Inserted Chapter (before chapter 12)

Inserted Chapter~

In the moments in which she fell, time seemed to slow. She reached for the balcony with no avail. Memories flashed through her mind's eye. The moment in which she came home. She closed her eyes in a desperate attempt not to remember, but it rushed upon her ever so quickly.
Katara walked up the steps to her home, brow furrowed as she sensed the door's hinges broken. The door swung lifelessly on the slight hinge it still embraced, swaying with every breath the wind breathed. She slowly walked up on the porch, touching the door. Something wet was upon it and she pushed it open even more. The hinge snapped, the door fell to the floor and leaned against the wall. Glass was broken and the small table by the door which held pictures was now overturned, pictures flung to all ends of the house. She walked carefully further, a smell flooding her nose much like a copper. She clamped her hands over her nose and mouth, the smell of blood overpowering.
“Mom? Dad?” she called, with no response. She started to panic, walking quicker through the house now. She rushed through the kitchen, the living room, finding the furniture ripped, pictures broken, utensils thrown through the house in places which they did not belong. She started to head up the stairs and froze. They were slung over the bed like useless toys, discarded. Dad lay before mom, as if he a tried to protect her. A picture was broken before them, crushed by an angered foot. The window was open, but she could go no further. She sat on the stairs, head in her hands, her senses reading the note engraved on the wall.
Do Not Trust The Man You Trust The Most

Katara now wondered exactly who that meant. She wished whoever had written the note would have been more clear. She saw Jerry look over the balcany, his eyes blood-shot, reaching down to grab her. His hand touched her foot but did not grip. She slipped through his fingers.

“Hey, you're Katara, right?”
Kat looked up, her face blank, a brow cocking over her sash. “Depends.”
The girl laughed, “Well, I'm Alex. I sit next to-oh, right, sorry, I guess you wouldn't know that. But anyways, I'm in most of your classes.”
Kat let out a weak laugh. “Oh, cool.” She continued gathering books from her locker, put down on the page in brail.
“Do you actually need books?” Alex inquired as Kat shut her locker, Alex's arms crossed, a question in her voice.
“Yes.” Kat groaned, sighing. “I'm going to class.”
“Oh, right, I'll come too.” Alex grabbed her bag and ran to Kat's side. “Not much of a talker are you?”
Kat coughed, shaking her head and shrugging. Alex laughed, nudging her, “Hey, you wanna go hang this weekend?”
Kat cocked a brow, stopping and facing Alex. “What?”
Alex stopped as well and shrugged, “Well, ya know, there's a park over by my house. I could come get you after school and we could chill.”
Kat couldn't speak for a moment, then managed, “Why me?”
Alex smiled broadly, “Why not you? You seem all broody and moody, thought I'd cheer you up some!”
Kat grinned, managing a laugh, “Sounds cool. Get back to me on times and stuff, alright?”

Kat grimaced, glancing over her shoulder to see the oncoming chairs and unwelcoming floor. She willed herself to changed, but time was against her. She was falling to fast and the change would take too long.

“Katara, focus, you need to remember how you change.”
“Why? Is someone trying to kill me, again?” She crossed her arms, groaning. “My head's killing me. Can I get advil?”
The man sighed, passed her a glass of water and advil to accompany it. “Katara, all shape-shifters must know how to change.”
“Yeah? Then how come the rest of my class doesn't know how yet either?”
“Katara, they don't even know what they can change into yet! You however, do. Your life is also at danger. You need to be able to protect yourself. Again.”
Katara gave him her empty glass, focusing on the feeling in which she's changed before. The anger, fear. She felt an overwhelming sense of her blind sight overtake her, allowing her to see further than she had before. She felt things crawl within her skin, breaking through it, covering her skin-or what was left of it. Her legs collapsed, snapping backwards, her fingers molding together, forming a small paw. A tail broke her skin, looser vines making it up, swinging back and forth. Her ears pointed and shifted up on her head, her face elongated, fangs lined her gums. Her sash remained behind her ears, as tight, if not tighter, than before. She growled, foggy knowledge flooding her mind. She faced the man, vines bristling, moving unsettling upon her body. She barked and the man grinned and clapped, “Very good. Now change back.”
Inserted Chapter 2

