2 months later

Chrissy

It's been a crazy couple of months to say the least. About two months ago my sister went missing but she appeared on our doorstep one morning about a month ago completely okay. She was in perfect health, which was a miracle. Even though she has been acting rather strange I'm happy to have her back in my life for good. At least, I hope for good.

My sister's new lease on life gave me a new love for life so I took the advice she's been giving and I let people get to really know me. She was right because I have a few friends now. Stiles, Allison and Scott have turned out to be a very odd, but suitable group. They are crazy but I feel like I fit in with them. Then there's Jackson. I don't know how to define out relationship. We aren't dating. We aren't just friends either though. We talk all the time. Usually from the time I wake up in the morning we're texting and then we end up hanging out and talking more. I would never expect someone like him to get me but he does. Either that or he's very good at manipulating and pretending. My heart hopes we truly have that much in common but my mind tells me that it's highly unlikely and he just knows a naïve dummy when he sees one. We haven't gone out on any dates yet but today he sent me a text asking me to meet him at "Club Crave" tonight. I'm not old enough to get in, so I don't know how that will work, plus I'm a little scared that it's just a joke and he wants to stand me up for a laugh. I decided to ask Allison about it.

"So…you think it's legit?"

"Well… I don't know. What you've told me about the talking and listening isn't typical Jackson behavior. He's usually an ass unless he's up to something so I say you should go but be careful. I would come with you but me and Sco…"

"I know, you and Scott have plans. Have fun."

"Thanks. Call me and tell me how this goes."

When I got home there was a black Camero parked in the driveway and Missy was about to get into it.

"Missy!"

"Oh hey sis… What's up?"

"Who is this? Where are you going?"

"This… it's my friend Derek and we're going to hang out. I've marked a dress and shoes in my closet for you to wear tonight. Have fun, for once."

I went into the house and nearly tripped over a box. We are moving, not back to Washington but into a small house. Now that missy isn't sick anymore, and we're able to get caught up on the bills we're getting back on our feet. Since Missy and me both like Beacon Hills, my mother and father have decided to plant roots here. My father says he's moving here, as soon as he can find work. Things are coming together nicely. I just wonder what happened to Missy. I'm happy that she's alive and all but she's been acting a little off, mostly she's been secretive. I just hope all is as good as it seems with her.

I borrowed my mother's car. She let me have it without any fuss, probably because I've never gotten in trouble and she's not worried that I ever will. It felt like I was wrapped in a napkin while trying to walk on stilts in the dress and shoes Missy loaned me. I got to the club and got out. I started texting Jackson but before I could finish it he grabbed my hand.

"Hey… I'm glad you decided to come."

"How will we get in?"

He led me towards a dark, drippy alley. There was a door back there. The handle was barely holding on and there was a sign on it that read "Employees Only." When we went through the door there were a series of hallways that Jackson led me through until finally we made it to the party. I'd never actually been in a club or any kind of party before so it was new for me. I knew though, that I wanted to dance. So I did, as soon as my heels hit the dance floor.

I don't remember ever being able to let loose like this. It felt good to just be able to let my hair down. After a few minutes I kicked the insanely high hells off too and I pulled Jackson onto the dance floor. He was a little stiff getting started but he soon loosened up to and danced with me.

After some fast songs the DJ slowed it down a little bit to something slower. I was about to go to the bar to order a coke but Jackson grabbed my hand. My heart was already beating out of my chest but it seemed to jump when he touched me and I got butterflies. I leaned into him, and he placed one of his hands on my hip. My heart jumped again and the butterflies in my stomach got more restless.

"I am glad I came tonight… for the record."

"I'm glad you came tonight too. Otherwise it would have been a little difficult to do this."

He kissed me and I didn't know what to do. My heart liked it. My lips loved it but my brain was telling me to back away. Something just tells me I'll eventually get the short end of the stick if I get involved with Jackson but I don't care… I guess I just don't care.

Jackson

Songs changed and we were still kissing. I just knew for sure she wouldn't let me kiss her at all but I guess I was wrong. I'm usually never wrong about girls but I've been off my game lately so I'm not surprised that I was wrong about this. I'm just glad she's letting me do it. I've been wondering what it would be like to kiss her. That disturbs me because I was never the type to wonder. I usually already knew what it was like to kiss anybody I wanted to kiss. But here lately I find myself stalking Chrissy on foot just so I can bump into her while she's buying candy from the gas station or window shopping for jewelry at the consignment shops. I think this fucking Kanima is obsessed with her and its making me follow her and talk to her and watch her and fall for her. Jackson Whittemore does not fucking fall for anybody, everybody falls for him! I especially don't fall for girls like her.

