Trinity

Chapter 4-Chester

Days passed by and my predicament was exact. I arose to the fall of snow on a beautiful morning. The car honked and I dressed in haste after taking a quick shower before we went to school. The whole setting was the same. No one cared about who I was or what I wore to school, or what I was good at or not. It became an endless loop of me just watching and observing, during and after class hours.

Every academic staff never hesitated to walk out of class once the bell rang for end of teaching period. And each time school was over, the boys would assemble at the basketball court, shirtless, in order to play a quick game; all sweaty and rough.

The next day was pretty same, but this time it didn’t snow, instead it was the other way around. The sun lit brightly and I arose to the loud car horn that kept honking for minutes until I got dressed.

A couple of students waved at me and I didn’t know the right way to react at the moment. I thought if I waved back it might mean something else, and if I didn’t wave back, they’ll interpret my reaction as snobbish. But what do I care about being a snub? I cared less about it anyways.

Besides, they snubbed me first, and it would only be fair if I returned the favor.

Kez took me to the cafeteria with the twins during lunch break. And immediately after my entrance, I felt bad for the food that seemed to be regarded as a toy in the hands of students.

A fry was tossed to the next table and a student, wearing a ripped jean jacket, munched on it, seated at the other end. A couple of students shot themselves with ketchup and others ate in a rush like their lives depended on it.

Everyone looked wild and exuberant. Everyone but one who sat all alone, glancing out through the rather large glass windows. I focused my eyes on him for a while, gazing at the way he concentrated on the still sight of emptiness outside the school’s boundary. He looked so peaceful and relaxed with his black hair spiking forward.

And then he turned.

“Trinity” I blinked, watching Kez gesture with her hand telling me to come.

“Let’s stand in line” she said, and I did.

I had a beef sandwich which I ate on the benches close to the schools racing tracks.

The coach was a senior (This I found to be very much intriguing) and Keziah kept speaking of how she never had interest in sports, especially football.

The more she spoke, my mind kept thinking of this guy’s face. I knew it was Chester, but he looked so different. Almost as if he wasn’t the guy who got bullied all his life in Lycan-High. He sat with enough courage than the times we casually met.

Since then, each day that passed, I had just one thing in mind when I prepared for school.

“You have to see him again”

Slowly, it turned to “You have to talk to him” But I wasn’t ready to talk to him. I was sure he always glanced towards me in class, before my eyes met his. And when our eyes finally clashed, he threw his eyes to the floor like he analyzed my shoes, or an ant or something. Other times when I turned to look at him, he winced as though in pain from the tortures of —You know who—

Times without number, I spotted him alone. The Cattivo boys kept on their normal drill each morning and I couldn’t bear to watch. He seemed lonely, which made me raise few questions. Nonetheless, I wanted him to make the first move.

Two weeks passed and nothing felt different.

Classes went on and I had to bear with the high level of estrogen deposited in the twins and Kez each time we sat round our table in the cafeteria.

My greatest joy was that the nightmares died down. Most times, I dreamt of nothing at all and father began to sleep for full eight hours.

Father had always worked as a software programmer, so most days he remained indoors. Once, he nearly hit a huge deal with G-cam (An app that updated everyone with the latest gossips in the world, so everyone could talk about it or chat in their safe space).

But dad had to decline because to him, he was out for something else, and no one could tell what. Once, he claimed to have worked with Bill Gates before fame, and my reaction was like blasphemy in the sight of God.

Regardless, dad never ceased to ask how my day went when I arrived from school. I enjoyed the fact that the rate at which he dialed my line reduced drastically after he got me a new phone.

We watched lots of TV and argued much on few fiction novels he managed to read; from the like of bestsellers, both old and new.
Stephen King was one of our all-time favorite, alongside John Grisham and Daniel Steel.

But all these happened every Wednesday’s, and the tradition made me miss mother.

The next day was different. The snow was at its peak of total melting whilst the trains rumbled through the rails as the sun wept behind the shades of the white clouds. I felt safe and normal. No nightmare during the night, no provocation of any kind. I touched my chest and felt mother’s necklace, cold and frosty, lay atop my skin.

“Another day to go at it again” I said out loud before I alighted from the mattress.

Father wasn’t around when I got ready to leave for school. I was early, this time around, unwilling to risk my chances of not enjoying the cloudy morning. Yet, while I motioned fast along the pavement, I picked his scent.

