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(Written December 21, 2002 by PauL Miller)
Pawl: the Story, Chapter 1
‘Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep’ an alarm clock sounds the arrival of a new day. Softly a figure entangled in bed sheets moans and moves to shut off the annoying sound. With a swipe the figure smacks the snooze button. Wakening the figure rose and tromped off to the bathroom. A light clicked on illuminating it. A spotted male standing six foot three inches obviously a cheetah species, with long spotted hair fuzzed from sleep falling loosely behind his head, looked at himself in the mirror. Scratching his goatee, rubbing along down his throat over the white fur there, he continues down his chest and then up over to his right shoulder. A matted patch of fur signifies a bruise, wincing he stops and places both hands on the sink, looking deeply at his tear-like black marking under each of his brown eyes. “You always look like you’re crying… ” He stares for a moment longer, the insults from school remembered in great clarity running through his head due to his appearance, “Pssssh.” Turning he removed his boxers and proceeded to take a shower. Breakfast as usual was cereal and a sleepy look out the window, wondering if rain would come today. A quick look at the clock and it was time to go to school, high school. Outside now, he locked his door and hopped on his board. A new day.
When he reached the school, a voice called out as if on a set time, “Well look at this, guys, Pawl came back to school!” It mocked, “Don’t you mean Pawla?” another said. The two lions laughed at the same clever joke they had used for the last two years. Pawl walked past them all and into the building that he had walked into for the umpteenth time. He placed his board into his pack so no one would make him leave it in the principle’s office, where it would undoubtedly be stolen again. He had learned that from loosing his last board, his first board, to some jerk that painted over it and broke the wheels.
Pawl, when he first came to this school, was innocent and he never lied, ever. He didn’t make fun of anyone or think ill of anyone, an orphan from long ago he was taught to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. He found out that, strangely, everybody wanted to be picked on and abused, because every one he ran across had some rude comment about his almost feminine appearance. Cheetahs are a rare species and this meant that he was the only one in the entire school. Known for their slim looks, males cheetahs aren’t very well thought of. About everybody thought he was a woman when he arrived, and many believed him to be gay, especially after the one incident with a jock lion: Wayne.
Wayne had thought Pawl to be a girl and targeted him. Of course when the truth came out, Wayne blamed Pawl for trying to get Wayne’s attention, and of course everybody believed the jocks. Pawl was marked on his very first day. From then on, no one would sit near him; all the guys thought he was gay, all the women thought he was a jerk for misleading Wayne like that, and he made no friends. Still Pawl tried, he struck up conversations with people, and they were easily flattened with another rude comment, he would sit at lunch tables only to be beat up for ruining another kids rep. Pawl could never get a date either, he was always taught it was a normal thing for a teen to try and date, but every girl shrank from him because of the gay rumor, or turned him down, hard. Pawl’s first year was hell, and that was just the students.
The teachers on the other hand were either distant and uncaring or filled with odd character traits. Such as his math teacher who hates his students because he thinks himself to be the next Einstein but is ‘forced to waste his time teaching retarded school punks’. Of course Pawl, being a skate boarder made him even more anti-social and punkish, even though Pawl is just the opposite. Another odd case is his science teacher, who has seen the real person Pawl is, and unfortunately found this extremely attractive. She often hits on him, very secretively of course but Pawl always has an A on science tests even if he misses a few, which is not to say he does. Pawl is very good at Science, Literature, Art and Drama, but sadly he is not good at math. Pawl had been through a lot in those two years, jading him and robbing him of his innocence. He has become cold in that time, hardly listening to anybody anymore, turning rather to his music and isolating himself, shutting down to those who actually try to talk to him. Having been in many fights, which are more like ‘punching-bag-Pawl time’ since he does not fight back, Pawl has grown weary of anybody whether they mean ill or not.
This third year Pawl was branded a jerk, an anti-social cold uncaring jerk, by the new people just arriving. Even so he lived on, not really open to school or its importance. He now thought of it as just a place to be until time to leave where then he could practice. Practice skating, for the big times. Pawl didn’t know it, but he was the best skater to ever come out of ...well, anywhere. He made new moves up just because he could, he got higher air than any record would ever tell, and he could grind longer, farther, faster as well as hold out any lip trick well over five minutes. But as far as he knew, he sucked; he never skated in public, nor could work up the courage to attend a skate competition. He didn’t have a TV, just books or magazines to tell him the basics. He was pure talent on his board, and he was good, very good. But no one knew this, no one. No one would ever know this either. Until someone actually saw the truth behind this cold wall of fake hatred, they would find a hurt, sad, and very lonely sensitive being. One who was above all a poet and a gentleman, but the years of unkindness in practice made his act very convincing.
Pawl walked into his first class and sat at his usual seat, you could tell it was his because the wall beside him was scarred with two years of thrown objects, paper wads, and liquid stains on the floor from ‘accidentally’ spilled drinks. “Oh hello Pawl” a sultry voice said, Ms. Zazdou. Standing five two, she was an Artic Fox; her large ears only dwarfed by her dyed red hair. She was in her twenties; she had decided to teach because she didn’t know exactly what to do with her life at the time. She was very well matured and she had her sights set on Pawl, who she thought was the answer to all her dreams and she just couldn't wait until he was eighteen. She was the only teacher who didn’t speak badly about him, in fact she never spoke about him at all. She wore a Bright blue dress suit (blue is Pawl’s favorite color) and her glasses, small and neat, were in her mouth. She chewed on them from time to time because it helped her think… about Pawl. She was devoted to sacking this student just because she had gotten a glimpse of his true self. She found him after a prank; someone had stolen his cloths and locked him outside of the boy’s locker room. She apparently thought he was gifted.
