The smell of coffee gently pulled Hollis down the stairs. It was almost enough to push away the grogginess of sleep. Almost, but not quite. As great as the scent of the liquid energy was, it was the taste of the bitter caffeine that she really craved. A few sips would do the trick.
With that thought in mind, she turned the corner and entered the kitchen. To her surprise, she found the room empty. No dishes littered the counter or crowded the sink. Only the lingering smell of coffee was present, making her craving increase. But she pushed it away as confusion filled her at the absence of her dad. Hollis had expected to find him preparing breakfast or reading the paper. She stood in silence for a moment, listening for any sounds that would indicate he was home but heard nothing.
"Dad?" She called out in hopes of getting an answer. But she was only greeted with silence. Sighing, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and focused on the room before her. As her eyes did another sweep of the area, she caught sight of a note resting comfortably on the counter. Curious, she walked over and took the letter in her hand. Her dad's writing filled two sentences on the page, letting her knew he had left early for work.
That explains it, she thought in regards to his absence. Rather than feel disappointment that he had left, she felt relief. Hollis had been prepared to dive into the conversation on the Hales that morning as she had failed (perhaps intentionally) to bring it up the night before. She couldn't help but feel a tinge of relief at postponing the conversation. It needed to be brought up but she wasn't sure if she was ready for the truth. Putting it off for another day or two wasn't much but it was enough.
Having woken up much earlier that morning, Hollis had time left over after getting ready for school. It was still too early to leave the house, and she struggled to find something to occupy her for the next thirty minutes or so. She sat down at the kitchen table with her second cup of coffee and relished in the strong taste of caffeine. But sitting there in silence with nothing to do only managed to give her mind free reign. Thoughts of last night and the bundle of information trickled in one by one, and she was forced to think about them.
But before she could let those thoughts consume her, the doorbell rang. Hollis was thankful for the distraction. Leaving her coffee and thoughts behind, she walked to the door and pulled it open. The initial shock was soon replaced by a happy smile that matched his. She stepped aside to let him enter the room.
"Hey," Hollis said as she closed the door then turned to face Stiles. "What are you doing here? I mean, I'm glad you're here but I thought we were meeting up at school."
"We are. We were but I thought we could go together," Stiles explained. "Unless you don't want to," he added quickly, "Because we could just -"
"No," Hollis interrupted, shaking her head. "It sounds great."
"Really?" He asked. "Ok, great," he said and nodded.
Hollis smiled in response. "I'm glad you're here," she told him. "I missed you."
"We just saw each other yesterday," Stiles said.
"No, I know but...," she paused, shrugging. "I missed this. Us talking."
Smiling, he pulled her into a hug. "Me, too," he told her.
Despite all the craziness that had occurred in the past couple of days, everything felt ok in that moment. She wished they could stay like that for a while but real life called. Still wrapped in his arms, Hollis looked up at him. "Did you want to leave now or...?" She asked, trailing off as she glanced in the direction of the kitchen.
"You can finish your coffee," Stiles told her with a chuckle.
A smile spread across her face. She leaned up, giving him a quick kiss. But the kiss lingered, lasting several seconds longer. Neither of them seemed to mind and let the moment drag on for a bit.
"Your dad's not going to just walk in, is he?" Stiles asked, pulling away to look around the room.
Hollis laughed, shaking her head. "No, he was gone when I woke up. Had to get to work or at least that's what he said in his note." Taking hold of his hand, she led the way into the kitchen. She picked the lukewarm cup of coffee up and took a sip, still enjoying the taste of caffeine even though it had cooled down some.
"So, uh, did you talk to your dad?" Stiles asked.
Hollis shook her head, lowering the cup from her lips. "Look, I know, ok?" She sighed and placed the drink on the table. "I was going to bring it up last night but... I chickened out. I thought I would wait until this morning but he was gone by the time I woke up and...I can't say that I'm not happy about that. I'm dreading this conversation, Stiles. Finding out the truth about my dad's involvement in the fire is scary. What if he did it on purpose? What if he planned it all along? What if -"
"Hey, calm down." Stiles closed the distance between them and placed his hands on her arms. "It'll be ok. You need to do this. Whatever the truth is, we'll deal with it."
Hollis let out the breath she had been holding and nodded, although she didn't feel any less apprehensive about the conversation.
"Do it by Monday. You still have a couple days to ask him."
"Why? What happens Monday?" Hollis asked.
"Nothing," Stiles answered casually. "I just thought it was a good deadline. You know, trying to be supportive and encouraging."
Despite the topic of conversation, Hollis laughed. It took the weight off of the problem at hand, something that she greatly appreciated. "Any news on Scott and Jackson?" She asked, bringing voice to the other topic that had her worried.
"No," Stiles said, shaking his head. A frown replaced the smile she had been wearing, worry taking hold of her once more. "But no news is good news," he added.
"How?" Hollis asked, unconvinced by his positive outlook.
"If something bad had happened, we would've heard about it. My dad would've told me and I would've told you but since I didn't tell you, it means he didn't tell me anything because there was nothing to tell. So, see? Good news."
Hollis took a moment to process his confusing words. She tried to repeat them in her mind but it only confused her more. "Wait...what?"
He gave her a look as if not understanding what she didn't understand about his previous statement. "Everything's fine, Hollis. Scott's my best friend. I was just as worried about him going against Derek to help Jackson, who doesn't deserve to be saved by the way. But not hearing anything means everything went okay. You'll see."
She was still unconvinced but managed a small smile, hoping he was right. "I guess we'll find out when we get to school."
"Uh, yeah. About that," he said slowly, causing her to look up at him. "We're not really going to school."
"What are you talking about?" Hollis asked. "We can't just skip school, Stiles."
"Why not?" He asked. "Look, it's just one day. And you could use a day off from everything. We both could."
Hollis had to admit that a break sounded great. She had just learned of the supernatural a mere day ago and already needed an escape from it. It was much more complicated than she ever would've thought. As she contemplated his words, Stiles continued to talk in trying to convince her.
"Ok, maybe," she told him then paused as a thought danced across her mind. "You had this planned the whole time, didn't you?"
"I-yeah," he admitted with a sheepish smile. "That was the plan."
Hollis rolled her eyes but she smiled. "Ok," she said, nodding. "I'm in."
"We're here," Stiles said, pulling Hollis from her thoughts. The car slowed down before coming to a complete stop.
Hollis glanced out the windshield dumbstruck. "This is your house," she stated. She didn't know where she thought they would go when they skipped but Stiles' house hadn't crossed her mind.
"Yeah, I know," he answered.
"What about your dad?" She asked when she looked towards him.
"He's at work," Stiles told her.
"What if he comes home?" She asked, voicing her worries. Skipping school wasn't a big offense but she wanted to avoid trouble if at all possible.
