"AND I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT YOU SAY SASHA! YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" With that, Xavior slammed his door, falling onto his bed without bothering to turn the lights on. Ever since their Mom and Dad died, Sasha and he had been growing farther apart each day. Usually this was how three to four days per week ended, with either of them in different rooms, attempting to calm themselves. It wasn't that they didn't like each other, when it came down to it, Xavior would do anything to protect his sister, and vice versa. Sasha wasn't in the mood for much besides sleep when she got home from work, and Xavior really wasn't either after working out. This, along with the fact that they were siblings, usually created high tensions between them without much effort.

Xavior, standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall, usually scared most people away, and his fierce wolf demeanor, coupled with his darker than night fur and shocking pale blue eyes, didn't do much to help. However, stretching from the bridge of his nose to the right side of his collarbone is a jagged white stripe, caused by a loss of pigment in the fur when a jagged piece of metal cut his face during the crash that killed his and Sasha's parents. As far as his personality goes, he never had any friends through elementary and middle school, and the same goes for high school. Not because people didn't like him, but because he pushed everyone away from him, even more so after the crash. Of course, this lead to lots of bullying, and after a fight in the 5th grade, he started working out, quickly adding a toned body to the reasons he was left alone.

After he had calmed himself down some, he glanced over at his nightstand, the numbers on the battered alarm clock glowing bright in the dark of his room. 9:30. "Great," he thought, "Too early to go to bed, and the gym closed half an hour ago. Sasha wants to talk to me as little as I do to her, and it's not like there's anything to do in my room." He sighs and closes his eyes. "There's that new girl... I guess I could go out and talk to her. But why? She's going to be a diva queen like all the others. Probably already out at that 'last free day party.' Oh damn that's right. School starts tomorrow. I guess then I should try and go to bed early then. But still," opening his eyes and looking back at the clock, "9:32 is still a bit early. I can't force myself to sleep so early. Wish I had an easy way to kill an hour."

Sighing, he stands up, walking over to the light switch and flicking it, blinking at the sudden light that floods the room, revealing a rather large bed that fills up most of the room, with a small TV mounted on the wall across from it. The window across from the door is covered in heavy curtains, keeping almost all light from entering from the outside. The nightstand next to his bed holds his alarm clock and a small statuette of a wolf chasing a rabbit, a keepsake from his parents for his 10thbirthday. The rest of the blue painted room was bare, besides a door near the TV, which leads to a closet, containing all of his clothes and a few other things.

Glancing at the TV, he sat back down on the bed. "I suppose I could watch a movie, but it would have to be something I've seen hundreds of times, and I don't fancy watching something like that. Normally I would go down stairs and watch TV, but I don't want to risk another encounter with Sash. Who knows if she managed to calm herself down yet. Probably not. Dammed women." Xavior stands, grabbing his shirt and lifts it over his head, revealing his toned chest and abs, before tossing it off to the side, it falling among a small pile of worn clothes. Walking over to the closet door, he opens it, revealing a tiny closet with a rack of clothes and a small dresser. Walking over to it, he opens it, pulling out a pair of shorts, before walking out and shutting the door. Slipping out of the jeans he has on, tossing them onto the pile, he put the shorts on, walking over and falling on the bed.

He sighs again, closing his eyes. "Tomorrow is just going to suck. I know it. All the teachers asking me what I did over the summer, the assholes who won't leave me alone, and the people who seem to love to piss me off. Can't wait." Slowly, out of boredom, he falls asleep, leaving his lights on.

* * * * * *

"Xav? Xav! Wake up! School starts today, remember?" Lights flicked on, blinding Xavior though his eyes.

"Gah! I'm up! I'm up!" he sits up, rubbing his eyes, to see a beautiful white husky leaning on the doorframe, one eyebrow raised at him. Sasha certainly inherited more of their mother that Xavior did, but she got their father's green eyes, whereas Xavior got their mother's eyes. Certainly the wet dream of any teenage boy in the area, she never had a shortage of people who wanted to date her, however a strong brother who would gladly break some bones to defend her scared away any who were just interested in her body.

"You're lucky I remembered, or you were going to be late."

"I remembered!"

"Please, you were dead to the world. Shut your lights off before you sleep next time." With that Sasha walked out, not unkindly, but quickly. Xavior grunted, swinging his legs off the bed and standing, reaching up in a back popping stretch. He glances over at the clock, seeing that it reads 5:30. Sighing tiredly, he walks over to the closet and opens it, grabbing clothes and changing, ending up in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, despite the summer heat.

Walking down stairs, shutting his lights off on the way out his door, he comes into a living room/dining room/ kitchen combination, Sasha in the kitchen, making something that causes Xavior's nose to twitch.

"What do you have going over there?" he says over to her, walking to a door away from the kitchen, "I hope you're not trying to cook eggs again."

"Hey, shut up. I don't see you trying."

