Hidden in Sheridan (Tainted Series: Book 1)

Moon: FIRST QUARTER

Levi - “What are you guys staring at?” Rhydian’s voice makes us all jump. For a table full of creatures with sharp hearing, the irony did not go unnoticed.

“Hey Rhydian.” Sterling sputters, “This is my idiot brother.”

“Why are you introducing me? I don’t want your friends to know me.” Rory practically snarls.

“Then leave,” Sterling says. Rory takes one last object from my tray, which I no longer want, and walks away. We’re both glad to see him go, but I track him carefully as he weaves through the other students.

“Rhydian, did you just get here?” Sterling asks.

“Yeah, Ity and I were late today. Our foster parents had a meeting at the courthouse and they wanted us there together. It wasn’t about us, but we might be getting another kid.”

“That’s good, right?” I ask.

Rhydian shrugs.

I really don’t think he cares. Mrs. Allen usually fills her home with it with people. Parties and food are her specialty but now with the Holiday’s passed, it probably felt empty.

“Rhydian. Do you know where Ity came from?” Sterling asks. I lift my head, my expression dark which is why Sterling shoots me one of his own to encourage patience. “You said you came from the east coast before you moved to Cheyanne.”

“The East Coast? I thought foster kids are in state.” I ask trying to make the conversation less about Ity and more about the process.

Rhydian nods while picking at his tray of food. “They shift us around the state, special circumstances brought me to Wyoming, but I was originally from the east coast. Ity …” he pauses to shrug. “It’s not written on her paper work where she’s from. I just assumed it was in state.”

Taken aback, I look at him, “You’ve seen her paperwork?”

“Basic paperwork isn’t hidden in the system. They pass it back and forth in front of us all the time. We talk openly about it. Except Ity, she doesn’t talk.” He smirks, though this time I don’t find it funny.

I glance over my shoulder. She’s still in the middle of the migrating group of girls. They shifted from the door and were now sitting at a table eating off of each others plates. And in true Ity fashion, with many conversations buzzing around her, she pulls out a book and begins reading quietly among them.

Rhydian continues, “I bet it’s probably written in her journals though. She’s got lots of those.”

I turn to look at Rhydian again. Yet, as I did I could have sworn I saw Ity’s expression narrow in my direction. Quickly, I turn back to her, but she’s still reading her book with the same blank expression as before.

Deciding I must have imagined it, I return my attention to Rhydian. “You’ve seen her journals?”

“I don’t read them, gosh.” Rhydian laughs, his hands miming surrendering. “I’m not that curious about her life. She just spends hours writing at night, either in her room or out in the woods somewhere. We’ll even be watching a movie and she’ll be in her chair writing. I’ve seen two different ones since I’ve been living with her.”

“She probably has a lot to write about, since she doesn’t get to say it all out loud.” Sterling suggests.

“I bet it’s all in there. Where she’s from. Why she doesn’t talk. Who she likes…” Rhydian let that last one hang in the air. Clearly for my benefit because he kept glancing over at me.

“You’re not tempting me to read a girls diary.” I say plainly, refusing to entertain the juvenile thought, which is why the curiosity that pinged in my gut brought along with it a feeling of guilt.

“I know,” Rhydian snickers. He lowers his voice to a very soft whisper. “I would never suggest that you sneak in through her window on the second floor, which is always unlocked, open the window seat which is hidden beneath six pillows and two large stuffed animals, uncover the wooden box that is covered with a thick pink and purple crochet blanket and steal the book with the light blue textured cover.”

“That was strangely detailed,” says Sterling with food tucked into his cheek. “Why that one?”

I kick at Sterling under the table but he slides his foot effortlessly out of range.

“I’ve noticed that’s the one she pulls out when something different happens at school. Or when she’s been around you.” Rhydian explains.

The curiousness pings against my stomach again. I look over my shoulder at her. Her hair is tied back in a pony tail, which is rare. She usually leaves it to fall over her shoulders. The scrunchy that holds her hair now is dark olive green, enhancing the warm tones in her skin and the bright green in her eyes.

The shirt she wears is loose with a pattern of green lines and flowers, down her long sleeves. I quickly look around her to find her red hoodie draped on the table beside her book. It’s rare to see her without it on, and peculiar that it isn’t.

Her long fingers rest under her chin. Nails carefully painted with shades of our school colors. She never paints her nails or wears make up. Today must have been different. The only person that could get Ity to dress that feminine was Mrs. Allen, present company included.

Ity’s green eyes slowly shift to meet mine, sending an electric shock through my system strait to my middle. The shifting and scuffling of trays behind me, made it obvious I wasn’t the only one she caught staring.

Sterling and Rhydian frantically shift their focus back onto their food.

I don’t.

I lift my hand and wave sheepishly at her. Ity’s lightly pinked lips turn up in a gentle smile, not like the fake smile she had since she entered the cafeteria. Her eyes didn’t join in the act though, instead they hold mine in concern.

A sharp kick from Sterling makes me turn back around. “What?” I bark but seeing his expression allows reality to remember. He still thinks she’s the wolf that bit me. Not just him, but he and Rory. Sterlings eyes motion to the right, where Rory’s making his move.

He’d maneuvered around the cafeteria, stalking, calculating, toward her table, testing her to see if she would make a mistake and notice him.

She remains unchanging.

I stand…

Rory takes a bite from an apple which was his way of looking human, though the candy bar sticking out of his pocket would have been more believable. The sophomore residence of the table drop their conversation to a series of giggles and whispers, at the senior boys appearance.

