ROMAN POV
Insult to injury. That's the human phrase right? Insult to injury. I finally understood it as I waited in ridiculously short shorts surrounded by an entire class of similarly dressed teenagers. Gym class has to be the single cruelest thing they've done to us yet.
"These shorts are riding so far up my ass they're about to sprout cyper." Drake muttered next to me.
"Oh, they aren't so bad." Sophia said, her optimism was starting to grate on my nerves.
The seven of us had to change in a small storage room instead of using the lockerroom with the humans. I guess we were good enough to suffer through class together, but you wouldn't want to risk any contamination during changing clothes. I hadn't been able to help but notice Teri hadn't worn a bra. It'd been almost a year since we hooked up, but that didn't make her any less hot.
Knowing she was batshit nuts was the only thing that kept me from getting back together with her.
"So do they have, like a meaning?" The blonde girl from class earlier asked, laying her hand on Drake's bicep.
"They're not actually Tattoos." Teri spat.
"I know, but they're just so intricate." She ran a finger along the markings running down Drake's arm.
"You should see the rest of them," Drake flexed his arm as she continued her investigation.
"Careful Jessica, you wouldn't want to get some Tattie disease." A human boy with blondish red hair said.
Before I had a chance to offer up one of the well crafted retorts I'd been practicing in my head since Dad told me we were going to start coming to school here, a deep voice spoke from behind me.
"Why don't you fuck yourself in the ass, Eric?"
I turned and found the boy from earlier, the one whose shirt I was wearing right now, standing tall, fire burning in his eyes. His comeback didn't have the subtlety I'd been working on, but it made up for what it lacked with sheer ferocity. Why would he be so mad?
"Says the Rez Rat. Why are you even here redskin?"
Jacob's eyes burned even blacker and he clenched his fists so tight I could see the lines of muscle running up his arms. He looked like he was about to explode, his arms shook violently.
"Ho there big guy," I soothed, stepping between them. "No sense getting all worked up about some punk who can't keep his bigotries straight."
He didn't acknowledge I'd spoken, just kept staring right through me, so I stepped closer and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Jake?"
He shook his head, as if clearing it by an act of will and stared at me. His brown eyes deep and mesmerizing.
"Hey, Jake, are you in there?" I whispered, calling back the young boy who'd been so disoriented in the bathroom earlier today. I could feel his body shaking under my hand, his wide shoulders vibrating with a wild intensity that scared me. More than being in a room full of humans awaiting a gym teacher who may well issue them bats and let us get beaten black and blue all in the name of sport, I was unsettled by the gaze of one boy.
"Yeah," he said, pulling himself together. He leaned toward my touch so gently, I almost doubted it happened, but the grin that broke out on his face assured me it was real.
JAKE POV
Once inside the locker room, my nerves settled. Changing really wasn't what bothered me, it'd be the showering afterwards. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Dread still clung to the edges of chest and stomach. If only I'd gone through this whole 'locker-room awkwardness' when I was younger. Maybe then I wouldn't have been so shy now at sixteen. It's probably no big deal, but I still felt sick about it.
After changing my jeans for the tightest pair of shorts I've ever seen let alone worn, I threw my jeans into my backpack and opened the locker with my name written on it.
Inside was a black helmet with bars covering the face, along with gloves and shoulder, knee and elbow pads. What the heck were we doing? I pulled out the equipment and replaced it with my backpack. I then double checked I had secured the lock with still having Charlie's key-card in my jeans back pocket.
I pulled off my shirt and slowly learned how to work out which way to position and strap on the shoulder pads before adding the elbow and knee pads. A giggle took my attention across the room, where the same blonde girl that'd sat next to me earlier was standing against Drake, running her hands along his arms and over his chest. To me, that was proof alone they weren't too much different from the human race.
"Careful Jessica, you wouldn't want to get some Tattie disease."
"Why don't you fuck yourself in the ass, Eric?" I shouted, heading toward them. He'd gotten away with bullying Bella from when she was in preschool. Charlie passed it off as a childish phase back then but it I knew it had grown further than that as he got older-there were some perks to my Father having a cop for a best friend.
"Says the Rez Rat. Why are you even here redskin?"
