Here I am, reorganizing my room again at 11:30 p.m., the night before school starts. After dusting it, I returned the picture frame to my desk. It was one of my favorite pictures. It was Stiles, Scott, and me on Halloween in third grade. We dressed up as Woody, Buzz, and Jessie from Toy Story.
Of course, I was Jessie. My hair was braided into pigtails, and I was dressed in her cowgirl outfit. Scott, who was on my left, dressed as Woody. He wore a cowboy hat that was too big for him and covered most of his face. He had a big grin, which was funny, considering his two front teeth weren't there.
Scott and I had been best friends since day one, literally. Our parents met in the hospital. Scott's mom, basically my second mother, had given birth to Scott; a day later, I was born, and the rest was history. Scott and I were basically brother and sister. We fought like siblings, talked like siblings, and cared for each other greatly. We always protected each other, no matter the circumstances.
Then, on my right was Stiles, dressed as Buzz Lightyear. He wrapped his arm tightly around my shoulder, pulling me closer.
Scott and I met Stiles on the first day of Preschool. Since then, Stiles, Scott, and I have been inseparable. Stiles and I grew super close over the years. He was my best friend. When his mom died, my heart broke for him. That's the worst I'd ever seen him. I was by his side 24/7, even when he didn't want me there, but he always secretly did. That's when we came up with this rule: every Friday night, we would have a sleepover at my house or his. It was mostly always at his house since my parents were never home, which made sense.
I loved them both. But the worst thing, I was actually in love with one of them. God damn this Stiles Stilinski kid for stealing my heart Freshman year. Before then, I always looked at Stiles as my best friend and nothing more. But something, an incident, happened the summer before high school that made me see him in a new light.
Now that I had reorganized my whole room, it was time to tackle the closet. I had all my clothes in color order, so it was easier to find things. Still, it was because I'm always very organized. My room was always clean. Even if I got really sad or had no motivation to do anything, my room was never messy. I cleaned and organized my room when I got sad or frustrated or needed a distraction. Like I'm doing right now.
I wouldn't say I was nervous for the first day of school; I didn't want to return to that hellhole. I hated school because I was always super bored. I've had straight A's ever since I could remember. I have a photographic memory, so school comes super easy for me. I've never failed a test or gotten lower than an A on any assignment. It always made Stiles and Scott jealous because I constantly rubbed it in their faces.
As I was reorganizing my clothes in my closet, I heard a knock on the front door, knowing exactly who it was. Stiles always knew he could come to the front door anytime, given that my parents were never home. My Dad was a neurological doctor who traveled the country, giving seminars and lectures and performing many surgeries. My mother was some sort of Travel Writer. She constantly traveled, wrote about her experiences, and posted them on her blog.
The last time I heard from them, my Dad was in Michigan, and my mom was on some Island about six months ago. They seem like great parents, right? Wrong. I had no siblings, so they left me alone in this house. The last time I saw them was eleven months and fourteen days ago. I usually spent most of my nights at Stiles or Scott's house, given that their parents didn't like that I was constantly alone.
I closed my closet and made my way down to the front door. Unsurprisingly, I found Stiles in the kitchen, eating an apple.
"How did you get in?" I asked Stiles, walking over to him.
Stiles reached into his pocket and pulled out a single gold key, "I made a key to your house."
"Stiles, I gave you a key to my house. Why did you go off and make one?"
"I might have lost that key at school, so I stole yours one day and made myself a copy."
"Is that why I got locked out of my house one day when I couldn't find my keys?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe my ass," I took the apple out of his hand before he could take another bite and threw it into the thrash. His mouth hung open, surprised by my actions. "So, why are you here anyway?" I asked, sitting next to him.
"Well, my dad got called in tonight."
"Oh, what for?" His Dad never usually got called in this late Sunday night, so he instantly caught my attention.
Stiles smiled. "Come with me, and you'll find out." He got up from his chair, holding his hand out for me to accompany him.
"Is this going to get us into trouble?"
"You already know the answer to that. Just come on." Stiles grabbed my arm, dragged me out of my chair, and then out the door. Thank god I decided to wear my sweatpants.
Stiles and I sat in his Jeep, watching Melissa leave for work. As soon as she was out of sight, Stiles looked at me and said, "Stay here."
Without another word, he climbed out of his Jeep and walked to Scott's house. I saw Scott's bedroom light on, so I knew he was still up, but what caught my attention was Stiles climbing up on top of the roof.
I saw the front porch door open. Scott emerged, holding onto a baseball bat. He started to make his way down the porch slowly. I could tell Stiles was making noises based on Scott stopping dead in his tracks, gripping the bat so hard his knuckles turned white. I saw Stiles swoop down, causing Scott to scream, almost hitting Stiles in the face with the bat. I quickly got out of the car and ran over to the boys.
