Chapter 5- Grace

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the trumpet blaring over the loudspeakers.  New day, new me.  I chanted to myself, over and over as I threw on some shorts and tank top.  Followed by my ever-trusted hoodie to hide the scars on my arms, still a few that aren’t healed from the latest beating.  Hopefully once I get my wolf, I won’t have to worry about scars anymore and won’t have to go out in one-hundred-degree weather sporting a hoodie. 

I’m sure people will think I’m strange for it, but they’d probably be more interested in the girl with so many scars. 

I walk out into the living room and come face to face with who I can only assume is Olivia, she was about to knock on my door.  She has short, spiked hair painted pink on the tips, green eyes and I have to look slightly up to see her.  I’d say she’s like five nine, five ten?

“My bad girl, didn’t mean to scare you.  You Grace?”  Olivia asks.  I nod; she smiles. “Sorry, they said that a new girl was coming, and I didn’t believe it, but clearly they weren’t mistaken.”  I smile, “Olivia?”  I ask, just wanting to be sure.  She smiles, “I see you’ve meant Gia then.”  I smile and nod.  “Always the hostess that one.  But did she tell you why you’re in that room?”  She eyes me and I let out a laugh, because I just can’t help it, nodding.  She laughs with me, we both turn at the sound of a door opening up and see Gia coming out of her room, causing us both to laugh even harder.

Gia looks at us suspiciously, “What?”  She whines, not liking not being apart of the joke.  Olivia continues to laugh, while going and placing an arm around Gia’s shoulders.  “It’s nothing, we were just talking about ways Grace could throw you in front of a murderer.  I mean she does look a little taller than you, she could probably outrun you.”  Gia’s eyes widen as she looks back at me, I just chuckle shaking my head.  Already, I feel very at home here. 

“Alright, lets head out.  The boys decided to make a mess last night, but thanks to the Beta’s embarrassing crush on our Gia here, we barely got touched, so that’s good.”  Olivia explains and I laugh as Gia’s eyes go wide.  “He does not have a crush on me!”  She yells but says nothing to Olivia’s knowing smile.

All three of us make our way to the dining hall, I’m thankful they’re with me, because I would not have been able to find it. 

Once we settle down, I have an apple and a glass of water, determined to still follow my regime.  My mom may suck, but she wasn’t lying, if I come home fat, I’m screwed. 

“That’s all your eating?”  Gia exclaims, looking wide eyed at my apple.  I grimace, not really wanting to get into it.  “I mean do you see how skinny she is?  At least now it makes sense.”  Olivia adds, I look down at my apple frowning.  Their plates of eggs, sausage and pancakes swiftly reaching my nose.  I’ve never been allowed to eat maple syrup, but it smells divine, maybe one day. 

My ears shoot up when I hear a kid announce that there are still job openings for around the camp if anyone wants to sign up.  So, ignoring Gia and Olivia talking about my eating habits, I try and listen to him. 

My view gets cut off when three female bodies place themselves in front of me.  I slowly look up the girl in the middle has long platinum blonde hair with blue eyes, the one to her right has brown hair with green, grey eyes and the one on her left has raven black hair with blue, grey eyes.  All of them seem to be the same height, about the same as Olivia and they are all staring at me with their arms crossed.

I’m still trying to hear the kid taking about what jobs are available, when I hear a very audible groan behind me, coming from Olivia. 

“You guys can leave.  She doesn’t want to know you.”  I sigh inwardly; I would rather make that opinion myself.  I look up at them and the middle one smiles.  “Hi, I’m Vera, she’s Tessa.” Pointing to the one on her right, “and that’s Daphne.”  Pointing to the one on her left.  “You want to come sit with us?”  I grimace, because that’s rude.  I’m clearly already sitting; it’d be rude just to up and leave Olivia and Gia for another table. 

I decide to just do neither.  I look up at Vera, “No thank you, I have to go somewhere.”  I turn to my table, “I’ll see you guys in a little while!”  I say hoping no one gets mad about me ditching.  The smile on Olivia’s face tells me she’s just happy I turned down Vera.

I get up and start to walk past Vera when she grabs my arm spinning me towards her.  I look down at my arm, where her hand is attached.  Flashbacks of being held down by Heath start coming in strong.  “I suggest you evaluate who you hang out with around here.  I don’t want you starting off on the wrong foot.”  She says sickly sweet with a smile on her face.  She releases my arm and walks away.  It was almost nice if I didn’t swear, I saw venom dripping from her teeth. Yep, gonna stay away from that one. 

I take a deep breath and start walking over to the kid handing out jobs. 

He smiles when he sees me walking closer to him.  He’s not bad to look at, he has shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes probably around six foot.  I smile, “Can I see what jobs are left?”  I ask as I get next to him.  He hands me the paper, “Anything of interest?”  He asks, looking down at the paper like he doesn’t know what’s on it. 

I smile when I see kitchen duty.  I point to it, and he smiles too. “Great!  Looks like we’ll be spending some time together!  That’s where I work too!”  I smile widely; thankful I’ll have a friendly face to work with. “Come by here after your last class and we’ll get you all set up, Grace!” I eye him for a second, “Sorry, not many new people here.”  I nod, because this isn’t the first time I’m hearing this.  “I’ll see you tonight…”  I eye him again, and he smiles.  “Cole.”  I nod my head and turn out the door to head to my first class.  Just wanting to get started, I’m so excited, and now that I have a long-term plan, I’m even more excited!