Through the tears in his eyes he apologized many times and was forced to seek refuge from class mates eye’s in her office, where she devoured him with her eyes. He was a very attractive student, a slim build from skateboarding gave him tone and definition, and being soaking wet always made his fur sort or glow, not to mention defining every detail of his under muscles that were not usually visible under his fur. Cheetah’s are not very well liked because their bodies are genetically wired to be fit, they have a higher metabolism, so their bodies are perfect muscle building machines. In a word, cheetah’s are born fashion models, they represented an exotic feminine beauty. Cheetah’s have been drilled into the mind of society as the veritable walking sex symbol, the height of fashion. Which was okay for women, but men were not suppose to look like that. He also had a sad truth in his eyes, with a red blush on his cheeks… all this coupled with the raw vulnerability and naivety of Pawl’s inexperienced youth made him irresistible to her. She has hunted him ever since.
She sauntered up to him now and smiled remembering the lovely image she had stumbled upon: Pawl desperately jerking on a door handle with wet fur flying in the wind and a vulnerable raw innocence in his eyes. She sighed at him as other students entered. She then winked and walked over to the board now in teacher mode. Pawl sighed inwardly and leaned back in his chair, absorbing all that happened around him including her lesson and every rude comment whispered or snickered at him. A day just like any other, he thought. And truly it would have been. If not for a certain lioness in the very back of the room, whispering to her friends about him.
***
Basheebah came form a long line of lionesses, she was for the most part all lion, almost too much. Already at the age of seventeen, she had transferred over to this school after her last school was condemned, though arguably this one wasn’t much better. She stood six five, with light golden brown fur and dark hair braided into tight little lines down her head. She was very well built -even for a lioness- which brought jeers from other students, but they were all playful, no one wanted to mess with an athletic lioness. She sat in the very back, not to good at any one subject, except for PE. Sitting there chatting with some new friends of hers, she whispered excitedly about the student who just walked in; she had never seen a real Cheetah before and was utterly fascinated with him. Basheebah whispered “Yeah right him gay? Look at him.” The other girls looked at each other and smiled. “Oh you don’t think so huh?” one said.
Basheebah looked at her, doubt on her face. “Yeaaaaaah.” She said carefully knowing she was about to get it. “Okay then, we dare you to get one date with him.” The girl smiled and the other one’s eyes went wide as she laughed. “Just one?” Basheedbah laughed scornfully “I thought you were going to ask something hard.” The others girls stared at her then smiled shaking their heads, “If you only knew.” They then laughed and Basheebah smiled. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up.” looking over at Pawl she thought, “Shouldn’t be that hard.” Little did Basheebah know, as she gazed over at the still Pawl, that she was about to go through one of the toughest rides of her life.
After first and second class were over the lunch bell rang, and Pawl as usual took his lone table, marked by two years of thrown food. Basheebah thought it would be the right time to make first contact. “First contact.” She snickered at the odd thought, “Engage.” Basheebah walked slowly over with her tray in hand, as she passed other tables the students grew quiet figuring out her destination. Some whispered comments of warning. Basheebah grew nervous with each step, her heart pounded as she got closer. For some reason his complete ignorance of her advance unnerved her, or maybe it was the other students sudden attention as allot of eyes watched her. Even so, as she got closer she got shorter of breath; the students were all quiet now, eyes burned to the scene. Basheebah noticed the eyes, and started to sweat. As she neared him she couldn’t help notice how feminine his face looked, he was almost beautiful.
Basheebah gritted her teeth and stood directly next to him, the dead silence around her was overbearing. Then as if on cue, slowly ever so slowly, Pawl turned his head to look at her. His cold unquestioning eyes were the last straw, Basheebah felt like she was falling into those eyes, like they were choking her. Her head began to spin and then everything stopped. Basheebah realized she had dunked her entire tray of food directly on his head. Her heart skipped a beat. She waited for the recourse… He did nothing. Suddenly Basheebah was startled by laughter, as all the students came back to life, then conversation started as if what had happened was a normal occurrence. Still, he did not move. Basheebah stared at him, he stared at her. With a slight move he brushed off the food, and continued eating.
Not a word, not a glare, not one emotion glanced across his face or eyes, as if what happened was nothing. Basheebah’s heart pounded and her cheeks flared red. A sudden jerk of her arm, and her friends had dragged her away from him. Now sitting in safety she breathed easy and her eyes still showed how frightened she was. This in itself scared her even more, Basheebah hadn’t been frightened by anything as much as that, even when almost crushed by a truck. Her friends squabbled on about how she fit right in and she paid them no mind, instead her glance went from her friends to beyond them. She silently stared at him, eating his lunch as if nothing had transpired.
Basheebah didn’t talk with him for the next two weeks and for the next two weeks she had nightmares about what she had done. His slow turning head, his calm cold eyes, the student’s silence and then laughter as gobs of food dumped onto him. Finally guilt turned into fear, fear turned into anger. She had grown angry at him for making her feel that way, now she was determined to find out what his problem was. After classes were over, she saw her chance to confront him, school was out and he was pulling his board to ride home. The court yard was empty, she walked briskly up too him now ready to get answers. Basheebah was raised knowing that, you fear what you don’t understand and if he struck so much fear into her she wanted to know why… and end it. With out hesitation she stopped dead in front of him, without a word he continued to pull out his board.