"He won't," he said.
"But what if he does?" Hollis asked.
Stiles shrugged. "Then I'll just blame it all on you," he told her.
Hollis threw a glare his way and gently nudged him with her hand. "Wow, thanks," she said sarcastically as a smile tugged at her lips.
"I'm kidding," Stiles said, returning the smile. "Ready to go in?"
She nodded, unbuckling the seatbelt. "Ready," she answered.
Stiles moved to open the door but stopped as if he forgot something. "I need your phone," he said, holding out his hand.
Hollis narrowed her eyes but handed her phone to him, all the while wondering why. In all the time that she had known him, she knew better than to question it. She watched as he held the side button down until her screen turned off, remaining black. He did the same with his phone then leaned across the seat, opening the glove compartment and putting both phones inside.
"Why...?"
"No phones," Stiles answered, flashing her a smile. "We're taking a day off from everything, remember?"
"Yeah, but -"
"No buts. Let's go." Before Hollis could say anything, he jumped out of the car. She shook her head then joined Stiles by the door. Together, they walked inside. It was quiet, save for the sound of the door closing and their footsteps as they walked deeper into the room.
"So, now what?" Hollis asked as she broke through the silence. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for his answer.
Stiles remained quiet for a minute, thinking. After seconds passed by, he said, "I don't know."
"You don't...but this was your idea," Hollis said, confused at his lack of plan.
"I know, I just, you know, didn't think we'd get this far. I didn't think you'd agree so I didn't plan ahead," Stiles explained.
Hollis nodded understandingly. They stood in silence for a few minutes, each trying to think of what they could do for the next several hours. The more she thought, the less ideas she was able to think up. She was about to give up, say that she didn't know when Stiles yelled in excitement.
"I know!" He said then took off for the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.
Hollis stood in a stupor, unsure of what had just happened. But, like before, she knew not to question it. Crossing her arms, she waited for whatever Stiles went to find. She heard the wood creak with every step he took along with chaos of drawers opening and closing.
Whatever it was that he went in search off, he returned with it in hand. Rather than tell Hollis what he had been up to, he grabbed hold of her hand and led her through the house and into the living room. "Alright," he said, smiling. "What do you think?" He asked, showing her a few rectangular boxes.
She looked towards the boxes, raising an eyebrow. "Video games?"
"Yep. It'll be fun," he said then went towards the game console and started to hook up the game.
With a sigh, she plopped down on the couch and watched as the TV came to life and the game loaded up.
Stiles joined her seconds later and handed her a controller.
"Just so you know, I suck at video games," Hollis stated, staring at the multitude of buttons the controller had. She tried to figure out what the 'A' 'X' 'Y' and 'B' buttons were for along with the 'plus' sign one. She shook her head in confusion.
Stiles grinned at her expression and quickly explained what each button was for. Even with the full length explanation, Hollis only understood so much and soon forgot which one meant 'go' 'forward' and so on. "Got it?" He asked, looking at her.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, sure," Hollis muttered, throwing him a small smile.
Without another word, the game began and the cars they drove took off down the road. Stiles was way ahead of her while her car somehow felt the need to crash into every obstacle and refused to move forward. She frowned, hitting all the buttons at once and willing for her car to move.
"Come one you stupid thing, move!" She said and threw a glare at Stiles as his laughter filled her ears.
"You're doing great," Stiles told her reassuringly.
Hollis' car continued to crash and turn every which way but forward. She looked at the controller Stiles held, trying to gain some insight into what she was doing wrong. Somehow, she managed to figure it out and managed to cross the finish line. It was dead last but she considered it mild progress as she had been able to get the car across the impossible track.
Level after level, Hollis lost. Despite the amount of times she crashed and crossed the finish line last, she was determined to improve. She muttered to herself every now and then, getting angry at the stupid controls that did nothing but confuse her. Every time she tried to go forward, she went backwards or off to the side, stalling the little car and having to right it.
"You really do suck at video games," Stiles commented, shaking his head.
"Shut up," Hollis said, throwing a playful glare his way.
As time went on, she got the hang of the multitude of buttons and managed to keep the car moving in one direction. Turns were the hardest for her but she still did a pretty good job considering how she started out.
"Yes!" Hollis yelled with a laugh, placing the controller in her lap. "I did it. Finally."
Stiles looked her way, a bemused look on his face. "Uhh, Hollis?" He said, getting her attention. "You still kind of lost," he pointed out gently, gesturing towards the screen that listed the scores and ranks.
"I came in eighty-second," she told him with a proud smile after she found her name amongst the players.
"Which is still losing," he said.
"Yeah, but it's better than coming in last. Which I didn't do." Hollis stared at the screen, memorizing her first high score. "I'm a positive loser."
"Yes, you are," Stiles said, smiling. "But you're still not going to beat me. Ever. Just letting you know," he added.
The glare returned to her eyes as she stared at him. "Want to bet?"
"Ok, yeah. What should we bet?"
Hollis took a few seconds to think before answering, "Loser buys lunch."
"Ok, fair enough." Stiles held out his hand for her to shake and, when she did, he smiled. "Get your money ready. I'm starving."
"You're a jerk, you know that?" Hollis told him but he only grinned in reply.
A new level started and Hollis focused all her attention on it, making sure not to make any mistakes. As the cars entered the second race, she tried to ignore the comments that Stiles made. His constant talking made her lose focus, costing her points and leaving her behind at times.
"Will you please shut up?" She asked with a laugh, giving him a shove.
"That's cheating!" His car veered off to the left, hitting a barrier.
"All's fair in games and racing," she told him.
Stiles laughed at her words and, before long, they were each absorbed in the race at hand.
Minutes went by before Stiles threw the controller down on the couch and jumped up, the smile of victory on his face. "I win!" But Hollis just glared up at him, which earned her a laugh from him. "What happened to being a positive loser?"
"I traded it in for sore loser," she answered with a sigh, frowning at the screen that listed her about thirty spots below Stiles.
"I tried to warn you," Stiles said. Taking hold of her hand, he pulled her up so that she was standing. "You did good, though," he told her with a smile as he pulled her into a hug. "Who knows? Maybe in the far, far distant future you'll beat me."
Hollis smiled in return. "I will. Just wait and see," she said. "So, I guess lunch is on me. What do you want? Chinese, Mexican or Italian?"
"Italian," they said in unison, causing the other to smile.
"Just no Hawaiian pizza. That's disgusting," Stiles said, shaking his head.
"Ok. Hawaiian it is," Hollis joked as she looked up at him, laughing at the horror stricken expression he wore. "No Hawaiian. Promise," she told him. "But how about pepperoni pizza with a side of fried mac n cheese?"
