FSE

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Chapter 22

Sophia managed to avoid any more embarrassing moments during English and even the lemon smell quickly faded from her notice. The challenges posed by her improved sense of smell returned when she left the classroom, but managing it was becoming increasingly second nature. She found if she focused, she could detect more troublesome odors early and change her path to avoid the highest concentrations. Even if she couldn't physically avoid them, just having the forewarning helped her brace herself.

I think I might be able to get through today after all, Sophia thought optimistically as she pushed open the door to the girl's locker room. Woah.

The girl's locker room was unlike anything she had experienced so far. There were hints of urine and bleach in the air, but the strong array of body odors and more... feminine scents caught Sophia off guard. She paused in the doorway, trying to untangle it all.

"Excuse me," an impatient girl's voice came from behind her.

Sophia shook her head slightly and stepped forward. A number of other girls were already in the locker room and in various stages of changing into their gym clothes. Trying to avoid the numerous olfactory distractions, she headed for her locker. Despite her efforts, she couldn't help noticing the strong scent of menstrual blood coming from Michelle as she passed. The girl had her jeans off and was in the middle of pulling up her gym shorts, the outline of a pad was visible in her panties. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Sophia looked away and put in the combination for her gym locker.

"You still excused from class, Wolfgirl?" she heard Lidia loudly inquire as the other girl walked up to the locker next to Sophia's. "Your wrist don't look so bad to me."

Sophia glanced at the girl while in the middle of working her too-small jeans down her legs. Oh yeah, I'm supposed to have a sprained wrist. Yay werewolf healing.

Sophia flexed her wrist experimentally before responding, "It feels much better today."

"Huh, it doesn't look hurt in the slightest," Lidia studied Sophia's wrist and then sniffed. "Lucky, when I had a sprained ankle, it took almost a month before I could walk on it without limping."

"I guess I heal quickly," Sophia replied, feeling self-conscious.

Lidia shrugged and started changing. As she did so, the distinctive scent of vaginal fluid wafted into Sophia's nose. It was intense and had an oddly sweet undertone to it.

Oh, oh, ohhh! She's ovulating, Sophia felt her face start to flush and she yanked her shirt over her head to hide it. That was definitely not something I needed to know.

"Were you really going to eat a doggy treat Wolfgirl?" Sophia heard Michelle ask suddenly behind her and Sophia nearly strangled herself in surprise with her shirt.

Conversations in the rest of the locker room came to an abrupt halt and Sophia felt multiple eyes suddenly turn towards her. Nausea rose in Sophia's stomach as she finished yanking her shirt off. Turning, she found Michelle staring at her with an exaggerated look of disgust that couldn't entirely hide the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"What? Doggy treats?!" Lidia responded excitedly. "I got to hear this!"

"No, I..." Sophia started to protest.

"A couple of guys were talking about in my last class," Michelle interrupted, loud enough for the entire locker room to hear. "They said they had stuck a dog treat in Wolfgirl's locker."

"That's mean!" a short red-headed girl with glasses exclaimed.

"That's what I thought too, but they said Sophia brought it to her nose and smelled it," Michelle continued, demonstrating with her hands. "They said she almost took a bite, but then realized she was being watched."

"Were you really going to eat it?" a dark-haired girl, Savannah, asked Sophia, her eyes wide.

"Well, uh," Sophia stammered, panic gripping her. "I, uh..."

"Wow!" Lidia clapped her hands. "You really are a wolf-girl!"

"Ew!" Sophia heard someone exclaim.

I guess so, the comment pierced the uncertainty clouding her mind. Why deny it?

Feeling a wave of calm wash over her, she locked eyes with Michelle, "Yep, it smelled sooo good. It's just what a wolf-girl likes."

Michelle held her stare, although she looked less certain now.

Unable to help herself, Sophia's mouth pulled into a sly grin and she added, "But what a wolf-girl really craves is meat; I wonder what you taste like?"