"Stiles, Taylor, what the hell are you doing?" Scott asked, still gripping the bat for dear life.
"You weren't answering your phone!" It was Stiles' stupid excuse for scaring the shit out of him.
Scott looked at me, "Taylor?"
"He dragged me out of my house, and now I'm here," I defended.
"Hey, I did not drag you out of the house," Stiles countered, trying to turn his body to look at me.
"Um, yes, you did, by the arm." I practically heard Stiles roll his eyes before returning his attention to Scott.
"I know it's late, but you gotta hear this. I saw my Dad leave twenty minutes ago. Dispatch called. They're bridging every officer from the Beacon department and State Police," Stiles explained, still hanging upside down from the roof.
Scott looked at me. I shrugged, given that this was my first time hearing any of this information.
Scott turned his attention back to Stiles, "For what?"
"Two joggers found a body in the woods."
"A dead body?" Scott's question made me run my hands over my face. Really Scott? What kind of question was that?
"No, a body of water. Yes, dumbass, a dead body," I laughed at the boy's interaction as Stiles pulled himself down from the roof, planting his feet in front of Scott.
"You mean like murdered?" Scott asked as I also made my way to stand next to the two boys.
"Nobody knows yet," Stiles admitted. "Just that it was a girl, probably in her twenties."
Then it hit me, "Hey, now hold on. If the Police have already found the body, what are they looking for now?"
"That's the best part," Stiles placed his hand on my shoulder, bringing me closer to Scott as if it were a huge secret. "They only found half."
***
Stiles's Jeep skidded to a halt in front of the gate at the Beacon Hills Preserve. Stiles and Scott exited the front seats as I exited the back, shutting the door behind me. If it was just Stiles and me in the Jeep, I always sat up front, but I was designated to the back when it was us three.
Stiles turned on the flashlight he held, shining it around the preserve. All three of us gathered before we took off.
"Are we seriously doing this?" Scott asked about the twentieth time.
"I have to agree with Scott, Stiles. You know I hate shit like this," I added. It was true; the boys always made fun of me because I got spooked by everything. But mostly, it was dark, and I had terrible paranoia when I was alone.
There was an incident a few years ago when I was home alone. No one knows about it, not even my parents or these two idiots. That incident sparked up all these new fears that control me now. So, this hike through the dark woods, looking for half a body, was not my cup of tea.
"Taylor, I brought your ass out here to help you get over these fears." Stiles turned around and shined the flashlight in my face, "Come on, put a brave face on."
"It's kind of hard to do that when you're shining a flashlight in my face," I sassed. Stiles shone the light out of my face before walking.
"Are we sure about this?" Scott asked again.
"You're the one always bitching that nothing ever happens in this town," Stiles retorted.
"I was trying to get a good night's sleep for practice tomorrow."
Stiles and I stopped walking, looked at each other, and laughed.
"Guys, come on, I'm serious," Scott looked between us, throwing his hands in the air.
"Right, because sitting on the bench is such a grueling effort," Stiles said, still laughing.
"Well, it's grueling to sit and watch you two do nothing. It's so boring. Scott, if you truly believe you can make the first line, please do. At least I'll have something to watch," My laughing tone turned into straight sarcasm.
"No, because I'm playing this year. In fact, I'm going to make first line," Scott convinced himself, starting to walk again. Stiles and I followed behind him.
"That's the spirit. Everyone should have a dream. Even a pathetically unrealistic one." I hit Stiles on his arm for that comment, causing him to groan and grab his arm.
"Scott, if you believe you can make first line, then I believe in you, too." I walked over to Scott, patting him on the back, showing that I was sincere this time.
"Out of curiosity, which half of the body are we looking for?" Scott asked, changing the conversation.
"Huh. I didn't even think about that." Stiles stopped, thinking to himself.
"Oh god," I put my face in my hands, my anxiety growing bigger.
"And what if whoever killed the girl is still out here?" Scott asked, panic filling his voice.
"Also, something I didn't think about."
I worriedly checked our surroundings, "Stiles, I swear to god if you get me killed, I will haunt you from the grave."
"Comforting to know you've planned this out with your usual attention to detail," Scott sassed Stiles this time.
Stiles looked at us before racing up the path again, Scott and I following behind.
Scott stopped to pull his inhaler out of his pocket, leaning against a tree. "Maybe the severe asthmatic should be the one holding the flashlight."
Stiles paused atop the hill, holding his arm out to stop me. Below, flashlight beams shone throughout the shadows, the Police searching just ahead. Of course, Stiles took off.
"Stiles! Shit, wait up!" I grabbed a hold of Scott's arm, dragging him behind me.
Scott and I ran through the trees to catch up to Stiles, but the asthmatic kid behind me wasn't helping. "Taylor, keep going."
