Nobody But You - 1. Chapter 1

Etienne Leblanc paused outside the barrier of the chain link fence, staring up at the unassuming creamy stucco walls of Claire H. Enterai High. Home to a nationally acclaimed track team, some of the best test scores in the country, and others who were ‘like’ him. Even though he’d spent the past two months mentally processing the transition here, leaving everything he’d ever known behind in Louisiana, he still stood here staring through the holes in a fence his mind hung up on itself. Maybe if he stayed here on this side it wouldn’t make it ‘official’, that this was his normal from now on. If he didn’t go in, maybe he could just turn around and go back the way he came. But what did he have back there? Having a dark secret that everybody knew but no one ever spoke of. Just silent sidelong glances and feet shuffling to move away from him..

He’d always stood apart from everyone around him, a loup-garous who at seventeen already stood at 6’5. His long jet black hair, currently pulled back into a ponytail, ombréd into cerulean tips, but it was his eyes that made people ill at ease with him. Having Heterochromia, his eyes were two different colors. The left was a ghostly blue grey, mercurial in hue, while the right eye was a deep rich chocolate, almost black and offset by a spattering of warm honeyed flecks. Ever since he’d been born, old swamp Me-maws had whispered things like ‘cursed’ and ‘touched’ about him. Tolerated by his peers and their parents because it was the ‘christian’ thing to do, Etienne had made an art out of escaping his problems and bullies. Most of his youth had been spent being antagonized by those who saw him as a freak and an easy target. After he entered high school, the track team took notice of Etienne and recruited him. Gaining not only a spot on the track team but also a social bubble around him, he went along with it. As the up and coming track star, he couldn’t go getting himself hurt, and so the bullying turned into ignoring, the distance grew wider between him and the world, and suddenly he found himself alone, an island in the stream.

With no choice but to literally follow where his feet led, he’d ended up with a scholarship to this top notch school, enrolling just a week before his 18th birthday. And here he stood frozen in limbo on the outside looking in again, bubble firmly in place. Soon the bell would ring, classes would start, but for the life of him he couldn’t make his feet move. Anxiety made his breathing heavy and his control loose, dark ears tipped in tealish blue rose from his skull. His bodies automatic reaction, readying itself to flee, he fell back on his beastial instincts and the lines began to blur.

“Are you okay?”

Etienne jumped back, startled by the small hand laid upon his own, a petite vixen in a finely tailored blouse and pencil skirt stood at his hip.

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to scare you, just thought you looked a little lost. Are you a new student? My name is Abbie and I’ll be acting as the school librarian. If you want to follow me, I'll bring you to the front office.”

His feet shuffled shyly beneath him, he never had been good with girls. “I’d sure appreciate it, Ma’am. I’m new to...well everything here.” He cringed inwardly at his slow drawl, afraid he sounded stupid, he stared at his feet, not wanting to see how she was looking at him. Step by step, he let the fox lead him past the links of the fence, setting time into motion once more. Her bushy tail swished happily against the hem of her skirt, her head craned back over her shoulder, attempting to catch his eye.

“What’s your name?”

He still couldn’t bring himself to return her gaze head on, “Etienne Leblanc, Ma’am, it’s nice to meet you. I received a scholarship for Track, Ma’am.”

Abbie just laughed brightly, “You don’t have to keep ‘Ma’am’-ing me. Once is enough, I can tell you’re a respectable boy.”

Etienne kept putting his feet one before the other, “I’m sorry, Ma’am, it’s habit.” He cringed inwardly at letting it slip again. The school gate was growing closer, an elm shadowed walkway leading up to the double doors.

Inside the smell of school hit his sensitive nose, waxed floors, window cleaner and book pages. So far it seemed like any other school he’d ever been in aside from it seeming like it came out of Zootopia or something, but he turned into a wolf so who was he to judge? The lovely fox lady, Abbie he remembered, made a right through another set of doors leading him to the front office as promised before turning to face him.

“Mrs. Roberts should be able to assist you from here, and I look forward to having a great school year with you!” She shook his large hand with a sure grip before leaving him to head to the library, he assumed.

Etienne turned to face Mrs. Roberts, a portly cow with a warm smile. “Welcome! Welcome to Enterai High, what’s your name dear?”

“Etienne Leblanc, Ma’am.” Again with the ‘Ma’am’, but he kept envisioning his Mama popping him upside his head if he didn’t speak with respect. She hummed brightly as she tapped away at the keyboard, eventually finding the information she sought.

“Your records have successfully been sent over, and your homeroom teacher is…” a few more taps “Mr. Norton, Room 15, on the first floor.” Hefting her girth up out of her chair, she gestured to the hallway directly outside of the office. “Take a left at the end of this hallway and it’s the last classroom on the right.”

Etienne inclined his head, “Thank you, Ma’am.” Sending him off with a smile and a little wave she pushed a button on her headset, answering the phone which had been ringing insistently in the background.

Once again the world seemed to close in on him, alone in his bubble. Straightening his shoulders, he utilized his 6’5 frame like a shield. Taking a deep breath Etienne set forth, hiding behind quiet nonchalance while inside he was wracked with anxiety, trying to take in everything around him all at once. There were still a few students in the halls, loitering by lockers, some looking around lostly. Everything reeked of normalcy, people going about their lives, except they were cats, foxes, dogs and deer. He’d never felt so out of place in his own skin before, and he always felt out of place. So much of his concentration was spent on keeping his wolf inside, except here the opposite was the case. Eyes followed him, he could feel the touch of their looks penetrating him as he passed, his eyes remaining steadfastly forward. The crisp white walls were lined with rows of blue lockers, classroom doors placed intermittently. One foot in front of the other, he forced himself to move, his eye trained on the last door on the right. Finally the handle was within reach just as the bell rang, making him jump. Get a hold of yourself. Deep breaths, deep breaths. Steeling himself for the sea of eyes on the other side, Etienne opened the door slowly, a gazelle in a suit paused, turning his attention to him, Mr. Norton he presumed. “Please excuse my tardiness, Sir. My name’s Etienne Leblanc, new student.”

The gazelle turned his gaze to the list in his hand, “Ah, yes. Leblanc. Welcome, go ahead and sit in the empty seat in front of the Twins. I’m about to pass back a few papers to be filled out.”