Ch. 46: Relief? Maybe Not

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX:
My ankle ached and I sat down on the ground giving it a rest. After some minutes of watching staff and firefighters crawl over the school in search of the source, I remembered my phone. I looked to see four back-to-back missed calls, from Jake? Why would he call me in the middle of the day? There were some texts too from Jake, and Evan, and even Nick.
<< From Jake to Rachel >>: Hey Rach, call me
<< From Jake to Rachel >>: Please. When you can. Or text
<< From Evan to Rachel >>: Hey there, just checking in. How are things? :)
<< From Nick to Rachel >>: Can you send up a flare or something to prove you’re alive?
I wrote back to Nick first and worked my way backwards.
<< From Rachel to Nick >>: Working on it
<< From Rachel to Evan >>: I’m alright, thanks. You can tell him to calm down lol
<< From Rachel to Jake >>: I’m okay. Sorry to have everyone worked up
My phone immediately buzzed. I read the new message from Jake in between checking on the principal now informing us that the building is clear and that lunch would go on for ten more minutes before a late start to our 5th period class.
<< From Jake to Rachel >>: Sorry to bother - I just never got a text from you and started to worry. Especially after yesterday. Are you sure you’re okay?
<< From Rachel to Jake >>: Things got bad, really bad. But I’m okay now.
<< From Jake to Rachel >>: Rach? I’m really worried now. Can I help?
<< From Rachel to Jake >>: I’ll be okay, I just need some time. And maybe, I’ll let you know?
<< From Jake to Rachel >>: I’m here
I closed my screen and held my phone to my heart. Just reading his message filled me with courage. I should still be shaken over what happened. Afraid. But I felt alright. Shaky, yes, but like I was getting some footing. Those two words gave me a breath I didn’t know I needed.
I took my time walking back into the building, Bella right by me. She had waited for me while I was absorbed in my phone which was really nice of her. I thanked her for waiting as we made our way to the courtyard. She never once pried, and I really valued that from her.
I found Ally first and I pulled her into the library. I didn’t need to be part of a group. I just needed my best friend to come and sit with me. We sat at a table next to our usual. I think she knew something had happened, but in her intuitive way, she just sat contentedly next to me as I rested my head on the table. I was just so tired.
“It’ll be okay,” Ally said in a hushed tone, “Maybe not right away, but I know it will be okay. You’ll be okay. We’ll figure this out.”
I really wanted to believe her.

Jake ~
I just about raged out during PE. We were out on the track running and I felt a… stirring. Like some time ago, I felt like something was wrong. Like I had forgotten something. And the guys and I weren’t idiots. We lined up my earlier freak out with Rachel injuring her ankle. I knew in my gut this was similar. It had to be about her. Something in me knew there was something very wrong going on with her. The feeling built as I ran for the gym, Nick and Evan on my heel, our PE coach yelling after us. But I didn’t care, I needed to get to my locker, I needed to call her.
I had called three times and reached her voicemail each time, hanging up when I heard the automated message. I sent her a text. Evan and Nick stood by me telling me to calm down but I ignored them. Instead after a few moments I saw them open their own phones and they looked to be texting. Our coach ran in and cursed us out. Nick apologized and swore we would be right out. Our coach replied with a list of several things we would get done before the end of class as punishment. Bleacher runs, suicides, and several other exercises that a human would find grueling, but wasn’t much to a growing werewolf. I grunted in agreement, not caring, just wanting him out of here.
“Jake, we’ve got to go. I’m sure she’s fine. Right, Ev?” Nick turned to him, looking for backup.
Evan hesitated, “I - can’t say that for sure,” he read a look from Nick, “but I’m sure she is fine.”
Nick nodded, and looked back to me right as Evan added quickly, “Though if you are her mate it’s not crazy to assume that you would feel her feelings or sense danger - even if you haven’t had your first shift…” I looked at him and he raised his hands in defense. “Hey! I don’t know, guys! This is all so far from the norm, okay?”
I shot off another quick text to Rachel.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” I grunted, “But the second she texts or calls me I don’t care what’s going on, I’m answering.”
I pushed past them, back towards the track.
“Goddess, I’m only one person,” Nick grumbled under his breath as he followed.

As PE ended I had the urge to check my phone so I jogged over to an area just behind the bleachers. Nothing. Evan and Nick ran up behind me, and Nick checked his phone.
“See?” he said enthusiastically, raising his phone to me. “She’s just fine! I knew it.”
I snatched his phone and felt both relieved and jealous that it hadn’t been me first. I read her message and looked back at my phone. Still seeing nothing there.
I tossed his phone back to him and looked over at Evan who was pulling his phone out. He grimaced then opened the message and laughed.
“She knows it’s you!” he laughed, “Look!”
Sure enough, my girl had written to him, telling him to tell me to calm down. It made me smile. She knew exactly what she was doing when she wrote to them. She knew I would be right there, and that they had been asking for me.
“Daww…” Evan remarked.
I tossed him his phone much harder than I needed to and he just kept chuckling.
Finally my phone lit up and I relished the attention I finally received. I shooed them off.
“Go cover for me,” I waved them away.
Nick heaved a big breath and Evan continued to chuckle to himself.
We texted a bit and I felt a small wave of relief after hearing from her. But something told me she wasn’t being completely honest so I probed more. I wasn’t exactly happy when I was proven right. It didn’t sit right with me that something so bad was going on with her. Especially in school. I mean what the hell could it be? My fears had my mind spinning all different versions of what ‘big bad’ was behind these unsaid things happening to her.
I peaked out and saw no one was watching, and was able to rejoin Evan and Nick on the track.
“Everything okay?” astute Nick asked, reading my face.
“No, something’s been going on. She hasn’t been able to tell me, but it’s got to be really bad,” I huffed out my breaths.
“Holy-” Evan started.
“Jake, slow down,” Nick reminded me.
I turned to look at them, chest puffed with irritation, before listening to his words and realizing he was right. I followed their movements and slowed down to a light jog. I had almost forgotten where we were. A regular person would be tired now, especially after all the extra sets our coach made us do. We started to walk when Evan quickened his pace to go around us, and he came to a dead stop in front of me with his hand out.
I stopped, “What?”
“Nick was right the other day, I just saw it - your eyes, man,” Evan explained, flabbergasted.
I squinted my eyes at him in question.
“They were different. Black, black as all hell. With gold moving around. I’ve never heard of anything like it,” he finished.
Nick groaned and pushed hair out of his face.
“This just keeps getting better,” Nick muttered sarcastically. “Everyday there are more questions than answers…”