“Hey, my name is Basheebah. What’s up with you? Why are you always so wack?” she asked. He stopped and slowly looked up to meet her gaze. Her furrowed brow quickly turned into loose arches as those same eyes greeted her, they trapped her again. Cold, silent, as a well of un-answers almost drowned her. But this time she met her fear head on, and with great difficulty swallowed that creeping tightness in her heart. “I-I said, what is… your problem?” she barely choked out. His reply was even more nerve racking, he looked away from her and continued to retrieve his board. Basheebah now free form his eyes, got angry. She moved onto physical talk. With a shove he was against the wall with her hands on his shoulders. “I SAID, WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?” she shouted in his face. He barely flinched, unfazed, merely staring at her. Anger now clouding her brain, there was no room for fear. “You listening?” she shouted giving him a shake and banging his head against the wall. Again he did not answer, only stared at her in pathetic cowardly silence, Basheebah was enraged.
“I want too know what is yo’ deal and if you don’t tell me...” she trailed off meaning it. He still did not answer. What happened next… Basheebah didn’t know what brought it on, but it could be compared to a young child seeing fire for the first time and wanting to hold it. She moved forward, with no senses and kissed him. The kiss was a locking one, her lips taking over his and forcing his mouth open, her tongue reaching into his. Her brain exploded and she felt something. Something deep. Then realization came kicking her in the back of the head, and she jerked back. Her face blazing red, she recoiled her hands as if burned by fire; she touched her lips, disbelief at what she had done. With wide eyes and shock she looked up at him, he was flattened against the wall, his face redder than hers. This surprised her even more. The uncertainty made her panic and she jumped at him gripping his shoulders more forcefully, “If… if you tell a soul.” She tried to threaten.
His face was still red, his eyes glazed, but her words brought him back. His eyes became sharp and his eyebrows arched. He looked for all the world as if he were going to cry. Basheebah stared at the instant change in his face, then coldness came back again. Even with Basheebah’s greater-than-most strength and leverage on her side, she felt her legs buckle, as from a flat spread he raised off the wall pushing her back. With one fluid motion he pushed her off of him. With anger was on his face and tears gleamed in her eyes, he shook her hands off and ran from her. Jumping on his board, he was gone before Basheebah could blink. Basheebah stood there and realized she was holding her breath, she breathed out gasping, and her knees gave out. She landed hard with a hand on her heart and one supporting her; she looked down at the ground as found tears soaking in the dirt, her tears. She could not believe how she felt, she was shaking and she didn’t know why. The kiss scared her beyond reason and she knew, she knew, she had done something much worse than a punch and… she had wanted to do it.
The next few weeks Basheebah did nothing, she looked at him from time to time but didn’t acknowledge him and he did the same. He acted as if nothing happened. Another week passed and Basheebah’s thoughts turned to only him. The kiss had ruled her dreams for the last few days and she now looked at him for long periods of time, thinking about him. The more she thought the more she noticed things about him. She realized his eyes were not cold or as frightening as she had first thought. Instead, the dark brown was warm and full of something, an emotion she couldn’t recognize. She began avidly looking at him.
One day during class she stared at him and thought, when something caught her attention, something she had noticed before but never thought about. She could see a light dash of red on his cheeks, in fact now she thought over it, when ever she had looked at him the redness was there. “Was it anger?” she thought, then realized he was blushing. She blushed and her head snapped up. He knew. Every time she had stared at him or even looked once, he knew. She had thought she was secretly watching him, but she now realized he knew. He knew each and every glance and sigh, he knew each breath and movement. Basheebah realized she would have to talk to him again, soon.
The weekend was coming up and Basheebah had taken all week to find out his address, it took all week because no one knew or was willing to tell her. She had to sneak it from the school files, this was a risk, but she had to know. When she got it, she made plans, she told no one what she was going to do and when Saturday came she made her way to his house. She had learned that he had inherited the home, fully paid for, from some family member. He didn’t have to pay any mortgage, and he made money by working odd jobs to pay his Bills. He slept when he needed and went to school when he needed each day. He lived alone, was totally dependant for himself, and he was only seventeen. She learned that the courts didn’t bother him much or the social services because of a friend, the owner of the orphanage that he was raised in. Basheebah had been there before this and everyone there had nothing but good things to say about him. Even the children younger than ten loved him as he visited often. Apparently no one knew about this and the secret was shocking to her.
Basheebah learned of what he went through during his first two years at the school and she now had a complete background of him, she hadn’t talked to him personally but she felt like she knew him and felt pity. She learned he had never spoken a word about the mistreatment to anyone at the orphanage, because they were down enough as it was. Each time he visited he brought a little joy for them. Once she sat down to talk with the woman who was his main nursemaid, and the main nun at the convent, an elderly wolf. Basheebah was surprised with what she said. The conversation went strangely if not eye opening. “Excuse me are you the head n-” she asked “Yes I’m her, no need for such formal things, call me Genna.” The woman said. “Um, Hi Genna, I came because I wanted to talk to you about a former orphan, named Pawl.” “Oh, Pawl? You came all this way to talk about Pawl? I wouldn’t blame you, he is a sweetie, what would you like too know?” she smiled a glow on her face. Basheebah blinked “Well I was wondering if you could tell me about him.”
The story of his life before school was even more amazing, it seemed everyone loved Pawl so much, even as a baby. Those who knew him would walk to the ends of the earth for him, just as he would for them. There was also quite a lot of talk about Pawl’s shyness around the female sex, Genna laughed a long time remembering when Pawl did not ask about sex for so long Genna out right brought it up and told him everything. Basheebah had a laugh at this as well, imagining a nun having the ‘talk’ with anybody was a funny thought. She learned about his polite upbringing and manners, as well as his faith in the good of the world. It had been a weird thirty minutes, the conversation, but she was better for it and now was ready… or so she thought.
