The Shattered Surface {3}

Caleb owned a truck. Four-wheel drive, several horsepower, sturdy, black truck. I had to drive it once, when my dad's borrowed car stalled in the middle of the highway on my way to St. Cloud- it wasn't pretty. I heard more honking in my direction than ever before- and not in a flattering manner, either. People love it when I don't reside behind the wheel. I hate driving in the first place- thus the reason that I walk.

Plus the fact that I don't own a car. Yeah, that's probably half the reason for my exercized calves. My dad was all for me owning a car, and I had my grandpa more than willing to buy me one, but I declined. My mother had mailed a check from California to my father for my sixteenth birthday, and now it lay in the safe walls of my savings account for college. I gave them the cheap excuse by insisting that walking was my thing- there wasn't anywhere to go around here, anyway. But really, I just felt guilty taking the money. When I needed a car, Caleb gave me a ride- he was going where I was going most of the time, anyway- or my dad let me use his. It had never been a big deal.

Until very recently.

My birthday was the biggest up-coming event and my dad was letting no one in Nisswa escape the news. Not even my teachers. Ug. And everyone had been talking about it- they were planning something- I knew it. I could practically smell it. Every occasion was big around here; birthdays, holidays. If you were a traveler and just stopped here around a birthday celebration, you would think the messiah was upon you. Jeeze. Everything is bigger than life when the town puts it's back into it.

I sighed, miserably thinking about my birthday extravaganza- in only two weeks. I leaned my head against the cool glass of the passenger window. We were on our way to school on this rainy Monday morning, Caleb driving, Evan in the back silently listening to his iPod, and me in the passenger seat.

"Birthday, huh?"

Caleb always knew what was on my mind.

I nodded. "You know it will be bad. Really, really bad. Worse than last year." and that was going to be hard to beat, but it could be done. And I'll be damned if the townspeople couldn't outdo themselves. Again.

"It really wasn't that bad. I think you are over-reacting."
I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. "That would be because you were not the center of attention for ten straight hours. You never have been! And let me tell you one thing: It. Sucks!" Anyone clumsy like me would agree- spazes don't like attention, not that kind, anyway.

"Oh, Noel." he breathed condesendingly and shook his head slightly.

Caleb and Evan never had their birthdays announced to the small public. Ever. Neither did the rest of the pack. It wasn't fair. there was a reason for that. Because of thier...differences...with average human beings, normal years, and annual human stuff didn't really include them, like birthdays. Aging happened in weird growth spurts, most of their physical growth occurs during the time of their first phasing. The most terrifying and painful experience one of their kind could have. And everyone went through it.It is the only time in thier life span when they cannot control the change. Otherwise, it's mostly completely up to them- unless emotions take a toll on them. No specific age, it all depended on your emotions and mental state. Caleb had told me about his first phase- I wasn't there because the rest of the pack had seen it coming. They told me about it- their little secret had not been a secret to me, it never had- and they warned me to stay away. I wanted more than anything to be with him when it happened, to comfort him, and to help him through it. And I would have, if Eli hadn't instructed his girlfriend, Lainey, to watch me very closely through an all-weekend slumber party.

It was the most horrible weekend of my life. Knowing that Caleb was there, in the forest, in pain. And there was not a thing that I could do about it.

I shuddered inside the truck, remembering those three aweful days. He noticed, but said nothing. I snuck a peek at him to make sure he hadn't followed my train of thought. It got him worried about me, when I got upset about the wolves, about his phasing. So I hid my fear for him by avading my eyes- dirty traitors.

Instead, my vision was trained on the passing green blurs- trees. The roads were surrounded my forest, everywhere you looked, there were trees. Great place for the pack. Dense forest was what made up most of Nisswa, and the surrounding area. Most houses were at least a mile apart- trees seperating them, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Caleb made a swift right turn, and Nisswa High School came into my line of sight.

I sighed again. I did not want to do this. I hated school, even though I did quite well.

"You can do this, Noel. Just like every other week. You will be fine." He reassured me as he drove the car to a stop in the parking lot. I think I remember sticking my tounge out at him. He returned that with a smile. He knew that I appreciated his encouraging words. Probably even more than he knew. I Poened the car door and jumped down, landing, in total Noel Black fashion, immediately into a puddle. Now my legs were wet up well past my ankles, along with my shoes.