"What!" I looked at Scott, who had his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. "Scott, I'm not leaving you out here all alone. No. No way."
"Go, Taylor, I'll be fine. I'll catch up in just a second, trust me."
Taking a frustrated sigh, I turned around, running back to Stiles. I caught up to Stiles; more like I collided with him, and we fell to the ground. "Stiles! Get off of me, god Stiles!" I shoved Stiles off me, trying to get to my feet, but Stiles made it difficult as he used me to pull himself up. We were pulling each other back down to the ground without realizing it.
"Hold on, hold on. The little delinquent belongs to me—this one, too." Stilinski walked over to us. "Taylor, did you let him drag you into this again?"
"This time, it wasn't much of a choice." I laughed nervously as he and Stiles helped me up from the ground.
Stilinski turned his attention to his son, "Do you listen in on all of my phone calls?"
"No...not the boring ones."
"And where's the third?" Stilinski asked, referring to Scott.
Stiles and I exchanged fake, confused glances. "Who? Scott? Scott's home. He said he wanted to get a good night's sleep for the first day back at school."
Stilinski looked into the trees, "Scott? You out there?"
I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath, hoping he didn't find Scott. My deep breaths soon became shallow as my anxiety started to grow. Someone grabbed my hand in theirs, pulling me from my thoughts. I opened my eyes to see Stiles holding my hand in his. He sent his lopsided, goofy smile, making my heart melt.
"Alright, you two. I'm taking you back to your car, and we're going to discuss something called Invasion of Privacy." Stilinski escorted Stiles and me away, and I hoped Scott didn't get himself into trouble.
What could go wrong?
***
As I approached the school, I saw Scott lift his shirt to show a huge bandage on his stomach. I started walking faster toward them.
"Um, what the hell is this?" I grabbed Scott's shirt, lifting it back up.
"Dude, you're in trouble now," Stiles laughed. Both the boys knew how protective I was over them. I would die for either of them if I had to. Their life was more valuable than the piece of shit life I was living.
"Taylor, trust me, I'm fine," Scott lowered his shirt after he had to remove my hands.
"Well, what happened?"
"It was too dark to see much, but I'm pretty sure it was a wolf."
"A wolf?" I questioned.
"A wolf bit you? No, not a chance," Stiles added, agreeing with me. Scott slid his backpack onto his shoulder, heading for the front doors. Stiles and I trailed behind.
"I heard a wolf howling," Scott stated.
I shook my head, "No, you didn't."
"What do you mean no, I didn't? How do you know what I heard?"
"California hasn't had wolves living here for over sixty years," I stated, Stiles pointing at me.
"Really?"
"Yes, really," Stiles answered. "There are no wolves in California."
"Well, if you don't believe me about the wolf, then you're definitely not going to believe me when I tell you I saw the body," Scott smirked, knowing it would entice Stiles.
"You what? Are you kidding me?" Stiles stopped walking, making us stop as well.
"I wish. I'm going to have nightmares about it for a month."
If Scott thought that was bad, he should see my nightmares.
"That's freaking awesome. This is seriously the best thing that's happened to this town since..." Stiles trailed off, looking past Scott to see Lydia Martin walking toward us. "...Since the birth of Lydia Martin, who's walking toward us right now."
Scott looked at me sincerely, which I tried to reciprocate, but Lydia's presence ruined my whole morning. Scott's known about my feelings for Stiles ever since they started. One night, he saw me acting weird around Stiles and asked me about it, so I told him everything since I was a horrible liar.
Whenever Lydia was brought into conversation or seen, Scott acted like my dog died.
"Hey Lydia, how are you? You look like you're going to ignore me." She did; walked past Stiles as if he were nothing.
"You're the cause of this, you know. You're dragging me down to your nerd depths. I'm a nerd by association. You've been Scarlet-nerded by you," Stiles complained, looking at Scott.
"Hey," Scott held his hands, surrendering. "I'm not the nerd here." The boys turned to look at me.
I rolled my eyes, "I'm going inside." I muttered before turning away from both of them and heading inside.
***
I made my way into my first-period English class. I took one of the seats toward the back of the classroom. Scott and Stiles walked in, finding me. They rushed over and grabbed the seats next to me--Scott to my left, Stiles to my right.
"Are you okay, Taylor?" Stiles asked, leaning toward my desk as Scott did the same. I only nodded in response. They knew I shut people out and didn't talk when I wasn't okay. So, my response didn't satisfy their curiosity.
"Taylor, come on. Don't shu---"
"As you all know, there was a body..." Thank god the teacher walked in and interrupted Stiles before he could continue. Stiles and Scott leaned back into their chairs when the teacher glanced their way.
I felt Stiles's eyes lingering on me. It took all my willpower to keep my eyes focused on the front of the room. Stiles knew that he could get under my skin to make me talk when I got like this, and of course, he was using that to his advantage. Damn, Stilinski.
