Fate's other plan

Julianne ran as fast as her legs would take her. The wolves were back, and now they were chasing after her. She ran blindly into the forest, the leaves whipping at her skin. She could hear the loud growls of the monsters closely behind her. They would catch up with her in no time, but she couldn’t stop. She didn’t know how long she had been running or where she would run to. She tried to remember why she was being chased, but everything was void. She suddenly tripped on a stick and she fell on the wet forest ground. The wolves already surround her in no time and they started to draw closer to her, fangs bared and eyes looking at her dangerously.

“Please, don’t kill me,” she begged, but it seem to fall on deaf ears. The wolf charged at her with such an unbelievable speed and she could see it’s claws and fangs baring out as it came right down for her.

Julianne woke up with start, panting as if she was being chased even while sleeping. She moved her eyes around the room and towards the window. It was almost morning. She released a sigh and yawned alongside.

“What kind of dream did I have?” she wondered as she remembered pieces of them.

By the time the first sliver of morning light broke in, Julianne had already showered and dressed up. She took her time in rehearsing how she would speak and how her expression would be when she comes across any of the non-humans or whatever they were.

Velvet came to knock on her door in time and with a deep release of breath, she grabbed her bag and stepped out of the room, ensuring it was locked properly before turning to her.

“Lovely morning to you, Jules.”

“Jules?” Julianne asked and pulled her brows slightly.

“It’s your nickname, from Julianne. Jules, Anne, Julie, Julia…I came up with a lot of nicknames but Jules is what I ended up picking.”

“But…” Julianne wanted to say something, but she held herself back.

Velvet, noticing her, asked, “Do you not like it? You can call me Elves if you want. I just thought since we are friends, we should have special names we call ourselves by.”

“I…like it,” she said, but Velvet wasn’t satisfied.

“But your expression says otherwise.”

In reality, Julianne didn’t know if she should smile or be angry at Velvet. How could she deceive her even now? It feels like they are both pretending to each other, but then, she has not left her side after the incident.

“That’s because I haven’t had anyone call me by a nickname before.”

“Oh really? Then I hold a special place in your heart. Aren’t I such a fairy!” she made a puppy eye and spread her arms before moving it like a bird.

Julianne couldn’t help but smile. It was the one genuine smile she has had in two months now. At the realization, she slowly blinked and felt her eyes start to itch. How can someone like Velvet make her smile by just a simple act? The same person who betrayed her two nights ago.

Or what if she was only protecting her?

She turned her eyes to the front immediately and said, “We’ll be late for class if we keep walking like this.”

By the time Julianne stepped into the classroom, it was already half-full. As usual, they form themselves in groups and talk. It was like they always have something to talk about every time even while shut out from the outside world, but none of what they talk about involves the weird people in their class or their dorm, those that are something other than human who live among them.

She moved her eyes, scanning for a seat slightly away from the groups and then she found one, except that the one who sat behind it was none other than the silver haired wolf she had seen the other night. She gulped instantly and gripped the side of her skirt as she remembered the ugly transformation of the wolves that night. If she remembered clearly, he was the only one that stood behind the other wolves, watching her, even as he did now.

She tried to act normal like Cassian said and she moved her eyes quickly, looking for any other spare seat away from him, but at the same time, the teacher walked in and the students all started dispersing to various seats. Not having any other choice, she moved her feet towards the one seat she dread. She slid into the seat quietly, as if cautious, and she placed her bag down.

Class soon started and while the teacher taught, Julianne couldn’t concentrate at all. Instead, she was conscious of the werewolf boy behind her, and strangely, her ears picked up nervous breaths coming from him.

Was he feeling sick? She wondered and wanted so badly to turn her head and check on him, but it felt like her neck was so stiff, or that she was afraid of looking at him. It went on like that and her heart started to beat like crazy, scared that he may transform and have her head in his mouth.

The next thirty minutes felt like hell and once the teacher left the class, she stood up immediately to go to the restroom and cool herself before the next class would begin, only for her to see him bolting out of his seat and hurrying out of the class.

She didn’t wait to think about what was going on with him. She just left the class and headed straight to the restroom, hoping she doesn’t run into Cassian again. As far as she knows, he is the only one keeping her little secret, and yet, she couldn’t bring herself to trust him. She doesn’t trust anyone in this school that doesn’t exist anywhere on the map.

Maybe Velvet was right after all. She is starting to regret coming here of all places.

But then, was there really any other place she could have run to? Would she not have met even more strange people?

She left the restroom and headed back to class, her spirits fallen. She knows she has to come up with a plan as soon as possible. It would only be a matter of time before they find out about her and who knows if that day would be the day she would die? She doubts even Velvet would be able to save her. And Cassian? He may be the one urging them to get rid of her because he would rather do that than compel her for the second time.

As she took the steps and turned on the way to the classroom, she should have known that fate usually have other plans.

“Julianne?”