The Run Away Wolf
This Chapter Was Inspired by If I Had You – Adam Lambert
Because of my right side still causing me pain every now and then, and not knowing where I was going, each night I stopped and slept in the forest in my wolf form. Though, I didn't get any sleep which felt like rest. I was fully on guard, trying not to get caught as a giant wolf. I tried not to think of Bella, but it was hard as all hell. It was the hardest thing I had done in my life yet. I tried to think of my friends and the pack back home, but nothing seemed to help take the pain away. So much for thinking of her for the last time back home, I thought often while running. I had hoped by leaving home, I would also leave behind the pain and thoughts of Bella too. But I had been so wrong. Dead wrong to be honest!
Within a week of running, I ended up in New York City. I hadn't had any plans of any place I was running off to. I just ended up there. It was night when I came across the lights of New York. I thought that I would at least come across another town before New York, though I was trying my best to keep to the forests and woodland. I knew the pack wouldn't find me at least in New York if they were out looking. I was too far away to be tracked or found by anyone I knew back home. Though, I wasn't so sure about the police if my father put in a missing persons report. I knew also Charlie would tell everyone in America if he could to help his friend find his son. But I didn't think that dad would worry too much. I was a werewolf for crying out loud! I could protect myself from others. I just couldn't protect myself from myself. No one could, but Bella. My Bella . . .
My first night in New York, I stayed in Central Park, where I couldn't see any security cameras. I was always careful to stay clear of cameras. The last thing I needed was 'GIANT WOLF IN CENTRAL PARK SPOTTED' all over the news headlines and papers. That was a dead set give a way for anyone who heard it back home. I hoped they wouldn't come looking for me. I didn't want to be found. It was the last thing I wanted. I just wanted to be left alone for a while – a long while, forever maybe even. I needed to either work things out for myself, or forget them fully. And right now, I was thinking about forgetting them altogether.
It didn't seem to matter what I did, I couldn't stop thinking about Bella! Even in my dreams I thought about her and dreamt of her. It was really starting to do my head in! But the worst part wasn't thinking about her all the time, it was the pain that came with the thoughts of her. I couldn't think about home, my friends, the pack, my father, my family, because it was always Bella or came to Bella after thinking about them. I was starting to think I was going insane. I had always thought I would after turning into a werewolf. I felt lost after phasing for the first time, like I could just disappear into the beats within me, but I never thought it would be Bella who made me insane.
I awoke in the park just before dawn. The streets were almost dead, apart from the odd trouble maker hanging out and doing things they shouldn't. I got up, shook my coat of the leaves and kept to the shadows, finding my way around the streets until I found some clothes on a clothes line, hung out to dry. They looked around my size. They would and had to be good enough for now.
I climbed up the stairs of the fire escape silently and took just a black tee shirt which ended up being far too small for me and a pair of jeans which seemed to be just my size. It was all I needed to look apart of the community. Well, those and a pair of shoes of course. I didn't know where I was going to get a pair of shoes from though. There wasn't any on the clothesline, obviously.
Once I got the clothes, I jumped down from where I stood and into the shadows before phasing back to my human form. I got dressed quickly and just as I had, I heard someone walking down the alley way, where I was now standing, fully clothed. Casually, I slowly walked towards the street and towards the man that was walking towards me. I didn't look at him, until he shouted out to me.
"Hey kid! What do you think you're doing stealing my clothes?"
I looked up automatically to him and then took off running like a bat out of hell. I could hear him running after me. As I reached the corner, between the street and the alley, I kept getting the urge to phase to run faster but kept it under control. I heard a gunshot just behind me as I kept on running. The sudden sound almost made me lose control of my inner wolf. It was obvious the shot had come from that guy. My heartbeat went faster as I kept on running at full pace, making sure he was no longer following me before I slowed.
Crap, this place is dangerous, I thought while panting and trying to catch my breath near a huge building within its shadows of the street light. I was sure if that guy would have shot me if he could have. It was inevitable, sooner or later I would need a hooded jacket or a pair of sunglasses, or people was going to start recognizing me with doing things like I just had. The last thing I needed was the police on my tail. But at the same time, I didn't want to do what I had just done. If I had only planned it out better, I wouldn't have had to.
I walked the streets for a while, looking around. The whole time, I thought of Bella, even when I tried not to, again. It was impossible for me not to think of her! It was driving me crazy to no end. She wasn't mine and never would be, so why couldn't I get over her? I knew the answer, but I couldn't accept it. There was still a glimmer of hope left in me and I didn't want it, because while ever I had it, I wouldn't ever let go. I would be forever hurt while I had it. But I didn't know how to get rid of it once and for all.
I looked up to the sky, seeing it lightening to a light blue-purple with dawn coming. I didn't know where I would go and what to do. I had no money, no way to get money, no jacket to stop people from knowing I was the Quileute boy who ran from home just because his crush doesn't love him back. I felt so pathetic and weak! Why was it that Bella was the only person in the world who could make me behave like this? Why was she the only one who I cared for most in my life? It didn't seem right to me. How was it that she was the one person who had this type of effect on me? I knew no one else who could or had made me act this way – to think of them nonstop. I wasn't the type to dwindle on something that was never going to happen, but with Bella, it was different. I didn't know how to explain it; it was just different for me. I didn't know how she was different to everyone else I had ever met in my life, she just was. . .
When daylight came, I still didn't know what to do or where to go. I was hungry, but I couldn't go getting any food from a stand encase I was caught or buy any food anyway, as I had no money. This whole plan of running away wasn't going so well. Not in New York anyway. And soon enough after getting away from that guy I had stolen my clothes from, and making sure that he hadn't found me again, I started to think of Bella again. I didn't know what to do to get my mind off of her. Each and every thought I had of her hurt like all hell was burning up inside of my heart. I didn't know what to do to get her out of my head, but then at the same time, I did. I just didn't want to do it. I had only not thought about her when I was running for my life. I knew causing trouble had made me forget her, but I wasn't a trouble maker, and yet I really wanted to be. That was just how desperate and weak I was. I felt sick to my stomach. This wasn't me at all.
Even when I closed my eyes, I still thought of her and could see her – almost feel her even. My hands clenched at my sides and started to half shake with just the thought of her. I really needed a distraction of any kind. A vampire would have been good, if I was capable of fighting one so soon after my accident that is.
