Spoiler
Bolded text- Liyam's writing.
Bolded and Italicized text- Maxim's writing.
Bolded and Italicized text- Maxim's writing.
“Yeah. See you around.” I mumbled to her, but really to myself. Next- gym.
I wonder why Maxim came in the middle of the school year. She probably moved, but now? It’s January. A weird time to move to a rural town in Pennsylvania, that was miles from Cambridge. Well, anytime is a weird time to move to Bedford, Pennsylvania and go to little Bedford High School.
“What do you know? Maybe we have the same schedule!” A voice cried out. Maxim. Of course. Who else would it be?
“Yea. Maybe.” I mumbled. She was like a burr in my sock. Or a puppy, constantly following me around. I glanced over at her. She was wearing rather… scandalous gym clothes. Her pants stopped at the thighs, barely covering her. The shirt exposed up to her belly button.
“They’re Candi’s.” She explained with a small blush. I shrugged. “I wonder how she stays so skinny!”
“Rumor has it that she’s anorexic.” I replied.
“Rumor has it you and Maxim are a thing.” A cold, hostile voice said from behind me. I turned to see Candi, with blonde hair a tad below the shoulders and cold, ocean blue eyes.
“Rumor has it that you and Joshua are going out. How long, Candi?” I asked her innocently. “Oh, and rumor has it you should stay out of my business. I was talking to Maxim.”
“So it’s true!” she exclaimed. Out of the blue, I took a step towards her so I could punch her across the face.
But for some reason, she smelled intoxicating.
In a good way, I guess. It smelled like fresh cut grass and chocolate ice-cream. Just amazing. I took an uncertain step backwards. Candi took advantage of this, stepping forwards.
“Get away.” Maxim said, stepping towards Candi. She didn’t back down.
“You, go away. We don’t want anyone to get hurt… do we?” She challenged. Maxim, her courageous spurt over, obeyed.
But it was enough for me to recover. That was, until a strong wind gusted towards me from Maxim’s direction. She, though, smelled like limes and lemons, with a hint or orange. Tropical, almost. Maybe a flower in there…?
“Liyam? Are you alright?” She asked. “You’re eyes are a bit hazy.” I felt like I wanted something, but I didn’t know what. More than anything I’ve ever wanted.
“I- I have to go. Now.” I said simply, before just leaving. The field we were in was small, I could probably get to the other side in a few minutes.
I set off at a dead-out run. I was at the end of the field quickly, before easily climbing a tree.
“Liyam?! Can I ask you a simple question? What the hell is your problem?” Maxim demanded, breathing heavily.
“I need to be alone.” I insisted.
“I’m not about to just leave you.”
“Go away! Now!” I yelled. Somehow, I could still smell her. What was this?
“No. You have to tell me what is going on.”
“No! You’re not special, Maxim. I hate you! I only attacked Joshua because I wanted to beat him up, nothing for you! Just go away!” She hesitated. “NOW!” She slowly climbed from the huge oak tree, tears slowly leaking from her eyes. Dang, why do I hate to see her like that? I only knew her for hours… and yet it seems like I’ve known her since I was 2. Sniffling, she walked a few feet from the tree, before some boys gathered around me. It seems they didn’t see me.
“Hey, chick. You new here?”
“Just- I have to go.” She replied. I could as well as smell her fear.
“Why you going so fast, pretty thing?” The evident leader asked, lifting her chin. He smiled maliciously.
I low growl ripped from my throat. A growl? That’s strange. I should have cursed them out and beat them up, but, you know, too late.
They glanced around, but didn’t look up to find me. Good.
“Well, we don’t we hook up for a second?” He asked. It settled in me what his purposes were. He was going to- no. I wouldn’t let him. I growled again, louder. I couldn’t control myself, growling like a dog. I was leaning in the tree, but I quickly dropped to all fours, ready to pounce.
“Don’t touch her.” I threatened. That’s when they looked up to see me in the tree.
“Who are you?” He asked.
“He’s that Liyam dude who tortures the other kids.”
“Well, that’s nice. I haven’t beaten up a bully in a while.”
“Don’t dare get close to her.” I threatened. “I’ll rip your throat out.”
He smiled evilly, before putting a hand on her waist. Stupid Maxim, afraid of both of us, didn’t do anything.
Anger welled up, boiling inside of me. I couldn’t control myself. I jumped from the tree. Mid-jump, my clothes ripped. Fur began to replace it. Brown fur- brown bear fur. Claws grew in, along with sharp teeth. Freaked out, they began to run.
Even though I had no idea what I was, or what to do, I began to run. The chase. Now, bears aren’t the fastest beasts on the world, but dang, they’re strong. Besides, the boys weren’t fast, anyways. I quickly grabbed one boy’s leg and slammed him to the ground.
He yelped something that I couldn’t understand- something like "Hepin wogisew ied!". The boys replied in the same language. Maxim’s voice screamed a word I didn’t know either. But it attracted my attention. I perked my head up, the boy scrambling away from me. I growled, but didn’t follow. Instead, I lumbered over to Maxim.
I was literally a real, adult-sized bear. Maxim was just around my height.
“Liafeg?” She asked. I cocked my head, curious. She repeated the word-Liafeg. What does that mean?! I had never heard a word like that. “Liafeg hegea thaek afih sfuh!” She yelped. For the life of me, I could not gather a word of sense from her. Suddenly, her arms draped around me, hugging me. That I understood.
“Hello, Maxim.” I replied.
She returned the puzzled look.
“Hefa hraf aecr ecfski!” She exclaimed. She saw my baffled, hazy glare. Using a stick, she scratched something in the dirt- Do you understand me?
I shook my head violently. Using my claw, I scratched something in turn- Do you understand me? I asked her.
No, She replied. What are you, Liyam?
A bear, obviously.
Should I be scared? She asked me.
I thought long, before replying.
Yes.
