Crimson Hirasawa

The morning after was met with shame. When I had first started rebelling I would feel that shame so heavily but now I just don’t care. This was my freedom and I would do with it what I wanted. Though I wasn’t so proud of myself this morning. The Amanes were nothing to be proud of. I would have preferred my night was spent with someone better. Even if Rome was the best of the Amanes he was still one of them.

I walked into the dining room and found Ryan.

“Have a good night?” He asked.

I started to eat, “Look I would invite you but they don’t know you. It would be weird.”

He smiled, “I’m good for now. I just don’t really like those Amanes.”

He of course knew them, had met them in person and had heard the stories from me. They weren’t always so flattering.

“Yeah but they have a female.”

“How do a bunch of rogues get a female?”

That was a question I had asked myself many times, “Luck?”

“That must be it.”

Arriving at school I found Yami and Modesta right away. Or rather they found me, Yami ran right up to me.

“Hey shortass guess what?” Yami grabbed my arm.

I twisted out of her grip easily, “No good morning, no how are you?”

“Oh come on Varinia,” She grabbed my other arm.

I twisted out of that grip again, “What’s got you so excited?”

“I managed to kiss Jun which means you lost,” she poked me right in the forehead.

I looked at her in disbelief, “There is no way you managed that.”

“She did,” came Modesta’s quiet voice.

“Yeah so you lose,” Yami poked her tongue out at me.

I looked at Yami, she was bragging but I could tell from the flush across her cheeks that it meant a lot more to her than just bragging rights.

“So are you two dating now?” I asked.

She blushed fully, “Oh please he was drunk I doubt he would even remember it.”

“What a shame,” I whispered.

“I don’t want to date that little dork, come on I’m so much better single.”

I looked at Modesta, she wasn’t buying it either. Yami was a little hurt by this. Even if she wouldn’t admit it to herself, us as her friends would know. I put an arm around her.

“Yeah he is a dork.”

The dragon flew over the school so we made our way to our homeroom classes. Mr S was standing at the front and he gave me a nod as I walked in, “Nice and early Varinia.”

“As always,” I gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.

There was a loud noise in the hallway and the Amanes burst into the room. They surrounded me, Rome putting his arm around me possessively. Lucius ogled Ephvangeline as he walked past her, trying to look down her shirt.

“I’ll convert him,” Rose told her brothers.

“What? You don’t want a boyfriend?” Rome smiled at her, with a hint of malice.

“I do, but I prefer a challenge,” Rose said defiantly.

“Well it will be hard enough to even get him to acknowledge you so don't push your luck,” Lucius told her.

I looked up at Rome, he mouthed ‘Arlen’ at me. I looked over at the white haired boy. He was very handsome in a lazy kind of way.

“Even so, Plan B is that I find that guy from last night and skip class with him,” Rose sighed.

Last night Rose had slunk off with Ash, one of the second year boys. Ash was probably one of the worst I’d ever had, my look upon Rose was of pure pity. Rose was a She wolf, and she could do way better than one of those snot-nosed second years. I began to be very aware of Rome’s arm around me.

“And what? Fuck in the forest? Girl if you go back to him he’ll think you actually want him,” I warned her.

“True, I might tease him for a little while,” She gave me a flirty smile.

“Good,” I smiled back and scanned the room. Everyone seemed to be here except the werebat Kaipo Park, “Where is that werebat? Too hungover I bet.”

“Was she drinking much? I barely saw her.” Haven asked, I was honestly shocked that he could speak. He hadn’t said a word to me since the year began.

“No clue but everyone else is,” I replied sceptically.

Just as I said that a very tired looking Kaipo trudged in and sat in the opposite corner. Arlen started to chat with her.

I smirked and leant over to Rose, “She’s going to steal your man.”

“Fuck.”

“Homeroom is your only chance to get him without his witch around Rose.”

“I wouldn’t know what to say to him right now.”

“Well you both just went to a party, just seem fun and flirty.”

Rose took a deep breath and moved over to Arlen. Mr S gave her the evil eye as he was midway through a speech that only the Hirasawas were listening to. I watched her, like an older sibling. Perhaps it was my Luna traits coming through but I was proud of Rose going after what she wanted. If only I could do the same.

Suddenly Arlen shouted, “Oi Crimson get down from there!”

He stood up in his chair, catching Rose off guard. I followed their eye line to see Crimson Hirasawa climbing up the wall with her claws. What on earth? What was wrong with her? The rest of the Hirasawas were such well behaved nerds. Was she just the black sheep of the family?