Stiles considered this then nodded. "Ok. But only if you explain what fried mac n cheese is."
Hollis stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously? It's, well, mac n cheese but...fried?" She said, rolling her eyes at her explanation. "It doesn't matter. It's delicious."
The doorbell rang thirty minutes later. While Stiles went to answer the door, Hollis ventured off in the direction she had left her bag in. When she went to rejoin him, the food was delivered and the delivery guy was long gone. She looked questioningly at him.
"Winner buys lunch, remember?" He asked with a wink.
Hollis smiled at his answer and followed him back into the living room. The smell of pizza wafted into the air and lingered there, creating a trail from one room to the other. Once they sat down on the coach, Hollis reached for the small box with a smile, eager to take the first bit of the fried mac n cheese.
"This is fried mac n cheese," Hollis said, sliding the box towards Stiles once she took one of the triangles for herself. Dipping it into the sauce, she took a tentative bite so as not to burn herself. "Cheesy and delicious," she said.
"It's pretty good," Stiles commented.
Hollis nodded through a mouthful of food. She took alternating bites of pizza and mac n cheese, unable to get her fill. The hunger subsided after she finished off the slice but she reached for a second helping. The two cups of coffee that she had for breakfast was the only thing she had put in her stomach. Other than give her energy, it didn't fill her up like the food in front of her did.
While they ate, they dove into a conversation about nothing yet everything. It was the most relaxed and stress-free that she felt in a long time. All thought of life outside this one room vanished from her mind, giving her the much deserved break she needed.
The time moved forward, each seconds hand ticking far more quickly than either of them liked. Before they knew it, the end of the school day neared and they were forced to end their relaxation.
Hollis caught the time and, making a face, she turned to Stiles. "I wish we could stay here forever," she said.
"Me, too," Stiles agreed, pulling her to his side.
"But thanks for today. It was perfect," Hollis said. "I really needed this."
"That's why I did it," he told her. "You know, for you."
Smiling, Hollis leaned over and kissed him. "We should probably go before your dad gets home," she said after a moment as she forced herself to sit up. "Think he'll find out we skipped?" She asked, the thought weighing a bit on her mind.
"Probably," Stiles replied. "But we'll deal with that when it happens."
She nodded in agreement, deciding to put that thought aside. If they got in trouble for skipping, so be it. It was the least of their problems considering everything else they faced. Sighing, she stood up and reached down to help Stiles up. He grabbed hold of her hand and tugged gently, threatening to pull her back down. "Stop, " Hollis said with a laugh. "We need to go."
Grinning, he stood up but kept a hold on her hand.
"We should probably clean this up," she said, nodding towards the mess that littered the coffee table.
"Uh, yeah. I guess we should," Stiles said as he followed her gaze.
They quickly gathered all the dirty plates, napkins and half empty box of pizza. It only took them a few minutes to clean up and leave the living room looking as it did this morning.
Satisfied with their work, they left the house minutes later. A chill hung in the air as they walked towards the Jeep, Hollis shivering as the cold seeped through her thin jacket. It was slightly warmer in the car but she still felt colder than she would have liked.
Her eyes fell on the glove compartment, having forgotten that her phone had been in their for the past several hours. Hollis opened the drawer, pulling out her phone first and then passing Stiles his. She hit the power button on the side. The screen lit up a moment later but she waited a few seconds until it powered up completely. Immediately, messages and missed calls greeted her. She skimmed the texts, getting the general idea after having read only a few.
She glanced over at Stiles, catching the frown on his face while he stared at his own phone. "Nothing from Scott?" She guessed.
"No," Stiles answered, confirming her suspicions. "What about you?"
Hollis shook her head. "Just from Lydia and Allison."
The frown deepened on his face. "I'll call him," he said, pressing the call button.
Hollis took those few seconds to reply to her friends, briefing them in on why she missed school. Once the message was sent, she glanced back at him. "Nothing?"
"It went to voice mail. I wonder why he's not answering. He should've called or something by now," he said, more to himself than to her.
"I'm sure he's fine," Hollis said reassuringly despite feeling worried herself.
"I need.... Do you mind if we go check on him? I could drop you off at home if you don't want to come or -"
"No, I'll go," she interrupted. "I'm worried about him, too."
"Scott?" Stiles called.
Hollis closed the door behind them, the sound far louder than she would've thought. The house was quiet, save for Stiles voice carrying throughout the rooms and the creak of the floor underneath their feet.
"It doesn't look like he's here," Hollis said, listening for any sounds of movement that would indicate someone was there besides the two of them.
"He has to be," Stiles said. "Scott! Come on, buddy, answer," he said but the only sound that met them was silence. He turned to Hollis with worry. "I don't get it. He should -"
"Hey," Scott said, appearing on the stair landing before them.
"Scott!" You're ok," Stiles said, the worry leaving his voice and face immediately.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? What's going on?" He asked, looking from one to the other.
"What's going...? Are you kid...?" Stiles stuttered in disbelief. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before he spoke again. "We haven't heard from you since last night! And you weren't answering your phone. At all."
"I can't find my phone," Scott admitted and looked around him as if it might appear out of thin air. "I looked everywhere and it's not here."
"Want us to help you look?" Hollis asked.
Scott nodded gratefully then started to lead the way upstairs. The two of them followed behind, their footsteps loud on the stairs as they made their way to the second floor.
"So, is Jackson ok? I mean, what happened last night?" Hollis asked, voicing the questions she had been dying to ask.
"Yeah, he's fine," Scott answered, briefly looking back at her. He proceeded to fill them in on last nights' events, telling them what happened from the moment he arrived at the Hale house to when the hunters arrived and started to shoot up the place.
"Wait, so was it all a trap?" Pausing in her search, Hollis straightened up and looked at them both questioningly.
"No. I mean, not really. The Argents planned on capturing Derek," Scott told them and turned around from the place he was searching with a look of defeat. "I guess they didn't think that me and Jackson would be there, too. Luckily we got away, thanks to Derek."
Hollis nodded, letting the information sink in. She missed the simplicity of that morning, of not having to dwell on the reality filled with werewolves and hunters. It had been so much easier. So normal.
Scott continued on in his search again but, after a few silent minutes of throwing objects aside, he sighed. "Call it again."
"It's not here," Stiles said but that didn't stop Scott from continuing to toss aside blankets, pillows, lacrosse equipment and anything else that could act as a hiding place for his phone.
Hollis let her eyes wander around the room, trying to find a section of the room that she hadn't searched yet. But, given that the room wasn't very big, every space had been covered. "I don't know, Scott. It's...I think it's lost."
"It can't be," Scott said, continuing with his frantic search.
"So you lost your phone. Get a new one," Stiles said.
