Not So Tragic

Chapter One: Nothing Has Changed

By MPHknows

The fall air was crisp and smelled of rain. The pavement of the school parking lot was damp, but the clouds in the sky had emptied themselves and were in the process of moving on. A large black truck pulled into an open spot towards the middle of the lot before turning off with a groan. Someone was waiting for them at one of the doors to the high school, leaning against it as he held it open. Fang Venom wasn't surprised that the twins were late. It was a common occurrence. At least they were showing up during first period this time. They didn't show up until their lunch period the day after Halloween.

Lupo and Lobo Greyback made their way across the parking lot, neither seeming too thrilled to be there. Lobo was built nicely, especially since the football season was currently going and he had to keep up with his fitness. Lupo was also fit, though slimmer, shorter, and built much more like the track star she was. There was no doubt these two were related, though their difference in gender making it less likely to guess they were twins. Both had dirty blond hair, Lobo's short and wavy while Lupo's was straight and reached her hips, and both shared the same golden eyes and tan olive skin.

When they all entered the school, Lobo immediately left for his class. Lupo waited for Fang, though, and strolled with him through the halls to the history class they were in together. "If you miss anymore classes, you're probably going to lose credit," he commented, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him in a friendly manor.

"I'll just take the class again next year then." She pushed his arm away so that she could put her hair up as they walked.

"Your senior year is supposed to be for all your blow off classes, not making up a shit-ton of credits because you couldn't wake up on time."

"I thought that was exactly what senior year was for," she shrugged, "And junior year is for missing all those classes. Not everyone wants to spend all their time being a good student like you and your girlfriend, some of us want to party and sleep in."

Fang rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Max is not my girlfriend. I wish you'd stop saying that."

"You guys are pretty much there. You study together every day, you've been friends since you were little, you both want to be together you just won't admit it to each other."

"She does not want to be with me."

"Do you seriously think she's been single all of high school because no one's been interested in her?"

"She has standards."

"Yeah, the standard is tall, dark, handsome, and oblivious."

"We've talked about this. I've asked her out before. Nothing happened."

Lupo groaned, stopping outside of the history classroom and leaning against the lockers, "That's 'cause Maxi is difficult. You have to be upfront with her. You can't just play your sly little suggestion game."

"She's too busy with schoolwork."

"You're making excuses because you're afraid of rejection."

"Aren't we all?" Lupo smirked, a sad look hidden in her eyes. Fang immediately seemed to want to eat his words, regretting the comment.

"Sorry, I heard what happened over Thanksgiving break with you and Omega. You doing okay?"

Lupo sighed, getting up from the wall of lockers and going towards the door, marking the end of their conversation, "I'm alright. It's his loss, anyway."

Throughout all of her morning classes, Lupo was bombarded with questions. Was she alright? How was she feeling? Did she miss him? She wasn't too appreciative of the veil of concern, however. She knew what was really going on. This was a high school, after all. No one, except maybe a select few, cared if she was really okay. No, these were all questions wanting the scoop of this week's latest drama. She wasn't having it, though. This was the main thing they agreed upon with the break up: they wouldn't turn it into a spectacle. It was their business.

She was excited about her last class before lunch, though. Open Track with her best friend, Max, was one of Lupo's favorite classes of the day, mostly because it wasn't really a class. It was a period that any students on an athletic team could take where they could practice out on the field with a coach supervising. The coach was always perched on the bleachers catching up on paperwork and barely paying attention, leaving the students to do whatever they wanted. Many did take advantage of the practice time, but there were days where Max and Lupo would just lay out on the field and enjoy the day.

That first day back after Thanksgiving break, though, Lupo wanted to run. There was a chance of rain falling at any moment, leaving most of the students up on the bleachers working on school assignments or just chatting, but she didn't care. She hit the track before Max had arrived yet, glad she had worn shorts and a t-shirt already so she didn't have to go change before running.

Lupo had already made a lap before Max arrived, changed into her soccer uniform, the cleats replaced with regular track shoes. Max darted out onto the track, sprinting until she leveled with Lupo and slowed to a jog. "Hey, girly," Lupo said nonchalantly.

"Hey, Loops," Max responded. She didn't follow it up with anything, just keeping her pace with Lupo.

Lupo looked over at her, examining the focus her friend had on the track in front of her. She didn't know why she was surprised, Max never talked about feelings unless you forced her. "You not going to ask about it?" Lupo asked, putting her eyes back on their path.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

"Then no."

Lupo grinned, nearing Max and bumping their shoulders together before picking up speed. It was a very common occurrence for these two to turn anything into a competition. Track races, soccer matches, anything. They challenged each other and they loved it. Both were extremely athletic and stars in their respective sports. Many who saw these two together would argue that it's because of their constant competition. Even though Max wasn't in track, she would still be up for a race and push Lupo, and Lupo would do the same for Max with soccer.

As Lupo picked up her speed, so did Max. Subsequently, as Max levelled with Lupo, Lupo would speed up once again. Finally, they were both in full blown sprints, Lupo slowly but surely pulling ahead of Max. This was just what she needed. No more questions about Omega, no more concerned looks, just someone to treat her like nothing had changed.

Because, really, nothing had.

