A noise from outside of my bedroom door wakes me up for the second time in the past ten minutes and I give in by climbing out of my warm bed to investigate. The amount of security that Dad has put around the house gives me the reassurance that no one has broken into our house, but I'm still on the edge of who is making all of the ruckus. It's a Wednesday night, which means Allison is fast asleep, so it can't be her.
I trudge out of my bedroom, bouncing into the wall from sleep deprivation. Allison's door creaks open just as I pass by it and I pause by her door.
"Clara?" Allison yawns, too tired to cover her mouth. Her hair is piled in a messy ponytail, a few strands hanging around her face. "What's that noise?"
I shrug my shoulders and dig my hands in my oversized hoodie. "I don't know." My eyelids begin to droop as I stand still. I blink my eyes a couple of times to try to keep myself awake a little bit longer.
"Let's go find out." Allison walks alongside the wall, her shoulder brushing up against it the whole way to the balcony in the middle of our house.
I sleepily rub my eyes on our way down the stairs. Allison and I bump into each other more than a couple times until we safely make it to the first floor. Dad is bent over on the dining room table, his back to us as we approach him.
"Dad?" Allison crosses her arms.
His movements quicken and he carefully keeps something hidden behind his back when he spins around to face us. "Girls?" Dad has the look of surprise at sight of us.
"What's going on?"
"Your Aunt Kate just texted me." Dad slyly slides something into the back of his jeans. Allison doesn't pay attention to small details like this, but Dad has helped me over the years to not let little things get past me. "I'm headed out to pick her up." Dad bypasses us, the back of his jacket hiding whatever he doesn't want us to see.
I whirl around as he wanders over to the front door. "But, it's two in the morning. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just a little bit of car trouble." Dad walks back over to us and kisses Allison on her forehead.
"Not serious, is it?" Allison questions.
Dad wraps an arm around my shoulders. "No, just a flat tire." He brings me closer to him and kisses my forehead like he did to Allison. "Go-Go to bed, sweethearts."
We stand near the stairs, watching Dad send us a fleeting glance before disappearing out of the door and into the dark of the night. A cold breeze swoops through the house and I tug on the sleeves of my hoodie. I didn't even know Aunt Kate was coming to visit us.
"C'mon." Allison yawns for the hundredth time. "We have to get up in a few hours."
I keep my eyes trained on the closed door for a few more seconds before giving into my sister's continuous pulling on my arm. "I'll be lucky if I fall back asleep."
I actually had no problem falling back asleep after this morning's little talk. Once my head hit my pillow, I was already asleep and didn't wake up until my obnoxious alarm went off. I heard Allison groan when her own alarm went off seconds after mine.
I quickly changed into a pair of denim shorts paired with a white tank top tucked into it. The weather is slowly warming up and I am taking full advantage of that. Sure, it may only be sixty degrees, but I'm going to act like it is ninety degrees out today. That's one thing I miss about living in San Francisco, I was able to wear shorts without the worry of getting frostbite.
"Aunt Kate!" Allison squeals from the guest bedroom.
My head snaps up when I remember the reason why dad went out last night. I yank a light pink, long cardigan from my closet and race out of my room, down the hallway, and straight to the guest room. My Aunt Kate is talking to Allison about something just as I run into the room.
"Aunt Kate!" I copy Allison and go straight for a hug.
"I see Allison isn't the only one that looks like a runway model." Aunt Kate hugs me back, tightly. "What is in the water here?"
I awkwardly giggle and fall back on the bed next to my twin. "Oh, gosh no. I look nothing like a model."
Aunt Kate rolls her eyes. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're both knockouts. In fact, I hope you have boys knocking each other's teeth out for your attention."
Allison blushes and I feel myself sulk. "I kind of have one."
"You kind of have one?" Aunt Kate smiles. "You should kind of have a million. What about you, Clara?"
"Oh, no." I shake my head. "Guys wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole."
Aunt Kate purses her lips. "Why don't you see that you are really beautiful. You deserve any guy in the world. Any guy would be lucky to have you."
I scoff. "Obviously not, otherwise, I would already have a boyfriend. It's okay, though. I don't mind being single."