I could feel everyone's eyes on me while distantly hearing Roman's echoing voice as I glared at Eric, daring me with his eyes to make just one move. When a current pulsated against my shoulder, I snapped out of it, drawn to the sensation. I hadn't noticed I was shaking again until Roman's voice became crisp and clear. It was no longer just my hands, but my chest too.
But the feeling of his hand against me calmed me, bringing my attention to the blue eyed boy staring in my eyes as if I were the only other person on the planet. My heart beat hard behind my rib cage, but this time it felt good.
General concern flickered across Roman's face before a gentle smile of his own eased across his face. I really couldn't believe how he seemed to know me and how he cared—for a stranger.
I shook my head, clearing away further fog. "Yeah," I whispered, absently leaning closer to his touch before a smirk pulled at the side of my face.
A moment later the gym teacher dressed in a baggy navy hoodie and pants entered the room. He was at least forty with deep set lines around his mouth and forehead. His black hair stood straight up in the air. He looked like he belonged in a scientist lab, blowing things up.
He blew a whistle that sent the sound of bees through my head while giving me the sensation of touching a vibrating massage wand. Why so loud? We're standing right here…
"Alright kids, I'm Coach Car and today, we're playing lacrosse." He quickly snatched a tall bag from behind the exit door and called out names before throwing us a stick with a net on the end. I caught mine mid-air while trying to recall where I had heard the sport's name before.
I swallowed hard. That was a game the guys played on the Rez, where people often came out with broken bones and fractures. I glanced at Eric grinning at me—me and my big mouth.
"Coach, I don't th—"
"Relax Black, I've already cleared it up with your father and doctor," he assured.
I silently groaned at the word, 'doctor.' I really didn't want the entire school asking why I needed a doctor to okay my activities. It had been bad enough explaining it to Bella, I wanted to forget those days of my life. I could feel Roman's eyes on the side of my face.
Coach Car called us out to the field. Relief washed over me when I learned we were only doing practise runs today until we got to know the game. We paired off and I was shocked when Teri picked me. We had to pass the ball to one another, before we got to the running and catching the balls in mid-air while running. Of course, Teri got the best of me.
She was faster and stronger than I imagined a woman could be. Twice I had to stop and catch my breath which confirmed just how weak I thought I was.
"Wow, you're unfit," she muttered, chewing on gum. I braced myself from replying. Then the weather decided to rain on our parade, literally, making the safety equipment heavier and our clothes glue to our skin. Rain made the markings on Teri's face light up a shimmering blue.
I tried hard not to elevate my eyes above Teri's waist-her white shirt had basically turned almost transparent and the blue light shone through the fabric. And I was pretty sure she didn't have a bra on...
After an hour, Coach Car once again blew the whistle. "Alright hit the showers! Atrians, wait a few minutes for the others to wash off and then head in, you're going to need to clean up too."
I couldn't say I didn't want one seeing as how I was now drenched through and clammy with sweat. Plus my hair had been plastered to my skull by the rain, but the dread still sat in the middle of my stomach.
Back in the locker room, It took a while to peel the fabric from my skin, but when I did, most everyone had left. Roman and Drake had joined me and were also trying to also peel their clothing off.
"That's going to need drying Roman," I teased with a smile. "I don't have anymore spares to lend you... Need any help?"
"Uh yeah, that'd be great. I'm fond of water but I really don't want to have to sit in wet clothes all day." He smirked. "And I don't think we'd be allowed to walk around without a shirt on.."
"Here, the trick is to roll the fabric as far as you can. Try the hand-drier in the bathroom to get it as dry as you can."
He snickered. "Can you imagine Drake walking around without a shirt on all day? I think he'd get tackled by the guard's before getting two steps into the hall."
I snorted and bent down in front of him and began rolling my shirt's edge around him. The backs of my fingers brushed the skin of his stomach. Little sparks of electricity ran across my hands. My lips pursed as I glanced up at him.
"What?"
"It's nothing." I shook my head, stopping myself from asking if it was normal to feel the electricity while touching him. It was probably all in my imagination.