“Kat? Katara!?” Jerry shouted, the massive crowd hindering his sight. He rushed through the crowd, pushing past masses of people. He spotted her brown hair and her thin frame, standing near a shooting range. She was facing the range, the man, a large, slobbish man, looking awkward with her blind composure. Jerry came next to her, holding a swirled mess of cotton candy with a handle too tiny to do any real good. He touched the small of her back, his breath leaving him as if he had held it when he couldn't find her. She turned her face in his direction, the smooth, brown sash covering her eyes mingling with her hair, making the two almost indistinguishable. She smiled at him, “A shooting range, right?” She turned and faced the direction of the target, the man, dirtied with his poor eating habits, eyeing the blind girl. She sighed, the smile never leaving her lips. “I wish I could play. Bet I could beat any boy here!” She laughed, resting her elbows on the counter of the stall, her chin in her hands. Jerry chuckled, “You know, you win prizes if you hit the target.”
She grinned, “You know, I would be rolling my eyes. I know that.” She chuckled, shaking her head. Jerry shrugged, taking a bite of the sticky mess in a cone. He placed the candy near her lips and she recoiled, causing him to laugh. “It's not poisonous.”
She grinned, shaking her head, groping for the handle and finding his hand instead. He carefully slipped the handle into her hands before a blush could betray them both. She cautiously placed it against her lips and took a bite, making a face.
“Why's that so sticky?” She wiped her mouth on her sleeve, chuckling, “Cotton candy, am I right?”
“We have a winner! You should really get a prize, you've gotten good at this guessing game.” He smirked and she shook her head, taking another bite.
“Hey, don't eat it all!”
“Oh, you don't need it.”
He reached to swat it away from her, but she skillfully pulled away, grinning as he reached past her, his face near hers.
Katara could smell his musk, feel his breath against her face. Just as he almost gripped the cotton candy she switched hands, smirking. “C'mon, aren't you supposed to be nice to a girl? Go win me something!”
“Oh, win it yourself! I payed for that!”
“Well, you're a gentleman.”
The crowd pushed around them, ignoring the two teenagers who were barely touching noses, Jerry reaching behind her to try and get the beloved food. Silence pressed over the two teens, Jerry looking at her with a strange gleam in his eye. Katara got nervous, feeling his shifting weight in his feet. He was no longer trying to reach for the candy, but something entirely different. Before she could gather her thoughts on such an oncoming advance, the man behind the stall grunted.
“Do your lovey dovey stuff away from my stall. You're scaring away my costumers!”
Katara cleared her throat and shoved the candy back into his chest. He fell back on his heels, gripping the candy, smiling at her, if a bit sheepishly. He, too, cleared his throat.
“Well. Uhm. There's a sweet roller coaster over here. C'mon, let's go.”
He took her hand in his and she felt his warmth travel up her arm, adding to the bright red wave against her cheeks. He was facing away, luckily for her, allowing her to rid herself of such a humiliating emotion. He pulled her strongly through the crowds, offering the cotton candy mess to her after nearly every bite. After passing the large, rushing crowd towards the food stands he brought her up next to him, an arm around her waist. She swallowed hard, was she okay with this?
“Katara,” Jerry started, interrupting Kat's thoughts, “you know, this is the most fun I've had in a while.” He looked over at her, a small smile on his lips. “All thanks to you, Katara. We should do this again sometime.”
Katara smiled up at him, unable to hide the blush that bombarded her with such fierceness; she found her face ablaze. “Well, wise guy, we've got a date for that play you're taking me too.”
“Date?” he cocked a brow, his smile growing. Kat quickly looked away, clearing her throat. She realized they were still holding hands and her face blushed brighter.
“Well-I mean-I guess I-”
He squeezed her hand and turned her towards him. Her face remained straight; her ability to see him without staring up at his face gave her no reason to tilt her head upwards. He, however, took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, the cotton candy discarded. She swallowed, “Hey, what if I wanted the rest of that?” Her voice was small.
“I can get you more later,” he breathed, his forehead against hers. Both hearts bet as one, Katara unable to find the will to detach herself. What of Sammy? What about-
The kiss was something she knew was coming, but shocked her all the same. His lips were tender; quickly questions wove into her mind. How was she supposed to react? Wrap her arms around him? Or was he supposed to do that? How did she tilt her head, how was she supposed to kiss back? Before any of the questions were answered he pulled away, both too stunned to say a word. Kat smiled, “So, that roller coaster?”

Lies, breathed the thoughts within her mind. All of them. Lies.