História Shifter Academy - I don't want to say good bye

Chapter 11

Early in the morning, while I was in cafeteria eating my breakfast, Anna – the girl that showed me around the first day - found me and said that my mother wanted to see me immediately. When I got there I noticed she looked worried and I knew at that moment that something was wrong. Maybe someone had told her that I pushed James yesterday. And he kissed me afterwards. And maybe that’s why she was mad. Probably disappointed at me. Not that I really cared, but when I got closer, I could see she has been crying, and then I knew this wasn’t about me. I could only think about one thing that could put her on that state and then need to call me here, but I didn’t want to think about it. It was just not possible. So I entered the room, and sat in front of her.

After a long time she looked at me in the eyes, like she hadn’t noticed I was standing there before. She straightened herself and wiped away a tear that had escaped, looking lost. She recomposed herself. Straightening, she looked at me again, as if nothing had happened before. The normal cold blooded woman I knew and didn´t love.

“So, Kayla, how was your first day? Got yourself in any trouble?” she asked me with a shaken voice and a pained smile.

I looked at her, knowing that something was really wrong and nodded. “Yeah, it’s been great, you know. The usual. Picking fight with crazy-weird-psychopaths-panther dudes, weird disappointing crushes, being the talk of the school. Who never, right? Now, can you please go right to the point where you tell what the bad news are?” I said coldly.

Her weak smile disappeared, and instead I could see only pain. After a moment of watching me again, she finally nodded and looked away saying. “There is something I need to tell you, but I want you to stay calm and listen to what I have to say ok?” her voice was so rational that made me want to rip her throat out. She took a deep breath. “I know that you don’t like me so much, but I think you will have to stay here with me longer than we expected.” When she said that, I knew why she called this meeting, but I didn’t want to be right. There must be something else.

“What are you talking about? Why can’t I?” I stood up. I was getting mad. That could not be happening. It is NOT possible.

“Before you came here, there have been some attacks of rogue werewolves on shifters in your area that I’m sure you heard about.” She stopped, with a lump on her throat, when I nodded, she had to catch her breath before she could continue.

“Last night they entered your house. Your father fought back, but it was five against one. He did not survived. I am so sorry Kayla.” She looked at me and more tears fell from her eyes.

I stood there in shock. I wasn’t worried that he hadn’t called. He was always busy, and that never concerned me. I was used to it. But I had been worried about the attacks. I thought that he would call if something when wrong, but never went through my mind that I would lose him like that. I was afraid that she was going to say that. But actually hearing it, made me feel like my heart stopped beating for a few seconds. Nothing passed through my mind. It was blank. Nothing mattered. My partner. My best friend. My father. He could not be gone. I just couldn’t accept that.

“Thank you for telling me Jenna” I said politely standing up. “Now if you will excuse me, I need to go back to class.” I was upset that she would ever say something like that. He was supposed to be able to take care of himself. That is what he told me. and I didn’t want to believe that he had lied. I needed to get out and process all of this information.

“I know he put up quite a fight Kayla, and I know he would never give up so easily. Your dad was a fighter.” She said, smiling weakly.

“He should have stayed with us here, where he would be safe. I asked him to, but he never listened to me.” I hated to talk about him in the past sentence. Soon. It was too soon.

I walked toward the door and left the room. I could hear my mother crying harder from behind me. Before I could be far enough I heard her saying: “I am sorry Kayla. I am really sorry.” and then I couldn’t hear anything at all…

I went back to my room, and stayed there the whole day. I could not say that I was feeling sad. Upset. Hurt. Because I didn’t feel anything at all. I wanted desperately to call him. I wanted him to answer my calls and tell me that Jenna was lying to upset me. To say that he would come visit me in the weekend bringing our favorite green cake. But I couldn’t. Because when he don’t answer, it will click. And I will realize that everything is real. So no. I didn’t called him. I wanted to live in the fantasy of the lies I told myself for a little while.

 When class was over, Gwen and Mia entered the room. “Hey KK, there you are. We looked for you during classes but we couldn´t…” Mia stopped talking when she saw my red face and blood-shot eyes. “Hey, what´s wrong sweetheart?” she rushed toward me, with Gwen right behind her.

With that question it was like the bubble I was in popped. A tear fell, and then more followed. “My dad died.” And with that I broke into sobs, and desperately lost myself as Mia hugged me and stroked my hair, holding me like a small child.

“Oh honey, I am so sorry.” Gwen said. She also sat beside me and rubbed my back. They exchanged worried looks and kept quiet as I cried.

I cried, for never being able to see him again. I cried because I knew he should have been here with me, and even so I didn’t resist him on his decision of staying behind. I cried because it was not fair that someone as wonderful as my father, had to die like that. But I also cried because of my own selfish reasons. Because I was feeling alone without him. Because he would not see me change, and would never know the animal I am. He was always joking about the change. He used to say that I should go through it alone, so that I wouldn’t be embarrassed about other people finding out I was actually a snail. I always thought it was a stupid joke. But I missed him saying that already.

 I don’t know how much time we stood like that, or when I fell asleep, but when I woke up, the two girls were sleeping beside me. Both their faces red from crying. I was lucky to have them. They cried because of my suffering, and I was glad that I had them in a moment like this. Thinking about it, a lump formed on my throat. I swallowed hard and stood up carefully to not wake them up. I owed them a lot after last night. I changed quickly and went outside for a walk. It was almost 5:40, so I guessed no one was up.

I needed to think, to clear my mind. And I needed to not think about anything at all. I didn’t know what I needed, my head was a mess.  I started to run around the academy and the feeling of the cold wind hitting my face was comforting. Someone did that to him. I knew the attacks were from the wolf pack. Thinking about someone hurting my dad, made my blood boil. The image of him feeling pain because someone else inflicted it on him made me go blind with rage. I had to avenge him. People like that could not be around us. They deserved to die, and to suffer just like my dad did. I thought I would be lost without him around to guide me, but I knew exactly what I had to do now. I knew what my next objective was. And I would succeed. I would kill every last one of them, and enjoy it. Because then, many other families would be spared from suffering the same faith mine did. I will practice like a bitch, until my sweat is mixed with my blood, and as soon as I know I am ready, I will leave and hunt them down. When everything is over, my dad will then rest in peace, knowing that his killers died by his daughter’s hands. And that his death wasn’t in vain.

I would not stand around, crying for my dad. I will be strong for both of us. And I won’t let him down. He will be proud of me.