As I walked down the streets of New York, I came to one street which seemed very quiet. I felt wary the second I entered it. I kept my guard up while looking around at everything as I went. Suddenly something caught my attention. I could hear some guys shouting and laughing. I looked up and saw five teenage boys with hooded jackets over their heads and a heap of stuff in their hands as they packed it into a rusted old blue rabbit. It was obvious the stuff they were packing into the car was all stolen. The tags where still on the items they carried and there was by far too much of the same thing for them to have brought it all . . . I then spotted some leather hooded jackets and some boxes of shoes, which were just some of what they were stealing. It was just what I needed.
I looked around myself again, making sure there was no one watching me or around. I looked over my shoulder and around the trouble makers. Quickly I ran into one of the guys, making him half lose his balance and bump into his mates. Each of them dropped a heap of things. While they were distracted as their stuff was still falling everywhere, I grabbed a box which contained a pair of shoes and a jacket, and took off running quickly. I flung the jacket over my shoulders while running flat out and pulled the hood over my head so they couldn't see me.
I could hear the boys shouting out at me like all hell had broken loose. I could even hear one of them running after me for a while, but I was just too fast for him thankfully. I was worried they would have come after me in their car, but I guessed that they just had too much to pack into the car to loose over just a leather jacket and a pair of shoes.
After cutting a few corners and going down a dark alley as the rain now fell upon my shoulders, I stopped and pulled on the black shoes I had robbed from the robbers. Thankfully, they had been my size of shoe and fitted perfectly. After pulling on my shoes, it was only when it registered in my brain that I was safe, and with that, the thoughts of Bella started to come back again. Causing and making trouble was the cure to the pain I was feeling. I tried to force the thoughts of her back, but, it was impossible, as always.
My heart wrenched with pain of the thoughts of her that came to me. I couldn't stop them from coming into my mind, no matter how hard I tried. My mind had a mine of its own and it didn't matter what I did or tried to think about, she was always there – even when I closed my eyes. It all just hurt too much. I growled at myself. I needed to get a hold of myself! I needed something to get my thoughts off of her, but there wasn't anything I knew would help me, apart from getting into trouble, and I couldn't keep doing that forever could I? Not without getting caught by the police. Or feeling bad about it . . . Those boys had done wrong first by stealing the stuff they had, but what I did was just as bad. I had been lucky so far they hadn't caught me. I then thought about the fact that I was wearing a hooded jacket now. Maybe it could work to my advantage sometimes?
I shook my head, just trying to forget about Bella again. My hands shook like crazy at my sides as I kept trying to force the thoughts of her out of my head and keep my inner animal at bay all at the same time. But, Nothing worked. I walked down streets, not knowing where I was going through the rain for what felt like hours – I had nothing else to do.
I passed food stands, but even that didn't take my mind off of her and I was starving like I hadn't ever eaten before. I took a deep breath as I was alone, somewhere in New York and in a dark alley. The rain was falling heavily, it was hard to see anything that wasn't a metre or two away. I quickly got undressed, tied my clothes to my ankle and wrist and then finally phased into my wolf form. My inner animal could take care of my emotions better than I ever could. Never could I deny that. It didn't care about Bella as much as I did. It was just an animal, and she was just a human.
Somehow I was able to get out of the city in my wolf form without been seen. I found some bush land after a long while of running and was able to find a deer. I hated going after animals to eat, but I had to eat something and there wasn't any human food open to me with having no money in hand. I couldn't really say that I enjoyed the meal either, but at least it was something to eat to keep my strength up and my stomach from eating itself.
I hadn't even really thought about Bella that much the whole time I had been in my wolf form. That scared me, because now I knew my wolf form was a place I could go to not think and feel about her as much as in my human form. I was scared that if I went into my wolf form, I wouldn't phase back. As it had been when I did phase back, it was harder than usual, because the second I was human again, all those emotions and memories came back to me in a huge title wave I felt like I was drowning in. The second I was human, I wanted to be wolf again. I wanted to be numb and blank. No thought or feeling within my body.
On dark, I went back into the city and wondered about what to do to get my mind off of her again. Even her name to think it now, hurt like fire running over my chest and heart, to know that never will I have her to call her my own. To love her like she should be loved and cared for. And a human life complete with a family of our own to care for together. All the things that leech couldn't give her, and I could. All those thoughts hurt all like a stab within my heart. It felt like someone had actually taken a knife to my heart and was a cutting into it deeper and deeper each time I thought about her. I knew though, while ever I was sitting around mopping all day long, I wouldn't get her off my mind, ever. I needed something to do.
But if only I had her. If I had her . . . that was all I would need in my life. Having her would mean more than having all my dreams come true, because, she was all my dreams. She was the girl I wanted to wake up to in the morning and fall asleep with at night. She was the girl who owned my heart and always would. She was the girl who made my day through and through. She lit my world, made my heart beat in my chest and was the air I needed to breathe with. She would be the only thing I would never want or need, throughout forever. There wasn't a doubt about that!
I shook my head of the thoughts while walking through the dark of night down streets and through the rain. Heavy and loud music suddenly hit my ears. I looked up from where I stood and saw what I thought was a club or bar. The music inside was so loud I could hear each and every word of the song which was currently playing. I watched as some people walked out and saw the lights flashing bright colours of blue, red, purple, pink, yellow, green and every other colour under the sun inside. People danced to the music, looking like they were really enjoying themselves. It looked like a wild place. I wanted to go in, but I was only sixteen. A smirk suddenly came to my lips and a shrug of my shoulders with a thought that came to me. Did I truly look sixteen? The only real problem was I didn't have any ID on me. . . But then I shouldn't be getting asked for I.D if I did look eighteen, or over eighteen. To hell with it! I thought and walked inside with my hood still pulled over my head.
The second I stepped in, the coloured lights of the club flashed over my head. I looked around the crowed place. People were dancing everywhere to the loud music. It's high and catchy beat instantly caught my emotions within its high. I had always been amazed by how music always seemed to catch ones emotions, and change them to the emotion and beat of the song and music. I instantly forgot about Bella and let the beat of the music flow through me as I pushed past the many people dancing while making my way to a little crowed area. I made my way to the back of the club and sat where it was a little darker and not so noticeable. As I watched the people dancing, talking, laughing and drinking around me, I noticed just how much fun they were having – and how drunk or high they were.
