Private Fears in Public Places

In Due Time

Erin Dudley came out of the house with one shoe on, her zipper down, and the bottom of her shirt stuck underneath her bra. It was safe to say that she was not ready for the first day of her sophomore year at Beacon Hills High School.

"Jesus, Erin. What kind of first impression are you trying to make here? 'I just got laid and completely forgot I had school?' Your hair's not even brushed. You have nice hair Erin. It deserves to be brushed." Lydia scolded, digging through her purse for a comb. "Here."

"You're the best," Erin thanked, pulling her crinkled shirt down over her toned stomach.

"Tell me something I don't know," Lydia smirked before pulling out of the Dudley's driveway. "Now pass me your schedule."

"What? No! Lyds, you're driving, might I remind you," Erin said.

"I can multitask I am a woman of many talents, now give me," Lydia demanded, putting out her freshly manicured hands for Erin's schedule.

Erin trudged through her messy backpack which was adorned with crumpled paper- one of them being her schedule.

"Aha!" Erin cheered in triumph as she finally found her schedule and handed it to the strawberry blonde driving.

"Hm," Lydia said as she took a quick look at her best friend's schedule before turning her attention back onto the road. "We don't have as many classes together as we did last year, but I'll manage. We have WHAP, economics, and chemistry together."

"Bet," Erin commented, shoving her crumpled schedule into her backpack. "What about Jackson?"

"Econ and bio," Lydia answered halfheartedly.

"Trouble in paradise?" Erin asked, picking up on her off-handed tone.

"With Jackson? Never," Lydia replied. "We're a match made in heaven."

"Match made in heaven? Okay, Nicholas Sparks," Erin snorted.

"We are!" Lydia insisted. "Enough about my relationship, what about that guy you've been running through hoops to see all summer?"

"Running through hoops? You make me sound like a dog! I prefer overcoming obstacles," Erin corrected with a grin on her face. She didn't know Ezra Archibald for more than six months, but she knew him long enough to reach the 'Love' milestone. Yes, Erin Dudley was in love. Very much so.

"Whatever. When am I going to meet this mystery guy? I don't even know the guy's name! I don't even know if it is a guy!" Lydia exclaimed, parking her car.

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a mystery anymore, would it?" Erin explained, gathering her belongings before exiting the car.

"But I want to know!" Lydia whined.

"In due time, Lyds. In due time."

"Screw due time. I want to know now!" Lydia told her.

Erin laughed, linking arms with her, "In due time."

"-since the birth of Lydia Martin. Hey Lydia, how are you? You look like you're going to ignore me."

Erin and Lydia walked passed Stiles Stilinski and Scott McCall without sparing either of them a single glance.

"You're the cause of this, you know. Dragging me down to your nerd depths. I'm a nerd by association. I've been Scarlet-nerded by you," Stiles told his best friend who just nodded his head.

"That dude's been in love with you since, like, elementary school. I bet if you told him to come to school naked, he'd do it without a thought," Erin laughed.

Lydia shook her head, leaning against the locker. "I wouldn't want to mar the innocence of his classmates."

"Lydia Martin, always the saint." Erin commented before closing her locker. "I'll see you third?"

"See you third," Lydia winked, strutting to her first period class. This year was going to be different. She could feel it in her bones. 

It just wasn't a good feeling.