Wolf Eyes

Chapter 2

Well, I was going to wait until around Tuesday to post the next chapter, until I noticed that I had gotten three votes and three people reading it already \ ^o^ / So, I decided to update a little early. 

Dedicated to FOX3797 for the awesome banner on the side!

Enjoy, and remember: more feedback equals earlier updates!~

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Beep beep beep

I awoke to the alarm clock next to my bed with a snap, lurching up to a sitting position. I didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep. 

Biting back a groan and the temptation to skip school today by saying I was sick, I hauled myself to my feet again, the scrapes on my knees and elbows stinging from the movement of my skin. 

Ignoring it, I made my way into the bathroom, pulling my still damp shirt up to inspect the pain on my back. I winced when I was met with an ugly brown and black bruise, purple and green rimming the edges. It was right in the middle of my spine, in the small of my back, and was easily as big as a curled fist. 

Shivering from the cold AC air against my damp clothes and hair, I turned on the shower and undressed, stepping into the hot water. It stung against my wounds and made my back feel like it was being pounded with a sledgehammer. However, I endured it and waited until my muscles began to relax before cleaning up.

As I closed my eyes, drowning myself in the peacefulness of the water, caressing my skin with unfamiliar kindness. It almost felt like a hand was resting on my shoulder.

I let my mind begin to wander, drifting to lands beyond. Lands that would protect me. Where I would be sheltered.

I opened my eyes to stop the dreaming and turned off the shower. I had to pretend everything was fine at school for my parents. I didn’t want them to go through the trouble of trying to find me a new school a few months into senior year. 

Once I had toweled myself off, I slipped quietly into a plain grey sweater and some jeans. A quite drab outfit according to others, but always having been part of my style. I never had been into the dresses and flowers and pinks that others had been into, even when they had been my ‘friends’. Some friends they had been. 

“Honey? Taryn, you’re going to be late if you don’t leave soon! I have to get going, but I’ll see you later. I love you!” My mom called from down the stairs. I only had to wait a couple seconds before I heard the front door open and close, keys jingling as they turned in the lock. 

By the time I went back into the bathroom, the car had already driven off. 

I sighed as I looked into the mirror, shoving my hair behind my ear as I inspected the scrape on my cheek. It wasn’t too terrible, but it was noticeable, especially with the bruise that rimmed it. 

I took a brief moment to stare at the features that every adult said resembled my mother so much. I didn’t see it. My mother was so much prettier than me. The only thing I had inherited from her was my light brown hair and green eyes. Where my mother’s face was sharp and elegant, mine was more rounded and soft, like a child. Where her skin was flawless with a perfect tan and dark pink lips, mine was pale with thin, equally pale lips. 

In my mind, the apple fell a little further than the tree than planned.

There wasn’t much I could do with the bruise, but I could at least make it presentable. I dabbed concealer over it until the worst of it was covered. It wasn’t gone completely, and people would definitely see it. However, at least could show them that they wouldn’t break me. Couldn’t.