Xavior opens the door, revealing a closet full of spare clothes, "That's because I've come to the realization I would burn the house down if I tried." He leans in, rummaging, before pulling out an old, battered backpack.

Sasha glances back as he pulls it out. "I still think we should have gotten you a new backpack for your senior year. That thing is about to fall apart."

"I told you I don't need one. This will work fine. It has the past three years." He shuts the closet and tosses it onto the couch, walking into the kitchen.

"Still." She takes some bacon from the pan and puts it on a plate next to some already cooked sausage as he walks over. "Don't get used to this. I'm only doing it because it's your first day, and I know you're going to need as good as a start as you can get."

"No kidding." He reaches over and grabs the plate, opening a drawer and pulling out a fork, starting to eat. "At least you're good with sausage."

"Keep making fun of my cooking and you won't ever get any." She walks out of the kitchen, going over to the dining room table and grabbing a set of keys.

"Aren't you going to have any? Can't go to work on an empty stomach."

"I already did. Don't worry about me. Just try not to get into a fight on the first day please." She starts walking towards the door.

"I won't try for or against it. If they think I've grown soft over the summer, then they have another thing coming." Xavior takes a definitive bite of bacon.

Sasha laughs, opening the door. "Yeah yeah. I want those dishes washed before I get home please."

He rolls his eyes. "Alright. No promises though."

"And I can't promise I'll cook for you in the mornings."

Xavior waves his hand at her, "I'll do the dishes. Just get out of here before you're late to work."

She nods, "I'll see you later." She says, before walking out the door, shutting it behind her. Xavior continues eating, as he hears the sound of a car door opening and shutting, then starting and driving off. He finishes his breakfast, rinsing the plates off and leaving them in the sink, heading back upstairs to grab some things.

He comes back downstairs with his iPod, headphones, a few pens and pencils, and other various school supplies, which he stuffs into his backpack. Lifting it onto his shoulder, he puts an ear bud in his ear, turning on his music, before walking out the door and shutting it behind him.

Now, if he could drive the car to school, he gladly would, but between Sasha and him, they had to share one sedan, and Sasha needed it to get to work, and Xavior certainly wasn't walking to school, so he rode the bus everyday. Not that he minded it, I mean, free rides are always nice, it was just waiting was usually more unpleasant than the ride itself. On the bus, there were lots of other people to pick on who didn't have the strength to bash your face in.

Walking up to the bus stop, he took slight relief in the fact it was only a pack of girls that were standing there, talking about whatever happened at the night before. It was always easier to get there before the assholes, then you have a sort of 'home field' advantage. He walked over to the bus stop sign, leaning against it with his hands in his pockets, ignoring the girls as they ignored him. After all, even such a hunky guy with a tragic past was ignored by girls if you weren't 'popular.' He stared absent-mindedly in the direction the bus would come from, which unfortunately happed to put his back towards the way certain people approached.

"Well, if it isn't old Whitestripe. I can't believe you're still here!" A 6 foot albino tiger, followed by a Doberman and a Clydesdale, who were both under, but close to, 6 feet in height.

"Great." He thought, turning around, leaning on the post with his other shoulder, moving one hand out of his pocket as the group of girls quickly hushed up. "I suggest you leave me alone, Ezekiel."

He growls, "I've told you before, I don't like that name. I prefer Zeke."

"And I've told you before that I don't like being called Whitestripe." His ear that didn't have music in it twitched as he heard the bus. "Sounds about a block away. It would be a record if he managed to start a fight that fast."

"Well I don't care what you like. But I think you need to start caring about what I like." He cracks his knuckles threateningly, his eyes betraying his real feelings, as his goons smile dumbly.

Catching the scared look in his eye that he almost managed to conceal, Xavior shifts to a full stand, letting his backpack fall to the ground and lifting his other hand out of his pocket. "Then come and teach me how. I'm sure you'll do a good job as a teacher."

The fear suddenly became much more noticeable in his eyes, but the chose that moment to pull up to the stop. "Lucky you. Looks like we'll have to postpone this lesson"

Xavior snorts and picks his bag up, walking onto the bus, nodding to the bus driver, getting no response as he walks towards the back of the bus, managing to grab the seat with the wheel well, basically ensuring no one else would sit with him. Out of slight paranoia, he only kept one ear bud in, watching the front of the bus, daydreaming.

Everything went normally, until she got on. The new girl. Looking surprisingly uncomfortable, with her things clutched to her chest like that. Small girl too. She looked to be about 5 feet 4 inches from here.

Xavior shook his head as he passed her, failing to find a seat, and not seeing one anywhere near the back, she turns to him and says, almost desperately, "Is it okay if I sit with you? I know you're on the wheel well, but there's nowhere else..."

"Sure." She almost looks surprised as Xavier scoots over, leaving the aisle seat to her, sitting right up against the wall, continuing to look forward. She sits, getting as close to him without touching him as she can, as if it will get her farther away from all the new people surrounding her.

