“Are you sure you want to do this?” William looking at his son as his car sits idling outside the school parking lot. “It’s okay if you want to head home instead.”
“Then fat piggy wins,” Eric responding as he gets out of the car; “despite that his career as a teacher is done, I’m not going to let him get the satisfaction of seeing me cower at home.”
“Fat Piggy,” William looking at his son questioningly.
“It’s the nick name that every student calls Jeff Wilson,” Eric smiling; “it’s how well loathed the were-pig is here.”
William looks at his bandaged son with an unamused look about him; making it clear to Eric that he disapproved of the moniker.
“Since its Wednesday and I have no classes to teach,” William pausing; “I’ll wait here and pick you up when done. If you see Nate about, tell him as well.”
“I have two classes left,” Eric looking at the time on his phone; “what are you going to do until then?”
“I’ll read some Poe,” William grabbing a book out of the glove compartment; its author Edgar Allan Poe. An American author famous for his dark and brooding short stories; several turned into moderately successful movies for the silver screen.
“Is this something for the class you teach at the college,” Eric looking at his father.
“It could be one day,” William pursuing the book; “right now though I’m still teaching Shakespeare and how his plays have influenced society, and the way it helped shaped the English language.”
“Sounds boring,” Eric answering; yet before William could respond a bell could be heard signaling the end of class. Got to go,” Eric rushing into the school; “see you in a few hours.”
********
It wasn’t long, wading through a throng of students to his locker, when Eric was waylaid by a happy shriek and a red streak of red hair.
“ERIC your back!”
“Frieda,” Eric looking surprised; “where did you come from?”
“Just around the corner; where I had my previous class,” Frieda happily answering. “Somehow I sensed you were nearby as class ended,” Frieda continuing to speak; “I imagine Spencer knows as well.”
“I can see that,” Eric watching his other girlfriend barrel on through the crowded hallway; making a beeline for him and Frieda.
“Eric! Your back from the hospital,” Spencer embracing the boy with his nose bandaged up.
“I’m not going to miss school over a punch,” Eric responding; “least of all from fat piggy.”
“Nerd,” Spencer grinning; “come on we are all heading to the lake. Let’s use this as an excuse to ditch the last few classes.”
“My dad is waiting for me outside,” Eric stopping Spencer from dragging him away; “best not to let him see us cutting class. Plus I have a feeling you want to do more than just a stroll around the lake.”
“The library then,” Frieda also sensing Spencer’s arousal; “let’s wait until Eric’s nose is healed before jumping his bones.”
“Frieda and I could jump each other’s bones,” Spencer responding slyly; “make Eric watch.”
“Not in the library,” Frieda smirking in response; “now let’s go before our teacher’s catch us.”
“Can we swing by the vending machines first,” Eric’s stomach rumbling; “in all the excitement of having my nose broken, I forgot to have lunch.”
*******
After raiding the vending machines for chips and sodas, the three found a quiet corner in the library. Alone and surrounded by book cases, Eric began describing how the doctor reset his broken nose.
“First the doctor gave me a shot to numb the pain,” Eric cracking open a bag of chips and munching on a few; “then he had me shift from my were-panther form.”
“A shot of what,” Spencer curious as to what Eric was given.
“Demerol,” Eric answering; “it made me feel numb. No sensation what so ever,” Eric adding; “even when shifting, I couldn't feel anything. It felt weird.”
“I’ll say,” Frieda stealing a few chips for herself; “I was listening to my teacher during my fourth period class when all of a sudden I felt the world was spinning. Spencer and I suspected it had something to do with what you were given.”
“We were surprised that we felt it,” Spenser adding; “what with the distance between us.”
“Well that is weird,” Eric pausing from grabbing another chip; “could this have anything to do with our bond?”
“Bond?”
The three look up to see three boys of seventeen walking towards them. While Eric was unable to pick up their scent thanks to his broken nose, he knew who they were and growled menacingly.
“Piss off you idiots,” Eric uttering through his growls; “I warned you yesterday that I wasn’t going to be intimidated by the likes of you.”
“And I told you,” Rex glaring back at Eric; “that we weren’t finish…”
“Back off,” Frieda growling at the were-elephant; “lest you want to feel my father’s wrath.”
“Shut it bitch,” Rex scoffing at Frieda; “my beef isn’t with you. It’s with your boy toy here.”
“You have a problem with one of us,” Spencer getting up; “then you have a problem with all of us.”
Harry and Larry who were a few steps behind their leader watch nervously as the girl before them approaches Rex. Showing no fear as she stares at the boy; daring him to make the first move.
“And what do you intend to do,” Rex looking at the girl before him; smirking as he tries to stare her down.
Spencer doesn’t answer; instead she smiles as she moves very quickly. Striking Rex in the solar plexus, causing the male to gasp for breath; following up with the initial punch, Spencer kicks Rex in the knee cap causing him loose his footing. At this moment, Harry and Larry spring into action; both trying to grab Spencer, Spencer sees them and easily steps back allowing the two to smash in to each other.
Frieda and Eric jump from their seats, just as Rex manages to stand back up; Seeing the were-elephant enraged, both get behind Spencer as she adopts a defensive fighting stance; ready to utilize the fighting techniques her father taught her if needed.
“By all means,” Spencer looking serious; “try and get past me.”
“I’m not going to get past you,” Rex seething; “I’m going to gore you!”
“Do so at your own peril!”
Rex pauses as the voice that spoke behind him was an adult. Turning around to see the principal with his arms cross and looking unimpressed with the teenager before him.
“Unless you want to face expulsion,” Principal Andrews looking at the three were-elephants; “I suggest you refrain from carrying out your threat. And to ensure you don’t try after school,” Principal Andrews watching the anger fade into fear from the three bullying teens; “detention for the three of you.”
“Ha,” Spencer smiling.
“Unless you want one as well,” Principal Andrews looking at Spencer; “I suggest you head to class. That includes you Frieda.”
“We’ll talk more after school,” Frieda looking at Eric; walking past the three were-elephants, she sticks out her tongue at them.
“You as well Spencer,” Principal Andrews glaring; “now!”
“I’m going.” Spencer eyeing Rex and making a not so subtle gesture at him; “will talk after school Eric.”
“You three head to detention now,” Principal Andrews looking at Rex, Harry and Larry; making sure that they leave the library before looking at Eric. “I’m surprised to see you back after what happened this morning.”
“I’m fine,” Eric answering; “how did you know I was here?”
“I saw your father’s car out in the parking lot,” Principal Andrews looking at the table Eric was sitting at; seeing it full of ships and soda, making him sigh. “I take it you never had lunch?”
“It was the furthest thing on my mind when I was at the hospital,” Eric answering; “but yeah I never had anything to eat since breakfast.”
“Then go home,” Principal Andrews answering; “chips and pop is not sustenance for a growing boy.”
“But my dad is waiting for my brother as well,” Eric answering.
“Come with me then,” Principal Andrews leading Eric out of the library; “I was going to get you brother to bring home the school work you missed today. Instead I’ll just give it to you instead, just tell you father I’m dismissing you from school for the day.
“But,” Eric trying to speak but getting cut off.
“Your brother Nate can seek an alternate means in getting home,” Principal Andrews recalling the Shelby Cobra that whipped into the school parking lot earlier this morning. Watching Nate slowly getting out of the classic car and watching it drive off like a bat out of hell.
‘I just hope that driver doesn’t do anything crazy with all the students hanging about at last bell,’ Principal Andrews thinking to himself.