"...Which means your undivided attention can be given to the syllabus outlining the semester on your desks. Read it now, and by read, I don't mean skim." Everyone, including me, began to read.
As I read, I noticed Scott, who perked up instantly. I looked at him; he looked around the classroom like he was following a fly. Then he stopped, focusing outside, looking at someone sitting on a bench, a girl. His head followed her until she probably entered the building. Suddenly, the door opened, causing everyone to look in that direction, and the principal walked in.
"Class, this is our new student, Allison Argent. Please do your best to make her feel welcome." I turned to look at Scott, who looked like he wasn't breathing.
I thought Scott might pass away as Allison took the empty seat behind him. Allison started to put her things onto her desk, and then she glanced to meet Scott, who had been turned toward her, holding out a pen.
Allison smiled curiously, taking the pen from him, "Thanks." Scott nodded before turning around in his seat. Allison caught me staring, sending a smile my way. I smiled back at her before turning back around in my chair.
***
After class, Stiles, Scott, and I gathered around Scott's locker. Scott, of course, had his eyes glued on Allison. The two connected gazes for a moment; Allison flashed a smile his way before Lydia came in to ruin the day again.
"Can someone tell me how the new girl has been here for only five minutes, and she's already hanging with Lydia's crowd?" A girl asked us.
"Because she's hot. Beautiful people herd together," Stiles responded.
"Am I not beautiful, Stiles?" I asked him, causing his face to flush. It was so easy to mess with him.
"Tha--Taylor, that's not...you know that's not what--"
"I'm gonna cut you off before you embarrass yourself any further, yeah?"
Stiles nodded his head rapidly, "Sorry."
"I was just teasing you," I smiled, reassuring him. He just rolled his eyes before turning to his locker.
I looked at Scott, who was lost in his little world, intently watching Allison, Lydia, and Jackson.
What was up with him today?
***
I sat in the bleachers at the Lacrosse field, reading my book. I was re-reading the Harry Potter series--my comfort books. I heard the whistle blow, followed by Coach yelling as always.
I looked to see Stiles and Scott engaged in conversation. They noticed me looking at them and waved before they took to the field. Stiles made his way onto the field, and Scott stayed put, still looking in my direction. I looked to my left and found Lydia and Allison approaching me. Of course, Scott couldn't take his eyes off Allison.
"Hey!" I looked and saw Allison standing before me. Surprisingly, she sat down beside me. I looked at her, unable to say anything. I wouldn't say I'm shy, but when Allison approached me, I completely froze.
"Sorry, are you okay?" She asked, looking at me with concern.
"Uh—yeah, sorry. I never have many people approach me, especially girls," I explained.
"Really? Why's that?"
"Well, my two best friends are guys, so I never really talk to anyone else but them. Stiles has also told me that I don't have an approachable face. He told me I have a resting bitchface 24/7, so."
"Stiles?"
"Oh, he's my best friend. Scott is my other best friend, but he's more like my brother."
"Ah, the two sitting next to you in English, I'm going to guess that was them?"
"Yup," I said
"Well, if you need some girl time, here's my number." Allison handed me a slip of paper with her number on it. "Now you have a girl in your corner. I'm Allison, by the way," She smiled.
"Taylor," I smiled, taking the paper from her.
"Do you mind if Lydia and I sit up here with you?"
Great. "Uh, sure, yeah." She smiled before calling to Lydia.
Lydia made her way up to us, standing on the other side of Allison, completely ignoring me. I sighed, looking back to the field to see Scott in goal.
Umm, what? Scott was never in goal, ever.
What are you doing? I mouthed as Scott looked at us. He shrugged and looked back at me before looking back at the field.
"Hey, I'll be right back." I turned to tell Allison, making my way down the bleachers before she could say anything. I approached Stiles, who sat on the bench, "Um, can you tell me what Scott's doing in the goal?"
"Coach said getting some shots in would boost the team's self-esteem." I nodded, turning my attention back to the field.
Scott flinched when he heard the whistle blow, clutching his helmet as if the sound was too loud for him.
One of the bigger players charged forward; catching a ball, he whipped his stencil forward, hurling the ball toward the goal. Still recovering from the blow of the whistle, Scott looked up too late, and the ball hit him in the helmet, bouncing into the net.
The team laughed, even Coach. I dropped my head into my hands, sighing.
I felt bad for Scott. Yes, I wanted him to succeed in Lacrosse. It's just, god, I had no faith in these boys when they played.
"Taylor!" Stiles grabbed onto my arm, shaking it.
"What?" I slowly lifted my head, looking at him.
"Scott, he caught it." Stiles' statement sounded more like a question.
"Really?" I raised my eyebrows, not believing Stiles for a second. Stiles pointed to the field, turning his attention there. I did the same. Scott stood more confidently until he saw Jackson next in line.
