Maybe I Was Wrong (Teen Wolf: Stiles Stilinski)

Chapter 49

Then there are no more noises, and I can only assume Scott found a way to make Jackson shut up for a while.

“Dad, I… I-“ Stiles stutters, getting his dad’s attention to go away from the car.

But the sheriff focuses his eyes on me again, and sighs.

“A long time ago, we agreed you’d keep my son out of trouble,” he says. “But it seems like ever since you two became friends, he’s been getting into more and more shenanigans. Grace, I’d say you’re a bad influence.”

I swallow hard, struggling to keep eye contact with the sheriff.

“Don’t blame it on her,” Stiles says. “She’s just trying to deal with my shenanigans, okay?”

“I wasn’t finished, Stiles,” Mr. Stilinski says. “I would say she was a bad influence, if I didn’t notice how much you two care about each other.”

Stiles and I stare at him, dumbfounded.

“I realised it when I stopped hearing Lydia’s name at home all the time, and started hearing yours.”

“Dad-“ Stiles begins frantically.

He talks about me when he’s at home?

“And I know she would never willingly pull you into mischief, and that’s what confuses me. You two – and Scott – always end up like this, causing trouble for no apparent reason,” the sheriff says.

“It’s not her fault,” Stiles says. “this time it’s just-“

“What is it, Stiles? Can I have the truth now?”

“The truth, all right,” Stiles says, pausing before he continues. “Well, the truth is that we were here with Danny. Yeah, 'cause he just broke up with his boyfriend, so, you know, we were just trying to take him out and get his mind off things. That's- that's it.”

I nod when Stiles finishes, playing along. Damn, it’s getting kind of sad to lie to him all the time.

“Well, that's really good of you guys,” Mr. Stilinski says after taking it all in. “You're good friends.”

***

“Uh, what about your house?” Stiles asks Scott. We’re currently driving around in circles, with no clear destination.

“Not with my mom there,” Scott shakes his head. “We need to take him somewhere where we can hold him long enough to figure out what to do with him. Or long enough to convince him he's dangerous.”

“I still say we just kill him,” Stiles says.

“We're not killing him,” Scott replies.

“God, f- okay, okay. I got an idea,” Stiles gives in.

“Does it involve breaking the law?” I ask.

“By now, don't you think that's a given?” Stiles retorts.

“I guess I was just trying to be optimistic,” I tell him.

“Don't bother,” Stiles shakes his head.

A few hours later, we’ve got Jackson locked up – and dressed – in an armoured police van, the kind of vehicle a vicious criminal could never escape from.

***

“Stiles! Grace! McCall! I'm gonna kill you!” is the first thing we hear from inside the van when Jackson wakes up.

“Good morning, sunshine,” I mutter, rolling my eyes and looking out at our surroundings, checking again if no one sees us here. We’re in the forest, of course, because this is probably the most abandoned place in Beacon Hills, and while it does make me a little anxious, it was probably a good decision to place the van here.