Crazy right?

Chapter 8.

Camryn.

I was rushing down the hallway, my mind focused entirely on not being late for class again. Last time had been humiliating and I wasn’t about to repeat that mistake. The floor beneath me seemed to blur as I weaved between students, barely noticing anything else around me.

Then, crash!

My shoulder slammed into something solid, papers and my textbook flying across the hall. I froze, embarrassment heating my cheeks and I looked up.

Aiden. Thank God it was someone I knew. He stood there, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, one eyebrow raised, as if my collision was the most entertaining thing he’d seen all day.

“Clumsy much?” His voice was calm, teasing as usual but not in a way that made me want to punch him. More like, he enjoyed watching me flustered.

I bent down quickly to gather the papers and he bent slightly too, picking up the textbook. “Here,” he said, handing it to me. I took it, brushing my fingers against his briefly, my pulse skipping a beat.

“Thank you… I wasn’t looking where I was going,” I muttered, trying to sound normal, though I knew I failed miserably.

“Clearly,” he said, smirk widening. “Do you always run around like this, or is today a special occasion?”

My first instinct was to snap at him, to tell him to mind his business but I paused. Lately, snapping at everyone has gotten me nowhere. And honestly, I was a little tired of being on the defensive all the time. So I took a deep breath and said evenly, “I just don’t want to be late for class.”

He tilted his head, studying me, eyes narrowing slightly as if he could see straight through my words. “Alright, I’ll let you go… but watch where you’re going. I’d hate to have to worry about you again.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide the tiny smile that threatened to break free.

Aiden had a way of getting under my skin that wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

He leaned slightly closer, voice lowering just enough to tease, “Or… maybe you secretly like bumping into me.”

I froze for a moment, lips pressing into a thin line as my brain scrambled. Yeah right. I scoffed, shaking my head, trying to play it cool. “Keep dreaming, Aiden,” I said, stepping back, trying not to let my pulse show on my face.

His laugh was soft, easy, and somehow magnetic. “Fair enough,” he said, straightening up. “But… if you ever need someone to catch you again,” he added, eyes glinting, “I volunteer.”

I tilted my head, eyebrow raised, pretending to be unimpressed. “I’ll… keep that in mind,” I muttered.

As I hurried off down the hall, I could feel his gaze on my back, and for some reason, it didn’t bother me. Normally, I would have felt a mix of irritation and embarrassment. But today…today, there was something different. His teasing hadn’t been annoying. It had been light, almost caring. And as much as I hated to admit it, that small flicker of attention from him made me feel good.

I shook my head and made my way to class.

----

After a long and stressful day, I was heading back to the dorms, walking through the empty hallways, I had a habit of always returning late.

Suddenly a voice cut through the silence.

“Camryn.”

I stopped, my heart skipping a beat. Principal Parker stood there, smiling brightly. Curfew had already passed. Great, I thought. I was definitely in trouble.

“Uh… hello?” I said cautiously.

She motioned for me to step aside. “One minute, please,” she said, her tone almost playful.

I complied, my mind already racing.

"How are you Camryn? How's Lupinemere treating you?" she asked.

"Fine," I shrugged.

“You know, we haven't had time to chat properly."” she began and I nodded.

“Sometimes I forget just how, interesting some students can be.” She paused, her eyes studying me. “To be honest I've been curious about you."

I frowned, confused.

She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Do you ever feel different after certain nights?”

I blinked, “I… I guess so?”

“Hmm.” She tapped her finger against her lips, as though thinking aloud. “Funny how life can be, sometimes you wake up and realize things aren’t quite the same as they were before. I'm sure you can relate, one day a human, the next a wolf. Crazy right?”

I frowned deeper. “What are you getting at?”

Her voice softened but carried a strange edge. “Look Camryn, I know you probably don’t want to talk about it and maybe that’s for the best but I have to ask…” She took a small step closer. “That night, the night of your first transformation, what exactly happened?”

My stomach dropped. The memory I’d buried deep, the night that had changed everything, I didn’t want to think about it. “I… it’s complicated,” I mumbled, taking a step back.

She nodded slowly, as if she expected my hesitation. “Of course. Complicated indeed. I don’t mean to intrude, Camryn. There's just something I need to understand.”

I crossed my arms, glaring at the floor. “It’s way past curfew. I should really head back to the dorms before I get into actual trouble.”

Her smile turned teasing. “Camryn, I’m the principal. You don’t get into trouble with me.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Well, then, I really can’t have this conversation.” I turned to leave, my steps quick.

She didn’t call me back. I walked on, heart still racing, feeling like I’d just walked out of a trap.

Thank goodness. That was weird. The strangest, most unsettling conversation I’d had in a long time. Why did everyone at this school have to act so strangely? And why did she want to know about that night? She already knew what I wanted her to know, no one can know what really happened.