"So, we haven't heard from Peter in a while," Hollis commented, throwing a sidelong glance at Stiles.
"Yeah, I know." Stiles nodded but didn't add more to the conversation. Instead, he looked like he wanted to drop the topic entirely.
Drumming her fingers against her leg, Hollis bit her bottom lip. The mystery of why Peter was suddenly missing in action bothered her. Not just bothered but worried. "It's kind of weird, though, right?" she asked, breaking the heavy silence. "Not that I want to see him. Because I don't but...it's nerve-wracking."
"Hollis," he started, shaking his head at her insistence on keeping the topic alive. "We should be happy that he's not around. We get a break and I -"
"Look, I just want to know what he's up to, that's all." Sighing, Hollis looked at the road ahead. Her eyes took in the blur of the outside world but her mind was focused solely on Peter. Three days of silence didn't seem like a lot but, when it came to Peter, it was an eternity. A frightening, daunting eternity. Hollis was tired of looking over her shoulder and wondering when or if he would show up. Her mind refused to quiet down; the thoughts pushing their way through. "And we still haven't found Derek," she pointed out. Their unspecified amount of time was dwindling down each day with no idea when it would be up. "I don't even know how much time he gave us to find Derek," she said, recalling her brief conversation with Peter a few days ago. All she had gotten from him was 'no promises' and, that alone, felt equally as unnerving as an answer with a deadline. "You know he'll get tired of waiting and when he does...I don't want to think about what he'll do."
"We'll find him before Peter has a chance to do anything," Stiles told her reassuringly but there was a ghost of worry in his voice. "Don't worry," he added for both their sakes.
Hollis nodded, somewhat unconvinced. Her attention drifted towards the school as it came into view, bright against the night sky. Lights adorned the entirety of the entrance and snowflake projections twinkled on the exterior. It was like a magical winter wonderland. The sight should've been enough of a reason to smile, but the troublesome thoughts trapped the happiness inside her.
Unable to let this go, she let out an audible sigh as the Jeep pulled into an available spot. "You and Scott have been telling me how dangerous Peter is and now I'm supposed to not worry? He's killed people and.... I don't know."
"Hollis, we're all worried. Scott is and so am I but worrying about it isn't going to help. You're going to drive yourself crazy thinking about this." He reached for her hand and stopped the nervous drumming she'd being doing for the past twenty minutes. Lacing his fingers through hers, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm just saying, we're at the dance. Let's just be normal for a night."
Hollis tilted her head, seeming to consider his words. "I guess but -"
"No. We're taking a break from all this." Before she could even reply, Stiles jumped out of the car and ran to her side, opening the door. "Coming?" He asked, holding his hand to help her out.
Taking his hand, she stepped out of the car. The chilly air nipped at her, causing an involuntary shudder as she straightened out her dress.
"You look really beautiful."
Hollis' smile grew at the compliment. "Thanks," she said, then taking a step forward, kissed him.
"What was that for?" Stiles asked when the kiss ended.
Hollis shrugged, a happy smile on her face. "For being you."
He returned the smile. "Ready to go in?" He asked, noticing the second shiver that passed through her.
"Yeah, it's freezing out here," she said.
They didn't take more than two steps before a voice called out to them, asking them to wait. Looking over her shoulder, she found four people making their way towards them. Jackson, Allison and Lydia stopped beside them, along with Lydia's mystery date. One look at the fourth person, the smile faded from her face and was replaced by a look of surprise and annoyance.
"You two look great," Allison said as she looked from Hollis to Stiles.
"So do you," Hollis said, finding her voice as the initial shock of seeing Carter wore off. She looked at Lydia questioningly but the redhead didn't notice because she was too busy staring at Jackson.
"Jackson. You look handsome," Lydia said casually.
"Obviously. It's Hugo Boss," Jackson replied arrogantly. He took Allison's arm and led her away from the group.
Allison looked over her shoulder at them, seeming confused at their sudden departure. 'Sorry', she mouthed before she followed Jackson.
Lydia fumed silently while trying to seem like it didn't bother her. She ran a hand through her perfect curls, using the gesture to hide her annoyance. "I don't care. I don't need compliments. I'm not falling prey to society's desire to turn girls into emotionally insecure neurotics who pull up their dresses at the first flattering remark," Lydia said to herself.
"Well, I think you look great," Carter spoke up.
Lydia seemed to forget her earlier statement and smiled widely.
"You do, too, Hollis," Carter added.
With a faint smile, Hollis said, "Thanks." She looked questioningly at Stiles, who seemed just as confused at the new couple.
Carter noticed Stiles then and a trace of a smile appeared on his face. "Hey, uhh...," he trailed off.
"Stiles," Stiles told him, helping him out.
A smirk found it's way onto Carter's face. "Right, the Sheriff's kid. Sorry, I forgot."
"Wait, seriously? You don't...you really...How can you not know my name?"
Carter gave him a strained smile but stayed silent.
"So, you two are going to the dance? Together?" She asked, keeping her tone casual.
"Yeah," Lydia answered. "You don't mind, do you?"
"No," Hollis replied quickly, truthfully.
"Great. So are we going in or what?" Lydia asked.
The four of them crossed the parking lot to the school. The amplifiers shook as they dispensed the pulsating music down the hall, drowning everyone and everything in it's hypnotic sound. They followed the music as it grew louder towards the gym, where melody met laughter and conversation.
Hollis let her gaze wander around the room that hardly resembled their school gym. A smile lifted up the corners of her lips. The normalcy of the night melted into her, making her forget the weights that rested on her shoulders. The thoughts that had been nagging at her seemed to lock themselves back in her mind. She relaxed visibly as she let her eyes sweep across the room once more.