"Oh god, here we go," I whispered. Jackson caught the ball and launched it forward toward the goal. Scott moved quickly and caught the ball in the pocket of the goalie stick.
Stiles and I jumped up from the bench, cheering Scott on. I turned around when I heard Lydia and Allison cheering from the bleachers. Scott's confidence had now sparked.
***
Apparently, that night in the woods, Scott dropped his inhaler. So, what did I have to do? Rummage through the woods and look for it. Scott was a few steps ahead of Stiles and me, rummaging through the leaves on the ground.
"I don't know what it was. I felt like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball. That's not the only weird thing. I mean, I can hear stuff I shouldn't be able to hear, and I can smell things," Scott explained, still rummaging through leaves.
"That explains it, then," I muttered, but Scott overheard me.
"Explains what?"
I looked at him, "Today, I noticed you've been acting weird. Like in English, when we were supposed to read the syllabus, you looked around the room like crazy until you were creepily watching Allison outside. And again today, you were super focused on her in the hallway. You looked like you were in your own world. Then everything you did at practice, of course."
"You noticed all that?" Scott asked, stopping to look at me.
"I notice everything. Trust me," I looked away and continued walking.
"So, you smell things? Like what?" Stiles finally cut in.
"Like the mint mojito gum in your pocket."
Stiles stopped at the sudden accusation. "I don't have any..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of gum. "All this started with the bite?" Stiles asked, shoving the gum back in his pocket.
"What if it's an infection? What if my body is flooding with adrenaline before I fall into shock? I knew I should have gone to the ER," Scott shook his head.
"You know what this reminds me of?" I questioned.
They looked at me, waiting for me to continue. "The supernatural," I shrugged as if it were apparent.
"The supernatural doesn't exist, Taylor," Scott stated.
"How do you know that for sure? You don't know what's real until you see it with your own eyes. You have super hearing and smell and were extremely athletic and fast for once. What if a wolf didn't bite you?" I spoke but mostly talked to myself, trying to put the pieces together.
"What would have bitten me then?"
"A werewolf," I said plainly, stating the obvious.
"You need to stop watching those supernatural shows, Taylor. They're getting to your head," Stiles wiggled his fingers before me.
"So, this is just an infection, right?" Scott tried to convince himself.
"I've heard of this. It's a specific kind of infection." I could read Stiles's giddy expression from a mile away. He was going to mess with Scott.
"Are you serious?" Scott gave Stiles the reaction he wanted.
"All the symptoms add up. I think it's called Lycanthropy."
"What's that? Is it bad? It sounds bad," Scott stressed.
"It is. But only once a month." I watched Stiles's smirk grow tenfold.
"Once a month?"
"On the night of a full moon," I added, knowing where Stiles was going with this. I knew he was making fun of my werewolf theory, but maybe I was right.
"You're an ass."
"Both of us? Or just him?" I asked, pointing at Stiles, who swatted my finger away.
"Both of you." Scott rolled his eyes, walking away.
"Hey, you're the one who heard a wolf howling," Stiles recalled Scott's earlier accusations from this morning.
"There could be something seriously wrong with me."
"I know! You're a werewolf!" Stiles exclaimed.
"Thank you," I threw my hands in the air. Finally, someone agreed with me.
Stiles looked at me and then back at Scott: "Okay, obviously, I'm kidding. But if you see me in a shop class melting down all the silver I can find, it's because Friday's a full moon."
I turned my back from the boys, focused on the ground, and looked for Scott's inhaler. Once we found it, I could finally go home and be alone.
Even though I was terrified of being alone, I was growing to love it. Being with Stiles and Scott constantly took a lot of energy out of me, socializing in general. So, being alone was sometimes my favorite thing. Honestly, I didn't think I was afraid of being alone--It was the idea of being lonely, forgotten, left behind. I've been shoved into the background, ignored by my family for most of my life, and it was already starting to show with Stiles and Scott. Like earlier at the lacrosse practice, Allison and I were getting along just fine until Lydia came over, and it was like I wasn't even there.
And with Stiles, I've been by his side his whole life, all the ups and downs, but he's never looked at me like the way I looked at him. It was like a gross idea every time someone brought it up--a crazy idea.
But I've also known Stiles my whole life. I learned how to read every expression of his and catch on to every thought he had. So, in my gut, I knew he felt the same way about me somewhere deep down. I'd never push Stiles to admit those feelings; I wanted him to realize it on his own. So I could wait. I'd wait for him as long as it takes.
I heard the boys chatting behind me; money was being discussed. After I scanned my little area, I saw someone staring at us. I reached behind and tapped Stiles on the arm, bringing his attention to a figure standing just a few yards away—but not just any figure, a man. Stiles grabbed my arm, pulling me behind him. "What are you doing here?" The man questioned. "This is private property," he added.
