I pulled up next to Stiles in his jeep in our usual parking spaces at school the next day. He was smiling, almost a little too brightly, and it made me wonder what exactly kind of prank he pulled on Coach last night. He waved and I waved back, both of us getting out of our vehicles.
"So," I began, grabbing my bag from the back and shutting the door. "Was Mischief Night a success?"
He slung his arm around my shoulders and began walking us towards the school. "Well, you could have seen for yourself," he said, sending me a grin. "But now I guess you'll just have to wait,"
"Ugh," I groaned, rolling my eyes and smacking his chest playfully with the back of my hand.
I was still trying to recover from the state he left me in last night. I mean, what kind of teenage boy can start something like that and have the ability to walk away? I know Stiles, and I know that he's practically horny 24/7.
As we walked I noticed three people a few feet ahead of us. Scott was standing in front of Ethan and Aiden, whom I still can't tell apart for the life of me. Although, I thought the twins weren't going to school anymore. So if they're here, they're here for a reason.
I nudged Stiles and pointed out the conversation. A hard look crossed his face and he dropped his arm around my shoulders, storming up to the twins. I gave a soft sigh before following and standing in between him and Scott.
"No, we're just here to talk," said Aiden -- I think -- as Stiles and I walked up to them.
"Ah," said Stiles, sarcastically of course. "That's kind of a change of pace for you guys, seeing as though you're usually just hurting, maiming, killing,"
"You need a pack," spoke Ethan, "and we need an Alpha."
"Ha," said Stiles. "Absolutely not. That's hilarious though,"
"You came to us for help and we helped," said Aiden.
"You beat his face into a bloody pulp," said Stiles flatly. I glanced awkwardly from him to Scott. "In my opinion that's actually counter-productive,"
Scott did manage to let out his Alpha side in helping change Malia back, but whether or not Ethan and Aiden's little exercise was a factor in that, I don't know. But what I do know is their past, and it's not the kind Scott needs in his pack. In our pack.
"Why would I say yes?" Scott asked.
"We add strength," said Ethan. "We make you more powerful. There's no reason to say no,"
I noticed Stiles widening and rolling his eyes next to me. I couldn't help but feel the same way. I folded my arms across my chest and stared the two of them down. They may scare a lot of people, but they sure as hell don't scare me.
"What about that time you helped lower Boyd onto Derek's claws as Kali held him down? Remember that?" I said.
"We were different then," said Aiden.
"Different?" I exclaimed. "You helped kill an innocent boy, whether or not you were different shouldn't matter,"
"And like you haven't killed someone innocent," snapped Aiden.
I couldn't help myself as I lunged towards them in anger. What I did to Brittany is something still too sensitive for me to think about, let alone have shoved back in my face. Besides, she was far from innocent. Her blue eyes spoke that for themselves.
As I went to jump at them, however, a hand wrapped around my wrist, holding me back. When I looked down at it, I realized that it didn't belong to Stiles. Scott was giving me a look, the kind that made me shrink back and calm my anger.
"I'm sorry, but they don't trust you." Scott said to the twins. "And neither do I,"
Scott walked past them, Stiles placing his hand on the small of my back to usher me inside behind Scott. What they said to me about Brittany was still fresh in my mind, but I can't think about that. We already have enough to deal with.
Such as the roll of toilet paper being thrown at my head.
"Hey yo, watch it!" Stiles called out, pointing at the person who'd thrown it.
There's nothing like being hit in the face with the same stuff people use to wipe their butts when you first walk into school. But, that's just the after affects of Mischief Night at Beacon Hills High. I'm sure the worst is still yet to come.
"Dude, good decision," Stiles said, patting Scott's shoulder. "Good Alpha decision,"
"I hope so," said Scott.
"No, you know so," said Stiles.
We arrived at his locker and he unlocked it with ease, flinging the door open and shoving things from his backpack inside. As he did so I noticed Scott's heartbeat beginning to pick up as he stared at something, or someone, behind Stiles and I. I turned my head to see Kira putting things into her own locker. I looked back at Scott with a smirk on my face.
"Are you looking at her?" I asked him, jerking my head back towards Kira.
"Her? Who her?" Scott asked.