"Can you believe this place?" Lydia asked with awe, giving the room a nod of approval.
"They really went all out," Hollis said, turning towards the dance floor. She hummed along to the song quietly, although it was impossible to hear anything other than the music that poured out of the speakers. She let her gaze wander, feeling happy and content. Normal. Something she hadn't felt in a while. It almost felt foreign but, at the same time, welcoming. The feeling faded quickly though as her sight landed on Peter.
He stood in the middle of the dance floor, oblivious to the students around him and vice versa. His eyes caught hers and he waved, a flicker of a smile on his face.
He's not there, Hollis told herself, trying to calm her sped up heartbeat. As soon as that thought entered her mind, Peter was gone, swallowed up by the students that converged in front of him.
"Earth to Hollis," Lydia said, breaking through her thoughts. "Are you listening at all?"
She turned towards Lydia, placing a smile on her face. "Sorry. What did you say?"
"I said I found Allison. Let's go," Lydia replied then walked forward with Carter trailing after her.
Hollis took a couple steps but Stiles grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "You ok?" He asked, studying her carefully. "You look like you've seen ghost."
"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied, giving him her best smile.
He watched her for a few more seconds, considering her words before he nodded. "Ok. But you'd tell me, right? If anything was wrong, you'd tell me?"
Guilt twisted itself inside her but she forced the neutral expression to remain on her face. "Of course," Hollis said, internally kicking herself for lying again. She didn't know why she lied, why she didn't just tell Stiles what she saw. But she didn't know if it hadn't been more than her imagination playing cruel tricks on her. More than anything, she wanted the night to be normal and opening the door to a conversation about the supernatural was a surefire way to make sure that didn't happen.
They caught up to their friends to notice that the excitement from before had dissipated quickly. Allison stood uncomfortably next to Jackson with a frown, staring off at the dance floor. A conversation had been started, one that left a scowl on Jackson's face.
"Not the response I was expecting," Allison said, defeat coating her words. "But no. Guess not."
"Everything ok?" Hollis asked, looking from one to the other and trying to figure out what went wrong in such a short amount of time.
"Jackson doesn't want to dance," Lydia replied, barely looking up from admiring her manicure.
Hollis threw Jackson a look and tilted her head. "Seriously? It's a dance."
Jackson looked towards her with a glower. "That doesn't mean I have to dance," he retorted.
"Jackson, don't be an ass," Hollis said, rolling her eyes.
Taking another shot from his drink, he winced at the strength of it. He mumbled something under his breath and held his hand out to Allison, apparently changing his mind.
Hollis smiled and watched them join the other students on the dance floor. She reached for one of the cups and brought it to her lips.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Lydia cautioned.
"Why not?" Hollis asked suspiciously, staring at the drink in her hand as if expecting it to answer.
"Jackson spiked the drinks," Carter replied.
"Oh, thanks," Hollis said, quickly placing the drink back down. "Is there anything else to drink?"
"They have a table down there," Carter replied, nodding in the general direction. "Either that or the vending machines in the hall."
Hollis followed his line of sight and momentarily spotted the table where the refreshments were. "I'll check it out, thanks," she said. "Does anyone want anything?"
Lydia and Carter both shook their heads at her offer, Carter going so far as to sip from the spiked drink. "I'm good," he told her with a smile.
"Ok, I'll -" she started.
"I'll go," Stiles offered.
"You sure? I don't mind going," Hollis told him with a smile.
Stiles shrugged. "Yeah, it's fine. I'll be back," he said and, with that, walked into the crowd.
Hollis sat down in the vacant chair beside Lydia, watching everyone dance. The lack of conversation at the table opened up her mind, and the thoughts started to trickle in one by one again. She didn't realize they were there until the nerves kicked in. All the worries about Peter returned, getting stronger at the memory of him standing amongst them just moments before. Her eyes darted around the room, trying to see if anything out of the ordinary stood out but there was nothing. Nothing but people dancing.
She needed a distraction, something to keep her paranoid mind occupied. She turned to Lydia, ready to talk but she stood up suddenly.
"I'll be right back," Lydia announced.
"Lyd, wait," Hollis said but it was too late.
Lydia walked off, leaving Hollis alone with Carter. The unsettling feeling vanished, replaced by one of awkwardness. It had been a couple weeks since she had spoken with Carter and, since their breakup, there wasn't much for them to talk about. Even though he had apologized for thinking their breakup had been temporary, it left an uncomfortable void between them.
"Did you want to dance?" Carter leaned back in his chair and looked at her with a confident smile.
Hollis threw him a look, the answer clearly written on her face.
Carter raised both hands defensively before laughing. "Relax, Hollis. I was kidding."
Despite it being a joke, Hollis barely cracked a smile. "Right, sorry."
The smile remained on his face, though, unbothered by her reaction or lack thereof. "So, does it bother you? That I'm here with Lydia?"
The question threw her off but she shook her head, knowing her answer long before it took her to answer. "I'm not jealous, if that's what you're thinking."
"I didn't say that you were," Carter told her with a grin. "You just looked surprised when you saw us together."
"Yeah, well Lydia didn't tell me you two were going together so...," she trailed off with a shrug. That brought on another topic to add to her pile of questions. Why Lydia had kept her date with Carter a secret was something that bothered her but not for the reasons one might think.
A few minutes passed in silence despite the dozens of conversations that went on around them mixing with the music.
"When did that happen?" Carter asked, nodding towards the dance floor.