My eyes scanned each of the faces around me for no reason at all apart from curiosity. Only one of the faces near me stood out. Her hair was blond, wavy and yet almost straight at the same time. She wore a very short pair of dark, washed out grey denim short shorts and a low three quarter black halter V neck top with some white writing on the lower part and chest region of the top. Her skin was pale white in the flashing, coloured lights of the club. She danced while wearing a very dark pair of cop sunglasses. She danced to some high beat music that I wasn't familiar with, with a small drink bottle in her hand. Occasionally she would sip on it.
I didn't know what it was about her, but, there was just something different about her to everyone else in the room. She was pretty, yes – sexy was more the word – but there was just something about her that was different. It felt a little like I knew her from somewhere, like we were connected, almost like we knew each other and had been or were friends for years, but I didn't know her at all. I knew that much and yet, I got the feeling that I did? I shook my head with confusion of my own emotions. I had to be finally going crazy. That was the only thing I could think of which explained everything.
I looked away from her and focused on the music again. It actually made me feel better. It made me forget about the pain of Bella to some extent. The coloured lights flashed brightly around me and my eyes shifted quickly to a group of guys suddenly shouting "Free Friday!" before clashing their drinks together beside me. I wondered what was making them so happy. Each and every one of them was smiling widely and laughing, then again, they could have been easy overly drunk too.
One of them – the younger one who had to be around twenty and had tips of light green through his dark brown, cropped and spiked hair, leaned over towards me. I eyed him carefully with not feeling like I should trust him. "Hey, you want a drink bro? You look like you could do with one," he said in a low whispering tone.
I knew he wouldn't know that I was underage as I didn't look sixteen at all – more like eighteen, nineteen or older. I also knew it was against the law for underage drinking, but I was really desperate to get Bella fully off of my mind. The music wasn't working as well as it had been and I was starting to think about her, again.
My mind drifted to how Sam had said werewolves couldn't get drunk a fair few months back. It was all because our body temperatures were too high for alcohol to have any kind of effect on us. I wanted to test that theory – for what reason I had no idea – but then I remembered I had no money on me. "Thanks, but I don't have any money," I answered dryly.
He looked away from me for a moment, smiling and shaking his head. "Are you new here? Its Free Friday, it's on the house bro. So, do you want a drink or not?" He looked back to me and took a sip of his drink. I thought about it for a moment and then decided there really couldn't be any harm in it.
"Okay, thanks." Quickly, he finished off what was left of his drink and got up and went over to the bar. I couldn't hear what he was saying for the music being so loud. But it wasn't long before he came back over and placed one of the drinks he had in hand on my table, keeping his in hand and starting it quickly. I then started to wonder how many he had already.
I stared at the drink in front of me, still in wonder if I should have it or not. I wasn't one for looking for trouble, or going against the law. I knew better, so why wasn't I doing better? Because I was hurt! I was in pain and anything had to be better than feeling that pain, even getting in trouble with the law. I had changed with reading just one little piece of paper. It was a piece of paper that had changed my whole outlook on my entire life. Just a note and invite, had made me steal from people and now look for trouble, just to get my mind off of the pain and . . . her.
With that, my decision was made. I picked up the glass and threw the whole drink down in three gulps, and instantly, the pain was numbed. How was that? I had only had one drink and yet, my emotions were numbed? I thought that only happened when you were too drunk to even walk straight?
It was in times like this, I wished I had Sam to ask questions to. All I had to go with was what he had said. We don't get drunk. Our body temperature is too high for it to have any effect on us. That hadn't been music to Paul's ears that night. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Paul wanted to get drunk off of his heals, do stupid stuff and then blame it all on being drunk. But of course, he never thought by doing that, he might have exposed us all. Typical Paul . . .
As I stood to my feet, the guy beside me looked up to me and then down to my empty drink on the table. "Any good man?" he questioned.
I looked to him and slightly smiled half-heartedly. There was just something about him I didn't trust. "Yeah, thanks," I answered. My eyes shifted to the dancing crowed before my eyes, trying to ignore him. That girl was still there and I still felt a connection between us. I couldn't work out what it was, or what it meant.
"Want another mate?" he asked then. I thought about it for a moment and then shook my head. One was enough for tonight. Even that was too much for my age.
"Nah, it's cool. Thanks though," I said casually and walked slowly away from him. I really didn't trust that guy much.
"Hey wait," he called. I looked back over my shoulder, guessing he was talking to me. He signalled for me to come back with his hand. I looked around myself, seeing his friends at the bar so he was alone at the table. Feeling wary, I walked back up to where he was sitting. "I never caught your name. Anthony," he said, extending his hand and stood up from his seat.
I thought about it for a moment, wondering if I should give out my real name encase something came up, but I really couldn't think of a reason other than that. It wasn't like he could really see who I was anyway with my hood over my head still. "Jake," I answered, clasping his hand in mine.
"I guess, I'll see you around then Jake," he mumbled, sitting back down in his seat as his friends came back and sat down too. I nodded and half smiled. "Yeah, later Anthony."
I looked upon the faces I passed, whom were dancing to the strong music as I passed and saw that same girl who I had spotted earlier, still dancing. I really didn't know what it was about her that was making me feel like we had some kind of connection. It was like the first time I had phased and when I first met up with the guys, but, that didn't make any sense to me. Why would I be getting this type of feeling around her? I didn't know her like I knew the guys and I wasn't in my wolf form either. I shook my head and headed towards the exit, trying to forget about it and her, but it was harder than I had thought it would be.
When I got outside, the cool, fresh air greeted me. I hadn't realized just how hot it had been in there and also with my wearing a jacket, it wasn't helping anything. The fresh breeze swept around my face gently, making me feel suddenly relaxed and at ease with everything that was going on in my life. My eyes slowly closed with my face to the night sky while leaning up against the brick wall of the club. I actually was missing the colder weather of La Push and Forks offered, but I knew New York could be just as cold on some days.
My eyes flashed open with hearing low voices and murmurs of a lady and man. With looking to my left, I saw a lady talking to a taller and slightly older man who had her by the arm. He was almost as tall as I, but he was in fact older than me – or even Sam for that matter.
I could tell just by the way he was speaking and standing he was drunk off his feet. At first I thought he was only talking to her, but then I sensed the fear coming from her. I listened closely to the two of them while watching his every movement.
"Come on, let's go now," he murmured, trying to pull her along with him, but she resisted.
"No Tyler, you're drunk as all hell. I'm going home." She pulled away from him and took two steps before he took her roughly by the arm again. The street light shone down on him and I realized he was one of Anthony's friends he had been drinking with. I knew there was something about him and his friends I didn't like!