I rolled my eyes. "Kira," I stated. "You like her don't you?"
"No," he said, a little too quickly. "I mean, uh yeah, yeah she's okay...she's new,"
"So," I pressed. "Ask her out,"
"Now?" He asked.
I rolled my eyes again, groaning. "Yes, Scott, now. Trust me, girls like it when the guy makes the first move. It just makes everything easier,"
Stiles glanced at me from the corner of his eye, raising his eyebrows. Hopefully that was a sign that he was taking the hint I was dropping him, since I was dropping it pretty obviously. Scott didn't seem to notice, though, since he was staring off with a blank expression on his face.
"Look, Scott," said Stiles, slamming his locker door shut and walking in between Scott and I down the hallway. "You're an alpha, okay? You are the apex predator. Everyone wants you, ya know? You're like the hot girl that every guy wants,"
I cocked an eyebrow at him as we stopped walking.
He turned to me with an innocent smile on his face. "Hypothetically speaking, of course,"
I just snickered and shook my head at him.
"The hot girl?" Scott asked as Isaac walked up to us, a confused look on his face.
"You are the hottest girl," said Stiles, nodding at Scott before grabbing my hand and leading us off.
"I'm the hot girl," I heard Scott say from behind us.
"Yes you are," agreed Isaac.
I smiled, shaking my head again. This is really the kind of world I live in. A world with werewolves and dark druids and Scott "The Hot Girl" McCall. This is my life. And, as Stiles tells off another person for ramming into me as they run down the hall with a carton of eggs in their hand, I know that I wouldn't have it any other way.
✞
I sat behind Stiles, as usual, in our Economics class. I know he's been waiting for this class all day because Finstock teaches it, and Stiles wants to see his reaction to the prank he pulled last night. He refuses to tell me exactly what it is, but Scott said it was probably one of the best Beacon Hills High has ever seen. I wouldn't doubt it either, knowing my boyfriend.
As we wait for Finstock to come into the classroom, we hear a loud round of crashes coming from his office just behind the front wall. "Son of a bitch!" Finstock shouted.
Stiles turns his head and I see the most smug little look on his face. "Took out all the screws and nails in his office," he told me.
My jaw hung open, impressed. Not only would that be extremely time consuming, but coming up with an idea like that is pretty impressive. Now I'm really wishing I had gone with Stiles that night so I could claim my part in it.
"Mischief Night, Devil's Night," said Finstock, throwing a pencil to the ground as he walked into the room from the door leading into his office. "I don't care what you call it. You little punks are evil,"
Stiles was grinning widely to himself, and all I could do was shake my head.
"You think it's funny every Halloween my house gets egged?" Finstock asked as the class giggled. "A man's house is supposed to be his castle,"
Finstock slammed his hands down onto Scott's desk, nearly causing his textbook to fly off. From in front of me I saw Stiles give a little fist pump. He's way too damn proud of himself for this, but I like seeing him smile again.
"Looks like a freaking omelet," said Finstock. He then turns around and picks up the small wrapped present sitting on his desk, "Oh this, we're going to do this again. I don't think so,"
He drops the box to the ground and steps on it, the sound of breaking glass ringing from underneath his foot. His eyes widened when he heard the sound, realizing that maybe this present was actually just that, a present.
Finstock crouched down and picked up the front piece of the coffee mug. From over Stiles' shoulder I could see that it had a picture of Finstock on it and read #1 Coach. He shuffled through the remains of the gift, finding the card that had been placed inside.
"Happy birthday," he read aloud. "Love, Greenberg,"
I cupped my hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter. As much as Finstock seems to hate Greenberg, it looks like the feeling isn't mutual.
✞
I was sitting in the library for Study Hall with Allison, Isaac, and Lydia. This was pretty much the only time I ever actually get any real homework done. Doing it at home isn't really an option anymore with everything that's going on.
The four of us all shoot our heads up when we hear numerous pairs of feet running down the hallway. Looking towards the doorway, we see a few deputies sprinting past, their hands on their guns. We all glanced at each other with wide eyes and stood up without another moment of hesitation.