She neared the house and found it to be in great condition, not a speck of dust, the lawn was cleared and the grass was bright green. She walked up the stone path and knocked on the door. She waited and knocked again, waited… and knocked again, she called out and waited, still no answer. “What is he not home?” she looked up at the house as if it would answer her, then went to knock again when she noticed the screen door wasn’t locked. She wondered what kind of person would leave their door unlocked nowadays. She wondered if he would mind if… she pulled the door open and walked in. “The door was open” she smiled to herself, too curious to think about right and wrong. The inside was just about exactly like the outside, this didn’t surprise her, from what she learned at the orphanage she knew he wasn’t a slob and-?.. Suddenly she heard singing, it sounded like someone was humming and singing a tune while muffled. She listened keenly and walked through another room, she found the source and squeaked, slapping her hands over her mouth quickly.
There he was soaking wet, a towel wrapped around his waist and a towel around his head while he ruffled his hair… drying off… from his shower. That is why he didn’t hear her, there he stood wet, half naked, and singing. She backed away slowly but couldn’t help but notice how he looked. “DAYM!” she thought. Quietly as possible she snuck back out the door and leaned up against the house removing her hands and sighing, her eyes wide and cheeks red. She stood there breathing a bit. “I mean, DAYM!” she whisper/shouted, biting her hand. Then breathing in, regaining her composure she knocked on the door again with a smile on her face as if she had just arrived. “Helloooo is anybody hoooome?” she sung out. Inside the singing voice replied cheerfully, “Coooooming one sec-ond” She stifled a laugh and waited. A few minutes later Pawl appeared in the doorway with his hair up in a towel, wearing jeans and an undershirt, no socks though. “Yes?” His cheerful face froze when he recognized her and his eyes went from joy to a cold robtisim, then remembrance and then exploded into embarrassment “You!” he gasped and promptly fainted.
She stood in stark amazement for a while then shook her head. “Are you alright?” With a speed she didn’t see he was back on his feet with a frown on his face. “Wh-w- what do you want?” he stuttered backing away. “Oh don’t worry I’m just here to talk that’s all!” she moved forward into the doorway. He stared at her for a moment “Really?” he raised an eyebrow but as this was HIS house he might as well be himself. She smiled “Yes really I swear! See no food tray!” she shook her hands. Pawl’s face drooped, “Wrong thing to say Basheebah.” She thought “err… look I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to, I panicked!” she blurted “You scared me!” he looked her up and down and shook his head. “Very well.” She blinked many times “He’s forgiving me already?!?!?? After all he has been through he already trusts me?!!” she thought “You might as well sit down.” He motioned to the couch, “Do you want anything to drink? Lemonade, cola, milk?” he said heading for the kitchen, Basheebah sat down “Um... Milk is fine.” She answered. Pawl returned with two glasses and sat down in a chair opposite her. They sat there silently for a minute until he spoke up “So uh?” Basheebah jumped then remember her self, “Oh yeah, um well. I wanted to talk to you about... um... you.” she quickly sipped her milk watching from over the rim of the glass. Pawl raised an eyebrow “Me? What do you want to know?” he asked. “Um well, things from school, like.” He raised a hand stopping her.
“First off I’m not Gay, I’m not a jerk and I did not come onto that guy, he came onto me.” Basheebah blinked “Er... okay what I was going to ask is why you take it?” Pawl blinked rapidly. Then he sighed, sitting quietly for a while then standing up. Nonchalantly he sat next to her leaning back looking at the ceiling “Well… that was just the way I was raised. ‘do unto other as you would have them do unto you.’ I live by that and that’s how I act.” He sighed again, Basheebah blinked, it was simple yet it explained everything. “Oh.” They sat in silence again for a few minutes. “Er... I just want to say sorry for what I did back there.” She blushed lightly “What do you mean the shoving? I’ve been through it before.” He answered.
“No I meant the… uh… other part.” She blushed again as did he. They remained silent again and he started to say something when she interrupted “No wait, don’t say anything, you don’t know me well enough for you to answer me about that.” She stood. “I almost know everything about you but you don’t know me, so... I want you to wait until you really know me before we talk about that okay?” she smiled and he looked at her for a while. “Yeah I guess.” With that she stood up and waved, “I have to go but I hope to see you at school again, maybe on Monday?” he smiled and shrugged, “If you must.” She smiled back, running out the screen door. She felt really great for some reason.
***
The Next day Pawl awoke to an empty room, had he dreamed all that happened yesterday? Had the Lioness came into his house and talked so strangely to him? Had he seen the rosy bloom of her cheeks? Had he felt that tingle in his heart? Or was it all a fleeting dream? He gathered his things and hopped on his skate board, he didn’t have time to practice this morning because his thoughts were on her, he slowly convinced himself it was a dream. When he reached the school the usual jerks were stationed where they always were, he didn’t even hear their laughter this time as he still pondered her. Even in class he did not pay attention, finally lunch came and he sat at his usual spot. His sandwich was of little comfort as he thought things over. Then there was warmth beside him, he could feel it and almost jumped when he saw the girl he thought was only a dream sit beside him and smile.
“Er, is this seat taken?” she pointed down at the bench. Pawl stricken with this new information shook his head. Basheebah smiled and began talking about non important things like she had been Pawl’s friend all her life. He barely was able to think but managed to nod his head in places. The lunch room had grown quiet and you could smell the disbelief, but Basheebah did not move from there and kept talking. Slowly, ever so slowly, Pawl talked back.