"I can't afford a new one," Scott said. He shut the drawers loudly and turned around. "And I can't do this alone. We have to find Derek."
"Okay, A, you're not alone. You have me and Hollis. And B, didn't you tell us Derek walked right into gunfire?"
Scott shook his head. "Argent's plan was to use him to get the Alpha. They won't kill him."
"But they'll hurt him," Hollis said. She didn't know much about hunters or what the Argent's were capable of but she knew enough to understand that they weren't above torture to get answers.
"We should let them do what they're planning," Stiles suggested. He caught the look Hollis threw his way and shrugged. "What? They use Derek to get Peter, problem solved."
"Not if Peter's going after Allison to find Derek," Scott said.
"Did he actually say he's going to hurt her? He promised that -" Hollis started.
"You can't trust anything Peter says. He's desperate to get Derek back and, from what he said, it sounded like anyone's fair game. Even you," Scott said to which Stiles looked towards Hollis with worry. "I can't protect both you and Allison myself. Which means I need to find Derek first. Just help me."
Stiles stayed put in the seat and watched the two of them continue to look, although they all knew it was pointless at this point. The phone was long gone. "You know, you probably lost it when you two were fighting. Remember? When he was trying to kill you? When you interrupted him trying to kill Jackson? Starting to see a pattern of violent behavior here? No? Maybe it's just me."
"I don't think he was going to kill anyone," Hollis said. "Why would he help Scott get away if he wanted him dead? He'd probably save himself first and leave Scott and Jackson behind."
"Don't worry, I'm not letting him die," Scott told Hollis then threw a look Stiles' way.
"Could you at least think about letting him die? For me?" Stiles asked.
"Seriously, Stiles?" Hollis sighed, shaking her head. "We can't just sit back and do nothing. He helped Scott several times. He helped you, too, remember? That night you guys found out who the Alpha was?"
"Yeah, but then he went to the dark side when he joined Peter. Who's to say he won't leave us behind if we help him?" Stiles argued.
"Because he hasn't done that yet. Look, I know he sided with Peter but he hasn't hurt anyone."
"Yet, Hollis. He hasn't hurt anyone yet," Stiles pointed out.
"Ok, but that doesn't mean we should just let the Argents's hurt him."
Stiles went to reply but Scott shushed him. He listened intently to something that neither of them could hear before he approached the window.
"What?" Stiles asked.
"My mom's home," Scott said, his voice softening with a hint of sadness.
With a look at Stiles, Hollis joined Scott and looked out at the street below where a beat up car sat just beside the house. Silent seconds went by as Scott listened, cringing every now and then at whatever it was that he heard.
"Is she ok?" Hollis asked with a frown. She stepped forward for a better look but her view was still obstructed. Turning her head, she glanced at Scott, who just shook his head and continued to listen.
"What's she doing now?" Stiles asked, his voice taking on a softer edge.
"Crying," Scott said softly. Sighing, he slumped down on the bed. Emotions of defeat and misery showed on his face as he stayed silent.
"I'm sorry," Hollis said softly, moving away from the window.
"Scott. You can't protect everyone," Stiles said quietly.
"But I have to," Scott said with determination.
Hollis and Stiles exchanged a look, suddenly feeling the burden that Scott felt.
"You're not alone in this, you know," Hollis told him with a smile. "We're here to help."
Hollis watched the blue Jeep pull away, turn the corner and disappear from sight. She turned towards her house, scanning the surrounding area once more before coming to the conclusion that her dad had yet to come home. Key in hand, she climbed the few steps onto the porch and made her way towards the door. Her hand hovered just inches from the door when she felt a presence near her. The feeling sent a shiver down her back, her nerves on edge as she forced herself to turn around.
Peter stood off to the side, leaning comfortably on the side of the house. Noticing her, he smiled and stepped towards her.
"What are you doing here?" Hollis asked before he had a chance to speak.
"Hi to you, too, Hollis. I'm doing fine, thanks for asking," he said. Sarcasm coated his words and a smirk lit up his face. Noticing her lack of amusement, he sighed and continued. "I just wanted to talk."
Narrowing her eyes, she considered him for a few silent seconds. Nothing was ever simple with Peter as 'just talking'. Her distrust continued to build in the silence. "Whatever it is, I'm not helping you."
Peter looked taken aback and it took him a moment to collect his thoughts. "I... wasn't going to say that," he said slowly. "But, just out of curiosity, why not?"
There were so many answers to that question. But, given that she didn't want to talk to him for long, she went with the more recent reason. "Because I know you're going after Allison to find Derek."
He nodded. "You talked to Scott," he stated and paused for a brief moment. "I won't lie and say that thought hasn't crossed my mind."
"She has nothing to do with this," Hollis said.
"Doesn't she?" Peter looked at her questioningly. "She's an Argent. Her family hunts my kind. They have Derek, and I plan on getting him back."
"Scott wants to save him, too." Hollis saw the doubt in his eyes and continued to talk. "No one has to get hurt," she continued in hopes of getting through to him. "And Allison doesn't need to be brought into this. You promised."
"Promises are meant to be broken," he told her with a wave of his hand.
Hollis couldn't help but hear the underlying threat in his voice. Fear spread through her and despite that, she stood her ground. "So, what? You'll break your promise and hurt me next? Or my dad?"
Peter stayed silent and shook his head. "You don't get it," he said eventually. "Her family has Derek. She's guilty by association."
"Do you really think that hurting Allison will help you get Derek back? That's not.... You'll just get them both killed."
"But you can't say that I didn't try," Peter said, flashing her a smile as if the result of death was nothing but a simple complication.
Hollis looked at him with disbelief and hatred. Swallowing the uneasiness that still swam in her veins, she crossed her arms. "Did it ever occur to you that Derek was taken because of you? The Argent's want him so they can find out who the Alpha is. They want you, Peter, and they're just using him to get you. All of this is your fault."
The faux courage soon turned to cold, icy fear as Peter took an intimidating step forward. His eyes flashed red in anger to her words. Before he could speak, a car door slammed shut and interrupted the conversation. In all the commotion, Hollis hadn't heard the car approach, and she looked behind Peter to see her dad quickly approaching them.
"Well, if it isn't my fire-loving friend," Peter said, a smirk playing on his face as he looked over his shoulder.
Grant didn't say anything to his words, choosing to ignore them. "Get inside, Hollis," he said, his attention focused fully on Peter as he spoke.
"But -"
"Now. Please." He glanced at her, a tone of finality hanging around his words.
Sighing, Hollis nodded. She cast one look at Peter, pleading with him not to do anything stupid. Whether it got through to him, she didn't know and could only hope. Her words had angered him, she knew that. If her dad got hurt in any way because of what she had said, she would never forgive herself.
