Maybe I Was Wrong (Teen Wolf: Stiles Stilinski)

Chapter 57

A car stops somewhere near me. I don’t look, but in my head I just accept that Matt’s come back and he’s really taking me this time, pulling me back into his car and driving off to make me pay for trying to escape. What if he didn’t kick me out, but just drove us to some other place? He could’ve had the chance to do whatever he wanted with me if he made that decision. But he didn’t. Fuck.

“Grace?”

That’s not Matt’s voice.

“Oh my god, Grace, are you okay?!” Stiles kneels down in front of me, searching eye contact.

I’m still crying and shivering, soaked in the cold rain, and I can’t even speak. It’s clear that I’m not okay.

“You’re so cold,” he says, wrapping his arms around me to give me some warmth. “I’ll get you inside-“

He stops talking when he looks at my house again, his eyebrows scrunched up into a frown.

“Was it your family again?” he asks, not getting an answer. “I’ll take you to my place. I’m gonna lift you up now.”

With a big struggle, he manages to get me up and into his arms, carrying me to his car.

“It’s okay now,” he mutters. “I got you.”

*

“So this is just a pair of sweatpants and a sweater, that okay?” Stiles asks, me sitting on the edge of the bathtub in his bathroom, still shaking. I just nod a little.

“Okay, good,” he says, letting a worried smile appear on his lips. “I don’t know what happened, but you seem in shock and very cold, so... do you want me to help you change?”

“No,” I say quickly, hoping he doesn’t catch the panicked undertone in my voice.

“O-okay. That’s fine,” he says, a little startled. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed that you wanted me to- I’m gonna make some tea for you. I’ll be right back.”

I want to begin taking off my wet clothes, but I just can’t bring myself to. I just feel so wrong, and dirty, and moving only makes it worse. So I just wait until he gets back.

“C-can I take a shower?” I ask once he’s here again.

“Oh, sure! Go ahead,” he says, pausing at the bathroom door. I look him in the eyes, silently asking what he wants to say.

“So...” he begins. “You are gonna tell me what happened, right?”

I stare down at the floor.

“Grace... I mean, you were crying, freezing to death outside... the only time I’ve ever seen you like that is when... you know. So I just need to know, okay? I need to know what happened.”

“I- I can’t, Stiles,” I whisper.

“No, no, not this again,” he says. “You have to tell me. Is it Gerard? Did he hurt you again?”

“Just stop,” I shake my head.

“Chris and Victoria? Did they kick you out?”

“Stiles!” I snap, feeling the tears coming up again, covering my eyes with a hand.

“Sorry, sorry,” he says, walking up to hold me again. I bury my face in his neck and wrap my arms tight around his waist, fighting the tears. “I’ll give you time. I’ll give you time. It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”

He presses a kiss to my hair and I just breathe in deeply, taking over his warmth, probably getting his clothes wet.

It’s remarkable how he can always make me feel so safe.