Pawl: the Story, Chapter 1
‘Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep’ an alarm clock sounds the arrival of a new day. Softly a figure entangled in bed sheets moans and moves to shut off the annoying sound. With a swipe the figure smacks the snooze button. Wakening the figure rose and tromped off to the bathroom. A light clicked on illuminating it. A spotted male standing six foot three inches obviously a cheetah species, with long spotted hair fuzzed from sleep falling loosely behind his head, looked at himself in the mirror. Scratching his goatee, rubbing along down his throat over the white fur there, he continues down his chest and then up over to his right shoulder. A matted patch of fur signifies a bruise, wincing he stops and places both hands on the sink, looking deeply at his tear-like black marking under each of his brown eyes. “You always look like you’re crying… ” He stares for a moment longer, the insults from school remembered in great clarity running through his head due to his appearance, “Pssssh.” Turning he removed his boxers and proceeded to take a shower. Breakfast as usual was cereal and a sleepy look out the window, wondering if rain would come today. A quick look at the clock and it was time to go to school, high school. Outside now, he locked his door and hopped on his board. A new day.
When he reached the school, a voice called out as if on a set time, “Well look at this, guys, Pawl came back to school!” It mocked, “Don’t you mean Pawla?” another said. The two lions laughed at the same clever joke they had used for the last two years. Pawl walked past them all and into the building that he had walked into for the umpteenth time. He placed his board into his pack so no one would make him leave it in the principle’s office, where it would undoubtedly be stolen again. He had learned that from loosing his last board, his first board, to some jerk that painted over it and broke the wheels.
Pawl, when he first came to this school, was innocent and he never lied, ever. He didn’t make fun of anyone or think ill of anyone, an orphan from long ago he was taught to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. He found out that, strangely, everybody wanted to be picked on and abused, because every one he ran across had some rude comment about his almost feminine appearance. Cheetahs are a rare species and this meant that he was the only one in the entire school. Known for their slim looks, males cheetahs aren’t very well thought of. About everybody thought he was a woman when he arrived, and many believed him to be gay, especially after the one incident with a jock lion: Wayne.
Wayne had thought Pawl to be a girl and targeted him. Of course when the truth came out, Wayne blamed Pawl for trying to get Wayne’s attention, and of course everybody believed the jocks. Pawl was marked on his very first day. From then on, no one would sit near him; all the guys thought he was gay, all the women thought he was a jerk for misleading Wayne like that, and he made no friends. Still Pawl tried, he struck up conversations with people, and they were easily flattened with another rude comment, he would sit at lunch tables only to be beat up for ruining another kids rep. Pawl could never get a date either, he was always taught it was a normal thing for a teen to try and date, but every girl shrank from him because of the gay rumor, or turned him down, hard. Pawl’s first year was hell, and that was just the students.
The teachers on the other hand were either distant and uncaring or filled with odd character traits. Such as his math teacher who hates his students because he thinks himself to be the next Einstein but is ‘forced to waste his time teaching retarded school punks’. Of course Pawl, being a skate boarder made him even more anti-social and punkish, even though Pawl is just the opposite. Another odd case is his science teacher, who has seen the real person Pawl is, and unfortunately found this extremely attractive. She often hits on him, very secretively of course but Pawl always has an A on science tests even if he misses a few, which is not to say he does. Pawl is very good at Science, Literature, Art and Drama, but sadly he is not good at math. Pawl had been through a lot in those two years, jading him and robbing him of his innocence. He has become cold in that time, hardly listening to anybody anymore, turning rather to his music and isolating himself, shutting down to those who actually try to talk to him. Having been in many fights, which are more like ‘punching-bag-Pawl time’ since he does not fight back, Pawl has grown weary of anybody whether they mean ill or not.
This third year Pawl was branded a jerk, an anti-social cold uncaring jerk, by the new people just arriving. Even so he lived on, not really open to school or its importance. He now thought of it as just a place to be until time to leave where then he could practice. Practice skating, for the big times. Pawl didn’t know it, but he was the best skater to ever come out of ...well, anywhere. He made new moves up just because he could, he got higher air than any record would ever tell, and he could grind longer, farther, faster as well as hold out any lip trick well over five minutes. But as far as he knew, he sucked; he never skated in public, nor could work up the courage to attend a skate competition. He didn’t have a TV, just books or magazines to tell him the basics. He was pure talent on his board, and he was good, very good. But no one knew this, no one. No one would ever know this either. Until someone actually saw the truth behind this cold wall of fake hatred, they would find a hurt, sad, and very lonely sensitive being. One who was above all a poet and a gentleman, but the years of unkindness in practice made his act very convincing.
Pawl walked into his first class and sat at his usual seat, you could tell it was his because the wall beside him was scarred with two years of thrown objects, paper wads, and liquid stains on the floor from ‘accidentally’ spilled drinks. “Oh hello Pawl” a sultry voice said, Ms. Zazdou. Standing five two, she was an Artic Fox; her large ears only dwarfed by her dyed red hair. She was in her twenties; she had decided to teach because she didn’t know exactly what to do with her life at the time. She was very well matured and she had her sights set on Pawl, who she thought was the answer to all her dreams and she just couldn't wait until he was eighteen. She was the only teacher who didn’t speak badly about him, in fact she never spoke about him at all. She wore a Bright blue dress suit (blue is Pawl’s favorite color) and her glasses, small and neat, were in her mouth. She chewed on them from time to time because it helped her think… about Pawl. She was devoted to sacking this student just because she had gotten a glimpse of his true self. She found him after a prank; someone had stolen his cloths and locked him outside of the boy’s locker room. She apparently thought he was gifted.