The rest of the ride passes in silence, the girl and Xavier being the last two to get off. He walks away in the opposite direction of her, quickly being separated because of the thronging crowd. However, until 10 minutes before the first bell. Xavier is sitting in his usual corner in the relatively quiet library, after having to kick some over-excited freshmen from it, when the new girl walks in, seeking some shelter from the crowds. Spotting him, she quickly makes her way over to him.

"U-uh, Hi..." she stutters, standing in front of him.

Xavior, already having noticed her walking in, looks up at her. "What do you want?"

She blinks at his almost hostile response. "I-I just remember you from the bus, a-and thought I could get to know you better... after all, you were the only one who was willing to let me sit with you..."

Xavior sighs, "Look. I know you're the new girl, and there isn't anyone else who would even give you a second thought right now besides the nerds, and let's face it, I don't think either of us want to hang out with them. As far as I go, I just want to be left alone."

She looks at him strangely, "Well that's no way to live. Shunning every one." She sits down next to him, "You're going to talk to me now."

He looks her up and down. Now that he got a good look at her, she really wasn't that bad looking. Small, slender, long hair. She really was a cute little cat. Plus her silver hair really went well with her dark blue fur. She was wearing long black jeans that threatened to be stepped on every time she walked. That with a plain black tee, and he really couldn't get over how cute she was. "No. Stop mooning over her." He thought forcefully, "Just get her away from you and your life can go back to normal, no girl trying to hit on you. Just ignore her and she'll go away. Always works." So, in direct accordance with his thoughts, he turned to her and said, "So what's your name?"

She smiles, "That's better. Reni. What's yours?"

He shakes is head roughly, as if clearing it. "Xavior," he says, before leaning back against the wall, not looking at her.

"Well hello Xavior. It's nice to meet you."

She is greeted by silence from Xavior. Stumbling slightly over her words, she says, "U-uh, what classes do you have? I have English 4, advanced biology, life sports... Do you have any of those?"

"I have English first hour, yes."

"Well, what else do you have?"

"Classes."

She blinks, "Well what classes?"

The bell chooses this moment to ring, and Xavior stands, "Well it was nice talking to you Reni, but I have to get to my class." He quickly walks out, leaving her sitting there, looking after him.

* * * * * *

"Is it okay if I sit next to you?"

Xavior looks up, and sighs, dropping his head back down, "Whatever Reni."

"Great." She sits down, setting her things below the desk. "Ya know, you aren't going to get rid of me that easily."

Xavior stays silent, still trying to ignore her. She scoffs and shakes her head, looking around the classroom. "Lots of people in this class."

"Well what do you expect? It's sort of required to graduate"

"True, but why would so many take it this hour?"

"Because it was the last spot open in their schedule. You'd be surprised how many people plan that way."

"Doesn't make any sense to me."

Xavior was about to respond when the teacher, a short lion with a well trimmed mane and glasses on his nose, walks into the room, and writes on the chalkboard, "Welcome to Hell," before turning around, and looking over the students in his class. "This is English four. The final journey in your literary career, since it seems most of you won't even make it out of high school. I will not tolerate any roughhousing, procrastinating, or TALKING!" Shouting the last word, he flung the piece of chalk in his hands at two girls who had been whispering to each other during his entire speech, almost hitting one. "As I was saying, there is no talking. While in my class, you will do as I say. Be in your seat before the bell rings, and when the bell rings, shut up. Now because I realize what it's like to be a teenager, today you may talk at your leisure. This will be a rare occasion, so treat it as such. Do not beg for one." The teacher walks over to his desk and sits behind it, typing on the computer.

"Well, that was interesting," says Reni, "Shouldn't he get in trouble for throwing chalk at them like that?"

"In this school? He could have flung an entire desk at them and still gotten away with it if no one was hurt."

"Wow. Loose rules."

"Yeah. Fighting is allowed as long as no one is sent to the hospital."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. Why do you think people are so scared of me?" He leans his chair back, looking at the roof with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Oh..."

"Yeah." They sit in a slightly awkward silence for about 30 minutes, the chaos of the classroom going on around them. Eventually Reni leans over to Xavior and says, "So, uh, I was wondering.... Where did you get that strip of white on your face from?"

Xavior tenses up, before relaxing, "I got it in the car crash that killed my parents. Both my sister and me were in the car."

"Oh.... I'm sorry.... I shouldn't have asked..." She leans back away from him.

"No it's okay. You didn't know. It's only natural that you be curious. It's not as if it appears natural or anything."

"Yeah, but I should've figured.... I didn't mean to bring up any memories..."

"There are very few bad memories of my parents, don't worry about that. Stop beating up on yourself."

She nods, "Okay."

The rest of the class passes in silence, at least between the two of them. Eventually the bell rings, and there is a mad rush towards the door, except for Xavior and Reni. Standing slowly, Xavior shoulders his bag and walks out of the classroom, Reni following some distance behind him. They soon get separated in the crowd, Reni walking forlornly.