"Come on home with me beautiful," he then murmured.
"Leave me alone Tyler!" she half shouted then.
I growled to myself with watching him whisper something else into her ear I wasn't able to catch. I wasn't going to stand back and watch anymore. I knew what he was up to and I wasn't standing for it. I didn't care who he was, he wasn't going to lay a finger on her!
I walked up to him and pushed him harshly in the chest away from the woman. "She said leave her alone! Can't you hear?" I said evenly, making sure that I was between the two of them, with the woman behind me. He stumbled back on his feet and then looked to me and then to the woman. "And who is this Sara? One of your new boy toys?" he asked darkly, stepping up to her and taking her arm again. Ouch that named brought back memories. Sure her name was Sara and my mother's name was Sarah, but it was still close enough to make me think of home and the short amount of time my mother and I had had together.
I pushed him in the chest, back away from her again, though harder this time. His eyes narrowed at me and then looked to the woman again. "Back off!" I growled. I could sense her fear growing.
"Who is he?" Tyler hissed with anger, looking to her.
"I – I don't know w-who he is Tyler," she stated while stammering from the fear and panic. I looked to her with a kind eye, trying to let her know I was trying to help and that I didn't mean her any harm. I looked back to him quickly and half growled with blackened eyes. I was starting to lose it. My hands were starting to shake at my sides.
His eyes narrowed more with hearing my growl. I could see it in his face that he knew there wasn't something right with me, but he didn't pay any attention to it.
"Who the fuck are you and what are you doing with my girlfriend?" he shouted, trying to push me away from her. I stood my ground and didn't answer. His glare held my eyes while he questioned me silently, as I growled again and pushed him away from me and making him fall to ground. I hated people trying to intimidate me! "Saving her from your sorry ass!" I growled out my answer, with not being able to hold back my words or the growl.
He looked up to me from where he had fallen, studying my face before jumping to his feet and swag a fist at my jaw, only to yell out in pain with the impact. I smirked at him darkly, seeing him shaking his hand while looking down at it and then me. I saw slight fear in his eyes then. "Try again," I challenge, still smirking at him. He tried for my stomach with his other hand and only ended up yelling out louder in pain again. I didn't even need to touch the guy. That was, until he stood up again and tried to punch my still healing right side. I hit him back in the stomach, a little too hard and he went to the ground again in pain.
With hearing more voices behind me and Sara, I turned around slightly to see a small crowd had form behind us and people whispering and murmuring things to each other. There was only one thing I picked up on that had been said. "Someone's called the cops already." I bit my lip with knowing that the police wasn't the people I needed to be around right now, but I wasn't just going to disappear for him to hurt Sara. I then heard a door of the club go and heard a familiar voice. I looked slightly over my shoulder and saw Anthony and that girl walking out of the light filled club.
"What do you think you're doing with my sister Tyler?" Anthony yelled, almost hurting my ears. I didn't think he had realized who I was yet. He was too busy with Tyler. "Get up you dick," he hissed and kicked Tyler in the nuts. I couldn't help but be sarcastic with my fake concerned face of grimacing. "Oooh," I murmured and then smiled smug with my sarcasm. It was only then Anthony looked to me, but thankfully my hood hid my face well and he wasn't able to see me.
My heart started to race within that millisecond of Anthony turning to me with hearing the police's siren coming closer with every second passing. I took off running quickly away from the scene and into the darkness before anyone could catch me. I ran so fast my inner wolf was urging to come forward to make my legs move faster, but I controlled it again. The last thing I wanted was the police to know who I was and send me back to La Push within a blink of an eye. I wasn't ready to go home, and I didn't ever think I would be. I didn't want to go home to the pain of knowing Bella wasn't mine, nor ever would be.
With knowing no one would know where I was with running so hard and fast, I slowed to a normal human pace and walked slowly through the streets again. It was very early in the morning and all I could think about again was Bella. The whole time I had been dealing with Tyler, I hadn't once thought about her. Not even for a millisecond and that was how I wanted it to be. I knew that I needed to stop thinking about Bella. I knew that I needed to get over her, but, nothing I did, seemed to get her off of my mind for long, let along emotions. Every time I thought about her, it felt like a knife was cutting deeper and deeper into my heart. I sighed deeply, deciding I needed some sleep and headed in the direction out of the city.
With the wind abruptly changing course, a sickly-sweet scent entered the air. With grimacing from the scent, I looked up and saw a dark figure in front of me. It looked up too and I saw its black eyes. His hair was cropped like mine, but more so and it was a very light brown instead of black. Its skin being a leech was of course a very pale creamy white. There was something odd about this leech. It seemed young and yet frail at the same time.
It hissed at me and took off at full speed. I growled back at it and took off after it in my wolf form. I wanted a fight now and it wasn't going to live while ever I had breath left in me. Plus, it was really a win, win situation. I would have Bella and the pain which came with the thoughts of her off of my mind while chasing it and saving people by killing it, if I was strong enough that is. My right side worried me with fighting a vampire so soon after the last and with it still healing. But there wasn't any way I was going to let the leech escape me now.
It ran quickly through the streets, passing the odd person as it went – which kind of surprised me. I could feel people looking at me as I kept running after it. I knew they would wonder how we were running so fast, but I didn't care what they thought at this time. I was just going to get the job done and help people in the meantime.
It ran up fire escape stairs of apartment buildings, trying to get me off of its trail, but it didn't work. I made it up them too, just as quickly, if not quicker movements than it. Once at the top of the building, it stopped and looked back and saw me coming and took off again, jumping from roof to roof before jumping seven to ten stories to the streets again. I stopped on the edge of the building, looking down to the streets where it now ran. Quickly I tried to find a fire escape to get down to its level, but there were none and it was getting away fast.
I kept on chasing it by running over the roof tops, jumping to each and every building I came across until I knew the leech was soon to be cornered. Upon the last building I came across, I hoped to god my body was strong enough to do the same stunt as the leech had and did a back flip from the ten story building, landing on my feet in the middle of the road, blocking the bloodsucker's only way out.
It hissed when it turned around to where I was now standing. I smirked at it darkly. "Didn't your creator ever tell you not to play with werewolves?" I said, stepping closer to it, shaking slightly as my inner animal wanted to take over and kill it, but I knew I couldn't here.