Allison senses the mood change in the room. "Need some help unpacking?"
I reach for a duffel bag in front of me "Yeah, we can help you."
Aunt Kate's hand grasps my wrist tightly before I can even touch the bag. "No, not that one."
A quiet gasp escapes from my mouth from the deadly grip she has on my wrist. Her composure changes in a blink of an eye.
She releases my wrist. I yank my wrist back afraid that she will do it again. What's it that bag that she doesn't want me to see?
"Oh. See? You two turn out beautiful and I end up with this kung-fu death grip. Sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean to be so rough." Aunt Kate apologises as she moves the bag away from us.
"It's okay." I mumble, rubbing my wrist where her fingers were locked around it. A small line all the way around my wrist is beginning to form, no doubt that I'm going to bruise.
"Hey, is everything okay with your car?" Allison speaks up once more.
"Uh, yeah." Aunt Kate gets a sort of distant look on her face. "I just needed a jump start, that's all."
Allison and I share a confused look, distinctively remembering dad saying that she had a flat tire. "A jump start?"
"Yeah." Aunt Kate smiles, brushing a strand of blond hair out of her face. "Hey, shouldn't you two be getting ready for school?"
The two of us merely nod our heads, slightly confused. Did dad actually mean that she need a jump start or are they both lying about something? I climb off of the bed and make my way back to my room to finish getting ready.
"Clara?" Allison jogs over to me. "Dad did say that she had a flat tire last night, right?"
"Yeah, he did."
» » »
Allison, Lydia, and I walk through the hallway, headed straight to the inside stairwells. So far, the day has dragged on way too much. Danny has been texting me all day because I told him I almost fell asleep in my first period. He said he would text me a bunch of things throughout the day to stay awake. His texts have helped so far, but I did pass out for thirty minutes in the library when I was supposed to be reading a book for one of my classes. Everyone decided to read at the tables and I passed out against the farthest book shelf away from the teacher.
Lydia reads a text message over my sister's shoulder. "Scott's coming over? Tonight?"
"We're just studying together." Allison says, while texting a quick reply to Scott.
"'Just studying' never ends with just studying." Lydia states as we step up a few stairs. "It's like- Getting into a hot tub- somebody eventually cops a feel."
Allison pauses on a step below us. "Well- So, what are you saying?"
"I'm just saying, you know, make sure he covers up." Lydia shrugs her shoulders. Allison and I have matching confused looks on our faces. "Hello, Snow White! Do it with him with a condom."
Allison's cheeks flush with red. "Are you kidding? After one date?"
"That's kind of fast, Lydia." I side with my sister.
Lydia rolls her eyes. "Don't be a total prude. Give him a little taste."
"I should not be hearing this." I walk up a few more steps.
"Well, I-I mean, how much is a 'little taste'?"
You've got to be kidding me. I should not be hearing how my sister wants to give Scott a 'little taste'. That's just gross. The fact that my room is across from hers makes all of this even worse. Maybe I'll just hang out with Danny after school.
"Oh, god. You really like him, don't you?" Lydia keeps her back to me.
"Well- He's just different." Allison admits, a smile making it's way to her lips. "When we first moved here, we had a plan- no boyfriends until college-"
"- A plan that I'm still following up on." I butt in, but get completely ignored by the both of them.
Allison continues talking like I never interrupted her. "We just move too much. But- then I met him, and- He was just different. I-I don't know. I can't explain it."
"I can. It's your brain filling with phenylethylamine."
"How in the world do you know that?" I mutter, only to get ignored by them once again.
"I'll tell you what to do. When's he coming over?"
"Right after school."
» » »
I search the student parking lot for my best friend. After that discussion I heard Lydia and Allison had, I decided I would just hang out with Danny for a few hours until I thought it was safe to go home. There is no way I'm going to be home when Allison and Scott are there. I know they won't go to the extreme, but still, no.
School just let out a few minutes ago and I couldn't find Danny by his locker, where he normally heads after class. He's been ignoring my texts, which is pretty odd because he always has his phone on him. I squeeze past a group of girls and a Range Rover, partially standing in the middle of the road, but not enough to get hit by a car.