Now so close to Roman, I found it hard not to take in every line and detail of his sculpted body. Marks lined and patched the right side of his ribcage. One reached up his right pec, outlining his nipple. Deep V muscles shaped the insides of his hips. With catching myself looking him over, I went to look away when my finger brushed one of the marks. For a second, it flashed blue before settling back to its normal colour. My eyes whipped up to Roman's face to see him smirking.
"Relax, you didn't do anything. It's normal when our skin's wet, see." The tip of his finger ran down the mark on his neck, lighting the dark birthmark blue as his finger trailed its length.
"That is so cool. I wish I could have marks like that."
"Really?" His eyes narrowed.
I nodded and leaned back. "Yeah. You can take the shirt off now-it shouldn't stick."
"Thanks."
"If you two are going to make out, could you at least find a supply closet or something?" Drake joked, walking up to us. I glanced away, unsure what to answer with.
"Eat it Drake, he was helping me." His retort came out joking, I had expected something like a snap or insult, but he really didn't seem to care..
I looked to Roman and smiled. Turning around, I faced the showers with a sigh. Suck it up Jake, I breathed in, attempting to calm myself. No big deal.
I shook my head and threw off my shorts and boxer briefs, keeping my towel near while throwing them below my books and jeans inside my bag. I made a mental note to buy a duffle bag for gym ASAP or my backpack wasn't going to last long. My towel hung over the railing as I stepped under the showerhead and turned on the hot water. In an instant it washed the coldness from my muscles, relaxing them while working out the slight aches.
With the sound of the water downing my worries and previous thoughts, a new thought popped in my head. Why was I looking at Roman like I would with a Victoria Secrets supermodel? I never took in so much detail of Embry or Quil. Or anyone really. I glanced over my shoulder to see his back to me, still sitting in the centre of the main room, talking to Drake. My eyes swept over the marking outlining his shoulder-blades before I pulled my gaze away. While staring down at the water seeping down the drain, I bit my lip. I didn't like guys. I'd never noticed them before. Plus, I knew a hot chick when I saw one, like Teri. You're over thinking it Jake. You're curious about Atrians and feel a connection because of what happened ten years ago. That's it. But somehow, I didn't believe my own thoughts.
Suddenly I really wanted school to be over with so I could be alone to think about all this-I couldn't ever mention to Dad. He was with the old times-traditional-even know he believed he was hip with the kids.
"He okay?" a voice murmured. It sounded miles away. "Looks a little pale."
"Hey Jake, you okay?" another said, only louder. "Jacob?"
A hand caught my wrist, snapping me out of the dazed world I'd escaped to in my mind. I shook my head and looked up to see Roman standing beside me, still semi dressed, water from my shower pooled around his feet, getting the hem of his jeans wet. My cheeks burned and I pulled my wrist away.
"Jacob, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just a lot on my mind."
His head tilted to the side as I shied away. I bit my lip and closed my eyes, trying to ignore the look of concern over his face. I snatched the towel from the rack and wrapped it around me.
"Roman, please..." My breath came out lagging and short as my chest fell heavy.
"Jake you look sick."
"Sick as a dog," Drake added.
I feel sick… I thought, shaking my head while resting my forehead against the back of my hand pressed against the shower's icy wall. I felt too hot again and the tile's icy coolness was a relief. Maybe I'd overdone the exercise or had the water too hot.
"I'm fine."
Drake nodded from the doorway. "We're out of time anyway. No showers for us, Roman. Let's get dressed."
It took a few minutes of waiting until I heard the sound of the door close. A second later the first bell rang. I was alone. I pulled myself out from under the water and slowly dried off and got dressed. Since I didn't have a spare shirt, I slid my jacket around my naked torso and zipped it closed until my shirt could dry.
The classes before lunch slowly ticked by. I tried to keep my mind on the lessons and off of my lingering thoughts about Roman. My stomach eased and hunger grew. Under the queasiness, lacrosse had made me hungry, which added to my lack of patience during each class.
Finally the lunch bell came. I closed my text book and stood packing my backpack for what felt like the millionth time before spying Roman heading out of the room. Just beyond the door, I spotted Bella passing by with Jessica at her side.
"Hey Bells!" I shouted, "Wait up," I added, throwing the backpack over shoulder as I ran for the door as a large and warm hand caught my wrist. I paused mid-stride and looked over my shoulder, I saw it was Roman.