Through the tears in his eyes he apologized many times and was forced to seek refuge from class mates eye’s in her office, where she devoured him with her eyes. He was a very attractive student, a slim build from skateboarding gave him tone and definition, and being soaking wet always made his fur sort or glow, not to mention defining every detail of his under muscles that were not usually visible under his fur. Cheetah’s are not very well liked because their bodies are genetically wired to be fit, they have a higher metabolism, so their bodies are perfect muscle building machines. In a word, cheetah’s are born fashion models, they represented an exotic feminine beauty. Cheetah’s have been drilled into the mind of society as the veritable walking sex symbol, the height of fashion. Which was okay for women, but men were not suppose to look like that. He also had a sad truth in his eyes, with a red blush on his cheeks… all this coupled with the raw vulnerability and naivety of Pawl’s inexperienced youth made him irresistible to her. She has hunted him ever since.
She sauntered up to him now and smiled remembering the lovely image she had stumbled upon: Pawl desperately jerking on a door handle with wet fur flying in the wind and a vulnerable raw innocence in his eyes. She sighed at him as other students entered. She then winked and walked over to the board now in teacher mode. Pawl sighed inwardly and leaned back in his chair, absorbing all that happened around him including her lesson and every rude comment whispered or snickered at him. A day just like any other, he thought. And truly it would have been. If not for a certain lioness in the very back of the room, whispering to her friends about him.
***
Basheebah came form a long line of lionesses, she was for the most part all lion, almost too much. Already at the age of seventeen, she had transferred over to this school after her last school was condemned, though arguably this one wasn’t much better. She stood six five, with light golden brown fur and dark hair braided into tight little lines down her head. She was very well built -even for a lioness- which brought jeers from other students, but they were all playful, no one wanted to mess with an athletic lioness. She sat in the very back, not to good at any one subject, except for PE. Sitting there chatting with some new friends of hers, she whispered excitedly about the student who just walked in; she had never seen a real Cheetah before and was utterly fascinated with him. Basheebah whispered “Yeah right him gay? Look at him.” The other girls looked at each other and smiled. “Oh you don’t think so huh?” one said.
Basheebah looked at her, doubt on her face. “Yeaaaaaah.” She said carefully knowing she was about to get it. “Okay then, we dare you to get one date with him.” The girl smiled and the other one’s eyes went wide as she laughed. “Just one?” Basheedbah laughed scornfully “I thought you were going to ask something hard.” The others girls stared at her then smiled shaking their heads, “If you only knew.” They then laughed and Basheebah smiled. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up.” looking over at Pawl she thought, “Shouldn’t be that hard.” Little did Basheebah know, as she gazed over at the still Pawl, that she was about to go through one of the toughest rides of her life.
After first and second class were over the lunch bell rang, and Pawl as usual took his lone table, marked by two years of thrown food. Basheebah thought it would be the right time to make first contact. “First contact.” She snickered at the odd thought, “Engage.” Basheebah walked slowly over with her tray in hand, as she passed other tables the students grew quiet figuring out her destination. Some whispered comments of warning. Basheebah grew nervous with each step, her heart pounded as she got closer. For some reason his complete ignorance of her advance unnerved her, or maybe it was the other students sudden attention as allot of eyes watched her. Even so, as she got closer she got shorter of breath; the students were all quiet now, eyes burned to the scene. Basheebah noticed the eyes, and started to sweat. As she neared him she couldn’t help notice how feminine his face looked, he was almost beautiful.
Basheebah gritted her teeth and stood directly next to him, the dead silence around her was overbearing. Then as if on cue, slowly ever so slowly, Pawl turned his head to look at her. His cold unquestioning eyes were the last straw, Basheebah felt like she was falling into those eyes, like they were choking her. Her head began to spin and then everything stopped. Basheebah realized she had dunked her entire tray of food directly on his head. Her heart skipped a beat. She waited for the recourse… He did nothing. Suddenly Basheebah was startled by laughter, as all the students came back to life, then conversation started as if what had happened was a normal occurrence. Still, he did not move. Basheebah stared at him, he stared at her. With a slight move he brushed off the food, and continued eating.
Not a word, not a glare, not one emotion glanced across his face or eyes, as if what happened was nothing. Basheebah’s heart pounded and her cheeks flared red. A sudden jerk of her arm, and her friends had dragged her away from him. Now sitting in safety she breathed easy and her eyes still showed how frightened she was. This in itself scared her even more, Basheebah hadn’t been frightened by anything as much as that, even when almost crushed by a truck. Her friends squabbled on about how she fit right in and she paid them no mind, instead her glance went from her friends to beyond them. She silently stared at him, eating his lunch as if nothing had transpired.
Basheebah didn’t talk with him for the next two weeks and for the next two weeks she had nightmares about what she had done. His slow turning head, his calm cold eyes, the student’s silence and then laughter as gobs of food dumped onto him. Finally guilt turned into fear, fear turned into anger. She had grown angry at him for making her feel that way, now she was determined to find out what his problem was. After classes were over, she saw her chance to confront him, school was out and he was pulling his board to ride home. The court yard was empty, she walked briskly up too him now ready to get answers. Basheebah was raised knowing that, you fear what you don’t understand and if he struck so much fear into her she wanted to know why… and end it. With out hesitation she stopped dead in front of him, without a word he continued to pull out his board.
