The new girl has a mate...

Chapter 4

Peyton's p.o.v

I doubt that I was dreaming...it all just seemed too real. Once I got home I looked at the time and realized I was supposed to be home a half hour ago. Crap, I was in trouble. I practically ran in the house to see my brothers playing with our cousins and heard my aunt making dinner in the kitchen. I set my backpack down by the door and went to the kitchen to help. I just started cutting up some tomatoes.

"You're late," she told me. "What on earth happened to your lip?!" She practically attacked me and held my face in a death grip. I felt like a fish because of how she was holding my face so tightly. It really hurt, too. I pushed her away lightly and backed a few steps away from her to let her see that I am fine.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry...and it's nothing. Just got hit by a basketball today in P.E.," I told her and we were silent while we made the food. I could tell by the way she kept looking over at me that she didn't believe me but she didn't say anything so I was pretty grateful because I didn't want to explain how I was hit by some guy at school. I probably should tell her, but I don't want to have to relive the rest of the day.

"Is everything okay, Pey? You can tell me," my aunt asked me after I finished making the salad. My aunt is a perfectionist when it comes to cooking so she always looked over what we did and if it wasn't what she wanted we had to do it all over again. This time, she didn't even bother with it as I handed it to her. She just set it aside and stared at me.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" I asked her as I put the salad in the fridge. Please stop asking, please stop asking. Act cool, Peyton, act cool, I chanted to myself.

"Something just seems off about you. Bad first day?"

"Something like that. Guys being all pervy and what not." I knew she believed me because I was always complaining that guys were trying to get in my pants. She always laughed and told me that's what I get for being so dang gorgeous. Her words, not mine. She called that dinner was ready so we set the table and got our food. I ate quietly because I didn't have anything to say. Well, rather I was afraid I would tell them about what I saw today and they would think I was crazy.

 By the time dinner was done I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone so I just headed to my room and laid down. I still couldn't get the images out of my head of Max breathing heavily and shaking. It was just not fun to see. While I listened to music, my cousin came in and sat on her bed, looking at me. I tried to ignore her but she just kept staring at me. It was really annoying and if she didn't cut it out I was going to hit her upside the head.

"What?" I asked her, not in the mood.