My Friends and My Bully Chapter 05

My Friends and My Bully Chapter 05

Chapter 5: Forging Bonds

*Anna*

“Why do you let them get away with that shit?” Hazel asked.

I snapped my head to look at her, confused. Her tone wasn’t unkind. It was truly

curious. I studied her for a minute, trying to think of an answer.

“You don’t have to. You could kick any of their asses. I should know,” she chuckled.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten my ass handed to me that way. You’re better

than anybody in my hometown.”

“Um, thanks.” I shrugged, not sure how to take the compliment. She was right, I

could take any of them in a fight. It wouldn’t be worth the trouble though. There

would be consequences, things that might make leaving my pack to find my own

place in the world more difficult. No, when I left, it would be with a spotless record.

It wasn’t something I wanted to discuss with this stranger though.

“What’s with the all black get up?” Hazel asked, pointing to my black t–shirt and

black leggings. Nothing seemed to faze her.

“Oh, I read black is more slimming,” I answered. It was a half truth. I’d learned early

on that black hid bloodstains better. Because Piper was so physical, and my father

hated the idea of me losing fights, I stuck with the black to make sure any blood that

got on my clothes was hidden. Then, when I healed before the day let out, I didn’t

have to answer why I was wearing blood stained clothes but had no injuries.

Hazel snorted a laugh. “More slimming? As if you need it.”

“I do. Everyone always tells me how fat I am,” I laughed back, confused that she

couldn’t see the roundness of my face and features.

Chapter 5 Forging Bonds

“And you believe everything they say?”

I looked down at myself, taking a look for what felt like the first time. Sometime,

over the last year or so, my features did seem to have changed. I was full figured the

way my mother had been, but more toned, fit, and muscular like I’d always wanted

to be. Maybe I wasn’t fat.

“No.” I snorted, hoping to cover the lie.

Hazel opened her mouth to say something, but was abruptly cut off.

“Ladies, wait,” Beta Elias ordered from behind us.

Our feet froze simultaneously, and I cast my eyes down at my tennis shoes. I couldn‘

t force myself to look up at Elias after a command like that, but I could look

sideways, to where Hazel was in a similar position. Her parents must be ranked

then, as she didn’t have to bow the way unranked wolves did.

“You’re bleeding,” Beta Elias pointed out.

Damn it.

I thought I’d cleaned it all up. Earlier, Piper and I had gotten into a…scuffle. She’d had some blade hidden in between her fingers, and when she slapped me across the back in the locker room, it had left a long gouge across my shoulder blades. I hadn’t even

noticed it was still bleeding. It shouldn’t still be bleeding.

“I’m fine, I promise, Beta,” I tried to assure him.

“You’re not. You’ve left a trail of blood all the way down the sidewalk. Why didn’t

you say anything?” he demanded.

“It’s no big deal, really,” I practically pleaded.

“No. Bring your friend and come to my office. I’m taking care of this myself.”

Chapter 5 Forging Bonds

An order. I couldn’t resist, my feet carrying me dutifully over the concrete. He was

right, there was a trail of droplets all the way back into the training gym, and

leading out of the locker room. I turned before the door for the locker room, instead

ducking into the familiar cool air of Beta Elias’s office. Hazel was faithfully at my

heels, following us with a chipper expression in contrast to my frustrated one.

“Let me see.” Beta Elias ordered.

I peeled away my t–shirt, standing in my sports bra and facing away from him so he

could see the spot where Piper had struck me.

“Goddess,” Elias breathed, not daring to touch the spot.

Hazel winced at me, walking around to see the wound herself.

“It looks angry,” she mused, tracing a finger gently at the edge of the slice. I steeled

myself against the pain, but she was so soft that I hardly felt anything at all.

“Why is it bleeding like that?” he demanded.

I could feel Hazel crowd closer, practically able to feel her breath against the sweat

slicked skin of my back. “Let me look, my parents…”

The way her words trailed off had me wondering exactly what her parents had to

do with any of this, but the way Beta Elias grunted in acknowledgement was the

only answer I received.

She pressed on the edges of the wound, squeezing them together. Something forced

its way out of the wound, and I could feel it as it slipped from between my skin. It

made a soft metallic ‘clink‘ as it hit the concrete floor of Elias’s office.

Hazel knelt to pick it up. I turned to see what was going on. Elias held out a broad,

weathered hand, and Hazel dropped something small and silver into his palm.

“Silver beads,” she told him.

Chapter 5 Forging Bonds

His jaw slackened as he let the tiny bead roll around in his palm. Hazel went back to

squeezing at the wound. I turned away, not wanting to be twisted and exacerbate

the pain of her ministrations.

Two more beads plinked onto the floor before I could feel the wound start to knit

itself together with that familiar, warm itching feeling. Hazel scooped up the beads

and handed them to Elias wordlessly.

“You won’t tell me who did this?” Elias asked carefully.

I shook my head.

“You understand I could order you to,” he pressed, sitting down tiredly in his office

chair.

I nodded.

“Have Hazel help you clean that blood off your back and go home. I expect to see

you at our regular time tomorrow,” Elias ordered.

I just nodded again, thankful he didn’t press for more details. He knew better than

anyone about my troubles with people in school. Any friend I’d ever had had been

forced to abandon me, quickly becoming victims of Piper’s bullying the way I was.

When they left me, they were free from her scorn. He had heard my story a

hundred times by now.

Hazel came with me into the empty locker room, pulling a clean wash rag out of a

closet.

“Let me help you,” she offered.

“Really, you don’t have to. You probably shouldn’t,” I told her.

“I’m not afraid of them,” she told me sternly, taking my shoulders and turning me

away.

Chapter 5. Forging Bonds

I sighed, planting my hands on the edge of the sink. “Thank you.”

“We’ll go to my mother for help.” Hazel said. “I won’t let them keep doing this to

you.”

“No, no, we won’t. I don’t want anyone else involved. I’m sorry you’re already in this

deep. Really, you’re better off staying far, far away from me.” My head snapped up,

my eyes meeting hers through the reflection in the mirror.

She twisted her mouth to one side, looking more annoyed than anything. Then, she

smiled brightly as she wet the rag and used it to wipe away the blood. “Then come

with me to the registrar’s office. I need help with my classes.”