“Hey, my name is Basheebah. What’s up with you? Why are you always so wack?” she asked. He stopped and slowly looked up to meet her gaze. Her furrowed brow quickly turned into loose arches as those same eyes greeted her, they trapped her again. Cold, silent, as a well of un-answers almost drowned her. But this time she met her fear head on, and with great difficulty swallowed that creeping tightness in her heart. “I-I said, what is… your problem?” she barely choked out. His reply was even more nerve racking, he looked away from her and continued to retrieve his board. Basheebah now free form his eyes, got angry. She moved onto physical talk. With a shove he was against the wall with her hands on his shoulders. “I SAID, WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?” she shouted in his face. He barely flinched, unfazed, merely staring at her. Anger now clouding her brain, there was no room for fear. “You listening?” she shouted giving him a shake and banging his head against the wall. Again he did not answer, only stared at her in pathetic cowardly silence, Basheebah was enraged.
“I want too know what is yo’ deal and if you don’t tell me...” she trailed off meaning it. He still did not answer. What happened next… Basheebah didn’t know what brought it on, but it could be compared to a young child seeing fire for the first time and wanting to hold it. She moved forward, with no senses and kissed him. The kiss was a locking one, her lips taking over his and forcing his mouth open, her tongue reaching into his. Her brain exploded and she felt something. Something deep. Then realization came kicking her in the back of the head, and she jerked back. Her face blazing red, she recoiled her hands as if burned by fire; she touched her lips, disbelief at what she had done. With wide eyes and shock she looked up at him, he was flattened against the wall, his face redder than hers. This surprised her even more. The uncertainty made her panic and she jumped at him gripping his shoulders more forcefully, “If… if you tell a soul.” She tried to threaten.
His face was still red, his eyes glazed, but her words brought him back. His eyes became sharp and his eyebrows arched. He looked for all the world as if he were going to cry. Basheebah stared at the instant change in his face, then coldness came back again. Even with Basheebah’s greater-than-most strength and leverage on her side, she felt her legs buckle, as from a flat spread he raised off the wall pushing her back. With one fluid motion he pushed her off of him. With anger was on his face and tears gleamed in her eyes, he shook her hands off and ran from her. Jumping on his board, he was gone before Basheebah could blink. Basheebah stood there and realized she was holding her breath, she breathed out gasping, and her knees gave out. She landed hard with a hand on her heart and one supporting her; she looked down at the ground as found tears soaking in the dirt, her tears. She could not believe how she felt, she was shaking and she didn’t know why. The kiss scared her beyond reason and she knew, she knew, she had done something much worse than a punch and… she had wanted to do it.
The next few weeks Basheebah did nothing, she looked at him from time to time but didn’t acknowledge him and he did the same. He acted as if nothing happened. Another week passed and Basheebah’s thoughts turned to only him. The kiss had ruled her dreams for the last few days and she now looked at him for long periods of time, thinking about him. The more she thought the more she noticed things about him. She realized his eyes were not cold or as frightening as she had first thought. Instead, the dark brown was warm and full of something, an emotion she couldn’t recognize. She began avidly looking at him.
One day during class she stared at him and thought, when something caught her attention, something she had noticed before but never thought about. She could see a light dash of red on his cheeks, in fact now she thought over it, when ever she had looked at him the redness was there. “Was it anger?” she thought, then realized he was blushing. She blushed and her head snapped up. He knew. Every time she had stared at him or even looked once, he knew. She had thought she was secretly watching him, but she now realized he knew. He knew each and every glance and sigh, he knew each breath and movement. Basheebah realized she would have to talk to him again, soon.
The weekend was coming up and Basheebah had taken all week to find out his address, it took all week because no one knew or was willing to tell her. She had to sneak it from the school files, this was a risk, but she had to know. When she got it, she made plans, she told no one what she was going to do and when Saturday came she made her way to his house. She had learned that he had inherited the home, fully paid for, from some family member. He didn’t have to pay any mortgage, and he made money by working odd jobs to pay his Bills. He slept when he needed and went to school when he needed each day. He lived alone, was totally dependant for himself, and he was only seventeen. She learned that the courts didn’t bother him much or the social services because of a friend, the owner of the orphanage that he was raised in. Basheebah had been there before this and everyone there had nothing but good things to say about him. Even the children younger than ten loved him as he visited often. Apparently no one knew about this and the secret was shocking to her.
Basheebah learned of what he went through during his first two years at the school and she now had a complete background of him, she hadn’t talked to him personally but she felt like she knew him and felt pity. She learned he had never spoken a word about the mistreatment to anyone at the orphanage, because they were down enough as it was. Each time he visited he brought a little joy for them. Once she sat down to talk with the woman who was his main nursemaid, and the main nun at the convent, an elderly wolf. Basheebah was surprised with what she said. The conversation went strangely if not eye opening. “Excuse me are you the head n-” she asked “Yes I’m her, no need for such formal things, call me Genna.” The woman said. “Um, Hi Genna, I came because I wanted to talk to you about a former orphan, named Pawl.” “Oh, Pawl? You came all this way to talk about Pawl? I wouldn’t blame you, he is a sweetie, what would you like too know?” she smiled a glow on her face. Basheebah blinked “Well I was wondering if you could tell me about him.”
The story of his life before school was even more amazing, it seemed everyone loved Pawl so much, even as a baby. Those who knew him would walk to the ends of the earth for him, just as he would for them. There was also quite a lot of talk about Pawl’s shyness around the female sex, Genna laughed a long time remembering when Pawl did not ask about sex for so long Genna out right brought it up and told him everything. Basheebah had a laugh at this as well, imagining a nun having the ‘talk’ with anybody was a funny thought. She learned about his polite upbringing and manners, as well as his faith in the good of the world. It had been a weird thirty minutes, the conversation, but she was better for it and now was ready… or so she thought.