"Sorry, we didn't know." Stiles apologized, but the man's eyes were locked on Scott.
"We were just looking for something. Forget it. Sorry to bother you," Scott added.
As we turned to leave, the man tossed a single inhaler to Scott, who easily caught it. When Scott looked up, the man was already walking away.
"Come on. I have to get to work," Scott's eyes lingered on his inhaler.
"Dude, that was Derek Hale," Stiles slapped Scott on the arm. "You remember, right? He's only a few years older than us."
"Remember what?"
"His family. They all burned to death in a fire like ten years ago," I finished Stiles' thought.
"I wonder what he's doing back?" Scott looked at the inhaler in his hand, closing his fist. Stiles and Scott turned around and began to walk away, but I stayed put. I couldn't take my eyes off where Derek was. There was something about him that made my blood run cold. On the other hand, he wasn't horrible to look at.
"Taylor?" Stiles reached out, grabbing my hand and returning my attention to him. "You coming?" I nodded, grabbed his hand, and walked away. As we walked away, I turned and took one last look behind me.
I knew I had to be correct. Werewolves did exist.
****
"Hey, are you busy?" Stiles asked as he walked through my front door.
I was sprawled out on the couch, watching New Girl for about the twentieth time. After Stiles dropped me back off at home a few hours ago, I took a shower and made some dinner, and now I've just been vegged out on the couch.
"Not really, no." I didn't take my eyes off the TV when I answered him.
Stiles approached me, picked up the remote, and paused the TV. "Hey! What was that for?" Now, I turned my attention to him.
"You're coming with me." He stated, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, there is a murderer on the loose, and frankly, I don't want my best friend staying here all by herself."
"Stiles, I'll be fine," I tried to reassure him, but I knew it wouldn't work.
When Stiles had his mind set on something, he went after it and wouldn't change his mind.
"Nope. I'm not letting my best friend get murdered. Come on, go get your things." Stiles uncrossed his arms, pointing upstairs toward my room.
"What if I want to be murdered?"
"Oh my god--can you just please go get your stuff before I throw your stubborn ass over my shoulder and carry you out myself?"
I rolled my eyes, smirked, knowing I had gotten under his skin, and headed upstairs. A few minutes later, I returned with my bag and backpack, saying, "Okay, officer, I'm ready."
"Taylor, I'm being serious. I don't want to come pick you up for school tomorrow, and you're cut in half, all dead and bloody on the floor."
I scrunched my nose, "That's disgusting, Stiles." I walked over to him, "And you're wrong, by the way. I would at least put up a good fight before I get cut in half."
Stiles sighed, "Look, Taylor, you're constantly protecting Scott and me, even when we don't need or deserve it. So, for once, can you just let me protect you? If I lost you, I would go out of my freaking mind, Taylor."
His voice was serious, but his face showed he was scared for me. I sat my bags down and pulled him into a hug, and Stiles immediately hugged me back. The boys had always told me I gave the best hugs, so I hugged them every chance I got. They were basically the only family I had.
"I promise you, Stiles, I'll never leave you," I whispered, hugging him. My arms wrapped around his neck while his wrapped around my waist, like every time we hugged.
"Promise?" Stiles pulled out of the hug, looking down at me.
"I promise," I smiled. "Now, we need to go before that murderer comes in here and gets us both." Stiles let out a small laugh and grabbed my pillow.
"Oh, is your blanket in here?" He asked, holding up my pillow.
Stiles was referring to the blanket I always slept with. It was the baby blanket I'd had since I was born. I couldn't sleep without it, just like he couldn't sleep without his pillow.
I nodded before we both walked out the door.
****
Instead of sitting in the bleachers with everyone else, I sat on the bench, watching all the players rush onto the field.
"Any last words of luck, Taylor?" Scott asked, spinning his stick nervously in his hand.
"Just don't get plowed over. Oh! And most importantly, don't do anything stupid or let anything get to your head." Scott nodded, taking off for the field but didn't get far, hearing Stiles call his name.
"Scott, wait up! Oh, hey Taylor, you guys gotta hear this."
"I'm playing the first elimination, Stiles. Can't it wait?" Scott asked, inching farther onto the field.
"Just hold on," Stiles said. "I overheard my Dad on the phone. The fiber analysis came back from LA. They found animal hairs on the body from the woods."
"Stiles, I have to go."
"You're not going to believe what the animal was--" But Scott had already put his helmet on, rushing to the field.
"What was the animal?" I asked.
Stiles turned to look at me, "It was a wolf."
"Really?" That was the only thing I could say. A wolf? As in werewolf?
Stiles sat beside me, "Yeah, I'm starting to believe your werewolf theory is not that crazy after all." I looked at Stiles, who was already looking at me. Was he being serious? But before I had the time to ask, Coach blew the whistle, signaling the game had begun.
