Jared's POV

"Keep this up, and you're going to have to be held back," Sam's warns. His massive body fills up the entire small kitchen, demanding order from every square inch of the room. "Jared, you can't keep ignoring this. You have to go back to school."

"I don't want to go back!" I roar back, slamming my hands down on the kitchen table too hard, a sickening snap hits our ears. The table under me splinters, caving into itself and crashing into the title floor into a jagged pile at me feet.

"Jared," Sam forces his voice into a collected tone, but his eyes are still dangerous. Sam's will power is impressive, but with a closer look you can see how much he's struggling to hold himself back."Control yourself."

Finger tips pulsating with rage, my hands curl up into tight fists at my sides. Sucking in a big mouthful of air, I slowly feel my shoulders sink as my mind clears up. I'm still not use to the newly acquired strength. I don't just get pissed off anymore, the wolf gets angry too.

"I'm sorry," I grumble, kicking at the heap of broken wood. "I'll buy you and Emily a new one."

"No, don't worry about it." Sam sighs, looking exhausted as he waves it off. I know Emily sure as hell is going to worry over her kitchen table. Her favorite room in the house is the kitchen. "You did better today. You still get mad, but you always manage to keep yourself together. That's good progress, which is why it's time for you to go back to school."

"I said I don't want to go back." The composure I fought so hard for immediately turns blistering hot, frustration going straight to my head and burning through all my senses. Through all the anger I can barely make out how nervous I am to go back to school. I've changed. The naive human Jared has changed, I'm unrecognizable. How am I suppose to ideally sit at a dinky desk surrounded by all those normal teenagers? How can I pretend to be normal? One look at me now, and it's obvious something is wrong.

"I know you don't." Sam gives a curt nod, crossing his arms over his chest. "But you'll go, Jared." A growl slips through his mouth, a small threat that makes me stand up straight. Sam doesn't leave room for argument, it's an order.

Kim's POV

Jared hasn't been in school in two weeks. In a school this small, the tiny student body has noticed how Jared just stopped coming to school. Rumors have spread, some like Jared runaway, or his parents are home schooling him now, or how's he grounded and can't leave the house. The rumors about a tenth grader who missed three weeks, Paul Lahote, are just as harsh as the ones being said about Jared.

It's hard sitting next to an empty desk, my brown eyes keep drifting to where he use to sit. I even find myself watching the door sometimes as if he's just going to stroll in with a coy smirk, and talk his way out of dentition like whenever he was late to class.

The first day I waited for him to show up. The second day I tried not to notice how he wasn't here. By the end of the two weeks, I missed him a little bit more with each day.

I'm stunned by my own behavior, embarrassed even. I can't even explain to myself why I miss him so much. Jared and I are not even friends, he wouldn't even call me an acquaintance. He's just a guy from one of my classes, and to him I'm some girl he sits next in a boring class. More distracted than ever, I'm sure I'm doing worse in history than before when Jared was right over my shoulder.

When––if he Jared does come back, is he just going to keep avoiding me? He hasn't even looked at me since that Future Mrs. Cameron incident. I lazily roll my eyes at myself, knowing I'm a complete loser to be so preoccupied by a crush with a guy who doesn't even talk to me. I remind myself to focus on my own life, I should be busy with myself; like how my mom wants to invite my grandma and all my aunts to pick out a prom dress, or how I haven't clean my room in a month, or how my friends have been begging me to see them in the school play, while I'm stressing for a great SATs score.

How can I be so preoccupied by a boy who doesn't even speak to me when I have my own expectations to meet? I'm refusing to miss out on my own teenage experience for Jared Cameron.

I glance around the room, taking in every guy into consideration. I try to like anyone else besides Jared, but there's nothing. Not a spark, or even an interest. With other guys I don't get that excited flip in my stomach, or that tingling in my fingertips, or my heart pounding so irregular that I can hear it in my ears.

Straightening in my chair, I wonder if all my life I'm just going to like Jared Cameron and myself, but I can't deny that wasn't so terrible. It seems more than plenty. I like myself enough, and more than the need for Jared or any other guy to like me.