Mr S sighed, “Someone get the stick…”

Ephvangeline pulled a stick out of the supply cupboard, likely for adjusting the windows and poked her sister with it until Crimson let go and came crashing to the ground. Ephvangeline then had a very hushed but stern conversation with her sister.

“Thank you,” Mr S sounded so dejected.

What was that and why did they know exactly what to do? I was so put off by it and so was Rose. It took her a second to get back into the conversation. Her brothers were laughing their asses off at the whole absurdity of the situation. I was still shocked though.

Rose got her groove back and moved closer to Arlen. She managed to stroke his arm before quickly walking off.

I giggled at her, “Copped a feel?”

“His skin is smooth and eyes are dashing. I have no regrets,” she sounded proud.

“From what I can see from here he has good arms.”

“Real strong.”

“Hot.”

“Definitely want him on top of me.”

Haven laughed under his breath. I shot him a look of distaste. But the scorn continued.

“He’s probably a virgin,” Rome mocked.

Haven added, “No doubt about it.”

I threw Rome’s arm off me, “A cute one though.”

“He'd be cuter without it though,” Rose giggled.

The bell rang and as I stood up to say goodbye to Rose I whispered, “Enjoy him,” with an added lick of my lips.

Classes were decently unremarkable throughout the day, I had Lucius hovering over me for most of them. He was a pervasive weed that had dug its roots deep into me. There wasn’t anything I could do to rid myself at this point.

Lunch time rolled around and I walked outside with Yami and Modesta. Modesta had a few photos on her phone she was flipping through.

“Which one is better?” she asked us. They were all selfies taken at different angles.

Yami took the phone, “This is for Mythspace isn’t it?”

“Yep.”

Mythspace was a social media platform just for mythical creatures and Modesta had a decent following on it. As I looked at her in her uniform I could see why. She had the most perfect body and plump lips.

“This is the one,” Yami proudly announced holding the phone, “Right Varinia?”

I looked at the photo and nodded. It was a winner that’s for sure, Modsta looked like the goddess of Spring herself.

Modesta took her phone back and started to post it. I smelt him before I saw him. Rome was approaching us, his wolf scent was carried on the wind. I turned to face him. There was no flirtatious grin on his face, no smugness. He looked worried. Almost scared.

“What’s his problem?” Yami asked.

“I’ll find out,” I told her before walking to meet him.

Up closer Rome was certainly a little shaken, something had happened. Those big blue eyes were darkened. Please don’t tell me it was the myth hunter girl.

“Hey Varinia, you know how Crimson did that weird thing in class today?”

I nodded, “Yes.”

“Well in first year she was doing some combat training with Haven and she went way too far, nearly killed him. And she attacked the teacher Mr Tsukuda, he was able to stop her though.”

I was a little relieved that it wasn’t the myth hunter girl. Then I realised it was a lot worse. Crimson was a werecat, a myth so powerful they were said to be second only to the gods themselves. A werecat out of control posed a massive threat.

“Is Haven ok?” I asked.

Rome nodded, “Mrs Szandor is taking care of him but Crimson…”

“Yeah I know,” I whispered, Rome was clearly a little shaken, I hugged him and wrapped my arms around him tightly.

“She’s been sent home for now,” he whispered.

“Can you take me to see Haven?”

Rome nodded and led me back into the castle and into the infirmary. White beds lined the walls and Haven was in one of them with his siblings crowded around him. We approached and I smiled at him. He looked a little bruised and his hair was messed up but his werewolf healing was taking care of that.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“I’m ok I think,” he replied.

There was a softness to his voice, it seemed he was just taking it all in. Our classes could be violent as each myth had to learn to defend themselves but there was always a line that we knew not to cross. And if someone was badly injured there would be apologies. Non-fatal moves were used, and no one lashed out at a teacher. Unless instructed to of course.

Lucius was bristling to the left of Haven.

“Those damn werecats always think they can fucking walk over the top of us,” he growled.

I looked to Rose, she just shrugged. It was known that Lucius spent a decent amount of his time drooling over Ephvangeline. She usually just ignored his advances though. So perhaps that was where this anger came from but it seemed mostly uncalled for.

“Don’t worry Lucius, we’ll make them pay,” Rome gave his brother a pat on the back.

I stayed silent. This seemed like a strange conversation for them to be having since they were living off the werecats kindness. How much more did they think the werecats owed them. Sure, Crimson shouldn’t have attacked him but that is isolated.

“I mean it Rome, this is the last straw from them,” Lucius almost spat he was so angry.

Rose and Haven seemed to be just as clueless as I was about this discussion.

“They’ll get what is coming to them.”