It took her a moment to get the key into the lock. When it clicked open, she stepped inside and closed the door. Filled with anxiety, she leaned against the door and tried to calm her beating heart. As her heartbeat slowed, she strained to listen to the conversation outside. The words were muffled by the door, making it near impossible to hear anything. At that moment, she wished she could have Scott's wolf hearing. Seconds passed by. Hollis couldn't make out much of anything save for a few phrases here and there. Still, she rested her head against the door in hopes of catching at least a partial conversation.
"I don't care. You need to leave and stay away from Hollis," Grant said.
Peter's chuckle rang loud and clear. "What exactly do you think that I'll do, Grant? Set fire to the house with her in it or something crazy like that in order to get revenge?"
A silence followed and stretched for a few moments. None of it phased Peter though as he continued to talk.
"Because I do want revenge. And I will get it."
"Please. You know I never....I tried to stop her. But then the house caught fire and I-I didn't know what to do. There wasn't anything I could do," Grant explained.
"Nothing? You could have tried to help us. But instead you ran like the coward you are."
Hollis moved away from the door, having heard enough. The voices outside blended into one muffled noise. She tried to make sense of what she had heard, the bit of conversation replaying in her mind over and over. The door opening and closing pulled her out of her thoughts. When she looked up, her dad stepped into the room as if nothing had happened.
"Are you ok?" He asked.
"Yeah," Hollis said softly, nodding numbly to his question. "Actually, no," she said with a shake of her head just seconds later. "What was that about? What did he want?"
Grant stared at her, briefly looking at the door and then back at her. "That? Oh, it was nothing. Nothing for you to worry about." He gave her a reassuring smile but it did nothing to reassure her. Her silence made Grant think that she bought his words. "I'll go put my stuff down and we'll see about dinner, unless you want to order in tonight. Think it over," he said and disappeared around the corner. Moments later, he returned and looked at her expectantly. "So, what did you decide?"
"That wasn't nothing," Hollis said quietly.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"Your conversation with Peter Hale. It wasn't nothing." Only when the words left her mouth did she notice what she had said. Keeping the truth to herself was no longer an option and, as scared as she was about confronting her dad, it just had to be done.
Speechless, he stood there staring at her. It took him a moment to process her words, gather his thoughts before he spoke again. "What...? How...?" he stuttered, pausing
"I know, dad," she said.
"What do you know?" He asked cautiously.
"Everything," Hollis told him, watching him for a reaction. She watched as the realization dawned on his face before she continued. "I figured it out but I guess I always knew. All these weird mountain lion attacks didn't add up. So I looked into it and that myth you told me about. Then I bumped into Peter and...," she trailed off with a shrug.
"Wait, you-you talked to him? When? What did...he didn't hurt you, did he?" Grant asked.
"A couple days ago. But he didn't hurt me. He just filled me in on everything and...I knew." Hollis stayed quiet as she tried to put her thoughts in order but they were hard to control.
"I never wanted you to know or let this become a part of your life," Grant said with a sigh, running a hand over his face. "I didn't think it would be a problem but then Peter showed up and...."
"I get it," she said, and she did understand. It was for the same reasons that Stiles had tried to keep her in the dark. "But was any of that true, though? The conversation you had with Peter."
Grant sighed again, seeming to age ten years in just ten minutes. Much to her surprise, he nodded. Time seemed to stop for the both of them as Hollis took in the severity of that nod. Her dad was involved in the Hale fire much like she feared.
"Was it an accident?" She asked, her voice coming out small as if scared of forming the words. "Or did you knowingly tell a hunter about the Hales?"
It took him a moment to reply but, when he did, it wasn't quite what she expected. "Both."
Hollis looked at him questioningly, not knowing how it could be both.
"After my fight with Peter, Kate approached me. She didn't introduce herself but told me that she was a hunter. Apparently, she knew all about me and who I was friends with. For a few months, Kate had been tracking a pack of werewolves and needed information on them. From me. In return, she promised that she would help me help Peter."
"And you believed her?" Hollis asked, incredulous.
"Yes. I didn't know much about hunters at the time, Hollis," Grant said somewhat defensively. "I mean, the Hales talked about them at times. All I heard was how they couldn't be trusted, how they were dangerous to werewolves -"
"Obviously," Hollis interrupted. "They're called hunters, not werewolf whisperers. The word alone should have been a warning sign."
"And werewolves are supposed to be dangerous, too," Grant argued. "Look, she offered to help my best friend. I couldn't turn it down."
"I get it but...never mind," she said with a sigh, shaking her head. "What was wrong with Peter? Why did he need help?"
"Peter was out of control. He was always causing trouble, being mischievous but lately he turned reckless. I was worried he would hurt himself or someone else. But that wasn't the only problem. He was power hungry, saying how he deserved to be the Alpha instead of his sister, Talia. Peter thought she was weak because she believed in humanity, in peace. I told Kate that I was scared of what he could do with that mindset."
"Did she tell you how she would help?" Hollis asked.
"No. Just that it would have to happen during the Wolf Moon. The only information that Kate needed was the location of where the pack would be and I...I told her." He paused, turning to her with a guilty look but she looked away. Sighing, he took a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing. "The day of the Wolf Moon, I went to the Hale's and Kate was already there. Before I knew what was happening, the house was up in flames and she was walking away. I freaked out, telling her that wasn't part of the plan but to her, that was the plan. It was her way of taming the wolves, making sure they never hurt anyone again. She left and all I could do was stand there in shock. The heat of the fire was unbearable and the...the screams of that family.... It was all I could hear. I finally snapped out of it and called the cops but it was too late."
Hollis stood quietly, trying to process everything she had just learned. It was much more than she had prepared for. She now understood Peter's anger, his hunger for revenge. Everything seemed to click into place.
"You have to know that I never wanted that to happen," Grant continued. "It was a mistake, Hollis. I just wanted to help my friend but -"
"You got them killed instead," Hollis said, the harsh truth falling from her lips before she could stop it. "You said that you didn't know much about hunters at the time but you did. You knew enough to know. I mean, the Hale's told you stories of what they did and you still trusted Kate."
The guilt on his face grew with each word that she said. The truth, despite it being out there, didn't lessen the pain or the regret that he felt.
"It's why you left, isn't it? There was never a job," Hollis stated.
"No. Yes. I mean, that's a big part of why I left. But there-there was a job. After all of this happened," he looked in her eyes but she averted his gaze. "This place, this town held too many horrible memories. I couldn't stay here. Not after what I've done."
"Running's always easier for you, isn't it?" Hollis asked, judgment filling her voice.
"Hollis..." Grant started. His pained tone matched his face as he watched her move past him.
"Sorry," she said with a sigh, looking over her shoulder at him. "I just... I need to be alone for a bit." With that, she left the room and Grant behind as her footsteps fell on the steps.
