Beau
Everyone immediately falls silent, the piercing eyes stabbed at the back of my neck. Mr. Santifelon, being the size of a giant, wasn’t fazed by it. But I struggle to keep my body still, a mere flee compared to him.
Suddenly, his face softens to a fatherly, soothing look. Did he realize my father is the school’s principal, and needed to stay docile? Or did he see how my body looked and pitied me like everyone else does?
He bowed before me like a prince. I was a princess that he needed to delicately handle in his eyes. Holding in a rude remark, I open my mouth to speak. Hoping that my voice doesn’t come out as a shaken mess.
“Nice to meet you,” he said with a deep but soft voice. He lets out his hand for a handshake but decides to pull it back. “Would you be ever so kind to join me in the hallway to talk?”
He is treating me like a princess.
“I- Of course!” I mentally wince. I broke my promise of talking flawlessly I knew I wouldn’t keep.
The class gets into a gossiping frenzy when the door closes. I’m now the center of attention and it’s exactly how I’ve imagined.
Terrifying.
A deep pit forms in my stomach. I know that beasts are going to t talk about me for the rest of the day. And it’s all because of this frightening lion that my mind can’t help but be curious about.
As I walk beside him, I look up at his massive figure. His face isn’t as menacing as before His thrilled smile and faint purr make me forget how big he is. How sharp his fangs and claws are. Big cats are just like domestic ones, aren’t they?
He cleared his throat to catch my attention. My ears shoot up automatically, alert and ready as if I’m in flight or fight. My body isn’t ashamed of showing what emotions it’s feeling. It wants to be as clear as possible.
“What did you want to talk to me about, Mr. Santifelon?” I asked with a shaky voice, praying he didn’t notice.
“Beau, you are an interesting beast,” he looked me up and down. “I’ve never seen a beast like you, tell me, how difficult is your life?”
I couldn’t stop my ears from lowering. All in a mix of embarrassment, discomfort, and anger. I know I’m different just by how other beasts look at me. Like I’m deformed. But for him to ask such a question… It makes me want to shut his pompous snout.
“Oh, it’s…” I inhale, treading away from his heeding gaze to hide a glare. “…hard.”
I look up at him, my mind screaming to insult him as if he isn’t the superintendent. Fortunately, I know how to control my temper. His concerned gaze. That curious expression. I can’t get it out of my head. That question pissed me off, but I can feel my anger slowly fading.
“Any beast I ask to make friends with agrees out of pity, Mr. Santifelon,” I sigh. “It isn’t a real friendship. I can’t go out alone; I’m terrified.”
“How interesting. A beast like myself can’t relate to someone like you,” he gives me a gentle smile. “And, please, call me Leo.”
I look at him with a blank stare. Call him by his first name. Something incredibly disrespectful, and he offers me to do it? A feeling in my gut rises the fur on my neck. I can’t place my paw on it, yet I should consider it.
“Okay, Leo,” I obeyed, his name feeling weird in my mouth.
He nodded and smiled. Everywhere I’ve heard what other beasts call him. He doesn’t take any disrespect. Expects every student to be perfect in behavior. If that were true, he’d probably yell at me so much for stuttering and breaking eye contact. But he doesn’t. Maybe beasts exaggerated the rumors?
Something is telling me not to let this go. If only that something told me why.
“Let me share about myself. I’m Leo Santifelon, I live alone…”
I hear him ramble on about his life. His father wanted him to be an army sergeant. He wasn’t a good beast, so he cut ties with him completely. His dark, sad childhood makes me connect with him somehow.
The world shunned him. He fears the outside world. He longs for a different life. Away from a strong masculinity and into a simple life. This giant, vicious beast is a delicate flower.
“Beau,” he takes a deep breath. “You look identical to my dearest. We regrettably drifted apart.”
Figuring out what ‘dearest’ meant, that gut feeling came back again even stronger. It was such a weird question for someone like him to say to someone like me. I push it away, putting it deep inside my head. I’m not letting my paranoia bother me this time.
“Oh, is that so? How… coincidental.”
“Yes… but let us push the sadness away,” his eyes constrict. “I need to know things that are very important.”
“…Important?”
“Beau, do you know how to defend yourself?”
My heart gets caught in my throat.
“Are you and your father the only beasts in your house?”
My heart races.
“Are your doors locked?”
I need to get away from him.
I feel like I’m going to suffocate if I stay any longer. With this insane beast. My eyes dart around the hallway. The gray, tiled floors—painted white walls— My classroom door.
“Mr. Santifelon—”
“Leo, please.”
“Sorry, Leo, I really need to go back to class. I wouldn’t like to miss any work…”
He looks at me with a curious expression. I pray that he takes my obvious excuse.
“Alright, then,” he says with a disappointed tone.
After giving an insincere wave, I walk to class in a haste. What was that? How could he ask me such a thing? Changing so quickly. My father’s words echo in my head, mocking me. No matter how kind they seem, any beast can change in a moment.
