• Woke up in the morning, four thirty five in the morning to be exact. Nothing like waking up to your favorite time of the year, I thought, The beginning of the school year, that is! Yes, always my favorite time; the time when you were new to the school after watching the episode of Family Guy where Chris was hunted down in the freshman hunt, yep, that always got you pumped on your first day as a freshman.
    I stretched my arms up, waiting as my back popped, feeling the relief it brought after my dizzy night last night as a wolf for a minute.
    I hadn’t yet managed to perfect my powers, yet. In fact I hadn’t practiced since my mother and father had died. I had turned every night, since birth, during midnight and I stayed that way for a minute. Afterwards I would turn back into human, clothes still on and everything. And what gave me this superficial power? Heritage and an amulet of course.
    The heritage and amulet came from my mother.
    I felt my neck and grabbed my necklace, it was a dirty silver wolf’s head, but it was slimmer and more angular than a normal wolf’s. Every time I turned I needn’t worry about clothes, for one I stayed in my bed, for two they were dissolved as the same with my amulet, only the amulet appeared as a burned in mark mirroring it exactly on my chest. My sister didn’t have the power to turn, but she knew I did and she wasn’t jealous, well, maybe sometimes. But mostly she was proud of me, even when I wasn’t.
    So I leaped out of bed, proud to be able to stand on two legs. And hurried down the stairs, jumping into the kitchen where the fridge started to hum as it did every morning.
    I opened the fridge and popped open a can of non-diet brown soda. Chugging some, I snatched up the egg carton, butter, ham, cheese, milk, and orange juice and set them all down on the counter. I washed my hands and took and took another sip of soda before setting a pan on the stove and firing it up. I sliced off four teaspoons of butter and set it in the hot pan, swirling it around so it was melted and slick. I suppressed a burp and cracked three eggs, then I swirled them with a beater in a bowl and poured the scrambled eggs into the pan, hearing the musical sizzling and smelling the warm smell of breakfast in the morning.
    I looked back at the stairs and wondered when the smell was going to wake Riley up this time. Normally it only took an hour to wake her with the smell of eggs, so five would probably her waking point.
    We lived pretty close to school so going to school wasn’t a problem, neither was waking. After transforming into a wolf I got as much as two hours of sleep then woke up.
    The eggs popped and stirred them, flipping them over as they were still liquid. I ran over to the cabinet and took out the cutting board; I sliced the ham into small pieces and sprinkled them on the eggs. Then I took a slice of cheese and slapped on the other side of the eggs. I checked the clock and poured some milk and orange juice as Riley came down the stairs.
    Soundlessly, she slipped into the dining room chair and lay her head down in her folded arms; I looked at her for a moment then turned my attention to the golden eggs. I dumped them onto a plate and popped it on the table along with the two drinks.
    Riley looked up and stared at me for a second, “Morning!” I said, smiling.
    She looked away silently and started to eat, A little thanks wouldn’t hurt, I thought. I sighed and sat down across from her.
    I rubbed my hot dry eyes and leaned back in my chair as Riley finished, “Thanks,” I replied sarcastically and took her plate, I washed and stuck it in the washing machine then clambered upstairs, it didn’t take orders to make Riley come up and get dressed after me.
    For today I decided on baggy brown cargo pants and a tight black turtleneck. The turtleneck fit perfectly and I put my long black trench coat on after it. I slipped on the fox ring our father had given to me and kissed its small ruby eyes. I said a silent prayer to them both, our parents, that is. And hurried downstairs with my backpack; an exact army bag given to us by dad; who had once been in the military.
    Riley met me downstairs in her gothic pants, chains dangling from the thighs and wearing her black long sleeved Slipknot shirt; my favorite band.
    We stepped out under the doorway and I locked the door behind us. Our apartment door was pretty eerie; it was dark, shaded, and gray. Like something sickly but at the same time familiar and welcoming.
    We walked to our separation point, where the road split and I went left while Riley went right to our schools. Riley was only one year younger than me, and would be in high school in only a year.
    Riley ran off without another look back, and I had the strange feeling I’d never see her till after a very long time. But I ignored my hunch for today and started down the sidewalk where the sun was just starting rise and set its bright rays upon this side of the world.
    The wind started to blow harder so I pushed up my coat to cover my ears and started to jog, feeling the heavy messenger bag thump against my thigh.
    I’ll admit I was a bookworm, and I estimated that I read over fifteen really thick chapter books in under a month. I loved chapter books, stories that took you to different places where fairies and angels and magic were real; places where I could escape to whenever I was picked on or when I was just bored or down. Books were my friends and I would treat them, any day, as members of my family.
    Suddenly my school came into sight. Tall, brown, and intimidating I slowed down and walked so I could take in what it would be like. I imagined halls filled with people, kids of all ages, heights, and looks. I imagined sixteen year olds driving into the parking lot with their friends and laughing. But the biggest thing I could imagine was the boys. Tons and tons of hot, nerdy, and hunky boys that honestly scared the living life out of me. Sure, I loved guys, especially the dark mysterious ones, but I was totally and utterly terrified of them. Whenever one was near I’d tense up and avoid any sort of contact.
    “Today,” I said to myself, whispering under my breath, “will be different, I will not cower and I will say…hi to everyone I meet…” I gulped, I hope I can keep that resolution.