Howl 2

The Hostage Situation

Sometimes I wish I had a filter. Like the time I wondered how many marshmallows could fit in a DD-sized bra, only to realize that I said it out loud in front of the whole station. I was twelve. Then there was the time I tried talking to a cute guy at school in freshman year. I wanted to ask him what’s his favourite TV shows for an icebreaker but ended up chocking in front of him and instead asked if his cat has toes.

And then there was this moment.

The moment I unintentionally gave Stiles the idea to hijack a police transport van, handcuff Jackson inside, and drive it all the way into to forest and hide it there.

Me and my big mouth.

I guess it also gave my brother the idea that I was okay with ‘babysitting’ the rich boy instead of going to school the next morning. The rest of the evening after the club incident went by smoothly. Derek popped into my room for a quick visit, we kissed, we talked, we cuddled in comfortable silence, he left to keep an eye on his pack, and I could get a good night’s sleep before school. However, I woke up with Stiles in my face, telling me that I’m on Jackson duty because he and Scott had to go to school to keep an eye on things.

And no matter how many times I protested that I could also ‘keep an eye on things’, whatever that meant, Stiles only claimed that I had a better chance of not getting killed by Jackson because he had this little fantasy about him and me together. Gross.

Eventually, I just accepted the fact that I was probably the only one who could tolerate the jackass now. In his human form, the worse he could do was to flirt with me. As the kanima, I didn’t think he’d hurt me, but I knew I could take him. Plus, I don’t think I’d feel comfortable if Stiles was the one watching him alone.

I could hear Jackson’s heartbeat through the walls of the van. By the sound of it, he was pissed. Luckily Stiles had already left for school, and I had a wonderful seven hours of keeping a jackass company awaiting me. I stole a look at the two sandwiches in my hands, inhaled deeply, prayed for patience, and opened the door to the van.

His head jerked up when I climbed in and his ice-blue eyes darkened in rage, “I should’ve known you’re part of this. And because you and I are the same, I’m gonna offer you the easy way out. Let me go and I won’t press charges against you as well!”

His threat went ignored as I casually sat on the cold bench on the opposite side of him, “This is for your own good, Jackson.”

“My own good?” He seethed, “I’m handcuffed in the back of a holding van, wearing nothing but a pair of pants that don’t even belong to me. How’s that for my own good?!”

My breath came out slowly as I allowed myself to remain calm. There’s no Netflix in prison... There’s no Netflix in prison… “Okay, fine, you’re absolutely right. We’re not doing this for you. I mean, it’s always about you, isn’t it? You’re captain of the swim team, co-captain of the lacrosse team, the most popular guy in school, drives a Porsche, gets everything he wants, treats other people like they’re your bitches. It’s only obvious that you’d make this all about you, too.”

“Am I suppose to see your point?” He asked, clearly bored with my little ranting.

I shrugged, “I’m simply implying that all of this…” I gestured at the holding van, “… is, in fact, not for you, but for the safety of the town.”

“Safety of the town? What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“Later.” I held up the sandwiches with an air of annoyance in my behaviour, “Due to finding out that I had to keep an eye on your obnoxious ass today, I hadn’t had breakfast yet. And if you truly know me, you’d know I get violent when I’m hungry. So which one do you want, ham and cheese or turkey club?”