𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗲-𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀

ᴘɪɴᴇ-ʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛᴇᴇɴ

-Gabriella, 18-

No matter how much I had been dreading it, the sun had risen as always, and the nerve-wracking day had finally rolled around. Wednesday. The first day of my new course.

I plucked anxiously at my black lycra tank top as I stared into Alexia's bathroom mirror. This mirror, at least, wasn't warping my image, and I could see myself crystal clear. Tank top, black shorts, and new black running shoes. My mother had bought the shoes as a gift, and given them to me on Tuesday night, as a 'well done' for being offered the place. Knowing I would be stressed about showing up late on the first day, she'd allowed me to have yet another sleepover at Lex's dorm, which was a good idea in theory, as it calmed those anxieties, but then at the same time it allowed others to preoccupy my thoughts.

What if the other students didn't like me?

What if everyone else was twice my speed, and I was left in the dust all the time?

What if I managed to lose my water bottle on the walk to the track, and had to ask to waterfall from someone elses when I got thirsty?

What if I fell over?

What if I said the wrong thing?

What if I just didn't belong?

They were all irrational thoughts, and I knew it, mostly, but that didn't quiet them down. They raced around my head until I'd worked myself up into a fluster, and was hyperventilating, my cheeks an obvious shade of bright pink. It would be fine, it would be fine, it would be fine, I chanted like a mantra. At the end of the day, I could always cry about anything embarrassing that happened to Lex, and she would stay my friend regardless. 

On a brighter note, one good thought I had, mixed in with the terrible ones, was that it was quite possible the other students would all be werewolves like me, if they were so insanely fast. 

I wasn't sure if I'd be interested in befriending any of them if that was the case, as the whole concept of those strange concrete bonds frightened me now, but we could at least be amicable. We could chat about stuff. Maybe even go on shifted runs together. Luna, what I would give to meet a werewolf girl my own age. 

"You good?" Lex called from outside.

"Yeah." I replied with a hopefully confident tone. I wiped my sweaty hands on my shorts, and exited the bathroom, having already done my skincare, makeup, and hair (the best I could with shaking fingers). 

In the main room, Lex had left me a breakfast on the kitchenette counter. A protein shake, a cut up mango, and two pieces of toast, as well as a tall glass of ice water and whatever vitamins Coach Jess had ordered I take. I wrapped my arms around her tiny frame with gratitude.

"You're an angel, short-stack." I grinned, and tucked in.

"Anything for you, my dear." She sighed wearily like we were an old married couple. I laughed around a mouthful of toast.

I checked my watch multiple times throughout eating, surprised to see that time was passing as usual. I had been told to get to the track by 8:45, and it was now 8:25. I quickly washed my dishes and left them to dry on the dish rack as I grabbed my pre-made backpack. I'd already put in things like my mini first aid kit, water bottle, lunch, towel and snacks the night before. I tended to find that over-preparing was the only way to appease my anxiety when it got really severe.

"Right," I checked my watch again, "I'm going to head off now. See you in the mess hall for lunch?"

She gave me a stupid salute.