‹ Prequel: Just a Sip
Status: YAAAARRRR!!! ©AFos2011

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Kapitel Zwei

Sebastian's POV

I trudged out to my car feeling a bit left out. I waved goodbye to Rowan's grandmother before backing out of their driveway and driving the two seconds to my own. Rowan was just one big mystery, a timebomb, a firing squad set to go sometimes.

I drummed a beat with my fingers on the dash until I saw Rowan's light go on in her room. Was she bothered about something? Or was she really not lying and going to sleep?

I shook my head, pulling my hood on and getting out of the car before it looked like I was going on stalker mode. An icy breeze grazed over my exposed face and I felt a shudder go up my spine. Typical autumn in Colorado.

God I hate the in between time, just be fall or winter already I grumbled in my head to the Gods of seasons or whatever. Hurrying into the house and shutting the chill out with a slam of the door, I realized that this was going to be another night alone. No babysitter, no parents, not even a dog. I did have a fish though, and his name was Harold.

I peeled my hoodie off and threw it on the banister, kicking my shoes off and rubbing my arms to get warm. It could never be too warm for me. I thrived off of it. Rowan was my cure, though she was always physically cold, we always balanced eachother out and became spring. Warm/cold. Hot/freezing.

I walked into the kitchen, trying to formulate a riff in my head that I could spew out on the guitar upstairs that could match the way I felt right now. I saluted Harold who swam in circles in his bowl by the sink.

The kitchen smelled funny, I noticed it as soon as I walked in. That's one thing about me. My keen nose could pick up anything...or anyone.

"Over here." I heard a voice say from the adjacent counter. I looked up to see my cousin Markus sitting on my counter. I raised my lip in almost a snarl. He was the only person in this world that could piss me off.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, clenching and unclenching my fists. He smirked, his red hair hair longer than the last time I saw him. Which wasn't too long ago actually,

"I'm just waiting for you to come with me up North. For good."

I wearily rubbed my temples. How is it possible that me and this imbecile are the same age...nix that, RELATED?

"Markus, I'm coming for the weekend...and that's it." I replied, going to the fridge for a snack and setting my travel mug in it.

Markus slid from the counter, going over to my fish and trailing his finger across the glass to make Harold chase it. I sighed, I guess I shouldn't blame Rowan for having secrets, I had plenty of my own.

"You can't keep running Sebastian. You'll have to choose." he said, instigating. I slammed the fridge shut, not saying anything and trying to push his words out of my head.

He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Alright then, I'll see you this weekend. Don't forget about it...you plus full moon equals disaster."

I swallowed, he's overreacting. I told myself.

Or am I by not leaving?
• • •
Rowan's POV

I paced around my room, opening the windows and closing them, trying to wear myself out so I could sleep properly.

My phone rang from the pile of blankets on my light blue bedspread. I tried to make my room as normal as possible, given my current condition of lacking mother. My grandmother had helped me paint my walls a sky blue and gave me some of the furniture that my mom left behind when she ran away...again. I avoided those small pieces of my mother that were strategically placed in my room as if they were the plague.

I rummaged through my bed, flipping my phone open and seeing a text from my classmate Marissa. She wanted the homework from last class. I told her and sighed, sitting on my bed and feeling extremely lonely. Was it my moms personality that infiltrated my genes and made me antisocial? I would see girls at my school giggling and sharing lipgloss in the hallways...and here I was, eating chunks of raw meat like a rabid dog. I folded my legs underneath me and leaned my head on the headboard, tears pricking behind my eyes. Soon, they became heavy, and I began to fall asleep.

I woke up, the red numbers of my alarm clock glaring at me. I rubbed my eyes, seeing that the light was out and my door shut. It was about 3 in the morning, and I had the weirdest dream. The weirdest part about it? I couldn't remember exactly what happened...It was like flashes from another world. Memories I didn't remember having, thing I had never seen before...blood and chaos...and blood. It was the same thing every night.

I slipped out of bed, my room feeling stifling hot even though I knew good and well that it was beyond cold. I went to my closet and got an oversized sweater and baseball cap. I didn't want to go back to sleep and fall into those weird ass dreams, so I would go for a walk. I decided grabbing my phone and leaving my room.

The house was silent and still except for the sound of my grandfather snoring down the hallway. My mothers old room was on the other side of the bathroom and the door stood ajar like it always did...waiting for her to come home. I crept down the stairs and slipped out of the front door and feeling the brisk night air slap my cheeks. I shivered a bit, not because it was cold, but because it was exhilarating.

I made my way out of our driveway and out to the sidewalk. Passing Sebastian's house, I saw that all of the lights were off and Sebastian was probably knocked out on the couch like he usually did.

The moon peered out from behind the clouds as I entered a dead end that led to a grassy hill. I looked around at the tall grass that dipped with the wind. I guess it looked different during the day. I reasoned walking to the heart of the field and looking up. The stars stared back down at me, as if they were waiting for me to reach up and take their hands.