Hollis followed his gaze, unsure of what he meant at first. But when she briefly spotted Jackson and Allison, her question had been answered. "Oh, that. They're just friends."
Carter raised an eyebrow, wearing a doubtful expression that Hollis knew how to interpret.
"Seriously. There's nothing between them. Allison and Scott still like each other and I'm pretty sure Lydia still likes Ja-" She stopped, catching herself but it was too late. She threw Carter an apologetic smile as she tried to think of a way out of that unfinished sentence.
"It's fine," Carter said, his self-assured smile fading a bit. He waved a hand in the air, dismissing her worries. "I guess I kind of knew when I asked her."
"I'm sorry, Carter," Hollis said and meant it.
"Don't worry about it," he told her, his smile returning. He stayed quiet for a moment, lost in his thoughts. "So, you and uh...," he trailed off once more. Catching the annoyed look she threw him, he laughed. "Stiles. I remember his name."
Hollis rolled her eyes at his attempt at a joke. "Why are you such a jerk about this?"
"I'm not," Carter answered.
Tilting her head, she stared at him, waiting for a real answer.
He crossed his arms and shrugged. It was moments before he spoke again. "I don't know. Guess I'm a little jealous."
She raised her eyebrows, letting his answer sink in. Then, shaking her head, she said, "Carter, I - We're broken up. I know you thought we were getting back together but it's.... It's not going to happen."
"I know," Carter told her gently.
Hollis still felt uneasy. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in all the teens who occupied the space. She searched for something, anything to distract her from the conversation they were having. She wished that Stiles would return and wondered where he was.
"So," he started, jostling her out of her thoughts. "How's everything with you two?"
Hollis turned to him. "Things are good. He's really great," she told him with a smile. It felt weird to talk about Stiles with Carter especially after his last words to her. She threw a look his way, surprised to find that the smile remained on his face. "What?" She asked, narrowing her eyes as if that would help her figure out the reason for his smile.
"Nothing," Carter said with a shrug then, "Sorry I wasn't there for you like I should've been."
"You were, though. It's just at the end -"
"I screwed up," he finished with a nod. "I know. Sorry."
"We drifted apart. No one's to blame," she said, although that wasn't entirely true. It was Carter who had pushed her away by belittling her problems but she didn't say it. That was a known fact and it went without having to bring it up.
"Well, I'm glad you're happy," Carter said, surprising her once more.
Hollis smiled her thanks, remembering that side of Carter that sat beside her. The one who had been easy to talk to, who surprised and understood her. She missed the friendship that they had back before the break up.
Their conversation came to a close when Stiles returned, drinks in hand. The smile on his face faltered at the sight of them talking. Setting the drinks down on the table, he stayed quiet for a moment. "Did I interrupt something?"
"No," Hollis told him, taking hold of one of the drinks. She brought the cup to her lips and took a sip of the cold, sweet liquid. "We were just talking."
Stiles nodded but Hollis could see the uncertainty in his expression. She frowned at his reaction, hoping he didn't think anything of her conversation with Carter.
Carter seemed to be aware of the tension because he pushed his chair back with a muffled scraping sound. "I'm gonna go find Lydia." He drained the rest of his drink and walked towards the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd that swallowed up anyone who ventured in its' path.
Hollis studied Stiles, trying to gain insight into his change in mood. "Hey, everything ok?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He nodded and managed to give her a small smile. But the smile didn't reach his eyes, which said more than his words.
"Ok," she said, unconvinced.
"Did you want to dance? I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to but, you know, if you do, we can."
"Yeah, I do," Hollis answered with a smile.
They made their way out onto the dance floor, which had become even more crowded if that was at all possible. The music quickly changed direction from the thumping, energetic beat to a slow and steady one.
As everyone stopped their rapid dancing to slow it down, Hollis and Stiles did as well. They slow danced to the music, getting lost in the peaceful moment. Despite the calmness, Hollis was filled with unease as they danced in a circle. The troublesome thoughts returned to her, making her remember Peter's determination in finding Derek as well as his sudden disappearing act.
The faces of the students around them blurred, seeming almost sinister under the colorful lights. Hollis searched around her, unable to calm the panic that Peter was nearby. Although she wasn't entirely positive she had seen him before, she wasn't going to just push it aside either.
Her search was interrupted as Stiles spoke, jarring her out of her thoughts.
"Are you ok with that?" Stiles asked, staring off in one direction. "I mean, it doesn't bother you, does it?"
Hollis tore her eyes away, breaking her search which had brought in no results. She looked in the direction he was facing to see Lydia dancing with Carter. "What? Yeah, it's...fine," she said distractedly.
Stiles stopped dancing, her answer having the opposite affect on him.
Hollis stopped alongside him. She took in the skepticism on his face, fully snapping out of her thoughts. "Stiles, no," she said, shaking her head. "It doesn't bother me. I promise."
It took a full second for Stiles to process her words before he nodded.
"Why? Are you worried or something?" Hollis asked, remembering the troubled look from before.
Stiles shook his head. "No. I mean, not...really."
"Where's all this coming from?" She stayed silent, waiting for an answer before it hit her. "Is it because I was talking with Carter earlier? You don't think that there was something between us, do you?"
Stiles just shrugged, averting her gaze.
"Hey," Hollis said, forcing him to look at her. "There's nothing between me and Carter. We were just talking."
"I know," Stiles said with a nod. "It's just you're really distracted tonight, especially after he showed up with Lydia. And, I don't know, you two looked...comfortable. Like before."
Hollis tilted her head, frowning. "Exactly. Before." She could tell that it did little to ease his worries, though. "Look, Carter's not why I'm distracted. And he's not who I love anymore. You are."
