Walls, Masks and Plaid Shirts (Book One of the 'Plaid Shirts' series)

School... pffft - (Stiles' POV)

A/N - I am really, really, really sorry it has taken this long to post but health has been kicking my ass, school has been kicking my ass, a bunch of other issues have been kicking my ass and well life in general has been kicking my ass. Needless to say my ass is metaphorically really sore right now so yeah... I just went on a bit of a tangent there. Any how I am really sorry I am so late. In the media above is my Stiles fan art, I am just trying something's out as fan art for the public to see is pretty new to me, I am not quite happy with the eyes but umm yeah I might be posting some bits of my own fan art here and there more often 😊. Once again I am sorry and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

The morning of Friday the 27th of October found the pups of the pack waking up and doing their usual morning routine but this time to find me sitting at the kitchen counter on one of the tall stools staring at my phone as if waiting for it to ring. I was watching my phone so intently that I did not notice that the pack had woken up until Derek came up to me and gentle put a hand on my shoulder to shake me. "-iles", his words where only half finished and I realised that he had probably been trying to talk to me. "Huh, I mean yeah?". The look Derek gave me was an odd mix of concern and care. "I said, You okay there Stiles?", I shook my head a little to get rid of the left over fuzziness clinging like cob webs. "Oh, uh, yeah I'm fine", I cursed myself at how weak and shaking my voice sounded even though I should feel better, I was safe now, I was meant to be returning to my older version of myself, I was meant to be able to build my walls back up and reconstruct my mask. I was afraid that they had crumbled to a dust that I would not be able to rebuild from.

"-I, Sti, Stiles", I cursed myself again for zoning out on him. "Yeah, sorry zoned out a little". Derek gave me a small smile and I tried to ignore the worried look that was shot my way from Lydia. "Just asked what you wanted to do today, and was wondering if you are wanting to have a go at school next week?". My eyes flicked back to the phone sitting on the counter next to a cup of coffee that had now stopped steaming. I felt my heart skip a little and speed up a tiny bit. This of course got the wolves attention towards me because I just had to live with God dammed werewolves. "I... I ummm, how do I put this. I am waiting for a phone call but after that I will get back to you on that last one?", it sounded like more of a question than I wanted it to but Derek just nodded, "Sure, now plan for today?". What where my plans for today, what did I have to do. I wasn't completely sure but there was some things that I had to do, the rest I was just planning on winging.

"I have to go and see my mom" I announced and I saw the pack freeze in whatever they where doing. "Sti-", I cut Scott off. "No, I have to go and see her, I didn't go on Tuesday because da-", I choked on the next word, "because we used to go together in the evening but I um.. I obviously didn't go so I have to go and see her." Scott just nodded in my direction and the rest of the pack just gave me sympathetic looks that made me feel slightly sick to my stomach. "Well do you want to help drop the pups off at school and then we can go past a store to get some flowers?, Derek's voice was gentle and soothing much like the hand that was rubbing soft circles into my arm that I was only just realising was gently comforting me. I smiled up to him and nodded as the others continued to go about their business getting ready for the day ahead of them at Beacon Hills High.

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When the pups where all ready we where away to leave (quite a bit earlier then usual due to the excitement to get Friday over and get ready for the full moon) and we where heading to the door when my phone began to ring in my pocket and I moved the fasted that I had in what felt like years surprising some of the pack who stopped walking and raised an eye brow( namely the three Hale's, Erica, Jackson, Lydia and Allison). "Hello?" I answered. "Is this M... Mi..." , I sighed, no one could ever pronounce my name. "Yeah I go by Stiles, Stiles Stilinski" I forced down bile as I said my last name and hoped the woman on the other end would not hear it. At the confusion over my first name Peter's eyebrow shot up further and I choked a laugh at the almost comic look.