When we get out into the hall, I see a familiar pair of red pants looking around. "Stiles!" I shout. He turns towards us and I swear I almost hear him give a sigh of relief before he hurries over to us. My skin tingles when he grabs my hand.
"What the hell is going on?" Isaac asked him.
"Do you guys remember William Barrow?" Stiles asked.
Allison shakes her head while Isaac, Lydia, and I nod. "The shrapnel bomber," I said. How could I forget someone who blew up an entire bus full of teenagers? Especially one that my brother was supposed to be on before he got himself a detention.
"He's here,"
"Here? What do you mean he's here?" Isaac asked as my eyes widened.
"They were doing surgery on him at the hospital and he escaped. My dad said they tracked his location back to the school and now the whole place is on lock down," explained Stiles as the four of us began walking quickly down the hall.
"So they're locking us in here with a psychotic serial killer?" I asked.
"That's not even the worst part," said Stiles.
"There's a murderer in the school and that's not the worst part?" Allison asked, raising her eyebrows.
I'm pretty sure that having a mass murderer running loose in your school tops that chart on the list of worst possible scenarios. From what I've heard, this guy is like a grenade just waiting to go off. In one of the news reports I read, he always says that once he gets out of jail, he's just gonna do it again.
"He said he did it because the kids had glowing eyes,"
"What?" I exclaimed.
"Barrow went after kids with glowing eyes? He said those exact words?" Isaac asked as we hurried down a set of steps that lead into the lower level of the school.
I happen to know quite a few kids with glowing eyes, and the fact that Barrow could be going after them again scares the hell out of me. But if he really is here, in the school, I don't know what we're supposed to do. We can't stop him. We don't know how.
"Yeah," said Stiles. "No one knows how he woke up from the anesthesia, just that when they opened him up he had a tumor of live flies inside him. Which, in any other circumstance would be all kinds of awesome,"
"Did you say flies?" Lydia asked, stopping dead in her tracks.
"Lydia?" Allison questioned. We all stopped walking to turn and look at her.
"All day I have been hearing this sound it's like..." she broke off, thinking of a way to phrase her words. "Like this buzzing,"
"Like the sound of flies?" I asked her.
"Exactly like the sound of flies,"
Everyone turned to look at me. I know that I'm supposed to be the one with all the answers, but that's when it comes to werewolves. I've heard of banshees before, and I know the basics, but I'm no expert. I don't know what it means that Lydia's been hearing a buzzing all day. I wish I did, but I don't.
My friends need me to give them answers, but all I can do is shake my head.
✞
We finally managed to get Scott caught up on what was happening with Barrow being in the school, since he was seemingly clueless. However, the police cleared the grounds with no sign of him and were now leaving the school. The thing is, I'm not so sure that the grounds really are clear.
Lydia told us that the buzzing she's been hearing is getting even louder, like it's right on top of her. I know that this means something, I just don't know what. I wished Mom were here. She would know. She always had an answer for everything.
I waited by one of the pillars with Lydia as we watched Stiles approach his dad about the police leaving. They were speaking too quietly for me to hear from such a far distance, and it made me anxious. I need to know what's being said so I can try to piece together what the hell is happening here.
"You're sure Barrow is still in the school?" I asked Lydia in a hushed tone.
She gave me a look when she turned her head to face me. "Have I ever been wrong before?"
"Well, no," I said. She hadn't, either. All those times she found dead bodies when Jennifer was killing people, or when she knew someone was going to die, she'd been spot on. She may not know how to control her banshee powers yet, but they definitely work. "But something just doesn't feel right, like we're missing something,"
She then nudged my shoulder and subtly pointed towards Stiles and the Sheriff, who were both staring at us. "They're looking at us," she said.
"What do we do?" I asked, as quietly as she had.
"I don't know, smile and wave,"
We both plastered on sweet smiles and gave small waves towards the pair. The Sheriff waved back, while Stiles had an almost annoyed look on his face. Then, Sheriff Stilinski began walking away, still saying something to his son. Stiles was trying to get him to stop, but it didn't appear to work as the Sheriff followed after his deputies.
The police were leaving, and if Lydia's right and Barrow is still here, then us and the rest of this school is completely defenseless against a mass murderer.