She neared the house and found it to be in great condition, not a speck of dust, the lawn was cleared and the grass was bright green. She walked up the stone path and knocked on the door. She waited and knocked again, waited… and knocked again, she called out and waited, still no answer. “What is he not home?” she looked up at the house as if it would answer her, then went to knock again when she noticed the screen door wasn’t locked. She wondered what kind of person would leave their door unlocked nowadays. She wondered if he would mind if… she pulled the door open and walked in. “The door was open” she smiled to herself, too curious to think about right and wrong. The inside was just about exactly like the outside, this didn’t surprise her, from what she learned at the orphanage she knew he wasn’t a slob and-?.. Suddenly she heard singing, it sounded like someone was humming and singing a tune while muffled. She listened keenly and walked through another room, she found the source and squeaked, slapping her hands over her mouth quickly.
There he was soaking wet, a towel wrapped around his waist and a towel around his head while he ruffled his hair… drying off… from his shower. That is why he didn’t hear her, there he stood wet, half naked, and singing. She backed away slowly but couldn’t help but notice how he looked. “DAYM!” she thought. Quietly as possible she snuck back out the door and leaned up against the house removing her hands and sighing, her eyes wide and cheeks red. She stood there breathing a bit. “I mean, DAYM!” she whisper/shouted, biting her hand. Then breathing in, regaining her composure she knocked on the door again with a smile on her face as if she had just arrived. “Helloooo is anybody hoooome?” she sung out. Inside the singing voice replied cheerfully, “Coooooming one sec-ond” She stifled a laugh and waited. A few minutes later Pawl appeared in the doorway with his hair up in a towel, wearing jeans and an undershirt, no socks though. “Yes?” His cheerful face froze when he recognized her and his eyes went from joy to a cold robtisim, then remembrance and then exploded into embarrassment “You!” he gasped and promptly fainted.
She stood in stark amazement for a while then shook her head. “Are you alright?” With a speed she didn’t see he was back on his feet with a frown on his face. “Wh-w- what do you want?” he stuttered backing away. “Oh don’t worry I’m just here to talk that’s all!” she moved forward into the doorway. He stared at her for a moment “Really?” he raised an eyebrow but as this was HIS house he might as well be himself. She smiled “Yes really I swear! See no food tray!” she shook her hands. Pawl’s face drooped, “Wrong thing to say Basheebah.” She thought “err… look I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to, I panicked!” she blurted “You scared me!” he looked her up and down and shook his head. “Very well.” She blinked many times “He’s forgiving me already?!?!?? After all he has been through he already trusts me?!!” she thought “You might as well sit down.” He motioned to the couch, “Do you want anything to drink? Lemonade, cola, milk?” he said heading for the kitchen, Basheebah sat down “Um... Milk is fine.” She answered. Pawl returned with two glasses and sat down in a chair opposite her. They sat there silently for a minute until he spoke up “So uh?” Basheebah jumped then remember her self, “Oh yeah, um well. I wanted to talk to you about... um... you.” she quickly sipped her milk watching from over the rim of the glass. Pawl raised an eyebrow “Me? What do you want to know?” he asked. “Um well, things from school, like.” He raised a hand stopping her.
“First off I’m not Gay, I’m not a jerk and I did not come onto that guy, he came onto me.” Basheebah blinked “Er... okay what I was going to ask is why you take it?” Pawl blinked rapidly. Then he sighed, sitting quietly for a while then standing up. Nonchalantly he sat next to her leaning back looking at the ceiling “Well… that was just the way I was raised. ‘do unto other as you would have them do unto you.’ I live by that and that’s how I act.” He sighed again, Basheebah blinked, it was simple yet it explained everything. “Oh.” They sat in silence again for a few minutes. “Er... I just want to say sorry for what I did back there.” She blushed lightly “What do you mean the shoving? I’ve been through it before.” He answered.
“No I meant the… uh… other part.” She blushed again as did he. They remained silent again and he started to say something when she interrupted “No wait, don’t say anything, you don’t know me well enough for you to answer me about that.” She stood. “I almost know everything about you but you don’t know me, so... I want you to wait until you really know me before we talk about that okay?” she smiled and he looked at her for a while. “Yeah I guess.” With that she stood up and waved, “I have to go but I hope to see you at school again, maybe on Monday?” he smiled and shrugged, “If you must.” She smiled back, running out the screen door. She felt really great for some reason.
***
The Next day Pawl awoke to an empty room, had he dreamed all that happened yesterday? Had the Lioness came into his house and talked so strangely to him? Had he seen the rosy bloom of her cheeks? Had he felt that tingle in his heart? Or was it all a fleeting dream? He gathered his things and hopped on his skate board, he didn’t have time to practice this morning because his thoughts were on her, he slowly convinced himself it was a dream. When he reached the school the usual jerks were stationed where they always were, he didn’t even hear their laughter this time as he still pondered her. Even in class he did not pay attention, finally lunch came and he sat at his usual spot. His sandwich was of little comfort as he thought things over. Then there was warmth beside him, he could feel it and almost jumped when he saw the girl he thought was only a dream sit beside him and smile.
“Er, is this seat taken?” she pointed down at the bench. Pawl stricken with this new information shook his head. Basheebah smiled and began talking about non important things like she had been Pawl’s friend all her life. He barely was able to think but managed to nod his head in places. The lunch room had grown quiet and you could smell the disbelief, but Basheebah did not move from there and kept talking. Slowly, ever so slowly, Pawl talked back.