Start from the beginning. My name is Terra Blake. I am alone. I'm no longer a ward of the state. They think I am Terra Carter. I am a werewolf.
I shoot out of bed, my heart pounding against my rib cage. My eyes scan the empty room searching for any immediate threat. The sun peeking through my bedroom curtain notifies me that it is morning. I don't even remember coming home from the hospital. A sharp ringing pierces through the morning silence. I clutch my head in pain, I completely forgot about the heightened senses. I bare my teeth as I resist the urge to find the source of the noise and destroy it.
The ringing finally stops when I hear someone pick the phone up, "Scott?" It's Stiles, his rough voice sounding from his room. It sounds like he just woke up.
"Ya, uh, Mr. Argent was wondering if, Terra wanted Allison's clothes." He pauses sucking in a deep breath before continuing, "Since she won't need it anymore."
"Uh, sure, my dad and I were going to get her some clothes later today but, if you think its ok...." I can literally feel the awkwardness being transferred between the phones. Whoever Allison is she must be a sensitive topic.
"I'm sure. It's time to move on. I'll be over soon." He hangs up after that. I hear Stiles let out a deep sigh before the soft swoosh of the blankets falling to the ground echoes in my ears. The now familiar creak of his door sounds as he pads to my room, most likely to wake me up.
By time he opens my door I am fully dressed and fixing the sheets on my bed. A loud thumping noise comes from the door frame and when I turn I see Stiles clutching the side of his head, "I didn't know you were awake..." He then points to the door frame, I'm guessing he hit his head.
For the first time in what feels like months I offer him a genuine smile before slipping on my signature leather jacket. Although it doesn't comfort me the way it used to, I can't bring myself not to wear it. Last night I tried rubbing it in the dirt for almost an hour to get the fire smell out of it. Nothing worked.
Stiles eyes nearly pop out of his head when he sees my smile. Under his breath I hear him whisper, "And she smiles," before a similar grin creeps onto his face. Seeing that I'm already ready to go Stiles juts his thumb back to his room, "I'm going to go get ready. Wait for me in the kitchen?" I nod in response before he leaves.
Although I had a rough awakening this morning, I actually feel really good. I feel....Alive. Something I haven't felt in many years.
Outside I hear the low rumble of Scott's motorbike pull into Stiles' driveway. I wait for Scott in the living room. He appears with a large trash bag of clothes, the scent of the girl flooding my nose. A strange mixture of fancy, casual, and leather clothes litter my "room" when I empty the bag. Luckily most of it looks like it would fit me.
A black dress that stops just above the knees catches my eye. It reminds me of something I got a long time ago in the orphanage. A family who said they were going to adopt me got me a dress like this. They said it was a promise, a promise that they would come back and get me more dresses just like this. But they never came back. I hold the dress to my chest letting the euphoric feeling wash over me.
It was the happiest I had ever been in that god forsaken place. While they didn't come back no one had ever given me something like a dress while in the orphanage. Scott leaves as quickly as he arrives, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. I don't question it, instead I thank him for the gesture. I wiggle out of my now ripped and dirty skinny jeans and maroon tank top. Something I'm glad I can abandon now. I slip the dress over my slim body letting the material wash over me. I'm not ready to abandon my combat boots or my jacket, though. So I put those back on. I'm not sure how I look since there aren't any full length mirrors in the house, but I feel good. A little self conscious, but good none the less.
When I'm done I go back down to the kitchen. I don't recall where the breakfast food is, but I find a banana on the counter which will do for now. Stiles bounds down the stairs a few moments later clad in a black, green, and blue flannel hanging open over a plain white shirt. He stops mid track, his eyes studying me up and down. I notice the way his eyes gloss over slightly before he shakes his head. He raises his keys in the air, forcing a smile. "How about we try school today?"
❂
As we pull up into the school parking lot my good feeling drains completely. I've never done this before, not really at least. This is all new territory and I don't think I'm ready. Stiles hops out of the car already bounding up the school steps when he notices me frozen in the same place. He comes back to the passenger door, opening it for me.
"Uh, I don't think I can do this..." I stutter grabbing on to the dashboard.
"Come on, it's just school." He unbuckles my seat belt without permission and grabs me by the shoulders pulling me out of the car. He wraps his arm around my shoulder as he guides me through the halls of Beacon Hills High school. We stop in front of something that I assume to be the office. I give Stiles a look of uncertainty before he opens the door.
