15. Getting Down to Business

Maria pov

Monday morning rolled around too quickly and I had to drag myself out of bed and into the school.

I was dreading having to attend Jeremy's class and considered ditching it. My conscious intervened though, when I thought of all the work I had already missed. Catching up in my courses was always the part I hated about being away.

So here I am, walking as slowly as I can down the hallway as if I walk slow enough the class will be canceled. All too soon, room 232 is right in front of me. Dejectedly, I shuffled into the room and slumped into my desk. I just had to make it through this class and the next then I could go back to Flynn's house. I would have liked to see Papa but then I would have had to see Ryder and Matt too. I just wasn't ready to confront them.

When the late bell rang and Jeremy walked into the class shutting the door, his head snapped directly towards me with a sour expression plastered onto his face. I looked down to my books and picked up my pen. Jeremy wrote today's heading on the board and began the lesson.

I mechanically wrote my notes and homework down while periodically checking the time. I want nothing more than to be in French class right now.

"Is there something more interesting about the clock than my lecture Miss Moore?" Jeremy chides. I wipe all emotion from my face and then my eyes lock with his. I look back down at my papers to finish writing the last of my answer down. The bell rings and I slip out of the doorway with the swarm of my classmates, hearing Jeremy's calls as I leave.

"Where have you been, bitch?" Gemma shouted from across the hall. She ran over in a light pink skater dress. "I've checked at the pack house and even asked your dad to see where you were, but Tom said that he wasn't sure where you were!"

"Ah, yeah sorry about that," I started, drawing out my vowels. Gemma had a look of fury on her face.

"I called and you didn't answer. What couldn't you answer your phone?" Gemma began to grill me. I opened my mouth but she interrupted me. "What did you do? Camp out in the woods?"

"Sort of, " I asked chuckling. "Remember a while ago, at the Alpha's party when you saw the gold wolf?"

"Yes but that was like, forever ago," Gemma rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow. "I was so worried."

"That wolf was my mate," I said and Gemma gasped. "-is my mate. I've been staying with him."

Gemma slapped my arm so hard she left a handprint. "AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?" She screamed in the middle of the science hall.

"I couldn't. I knew you'd tell everyone," I mock glared at Gemma as everyone turned to stare at us. "Either way, I've been safe. Probably safer than I've ever been before."

"Wow, whose pack is he in?" Gemma asked. "Is he really nice?"

"He's actually the Alpha of Moonbeam." I said with a grin plastered across my face. "And Flynn is like, the nicest.

"He's sweet and caring. He's so funny and he loves his family and pack with all of his heart. Flynn is so thoughtful and levelheaded. Except when his brothers accidentally threw me across the room. He was furious then." I sighed. "I wish he went to our school."

"It was good that you met him, even though he is the reason you left," Gemma frowned.

"I would have stayed here to finish school if it weren't for Matt, Ryder and Jeremy," I sighed as we turned the corner into the languages hall.

"Oh goodness, what did they do know?" Gemma laughed.

"Nothing big," I started my voice light and airy. Then my voice dropped into sarcasm. "It's not like they lied to me my whole life and made me think that I was all alone in this cold, harsh world."

"Well that's good!" Gemma cheered and then her smile dropped. "Wait, you were sarcastic weren't you?"

"Yeah a little bit," I laughed. "You are such a stereotypical blonde sometimes. I'll see you in Drama, okay?" Gemma nodded and walked into her English class.

I took notes and explained to Madame Lora that I had some family problems that had had to be taken care of. She patted my back and excused me from the work I had missed since we had just had to make a video. French class flew by and soon I found myself in drama, screaming because I was being "murdered" by some guy in my class. Really the scene we were practicing was from some horror film with a guy named Jerry or something. I wasn't really into those kind of films.

After the bell rang and Gemma and I were on our way to our lockers, I told her what happened. Gemma awed at all of the right moments and looked ready to strangle her own Alpha.

"Well at least they were trying to protect you," Gemma finally said after a long lapse in our conversation. I gave her a dry look. "Hey I'm just trying to see the bright side. You have a tendency to only see the doomsday in the everyday."

"Oh, would you just shut up?" I snapped. "You know I hate it when you're right." Gemma didn't say anything to me. We walked out of the school's front doors and began walking down the steps.

Gemma squealed when I leapt over the side of the railing and pulled her into the bushes with me.

"What is it with you and hiding in bushes?" Gemma harshly whispered at me. " What are we hiding from?"

"Not what, who!" I whispered. "Matt and Ryder."

They were just getting out of their truck and began to ascend the stairs to the school, most likely going in to meet Jeremy. I watched them walk inside the school and waited until the doors were firmly shut.

"Okay, time to get the hell out of dodge!" I yelled and grabbed Gemma's arm. I ran for my truck and shoved Gemma into it. I jammed my keys into the ignition and peeled out of the parking lot as I put my seat belt on.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS FLUFFY IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Gemma screamed as she struggled to put her seatbelt on.

"I have to see Papa before they get home," I explained. "Jeremy will tell them that I was at school and then they will come tracking me. I need to say hi to Papa, tell him that I need to move out because I need space and ask if he could send my stuff to Moonbeam without the lying doofus' knowing."

"And I have to come because..." Gemma trailed off.

"If they come home early, we trade clothes, I leave and they go after you," I smiled. "Simple as that."

"Yeah simple as I get torn to shreds and you get to run back to that hunk of yours with your tail between your legs," Gemma snorted.

"I love you..."

"Shut up," Gemma snapped. "I love you too, pain in my ass."

~~~~

The skies were dark, and the thunder was rolling out a sorrowful beat. So far, the rain hadn't come but it was guaranteed to be coming soon.

"I love you Mary-moo," Papa said.

"I love you too Papa-bear."

"Promise I can visit?" Papa asked with tears welling in his eyes.

"I'll kick Flynn's ass if you can't."

"I'll send your stuff, I promise." Papa said.

"Thank you," I smiled, tears were rolling down my face and I wrapped my arms tightly around my Papa.

"Maria, if you squeeze any harder my stomach will come out of my mouth," Papa chuckled. I let go and he wiped my tears away. "Go, start your next chapter."

"Yes Papa," I smiled. "I love you."

"And I, you."

I turned with a small bag of necessities that I couldn't wait for them to be shipped in my hand. This was it, I was leaving the home I grew up in. Even though I could remember the horrible things that happened here, it was still hard to leave. I almost broke down when I saw the discolouration and slight divot in the wall where I snapped and almost hurt Kylie.

I heard the rumble of a truck down the road and ran out the door, into my truck. The rain began to fall from the sky. I pulled out of the driveway and just before I made the turn for the road to the Moonbeam Territory, I saw the cab of my brothers' truck peek over the top of  the hill. I turned the corner and left my childhood home in a cloud of dust and diesel smoke.

So this took forever. I actually started this in my geography class when I had finished all my work. I'm a nerd, I know. But long story short, I started it like, last week and only got to finish it now. So, I'm tired and and probably going to bed now. Thanks for reading