Howling to the Heart || Isaac Lahey

87.

"Did she really stay here all night?" Mr. Stilinski quietly asked Melissa, standing at the end of the bed while watching a sleeping Neriah with her head resting on her arms on the side of the bed as she slept, still holding Stiles' hand while the boy slept.

Melissa softly smiled at the pair. "She hasn't left his side once. I tried to get her to have lunch with me, but she promised Stiles she wouldn't leave his side." She softly pushed Neriah's hair away from her face.

"I was worried the two of them would never get along again," Mr. Stilinski admitted, sitting down on the other side of the bed where a chair was. "I'm a little surprised she's still here if I'm being honest."

"I'm not," Melissa said, pulling the spare blanket higher over Neriah's shoulders. "He's her first love and that first love never goes away, ever. As angry as she might've been with him for a while, I had a strong feeling that they would work out in the end. It's Riah and Stiles, the glue to us all."

Mr. Stilinski chuckled, nodding his head. "They really do keep everyone together."

"First love with do that," Melissa said quietly. "No matter what, they'll always have each other."

In the doorway, Isaac stared at Neriah holding Stiles' hand and having heard everything said between the adults. Behind him, Scott cautiously watched his friend who was filling the room with the scent of betrayal, anger, and sadness.

Neither of the adults noticed him until he turned around, ignoring Scott and heading straight down the hall, needing to get away from the girl he loved.

"Isaac!" Scott called out, rushing after him when his mother's lips parted in surprise and Mr. Stilinski furrowed his brows with worry. "Isaac, wait!"

But Isaac kept going, his heart caving in his chest. Neriah was his world, his anchor, but he was starting to question if she even felt the same. Last night he had to find out from Scott that Neriah was staying at the hospital with Stiles. She hadn't even called or texted to tell him herself.

"Isaac," Scott said firmly, grabbing the boy's elbow and making him stop. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Isaac snapped, pulling his elbow out of Scott's grip when he faced him. "What's wrong is that my girlfriend is holding her first lover's hand while your mom and his dad talk about their love. What's wrong is the fact that Ria couldn't even call or text me last night. What's wrong is that she's obviously still in love with him, even after he broke her heart and I put it back together for her. Did you know she can't even tell me she loves me back? But she'll tell him that she loves him when they weren't even dating."

Scott was surprised, his eyes widening slightly while all the words spewed out of Isaac's mouth settled in his head.

"Dude, trust me, it's not how you think it is," Scott tried gently, not the best at comforting someone. "Look, I understand where you're coming from. I would most likely be pissed too. But Stiles and Riah were friends for years too, you gotta remember that. Last night was a mess—she was a mess and I'm sure she just fell asleep before she could call you—"

"It's not that hard for her to call her boyfriend before she goes to sleep," Isaac fumed. "I would've called her. Hell, I wouldn't even be with my ex like she is right now with Stiles."

"Isaac, they're friends," Scott said sharply, feeling defensive for his two closest friends. "Neriah loves you and I know that. She may not say those three words, but I can see clear as day that she loves you. She—She gets scared, okay? Just give her a bit more time and I'm sure she'll say them. She's just someone you need to be patient with because as much as she denies it, she gets scared of trusting and loving someone. Her whole life has been filled with everyone walking out or leaving her. I'm still surprised she even started dating you—that she has handed you, her heart. Riah doesn't do that often at all. Rarely, actually."