The pace of the game was fast and brutal. When Scott got passed the ball, Jackson came right after him, knocking him to the ground. Asshole. Scott got up right away, looking in my direction. I nodded at him. "Breathe, Scott," I whispered, knowing he could hear me.
Scott closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He looked over and found himself standing at the draw with Jackson.
"Set!" Coach yelled, then blew the whistle.
Scott moved quickly, grabbing the ball right out from under Jackson. Scott charged the field's length with exceptional speed, dodging any sticks flying his way. Jackson finally caught up and tried to make a stab at stealing the ball, but with the defense narrowing down on Scott, he did a front flip over them, landing on his feet.
I instantly stood to see Scott throw the ball into the net. The crowd in the bleachers erupted with screams and applause. Everyone was on their feet except for Stiles. We both froze, not sure of what to do.
Coach called Scott over, probably about to either scream bloody murder at him or tell him he did a good job.
"...Well, you made the shot. And guess what? You're starting, McCall. You just made first line." Coach patted Scott on the shoulder, and the crowd erupted in more screams and applause.
I turned to look at Stiles, who had the same worried look on his face as I did.
***
After school, I had practice, but I went to Stiles' house right after. After showering and getting dressed in my pajamas, I walked into Stiles' room, where he was furiously scanning his computer.
"Oh hey, how was your practice?" Stiles noticed me walk in, looking up from his computer.
"Not too shabby."
"I still don't get how you can do all those flips and stuff and not break your entire body."
"Stiles, I've been a gymnast since I was four." I threw my phone on his bed and went over to him, "I know what I'm doing."
"So, how's the werewolf research going?" I asked, placing my hands on either side of him, leaning in to see his computer.
"Look at what's coming from the printer." I turned around to grab the paper out of the printer. The article showed what looked like a hunter standing over a werewolf's body, aiming a crossbow at the creature. A knock came on the door as I was about to ask Stiles what it was.
Stiles practically leaped out of his chair, rushed to the door, and opened it to find Scott.
"Get in," Stiles rushed. "You have to see this. After Taylor said that comment about werewolves, I thought she could be right."
"Thank you," I smiled, taking a seat on Stiles' bed.
"I've been reading," Stiles continued, "Websites, books, all this information." Stiles rushed over, grabbing papers from his desk.
"How much Adderall has he had today?" Scott asked, sitting down beside me.
"A lot," Stiles answered for me. "Doesn't matter. Just listen."
"Is this about the body? Did they find out who did it?" Scott asked.
"No, they're still questioning people. Even Derek Hale--"
"The guy from the woods--"
"The hot guy from the woods," I added. The boys glared at me, but I shrugged.
"Yes, Derek Hale," Stiles confirmed. "But that's not it."
Scott looked between us, confused. "What then?"
"Remember Taylor's theory from the other day? Well, not a theory anymore." Stiles glanced at me, then back to Scott. "The wolf. The bite in the woods. I started reading, and you know why a wolf howls?"
"Should I?" Scott asked.
"It's a signal to its pack," I answered.
"When a wolf is alone, it howls to signal its location to the rest of the pack," Stiles clarified.
"So, if he heard a wolf howl," I stood, pacing the room in thought. "That means there are others. Maybe a whole pack of them," I turned back to the boys, arms gesturing out.
"I love her brain." Stiles wrapped me in a side hug, not letting go.
My face flushed. Scott widened his eyes at me, and I sent him a glare.
What, like, I can help it?
"A pack of wolves?" Scott asked.
"Werewolves," Stiles and I said in sync.
Scott's attitude changed almost instantly. "You're seriously wasting my time with this? You know, I'm picking Allison up in an hour."
"We saw you on the field, Scott," I sighed. "What you did wasn't just amazing. It was impossible."
"So I made a good shot," Scott countered.
"No, you made an incredible shot--"
"Really incredible shot," I cut Stiles off.
"The way you moved--the speed, your reflexes--people can't suddenly do that overnight. And then there's the hearing, the senses, and don't think I haven't noticed you don't need your inhaler anymore. You haven't used it since that night," Stiles pointed out.
Scott stood and said, "I can't think about this now. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"
"Scott, please don't go," I tried to stop Scott from leaving the room.
"Tomorrow? Don't you get it? The full moon is tonight," Stiles reminded him.
"What are you trying to do?" Scott questioned angrily. "I just made first line on the team. I have a date with a girl I can't believe wants to go out with me. Everything in my life is somehow perfect. What are you guys trying to ruin it?"
"We're trying to help, Scott," I reassured.
"With the full moon, it's going to be too hard to resist, and there's no going back." Stiles looked at Scott painedly, "You're cursed, Scott. And it's not only that the moon causes you to change; it's also when your bloodlust will be at its peak."
