A Surge of Green

and a PE uniform t-shirt. Coach Lyle looks at the four of us once we’v

ine. “You four want to be in a group? Together?” I’m not sure why he’s making this so difficult. Last year the groups of four were uneven in my PE

the girl acting much quieter and meeker around the Coach than I’ve

a chill down my spine. I glance at the behemoth on my other side, Yuri’s almost exactly mirroring my stance. L

ce, but I didn’t think I was on his bad side. Or any side for that matter. When I cast a curious glance at Blue and Yuri, I note the coldness reflected in their eyes. Does Coach Lyle know what we are? And

all…” She manages to sound more resolute with her last comment and I find myself nodding along with her. Coach’s hands f

st and high stamina things, your friends.” Coach gru

We’re friends.” Now Darine’s words sound full o

en urge to punch my Coach in the teeth for such a rude comment…and the double meaning behind it. But some part of me agrees with him. The truth of what we are is one thing - but dealing w

her - out the gym and onto the dirt path that serves as a track for running. Her touch is light, less forceful than many others I’ve grown

nning with so much bounce in their steps I can almost feel the

e same, easy pace, when Darine pulls me to a

k.” Darine tells Yuri, her clear blue-green eyes remaining on the di

th me, but I just nod once in his and Yuri’s direction before stopping comp

begins once wee’re alone, turning to look

m over my face. I feel like a bug under a microscope, trying hard to control any micro-expressions I may have at wha

ask crumbling into panic. I blink, the pounding in my head

at this confirmation. Darine’s skin burns a deep shade of red that sets my gums itching. I ignore the feeling, clearing my throat as a surge o

es together, and he got me things and-” I’m grinning now, then feel the weight of her words and actually hear them. “Scar, I don’t kno

d-” I recall last year when Blue and I were trying to get the two together for the dance. Right before everything went to shit and I was out the rest of the semester.

dn’t, before. But I don’t know,” She shrugs again and lets out a h

ecalling how she was decked out in bright orange gear and even had a ne

ore her skin dives into an even deeper shade of red. I laugh at her

path. I know for a fact Blue and Yuri are still close by and are probably listening in on our conversation. I don

now resonating in my bones. I dig my nails into my free palm to center myself, breathing through my mouth rather than my nos

react to an ambush if he really is avoiding Darine. But by the looks of things this mor

got a spidy-sense or something. I can never get the drop on him. I’ve been trying for months!” Now

patting her shoulder. “I can talk to him for y

I get that you all became friends, but I feel like there’s something else at work here. What I’m getting at is-” Darine takes a deep breath. “Are

ke look into their Pack, I get impressions from Blue and the connection from time to time, but I don’t actually know anything. Yuri and I are friends as a result of everything we’ve been through and because we’ve spent so much time together - not that Darine would know any of that. But I know I need to give her something, this girl’s obviously been t

he Azures runs deeper than just you guys hanging out together for a few months.” She continues and now I’m fighting to keep my burrning face neutral. “It’ like you’re all tr

p with them and talk about this later. I don’t want Coach getting after us.” The subject change and excuse almost hurt to pu

ng a deeper pit of regret in my stomach. It’s becoming more and more apparant Darine’s not going to let this go - and if she hasn’t figured it out yet, she bound to n