To Sophia's shock, the other girl actually flinched, the mocking disgust gone from her expression.

For a moment, no one said anything. Then Lidia clapped her hands together.

"Hah! Nice one!" Lidia chortled.

The rest of the locker room seemed to relax and several other girls giggled. Michelle laughed too, but it sounded weak and forced. Even as the girls filed out of the locker room, Sophia couldn't help noticing the normally haughty girl waited for Sophia to leave first.

"You're asking to play?" Mr. Rindler asked Sophia skeptically, lowering his clipboard. "Sprains usually take several weeks to heal."

"Yes," Sophia confirmed, trying to ignore the teacher's strong-smelling body wash. "My wrist is much better today."

I can't believe I'm arguing so I can play in gym class, Sophia flexed her wrist to demonstrate. I guess I really have changed.

"Even if it doesn't hurt right now, it's still injured," Mr. Rindler warned her. "Playing could easily injure it more."

"I know, but I really want to play today," Sophia insisted, exasperated. "If it starts hurting, I'll stop playing right away."

Mr. Rindler sighed and then cracked a smile, "Alright, I'm not one to stop a student from physical activity. I just never thought you'd be one of my students demanding to participate."

"Thank you!" Sophia exhaled in relief. "I'm feeling really restless today."

"It saves me the trouble of having an odd number of students," he looked around. "Just be sure to let me know the minute your wrist hurts. I don't need the administration coming down on me."

"I will!" Sophia flashed a smile before running to join the rest of the class.

Mr. Rindler had them pair off by sex and Sophia found herself with a boy in her grade named Mathew. The dumpy brown-haired kid gave her a shy greeting before trying to look anywhere but at her. They found an open side on one of the nets and waited for the class to sort itself out.

To her dismay, their first opponents wound up being Lidia and a tall boy named Todd. Lidia mimed a wolf howl and then flashed a smirk towards Sophia. Rolling her eyes, Sophia looked towards Mr. Rindler who had dragged a net full of volleyballs to the middle of the gym.

"Start playing once I blow the whistle," he announced. "You'll get ten minutes per opponent and then I'll have you rotate partners. Leave the ball on the side of the court it's on after I blow my whistle again. Try to focus on setting and spiking today."

Bending over, the teacher picked up a ball and tossed it toward one side of the net on the far court. Immediately, Sophia felt her eyes lock onto the ball as it bounced across the gym.

Is it just my imagination or is something... different? The ball bounced into the hands of a waiting student. It seems... slower somehow. Come to think of it, everything has looked a little off. Like the world isn't moving as fast as it should.

The teacher threw another ball and again it appeared to move a hair more slowly than her brain was accustomed to expect. He repeated tossing the ball for each court in succession, and each time Sophia found herself mesmerized by what she was experiencing. It was less noticeable, but even the teacher's throwing motion looked oddly sluggish. After a few throws, the mismatch between what her brain expected and what her eyes reported began to narrow and the feeling of uncanniness waned.

When it got to Sophia's court, she saw him hesitate for a second before tossing it in her direction. She watched it bounce towards her, feeling strangely detached from her body. Every time it bounced, she felt her eyes smoothly follow its trajectory. As it got nearer, she felt her muscles twitch and slide as her body automatically adjusted to intercept it. The ball bounced one final time and her legs launched her forward as her hands stretched towards it.

Got it! Triumph blossomed as she felt her hands contact the ball and the smell of rubber entered her nostrils. Wait...

The unexpected feeling of her knees contacting the waxed wooden floor interrupted her before her face finished its plunge toward the ball. For a second, she warred with the wolf driving her to finish sinking her teeth into the ball. Reason won out and she belatedly realized she was on her knees with her hands pinned to the sides of the ball with her mouth open. Snapping her mouth shut so quickly that her teeth clicked, she looked up to find everyone staring at her.