Wide-eyed, Stiles looked at her, seeming to register her words. "Wait...you...really?"
She nodded as the smile on her face grew. "Yeah. Really."
"I kind of wanted to say that first," Stiles said. "Because, you know, I-" But before he could finish, Coaches voice interrupted everything.
"McCall, what the hell do you think you're doing?" His voice carried across the gym.
Everyone around them paused as the Coach charged forward. Even the music seemed to quiet down as he headed straight for the couple dancing. Danny and Scott looked up in surprise at being caught dancing with each other.
"You're not supposed to...," the Coach said before realization hit him. Clearing his throat, he tried another tactic. "You shouldn't be...um..." He trailed off, looking from one student to the next. The glares that met him were hostile and he shrunk away from everyone.
Hollis stifled a laugh as she watched the exchange.
"Yes, Coach?" Scott asked, innocence coating his words as he pulled a bewildered Danny closer.
"Okay, hold on," Coach said. He looked around the still and frighteningly quiet room. "I was... I mean, I wasn't... I'm not... You guys don't think I'm..." he stuttered as he tried and failed to turn the whole situation around. With one final look at the crowd, he said, "What the hell are you looking at Greenberg?" and wandered off, though the embarrassment didn't leave his face.
"That was...," Hollis trailed off.
"Painfully awkward," Stiles finished.
Hollis nodded in agreement.
The music slowly returned, jumping from the previous slow song to an energetic one. Everyone seemed to forget about what had just happened and resumed dancing.
"Hey," Hollis said, a thought coming to her. "I thought Scott wasn't allowed to come to the dance. Because of his grades or something."
"He's not. But...," he paused, looking to where Scott now stood with Allison. "He came to, you know, keep Allison safe."
"Safe?" Hollis asked before realization hit her. She nodded, a soft 'oh' leaving her mouth. "Right. Peter." The worry she had previously felt returned, and she went back to searching the dancing crowd.
"Yeah. Scott asked Jackson to keep an eye on her, which is why they're at the dance together but.... Hey, where is Jackson?" He asked as he started a search of his own.
Hollis now searched for two people, both of which she couldn't locate. Her frown deepened when she realized that one other person was missing: Lydia. For a reason she couldn't explain, her pulse quickened as her search turned desperate. "Where's Lydia? Do you see her?"
Stiles did a quick sweep of the room before shaking his head. "No. Maybe she stepped out or something." He noticed the panicky expression on her face. "I'm sure she's ok," he told her gently.
Hollis nodded, despite still feeling unsettled. She wasn't a hundred percent sure that Lydia wasn't around but it was hard to tell what with all the students dancing around them. "I'd just feel better if she was here where I could see her. Especially with Peter around and -"
"What do you mean 'around'? Stiles asked.
"I...I saw him before," Hollis confessed, looking up at him. "At least I think I did. Only for like a minute but then he disappeared. I've been trying to see if I could find him but I haven't seen him since that first time." She did another quick search of the area but came up empty. "Maybe I just imagined it," she said, hopeful yet doubtful.
"Maybe," Stiles answered although he didn't sound convinced either.
Hollis let the music filled silence stretch as the news of Peter settled in around them. "I need to find Lydia. Just to be safe."
"I'll go with you." Taking hold of her hand, he navigated their way out of the crowd. They passed student after student but Lydia wasn't amongst them.
A sigh escaped her lips as she took in the crowd from the edge of the room. Although Hollis couldn't tell one person from the next, she had a feeling that Lydia wasn't there. Worry knotted itself around inside her, making it hard to keep a clear head.
"Hey, there's Carter," Hollis said, pointing him out to Stiles. "He might know where she went since they were together a few minutes ago." She watched Stiles closely, hoping that it wouldn't erase their previous conversation about him. "Are you ok if I talk to him?"
Stiles stayed quiet for a moment then nodded."Yeah. Come on," he said, pulling Hollis to where Carter stood.
They approached just as Carter turned their way, his smile fading at their expressions. "Hey," he said. "What's up with you two? Is the world ending or something?"
"No, it's just..." Hollis said, shaking her head. "Do you know where Lydia is? I can't find her."
Carter looked around the room as if hoping the answer was in the crowd. "She said needed a break. She left a couple minutes ago."
"She left?" Hollis asked, surprise filling her voice and expression.
"Did she say where she was going?" Stiles asked.
Carter shrugged nonchalantly. "Something about finding Jackson," he told them. He remained quiet for a moment, trying to look like the answer didn't bother him. When they thought that he wouldn't say anymore, he spoke. "The last time I saw Jackson, he was headed outside. I'm guessing that's where Lydia went, too."
The worry intensified at the thought of Lydia being out on the school grounds by herself. Even if she was with Jackson, it didn't make her feel any better. "Thanks," Hollis said with a small smile then looked over at Stiles.
The two of them moved back across the room in the direction of the exit. The music faded to a loud hum in the background when they pushed through the double doors. The hallway was deserted and eerily quiet save for their footsteps.
Hollis stopped short. With a mixed look of worry and surprise, she stared at Jackson as he walked towards them. Alone. She scrunched up her face in thought, her eyes scanning the area behind him for any sign of Lydia. "Where's..." she started, her voice just above a whisper.
"Where the hell have you been?" Stiles asked, moving in to question Jackson. He grabbed him by the arm to gain his full attention.
"Did Lydia find you? Carter said she was looking for you," Hollis said, finding her voice and hearing the panic weave through her words.
Jackson shook his head, a dazed look on his face.
