Perennial

Chapter 19

Theo smiled at them, something sparking in his eyes. "What're you guys doing?" he asked calmly.

There was something unnerving about the way he was smiling, not to mention the fact that he had been waiting in the tree.

Theo took a few steps toward them and Liam stepped in front of Tessa and Stiles, growling. Tessa was on guard, her fists clenched at her sides. Stiles reached around her to grab Liam's shoulder.

"Whoa," Theo laughed. "Why do I get the feeling this kid's tougher than he looks?"

"Only when we let him off his leash," Stiles said. "Besides, it's her you gotta watch out for," he nodded to Tessa.

Tessa noticed her fingertips had begun to tingle and Theo's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She glanced down, noticing that some of the leaves on the ground had begun to swirl around her feet as if an invisible wind was blowing them. She tried to relax and the leaves died down.

"Huh, haven't seen one of you before," Theo mused. "Nature powers?" he asked skeptically. "What're you gonna do, throw flowers at me?"

Tessa scowled at him. "Flowers can be quite dangerous actually. For example if they're poisonous, or if I sent a vine of them down your windpipe. Come to think of it, I'm sure a nice prickly vine would work pretty well if I shoved it right up your a—"

"Tessa!" Stiles intervened, struggling to hold back a laugh. He was having difficulty keeping a straight face as he tried to concentrate on what Theo was saying.

Theo laughed, "I like her."

Tessa glared at him and Liam growled.

"Stiles," Theo turned his attention back to the older boy, "we were in Little League together. Why are you so suspicious of me?"

Stiles hesitated for a moment before pulling the papers from earlier out of his pocket.

"Because of these," he handed them to Theo.

Theo unfolded them.

"One's a speeding ticket signed by your dad eight years ago," Stiles explained. "The other one's a signature on a transfer form to Beacon High. They're different."

"Huh," Theo said. "Yeah, they do look a little different."

"No, they're totally different. Signed by two different people."

Theo laughed. "So my dad's not my dad? Like he's an imposter?"

"Yeah, something like that," Liam spoke up.

Theo folded up the papers. "Who do you think I am?"

"We don't know yet." Stiles told him.

"Want me to give you a DNA sample or something?"

"No. I don't have anything from the fourth grade to match it to," Stiles replied.

Theo hesitated for a minute before looking down at his hands.

"You know, Stiles...I came back here for Scott." He paused. "But I also came back for you."