"So, uh, you haven't said anything for like thirty minutes," Stiles stated, swiveling around in his chair to face her.
His voice broke through the multitude of thoughts that ran rampant through her mind. Hollis looked his way from where she sat on the edge of the bed, offering him a weak smile. "I know. Sorry."
"Are you ok?"
For a few seconds, Hollis debated saying 'yes' just to avoid bringing up last night's conversation. But she shook her head before the word 'no' left her lips. "Not really," she added with a sigh.
Stiles crossed the room and sat down beside her. "What's wrong? What happened?" He asked, worry edging itself into his voice.
"I...talked with my dad last night," Hollis admitted, looking down at her hands. She took a moment to organize her thoughts, put them in some sort of order so she could relay the information back to him. With a deep breath, she plunged into what she learned from her dad the night before. She didn't leave anything out although she said it all in one breath or so, wanting to get it out in the open. When she finished, she glanced at him to find him sitting there in shock.
"Wow," he said. "I mean, that's...."
"I know," Hollis said with a nod. "My dad's responsible."
"Yeah, but he didn't start the fire," Stiles pointed out, giving her a small smile.
"But he might as well have," Hollis argued, sighing. "He lit the match the moment he trusted Kate. If he hadn't, then -"
"The fire still would've happened," he interrupted. "Kate would've found the Hales with or without your dad's help. I doubt she would've given up if your dad said 'no'."
She let the words sink in, knowing that he was right but she didn't feel any better. Knowing that her dad willingly put his friends lives on the line made her sick. Despite him having good intentions, he trusted the wrong person knowing full well who they were. It wasn't something she could just accept and move on from.
"Look," Stiles said, taking her hand, "I'm not defending your dad but it's not like he did it on purpose, you know? He wanted to help Peter. He thought he was helping."
"Yeah, up until Kate stabbed him in the back," Hollis muttered then noticed the look he threw her way. "People died, Stiles. A lot of people and all because of my dad and Kate. We're not talking about a simple case of arson here. It's...murder."
"I know," he said gently. "It was an accident, though. It ended in a crappy way but he didn't mean it."
Hollis nodded dumbly. She thought that knowing the truth of what happened with the Hale fire would make her feel better but it didn't. It made her see her dad in a different way, and she didn't like what she saw. "I guess," she said quietly although she didn't see things quite like that.
"It'll be ok," he reassured her, giving her hand a squeeze.
She looked over at him, a grateful smile finding its way onto her face. "Thanks," she said. "I just wish we could go back to yesterday, you know? Hanging out, eating too much pizza and playing video games."
"We could," he told her, nodding. "You know, if you want. We could do that today."
"I wish I could but...I can't," Hollis said with a frown, despite the tempting offer. "I promised Lydia and Allison I would meet up with them," she explained. "I just stopped by to tell you what I learned about the fire. But...raincheck on the video games and pizza?"
"Yeah, yeah. Definitely," he said with another nod.
"So, what do you think?" Lydia eyed both girls expectantly, waiting for an answer. To her dismay, the silence stretched and her question remained unanswered. "Are you two even paying attention?" She asked, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Hmm? Did you say something?" Allison asked and looked up at Lydia, confusion plastered all over her face.
Lydia rolled her eyes, tilting her head to the side in annoyance. She turned towards Hollis, who wasn't aware of the conversation going on around them. "Not you, too, Hollis."
At the sound of her name, Hollis snapped out of her thoughts to see that she was being watched by her friends. "What's going on?"
"What is going with you two today?" Lydia asked with a shake of her head, ignoring the innocent smiles her friends threw her way. "You've been quiet since you got here, and I've been talking to myself like an idiot for the past half hour thinking you two were listening. So, what's got you guys so distracted?"
"Just...family stuff," Allison said at the same time that Hollis replied with, "I got a lot on my mind."
Again, Lydia sighed. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, but both girls shook their heads. "Then snap out of it. It's no fun talking to yourself, you know."
"Sorry," Hollis said with a small smile.
"Yeah." Allison nodded in agreement. "What were you trying to talk to us about?"
Lydia smiled at that and plunged into the topic from the start, confident that both of them were listening.
The topics were quick and ever-changing. Staying focused on any topic at hand was hard as her mind decided to play a cruel game of tug of war. Each time she focused on what her friends said, her thoughts jumped to the Hale fire and back again. It took some time and some work but Hollis managed to push all those problems aside. She quickly joined in the conversation so as not to give her thoughts any leeway to change again.
The conversation changed once more as Lydia excitedly brought up the winter formal, which was only a few days away. Again, she didn't get the reaction she had hoped for.
"Well, don't be too excited, you guys," Lydia said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Come on, it's the winter formal! It'll be fun," she said, looking from one to the other. "Look, with all the weird crap that's been going on in this town, we could use some fun."
"I'm excited," Allison said as she smiled weakly.
"Really?" Lydia asked, crossing her arms. "Because you both look as if you're being sent to jail instead of a dance."
"It's just...I-I thought I would be going with Scott," Allison told her. "But now I'm not and...."
"No, you're going with Jackson," Lydia interrupted, piercing her with a gaze. A bit of bitterness seeped into her voice but she cleared her throat and replaced her frown with a smile. "It's a step up from Scott, that's for sure."
"Are you sure you're ok that I go with him?" Allison asked, her expression turning to one of guilt. "I can still say 'no' to him."
"It's fine. I think it's great,," Lydia told her with a strained smile before turning her attention to Hollis. "And you. You also have a date, which doesn't explain your lack of enthusiasm. I mean, yeah, it is Stiles," she paused, considering an idea before she continued, "Unless that's why you look so gloomy right now. Can't say that I blame you."
"Stop," Hollis said with a shake of her head. A small smile found its way onto her face despite her words. She knew Lydia well enough to know when she wasn't being serious. "I'm excited. Really. It's just that...Stiles hasn't exactly asked me to the dance," she admitted sheepishly before she added, "Yet." Hollis caught the subtle look that passed between her friends. "Seriously, you guys. Don't...look at me like that."
"Like what? We're not looking at you in any weird way," Lydia said, shaking her head. "It's not like you have a boyfriend that won't ask you to the dance."
"He will," Hollis argued. She looked to Allison for help but she only smiled reassuringly. Sighing, she glanced back at Lydia. "Look, you said so yourself that there's a bunch of weird stuff going on lately."
"What does that have to do with him asking you to the dance?" Allison asked.
"I..." Hollis started, unsure of how to answer. She couldn't exactly tell them about the supernatural stuff they were dealing with. "Nothing. I don't know. But we're going to the dance," she told them with a confident smile.