Hollis and Stiles exchanged a look. The look said it all: that something was wrong and it was only made more true by Jackson's perplexity.
"What's wrong?" Stiles asked.
Jackson stayed quiet for another moment then looked at them as if just seeing them for the first time. "I was out behind the school. I was...," he trailed off with a shake of his head.
"What happened, Jackson?" Hollis asked, intervening in the questioning.
"I was out back -" Jackson started.
"We know that. What is it?" Stiles interrupted.
Jackson snapped out of his daze. His vision was clearer when he looked from one to the other. "I was," he paused to collect his thoughts then continued, "I wanted to find Derek or whoever the creep with the red eyes is. I thought I saw him but it turned out it was just the lasers from a gun. It was Allison's dad. He started asking me all these questions and I...I told him. About Scott."
Hollis closed her eyes, another heavy problem resting itself on her shoulders. "How could you do that?"
A look of guilt and regret washed over him before becoming defensive. He turned on her, a scowl set on his face. "It's not like he wasn't going to find out sooner or later!"
"You're an idiot! You know what hunters do to...what he'll do when he finds Scott!" Stiles yelled, panic washing over him.
Jackson had the decency to look guilty once more.
Hollis took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The back and forth banter between Stiles and Jackson sounded far away even though she stood next to them. A few words trickled into her subconscious before she snapped her attention to the situation before her. The option of getting a word in was hard if not impossible. Shaking her head, she moved away from them.
"Where are you going?" Stiles' voice reached her, stopping her from going further.
She looked over her shoulder to find them both staring at her. "To find Lydia." Knowing what Stiles was about to say, she put up a hand to stop him. "I'll be fine. Just...stay with Jackson. Keep an eye on Scott in case Allison's dad comes or whatever."
Hollis didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she quickened her pace and moved down the hallway, taking the familiar turns before she reached the exit. The cold air hit her exposed skin, and she shivered. "Lydia?" She called out, her voice echoing throughout the night. She waited a few seconds but didn't get a reply back. Ignoring the cold, she walked across the parking lot with determination and panic.
The lighting turned darker the further she moved from the school. Squinting, Hollis tried to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. A few dark shapes that could only be cars were in her line of sight. The lacrosse field loomed ahead with a dark silhouette of trees being the backdrop. Again, she called her friends name but no answer returned to her.
Hollis stumbled as her heels hit the grass, sinking into the soft ground with each step. Luckily, her eyes had adjusted enough to the dark for her to see where she was going. She looked forward, scanning the field. A pink dress glinted under the moonlight followed by red hair, which could only belong to one person. "Lydia," she whispered.
Another figure emerged. This one with an air of foreboding. She could only guess who it was and it turned her blood cold. "Lydia!" She yelled, turning her walk into a run.
But it was like running in a nightmare. Slow and impossible. Her heels dug into the earth harder and faster the more Hollis tried to run. "Run!" She yelled, her breath coming out in gasps as she strained with each step. "Lydia, run!" Her voice managed to reach Lydia but it was too late.
Peter opened his mouth. Monstrous fangs protruded out between his lips as he lowered himself towards Lydia. The scene unfolded itself quickly, speeding up as if on fast forward.
"No!" Hollis yelled, her voice mixing with Lydia's scream. For a moment, she stood frozen, unable to do anything but stare. In slow motion, she watched Lydia drop to the grass. The moonlight caught on them like a spotlight, showing off the bright blood that covered the once-pink dress.
Her heartbeat quickened at the horror before her, tears blinding her vision. No, no, no, this can't be happening, Hollis thought. She raced towards Lydia, dropping onto the ground beside her.
"Lydia," she said, her voice cracking at the sight of her friend. "Hey, hey hey. Open your eyes, Lyd. Please, just...just say something," she pleaded but Lydia remained unconscious.
She stared in horror, her stomach turning at the sight of the blood and Lydia's motionless body. The blood continued to flow from the wound like a river and a puddle formed on the ground, seeping into the earth. "You - You'll be okay. Just...hang on. Stay with me, Lyd." Instinctively, she pressed her hands on the wound to stop the bleeding. Warm and sticky blood coated her hands, pouring out between her fingers the harder she pressed.
"You promised," Hollis said, her voice quivering. She looked up into the blood covered face of Peter, who looked down at her with mild curiosity. "You said you wouldn't hurt her."
"Actually, I promised not to hurt Allison."
Hollis didn't hear him, though. Her panicked heartbeat quickened, becoming a roar in her ears. "You said you'd...that you'd give us time. You promised and.... How could you?! She's my best friend." The tears slipped freely from her eyes now, clouding her vision.
"I gave you enough time," Peter said. "Besides, I got bored waiting," he added indifferently with a shrug. "So, tell me. Where's Derek?"
"I-I don't know," Hollis said shakily. She looked down at Lydia, at the blood that covered both their dresses. Numb and scared, she sat on the grass with her hands still covering the bloody wound.
"Hollis!" A voice reached her, sounding far away in her numb mind. It sounded again, and she twisted her head to see a figure running towards her.
Stiles stopped short, his face going slack.
"I'm okay," Hollis reassured him with a weak smile. "Lydia...," she trailed off, lowering her eyes to her friend.
Peter stepped forward. His arm reached towards both girls with a clawed hand. The gesture was almost animalistic, as if he was claiming his kill.
Stiles stared in shock, taking in the blood that covered Lydia and Hollis to the blood dripping off Peter's face.
"Stiles," Peter said with an eerie smirk. "Nice for you to join us."
"Don't kill them. Please," Stiles said.