A buzz catches my attention. The room is filled with excited noise and rushed words. I look to our teacher for an answer as to what is going on, but he just stands at the front of the room slacked jawed, gaping at the back of the classroom. Every student is bent around in their seats with wide eyes, shock and astonishment is etched on all of their faces. Deciding to twist around to look for myself, I catch some of the rumors that are forming already. My head jerking in a double take, I nearly jump to my feet in surprise.

Jared is back.

Jared is... different. It takes me a minute to recognize Jared.

He's at the back of the room holding still while his unsure brown eyes take in all the commotion, taken aback by all the attention like a frightened animal. After a moment, he forces his shoulders to relax, and his hands unclench from around the straps of his backpack just as a coy grin spreads across his face.

"Did you miss me?"

He shot up a foot, his dark head of hair nearly brushing against the low ceiling. The baby fat bordering his boyish face is gone, leaving behind a chiseled jaw with angular cheekbones poking through paired with a cleft chin. He pack on muscles, his once lean body now threatening to burst through his clothes if he moves too abruptly. The most alarming change though, he chopped off all his hair to an average cut right by his ears.

"Okay, okay, everybody settle down. Shows' over. Eyes front." The teacher silences the class. Unlike everyone else I don't easily straighten in my chair to start class. I stay unmoving in my chair, gawking like how Jared always hated. "Jared, you know where your assigned seat is. Sit down."

"Sorry, sorry. Not trying to interrupt." Avoiding my eyes, Jared makes his way down the aisle his face a little red and flustered. He struggles over to his desk, needing to angle his now too giant like body so he doesn't hit the ceiling or send things off people's desk. When he lands in his chair he looks as if he's glad he made that short distance, an undeniable mix of relief clear in his face.

He swallows thickly. I suck in a shaky breath.

He's here all of two minutes and I'm a puddle around him all over again.

His relief is fleeting. His jaw locks up, then I remember that I'm still staring. His eyes storm over in my direction just my head bolts to face forward, dodging his brown eyes. Jared clearly hasn't forgotten or forgiven about the Future Mrs. Cameron, now he seems mad about it. I sink low in my chair, my face bursting an ugly red. Now I wish he'd go back to ignoring me.

Even with Jared in the desk right next to me again, that anxious feeling I had while he was absent doesn't waver. It eats me up inside from just his new appearance alone. The worry...the need to ask is choking me at my throat. I dare to whisper the words to myself so quietly it's nearly silent. "How have you been? Are you okay?"

The teacher drones on and on. I'm sure no one heard me, but I'm too aware how stupid I'm being. I just had this talk with myself minutes ago, I remind myself.

"I've been better, but still standing," I flinch at a hushed gruff voice, my eyes going wide as dinner plates. "Thanks for asking... Kim."

I don't know how Jared heard me, or why he's even being honest to tell me. I barely get a hello out of him. But he confirms my worries, I knew-I'm not exactly sure what I knew-but something is wrong with him. I brave a peak over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of the small lift to Jared's lips before meeting his tired eyes.

Something immediately gives. The floor under my feet drops from under me, the classroom is gone, the world stops turning for a moment. It's just Jared and I. A warm feeling erupts where my heart is suppose to be, leaving me breathless while my heart beats two beats too quickly.

I have to force myself to look away, risking losing the sensation of soaring to being slammed back into my desk. Holding on to my desk for dear life so I don't fall out of it, I spare a hand to clutch at my heart, feeling it unevenly pound against my rip cage. Everything comes back into focus, I'm back between a classroom of teenagers, my ears able to hear our teacher's voice again. I can't help myself, my eyes already finding Jared's, his eyes bright and feverish and most noticeably stunned as much I feel. Sweat breaks out across his brow, some gleaming on his neck as his Adam's apple bobbles. Then I hear it, a low guttural growl rumbling from Jared's broad chest.

The bell dismisses us, but I don't make out the sound till I realize everyone is hurriedly climbing out of their seats. I struggle to get to my feet, my fingers trembling with adrenaline. A hand gives my shoulder a gentle shake, pulling me back into focus.

"Why did you and Jared just stare at each other all of class?" I recognize one of my friends, a weirded out expression on their features. They whispers lowly to me, helping me up to my feet.

What the hell just happened?