Chapter 9 - Happy fourteenth

After James switched his cloths at home he spent the rest of the day walking around town. Luckily no one in the house had herd him sneaking through and out the window again. Now he wasn’t sure what to do. There weren’t many interesting places to hangout in town and James was still feeling pretty jumpy. He was tempted to go back to the Thorn, just to make sure things were okay but he knew he’d be attacked again if he attempted it and James wasn’t a fighter.
Images of big wolves being split in half by Melexa and the gaunt looking vampire kept flashing in his mind. Who could starve a person like that? He tried to keep his mind clear and calm but it was no use. His scenes were still keenly aware and he practically jumped whenever a shadow passed. As James walked down an ally of an apartment complex a voice made him freeze.
“ Ello James!” Tyler’s redheaded friend said. Keith had just moved into town after being kicked out of five different private schools.“ Man Keith you really gotta work on your American accent.” Tyler said. “ Me an’ my mates- Friends.” Tyler interrupted. “ Friends heard your birthday was coming up an’ we thought: ‘ey might as well get on with the shame’n eh?” Keith said.
“ In other words; we’re dishing out your birthday present early. We didn’t wrap it.” Tyler slugged him. James dodged. “ Whoa! Did you see how high he just jumped!” Keith gasped. James had jumped to the fire escape to the right and hauled himself over the railing so fast he didn’t fully realize it. When Tyler growled James jumped off of the fire escape, into the street, and booked it, earning another gasp from Keith.
Tyler and Keith sprinted after him. James knew that Tyler was no match for him in speed but what really surprised him was that Keith was faster then his friend. James jumped and weaved all through town. Over garbage cans, under parked cars, around building, and over fences; and Keith didn’t slow down once. James almost had to kick it into high gear, but as soon as he saw the church he ran inside.
The two boys were so into the “race” that they followed without a second thought. Keith was about to punch James and outstretched had caught his from nowhere. “ I appose fighting in the church. Pleas leave immediately.” The pastor said, he did not look happy. Keith had frozen in shock. “ Yes sir” Tyler said breathlessly, giving James a death glare. The pastor knew Tyler’s father.
He also knew that Tyler father wasn’t usually abusive, just full of rage. Tyler grabbed his friend and dragged him out of the church. He really didn’t want his father to get a call from the church. “ Honestly James, I have no idea how you manage to get into these situation.” The pastor said with a sigh. “ Nether do I.” James said glumly.
“ You should go home, your parents might be looking for you.”

* * *

“ Why do you think no ones come back yet?” “ I don’t know” Steven said to his younger cousin. They had all just switched shifts; the older teenagers were patrolling now. Steven and hi cousins, plus another teenage boy, were sitting in a circle with the leader of their pack. The old Indian took a smoke of his pipe in thought.
“ We will have to wait for news from the others,” He said. It had gotten late and the sun had gone down. “ Just as Rent sighed, Stevens father knocked open the door, followed by the rest of there pack. “ They tricked us!” He said, walking in and grabbing a blanket from the pile by the entryway to cover himself with. He was covered in blood; which as far as Steven could tell, was not his own.
Once the pack settled they explained everything.
Everyone was Shocked to find out the mountain clan had experimented and tortured someone. They weren’t normally that rash and heartless. Only few like Rent were skeptical. “ I should have known.” The pack leader sighed. He looked very grim.
“ Luckily none of our pack was killed in the cross fire.” One of the adults said.
“ There were casualties in the mountain pack thought.” There was a short pause. “ ...We shall offer our apologies and explain the situation to the thorn.” A few grumbled but were silenced by an intense death glare.
Things definitely weren’t going well.

* * *
James woke up early that morning. He had been having nightmares all night. Most about being torn apart by wolves. He was happy that there was no school this Monday. Dealing with Tyler was the last thing he wanted.
Breakfast was nice. July had drawn him a picture of there family, his mother made sure that breakfast was extra sweet, and his father got him a cell phone. His grandparents had also called him to wish him a nice day. James was setting his new ring tone when someone knocked on the door. His mother opened it to find two of the girls from his class.
James recognized them instantly. They were the two girls who sat with him and sulked on Valentines Day at recess, and had been doing so until the entered middle school. Suzan had gotten taller but was still wearing her same ponytail hairstyle just as Carrie still kept her curly hair short. “ How can I help you?” Jane asked a little confused. “ We’re hear to kidnap your son!” Carrie explained.
“ Wah?” Daren had looked up from his paper just in time to see James get forcefully dragged over the couch and out of the house by two 14-year-old girls.
“ We’ll have him back by dark!” Suzan shouted as she helped her friend drag a frightened James down the pouch stairs. The door closed. Jane looked surprised, Daren seemed confused, and July looked like she was about to panic and throw a fit.
How could James have forgotten? Since this was supposed to be their last year in jr. high the two girls had decided that they would throw a party for every single kid in their class including the un-popular kids. Whether they wanted one or not. The parties were mostly held at an old abandoned house that still had running water. “ The guest of honor has arrived!” Suzan shouted as she kicked open the door.
Everyone glanced up and then went back to their conversations. Tyler and his friends booed, earning a death glare from Suzan. They instantly went quiet. Anyone who knew Suzan knew that her death glares meant, “knock it off! “ or that she was about to tackle someone. It was easy to see that most of the kids were either hear out of respect or wanted an excuse to party.
James didn’t have any friends in his class. Old party lights were hung up everywhere and a boom box was blasting pop and techno music. They were hooked up to a small generator Tyler had found in the junkyard. There was a lot of food and most of the gets looked board. James was wished a happy birthday by most of his classmates and a few kids he didn’t know.
No one brought gifts, which he was thankful for. After greeting a couple of people he tried to sneak out but Suzan was keeping a good eye on him. Not good. James knew that if July didn’t know were he was she’d throw a huge fit for hours and eventually try to find him. Tyler and Keith eventually found him and proceeded to chase him around the room.
Steven was there but he did his best to avoid James. At around lunch time someone had ordered pizza and everyone was dragged into a game of truth or dare. James had been truth’ed the obvious question “ are you gay?” by one of Tyler’s friends. James stuttered out a “no’ and watched as Suzan, Carrie, and multiple other girls beat him up. Truthfully he hadn’t figured out the answer himself and was praying to be straight.
He had the strange feeling that he did like someone but he didn’t know who it was. “ Alright!” Suzan said as she stomped on the poor kids back. “ Who ready for spin the bottle!?!” That was it. James silently crept upstairs. There was no way he was going to play a game like that.
Suzan had seen him but let him be.