The leech composed himself and stood up straight, smiling the same smirk I had flashed at it. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not think so sure of yourself?" he said casually and confident. I tilted my head to the side with hearing his words, not too sure of what to make of them. His gaze quickly went to one of the buildings on my right side as he jumped for it and took off running again. My hands turned into fists with how annoyed I was with myself for thinking the buildings around us were too tall for him to jump up to. I growled and took off after him again.
I chased it out of town and until we hit bush land. I felt like it had been hours I had been running for and it could have very well been. I panted for breath with sweat running down my forehead as I stood there, watching the leech looking for a way past me now it was cornered by me and the boulders in front of me. They were too high for either of us to try and jump to escape. It kept looking for ways out, but there wasn't any past me. I quickly got undressed and phased before it realized that too.
The second it turned around towards me, it realized I was in my wolf form. I would have been lying if I had said I wasn't fearful for taking on this vampire alone after last time, but, I had to use that fear to get past my accident. I just hoped I was healed enough to keep myself alive. There was only one way to find out.
It crouched close to the ground like cat after a mouse and sprang at me just as I aimed at it too. Its arm hit the side of my good shoulder, forcing me to hit the side of the boulders. I shook my head, and quickly looked up to them to make sure they weren't about to collapse on top of me. They seemed safe enough. I couldn't hear any creaks coming from them or any signs they were about to fall.
With hearing the leech hiss at me, I snarled back, holding its gaze as it tried to corner me. I took in a deep, silent breath, calming myself. Focus Jacob! I thought to myself and ran at the thing again. This time it was a different story to the last. Before he could even move to get out of my path, I had hold of him and ripped it to pieces. I phased back and quickly lit a fire with forest material to burn the pieces left over before it could pull itself back together. While the pieces burned away, I found a stream nearby and threw my clothes into the shallow part before jumping into it myself.
The coolness of the water against my heated and sweaty skin felt so relaxing and nice. It calmed my tense muscles after phasing and got the extra heat out of my muscles which was also left over from phasing. As I leaned against the bank of the stream, I looked up to the sky. It was purple now with the sun rising. The stars were disappearing quickly.
My hands ran over my face with tiredness over coming me and a yawn escaping my lips. I stood out of the water with my clothes in hand and left them on the dry land for the sun to dry them out when it came up. The fire had finally burnt all the pieces of the leech and had fully gone out. With wanting to phase again, I let my hands shake violently at my sides and allowed my inner animal to take over me. With the slight shock of fiery heat going down my spine, I phased and lied down under a tree. It was only a matter of seconds, and I was asleep, but only to dream of Bella again.
When I dreamt of her – in my wolf form or not – my emotions were like I was in my human form. They were so deep, detailed and painful. But then, when I was in my wolf form, my emotions were only down to a very little amount of numb pain. When I awoke and realized that once more, I became scared of being in my wolf form. It was only a matter of time, before I didn't want to phase back and wouldn't, all just to stay almost numb.
My ears pricked instantly with hearing male voices. "It's over here," one of them said. I wasn't sure what they were meaning by 'it's' but when I looked up, I guessed it was the now relight fire before me. I half panicked with the thought of them catching me. I could hear them coming closer.
I stood to my feet and shook the leaves and dirt out of my coat and tried to quietly walk over to my clothes on the bank of the stream. But they were closer than I thought they were. Both the men came around the pine trees and gasped at the sight of me.
"Now that's one frigan big wolf!"
I didn't take any notice to what they looked like; I just ran for my clothes, picked them up in my mouth and took off running as quickly as I could. I hadn't realized they were holding guns until I heard three shots fired, but I was far off where they were shooting. I knew that they must have been hunters at that point
Once I knew I had lost them, I phased back and pulled on my semi-dried clothing and walked back to New York. This time, phasing back was even harder than it was the first time I tried. I couldn't and wouldn't allow myself to go into my wolf form again.
It was good as dark by the time I had gotten back into the city. I thought about the two men and hoped that nothing would come out of them seeing me. But there was nothing I could do about it now. All I could do was hope that if anything did come out of it, the guys back home didn't hear about it, or they would surely come and try and find me.
I had no idea what to do now I was back in New York. I was starving hungry and still had no money and I wasn't about to go stealing money from someone. That was one thing I wasn't ever going to do. I thought about going back to the forest and finding a deer or something, but, I couldn't go back into my wolf form again. I could feel each and every time I phased back now, there was a part of me telling my inner animal not to let me go back into my human form and it scared me to end. And the last time I phased back, was even more proof I was right. I couldn't keep phasing while ever I felt so pained about Bella like I did, or there was going to be a time I wouldn't phase back and I knew, once that happened, I wouldn't ever be able to again. Just that thought alone shook me to the core. I couldn't let that happen! And I wasn't!
I slowly walked the streets until I found the club I had been at last night. As I walked in, it had been just like last night. It was like déjà vu – it was happening all over again. The only difference to the club was the lights weren't as bright and there were more people tonight than last. I wondered why until I found the 'Shots & Steaks Saturday' sign. I hoped the steaks were free like the drinks had been last night. My stomach wouldn't stop growling.
As I made my way around the crowd in the club, I saw Anthony and his mates around the same table as last night, but I noticed Tyler wasn't there. I wondered if he had realized I had been the one who had helped out his sister last night. I didn't really care if he did realize, but I thought that maybe it would be best if he didn't. The last thing I needed was my secret going out to a drunk who may blab it – not that many would likely believe him if he did say it while being drunk.
His eyes shifted to me while taking a sip of a drink and listening to one of his friends talking. "Hey Jake," he said, seeming to be actually sober tonight.
"Hey," I smiled half-heartedly.
"Want a drink bro?" he stood to his feet, pushing his chair back like I had already accepted his offer.
"I don't think so. I don't have any money on me." That and I knew it wasn't a good idea to drink on an empty stomach. He shook his head at me and the same smug smirk came over his face as it had last night.
"You are new here, aren't you? Jake, you get free stuff here all weekends. Shots and steak are free today and all meals tomorrow."
"Sweet," I smiled. Finally I was going to be able to eat something! My stomach growled at that thought.
"So, a drink?" he questioned again.
"Ah yeah, that and a steak I guess," I said in humour and followed him over to the bar. As he ordered a drink for himself, shots and a steak for me, we both leaned up against the counter waiting in silence. I could tell how he was staring down at the ground he was thinking deeply about something, but I wasn't about to ask about it. He then looked up to me and turned face on to the counter.