Lidia had her hand over her face, trying to hide a smile. Mr. Rindler had a frown across his face as he held another volleyball in an outstretched hand, momentarily forgotten. With an embarrassed grin, Sophia scrambled to her feet. Mr. Rindler shrugged and resumed tossing the last couple of balls. Lidia gave a quiet laugh and shook her head. Fortunately, most of the rest of the class had not had a clear view of her face.

Bad girl, Sophia chastised the wolf that now prowled the recesses of her mind. Not here, not now.

"Tweet!"

Lost in her thoughts, the piercing whistle startled her and she visibly jumped. Remembering she was holding the ball, she went to the right corner of the court. Drawing her arm back with her palm extended, she let out a breath and set her feet.

Here goes, she brought her arm forward to serve the ball. Keep my hand open...

The ball sailed forward... right into the net. On the other side of the court, Lidia laughed and rolled her eyes. Mathew audibly groaned and drooped his shoulders.

"Ah, oops," she tittered in embarrassment, brushing her hair over her shoulder.

Lidia retrieved the ball and tossed it to Todd. Putting the mis-serve out of her mind, Sophia positioned herself in anticipation of the serve. Briefly, she marveled at her hand. Aside from her skin stinging from contacting the ball, her wrist was perfectly fine.

I wonder what the limits of werewolf healing are. Hopefully, I'll never have to test them.

A *smack* reverberated across the court as Todd served hard. Sophia's attention snapped to the ball. It was moving fast, but it still felt like she had all the time in the world to react to it. Attention, on the ball, Sophia quickly anticipated where it was coming down and hustled to be below it. The ball started to arc down and she set her feet while raising her hands.

Feeling like everything had been slowed down, she pushed off with her feet. Her hands struck the ball above her head and it bounced up. Moving out of the way, she looked towards Mathew. Who looked almost frozen.

Why aren't you moving?

After what felt like an eternity, he finally moved to spike the ball.

He's coming in too high, Sophia could readily see the ball was going to strike in the center of his wrist rather than his closed fist.

His wrist contacted and the ball flew off wildly before hitting the net and falling to the floor.

"Excellent set Sophia!" Mr Rindler complimented her. "Robert, you're rotating your wrist just before you make contact on the serve."

"Sorry", Mathew mumbled an apology.

"That's one!" Lidia crowed triumphantly.

She grabbed the ball and tossed it back to Todd. Sophia bent her knees, feeling exhilarated despite allowing a point. Again, Todd served, this time toward Mathew. After another painfully long delay, Mathew moved to intercept.

He's going to hit too far up on his fingers. It's going to bounce behind him, Sophia immediately started moving to where she expected the ball to go.

This time, she reached out with her hands together as she moved to where the ball was falling. Swinging up, she struck it perfectly with her forearms and it arced up and over the net. Todd reacted faster than Mathew, but still rather slowly to Sophia's eyes. The boy hit the ball as it came down on his side of the net. Unfortunately for him, he hit it at too shallow of an angle and it bounced straight into the net.

"Nice job!" Mathew congratulated her.

"Impressive", Lidia begrudgingly admitted.

Wow, Sophia allowed herself a smile. I feel amazing!"

Todd bounced the ball to Mathew and Sophia waited for him to serve.

Despite her newfound athletic ability, they still were trailing when Mr. Rindler whistled for the teams to change. In the next round, Sophia found herself with a muscular boy named Mark. Despite his antiperspirant, she could readily smell his sweat-fueled body odor. She had to admit she found it a bit arousing.

Mark was no slouch at volleyball and between the two of them, they managed to pull away convincingly.

"When did you get so fast Wolfgirl?" Lidia grumbled sourly afterward.

Sophia simply shrugged and adjusted her ponytail, Good question actually.

Mr. Rindler signaled for the girls to switch courts this time and Lidia stalked away in a huff.

The final two rounds of class went by quickly, although her side lost both rounds. It turned out her seemingly enhanced reflexes weren't quite enough to overcome the skills of a girl on the school's volleyball team. Still, Sophia felt as though she gave a good showing both times.