"Aha!" I say to myself, when I spot my best friend a few cars over. I freeze in my spot at the sight of him chatting to another guy. Well, crap. I can't go and interrupt that.
I drum my fingers on my thigh, searching for someone to hang out with. Lydia is probably off with Jackson. I seriously need to get some new friends. A familiar boy catches my eye as I realize what vehicle I'm standing next to.
"Stiles!" I practically shout, happily.
Stiles whips around, obviously not expecting someone to be calling his name. He was just about to unlock his jeep and his keys tumble to the ground. "Clara? Uh, hey..." Stiles stares at me.
I step closer to him, away from all of the traffic. "Do you want to hang out?"
I swear if his jeep wasn't right next to him, Stiles' knees would have given away and he would be laying flat on the ground. Stiles holds on to the side of his jeep, mouth ajar. "Me? You want to hang out with me? Why?"
"That's what I asked. Friends hang out all the time." I say, my fingers rubbing against my sore wrist. "Unless you don't want to, but I really don't want to go home."
"Yeah." Stiles nods his head. "Lets- uh- Yeah."
I giggle to myself. "Thank you." I make it to the rear of his jeep before I turn back around. "And, who knows, maybe Lydia will see us together and get jealous."
The inside of Stiles' jeep is kind of cluttered, yet not really. A few things are laying around the passenger's seat and Stiles tosses them in the back. An old bottle of soda is discarded in the cup holder, half filled.
Stiles glances at me a few times as he starts up his jeep. At first, I try to ignore him, but when he shakes his head the second time, I get a little concerned.
"What are you doing?" I ask him.
"D-Driving...?"
"No, I meant, why do you keep looking at me?" I rephrase my question.
His cheeks burn a bright red. "I'm just surprised you want to hang out with me."
I raise my eyebrows at him. "That's not it. There's something else."
We stop behind a car in the parking lot and Stiles nervously rubs the back of his neck. "Uh...Danny- he, uh, told me that you had-" He clears his throat. "- a crush on me."
"What?" I nearly shout. "Oh my gosh." I bury my face in my hands. "I'm so sorry, Stiles, but that's not true. Oh, god...I'm going to kill Danny. I told him the other day that I didn't like you- Don't get me wrong, you're a great guy and I'm kind of mad at myself for not liking you because I'm pretty sure you would be the boyfriend every girl dreams of, and- Oh my god, I think I have word vomit. How do I stop this- Derek?!"
I stare wide eyed at Derek, who just ran out in the middle of the student parking lot, right in front of the jeep. I unbuckle my seatbelt and jump out of the jeep. Derek collapses to the ground, breathing heavily.
"Oh my god." I crouch down to his level. "Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay."
"Clara?" Derek gasps, clutching his upper arm.
"Oh, god." I begin to panic. "You're hurt, aren't you?"
Derek sucks in a deep breath, lifting his head to look at me, pain etched into his face. "You shouldn't be helping me...Someone could see."
I shake my head, defiantly. "I don't care. We need to get you to a hospital." I attempt to wrap my arm around his back, but Derek wraps his good arm around my waist. I stagger from the new weight and fall into his side on the ground. My eyes dart to a small hole in his arm, surrounded by dark skin and veins showing. This isn't good.
Scott appears out of nowhere. "What are you doing here? Wait- Clara?"
Derek rests his head on my shoulder, his breathing hitching. "I was shot."
Stiles comes up from behind Scott, rather shocked to see me in this odd position with Derek. "Do you two know each other?"
"Now is not the time." I snap, carefully tilting Derek's head to make sure he is still awake.
"You-You need to go home." Derek orders, but his grip on my waist says otherwise.
I stare back into his dark eyes. "Your few days are up, Derek." A wave of pain flashes across his face. "Oh, god."
"He's not looking so good, dude." Stiles speaks up as a car horn goes off behind the jeep.
Derek rests his head in the crook of my neck. I desperately stare up at Scott, hoping he will know what to do, seeing Derek like this breaks my heart. I stuff my confused feelings to the side. Derek's health is more important.
"Why aren't you healing?" Scott asks.
