Running with the Wolves

chapter 24: promise

beacon hills high school

I'm sitting in Biology class taking notes.

I wasn't able to get much sleep, if any at all.

Liam sits to my left and Mason sits in front of me.

The aches in my body haven't gone away, and neither has a this headache.

It's even worse today. It's hard to concentrate on what's on the board.

My head hurts so much and I feel an unbelievable amount of pressure, it feels like my head is about to explode.

Suddenly, the pressure gets worse and the pain is so much I almost scream.

I grab my head between my hands, hoping it'll help ease the pain.

"You ok?" Liam whispers to me.

I slowly turn to look at him, if I move to fast it'll make the pain worsen. I lower my hands.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Oh my God, you're bleeding." he says, his voice not a whisper anymore.

Mason turns around and so do other students.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Your nose." Liam responds.

I bring my hand to my nose, when I pull my hand away, I see the blood.

"Is everything all right?" our Biology teacher asks, becoming aware of my situation.

"Yeah, I just-I have a nosebleed. May I go to the nurses?"

"Yes, go ahead." she replies, motioning with her hand towards the door.

"Let me go with you." Liam says, standing up.

"Mister Dunbar, she's perfectly capable of getting to the nurses office on her own. Please take a seat." our teacher says.

Liam turns to me.

"Really, I'm fine." I say.

He sits back down.

I turn to Mason, he's clearly worried. 

"It's ok." I say and he nods.

I quickly walk out of the classroom, my hand covering my nose.

But I don't walk towards the nurses office, I walk towards the girls bathroom.

There, I try everything I have ever heard about on stopping nosebleeds.

After a few minutes, they bleeding stops and the pressure in my head is far less than it was before.

I splash cold water on my face and pat it dry with a paper towel.

I take a look in the mirror.

I look sickly and pale.

Why haven't I said anything about how miserable I feel?

I honestly don't know.

Maybe it's because, if there is something wrong with me, I'm afraid to find out.

I walk out of the bathroom and find Scott standing across the hall.

"Hey, are you ok?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm find. How did y-"

"Liam texted me. He said you were headed to the nurses office with a nosebleed and your teacher wouldn't let him go with you. But your scent led me here and not to the nurses office."

"Yeah, but it's ok. I'm fine now. Thank you. I don't need to go to the nurses."

He looks at me with questioning eyes.

"What's really happening to you Veronica?"

"Nothing, I- uh..." but I don't know what else to say. I can't lie to Scott.

"You can trust me." he says as he takes my hand.

When he does, I can feel a small relief from the pain that has taken over me.

He looks at me with shock in his eyes.

"You're in pain. In a lot of pain." he says.

"It's not that bad." I say.

"Yea, yes it is." he counters. "Tell me what's wrong."

I briefly tell him some of the things that have been happening since the ice bath.

He starts to freak out, which is exactly why I didn't want to tell anybody.

"Have you told Stiles? Your dad?" he asks.

"No! No! And you have to promise not to tell them, please!"

"Veronica, we ha-"

"No, we don't. I don't want them to worry. My dads getting better, it's Stiles' senior year, he needs to enjoy it without worrying about me. And so do you."

He looks at me for a moment, but I know I haven't convinced him. 

He opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off. "If by the end of this week, I don't feel better, I promise I'll tell them." I say.

It takes me a while to convince him but he finally agrees.

"I should get back to class." I say. 

Scott nods.

"Before you leave..." he says, and takes both my hands in his.

He begins to take my pain, as much as he can take.

I feel an instant relief, my body  no longer aches, my headache becomes so faint I can barely feel it, and it's even easier to breathe.

I pull away, knowing that if I don't, Scott will take away all of my pain, leaving him to suffer with it all.

He stands there, catching his breath.

"Thank you." I say and I hug him.

"You don't have to thank me. Now get to class." he says with a smile.

I nod and smile in return.

When I walk back into class, everyone turns to look at me.

I make my way back to my seat.

"You all right, Ms. Stilinski?" my teachers asks.

"Yes, fine." I say as I take my seat.

"I'm fine, I promise." I say to Liam.

He looks at me for a moment, smiles softly, and then turns his attention back to the board.

"I'm ok." I tell Mason with a smile.

And for the first time since the ice bath, I can respond with the truth when I'm asked "are you ok?"