"UG!" I complained, stepping around to the front of the truck. Just my luck. Evan and Caleb both took a look at he damage; Ev burst out laughing, and his brother walking away with a rather amused smile. "That just made my day!" Evan chuckled from beside me. "Well I'm glad to have been to some service to you," I growled.

That earned another laugh. That was the best part about evan; he was always laughing. It made me want to laugh too.

So I did.

We went our speperate ways once we reached the inside of the building. I had English first and I almost always fall asleep in that class. It's a good thing my mom was a writer, and editor actually, writing just seemed to come to me. A breeze. Second I had math. I liked my teacher- he was very upbeat, even in the early morning. whatever it was that he was drinking in the morning sure had my attention for a full 43 minutes. Third hour I had world History- My favorite class. Then came lunch. Goody. the students were allowed to wander around campus to eat- most of them had usual spots they ate at with friends. I sat under a tree by the track behind the school with a rather large group of people.

Caleb was already there, as always- he had gym third hour, and so was Stone and Ivy. Bummer. Ivy and I used to be friends. But then something changed... it was odd that she still sat with us after practically declaring her higher status in the world, aka High School. She sat a little ways away from everyone else. Because she knew that no one wanted her here. Not after what she had said to Hannah. Hell, yeah, it might have happened last year, but no one had forgotten. Especailly not Hannah, who was the next to join our litle group. She sat next to Evan, of course, who sat beside Stone, Caleb, me, and then came Fritz and Holly. Spencer and David never showed up.

Fifth was chem- a damned subject from the start. Sixth period was french. I liked the class, though I had the slight suspicion that Madam didn't like me as much as she seemed to. Seventh period was gym. Joy of all joys. Seriously. I may be a klutz, but the one thing we did in gym all year long was run,and that, my friends, was what I was born for.

Everything else just sucked.

I had just finished changing out of my gym clothes and started walking towards the truck in the lot when I heard my name.

"Noel!" I turned. It was Becca, a girl in my grade with strawberry-blond hair and the most amazing green eyes I have ever seen in my life. She came running up to me, panting.

"Hey there! I've been trying to find you all day!"

"Really?" Came my lame answer. "Um...why?" this was odd- we have never actually talked to each other before, so naturally, her comment had me curious.

"The reason I am here," she paused and took a deep panting breath to steady her speech. "Is to tell you about Friday. There's a bonfire in Brainerd, by Sarah's place, right by Cullen Lake. It's her birthday, and she wants everyone to come that can."

Surprise, surprise.

"Oh," I said. Did I want to go? I deliberated for a second.

Yes. I did. Awkward silence.

Becca looked at me expectantly before I heard myself say "Cool. Friday, is it?"
She nodded. "At seven."
"Sounds great!"
"Good," she smiled and said nothing else. I was about to turn away when I saw her something on her face htat told me she wasn't done speaking yet. Now it was my turn to look at her expectantly. she hesitated, almost shyly, before adding on this little request;

"Could you bring Caleb, too?" there it was, that embarrassed smile trying to tell me that she was just the errand girl excited for seeing Caleb's face at a party. "Sure, I'll see if he wants to go," I offered. She was pleased and relieved. I was guessing that Sarah wanted to see his appearance as well. 'And we can't upset the birthday girl,' I thought amused.
"Thank you so much, Noel! Well, I have to go, so I will see you on Friday,right?"
"Yeah,no problem."

And then I turned back to the truck- the boys already waiting.

"What was that about?" Caleb's curious voice sounded as I climbed into the passenger seat. "Um... a bonfire on friday, Brainerd, Cullen lake," I recited. "Want to go?" I shut my door.
He thought for a moment, already starting the engine. "What time?" He asked without looking at me, but instead had his eyes trained on a tall boy walking back into the building. I hadn't seen him before.

"Seven."

"Pick you up at six-thirty?" It only took a short time to get to Brainerd from Nisswa.

"Okay. Just give me a call. Oh, and Evan?"
"Hmm?" came his backseat reply.
"You can come too."

He smiled cheesily, and stretched his arms out behind his head. "Good. I didn't think I had to ask."

Oh, how I love that boy.