"Of course," Peter said, relaxed as ever. "Just tell me how to find Derek."
"What?" Stiles asked in confusion.
"Tell me how to find Derek Hale," he repeated quietly.
"I-I don't know that. How would I know?" Stiles asked, shaking his head.
"Because you're the smart one, aren't you? And because I can smell it on you. Deception has a particularly acrid scent, Stiles. So how about you tell me the truth before I rip her apart," Peter said as his hand inched closer to the girls.
"I don't know. I swear to God, I don't," Stiles said with panic, shaking his head as it to prove his point further.
Peter's eyes flashed angrily at the answer. Violently, he grabbed the back of Hollis' neck, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. He smirked. "What? Did you think that she was safe?" Peter asked, satisfied at seeing the frightened expression on Stiles' face.
Hollis fought against the hold but Peter was too strong. Still, she lifted her blood stained hands to her neck and tried to pry his fingers off. His grip on her only tightened, and a small cry of pain left her lips.
"I'm waiting." Peter lifted her up closer to his teeth.
"He's telling the truth," Hollis said, her voice small and strained from both the pain and the effort of trying to get free. "We don't know."
Peter yanked her head back and a flash of pain coursed through her.
Frightened tears welled up in Stiles' eyes. "Please, please stop," he begged, unable to take his eyes off of Hollis.
"Tell me!" Peter roared, his voice echoing throughout the field.
Hollis felt a pinch as her skin was punctured by Peter's claws. A sticky trail of blood flowed down her neck.
"Okay, okay," Stiles said, panicked. "I think - I think he knew," he stuttered.
"Knew what?" Peter asked.
"Derek. He knew he was going to be caught."
"By the Argents?" Peter questioned.
Stiles nodded numbly.
"And?" Peter asked with impatience.
"When they got shot, him and Scott...I think he took Scott's phone."
"Why?" Peter asked.
"They all have GPS now. If Derek still has it, if it's still on...," he paused, finally meeting Peter's eyes. "You can find him."
"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Peter asked with a satisfied smirk.
"I-I told you. So just...just let her go. Please," Stiles said.
Peter let go of his hold on Hollis and pushed her forward, as if discarding something unwanted.
Hollis sunk back onto the soft, wet ground. She touched the back of her neck, which was already starting to bruise. She winced from the pain, moving her head gingerly to get the stiffness out.
Stiles rushed to her side. He brushed her hair out of the way and lifted her chin up to look at the finger-shaped bruises and the one-inch cuts that still trickled blood. "You're okay," he told her gently, assessing her injuries. "You'll be okay, I promise."
Hollis nodded numbly to his words.
"I'm sorry," Stiles continued. "I should have told him before he - I should've figured it out sooner and told him but -"
"It's not your fault," Hollis told him with a shake of her head, snapping out of her daze. The movement brought the pain to the surface once more. "You -"
"I hate to interrupt," Peter said, "but we need to go, Stiles."
They looked up at Peter with confusion.
"Go where?" Stiles asked.
Peter let out an exasperated sigh. "Go get Derek. I need you to track him."
"What about Hollis?" Stiles asked. "And-and Lydia."
"They'll be fine," Peter said dismissively.
"No. We can't just leave them here," Stiles said.
Peter sighed once more. "You're coming with me, Stiles. You don't have a choice."
"I'm not going," Stiles told Hollis and then, turning to Peter, he said, "Then kill me. I don't care."
Hollis shook her head, once again ignoring the waves of pain. "What? No!" She said, looking from one to the other. "That's not an option, Stiles."
"Well, I'm not just going to leave you two here. I can't," he argued as if there was another way out.
Peter considered them, head tilted as if determining his next move. With a satisfied nod, he spoke. "Call your friend. Tell Jackson where they are. That's all you get."
Stiles looked to Hollis for direction and she nodded slowly. "Fine," he said quietly as he pulled his phone from his coat with a trembling hand. He dialed the number and listened to the never-ending ringing on the other line. Just when it appeared that Jackson wouldn't answer, the familiar click sounded and his voice came from the other end. Relieved, Stiles told Jackson to meet him on the field without giving out much detail on what had happened. "He's coming," he said, his attention directed at Peter.
"So when Jackson gets here, we'll go," Hollis said with a definite nod.
"Yeah, ok," Stiles agreed but then, realizing her words, he shook his head. "No, Hollis. You can't. You need to go with Lydia. And Jackson."
"I'm not letting you go by yourself," Hollis argued.
"He'll be fine," Peter interjected, rolling his eyes. "I promise," he added with a smile that made her believe him even less.
Hollis stared at him with narrowed eyes. "Why should I believe you?" she asked. "You've done nothing but lie and kill since you got here."
"Don't be dramatic, Hollis," Peter said, shaking his head.. "I didn't lie about everything."
"Are you serious right now?" Hollis asked with disbelief.
"Hollis -" Stiles started but she didn't hear him.
"You're nothing but a monster and a liar, Peter." The anger bubbled inside of her, ready to overflow at any given moment. As terrified as she was of him, her anger overpowered it. "For all I know, you actually caused that accident last summer -"
"I didn't," he interrupted gravely, all amusement gone at the accusation.
"And I'm supposed to just believe you again? After everything?" Hollis asked, her eyes turned to Lydia then back at Peter. "Why?"
Peter's eyes flashed red. His jaw clenched as he stared her down.
"How do I know you -"
"Because I pulled you out of that car!" Peter yelled. "I saved your life!"
His outburst kept Hollis quiet. She studied him, trying to decide if it had just been another lie. Although everything told her to distrust him, she couldn't help but think that there was some truth to it.