But that pity feeling comes back up again. He doesn’t know how to communicate so well. He lives alone, lovesick, and lonely. Maybe asking such questions is normal for felidae?
I shake the thoughts away, trying to bring up the courage to walk into class. The thought of the whole class turning their heads to look at me makes me sick. I closed my eyes so tight like my life depended on it, and walked inside. The overwhelming silence hit my ears, making me quickly go to my seat and put my head down.
I’m going to meet Mr. Santifelon again. The thought lingers in my mind. It will be soon.
***
♧ 14 : 47 ♧
My ears flatten as a group of idiots yell and hauler. It’s always chaotic on the way home on the bus, but it being the last day makes it a bullfight.
“What did you guys do?” Duko’s voice sounded beside me, making me remember he was there. “They didn’t make us do much, so we just fetched with a ball; best period of my life.”
“Nothing.”
“…Alright.”
Even though I wasn’t looking at him, I could tell he was looking at me with a suspicious gaze. I know how he’s feeling just by looking at him. He’s starting to figure that out with me. He’s unfortunately getting good at it.
I didn’t usually numbly lay my head on the vibrating window. I was watching the scenery with such a depressive expression and tone.
“So… have you thought about hanging out?”
My eyes widen as my terrors come back to haunt me. It escaped my mind ever since my encounter with Mr. Santifelon, and I wish I didn’t. I could’ve spent all day brainstorming my response.
I can’t seem to form a coherent sentence, let alone a word. It feels like I’m in a court, pressured to admit a disgusting, appalling crime I committed. My crime is being a paranoid cub and a bad friend.
I can’t run from this forever.
“I’m sorry, Duko, but I can’t,” I look down, not having the courage to look him in the eyes. “It’s just too dangerous for someone like me to be around—”
“My family? Me?”
“Why would I be afraid of you?” I accidentally retort in a rude tone.
“Okay, I’m sorry,” his ears flatten. “I’m not going to force you to do anything. I just want to know why.”
“Why what?”
“I understand about my family, you’ve never met them, but me? I’ve known you for years. You know me. I don’t understand why you’re so wary around me.”
I hesitate. It feels like something is stuck in my throat that isn’t allowing me to speak. I avert his gaze, not wanting to look at him.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be asking you to answer something that makes you uncomfortable—”
“I’m becoming paranoid around you,” I confess. “Worried that something or me will cause you to snap. And…”
“…I’ll devour you?”
“Yes.”
We both sit in silence. My head hung low and gazed to the floor. No matter how hard I try, I can’t convince myself that he won’t do such a thing. I know he wouldn’t, but the thought nags at me. My quickened heartbeat and breathing convince me that he will.
“I understand. It’s not like there isn’t a slight chance. We canidae can get a little too hyper and not realize we’re ripping someone apart. Something similar happened to my—”
“I know you wouldn’t do that!” I try to reassure him, clawing at my stupid thoughts.
“Yeah. But if not coming will keep you at peace, don’t come. I don’t want to make you do something you’re afraid of.”
“…Thank you.”
I’m a horrible beast.
We get to my stop and I step off. I wave goodbye to Duko, a bright smile on my face. Of course, he waves back.
I arrive at my house, the familiar scenery hitting me with a wave of tiredness. I’ve been wanting to go home all day and and let my drowsiness drown me in a comforting, warm pool.
“Oh, teddy bear!” My father’s call of my embarrassing nickname makes me flinch. “I have to run some errands; gotta stock up on snacks, eh?”
“…You’re leaving me alone?”
“Oh, just for a little while,” he holds my hand to reassure me. “Don’t open the door for anyone, alright?”
I nod, a bit worried there will be a possibility of a break-in. My father’s giant figure doesn’t give anyone the thought to mess with us.
I wave goodbye as he drives off, walking inside my house. The second I get into my bed, I fall and close my eyes. The darkness takes me into its comforting hold.
***
I wake up in a haze, the light from the moonlight shining against my floor. The sound of the snow falling hit my ears. A soft snowstorm may come soon, and I pray my father comes before it starts.
Hit with hunger, I drag myself down the stairs and into the darkness of my kitchen. It is eerie, but I remind myself that I am in no danger.
The cabinet has fruits that we rarely eat.
The fridge has sodas and a single bottle of water. Not nearly enough to clench my thirst. But it will have to do.
Opening it to take a sip, my nose twitches.
Something isn’t right here.
A new smell has filled my nostrils. It isn’t food. It is familiar but distant in memory. And it’s becoming easier to track because of how closer it is getting.
Traces of fur tracks on the floor. It’s a sandy hue. It smells nothing like a bear. It couldn’t have come from my father.
Someone is in here.
I hurry to the phone, going to call for help. But shock makes me drop everything and fall to my knees in terror.
A tall, broad figure stands in the hallway. Tracks of melted snow scatter across the floor. It stares at me. It wants me. It’s going to get me.
I wish I listened to that something.
Points: 38
Reviews: 10
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