"Bloodlust?"
"Your urge to kill," I stated, sitting back down on the bed.
"I'm already starting to have an urge to kill," Scott seethed.
"You need to hear this," Stiles pressed. "The change can be caused by anger or anything that raises your pulse."
"As Allison does," I slowly looked up to Scott, who was getting more pissed by the second.
"You have to call her and cancel the date." Stiles decided, reached for Scott's jacket, and pulled out his phone.
"Stiles--" I warned.
"What are you doing? Give me that!" Scott cut me off.
"I'm just finding her number---"
"Give it to me." Scott yanked the phone out of Stiles' hand and shoved him against the wall. Scott then lashed out, sending the chair flying across the room.
The room suffocated with silence.
"I didn't mean to do that," Scott shook angrily. Stiles and I exchanged a glance, too stunned to move.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I have to go. I have to get ready for the party." Scott backed away, turning to find me, "I'm sorry."
I lightly nodded at him. Grabbing his jacket, Scott hurried out of the room.
When the door shut, I rushed over to Stiles.
"Taylor--"
"Are you okay?" I took his face in my hands, moving his head around to make sure he was not hurt.
"Taylor. Taylor!" Stiles grabbed my hands and lowered them slowly. "I'm okay. I'm fine. Look, no scratches."
I quickly pulled him into a hug, "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," Stiles reassured me, hugging me back. "Shit," He whispered, pulling out of the hug.
"What?" I got up, following him over to the other side of the room. Stiles slowly picked up the desk chair, showing me the claw marks slashed across the back.
"Shit."
***
"Okay, do we have a plan, or are we just going to barge in there?" I asked Stiles as we made our way up Scott's driveway. After Scott acted so weird at the party, we rushed to see how he handled the full moon.
"Uh, the only thing I had in mind was for you to talk to him," Stiles explained.
"Me?" I questioned. "Why me?"
"Your voice is very calming," Stiles looked at me before unlocking Scott's front door.
"Do you have a key to both of our houses?"
"No, why on earth would you think that?" Stiles used his usual level of sarcasm. I rolled my eyes, shoving him inside.
We made our way to Scott's room, and as I was about to knock on the door lightly, Stiles started pounding on it.
"Go away!" Scott groaned from the other side.
"Scott, it's Taylor and me." Scott slowly cracked the door open, but not enough for us to get through.
"Scott, can you please just let us in? We wanna help," I pleaded.
"No." Silence came from the other side of the door. "Listen, you have to find Allison."
"She's fine. I saw her get a ride. She's totally fine," Stiles reassured him.
"Guys, I think I know who it is."
"Just let us in so we can talk," I tried to reason with Scott.
"It's Derek. Derek Hale's the werewolf," Scott said. "He's the one who bit me. He's the one who killed the girl in the woods."
Stiles and I exchanged looks. "Scott...Derek's the one who drove Allison from the party," Stiles quietly informed him.
All of a sudden, the door slammed shut and locked. "No! Scott, wait, please, can we talk about this?" No answer came from the other side of the door. "Scott! Open the door!" I quietly begged him, but there was still no response.
Racing to find Scott, Stiles and I frantically pounded on Allison's front door, positive he would be there. We finally stopped when the lights came on inside, and Mrs. Argent opened the door.
"Hi," I smiled. "I'm a--we're friends of Allison's. This might sound ridiculous; actually, it's probably really wild. Crazy doesn't even begin to--"
Mrs. Argent cut me off, calling back inside, "Allison? It's for you!"
I opened my mouth to speak again but stopped. Stiles and I stood there, utterly shocked to see Allison descending the stairs. "What's up?"
If Scott wasn't here, where was he?
***
Stiles, Scott, and I rode to school in Stiles' Jeep the next day. Stiles and Scott are up front, and me in the back.
Scott had told us all about his little rondeau with Derek last night. "You know what worries me the most?" Scott asked.
"If you say Allison, I will punch you in the head," Stiles said.
"She probably hates me now."
"Scott, she doesn't hate you, alright? She's probably just confused about why you left early, which you need to come up with one damn good excuse," I informed. "If you don't, then she might hate you."
"Thanks, Taylor, that was really helpful." Scott looked back at me.
"Someone's a little cranky today. Did you not get enough beauty sleep there last night, Scotty?" At the comment, Scott flipped me off, returning to face the front.
"Or just tell her the truth and revel in the awesomeness of the fact that you're a freaking werewolf!" Stiles glanced over at Scott, who looked like he was about ready to kill him. "Okay, bad idea. We'll get through this. If we have to, Taylor and I will chain you up on full moon nights and feed you live mice."
The comment coaxed a tiny smile out of Scott.
Moments like these were the ones I was going to miss the most. I knew our lives would never be the same when we got deeper into Scott's new situation.