"I can't- It's a different kind of bullet." Derek hisses in pain.
What does that mean?
"A silver bullet?" Scott's eyes grow wide as saucers.
"No, you idiot." Derek snaps.
"We need to get you to the hospital-"
"No..." Derek gasps and his eyes flash blue.
I stare at him, mystified. What the hell was that? Why did his eyes just change color? "Derek?"
"Trust...me..." Derek gazes at me with pain stricken eyes.
I gnaw on my lip, unsure of what I should do. Derek looks like he is dying, yet his eyes just flashed blue and his eyes are a green. That's not normal. Hell, that's not human. Part of me is telling me to run away screaming, but the other part, the stronger part, is telling me to stay. I can tell Derek wants me to stay from how tightly his hold is on me, the way he has his head in the crook of my neck. For some reason, Derek seeks comfort from me, so who am I to deny that from him?
I swallow, deeply. "Okay."
"Wait, wait!" Scott gets a panicked look on his face. "That's what she meant when she said you only had forty eight hours."
"Who?" Derek demands.
Scott looks at me then back to Derek. "The one who shot you." His eyes flash blue again. "What are you doing? Stop that!"
How is he doing that? Better yet, why is he doing that?!
"I'm trying to tell you, I can't!" Derek's fingers dig into my side.
"Okay, okay. Calm down." I try to calm Derek down. "If you can't go to the hospital then what are we supposed to do?"
Scott watches something behind us. "Derek, get up." He loops his arm around his back. "Help me put him in Stiles' car."
I struggle to help lift Derek up until Stiles moves me out of the way to take Derek's weight off of me. The two of them help Derek into the front seat and I rush to Stiles' side of the car. Derek stops whispering something to the two of them when he sees me about to climb into the backseat.
"No!" Derek holds up a hand.
"I'm coming with." I argue back.
"No, you're not." He groans, clutching his arm. "I need you to help Scott find the bullet." I open my mouth to question him. "Clara, please, just trust me. Get the bullet, bring it to me, and I'll tell you everything."
I move to his side of the jeep, pushing Scott out of my way. "I want to come with you."
"I need you to go with him."
"It will make it a lot easier if I have you to get it from your Aunt." Scott says, earning a deadly glare from Derek.
I whirl around, keeping the two of them in my vision. "My Aunt Kate has the bullet? Is she the one who shot you?"
"Just get the bullet and I'll answer your questions later."
"But-"
Derek tilts his head back in pain. "Scott, take her with you and don't tell her anything, I'll do it."
Scott grabs my arm. "Clara, we need to hurry." He has a hard time pulling me away from the jeep because I struggle in his grasp.
Stiles hops back in his jeep, driving off. I push myself away from Scott as soon as I see Allison only seconds away from us. I run a hand through my wavy hair. I have never been so confused before. Did my Aunt shot Derek? If so, why? Why do we have to find the bullet he was shot with? He needs to go to the hospital. Why do I care this much for him? I would understand caring for him a little bit, but being away from him is driving me insane, I want to be with him to make sure he's okay.
"Hey, what was he doing here?" Allison reaches us, her eyes darting from me to Scott.
Scott looks down at me, probably afraid I'm just going to give everything away. "Stiles, uh..."
"He was just giving him a ride." I say, sliding an easy going smile on my face. I'm good at lying, I've always been good, so saying this to my sister is no problem, even in this situation.
My sister frowns and looks at Scott. "But, I thought you weren't friends with him. And, why were you talking to him?" She turns to me.
Keeping a cool look on my face, I answer her back, knowing if I don't, Scott will mess up somehow. "They aren't friends. I was going to hang out with Stiles, but then Derek showed up and I told Stiles we could do it another time. So, I'm coming home."
"So, we're still studying, right? I'll meet you back at your place?" Scott changes the topic.
"Yeah." Allison goes back to her normal, cheerful self.
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Author's Note:
Words cannot express how excited for the next chapter I am. It's going to be really good! I'm going to start working on it as soon as I can.
Did you like it?
Derek and Clara are getting awfully close.
Question: Do you think Derek will tell her everything?
So, yeah!