Lupo and Max walked to the lunch table together, both carrying their trays filled with food. Lupo was so grateful for the friends she had. If it wasn't for them, she'd be stuck on reduced lunch and that just wasn't enough for a track star. Instead, she had everything she wanted from her salad to a burger with all the fixings.

Fang and Lobo were already at the table, which was usual. What wasn't usual was the two that were missing. Max and Lupo were always the last two to show up. It never failed. Even when they would try their hardest to get their first, yet another thing the two would make a competition, the other four would always be there first.

However, Iggy and JJ were nowhere to be seen. This might not be a strange occurrence to anyone outside of the group. After all, Iggy and JJ were notorious for wandering off together to do things they shouldn't be doing on school property. Within the group, however, there was always a routine. Everyone would meet for lunch and then, after everyone had settled down and eaten, the rest were free to go off and do whatever they needed, or wanted, to do. Iggy was a man of routine. He wouldn't be gone unless something had happened.

Lupo sat next to Fang and Max sat between her and Lobo, the two chairs between Lobo and Fang left glaringly empty. "What's going on?" Max asked, seeming afraid of what the answer might be.

"We thought you might know," Fang responded between bites of his nachos.

"I haven't seen either of them today," Lupo said, trying to remember if she had even gotten a glance of JJ between classes. She knew she would remember if she spotted Iggy. That boy was the tallest in the school and his strawberry blond hair stuck out like a sore thumb. It didn't help that he basically ran the school and the hallway crowds would part like the red sea for him. He was a tall skinny man of stature at that place, his confidence seemingly unmatched by anyone, even the most annoying politicians, and he was only 18.

"Iggy and I have English together," Max commented, "but he didn't talk to me today. I figured it was just because Mrs. Light was in a bad mood today, but he didn't look too happy himself."

"Speak of the devil, here he comes," Lobo whispered, trying to act nonchalant as Iggy came through the door to the lunchroom and strutted over to the table.

Nothing ever passed Iggy, though, and he seemed to be expecting the reaction to his arrival. "Nice to see I have a loyal audience," he smirked, icy blue eyes scanning each of them. "Wondering why I'm late?"

"No shit," Lupo was the first to respond, setting her burger down that she had just picked up while Max had been talking. "Where's your leach?"

"Why so worried about her? I thought you two didn't get along."

"We're doing better than we were in middle school."

"True," Iggy nodded, taking his seat next to Fang very casually.

"So, are you gonna tell us what's going on or not?" Max asked, kicking at his foot lightly under the table. She was the one Iggy was closest to out of the bunch, even closer than JJ. Many would think that was something, a friendship so strong it beats a romantic relationship that had been going on since freshmen year. JJ and Iggy weren't that close, though. Their relationship had been an off and on mess that often consisted of Iggy exploring the rest of the ready and willing girls in their grade.

Lupo would bet money that this was just another episode of them displaying exactly why those two were the worst for each other.

As the door to the lunchroom crashed open and JJ came tearing through, Lupo's bet was confirmed.

"James Ignacio Giffiths, don't you dare walk away from me!" JJ shouted, stomping over to the table.

"You are not my mother," Iggy responded, not even looking up at her.

"But I am your girlfriend and I will not be made a fool of!"

"I didn't do anything."

"You slept with Lissa! And told her you'd take her to prom!"

"I'm pretty sure those happened in the opposite order."

"So you admit it!"

"Jennifer!" One of the coaches monitoring lunch yelled at her from across the lunchroom, "If you do not keep it down, I will send you to the office."

JJ glared at the coach before turning her glare to Iggy, waiting for a response. He just shrugged, "You said you were done with me."

"I was just mad at you that night," she ground out, trying not to get loud again. "That didn't mean I wanted to break up with you."

"Could've fooled me," Iggy cocked his head a bit as he looked at her, waiting for her response. He knew how to play her like a fiddle.

"This is not over," she growled, turning on her heel and stomping over to a table full of the other soccer girls.

"Glad that's over with," Iggy sighed with a smirk, reaching over to Lupo's tray to steal a fry. Her eyebrows knitted together with a look of 'what are you doing?' and he just gave her a wink.

"You knew that she didn't want to break up, didn't you?" Max asked, seeming annoyed with her friend's actions but as if she had given up fighting this kind of behavior a long time ago.

Iggy didn't answer, instead focusing on the fry he just stole. After he was done, he turned to Max, but not to answer her question, "I need to take Angela to the auto-shop after school. Do you want to go with me?"

"Not really," Max answered. "I need to play damage control for you with JJ and I've got a project to work on with her anyway."

"Which one is Angela?" Lupo asked, butting in.

"The red 2012 convertible Camaro," Iggy responded. "You want to go with me?"

Iggy and Lupo didn't spend a lot of time together. They were that usual pair in a group that were more like acquaintances with each other than friends. They just happened to have all the same friends, but never really got to know each other. Lupo knew Iggy was rich. She knew his mom wasn't in the picture, something they had in common. She also knew he probably knew way more about her than she knew about him. Iggy was that way. He knew everything about everyone it seemed like. Lupo always considered him an interesting character, but she had never really gotten the chance to get anymore than light conversation with him. Plus, it would mean an ride in a gorgeous car.

"Sure."