Same pineapple-ly scent that bloomed the atmosphere like the rains in summer, and it came in stronger than that of Kez which smelt like ginger with a blend of cucumbers. The rest of the students all smelt like fruit or veggies— a noticeable quality seldom realized. Others, for instance the Cattivo boys, had the scent of grilled meat.

Soon enough, I felt him beside me. I could tell from my side eye that his aura had changed. I didn’t want to look at his gorgeous face and then trip. He wore a black leather jacket alongside a white shirt, and his hair was styled to the side of his head.

“Hey” he said. I don’t respond. He greeted and I simply walked up the straight path minding my own business like I didn’t want any disturbance. He rang his bell repeatedly, saying “Good morning” until it turned into a noise.

“Fine!” I exclaimed, halting my motion. “What’s your problem?” I asked with a poker-face after I looked at him. I had no intentions replying but I couldn’t help it. He was charming and unbelievably attractive, not to mention how I adored the way he dressed up in clothes that had touches of my favorite colors— Black and White.

A part of him made me want to reach for his cheeks and cup them. Another part of me intended keeping his inevitable smile. A part of me yearned to hold him in a warm embrace until he lost his scent, stare into his beautiful black eyes until they faded to grey and kiss his lips until they got swollen. But that was a little too much in my head. I knew I was tripping hard, and if I revealed it openly. I feared I seemed a little too easy, so I decided to pretend, while I prayed that he didn’t read my mind, or else the embarrassment that came with such knowledge wouldn’t fade in a lifetime.

“I just wanted to say hi” he answered.
“Good” I replied. “Now can you scurry down to school? I wouldn’t want any human to think I’m approachable”

“There aren’t much humans in Hells-Ending” he said. “A majority of them evacuated after the rampage. But it’s not a crime for me to walk you, is it?” he asked, and I quirked a brow. I snubbed him nonetheless, not wanting to prolong the discussion. Though I couldn’t deny how much I loved his scent. I liked that he was around me. It made me feel wanted and important, and a sign that indeed he had wanted to talk to me ever since.

“Don’t you have better things to do with your time than walk me?”

“Definitely” he said, and I halted. “I would really like to take you on tour. You know, show you the ropes and stuff”

“I don’t understand” I contorted in bewilderment. Was he asking for a date or something else?

“It’s not like a date” he said, and immediately I knew he could read my mind, though I couldn’t tell if he knew how surprised I was.

“So you read minds too?” He nodded slightly to the side of his shoulders.

“I don’t read minds” he said. “With time you realize that you’re better off being different, despite the norm”

The white cloud’s soon parted, paving way for the wailing sun to rain its rays on us. Few cars simultaneously drove by, and I didn’t spot that of Mateo and Kez. My body felt heavy and my wet hair began to dry up due to the passing air. Yet, while I looked down, I chuckled after sighting how Chester’s bike’s shadow motioned on the tarred road alone. It looked lonely, although I was fascinated.

“Are you a ghost?” I asked, and he snickered in gain of a freedom he had around me, riding his bike without grabbing a hold of the handles.

“I won’t say I’m entirely a ghost you see. It’s just a thing that happens with those born in the silent nights of July.”

“And by that you mean?”

“Those given birth to in the month of July? I happen to be the only one with such ability, for now.

“So you mean every werewolf born in each month possess a special ability distinct from the rest?”

“It depends on when one is born in the first place” he grabbed the handles of his bike. “Some are born into the flame and others are born into the cold. I can tell from the spirit around you that you were born into the flame. So I expect you to be fierce and stubborn. Just like Oswald Clinton”

“And who’s that supposed to be?”

“A werewolf like us” Chester answered after a deep sigh. “The Cattivo boys tried their best to wolf him out when we were in the eighth grade, but it went wrong”

“What happened?” I asked.

“It’s a long story but I can cut it short”

“Then cut it short”

“Okay, I hear ya. Don’t just eat me before I do” he smiled at his own joke.

“Well where do I start?”

“The beginning eventually. The beginning of the juicy part.” Chester’s head tilted from left to right, thinking of a way to start.

“Oswald wolfed out on a rainy day in the middle of the football pitch. After he did, he began to run. He couldn’t get himself to stop running even though Dante tried holding him in place. But he was sighted by the cops. A minute after, he received a silver bullet in the head” he gestured, pointing to the middle of his head’s fore.

“Oswald was a good kid. And I hated what the Cattivo boys did to him. But before they found his body, he was gone”

“Gone? Who took him?”