✞
"The Bestiary is literally a thousand pages long," said Allison as she rolled up the blinds on the windows in an empty classroom. She and Isaac had searched for the book here to see if Gerard had left it, but when they came up empty handed they realized it must be back at the Argent's apartment. "If I'm going to find anything about flies coming out of people's bodies, it could take me all night,"
She opened up the window, swinging one leg over. Since they still weren't letting anyone leave the school, Allison had to sneak out in order to go search the apartment. I just really hope she finds something...anything.
"And remember, the word for fly in Archaic Latin is musca," said Lydia.
"Got it," said Allison.
"Have Eric help you when you get there," I said. "He should still be in the apartment and you could probably use the extra set of eyes,"
Allison nodded. I also wanted her to enlist his help so she could explain to him what's happening, and I wouldn't have to. Eric worries about me enough as it is. Hopefully she can get him to believe that everything is going to be okay, even though I'm not so sure myself.
She hopped out the window, leaving just Lydia, Stiles, and I in the classroom. "Where do we start?" Lydia asked.
"Upstairs," said Stiles. He looked up at the clock and I followed his eyes, seeing that it was getting to be late in the afternoon and we were running out of time. "We gotta go,"
The three of us hurried up to the top floor, starting in the art room. We looked around for any sign that Barrow may have been in here. I tried seeing if there was any kind of familiar scent, but the smell of the paint was too strong and covered everything else up.
"Scott and Isaac are in the basement, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, with Ethan and Aiden," said Stiles. "The plan is meet in the middle...uh, in the boiler room,"
Lydia and I glanced at each other. I wondered if she had the same train of thought running through her head that I did, about how this plan sounds like it's going to backfire. With how wide her eyes were, I knew we had to be on the same page, and that's not necessarily a good thing.
"All of the wolves are meeting in the boiler room," said Lydia. "All of the ones with glowing eyes are in the basement at the boiler room,"
"Stiles," I warned.
It seemed to have clicked with him as he turned to face us. "Oh my god," he said. "An engineer could use a boiler room to blow up the whole school,"
"We have to get them out of there," I said.
"We have to get everyone out of here," he said.
"How do we do that?" Lydia asked.
A minute later the three of us were out in the hallway, Stiles' fingers pressed down against the lever on the fire alarm. All around us people were rushing to get out. It was a fool proof plan, really. Everyone would hear the alarm and clear the school.
That was, until Finstock came right up behind my boyfriend. Lydia and I both looked at Stiles with wide eyes, and he furrowed his eyebrows at our expressions. I quickly shifted my eyes to over his shoulder and he jumped when he turned to see Finstock standing there, glaring like he's never glared before.
Lydia and I hurried after him as Finstock pulled him out of the school by his ear. He was going to be in huge trouble for this, but only if Finstock could understand why he did it. Although, there's no way he'd buy into that story.
"Pulling a fire alarm on Mischief Night is one thing, but doing it while there's a mass murderer spotted nearby is insane!" Finstock hissed. His anger was caused the veins in his neck to bulge. "If I were four years younger I'd...I'd punch you!"
"What? Coach that doesn't make sense," said Stiles.
"Well it does to me," said Finstock, storming back into the school.
From across the grass I spotted the four werewolves. I grabbed Stiles' hand, indicating for Lydia to follow us. We hurried over to them, my ears still ringing from the loud bell of the fire alarm. My senses have been getting stronger lately. I'm not entirely sure if that's because Peter is getting stronger, or because I finally have an alpha.
"We didn't find anything," said Aiden.
"Not even a scent," added Scott.
"It's three o'clock so school's over," said Stiles. "So if there's a bomb wouldn't he have set it off by now?"
"Does that mean everybody's safe?" Ethan asked.
"I don't know," said Lydia, shaking her head. "I just...I don't know,"
After everything we've been through, I believe Lydia. I trust her. If she says that Barrow is still in there somewhere, then I believe that he is. I just wish we knew what to do to stop him, but we don't. We're just a bunch of teenagers.
-----------------------------
Thanks so much for reading!
It's going to be a really long week, so bear with me. Depending on how my softball tournament goes this weekend, I might have an update out then. Otherwise I'll just have to wait and see what my work schedule is like.
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