"Nice job today, Sophia," Mr Rindler stopped her as she was leaving the gym. "I'd like to see that effort from you every day. How's your wrist?"

"Great!" Sophia exclaimed holding it up, still on a physical high. "No pain."

"Incredible," Mr Rindler replied after examining it. "It doesn't look injured at all. Based on how it looked Friday, I expected you to be laid up for a couple more weeks. I've never seen a sprain heal so fast."

"I'm just lucky I guess," Sophia shrugged suddenly feeling anxious.

Bracing for him to somehow expose her secret then and there, she was surprised when he simply scratched the back of his neck and shrugged, "It must not have been nearly as bad as it looked. Still, good work today."

"Thanks, Mr. Rindler!" Sophia jogged toward the girl's locker room.

The scent of sweat-fueled body odor was much stronger now, but that didn't bother her. The various antiperspirants in use were a completely different matter and Sophia hastily changed into her regular clothes before seeking refuge in a bathroom stall. On the way there, she passed Michelle and braced herself for the inevitable barb. Instead, Michelle edged away from her and looked away.

Huh, I could get used to this.

"I don't have all day girl," a kitchen lady standing behind the serving counter prodded Sophia impatiently.

Sophia stared down at that day's selection. Today's main entree was spaghetti with meat sauce, something she would have jumped at just a few days prior. Now, the sweet smell of tomato sauce and succulent hamburger was spoiled by the sour smell of garlic and onions. Even worse was the stench of the garlic bread sitting next to the noodles. Ravenous just a few minutes before, Sophia's appetite fled her.

"I'll just have a hamburger," Sophia finally answered despondently.

The woman stiffly grabbed a wafer-thin patty and plopped it on a plain bun before grabbing a handful of soggy fries. A scoop of sorry-looking mixed veggies completed the meal and the server handed Sophia her tray.

Approaching the condiment table, the scent of garlic faded, just to be replaced by a new rancid odor. It took her a moment to realize she was smelling mustard. Sighing, she hastily pumped a bit of ketchup on her burger and next to her fries.

Leaving the food line, she made her way to her usual lonely spot at the far side of the cafeteria. Setting her tray down, she set the textbook tucked under her arm down next to it before sitting herself. Opening her text, she moved the sociology homework she had forgotten about in the weekend's excitement to the side.

Grabbing her burger, she took a bite and started reading. She made it halfway through the first sentence before making a face. Mixed with the taste of hamburger, bun and the oddly muted sweetness of the tomato ketchup, was a bitter taste. It wasn't particularly strong, just enough to be bothersome.

Turning her gaze towards her burger, she examined it. It looked like it always had, two mounds of bread punctuated by a thin line of meat. Curious, she sniffed it. The hamburger was appetizing, the bun was, well, a bun, but the ketchup had a faintly bitter aroma.

Fine, I can live without condiments, she opened up her bun and used a napkin to clean up as much as she could off the patty. I wonder what that is?

Using a spoon, she scooped out the ketchup-soaked bun before putting it back together. She took an experimental bite. She could still taste the bitterness, but it was tolerable at least. Putting down her hamburger, she picked up a fry and sniffed it.

At least potatoes seem to be okay, she popped it in her mouth, chewing. It tastes a little different, but not in a bad way.

Repeating the exercise with her mixed vegetables, she moved her fries and burger as far from the ketchup as she could before going back to her book.

I made it! I survived the day, Sophia zipped up her backpack before throwing it over her shoulder with a flourish. Sophia, the teenage werewolf, is leaving the building!

Sophia was halfway towards the school's exit when she spied Candice walking in the opposite direction. Candice's eyes met Sophia's and the former quickly looked away, staring off to the side as she passed. Sophia caught a strong whiff of the strawberry shampoo Candice used as she passed. The scent brought a swirl of memories in its wake and a wave of guilt and loneliness washed through Sophia.

I don't need her, Sophia fought back tears. I'm better by myself anyway.