“The Cattivo boys” he answered almost immediately. “They explained what happened to Oswald’s parents and they wept. That’s when everything went horrid”

“What happened next?”

“Well, the next day was a full moon so, the men-wolves went nuts. A lot of souls lost their lives that night and chaos struck before dawn. No one had solid proof that any of us did it, although my primary suspects at that time were the Cattivo boys. Night after night came the howling, and with the howling came more destruction. I was lost in a phase by then, so I saw everything happen like a piece of imagination in my bedroom.”

“You locked yourself in your room while others went wild on the streets?” I asked, and he turned towards me with a certain touch of seriousness smoldered on his face.

“Hey, I was born in the silent night okay? It was June 11th and there were no stars or moon. Most of my life I spent it being alone with myself, distant from others and indoors. I could talk to spirits and they could talk to me” I snickered, in sight of him smirk at me.
“I knew you were a ghost” I said.

“Whatever” he turned, taking extreme caution on his bike. “I’m a ghost, you’re a dragon wolf. What difference does it make?” he asked and I sighed, nodding like a lizard to the side of my shoulders as I bit on my bottom lip.

“You know, I tend not to understand your language sometimes. I’m still a fresh blood and I know nothing”

“That’s cool” he said. “I know you have a lot to catch up on, that’s why I offered to take you on tour” managing to sprout a smile on my face while he stared.

I couldn’t tell what he was staring at. Was it the smile? Or the ring on the right side of my nose? Maybe it was mother’s necklace that kept him staring, and I liked that he stared, though I couldn’t allow it seem that way.

“Stop” I uttered with my face forward while we took a left turn.

“”What?” he said. “Am I prohibited from looking at you?”

“It’s weird and I tend to feel un-comfy” Officially, I’d felt the butterflies.

“Your wish is my command your highness” I smiled again with my teeth hidden behind my lips.

“Speaking of unique abilities. It’s like having a distinction from each other for the cause of easy identification or?”

“No” he answered. “It’s more like an ease of the curse. But the way I see it, it’s a curse added on a curse, changing the course of history. We all are descendants of the cursed, last time I checked. It hurts sometimes, not being able to look into the mirror and know what you look like”

The moment he said it, my mind got blown away.

“You don’t know what you look like?”

“I don’t” he replied, and I smiled with my teeth revealed.

“That’s head-on amazing, no offense. I mean if you don’t know how you look then it’s a huge disappointment to you, but a thing of amazement to me. Have you tried taking a picture?” I asked almost joyfully.

“I don’t have a reflection, if that’s what you’re wanting to hear. At least I can do other things”

“Like what? Ride a bike?”

“Is it obvious?” he chuckled

“If you haven’t noticed, you ride like an amateur” He breathed in, stifling a laugh as he kept paddling slowly.

“I actually prefer running to school sometimes. It helps with the adrenaline rush”

“And you don’t get to run away from the Cattivo boys?”

“It’s pointless to run from them. They’ll get you whenever they please. They deem themselves worthy and capable enough to make new born wolves to arise from within. But on the contrary, I shifted months ago. So I just let them beat me in ignorance because eventually I’ll recover. Kinda fun” he said and I could tell how much I found this revelation disturbing.

So all the while, I thought, he made me think he passed through unwanted pain, he made me think he was going through a hard time whereas he was just having fun? Such stupidity in favor of idiocy.

“Fun?” I asked. “That’s odd but, pretty nice and very stupid”

“I find it fun” he repeated, clarifying once more that he was crazy.

“Well I find it stupid of you to find it fun. It’s a good thing you run. I suppose you’re the fastest”

“Yeah, well, not as fast as Maverick or Dante”

“Mateo’s brother?”

“Of course” he answered in sight of the road.
“What’s his deal? He seems to be a student, yet acts a lot like a bona fide dropout. I’ve been here for a while and I’m still yet to see him.”

“It’s not his fault” Chester sighed. “He’s just like you, but this time, a half-bred outsider. His dad was pure born and his mother was a neutral born. I mean human”

“So what happened?” I asked with much enthusiasm, though he didn’t seem like he wanted telling. It was obvious he felt uncomfortable as his once charming smile morphed into a look of stern.

A look of hidden pain.

“I feel for him, you know?” he began. “I connect to his aura and he’s just wonderful and strong. But the moment I saw it, I didn’t want to believe”

“Believe what?” I asked as we turned to the right, crossing the vacant road.