I just like the way she listens to me and she tells me what I don't want to hear. Her honesty stings but I appreciate it and I like how generous she is. When I follow her around I notice that she always gives money to Benny, the homeless man in front of the gas station and on Saturday afternoons she always goes to the nursing home. There are more things that I like about her but those stand out to me, mostly because nobody else gives Benny money every time they see him and nobody our age ever goes to the nursing home.

I'm not thrilled with the way she makes me act. I'm like some kind of puppy, following her around. I even leave class early to be at her classroom when the bell rings, but I always make myself ghost before she can see me. Even though I hate feeling some damn emotional I like being distracted from my failures and the fact that I'm still a wanted man. Still, being around her reminds me that there's one more person added to the list of people wanting to kill me. Missy Deaton. Derek gave her the bite and not only did it cure her cancer, it made her officially one of my enemies. It's just a good thing she doesn't go to school too. It's enough trouble having to deal with Isaac and Erica's dumb asses on a daily basis.

After the kiss the club just became better. I'm not really that into dancing but she wanted me to so I did. I don't know why I picked a club for this moment knowing damn well I can't dance but I'm glad I did because she's having a blast.

"Jackson, what time is it?"

"Eleven thirty."

"I need to go."

"Okay…let's go."

We got outside and I walked her to her car.

"I had a good time tonight." She said, with a shy smile.

"Me too."

She looked into my eyes and I looked into hers. Before I knew it our lips were locked again and she ran her fingers through my hair while I wrapped my arms around her, not intending to let her go. For fuck's sake, what's come over me?

"Jackson… I have to get home now."

"Okay. Hey Chrissy?"

"Huh?"

"Make sure you tell Allison what a great kisser I am when you dish to her tonight. "

She punched me before kissing me on the cheek and getting into her car. I watched her drive down the street and I started on my way then the unthinkable happened. I started to feel weird. Not regular weird but Kanima weird. I saw the scales and the claws and then suddenly I was out, like a light.

I woke up to the sounds of cars. I jumped up and realized that I was on an alley. I didn't know exactly which alley I was in though. It wasn't the one behind the club, if it were the parking lot would have been across the street. I peeped my head out from the darkness and I saw that I was down the street from the club. I also saw that there was a police cruiser in front of a butcher shop. There was glass on the sidewalk. I decided to listen in.

"Look I'll write a report for the vandalism but I think you'll have a pretty hard time finding a couple pounds of ground beef and a few legs of lamb. Whoever he was he must have had a runny nose or something. It looks like he left some snot on the counter."

The next thing I heard was the man screaming and then calling an ambulance. I must have broken in and eaten that meat! I took off running before the ambulance or more police officers could arrive. I got several honks from drivers and an old lady whistled at me while I was running to my car. When I finally made it, I was relieved to see it still sitting there. I was also relieved the see that my clothes were close to it. Even my wallet, keys and phone were there. Either people didn't pay attention, or they were very honest in this neighborhood.

I put on the clothes, well, I tied them around me, and I drove home. This time when I arrived my parents were awake. I would definitely have some explaining to do. Especially considering the fact that my clothes fell completely off while I was walking up the steps.

I walked in and my mother dropped the pitcher of orange juice she was holding. My father chocked on his food.

"Jackson, honey…why are you naked?" asked my mother. "and is that blood on your chest?"

"This is not blood… It's juice from freshly picked berries. I'm naked because I'm a nudist now. It makes me happy."

"Son are you feeling okay?" asked my father.

"I'm feeling great dad. Better than I have in ages."

When I got upstairs I showered and washed the evidence of the break in, off of me. I was glad I didn't have the need to throw up any tarshit this morning. It would have really brought me down. Even though I did change into the Kanima last night, which I only know because I woke up naked in an alley, I'm still on a high from last night. I just still can't get over how weird this whole thing is for me. I've never chased a girl, never been into the cutesy little romantic shit either. Usually it's just physical.

It was freshman year and Jackson had just found out he'd made the lacrosse team. He wanted to tell his dad, mainly so that he could start looking at cars for when he turned sixteen. He already knew it had to be fast, whatever he picked.

One of his teammates was going to be throwing a party and since he was part of that crowd now, he had to be there.

The party was out of control. Things were being broken. Kids were getting drunk and high and sex was everywhere. Jackson felt right at home. He was having a few beers too. While he was watching two girls make out, another girl, a redhead, approached him.

"I've just wanted to tell you that you're hot."

"Thank you. Who are you?" he asked.

"Lydia."

"Jackson."

"Well Jackson… you should call me sometime."

She slipped him a little piece of paper with her number on it. She was hot so he decided to text her… it quickly turned into sexting.