10. Coyotes

Piper 

My own twin sister humiliated me. After everything we've been through together she choose her friends over me. I should have known.

Fuck her. Now how do I get home 

Good thing buses were free or else people like me would never get anywhere. I began to stroll down still breathing heavily from almost just drowning. 

When I was a great distance from Mike's house and out of his estate, I had to walk on the road where there was bushes on both side of the road. 

There was suddenly movement on my left side. 

"Oh great" I get to die horribly by bring torn apart by wild animals. Should I run or keep walking steadily.

I waited and stared into the darkness, I saw nothing. Ok then. 

I began to walk again. 

We had coyotes living in the jungle but they don't usually come to human residence. There have been cases of coyotes attacking people but none was fatal and I haven't heard any in two months. 

I knew going to this party had been a bad idea, I was getting really really scared. 

I took off my shoes and began to walk barefooted, to make less sound I hoped. 

As I walked further away from where I heard the movement, a deep frightening growl sounded into the quiet night air. 

That was all I needed to started running, I took on my heels and began to run. 

I heard a deep bark and felt footsteps behind me. I glanced back and my eyes widened in horror as I saw three large coyotes on my trail. 

"Help!" I found myself shrieking loudly in alarm. 

They barked as they chased after me. I didn't stop running, my bare feet burned with the intensity of slamming my feet against the rough road. 

I threw my shoes at them but it didn't have any effect. 

"Somebody help me" I shrieked in fright. 

They barked even loudly. 

I just have to get to the main road, there certainly would be cars at the main road. Why did they have to build an estate that far?. 

The three coyotes were getting nearer, I could tell by their barks and the sound their running made. 

"Somebody help" I cried out loudly and shakily. 

Tears cascaded down my face as I thought about the end for me. My body would be eaten and-

A flash of white and someone was ahead of me. His crispy white shirt standing out in the rim street light. 

Without thinking I ran to the person and hide behind them, "Please help me!." 

His chest was broad and wide, he smelled of scented cologne, a comforting smell to my hurting nose. 

I hide behind him burying my face in his shirt as I grabbed a fist full of his shirt and entwined my fingers into it. 

"They're going to kill us!" I yelled squeezing my face into his cloth in fright.

I was shivering and shaking with fear, breathing heavily like I was dying. A minute passed as I waited for the worst to happen.

"It's okay, you can come out now" a familiar voice said. It calmed me strangely. 

Who's this?. 

I frightfully raised my head up at the figure, I trailed my eyes up his broad back and his neck, up to his brilliant mass of white hair. 

White hair?. I found myself asking. 

As he began to spin around to face me, I saw the three coyotes just jogging back, their tails wagging along as they went. 

Just like that?. I'm not gonna die tonight?. He chased them away?.

"Hey it's okay" the voice soothed as he faced me properly. 

Mr Charlie!. Mr Charlie?. Mr Charlie?. 

My eyes are staring into brilliant green beaded eyes that seem to sparkle. A comforting smile spread across his lips as he stared down at me. He was very tall that I only reached his chest. 

"I..I…" I couldn't find my voice. My fingers were still entwined with his shirt which means I was still hugging him.

My cheeks flushed as I let go of him as if electrocuted. 

"Are you okay?" His calm voice asked, "Did they bite you?"

His eyes began to trace down my body. He must be seeing a girl in wet green dress, no shoes and frizzy hair. 

"N…no…no. I ran" I noticed how teary my voice sounded only to realize I was still crying. 

"It's okay they're gone now. Let me take you back home, student" I reached out his right hand. 

I was helpless and speechless. His voice just seem to calm something in me. 

"I'm your teacher, you can trust me okay?" He said as I took his hand. 

My hand was literally lost in his large warm hand. 

"I see you're not putting on any shoes. Let me take it from here. Can I?" He asked. 

I didn't know what he was saying but I nodded. I trusted him completely. 

I yelped as I was suddenly swept into his arms in a bridal way. I clinged unto his shirt again in fear. Was he going to throw me away?. 

He seemed completely and absolutely relaxed. 

"A ride home?" He asked. 

I nodded again. I'd hate to take the night bus and meet creeps again.

He smiled down at me making me relax immediately. 

As he carried me away in his arms, I shamelessly sniffed him. It was so comforting and alluring. 

He dropped me in the front seat of his tinted rolls Royce and went to get into the driver's seat himself. I never knew I'd be in this kind of car.

He had to be rich, there was no way they paid teachers enough to afford this. 

His car was parked on the main road I was supposed to get a bus at. I had questions to ask him but I couldn't bring myself to talk after the traumatic experience, I thought I was going to die. 

"I was just parking to go get a drink when I heard someone asking for help" he said as if reading my mind.

How did he make the coyotes go away?. 

"My father was an hunter. He thought he a little trick to sent wild animals away" he said again. 

I almost jumped this time. It was as if he was actually reading my mind. 

He chuckled deeply as he drove me home. The drive was silent until he pulled up right in front of my house. 

Wait. I didn't tell him where I lived. Is this creepy? Should I be concerned?. 

"Thank you Mr Charlie!" I said, "how did you know where I live?."

His green eyes turned to me and he simply smiled, "Have a good night Piper Tripper. You're Lindsay Cameron's twin sister right?."

"Yes" I nodded taking off the seat belt.

"How come you two don't have the same last name?"

"She changed her last name" I said getting out of his car. 

Oh shit I threw my shoes at the Coyotes. My best sneakers for goodness sake. I saved up for months to buy those. 

Shit!. I'm never going to party ever again.

****

The next morning. After Prime honked in front of my house for a while I was finally ready to go down.

I wore an old hoody this time to cover my face. I was embarrassed by what happened yesterday and I surely hoped no one knows it was me. 

As I opened the front door to go out, my feet kicked something on the way, I glanced down to check out the box. 

It was a large blue box tied with a neat ribbon. I untied it and opened it. 

Ther

e was a note: 

 From Crescent charity organization, to all the teenagers in the family.

I dragged the box closer and my jaw dropped open at the content.