"Not yet." I whispered and closed my eyes. There was a sound on my left. It was a faint sound, one that a normal person might not have heard, but I did. I felt the ground underneath my feet vibrate with the movement of another life form near me. I froze like an antelope plotting escape from a threat.

Opening my eyes and looking down, I saw a wolf emerge from the grass, his silvery coat shining in the light of the moon erupting from the clouds. My mouth went dry as it paused as if looking me over. My fingers shook and throat closed as I tried to remember some tips from the discovery channel. Aren't you not supposed to look them in the eye or something like that? I thought, stricken with fear at the massive creature. But I couldn't look away from it's steely eyes, they were deep and sad, a strong haughtiness hidden somewhere behind. My dream had come true...or was it my nightmare? Whatever it was, it was probably going to eat me, feet to head.

We stared at each other for a good few minutes, and then he snarled at me, laying down and putting his head on his paws as if to say, 'try getting past me'. Now I wasn't scared, I was just worried, how long would it take before I broke and had to move from my uncomfortable stance? I heard another sound from the trees and the overgrown dog looked up, his ears perking and large nose working. He looked majestic in this light. The sound came again and the dog stood, looking past me, but still aware of my presence. He growled and looked at me witheringly and then pounced off to the wood, with one glance over his sculpted shoulder and it was then as I bounded off to my house, my heart beating as fast as it ever had before, that I knew it would not be the last time I saw the grey wolf with murder in his eyes.
• • •

The next morning was rough and I was happy that it was Friday, I woke up with a stiff neck and fear in my heart. There was something definitely not right. I knew it, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I went through the motions of getting ready and eating a gross breakfast of toast and eggs and then went over to Sebastian's house so that he could take me to school. I waved to old Mr. Tink who had insisted on getting up at this hour every morning to stretch outside, it was pretty easy to get to know everyone in this town. No one ever changed, no one also ever forgot. I could still feel the condescending stares of old town gossips and the pity smiles of sympathetic soccer moms that remembered what happened with my family. We common folk never forget a good story.

Sebastian was coming out of the front door as I walked up, he looked rough too. I shoved my hands in my pockets and smiled grimly.

"Couch starting to feel lumpy yet?" I asked. He smiled weakly and unlocked the car doors.

"I slept like shit." He said, turning the radio to an alternative channel as I got into the the car and put my seatbelt on. "I had to talk myself out of calling you and telling you brave the cold and get over to the bus stop, but I would never put you through that humiliation. So here I am." He laughed, a little bit more robustness in his voice.

We were silent for a moment and then he spoke again, choosing his words carefully.

"Did you...want to talk about anything?" He asked biting his lip ring and twisting it as he looked in his rearview mirror and switched lanes. I sunk low in my seat.

"Nope. I just have a splitting headache." I thought of a topic so I could change the subject. I really didn't want to think about HER now. HER being my mother which was what bothered me currently. "I saw a wolf last night." I said staring out at the grey horizon that thickened to a darker hue as we approached school. Sebastian didn't say anything as he pulled into the parking lot. Vaporize by the Broken Bells filled the silence.

"Maybe he was lost." Sebastian suggested thoughtfully. I shook my head, I had told Sebastian once or twice about my dreams long ago and it was foolish of him to not mention it now.

"Bastian...he looked like one of the wolves from my dreams." I said blatantly as he parked, grabbed his backpack and gave me an exasperated look.

"Rowan, you can't expect me to believe that you're...some kind of fortuneteller or something." I could see the deep circles under his eyes throb as he blinked hard and tried to shove those words back into his head. I set my jaw and looked away. So now I was a loony...thats it. A raw meat eating, anemic, antisocial loony.

A group of girls passed the car and pressed their faces to Sebastian's window and kissed it, their lips leaving a seductive mark near his face. He blushed, looking at me and apologizing with his eyes.

"I've got to get to Government and retake a quiz." I said fumbling with the handle of the door and getting out of the car. I slammed the door and stalked into the school, my hair flailing with the wind like Medusa's snakes had manifested my head. I couldn't help but wonder if this was what the wolf felt like last night when he ran into the darkness. He wasn't a winner, but he wasn't exactly a loser either.

Out of habit, I looked around before going into the school. Scanning the crowd of students that were pushing to get inside of a place they hated, I noticed a pair of eyes that found mine. Dark and shrouded, they bored into mine. I tried to match the face to it, but I was being jostled around and couldn't focus. When I blinked, those eyes had disappeared and I was already lost in the crowd, more alone than I had ever felt in my entire life.
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I hope you like it guys! PLEASE pleas PUH LEASSSE let me know how I'm doing haha and also, let me know if I should keep Sebastian's POV! I gots ta know:)