"If I wanted you dead, you would've been dead a long time ago, Hollis," Peter added, his voice eerily low. He tilted his head then as if hearing something far away. A small smile spread across his face. "Jackson's almost here. Now, let's go. I'm losing my patience."
Stiles stood up and looked towards the school before turning back to her. "I'll be ok," Stiles assured her with a smile.
Hollis opened her mouth to protest but he continued.
"Trust me, ok? Once I figure out where Derek is, I'll meet you at the hospital," he said.
Hollis didn't like the idea but didn't argue. Carelessly, she wiped the sticky blood on her already ruined dress but it hardly came off. Her hands were stained, a grim reminder of that night. She stood up shakily, almost falling back onto the ground but Stiles took hold of her arm, keeping her steady. She smiled her thanks but it wavered, exposing the worry that she felt. "Just...be careful, ok?" She told him, feeling the prickling of tears behind her eyes. She blinked them back but a few escaped, smearing the dirt and traces of blood on her face.
Stiles pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you," he whispered, holding her for a little bit longer before letting go. "Don't worry. I'll be ok."
Hollis nodded numbly and watched him leave. When he disappeared across the field with Peter she closed her eyes and let the tears fall freely. She felt helpless, scared and alone. Lost in her misery, she didn't hear Jackson step towards her until he spoke.
"Hollis," Jackson said slowly. He looked from Lydia to Hollis and back again, a look of bewilderment on his face as if he wasn't sure what he was seeing. "Are you ok?"
Hollis turned to him, surprise written on her face. Then she remembered that he was meeting her here. "Yeah," she said with a nod, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. "I'm fine. Lydia...she needs help." She glanced down at her friend, who still hadn't stirred but she was happy to see that the wound had stopped bleeding.
"What the hell happened?" Jackson asked, worry coating his face.
"Peter happened," Hollis told him, unable to shake the image of him attacking Lydia. "You know, the creep with the red eyes you were looking for. Lydia went to find you but found Peter instead and he-he did this."
Jackson scowled at her, his worry dissipating quickly. "This isn't my fault, Hollis," he snapped. "I didn't make her go looking for me. And I sure as hell didn't make what's-his-name attack her."
Hollis narrowed her eyes, annoyed at his anger towards her but the anger drained quickly. Sighing, she nodded. "I know. Sorry. It's just-"
"And where's Stiles? He told me to come here and now he's just disappeared?" Jackson looked around the field but, other than the three of them, it was deserted.
"Stiles went with Peter to find Derek," Hollis explained. "He didn't just disappear. He didn't even want to go but Peter threatened to kill us if he didn't so...he went with him. He had no choice. He just said he'd meet me at the hospital." The emotional rollercoaster that she was on was exhausting. Angry one second, worried and upset the next. It took a toll on her, draining her mentally and physically. "Look, it doesn't matter. We need to get Lydia help. She's lost a lot of blood and...," Hollis looked down at her blood-stained hands, a frown tugging down the corners of her lips.
Jackson followed her gaze, his scowl fading. "You sure you're ok?"
Hollis nodded, mustering up the courage to give him a smile. "Think you can carry her to the school?"
Without an answer, Jackson scooped Lydia up into his arms. She hung limp, unmoving but still alive. They walked across the field in silence, the air heavy with worry.
When the school came into view, they quickened their steps into a run, racing between cars. Screams erupted in the parking lot as people noticed them, noticed Lydia.
"Somebody help me! Help me!" Jackson yelled.
They stopped in front of the school and a crowd gathered around them to watch the horror show. A teacher stepped forward to tend to the situation. He looked from Lydia to Jackson and to Hollis.
"What happened to her?" He asked, his voice authoritative but carrying a wisp of worry.
"It was -" Jackson started.
"An animal attack," Hollis intervened, throwing a look at Jackson, urging him to keep quiet. "I think. I don't know. I just found her like that and then called Jackson to help."
The teacher considered her words for a minute. Hollis held her breath, worried he wouldn't believe her. But then he nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket. He dialed 911 then spoke into the phone with urgency. Once the call was placed, he looked towards the three of them once more. "The ambulance is on their way. Lay her down on the ground gently."
Jackson lowered her onto the sidewalk while someone placed a jacket underneath her head.
Multiple conversations started all around them, no doubt gossiping about what had happened. But Hollis wasn't paying them any attention. All the words turned into a low buzz in the background as panic overwhelmed her, swallowing her whole. Her heart beat a mile a minute and her throat tightened. The signs of a panic attack presented themselves to her.
Hollis fought against it but it was easier said than done. Her lungs refused to work properly and the dozens of worrisome thoughts floating through her mind didn't help. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing patterns. But without a guiding hand to help her, it proved to be difficult.
Just breathe, she told herself as she gulped down bits of the cool night air. The mantra repeated itself in her mind. After the fourth run of it, it seemed to be helping. It was easier for the air to enter her lungs and, after another minute, the air she took in was in larger quantities. Her lungs expanded, letting her know they were ok.
"You doing ok?" Jackson asked, his voice jarring her out of her thoughts.
She took in a shaky breath, thankful that her lungs hadn't constricted again. "Not really." She looked towards Lydia, lying helplessly on the ground.
"She'll be ok," Jackson told her almost gently.
Hollis nodded, grateful for the reassurance even if it was from Jackson. "Hey, can I borrow your phone for a sec?"
"Why?" Jackson asked but placed the phone in her outstretched hand. "Who are you calling?"
