of her shift happened in her mind, and so when she returned to human
form, it was exactly how she’d left it. She’d always been entertained by
descriptions of shifters in stories showing them as naked when they turned back
to human, thankful that that wasn’t how it worked.
“That was
stretching it a bit, don’t you think?” Griffin called out the second she walked
in the door. So he had been watching.
“If you don’t
want me to block you from reading my mind completely, I suggest you keep your
nose out of my business and have a little faith,” she replied using the fake voice
she knew drove her brother nuts. She found him in his room reading a book. She
paused in the doorway, leaning against the frame. “I stuck to the plan.”
He grunted and
narrowed his eyes.
“I’m going to
get some homework done, and then I’m going to sleep,” Ellie continued, too
tired to argue. She knew he didn’t approve of her decision to come here,
despite his agreeing to help her. In Ellie’s mind it was too important to pass
up this chance. More important than keeping the peace with her twin.
The next
morning at five-thirty on the dot, Alex pulled into the parking space beside
Ellie’s car.
Ellie didn’t
need Griffin’s mind reading ability to know that the bleary-eyed, I’m-so-tired
routine Alex gave her was a pretense. He was Svatura after all. He needed just
as little sleep as she did. But she grinned and played along.
“Come on, sleepyhead.”
She grabbed his sleeve, careful not to touch him directly, and pulled him on to
the path. “Time to wake up and get moving.”
They both
started jogging. Alex adjusted his pace to stay beside Ellie.
“So do you
compete in track at school?” Alex asked after a few minutes of comfortable
silence while they jogged.
“Nah.”
“Do you
participate in any extracurricular activities?” he prodded.
“Not yet. I’ve
only been at this school a little while,” she reminded him.
“Well, what
about at your previous school?”
“Yeah, a few,”
she answered.
Alex chuckled.
“There’s that vagueness again.”
“Ugh. Sorry!”
Ellie snagged a loose lock of hair and tucked it behind her ear. “I mostly
participated in academic extracurricular activities like scholastic
competitions and language clubs.”
“Ah! So you’re
a brainiac rather than a jock?”
“Not really.”
“Because…?”
Alex prompted after a lengthy pause.
“Mostly
because we move so much. It’s easier to get into academic activities because
the seasons for athletic activities are very specific, and I’d frequently miss
try outs.”
“You move a
lot, huh?” Alex almost sounded disappointed at that news, but glancing at his
face Ellie could only see mild curiosity and so dismissed that thought as
wishful thinking.
“Yeah, family
reasons.” Ellie shrugged.
Alex cocked an
eyebrow at her, mouthing, “ Vague .” Ellie responded by wrinkling her
nose at him.
“What about
you? Law intern, huh? You must be some sort of brainiac yourself.”
“Nah,” Alex
shrugged modestly. “I just worked really hard in school. I plan to go into
environmental law like my dad.”
“Any sports?”
“Not really.
Like you, we’ve moved around a lot. You know… family reasons.” Alex winked.
Ellie just
pursed her lips and shook her head at him.
They chatted
easily the rest of their run, and eventually made their way around the lake,
arriving back at the point where they started. As they leaned against their
cars to stretch out their muscles Alex said, “Breakfast?”
“Sorry. Can’t.
I have some more studying to do for class.” Ellie lied.
“Maybe
tomorrow, then,” he said, trying not to appear disappointed.
Ellie’s heart
rate picked up and she smothered a dorky grin. “Sure.”
“Same time and
place?”
Ellie nodded.
“See you here.”
They hopped in
their cars and with a wave, both drove away.
*****
Alex headed
home from his run with Ellie with mixed
form, it was exactly how she’d left it. She’d always been entertained by
descriptions of shifters in stories showing them as naked when they turned back
to human, thankful that that wasn’t how it worked.
“That was
stretching it a bit, don’t you think?” Griffin called out the second she walked
in the door. So he had been watching.
“If you don’t
want me to block you from reading my mind completely, I suggest you keep your
nose out of my business and have a little faith,” she replied using the fake voice
she knew drove her brother nuts. She found him in his room reading a book. She
paused in the doorway, leaning against the frame. “I stuck to the plan.”
He grunted and
narrowed his eyes.
“I’m going to
get some homework done, and then I’m going to sleep,” Ellie continued, too
tired to argue. She knew he didn’t approve of her decision to come here,
despite his agreeing to help her. In Ellie’s mind it was too important to pass
up this chance. More important than keeping the peace with her twin.
The next
morning at five-thirty on the dot, Alex pulled into the parking space beside
Ellie’s car.
Ellie didn’t
need Griffin’s mind reading ability to know that the bleary-eyed, I’m-so-tired
routine Alex gave her was a pretense. He was Svatura after all. He needed just
as little sleep as she did. But she grinned and played along.
“Come on, sleepyhead.”
She grabbed his sleeve, careful not to touch him directly, and pulled him on to
the path. “Time to wake up and get moving.”
They both
started jogging. Alex adjusted his pace to stay beside Ellie.
“So do you
compete in track at school?” Alex asked after a few minutes of comfortable
silence while they jogged.
“Nah.”
“Do you
participate in any extracurricular activities?” he prodded.
“Not yet. I’ve
only been at this school a little while,” she reminded him.
“Well, what
about at your previous school?”
“Yeah, a few,”
she answered.
Alex chuckled.
“There’s that vagueness again.”
“Ugh. Sorry!”
Ellie snagged a loose lock of hair and tucked it behind her ear. “I mostly
participated in academic extracurricular activities like scholastic
competitions and language clubs.”
“Ah! So you’re
a brainiac rather than a jock?”
“Not really.”
“Because…?”
Alex prompted after a lengthy pause.
“Mostly
because we move so much. It’s easier to get into academic activities because
the seasons for athletic activities are very specific, and I’d frequently miss
try outs.”
“You move a
lot, huh?” Alex almost sounded disappointed at that news, but glancing at his
face Ellie could only see mild curiosity and so dismissed that thought as
wishful thinking.
“Yeah, family
reasons.” Ellie shrugged.
Alex cocked an
eyebrow at her, mouthing, “ Vague .” Ellie responded by wrinkling her
nose at him.
“What about
you? Law intern, huh? You must be some sort of brainiac yourself.”
“Nah,” Alex
shrugged modestly. “I just worked really hard in school. I plan to go into
environmental law like my dad.”
“Any sports?”
“Not really.
Like you, we’ve moved around a lot. You know… family reasons.” Alex winked.
Ellie just
pursed her lips and shook her head at him.
They chatted
easily the rest of their run, and eventually made their way around the lake,
arriving back at the point where they started. As they leaned against their
cars to stretch out their muscles Alex said, “Breakfast?”
“Sorry. Can’t.
I have some more studying to do for class.” Ellie lied.
“Maybe
tomorrow, then,” he said, trying not to appear disappointed.
Ellie’s heart
rate picked up and she smothered a dorky grin. “Sure.”
“Same time and
place?”
Ellie nodded.
“See you here.”
They hopped in
their cars and with a wave, both drove away.
*****
Alex headed
home from his run with Ellie with mixed
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