What Has Become Of Me?

“You all suck” I tell the guys as I climb out of the car when we reach my house.
The whole drive was filled with brief moment of silence until one of the boys would laugh again causing another wave of hysterics. Several times we had to pull over to keep from swerving all over the road.
“See you tomorrow pound pup” Brian calls then laughs.
I glare at them as they drive of laughing.
“Losers” I grumble as I head towards the house.

“What was that about?” Dan asks.
I look up to find my brother standing in the doorframe blocking my path into the house.
“Just one of their jokes” I say trying to step around
Dan refuses to let me pass.
“I like jokes” Daniel tells me with a wry smile.
“It was more that you had to be there at the time” I say before ducking under his elbow and squeezing past him to enter the house finally.

I hear Dan shut the front door then the clicking of a lock. The sounds of chatter and hoarse laughter floats in from the back patio and I glance around.
“Are mum and dad home?” I ask being unable to place who else would be here.
“Nope, but there’s some people I want you to meet. Well, you’ve met them before but I doubt that counts as...” Dan’s voice trails off as a frown creases his brow.
“Alright” I reply slowly wondering who Dan could possibly have invited over.
“They’re great guys, just watch your back” Daniel instructs as he guides me through the house by my elbow.

He slides open the back door and I find six men sitting around my patio. All conversation stops as they turn to look at me. I feel extremely uncomfortable as they size me up with their eyes.
“Guys, as you know, this is my sister Anika” Dan introduces interrupting the silence.
“Great to see you are back on your feet” one of the men grins.
I don’t really think I know them past a sense of recognition similar to the feeling of déjà vu.
“Uhm, thanks?” I respond feeling really out of place among these mountains of men.
“Damn girl, you look even better then I last saw you” one of the others exclaim but is silenced with a glare by my brother and a punch in the shoulder by the man beside him.
“Sorry if this is rude but, I don’t know who you are” I finally say.
“Probably best not to remember our first encounter, I’m Ryder” a tall, spiky haired man introduces.
His piercing blue eyes seem to trap mine as he leans over to shake my hand in a firm clasp.
“I’m Jai” the man who felt the need to say ‘damn girl’ as if he wasn’t the skinniest, palest boy in the vicinity.
“Carlos” a man with short red hair introduces.
“Seth” one with a snake bite piercing and bright green eyes joins in the round of introductions.
“Kai” a man adds looking strikingly similar to the Jai fellow pipes up, “and before you ask, yes I have an identical twin at the table. Furthermore, yes my mother rhymed our names and yes it was a cruel joke.”
“I’m his twin, Caleb” a man with spiked up blue hair which has a streak of red running through it grins, “Or maybe not, I forget.”

“Nice to meet you all” I respond politely.
“This is my pack” Dan grins as he pulls out a seat for me and grabs his own.
“So what was that joke you were going to explain, Anika?” Dan grins evilly as I sit down.
My phone rings, saving me from what was sure to turn into Dan tickling me until I told.

I answer the mobile phone without hesitation.
“Hey Anika, just Brian” I could recognise the voice anywhere, “you left your shoes in the car so Seb should be running it into you, just a warning in case he tries to ninja his way over the fence again.”
“Thanks Brian” I smile, if only he knew how much of a favour he just did me.
The chatter behind me picks up again as it was before I stepped out onto the patio.

I retake my seat just in time to catch Seb scramble over my back fence and fall face first into the garden below. All the wolves at the table turn to watch him leap back onto his feet and hold my shoes in the air.
“Win!” Seb yells then jogs over to us.
“Thanks Seb” I say between giggles as the rest of the guys laugh.
“What are you laughing at, pound pup?” Seb pouts.
My heart sinks. Please, please, please, please don’t let him explain it.
“What’s that mean?” the man who introduced himself as Caleb asks.
“Today she wandered away and got taken by-” Seb doesn’t get to finish as I launch myself at him and cover his mouth with my hand.
“Let the man speak!” Jai cries out.
Seb licks my hand but I refuse to retract it. Our struggle is ended as Dan decides to step in and pull me away from Seb.
“No!” I cry out at Seb grins standing up.
“She got taken to the pound!” Seb yells pointing at me.
Every pair of eyes locks onto me before laughter erupts so loudly the birds in the neighbours' trees fly off terrified. And that is how you ruin a first impression and eternally become known as pound pup.