"Was it you who helped my sister last night?" he murmured in a low tone, without looking directly at me as the bar tender came over with our drinks, but they weren't what I thought they were. They were shots. I shook my head, duh. Anthony told you that already! I thought, and took hold of one and threw it back. I really wasn't expecting it to burn the back of my throat, but I was shocked at it completely numbed my whole body and emotions so quickly. Good, another thing that got Bella off of my mind and the pain along with it! I shook my head, trying to get used to the burn in my throat though.
Anthony laughed slightly at my reaction to the shot while slipping on his beer. He looked up to me once more, questioning me again silently for the answer to his question. I thought about it for a minute, contemplating if to tell him the truth or not. "Yeah, it was," I nodded and took another shot, drinking it all at once like the last. It didn't burn like the last one though, thankfully and I found I come even more so numb to what the first had done.
"So, why did you run off like that?" he asked then, eyeing me. "Watch it Jake. You'll be drunk off your heels before you know it. That's strong stuff."
My eyes narrowed slightly, looking down to the shots left on the table with thinking what I was going to tell him. In the end, I just decided I would just tell the truth, but of course not to full truth. "I'm not exactly in the right place to meet up with the police," I murmured, too low for anyone else to hear and ignoring what he had said about the shots.
"Why's that?" His voice was slightly cautious now, but still actually normal.
"Run away," I coughed and took another shot and found the same effect of numbness.
"I knew there was something different about you. That's why you don't have any money, isn't it? What happened?"
I nodded and then felt stupid for the reason behind why I had run off. How was I supposed to tell the truth without looking like an idiot? "No, I have money. I just have most of it in the bank and didn't get my cards before I left. Got sick of rules," I lied. There was no way I was going to tell him about Bella. I would sound totally crazy in anyone's eyes who didn't know the full story of what was happening.
Anthony smirked and nodded once he heard I had being sick of rules. I started to wonder how old he was and if he had done the same thing. He could have been just like me – my age and yet looked older. "I hear ya on that one Jake," he half laughed and drank one of the glasses of shots quickly and then took another sip from his beer. "I can help you with the money thing."
I was staring at the floor, when I heard him. I looked up to him swiftly, curious to how he could help me. I really couldn't see how he could help me unless he went back home and got my wallet and I knew that would never happen.
I didn't have to speak again for him to read I was questioning him. "I'll make you the cards you need," he answered, taking another shot. "If you want that is."
I looked back down to the floor, deep in thought. I knew that without money soon, I would be forced to go home. I had no place to stay, nothing to eat – unless I went into my wolf form and that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. I knew it was risky, but, I had to do it if I wanted to stay away from home. "Okay, thanks. What do I owe you?" I asked, looking back up to him.
"For you, it's on the house. You saved my sister. I'm grateful for that," he smiled and grabbed his drink within his hand. "Tyler can be such a dick when he's drunk." He shook his head and drank the rest of the beef.
"Thanks, and don't mention it. I was happy to help her. I am curious though . . . where is Tyler?"
He started laughing darkly then and looked up to me. "He hurt his hands on you so much Jake, they were actually broken."
"Ouch," I muttered, wishing I hadn't asked. I knew the questions which were now to come. I braced myself for them, but they didn't seem to come. I was grateful for it. I didn't know how I would explain how I hadn't been touched at all, to anyone who didn't know my secret. And I wouldn't know how to explain it all without giving it away either. It would be almost impossible for me to do.
The lights suddenly got brighter, catching my attention and making me look up. Glitter started to fall from the ceiling and the music got louder. The beat was so much higher than last night. It wasn't like any kind of music I had heard before. I thought that maybe it was either Pop music or Rock maybe. Whatever it was, I liked it greatly. I had always been one for mellow music, with growing up in the country and in a place where the latest music wasn't known of easily.
With my eyes fixed on the small pieces of glitter falling and the lights reflecting their colours on the glitter, it reminded me a little of snow falling. The glitter was silver, but with the lights flashing all the colours under the rainbow, the silver glitter turned to each of the colours the lights flashed. I smiled slightly with seeing it falling and then lying on the floor below everyone as they danced to the music.
Something suddenly caught my eye and made me look to the crowd dancing in front of us. That girl was in the crowd dancing again and again, I felt that same connection to her I had felt yesterday, but this time it was stronger. She was dressed in simular clothes as last night, but she didn't wear her glasses tonight. Tonight I could see her face and eyes. Her eyes were blue and around them was thick mascara. I could see she was a total party, hard-core girl.
Anthony caught my gaze and nudged me in the arm. I looked to him and seen a smirk on his face. "Found a girl already?" he asked.
I smiled crookedly and shook my head. "Nah, I'm totally over girls right now. Do you know her?"
"Nope, but she's always one for partying hard. She's always here or anywhere where there's music or alcohol. I see her a lot, but never spoken to her."
"Huh, odd," I murmured and looked away from him and back to the girl once his back was turned again. I tried to work out the connection I felt I had to her. I definitely didn't know her, and I knew for sure she wasn't my imprint, as I wouldn't still have the very dull pain – thanks to the shots covering it greatly – I still had in my heart and chest. So what was it about her? I felt completely at ease around her and I hadn't even said one word to her.
I shook my head again and turned around to see the bartender coming with my steak and a small serve of vegetables on the side. I only realized then I had drunk without any food in my stomach. Bad move. But then . . . was it? Didn't it only count if you could get drunk? I guessed I was on the safe side if that was the case. I already had around five shots and didn't feel any affect from them yet, but I couldn't really say the same about Anthony.
His friends called out to him at the exit and entrance of the club. He looked up to them and then to me. "Guess I'll see you around Jake. I'll have those cards ready by tomorrow. Meet back here?"
I nodded once and smiled slightly. "Sure thing, and thanks for that."
"See ya bro," he waved and left with his friends.
I really didn't know what to think about having a fake I.D and credit card. I had had so many things wrong already and now this on top of it all? This really wasn't like me, and to think it was all because of Bella! At least I could think of her name while I had shots in me – sort of. I still had a slight tingle in my chest when I did think her name. I guess the shots weren't really enough to cover all my pain. I wondered if a few more would help any. I then realized Anthony hadn't taken any of my details off of me. I guessed he was going to make a full load of fake cards, but I wondered how that would work with having my own money in hand. Maybe he forgotten about the details part?
