Mae teases.

Shana colors up and blows air out of her mouth. "Paying attention in class is horrible enough on every other day of school but you expect me to do the same on the last day? That's just evil."

I shrug nonchalantly. "Well, then you would have known if we had assignments or not."

We actually didn't but Shana doesn't know that, she'll definitely find out in school anyway, although she'll be a nervous wreck all the way there.

Disadvantages of a small town were, everyone went to the same school and… well, school was just five minutes away.