“It’s too much piece of personal information I can’t fill you into. He’ll get angry and probably torment me”

“Just say it” I urged repeatedly. “It’s something I have to know if I’m ever going to cross paths with him”

“He’s meant to tell you himself”

“Oh my God Chester if you knew you’d keep me locked in such suspense you shouldn’t have brought it up in the first place” I blurted, shoving my hands inside my trouser pockets.

“I know” he said, looking deep into my brown eyes before he slowly creased his brows.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. And then he looked away.

“We’ll talk best later” he answered, paddling his bike to the schools’ entrance.

For a moment I was surprised to see that we already arrived school, yet I couldn’t help the thought of what Chester said. For the first time, things began to make sense. Not until he had to act all weird like he saw a monster when he looked at me.

Almost immediately, as I watched Chester walk into the hallway— still mesmerized by his shadow-less nature, I heard a car horn on my right-hand side. It was Mateo and Kez, but no Dante in or around the premises. That was when I inhaled a strong scent behind me, seeming like a mixture of alcoholic wine. Perhaps vinegar.

I turned back slowly to view the outline of the chest pattern of a man face me—rock hard and buff. Then I raised my head up and I saw him. The same guy who jumped off the rooftop the previous day with a big glass bottle in his hand.

Dante Stormborn.

_____________


Dante looked like he was in some sort of pain. He winced while in hold of his left rib cage.

“Welcome to Hells-Ending” he said as I watched him throw the other hand at me— palms wide opened.

“Thanks” I replied, not knowing what to feel or how to react as we shook. His eyes were hazel, and his grip was strong. He closed his eyes almost immediately, contorting his face in a frown.

Was he in pain? I asked myself trying to connect to his reaction, but I couldn’t. Even if I did, they’d be nothing I could do.

“Nice meeting you Trinity.” he said, before he walked towards the schools’ entrance like he only meant to say hi, whereas I knew the conversation could’ve gotten a lot deeper. I scoffed, hoping Dante heard it from the distance. That was the shortest, intriguing introduction I’d ever had in my life, and it was… it was… short?

Keziah stood behind the car signaling for me to come as she shook  her head to the side. I sighed, squeezing my fist on my bags handle before taking fast steps.

__________

“You weren’t home” Kez said as we walked through the hallway. The chatter seemed a bit loud and I cared less about it, or anyone else’s presence.

“I had to walk to school”

“Why?” Kez asked in her concerned tone, making me think twice about my answer.
“I just wanted to know if I could make it to school alone. It’s no big deal”

“Well, are you planning on walking back, because I’m a hundred percent in.”

My lips parted for a little while. “Sure” I said, before the twins came along wearing khakis and matching sweat shirts.

“Hey!!!” exclaimed one on the right side as she hugged Keziah tightly, before jumping on me like I begged for a hug.

“You smell nice” she said. “Almost like Chester”. My eyes bulged.

No one could’ve felt how awkward I felt after she broke the embrace.

“Thanks” I said with a stiffness in my tone. Her twin did same, hugging me tight before kissing me on my cheeks.

“So, I have good news and bad news” uttered the twin who kissed my cheeks.

Trying to identify non-identical twins was one of the hardest things to do. It seemed like walking through a maze and still get stuck in the middle.

“Keren” Kez said, leaving me shocked at how she could tell who was who. “Its always the good news that comes first”

“Well…” Keren stressed “The good news is our parents are out of town for a couple of days”

“And?” asked Kez with a hooked interest. But before she answered, the Cattivo boys marched in, halting beside us.

They locked eyes with the twins, and I knew they spoke with their minds. It was obvious. Keren had rolled her eyes at the supposed leader of the Cattivo boys, and he stood with narrowed eyes at her.

“6:00 pm sharp!” He said, right before he turned to me. “You smell like Chester”

“Courtesy of a good soul to another” I replied.

“I’m Matt” he said, giving me a hand. I didn’t know what to do. Should I shake him? Should I ignore him?

“Trinity” I replied, as I shook his coarse-like hand. His palm literally felt like the surface of rocks.

“I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of things about us”

“No, not at all. Just a few things I was opportune to witness”

“I’m grateful for the opportunity as well as you dear. Behind me are my boys. Boys say hi to the new wolf” he turned his face to the left, and they waved in hi’s and hey’s.

“On my left is McClay, to my right is Mason” he turned back in sight of one of his mate. The one who had lots of mascara smoldered on his poor brows. He chewed a bubblegum with less care about everything going on.

“That’s Kenzie” and I thought to myself. “ Isn’t that a lady’s name?

