Page 8 of When Storms Awaken

Mom had left early again, leaving a note for me on the kitchen counter—she got muffins for breakfast. I opened the bag and immediately spotted a double chocolate chip, my favorite. I ate the bottom half of the muffin first, saving the top half for last. By the time I had eaten breakfast, finished the leftover dishes from the night before, and cleaned the kitchen, it was almost time to go to school. Jake had already been picked up by his carpool, so I threw my bag over my shoulder and trekked out into the snow.

It couldn’t hurt to be early today, seeing as I had been making it a habit of arriving late recently. There was significantly less snow than yesterday which meant not only had it not snowed at all overnight, but the temperatures were steadily getting warmer.

I threw my bag onto the passenger’s seat and made my way down the twists of streets until I pulled into the school parking lot. There were about ten cars there before me, and I pulled the Subaru into a spot as close to the front door of the school as possible. With plenty of time to spare, I aimlessly played around with different radio stations, enjoying the warm heat of the car.

I jumped when I heard someone rapping on the window. Tess’ familiar face greeted me, and she continued tapping until I pressed the button and rolled the window down.

“Hey silly, we better get going or you’re going to be late again,” she told me, opening my door from the outside and waiting impatiently.

I glanced at the clock and realized she was right. I grabbed my bag in one hand, and my book in the other. I stepped out of the car almost slipping on what surely had to be the only patch of ice left and bracing myself against the open car door.

“Graceful, Diana,” Tess deadpanned as she glanced down at her own feet. Instead of snow boots Tess had donned black booties bedazzled in silver sequins with a three-inch heel that matched her sequined top.

“We can’t all be as graceful as you,” I told her, closing the door and testing the small patch of melting ice with the tip of my boot. With little reassurance we made our way towards the big glass doors at the school’s entrance. I struggled to stay upright, the sidewalk coated in patches of melting ice while Tess sashayed her hips back and forth in an effortless walk. I would never understand how we could be so completely opposite.

I was almost to the door when I caught a patch of black ice with the toe of my boot. My arms went flying into the air as my body fell backwards. My first instinct was to grab the closest thing to me, which coincidentally was a body. Down we went, crashing to the cold ice below. I broke my fall with one hand out behind me, my bag being crushed under my weight and my book flying into the air.

“Ouch,” the body responded in a low, gruff, voice as they turned to grab my book which had landed a foot from us on the ice.

I propped myself up on my elbows and saw who it was that I had taken down with me. Nikolai Dragovya, my sleepy art classmate. He ran a hand through his tousled blond hair and turned to fix his icy blue stare at me. He tossed the book onto my lap.

“Oh my gosh, Diana, are you alright?” Tess asked, leaning down to make sure I hadn’t hurt myself when I braced for the fall.

“I’m fine, Tess. Nik, I’m really sorry…” I started, heaving myself into a standing position as he did the same. He fixed the hem of his shirt, the same as yesterday, and wiped off the tiny bit of mud that now stained the side of his jeans. He had no jacket, no book bag, he didn’t even look cold in the biting Colorado morning air.

Without a word, he turned on his heel and passed through the glass doors never so much as glancing back at me, or Tess.

“Rude,” Tess hissed at his back, the door swinging shut behind him.

“No, it’s my fault,” I defended, passing through the doors myself and rubbing my squeaky boots off on the doormat.

“How did you miraculously evade me as I desperately clung for something to hold on to?” I plastered on my best fake smile as I turned towards her.

“You’re the one who said I was utterly graceful”—She winked at me as we started down the hallway to first period—“and don’t you forget it.”

Tess and I went our separate ways to first period, but I was more distracted today than usual. Surprisingly, I couldn’t wait for art class to see if Nik would be there, and if he would say anything about this morning. I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t attractive...that part was obvious. He had a strong jawline, muscular shoulders, piercing blue eyes and perfect blond hair. He was cocky, arrogant, and cranky...just the type of boy I needed to stay away from. He was more Tess’ type, anyway.

The rest of the day I tried my hardest to catch up on the material and pay attention to the lectures, but the whole time I had an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. Maybe it was the nightmares that had plagued me the last few nights, they had started to unsettle me. I wanted more than anything to return to the mountain landing today, but I knew that was out of the question. I loved going there, and having to stay away felt like a punishment. I couldn’t wait for this wolf incident to blow over and I could get back to my normal routine.

The lunch bell rang, and I hurried into the cafeteria, throwing my book bag down on a chair at our usual table and getting in line for food. Tess joined me and started to tell me all about Shawn from the soccer team and how he had hit on her during math class today. I returned to my seat with my food, chewing numbly, eyes glazed over in thought. Was it a coincidence that I had seen the wolf on the mountain landing and then dreamed of a wolf attacking me? Was it my subconscious?

I noticed with a pang of sadness that my lunch buddy Sloane was absent today. I ate my lunch in silence as Tess entertained her popular friends with elaborate stories about the crazy college party she had gone to last weekend. I avidly avoided that party, not feeling comfortable going when Tess was the only one I knew. I never enjoyed being a wallflower while Tess worked the room, I’d rather stay home and read. I had been to a few college parties with Tess, but I had always felt awkward the entire time.

When the bell rang, I grabbed my bag and pushed my way through the doors, leaving Tess to follow. Instead of sitting at my regular spot near the windows, I put my bag on the table closest to the door where Nik had sat yesterday. I pulled out a drawing I had started during History class and continued working on it when Tess finally joined me.

“Why are you sitting overhere?” she asked, her face scrunched up as she glanced around, reluctant to sit down.

“I thought I would try sitting here today, is that a problem?” I asked with a forced smile. She squinted her eyes at me suspiciously before giving in and sinking down in the seat next to mine.

“Does this have to do withNik?”she asked dramatically rolling her eyes and giving my arm a playful shove.

“No, it doesn’t. I thought I would see how we fair without the distraction offootball practice.” I pointed meaningfully at the back windows.

She rolled her eyes and tossed her hair. She knew I was prone to crushing on the brooding, silent type. I had never had a boyfriend in high school and had never liked anyone seriously, either. I had the occasional crush here and there, but I was quiet, not outgoing, and nobody ever approached me. I had a crush on a guy named Daniel back in New York, but once I moved, we lost touch.

Tess, on the other hand, had dated about a quarter of the football team. She had plenty of experience with boys and her crushing on someone new would be no surprise. I pulled my hair in front of my shoulders letting it hang loosely to frame my face. I could see Tess glaring at me out of the corner of her eye. The rest of the class shuffled in and took their seats, followed by Ms. Finch who was equally as disheveled as she was yesterday, wearing the same paint-stained overalls.

“You. Think. He’s. Cute,” Tess mouthed silently, pointing an accusatory finger in my direction. I motioned with my own finger for her to shush and we turned towards Ms. Finch as she called the class to attention.

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