"Allison," she said, pressing the phone to her ear. "She needs to know what happened." Catching the look on his face, she sighed and shook her head. "Not everything but just that Lydia's hurt. Maybe she and Scott can meet us at the hospital."
Jackson nodded.
"Have you seen them at all?" Hollis asked, listening to the ringing. When he shook his head, she frowned. "I wonder where they are."
"No idea," he said, shrugging.
Hollis wanted to point out that he had come to the dance with Allison, that he should know where she was but kept her mouth shut. They had enough problems without her starting another argument.
The phone rang several more times before going to voicemail. Hollis tried once more but, with the same result, had no choice but to leave a message. She left it brief, quickly filling her in on Lydia's accident. Once it was recorded, she handed the phone back to Jackson.
A cool wind picked up as the wait for the ambulance turned into torture. The chatter died down as the initial shock wore off but students still gathered to see what would happen next. Hollis stared off into the distance. The familiar wail of a siren reached their ears, piercing the still night. Before long, the flashing red and blue lights shown in the distance then grew as the ambulance closed the distance to the school.
The tires screeched to a halt. As the engine idled, medics exited the car and went towards Lydia.
"Your teacher said that you found her like that?" A voice said from beside her.
Hollis looked towards the medic. Registering his words, she nodded. "Yeah, she was...I-I tried to keep the wound closed but...," she trailed, unconsciously looking down at her hands. The blood had now dried, staining her skin a rusted red. Hollis wiped them on her dress but it didn't come off.
The medic nodded, his eyes following her gaze. "Are you ok? You're not hurt?" He questioned, studying her. His eyes flew to her neck but she looked down and away from him, hiding the bruises and cuts.
"I'm fine," Hollis told him, though her neck ached and stung with each movement. "Is Lydia going to be ok?" She looked to see Lydia being loaded onto a stretcher.
"She's still alive so that's good. She lost a lot of blood but...," the medic trailed off, his attention turning towards the ambulance. "I'm confident she'll pull through." With a nod towards another medic, he gave her a quick smile. "Excuse me," he said before he joined his co-workers.
Like everyone else, Hollis watched the scene before her. Lydia was on the stretcher, oxygen mask on and slowly being transported towards the ambulance. Her eyes took in the crowd, which had thinned out and grown at the same time. She saw curiosity in some faces, fear in others. Whispers went through the students like a wave but none of them reached her. For that, she was thankful. Hollis didn't want to hear them.
Amongst the curious faces, Carter stood watching her. For a moment, she felt sad for him. But that sadness dissipated and was replaced by anger, unjust or not. Hollis was mad that he let Lydia out of his sight, mad at herself for not noticing she was missing sooner and, most of all, mad at Peter for causing the most damage.
Angry tears blurred her vision at the unfair situation as the ambulance pulled away from the curb, its' lights flashing continuously. The crowd dispersed, leaving only a few curious onlookers behind.
"Did you want a ride to the hospital?" Jackson asked from beside her.
Hollis blinked the tears away. "Um, actually can I meet you there? I need to...I have to-"
"What?" Jackson asked.
"I need to find Stiles," she told him.
"He's gone," Jackson said.
Hollis looked towards him with disbelief. "You don't know that. He could still -"
"Yes, I do! Look, his junk of a car isn't here," Jackson said, sweeping an arm out towards the parking lot.
Hollis unwillingly followed his gaze and searched the cars for the blue Jeep but it was nowhere to be found. Exhaustion and panic didn't let her believe it, though. "It doesn't matter. I need to try."
Jackson's expression hardened, a scowl setting on his face at her ignorance. "Hollis -"
"No!" She took a step back from him, not wanting to hear what he had to say. "I have to find him. I can't just let him go with Peter by himself. You saw what he did to Lydia, Jackson. What if he does the same thing to Stiles? What if he can't find Derek so Peter kills him or...," she paused while the horrible thoughts and 'what-ifs' assaulted her already tired mind. "What if Peter kills him anyway?"
Uncharacteristically, Jackson pulled her into an awkward hug. She struggled against him but he was stronger and she relented, giving up.
"Stiles will be ok," Jackson said.
"How do you know?" Hollis asked, her voice breaking.
"Because he's...." Jackson struggled with the words. "He's smart. He'll find Derek and then he'll meet you at the hospital like he said."
Hollis wanted to believe him, needed to but her fears held her back. But she had to believe because if she didn't she would fall apart.
"And if you tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it," Jackson said but Hollis could hear the whisper of a smile in the statement.
"Secret's safe with me." She looked up at him, finding their moment of closeness weird. In all the time they had known one another, they had never bonded or acted like they were friends. But in that moment, Hollis witnessed a side to him that not many people saw. Although their current situation was horrible, she was happy to see that he had a human side to himself. She pulled out of the hug and crossed her arms. "I think I might have gotten some dirt and blood on Hugo Boss. Sorry."
Jackson shrugged, knowing that it wasn't important in that moment. "Yeah, well, it's already ruined," he said, gesturing to the dried dark spots that coated the shirt and jacket. A moment passed between them before he nodded towards the parking lot. "So, do you want to go see Lydia now?"
Hollis nodded slowly. "Yeah, let's go."
A/N: I'm super proud of these last two chapters. They were so much fun to write, and I hope you guys loved reading them! Please leave all of your thoughts (comments, critiques , ideas, conspiracy theories, etc.) down below in the comments and don't forget to vote for the new chapters.
Next week, I'll only post one chapter because it will be the season finale of the first season. Please let me know if you want me to continue season two here or make a separate book for it. I'm thinking it would be easier to make it separate (since it's a new season and all) but I want to hear your opinions :) Until next week!