With pulling one of the stools up to the counter and started eating my steak and then ordered five more shots and left them until I had finished my meal to drink them. But one steak wasn't enough. I was still hungry. But then I found out, two steaks more wasn't enough either. It was only after five steaks I was on the edge of being full. I guessed I had a bigger appetite with not eating all day. I had also really pushed the limits with the shots and found after ten of them, I still wasn't drunk. I didn't know how many it took to get a 'normal' person drunk, but I was sure it was way before ten.
Very slowly the club started to die down, but I wasn't taking much notice. After finishing my fifth steak, I stood to my feet and went to join the smaller crowd in dancing. The girl was still there dancing too, but I didn't speak to her – though, I did catch her getting glimpses of me every now and then and turning a little red in the cheeks when I caught her staring. I shook my head and smiled, looking away from her and thinking, girls. I always got that reaction from girls. Even back home at school I had girls looking at me that way.
I didn't know what time it was, nor did I care as I wasn't tired from sleeping most of the day in the forest – that and I didn't want to sleep, as I knew it would only bring on more dreams of Bella and I couldn't and wouldn't go into my wolf form any time soon! I guessed it was really getting late when the crowd had died down to just a few people. I really knew it was late when I saw Anthony enter the club again.
He looked at me slightly shocked with widened eyes and his jaw almost dropped to the floor. He didn't even look like he had a hangover. Maybe he didn't get as drunk as I thought? Or was hiding it very well . . . He looked back out the door like someone was behind him before he closed the distance between us.
"Don't tell me you pulled an all-nighter Jake?" he said.
I laughed slightly, hearing the shock in his tone. "Okay, I won't tell you, but . . . you've already said it yourself."
He chuckled and shook his head. "Good thing you're here then. I forgot to get your info from you, for the cards. I didn't know if you wanted a real fake ID and card set or what."
"The closest to real you can get the better really," I answered from under the hood of my jacket in a low tone so no one could hear me speaking. I could see in the corner of my eye Anthony nodded once and turned his back on me.
"Okay. Come out to my car and I'll get the info from you," he murmured and headed towards the door again. I looked around myself, making sure no one was watching us and followed him while keeping my hood over my head. I really did know this was risky, but, I was just that desperate to not go home.
With walking outside of the club, I found it was almost dark with storms coming around the city. I could smell the sweet scent of rain in the air and feel the tension in everything with life in it from the predicate of the storm coming. The birds were already huddled up in their trees, knowing the violent storm wasn't far off. I couldn't help but be curious just how bad storms could get here. We got bad ones back at home on the odd occasion, but I didn't think they were as bad as some could get.
As I followed Anthony along the building of the club, I only saw two cars in the parking lot. A huge Jeep, which reminded me of Emmett's Jeep, and a silver Ford. Anthony headed for the silver Ford, unlocked it and leaned into the back of the car, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen for me. I stood on the footpath, waiting and watching him carefully. I still didn't fully trust him.
Once out of the car, he placed the paper on the silver bonnet and looked up to me to start filling out my info. My inner wolf kept trying to urge forward. I knew it was its way of telling me to be careful. It kept making me stop every time I went to write something, but each time I ignored it. I stopped for a brief moment when I came to writing out my bank card number, but quickly shrugged it off with remembering I had two passwords to keep my money safe. Thankfully I had worked enough with fixing cars and motorbikes to make some money. Though, I didn't really know how long it was going to last.
Once I was done, I handled the plain page of my information to him, along with the pen. "Need a pic of you too Jake," he added, taking his phone from his back pocket, taking a quick photo. I really hoped he was good with photoshop and could delete the background of the club. . .
He looked down to the image on his phone and snapped in shut. "Okay, get in. It'll only take me a couple of minutes to make it at home."
"You're sure it is okay if I come with you?" I asked and glanced up to the sky with hearing a quiet rumble of thunder no human would have been able to detect.
"Yeah of course man. Jump in." He quickly he got into his car and started it up. I thought about it for a minute with not being too sure if I should have being going with him or not. But then, the thought to my being a werewolf and being able to protect myself entered my head. What did I have to worry about? I could protect myself. It wasn't like anyone could even punch me without breaking their hand. With walking around the other side of his car, I got in and did up my seat beat as he started to drive out onto the busy roads of New York.
Inside of the car was all a light grey. The seats were all leather and there was more room inside than it looked like from the outside. It really wasn't a car that interested me much or knew much about, as I rather old cars any day, but I did think the car had been redone up. I didn't even know Ford sold cars with leather seats?
With going through the city, and then into a very quiet street, the car slowed and stopped at a red brick building. It looked like it was in the middle of nowhere – or in the middle of a bad part of the city.
As I got out as Anthony did, and a louder rumble of thunder hit around us, making me shudder slightly. Unfortunately, he caught slight of me shuttering. "What, you scared of storms Jake?" he joked with great humour.
I rolled my eyes. "No. I just feel the electricity and impact from them better than some people." More like how animals detect a bad storm is coming, I thought, walking up to the footpath where he stood.
He nodded to me with an odd face and started to head for the tall, red building he had parked next to. I knew he didn't believe me. I hadn't ever realized just how hard it was in the human world for people to believe the truth of what I could feel and sense. Everyone back home believed each and everything I said, but then again, most of them knew my secret and knew me too.
As we went around the back of the huge building, I quickly spotted an old white house behind it. I thought how odd it was to find a house in a place like we were. It was right below and opposite a street full of huge buildings, but then I saw there were even more houses next to the old white one. I hadn't ever seen a street full of houses right up against tall buildings before. It just didn't seem to fit in. I started to wonder where in New York we were. I hadn't taken any notice to where Anthony had been driving.
Stupid move Jacob! I thought and visually hit myself in the forehead with my hand, while walking around front of the house. The grass around the whole house was wild as La Push's forest and there were all pieces from cars around the house. Huge scrapes of paint were missing over house. Around the front of the house was pretty simple, a small concrete path leading up to the concrete stairs, a small concrete veranda and then the wooden white door – also with paint missing from it.
With pulling his keys out of his back pocket, Anthony stepped aside and let me go inside after unlocking the house. The whole house looked smaller inside, though still bigger than my used to be home in La Push. The old white house was also a lot cleaner inside to how the outside had been.