He stops behind Ity, leaning close to whisper to her. I want to hear the words he speaks but the cafeteria sounds overpower them.

I round the table behind Rory just in time to see the look of derision she returns to the senior boy behind her. I know that look. She doesn’t like her bubble invaded, I search for those predatory smells; Hostility, blood lust, threat, any smell you’d expect from one wolf being challenged by another.

Nothing came fro her except the intoxicating aroma of those around her.

Ity’s raises her delicate pointer finger and press into Rory’s forehead. With it she carefully pressures his head to move away from her own. A few of the girls gasp that she actually dared to touch the Senior.

Ity merely blinks.

I finally reach Rory, he’s standing stunned and upright. His eyes fixed on the girl right in front of him. Ity however, was now looking at me.

I quietly reach past Rory, her own hand finds mine with ease and she allows me to pull her from the seat. Her book and hoodie in hand she follows me out of the Cafeteria.

I’m sure the heat in my face is making me steam in the cold snowy outdoor courtyard. We slip across the clear walkway, into the second Gym entrance before she gives my arm some resistance.

I stop and look back at her. Realizing my hand is still holding hers, naturally my stupid mouth kicks on.

“I didn’t even hear what he said to you. You just looked uncomfortable and I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable on account of me. He was going to do something stupid, because it’s Rory. If he doesn’t do something stupid he says something stupid - ” She pulls her hand away from mine and my brain catches up enough to stop me from speaking.

She steadily signs thank you, but her expression remains scrunched. She eyes me critically until her eyes land on the side I was bitten. Subconsciously, I shrunk back trying to keep my side from her view.

“I’m fine. Rory was being weird this morning so I thought I’d come save you.” I laugh. She doesn’t accept the lie. Her arms fold across her chest, and her face hard.

With some extra work I swallow the lump in my throat so I can speak again. “What did Rory want anyway?”

Her arms loosen as she signs, ‘he said, I know it’s you’.

“That’s weird.” I say laughing like an idot.

Ity shrugs and continues to sign, ‘He’s never approached me before. What did you do say to him?’

“I didn’t say anything. I promise he just … you were just …”

‘It was my fault?’

My hands fly up in defense, “No not your fault. No ones fault. He’s just using some horrible pick up lines. You look amazing today it’s obvious he’d notice you.”

With my heart pounding so loud the sound fills my ears, I froze. I’d just told my crush to her face she looks amazing. I’ve had this nightmare. In three seconds I would hear her voice, and with her very first words she is going to tell me off and then laugh in my face.

Slow motion activated.

Her hands slip to her hips and Ity’s head tilts to the left. One blink. Two Blinks. Her green eyes, unable to decided which of my eyes to look at, shift in between the slow excruciating blinks.

I can’t wait.

“I - I know that was uncomfortable I hope I didn’t make it worse.” I say honestly.

‘You’re a good friend,’ After she finishes signing, her hand came up and pat him on the shoulder. The same way a teammate does at the end of football game. My heart lurches and a rush of adrenaline sends a jolt of electricity to my fingertips.

Without my permission my hand swung up and catch hers before she can pull away. My fingers wrapped around her wrist and for the first time I realize how cold her skin is. Her wrist is thin and fits easily inside my palm. She doesn’t pull away, but even if she did I suspect she couldn’t.

Knowing this brought a new sensation to my body. I’m strong. I pull her towards me and she easily falls into me with a confused expression but she doesn’t push me away - Sterling does.

Appearing out of the snow he takes hold of my hand and twists Ity’s hand free with ease. Quickly placing himself between me and her. His hands pat both my shoulders as he mumbled something. I fail to hear his words because the sound of blood pulsing in my head overpowers everything.

My free hand reaches up and takes a firm grip on his collar. He uses all his strength to stay in place as I pull.

“Stop.” He says again, probably for the third time. But this is the only one that came in tune.

I stop pulling.

“Rory is a pain I know but he wasn’t hitting on Ity.” Sterling says loudly. He pulls his shirt from my stiff fingers and turns to Ity to explain. “Rory’s been acting weird I know, but he wanted to see if he could get under Levi’s skin. Which, obviously he did.”

My eyes finally focus on Ity. Her expression no different from before I’d lost my mind. No worry or fear, just, watching me. She motioned from Sterling to me, as if to say ‘he’s all yours’ then she turns and walks away.

“Ity, I … I … “ I sputter after her, but she doesn’t hear me. I linked my fingers behind my neck, “What the heck did I just do?”

“You were either going to kiss her or eat her but I couldn’t chance either.” Sterling runs his own fingers through his hair, loosening the waves across his forehead. “What were you talking about?”

“I told her she was good looking,”

“Ah, and instead of being foolish and stumbling over your words you attacked her.”

Now my fingers were in my hair, prepped and ready to pull handfuls of it out of my head. “I did both! Is that normal?”

“Sadly,” Sterling nods, “yes. Overconfidence is a big side effect which doesn’t usually show up until the full moon.”

“What am I going to do?”

“Well, we’re going to follow her.”

“What! NO! WHY?” I am secure enough in my manliness to admit that came out in a girlish squeak. But I honestly can’t imagine anything worse than being caught stalking after what I just did … er almost did.

“Listen. The smell was gone. Rory couldn’t explain it either.” I’m about to squeak a protest, when Sterling waves for me to stop, “but I think I can. If it really isn’t her, then whoever it is was near her and probably will be again. So … ”

“… we follow her.” I agree.

CHAPTER END