Lydia shrugged. "Ok, whatever you say," she said, dismissing her words with a shrug. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes falling upon the open closet full of brightly colored clothes. A smile tugged at her lips before she turned back to them, clapping her hands. "We need to go dress shopping," she stated happily as she plopped down on the bed.
They decided that Tuesday after school would be a good day to go dress shopping. That decision was followed by a full discussion on colors, styles and anything else associated with dresses. The conversation turned tedious after just thirty minutes and downright annoying after another twenty minutes but it kept her mind occupied. For that, she was thankful. Not thinking about anything supernatural related was just what the doctor ordered so she happily participated in the discussion even though she knew what kind of dress she wanted.
Hollis spent the remainder of the weekend with Allison and Lydia. It was fun, something she had missed since she learned about the supernatural. For the first time in a while, she relaxed and felt like a normal teenage girl. The only issue that stared her in the face was what movie they should watch, which was a problem she wished she could have more often than the gravity of what she had faced for the last few days.
Sadly, the weekend came to an end and the new week began. Hollis avoided her dad as much as possible after having learned of his involvement in the Hale fire. She didn't know how to face him, let alone talk to him without letting judgment and disappointment fill her tone and expression. Aside from morning greetings and a quick 'how was your day', they didn't say much. To her surprise, her dad gave her the space she needed although she could see him struggling to talk to her. She wanted to talk to him, understand why he did what he did but first she needed to process it. Amongst everything else she was trying to understand, she had a feeling it would be a while before she gained any understanding on the subject.
They stepped onto the escalator, the whir of the machine being drowned out by the noise of shoppers and music that flowed through the mall's speakers. The different smells of perfume lingered in the air, creating a surprisingly nice scent that wasn't horribly overwhelming.
Hollis eyed the different departments that made up Macy's as they rode up to the second floor. She heard Lydia happily chatting away about the perfect dress for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed that Allison was lost in her thoughts once more and frowned. Hollis wished she would talk to her but she just dismissed her worries each and every time.
"What's wrong, Ali?" Hollis asked once there was a break in Lydia's speech.
"Nothing's wrong. I have a lot on my mind," Allison told her with a small smile, trying to convince her (and possibly herself) that everything was okay.
"You sure?" Hollis asked, not convinced by her words or smile. The escalator reached the top of the floor and she stepped off, moving aside to let her friends join her. "You can talk to us, you know," she said with a look her way.
Allison nodded, appreciation showing on her face. "I know but thanks. I'm ok, though."
"You could smile at least," Lydia told her, seemingly oblivious to Allison's mood. "Ever hear the saying: 'Never frown. Someone could be falling in love with your smile'?" When Allison didn't answer, she sighed. "Smile, Allison. We're dress shopping. It'll be fun."
Allison nodded although she didn't look convinced. Despite whatever was bothering her, she managed a smile that seemed to be Lydia-approved.
Lydia mimicked the smile, although hers was genuine. Her eyes gleamed as she looked in the direction of the dresses. "What are we waiting for? Let's start shopping."
"You never did tell us who your date is," Hollis said, stopping Lydia from taking another step forward.
"Just some guy from school," Lydia answered, throwing her a smile.
"Let me guess: another dumb, roided-up jock?" Hollis asked, ignoring the glare directed at her.
"His name's Tony....I think. No, wait. Or was it Alex? Nick? Something like that," she said with a shrug as if it wasn't important that she couldn't think of her dates' name.
"Hey," Allison said gently, struggling for words. "Are you sure you're okay that I'm going with Jackson?" She asked tentatively. "I mean, I know you're going with someone else but...is it weird?"
Lydia's smile faded as she stiffened at the words. Her reaction only lasted a few seconds before she covered it up with a smile. "Of course I'm okay with it," she said, a bit too cheerfully. "I mean, he's not the first choice I would have picked for you but he is several steps up from Scott McCall. Besides, you're going as just friends so it doesn't really matter."
The air felt tense after that. All three of them could feel it although neither of them brought it up. Hollis let out an inaudible sigh, opening her mouth to speak but, before she could utter a word, Lydia spoke.
"And speaking of people who wouldn't even be my last choice," Lydia said, her faux smile fading fast.
Hollis followed her gaze to the perfume counter where Stiles stood. He observed several of the bottles, turning one over before a mist of fragrance sprayed him in the face. Taking a giant step back, he coughed then sneezed violently.
"And that's who you're going to the dance with," Lydia said with a hint of disapproval in her voice.
"Don't be mean," Hollis said gently.
They turned in unison to see Stiles waving, oblivious to Lydia's comments. His waving was cut short as he sneezed once more.
Lydia rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go." Grabbing hold of Allison's arm, she pulled her towards the dresses, eager to get away. She briefly glanced over her shoulder and noticed that Hollis wasn't with them. Lydia stopped and cleared her throat. "Hey, the dresses are this way," she said.
Hollis looked over her shoulder and smiled with a nod. "I know but...I'm going to say hi to Stiles." She noticed the impatient look that crossed her face and tilted her head. "Look, I'm not just going to pretend I don't see him."
"Well, we are. Catch up, ok?" Lydia said before walking away with Allison in tow.
Shaking her head, Hollis crossed the distance to where Stiles stood. As soon as she neared him, she could smell the overwhelming scent of perfume that circled him. "Hey," she said, moving her hand in front of her face to ward off the overpowering fragrance. "I think you need to ease up on the perfume," she joked.
"It's not...I...the perfume attacked me," he said with a shrug.
Hollis raised an eyebrow. "The perfume attacked you?" She asked, bemused. "I kinda noticed you spraying yourself in the face with it before."
Stiles frowned, looking sheepish. "Ok, so many not attacked but...it was an accident. I didn't know the stupid bottle would just, you know."
"Well, at least you smell nice," Hollis told him with a smile. "Even if you went a little overboard."
"Anyway." Stiles looked past her, desperate to change the subject. "Where did Lydia and Allison go?"
"They went to look at dresses," she answered. "I'll catch up with them in a bit. I need to find a dress. For the dance," she said, watching him for a reaction. "You know, the winter formal that's coming up later this week?" When he didn't react to her words, she sighed. "So, are we? Going to the dance, I mean."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Stiles said, nodding. "Why? You don't want to go?"
"I do," Hollis said quickly. "It's just that...I don't know, we haven't talked about going. I guess I wasn't sure if you wanted to."
Realization dawned on his face. "Aw, crap," he said with a sigh. "I didn't ask you, did I?" When she shook her head, he sighed once more. "I was going to but then everything happened with Peter and Derek and Scott and...," He trailed off, pausing for a moment. "I didn't remember. Sorry."
"It's fine," Hollis told him gently. "It's been a crazy few days."