* * *
Rose was disappointed to see that her cousin wasn’t home. The pack was having a meeting at his house to discuss what they should do next. Rose suspected were he was but refused to tell anyone. After the short pack meeting was over the only few that were left were Rose, rent, Rock, and Stevens father.
“ When the heck is he gonna get back?” Rent complained.
“ It’ll be awhile. Sit tight.” Rose said, staring into the horizon. They had both been on the porch for an hour now. “ Sit tight? Rose! He could have been eaten alive by bloodsuckers by now, why wont you tell me were he is? You said it wasn’t bad so what’s the problem?” Rent asked. “ Because you wont understand.” Rose said grimly. “ No one will.”
Rent sighed. “ I’m your brother. You shouldn’t at least let me try.” He said. Rose was silent. Then her scenes perked up. She got up from the porch steps.
They were both surprised to see July walking down the road. She looked exhausted but didn’t seem to care. “ That’s James’s sister!” rose told her brother. She walked over to her. July looked up at her and held up a picture of James.
“ Hear?” She asked. “ No” Rose told her. “ James is not hear.” She phrased. July turned around looking sad and started to head back down the road. “ Is something wrong with her?” Rent whispered.
“ She has autism. She has a hard time talking and doesn’t like it when she doesn’t know were someone is. If someone leaves without telling her like her brother she panics.” Rose said. “ Go tell our uncle I’m going to go help her find her brother.” “ That’s not a good idea. Her parents are probably looking for her.” Rent protested. “ And if I try to keep her hear she’ll panic again.” Rose said. She ran up to her and stopped in front of her.
“ I know were James is. Lets go find James.” She phrased holding, out her hand. July hesitated and then took it. The two girl headed down the road. As soon as Rent told his uncle he caught up with them. Rent knew that Rose still had a soft spot for James, and to him; Halfling weren’t to be trusted.

* * *
Steven was about to leave when he heard someone shout “ Steve!” and was glomped by July. By this point, the game of the hour was seven minutes in heaven and Steven had no intention of getting involved. “ Hear?” July asked holding up the picture.” James is here. James is hiding upstairs.” Steven said.
“ She came to your house looking for James.” Rose said.
“ Where’s Suzan? I need to yell at her.” “ She’s by the radio.” Steven said as a happy July dragged him out of the room and up the stairs. Rent did not look happy. “ He didn’t show up, for a stupid party!?!” Rent looked like he could explode. “ Who was that kid?” Suzan asked as she walked up to them.
“ And why are you hear for James’s birthday?” Rent looked like he was about to kill something. Rose grabbed her brothers’ shoulder and decided to explain.

* * *
James was sitting in an empty room, waiting for the sun to go down. He had though about jumping out a window but said window was too stuck to open without breaking and James was sure that someone would see him. It was almost time to go home and he knew that he’d be sprinting. James shot up as he heard two sets of footsteps and a series of door opening. He almost expected a wolf to attack him but in stead July had opened the door.
She took one look at him, went from happy to angry in two second flat, and ran at him; screaming and pounding on his chest. “ You need help?” Steven asked over the screaming. “ No- ouch- she’s just mad.” James replied. Steven shut the door. It would only make things worse if someone had heard her tantrum and decided to see what was going on.
After about a minute she dissolved into tears. Steven felt like he should leave but he was already hear and he didn’t know how she would react to the change of that. So he stayed were he was and politely averted his eyes. James was hugging her and rocking back and forth as she sobbed into his chest. “ She’s really upset this time.” He thought.
Normally James did everything to avoid causing a fit. He normally felt horrible when something like this happened. “ I’m sorry” he mumbled into her hair. After a few more moments she calmed down. “ Thanks” James said.
“ You should thank Rose” Steven said. “She found her at my house. I-I was here.” Steven shifted. There was an awkward silence. The door suddenly burst open and whacked Steven forward and he collided with James in an unexpected kiss. Both yelped in surprised and Steven jumped back.
Both of their faces were crimson and James was shocked. Steven looked terrified. Suzan, who had opened the door, stopped mid-sentence with Tyler and stared. There was a short pause. “ See I told you he was gay.” Tyler said.
Steven slugged him. Right between the eyes, knocking him unconscious, and then stomped down the hallway leaving behind a “socked beyond any sort of recognition” James, a confused July, a surprised Suzan and an unconscious Tyler.
Suzan looked at James, Gave him an understanding smile, grabbed Tyler by the shoulder, and proceeded to drag him down the hallway and the stairs. James was still shocked. The only thought in his head was “ What the hell!?!”.
July looked up at her stunned brother and giggled.

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