Outsider Series: Outsider Part 3

She put her hands on her hips. "Get. Out. Of. Bed." She said in her serious voice. You didn't mess with Gram's serious voice.

"Fine," I grumbled. "I'll get up and I'll go to school and I promise to hate every minute of it."

She tapped her foot. "Sometimes I swear you're your father except with lady parts. You act exactly like him!"

"No, I don't," I grumbled.

She threw her hands in the air. "Oh, please. You have the same eyebrows and you even swallow the same."

"My eyebrows are fine," I said but self-consciously tried to smooth them down.

"If you're a man," she said. "Come on," she said pulling me towards the bathroom. "Take your shower and when you're done breakfast will be ready."

Her joking banter was beginning to rub off on me. "So, now you're telling me I stink?"

"No," she said and looked at her watch. "I'm telling you that you're wasting time."

I shook my head and closed the bathroom door.

I dressed quickly and dried my hair. I dabbed on a little mascara. Like Gram had promised a feast befitting a king was waiting for me. Homemade pancakes were stacked on a plate.

"Gram, you're too good," I said digging in.

She smiled at me across her own plate. "I am quite amazing," she said. "I'll need you to work after school. Just come straight to the store," she said. "Caeden will be there too. He usually comes in a little late but you'll need his help. We're usually really busy once school starts."

"Okay," I said yawning. "And just so you know, the store is always, busy. I hardly get a break."

She chuckled. "You'll see."

I finished my breakfast, grabbed my backpack, and headed out the door. It should be illegal to have to go to school this earlier, I thought to myself. I was shocked at the long line of cars at the stoplight and resolved to not waste so much time in the mornings.

When I finally made it through the light a man directed me to my left and into the student parking lot. I remembered my parking spot number and repeated it in my head like a mantra. But it was pointless. Caeden waved to me from where he was standing next to what looked like a younger version of him. I a.s.sumed it was his little brother.

I parked next to him and found myself smiling.

"Hey," he said as I jumped out of the car.

"Hi," I smiled.

We must have just standing there staring at each other like goofs because all of a sudden the other boy whistled and waved his hands in the air. "h.e.l.lo? Earth to Caeden and new girl."

We both shook our heads and I blushed. His cheeks were flaming too.

Caeden tossed his thumb over his shoulder and then stuck his hands in his pockets. "This is my annoying brother, Bryce," he said.

Bryce smiled. His brown hair was s.h.a.ggy, and like his brother, his eyes were a bright blue. His face was more round compared to Caeden's chiseled features. With his floppy hair and easy smile he reminded me of a lap dog.

Bryce extended his hand to me, "Bryce," he said. "The unfortunate younger brother of this one."

I smiled. "Sophie," I said.

Bryce stepped back and lovingly rubbed an old green Jeep. "And this is the love of my life, Stella."

Caeden punched his brother. "Dude, you are so weird," he said.

Bryce laughed and danced away. Walking backwards, towards the school, he said, "I never claimed to be normal Caeden. You know that."

Caeden narrowed his eyes and I would swear for a moment they flashed gold. A small growl escaped his throat.

Bryce turned completely around and sauntered away.

Caeden shook his head. "Ignore him. I do."

I smiled at him. "Granted, I've never had siblings but I was always under the impression that it was your job to annoy each other."

He laughed and we started walking. "That's very true," he said.

Just then a car came screeching through the parking lot. Tires squealing, music blaring, the reckless driver swung into the parking s.p.a.ce. The car was a s.h.i.+ny new Audi S5 coupe.

Caeden glared at the tented windows and visibly bristled. A tall, muscular, blond guy got out of the car, with a smirk on his face like he owned the place.

Caeden growled and took my hand pulling me in the other direction towards the gym entrance.

A deep male voice said, "Caeden my friend."

I watched Caeden's face tense. His teeth were clenched and his jaw was twitching. He moved me behind him and tuned around.

The blond guy stood with his arms crossed over his chest grinning. "Travis," Caeden rasped. "What do you want?"

The boy, who like Caeden, really looked more like a man, tried to peer around Caeden to look at me. Caeden's grip tightened on my hand to the point that it was painful.

Travis' dark eyes peered into Caeden's. "I just wanted to meet your friend." He put his hands up like he was surrendering. "Don't get your panties in a bunch."

Caeden growled and Travis smiled. "That's right, breathe, control your temper Caeden. We wouldn't want to have you exploding out of your clothes in the school parking lot, now would we," said Travis tilting his head.

Caeden took several deep breaths. "Come on let's go," he said to me.

Travis clapped his hands. "Good boy Caeden. That's right walk away. You know you'd never win."

Lighting fast Caeden turned around and with a loud thunk sunk his fist into Travis' face. Caeden quickly pulled me away from the scene, his chest was heaving and he seemed to be vibrating, or maybe s.h.i.+mmering was the better word, around the edges. I looked around expecting a crowd to have gathered but no one seemed to have noticed. All in all the interaction hadn't lasted long.

Once we were safe distance away, in the cover of the gym hallway, I pulled Caeden to the side.

"What the h.e.l.l was that about?" I asked.

He took a couple of breaths, his nostrils flaring. "It's a long story."

"Is everything a long story with you?" I demanded my hands on my hips.

He sighed and looked into my eyes. He looked sad. "Haven't you ever had a secret that you're bound to protect?"

"No," I scoffed.

He quirked his eyebrow.

"Maybe," I conceded.

He leaned his head against the cement wall and closed his eyes. "I just can't stand the guy, okay?"

I quirked my head. "We went from secrets to you just hate the guy. I'm lost," I said.