Despite her words of understanding, he looked at her sheepishly. "I know but...I should've remembered." He stayed quiet and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Think you still want to go to the dance? With me."
Hollis nodded as a smile tugged at her lips. That seemed to be the only answer that he needed because he grinned.
"Great, so I'll uh -"
"Hey, was that Scott?" Hollis asked, turning in the direction the Scott-shaped blur disappeared in. The many tables and racks of clothes that littered the department behind her made finding him that much more difficult. If it was him at all. Quizzically, she looked back towards Stiles.
"What? No. Maybe," Stiles said quickly, only making her more confused. "Ok, yeah. He's here. Somewhere."
"Ok, well that's not cryptic at all," she said. "What's going on?"
Stiles remained quiet for a moment as if trying to find the right words or deciding if he should tell her. Perhaps both. "Scott's...he's keeping an eye on Allison. You know, to make sure she's ok. And I'm here to make sure that you're okay," he said, meeting her gaze.
The words didn't sink in right away. They slowly bobbed on the surface before drowning into her mind, making her understand. "Wait.... Does this have to do with Peter? Do you really think he'd try something here? With all these witnesses?" she asked, motioning towards the several shoppers that walked past them.
"It's Peter," Stiles stated as if that was the only explanation needed. In a way, it was. "I wouldn't put it past him."
Hollis sighed but more out of frustration than worry. It seemed that they couldn't do anything normal without constantly looking over their shoulders. "We should find them. Come on." She turned and started to walk towards the dress department, keeping her eyes peeled for them and Scott.
"Where's Allison?" Hollis asked when she reached Lydia, scanning the area around them once more.
Lydia briefly glanced at Stiles, trying to hide her annoyance but not doing a great job of it. She shrugged and turned back to the dress she was holding, stretching out the moment before answering. "Over there somewhere," she said, lazily pointing in a general direction.
Hollis looked towards the area that Lydia seemed to point in. Apart from other customers, she didn't see her anywhere.
"What do you think?" Lydia's voice sounded, dragging her attention back to herself. Distracted, Hollis watched as Lydia pressed the dress up against herself but barely saw the color or style as her main focus was finding Allison.
"Yeah, it's great," she lied, giving her a quick smile. "Try it on."
Lydia nodded either to the dress or the idea. "Here, be useful," she said to Stiles, shoving a pile of dresses into his arms.
Stiles grabbed them haphazardly and looked to Hollis for help but, apart from an amusing smile, he remained holding the stack of dresses that kept growing.
"This way," Lydia said, dragging Stiles towards the dressing rooms.
"You're going to try all of these on?" Stiles asked, somewhat horrified as he juggled the dresses. "Is this a 24-hour Macy's?"
"I wish," Lydia mumbled as she found another dress that piqued her interest. "You coming, Hollis?"
Hollis looked in their direction to see Stiles mouth 'help me' but she shook her head. "I think I found a dress here. I'll catch up, ok?"
Before any of them could protest, she disappeared around a dress rack. It wasn't until she neared the aisle that she heard the distinct voices of Peter and Allison. She stopped, hiding herself behind one of the shelves that provided a good view of them. A customer passed by her and shot her a quizzical glance to which she smiled and pretended to be looking at something. When the person walked away, Hollis turned back towards the voices.
"- Can't call skin like yours pale. Not skin that perfect," Peter said, and Hollis couldn't help but feel the creepiness of that comment.
"Oh-kay," Allison said, dragging out the word.
Peter smirked. "Trust me, I have a unique perspective on the subject." Something strange flickered in his eyes as he looked off to the side but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared. "Would you mind?" He asked, taking her hand before she could answer or react.
Delicately, he drew her hand up and Allison remained quiet as if not sure what to make of the interaction. She barely glanced down at the dress he held out for her but instead scanned the area around them as if looking for something or someone.
"You're not here alone, are you?" He inched closer to her, not noticing the step back that Allison took or perhaps not caring. "Friends looking for dresses, too?"
Allison nodded. Instinctively, she took another step back but that didn't stop him from advancing.
"High school dance?" He guessed.
"Formal," Allison replied quietly, correcting him.
Peter's eyes reflected light again, giving him a more sinister look. He took another step closer, ready to speak before a voice over the PA sounded, cutting the music mid-song as well as their conversation.
"Attention shoppers. To the owner of a blue Mazda, license plate..." The voice announced. Allison blinked, listening to the words coming through the speaker.
"Did she say blue Mazda?" Allison asked.
"...5-U-N-I-7-6-8. Your car is being towed," the voice finished and the music resumed, filling the store with a melody as if nothing had happened.
"What? That's-that's my car." She said with a shake of her head as she turned, racing through the racks and towards the exit.
The confusion stayed with Peter for another moment before he smiled. He whispered a few words, but his voice was too low for Hollis to hear. She strained to listen but between the chatter of the shoppers and the music playing, his words were washed out.
"You can come out now, Hollis," Peter says, jarring her out of her thoughts. Cautiously, she stepped out from behind her hiding place and stopped a few feet from him. A few silent seconds passed before Peter said, "You know, it's rude not to say 'hi'".
Hollis shot him an incredulous look. "Yeah, well, it's also rude to break your promise," she retorted, instantly regretting her words. As she watched him for a reaction, she was surprised to find that he looked amused rather than angry. That lasted for only a few seconds as annoyance crossed his face. "You need to leave Allison alone," she added when he didn't say anything.
Peter tilted his head, looking almost sorry for her. "You know I can't do that. She's my ticket to getting Derek back."
Hollis closed her eyes, trying to think of something, anything, to say to change his mind. But all the thinking did was get her more tongue tied and panicked. "She doesn't know anything about any of this."
Peter raised an eyebrow at her words. "Doesn't she?" He asked as if he knew something she didn't.
Taken aback, she shook her head. "N-no, she doesn't. If she did, she would tell me."
"Right. Just like you told her when you found out, right?" Peter questioned.
Hollis opened her mouth to reply but shut it quickly. She hated to admit that he was right, though. When she had found out, she hadn't exactly gone running to her friends. The same could be said for Allison although she didn't want to believe it. "We're trying to find a way to get Derek back. Scott's trying. Just...you need to give us some time, ok?"
Peter seemed to consider her for a few quiet seconds. "No promises," he finally said, a smirk lighting up his face.
The hope she had felt suddenly deflated at his words. He hadn't said that he wouldn't exactly but a 'maybe' from Peter was just as bad as a 'no', if not worse. She tore her gaze away from him briefly, needing a moment to slow down her panic. As a sigh escaped her lips, Hollis looked back. To her surprise, an empty spot remained where he had stood that matched the hollow feeling she felt inside.
She searched the area, trying to get a glimpse at where he had gone but all that she saw was Scott, watching her with a frown.