In the door way of the house, it was just a narrow white hall way. The carpet was all white, along with the walls. There were closed doors on either side of the walls, but at the end of the hall, it opened up into a bigger room. The room had a couch up against the wall, a TV on the opposite side of the couch, a small coffee table in the middle and a huge window on its left side, going from one side of the room to the other.
"Take a seat Jake. I'll be back in a minute with your cards."
"Okay thanks," I nodded, going over to the window and realizing it had a sliding door to go outside. I looked out to what I could see of the horizon. It was almost dark outside now between the time of the day and the storms. The clouds had tuned darker and lightning flashed brightly through them every few seconds. I felt like the lightning was causing me to fall into a trance like state until the thunder cracked again and broke me free.
I heard a door go behind me and saw Anthony walked out of a small room, plastic cards in hand. He looked up from them and to me, before handing them over to me. "One license, one credit card," he said. I took them from him and looked over them carefully. They did look real, I had to say.
"Thanks for that."
"No worries Jake," he smiled slightly. "Do you wana crash the night here?"
"No, it's fine. I'll find some place to stay before the storm hits."
"Alright, see you around then bro," he said and let me out of the house. I went back around where we had come, past the huge red building and took off running with my new, fake cards in my back pocket. I ran quickly as I could, with knowing it wouldn't be long before the storm hit. The last thing I wanted was to be out in this coming storm. I could sense it was going to be bad. Really bad!
With taking just one left, I then knew where I was located. I was in the street where I had stolen my jacket and shoes from those teenage robbers. I carefully examined the area while walking. I was sure those guys would recognize my jacket and shoes if they saw them.
The thunder hit louder and louder each time it sounded. I knew the storm was getting closer, so I picked up the speed in my pace. But only to stop dead and turn around with hearing familiar harsh voices coming from behind me. The very instant I turned around, my inner animal threatened to take over again. It knew those voices too, and it knew they meant harm.
"Well, well, what have we got here?" one of the guys asked smugly, looking over to the others on his right. The waves of shakes in my hands started with hearing the threat in his tone. My eyes narrowed and my senses sharpened. They all looked similar to each other and dressed the same in jeans and jackets just like my own. It was hard to place much facial features on them, as they all wore their hoods over their heads. All I could pick up on was their eyes and voices. The hoods and the light of almost night and the storms stopped me from seeing anymore, even with my wolf sensitive eyes. They were a gang. I could tell easy by how they were altogether.
I took a step back with seeing them coming closer to me, but stood my ground. I wasn't scared of them, even when I saw a fifth joined in. I knew they were the guys I had stolen from, they obviously knew me too.
"Where did you get that jacket kid?" one asked in a demanding tone, stepping closer to me. My eyes went even narrower to what they had been. My hands turned into tight fists with knowing that there wouldn't be any reasoning with them, and tried to stop myself from phasing. I knew if I took another step back, I would phase and couldn't let that happen.
"Does it matter?" I growled, loudly, making four of them wary, but not the fifth.
"I'll show you that it matters!" ahuge guy shouted and came at me. He was way taller than I was. He had to be almost a foot taller than me – putting him at six-foot-ten, seven foot.
Wow, hothead, I thought as pure instinct took over me then. I dodged him quickly, and elbowed him in the shoulder blade, with what I thought was human strength, until I heard a snap. Whoops. . . I really needed to learn my own strength! But still, I hadn't really stopped him, whatever I broke or hit didn't really affect him. The guy grimaced slightly, holding his hand over where I had hit him and then looked up to me. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn he wasn't human. It was seriously like he had fire in his eyes when he looked back up to me.
My hands gripped into a tighter fist as I sensed he was going to come at me again. So much for his friends being around to help! They were standing back and letting him do all the work. That then spoke to me. He must have been the best fighter out of the five of them. I smirked confidently. Take down the leader, take down the gang, I thought. They were just like a wolf pack. If you took down the Alpha, the rest of the pack wouldn't know what to do – run or fight. My instincts were working and thinking for me now. I didn't need to be in my wolf form to know how to handle these creeps!
With a flash of lightning, I saw a glimpse of resistance within the guy's eye. I smirked darker and even more so confident. He was actually scared of me. "Aw, what's wrong? Baby doesn't want to play anymore?" I teased. I knew that type of attitude was only going to get me in trouble, but I didn't care within that moment. I wanted trouble from this so called tough guy.
With hearing my words, it had been like putting fuel to the fire and showing a red flag to a bull. He was steaming. I knew that was his weakness. He was the tough guy and he didn't want anyone to think otherwise! Well, too bad, because I thought otherwise.
He tried at punching me again, in my right shoulder. I only just narrowly missed his hit and he tried again, managing to hit my jaw with some force, but not enough to hurt me. I stepped back, growling again. He was panting like a puppy in the summer heat. I wasn't even warmed up yet.
Lightning flashed over us and the rain started to fall heavily. His so called friends stood back in a half circle, watching us. A couple even shouted out to him in encouragement. I just scoffed at it. I glanced at the hand he had punched my jaw with and noticed it was red. He was hurting badly, but taking no notice to it.
I rolled my eyes with seeing him running at me with another fist, and once again, I dodged him as he aimed for my jaw again. Didn't he know the best offence, was the best defence? And defence was better than attack? I guess he didn't. He was panting heavily as he stood in shock that he had missed me again. I smiled and tilted my head to the side, punching him one in the jaw and sending him to the footpath with a blackout, without breaking his jaw.
I looked up to his friends then. They were shivering, but I wasn't sure if it was from the cold rain or from me. As I was about to speak to them for another challenge, hearing an engine caught my attention. I looked down the road and saw a police car. They caught my gaze too and scattered. So much for their leader slash friend.
I took off too, keeping my hood over my head while running through the rain. I knew I would be responsible for what I had done to that guy even know I was only defending myself. I could have easily killed him and probably saved someone else's life in the meantime. I got the feeling that gang was really more trouble than just robbers. But I couldn't prove that.
The second I started running, a torch was shone on me and the siren of the police car started.
Crap! I grimaced and ran faster. Again my inner animal urged me to let it come forth to let me run faster to get away, and I was just about to let it overcome me with being in the shadows of night and rain, when I spotted another police car in front from me and the one behind me pull up. I bit my lip, trying to think quick enough to come up with a plan, but I was too slow.
"Put your hands above your head!" a lady shouted. I turned around and was forced to do as I was told, but hung my head so they couldn't see my face. Maybe I could see get away with this without being sent home if they didn't realize who I was. I hoped so . . .