Young Writers Society

This will make no sense to anyone who hasn't read Racing Wind and possibly Chasing Shadows so just turn back now.

Ella, this is as much as I'm gonna give you till it's all edited. It's the first chapter or so of the third book.

Enjoy and stop nagging me about it.

I looked into his deep chocolate brown eyes, letting a hand brush his cheek while he played demurely with my hair. It had darkened since Seth left, an almost auburn red that curled in the summer. Keith said it was because of Seth’s shield, how now I was unprotected my body was free to undertake the changes it had been barred from the last two years. My hips had widened into a curvy figure and the last inch separating me and Quin was shortening by the day. Quin’s face was slightly broader, with more defined cheek bones and a stronger nose. His hair was much the same since I’d met him, only longer and scrapped together in tufts on his forehead. Yet I barely noticed him change, to me Quin was how he always was. To me Quin was that same sixteen year old I’d seen in the canteen submersed in a book; to me, Quin was timeless.

Chapter One

It was his eighteenth birthday next week, it was so cereal. Quin and I, adults? It seemed only weeks ago that I was shifting for the first time, sharing first kisses and larking around in French with Sophie. To be considered, an adult, fully responsible and liable for my actions seemed to of hit me in the last few days. Tarragon was a school, and schools where for Children not for Adults, after the 21st of March when Quin would receive his ID and drivers license, and we would have to leave.

It wasn’t as If I had to go with him, I could stay the next six months until I too turned eighteen but the idea of leaving Quin was a daunting prospect I wasn’t prepared to accept. Keith didn’t even think of asking us to leave separately, he knew how close we had become in the last few years. There was another shape shifter in TD now, a small girl with shy eyes named Laurel. I was shocked to see a new face, Tarragon numbers had dwindled since my arrival and only occasionally someone new was brought in. She must be about twelve, judging by her height and small elf like face and features. Keith didn’t know what to do with her in TD, he was meant to supervise her shifting but she never shifted in front of him, it was silent battle of wills. She sat in the corner, on the very same beanbag I used to catnap on, and read, quietly but resiliently submersed in her book. Lily had even attempted to talk to her, but Laurel just nodded absent minded and glanced longingly out the window. I wasn’t even sure she was a shifter, no one managed to go that long without changing, it was unbearable. Yet Mrs Herbert was certain of her vision, and no one ever doubted Miss Herbert.

Quin stirred beside me and I decided it was about time he woke up too. I leant down at planted a kiss squarely on his lips. His eyes opened instantly and he laughed against my lips, relaxing into the kiss.

“That’s definitely better than an alarm” he murmured, tightening his grip on my waist.

I pulled the duvet right up over our heads, so we were concealed from the rest of the dorm in a little cocoon. When I was sure we were hidden from any early risers I sunk back into his lips, laughing as he rolled me onto my side. It was a wonderfully small bunk bed, so I could snuggle right into Quin. It was so natural how his body seemed to fit around mine, like I was just one part of a jigsaw puzzle and he was the other.

“Early morning run?” I whispered, breaking for air.

Quin smiled “Sure, just need a shower first” he paused a devilish grin playing on his lips “Care to join me?”

I pushed him out of the bed “Get out, we aren’t alone you know”

He winked at me and I threw a towel at him “It was worth a try” he chimed in, heading for the bathroom.

“You better run, cause next time it’ll be a brick” I called but the shower was already running and drowning out any other sounds.

Grumbling, I eased myself gently out of bed and picked up a few clothes that lay scattered on the floor. A photo fell out of one of the pockets and I picked it up, smiling. It was of Quin, Me and Sophie at the prom last year, before everything went so wrong. Quin had his cheek pressed against mine and was grinning wildly, I had one hand clasped in his and the other was pulling Sophie into the picture. Her mouth was curved upwards into a smile but it was clearly forced. The prom had been six months since Matt had left for Africa and she was still awaiting a letter from him. Her hair was still colourful as always though, sparkled with electric blue highlights. She rarely ever dyed her hair now, keeping it a continuous black that looked all too plain for Sophie. Even her tattoos, which she prided herself so much on, where just faded marks on her skin. Eventually Matt did send a letter, but it was to Quin not Sophie. She’d tried to keep it together, to convince herself that hers had just got lost in the mail but I don’t think she was fooling anyone, let alone herself.

It scared the hell out of me, how a relationship as strong as theirs could simply evaporate into nothing. They were going to get married, have lots of talented little Sophie Matt babies and live happily ever after, they’d half joked about it many times before. And yet, he just left her. I almost felt sick at the thought of it, it was sick.

Shaking my head I laid the photo back on my desk and pulled my old white running top over my bra, it was probably the scruffiest piece of clothing I owned but it smelled of Quin and the woods. It was comforting.

Keisha glanced over at me from the duvet and let out a loud huff, I rolled my eyes. Omar hadn’t checked our dorms nearly as regularly, so Quin had been sleeping here for over a fortnight. It was bliss having a warm body against my own, despite her sulks.

Quin came out of the bathroom in an equally pair of scruffy jeans. His hair was dark and dripping with moisture, I licked my lips inappropriately and he burst out laughing.

“Shh, you’ll wake the others” I whispered, biting my lip as Darrel mumbled something in his sleep.

Quin stuck his tongue out at me before pulling me up from the covers and dragging me down the stairs. Once we were clear of the bedrooms he swept me into a kiss.

“All day for just us” he whispered as our lips parted.

“Just us” I mumbled, too distracted by his warm lips to form a complete sentence.

The morning air was cold and crisp, misting over Tarragon like shower steam. Quin rubbed his hands down my back, now sprouted with yellow fur, sighing at the landscape that lay before us.

“I just can’t see why you want to leave” he sighed, his eyes fixated forwards. I looked ahead, titling my head to the side. All I could see was muddy hills and grey ocean. As far as I was concerned Tarragon was drab and boring; I wanted change, colour.

Quin took another deep breath and closed his eyes, and I suddenly felt uneasy. He was so calm, tranquil and I felt like an intruder in his deep spiritual moment. I scowled and shrugged off his hand. I hated that he made me feel so guilty. I knew it wasn’t his fault, he just happened to love Tarragon, the only problem was that I didn’t. But he wasn’t staying, he had made the ultimate sacrifice for me and it made me feel shit about because I couldn’t do the same for him.

“You don’t have to get tetchy” frowned Quin

I looked up at him wordlessly, titling my ears downward in a way that says I really don’t care. The only thing is Quin has seen this look many times before and now knows what it means.

“Fine then.” He leapt into the air and shifted, flying up to a nearby branch childishly. I let out small low whine; this wasn’t how it was suppose to be, this was our day, just ours. Why wasn’t it working?

Can’t you just get that I’m gonna miss this place?

I looked up at the branch to see his eagle form staring down at me. Of course I got it, I hated it. I was tearing him up because of my own selfishness.

Aww no, Heather I didn’t mean it like that. Just forget it okay, this is our day.

Our day, I thought the words over and over again until they seemed real.