He smiled, barely. "Don't worry your time to know will come. Just be patient."

I groaned. "I'm so confused."

He grinned. "That's the point."

"You're evil," I said.

"I'm the good guy," he whispered in my ear making me s.h.i.+ver.

Suddenly the bell rang making me jump. "Can you remember your way to cla.s.s?"

"Yeah," I croaked and then he disappeared.

Blinking, I started down the hallway.

I practically ran down the hallways, gym was on the complete opposite side of the school from the math hallway, and somehow I made it there early. Only three other people were in the room. Mrs. Harding glared at me and I ducked my head.

Bryce came in, smiled at me like an eager puppy, and took the seat next to me.

More people filed in, Travis, the guy from the parking lot, included. He took the seat behind me.

I turned to look at him. "How's your face?" I asked. It had sounded like Caeden broke his nose but behind me all I found was smooth pale skin.

I raised my eyebrows. Travis smirked.

"Why are you asking him about his face?" asked Bryce.

I turned back to Bryce. "Because Caeden punched him in the parking lot," I whispered. "And it sounded like he broke his nose."

Bryce burst out in laughter. He eyed Travis with a smirk. "Hasn't your dad ever told you not to mess with an Alpha. You will get burned. Or I guess in this case, punched."

A ruler slapped down on Bryce's desk making him and everyone else jump. Bryce growled. What was with all this male growling?

"Mr. Williams you should know by now that the second bell means no more talking. And you-," she said pointing to me. "I knew you were trouble." She narrowed her eyes at me. I gulped.

My back was rigid the whole cla.s.s. In fact, I was scared to even blink. In part because of Mrs. Harding but she wasn't the whole reason. Every little bit Travis would tug gently on my hair or touch my back, or neck. I wanted to squish my eyes closed but I knew Mrs. Harding would accuse me of not paying attention. Bryce kept eyeing Travis like he wanted to bite him or maybe just defend my honor. I wanted to cry. His touch was creepy. It made me feel like spiders were crawling all over my body. Something inside me screamed that he wasn't supposed to touch me. At one point a whimper escaped my lips and in the silent cla.s.sroom Mrs. Harding turned to glare at me.

When the bell rang I picked up my backpack and ran. I was doing a lot of running around this place.

I slid into a chair in the very back against the wall in my next cla.s.s just in case Travis was in here too. Luckily, a girl with long curly red hair took the seat next to me.

"I'm Charlotte," she said. "A friend of Caeden's."

"Hi," I said politely. On the inside however, I was seething. Was this his girlfriend? I had never thought to ask. Suddenly I wanted to jump out of my desk and smack the pretty red head next to me. I had the primal thought of, he is mine.

"Just friends," she said as if she could read my mind. Had it shone so plainly on my face?

I smiled and looked away ashamed. She seemed content to say no more and I was relieved. I was extremely embarra.s.sed. Since when did I act like a crazy hormonal teenager? And it was more than that, I felt like I owned him. Like no one else could have him. Once again I had the thought, he is mine. It was weird. We weren't even a couple. Heck, we weren't even friends. We were just mere acquaintances.

Lunch was next and despite my earlier coldness Charlotte walked with me. She held her books close to her chest and her green eyes kept scanning the halls. She reminded me of a shy, small, fluttery bird.

"Hey," Caeden called coming down the hallway. "How's it going so far?" he asked me and then nodded his head at Charlotte like he was dismissing her. She scurried on down the hallway closer to lunch crowd. Now, she was more like a skittish rabbit than a bird.

"It's been okay," I said. "Charlotte seems nice."

"She is, just quiet."

I followed him through the lunch line and then to a table where Charlotte, Bryce, and a couple others were already sitting. He motioned me to a seat and then took the empty seat next mine.

"Everyone, this is Sophie," he said. They all nodded and smiled. "You already know Charlotte and Bryce," Caeden said. "That's Bentley," he said pointing to a tall, muscular guy, with golden brown eyes. His arm and chest muscles bulged out of his t-s.h.i.+rt and even though he was sitting down I could tell he was tall. Probably taller than Caeden. "This is Christian she's a junior like Bryce," this time he pointed to a blond girl next to Charlotte. She had an angular face, pale green eyes, and a willowy figure.

The girl named Christian smiled at me and said, "Call me Chris. Either way I still sound like a boy."

Bentley laughed. "That's because you were supposed to be a boy."

She narrowed her green eyes at him. "I am obviously not a boy."

Bentley waggled his eyebrows at Chris, "Maybe I should check that out."

Christian tossed a fry at him and everyone was laughing, myself included. I was amazed at how easily I fit in with them. It normally took me awhile to find a niche in school but somehow I fit in here. They acted like a family and embraced me like I was a part of it.

Caeden shook his head and continued the introductions. "Lastly, we have Logan, Chris's older brother."

Logan and Chris certainly looked alike. They had the same angular cheek bones and pale green eyes. But where Chris was willowy, Logan was stocky.

Logan said to everyone at the table, "At least my parents got one boy. It was quite a surprise when that one came out," he said rolling his eyes at his younger sister.

She stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Well, it didn't change much did it. You still treated me like I was a boy and your own personal punching bag."

"That's only because you always wanted to follow the big boys around," he said motioning to himself, Caeden, and Bentley.

"When are you ever going to stop undermining girls? We've saved your b.u.t.t plenty of times," she said including Charlotte in her tirade.

Logan quirked his head. "I see I can't win here," he said.

Chris stuck out her chin. "That's right. Never pick a fight with a girl. You'll always lose."