The next day, Faline walks into school with a big bandage on her neck, the stitched-up bite wound hidden underneath to prevent infection. All eyes were on her, the majority of the student population having heard about it overnight.
"Everyone's staring" Faline hisses to her two best friends.
"Because you look beautiful" Stiles blurts, his cheeks going red. "I mean that only you could pull off-"
Faline presses a gentle kiss to the rambling boy's cheek and his face flushes an even deeper red.
"Thank you," Faline says to her best friend. "You're a good friend Stiles"
"Yeah, friend" Stiles mutters. "Let's see them"
Faline peels back the bandage and Scott lifts his shirt. The wounds were deep and bloody, causing their friend to gag loudly as he waves his hands around.
"Okay, never mind, put them away" Stiles waves his hands spastically.
Faline rolls her eyes playfully, pushing the bandage back onto her neck making sure it stayed down.
"It was too dark to see much but I'm pretty sure it was a wolf," Scott says.
"A wolf bit you?" Stiles asks. "No not a chance"
"I heard a wolf howling," Scott says.
"No you didn't," Stiles says.
"What do you mean no you didn't?" Scott asks. "How do you know what I heard?"
"California doesn't have wolves," Stiles says. "Not in like sixty years"
"Really?" Scott asks.
"Yes really," Stiles says. "There are no wolves in California"
"Well if you don't believe me about the wolves then you definitely won't believe that Faline found the body," Scott says.
"You found the body?" Stiles asks Faline who nods, grimacing. "Are you kidding me?"
"I wish" Faline shudders. "It was disgusting. Then to top it all off I fell down a hill, then I had to run. Do you know how much I hate running?"
"You're so lazy," Scott says, nudging his friend.
"I am not lazy" Faline scoffs. "I am resting up for my thirties. Yep, got a lot planned"
"Like?" Scott asks.
"I'm going to break the longest sleep world record," Faline says with a proud nod.
"Why don't you do a marathon or something?" Scott asks and Faline snorts.
"This boy," Faline shakes her head at Scott. "I don't run. If I'm running, you best start running because something bad is coming"
Faline is sat at her desk in English class, her cheek rested on her palm as she struggles to keep herself awake.
Her eyes flutter before her head jolts up when Scott swipes her arm from under her chin, having to stop her face from slamming into the desk.
"You fuck-"
"As you all know," The teacher says. "There indeed was a body found in the woods last night, some of you were even stupid enough to go searching for it"
Everyone looks at Faline who stuck her middle finger up behind the teacher's back, causing the class to erupt into giggles.
"I am sure your eager little minds are coming up with various macabre scenarios as to what happened" The teacher continues. "But please don't follow the example set by Miss Michaels here"
Faline glares at the teacher before the class shouts in shock as the papers on the desk catch fire.
"What the-?" The teacher grabs the fire extinguisher putting the flames out.
He walks over to the thermostat and lowers the temperature of the room which causes a smirk to grace Faline's face.
"As I was saying, the police now have a suspect in custody-"
Faline turns to Stiles who shrugs, clearly as in the dark as his two friends.
Faline turns back around and stares at her hands which had a very subtle green hue to them. Since last night, she had been performing acts of accidental magic and she was beginning to worry.
"Which means you can give your undivided attention to the syllabus which is on your desk outlining this semester," The teacher says, picking up a charred piece of paper.
"Class this is our new student Allison Argent" The principal walks in with a girl in tow. "Please do your best to make her feel welcome"
Allison sits behind Scott and he turns and hands her a pen.
"We'll begin with Kafka's Metamorphosis on page one thirty-three"
The bell rings and Faline makes her way to her locker, next to Lydia Martin's. The only girl Faline was friends with within the population of Beacon Hills.
"Faline," Lydia says closing her locker door. "I heard about the attack, how are you doing sweetie?"
"I'm good Lydia," Faline says as she pulls a new bandage out of the locker before peeling off her old one.
"Are you sure?" Jackson asks his friend. "That looks nasty"
"I was bitten by an animal, I wasn't expecting to win any beauty awards with it," Faline says and Jackson rolls his eyes.
"I know that dumbass" Jackson says. "If you want I can get you some painkillers"
"I'm good Jackson" Faline laughs.
"I can do that" Lydia says, taking it from the bandages in her hand.
"Thanks," Faline says as Lydia gently places the bandage on.
"Good enough to come to the party on Friday?" Lydia asks.
"I'll think about it," Faline says smiling at her.
"Great" Lydia claps her hands before walking away.
The trio of best friends walk onto the lacrosse practice field.
"But if you play, I'll have no one to talk to on the bench," Stiles says. "Are you really going to do that to your best friend?"
"Faline always sits with us," Scott says. "I can't sit out again, my whole life is sitting on the sidelines"
"Oh god," Faline groans. "You sound like the start of every cliché teen movie ever" She puts on a mocking voice. "My life isn't fair. I need change. Blah, blah, blah"
"This season I make first line," Scott says.
"Yeah right," Faline snorts. "Good luck with that one Scotty"
Stiles and Faline sit on the bench as Scott makes his way to the goal.
"Who's that girl?" Allison asks Lydia, pointing at the small brunette girl sitting next to a buzz-cut-haired boy.
The girl was stunning. Allison couldn't possibly deny that. Her hair was the brown of light oak, rich and bright. Her eyes were the hue of the new spring growth, bright and soft all at once and they seemed to sparkle as she laughed.
"She's very pretty," Allison comments.
"Pretty isn't a strong enough adjective, she's stunning," Lydia says, looking slightly peeved that Allison hadn't complimented Faline as she believed Allison should.
They both look to Faline who had a wide smile on her face as she playfully shoved the boy's shoulder.
"Her name is Faline," Lydia says. "The only person besides yourself and Jackson who I actually like"
"What happened to her neck?"
"She went hunting for the other half of some body that was found in the woods and got attacked by an animal," Lydia says.
A ball flies into Scott's face which elicits a wince from both Stiles and Faline.
"Way to catch it with your face McCall" One of the players jeer.
"Aren't you supposed to be practicing?" Faline calls. "Or did you lose your balls?"
The player gapes at her as Faline raises a middle finger with a sarcastic smile on her face.
"Michaels" Coach shouts. "Stop harassing my players. Greenberg shut up!"
Another player launches the ball and Scott catches it.
"Yeah!" Stiles calls.
Scott's practice was going surprisingly well but the tension in the air grows when Jackson steps up.
"Oh god," Stiles says.
"Scott's going to fucking die," Faline places her hands over her face, peeking through her fingers.
Jackson breaks into a sprint, running for Scott at full speed and the boy looks rightfully terrified.
"Come on Scott" Faline whispers.
Scott catches the ball and his two best friends stand up cheering.
"Whoo!" They cheer.
"That's my friend" Stiles shouts before sitting back down.
"What you trying to do, embarrass the poor lad?" Faline asks and Stiles pushes her off the bench. "Shit!"