“Yeah” Matt said “She’s such a sweet heart” then I lost it. I completely thought they were all men. Maybe it was because of the uniforms they all wore without changing.
Black leather jackets with matching leather pants. Their boots were all black, and I couldn’t identify which gender was which.

“Cool” I nodded before they left.

This day felt a lot like my first day in school, somewhere different from Lycan-High.

“They’ve found you worthy enough” one of the twin uttered. This time I was sure it wasn’t Keren. It was Kathy.

“Worthy of what?” I asked.

“Their space” she answered. “Anyways, we’ll meet you both at our place. 5:00 pm sharp, I need your assistance for fixing up the party”

“No way, I don’t do parties” I said, but they didn’t seem to care. “I’m the Grinch of every party”

“Then we’ll be glad to have you over sweetheart”. Kathy smiled, hugging us both before walking up alongside Keren.

“You see!” Keziah exclaimed with a soft tone. “They all adore you”

“Yeah, no shit” I soliloquized as the bell rang, reminding me I ought not to be late for English class.

On arrival, the class was filled.

Midway the class was a vacant desk, and to the left was Chester, writing down on his notebook. I took my place beside him and exhaled. He didn’t turn towards me, neither did I think he acknowledged my presence. So I folded my arms above the desk, looking at him write.

“Hey” I said, and he turned.

“Hi” he replied, before he resumed writing. He seemed different from earlier.

“What are you writing?” I asked, and he winced, just before the Cattivo boys happened.

McClay and Mason stood beside him, holding his arms, leaving him completely defenseless, and Matt picked up the book Chester wrote in, and then he walked to the class’s front.

It pained me that Chester couldn’t fight for himself. He was completely outnumbered by them, and I saw the shame plastered on his face as he looked down. His hair fell and his eyes closed tight, before Matt began to read what he wrote, displaying his wit in histrionics.

“She could be the end, and the beginning. The Alpha of us all. She could be the true born of the promise, though cursed with the sole purpose of fighting the dark one who comes with the darkness. She could be the seer_”

“Stop!” Chester yelled out as his face vibrated. His teeth gnashed and his eyes raised in sight of Matt.

This was the first time I saw his rage. His black eyes soon turned grey, and his jaws clenched tight, pulling both McClay and Mason while they tried to keep up.

Matt looked towards Chester, seeming happy yet surprised. His eyes bulged and his mouth opened in a small circle.

I couldn’t explain exactly what happened to Chester, but his body size seemed to increase tentatively, causing his shirt to rip off. He began breathing fast and his mouth opened in a roar, revealing four set of fangs on both upper and lower mandibles (two on each canine).

His fingers bled, and I watched claws sprout out from his nails alongside grey hair, of which I wondered where they came from, grow on the side of his face. I was unsure of who he was, though he morphed almost exact like the lady I saw in my dreams.

His face squeezed, seeming hard and compressed, having both McClay and Mason release him from their grip after he’d swung them towards the white board.

“Chester” I whispered. His eyes closed before he turned to the left.

He walked forward, taking his book from Matt in a growl, before doing the stupidest thing ever. His body took form to normalcy, revealing parts of his body shown through the ripped clothes. And then he jumped out the window.

I could’ve checked to see if he was hurt. I could’ve walked out the class, yet I didn’t. I didn’t want to raise suspicion or give any impression to anyone, especially the Cattivo boys.

It took a while before I heard him land on the floor. I looked at Matt in the eye and my body, I could tell, heated up. Was it rage or something else? I didn’t know. But his face irritated me, and I wanted him to know pain in the worst of ways.

“Go take your seat Matt” the teacher uttered, walking in with a black ink. “I’m sorry I’m late” he added “We had a meeting with the board of directors. Now, what was our last topic?” he asked, and I didn’t pay attention. My eyes gazed upon the window Chester had jumped out from.

What the hell did he write? I asked myself. What did he mean by she could be the end of us all? The true born of the promise? What promise? And what was the thing he said about the Alpha?

I began thinking on the vague things he said. The thing about the dark one that came along with the darkness.

“Everyone” uttered the teacher in his tanned suit. “Eyes on the board” and I turned as instructed.

I could not wait for the class to be over so I could meet with Chester. I needed to know what he meant by everything he wrote down in his note. I needed clarity; else my mind would keep swirling in circles. I had to fix the conundrum and match the pieces together, and I had to teach the Cattivo boys a lesson they wouldn’t forget in a hundred years to come.