The smell of office cleaner and fresh linen, smacks me across the face. I pinch my nose, the smell making me feel faint. I sit in a nearby chair as Stiles goes and talks to the woman behind the desk. The woman hands Stiles a packet of paper, giving me a strange look.
He sits next to me, pen in hand, filling out some of the information. I watch as his nimble fingers skip around the page, filling some parts and leaving others blank. The constant bouncing of his leg, keeps the clipboard moving up and down. He pauses at previous place of residence, waiting for me to fill in his missing information. Since the Carter family is from New York, I tell him that in a quiet whisper. He seems like he is going to ask me something before he abruptly stands up and gives the paper work and clip board back to the lady.
She goes over a few things on the paper before typing quickly on the key board. And out pops my new schedule. When we leave the office Stiles turns to me handing me my paper, "I pulled a few strings so you have most of your classes with me, and the ones I'm not in you either have Scott, Lydia, or Isaac."
I hold the paper in front of my eyes, the fresh printer ink smudging slightly under my thumb. First period- history. "History... I have no idea where this is, Room 304?"
"I'm in that class, and Kira, and really everyone. So let's go!" He grabs my hand leaving no room for argument as he drags me to first period. I grudgingly follow behind him, my sudden appearance catching a few eyes on our way down the hall. Everyone glances down at our joints hands, turning to whoever is nearby and whispering. I bow my head, tucking some hair behind my ears in embarrassment.
Always being the new girl can attract a lot of attention but I've never really been to a school before. The attention I got was really from people in town who had never seen me before. But now all of these judgmental teenagers are eyeing me like fresh meat.
When we get to room 304 I pull on a smile, urging that nice feeling from this morning to return. Entering the nearly full classroom the teacher stops me by his desk.
"Would you like to introduce yourself to the class?"
"No, not really..."
"Do you mind if I do?"
"If you must." Before he can ask me another question I shuffle to the back of the room. Taking a seat behind Stiles and next to Isaac.
Class starts a few moments later, an ear piercing ring silencing the class. My hands clamp over my ears, Isaac reaching out to comfort me in that moment. The teacher stands in front of the room, writing gibberish about internment camps before turning to the class.
"Class, I would like to introduce a new student, Terra Carter." All heads turn towards me, me being the only new kid to come in the middle of the year. A few guys smile wickedly at me which I return by sending them a quite snarl. School, equals new territory. Guys with thirsting eyes, equals, basically my life.
As class commences my eyes settle on the forest, which is visible through the large windows. The thick green canopy bringing back that feeling of euphoria.
❂
"And you do this every day?"
"That's how school works." Lydia rolls her eyes.
Malia rests a hand on my shoulder, "It sucks doesn't it..."
I groan, pushing my food away from me. School sucks, and it hasn't even been a full day. Stiles and Scott ditched after first period, something about an emergency. Lydia and Kira told me that it happens all the time. I rest my head on the lunch table, blowing a stay hair out of my eyes. My eyes focus on the forest again, a giant wall of windows making them clear in the lunch room. I have to get out of here.
Malia grabs my hand and pulls me from the lunch room. Lydia and Kira gives us a look before returning to their conversation. "What are you doing?"
"We're getting out of here. I don't want to be here and neither do you, so let's go."
"Finally." Malia releases me as soon as we step foot out of the school. The fresh air clearing my mind of the school fog. I give Malia a look before taking off into the forest testing out my new found skills. Malia's clear laugh sounds before she chases after me.
We run through the trees, weaving our way through the underbrush. Malia's blue eyes shine through the green as she pulls ahead of me. I run past a large tree before I'm knocked to the ground. I roll on my back dusting leaves off of the black dress. Malia stands above me choking down her laughter.
She reaches a hand down to me. I accept it before pulling her down on the ground next to me. We both laugh clutching our stomachs. It feels good, I finally feel good. I feel like she could be a great friend. I don't remember the last time I've had one of those.
"You really know your way around the forest." Malia laughs.
"Well I spent almost a month and a half here."
"Try seven years."
I pause, eyeing Malia to see if she's joking or not. She shrugs her shoulder, before standing up. I stand up with her, following her through the forest. "How come you were here for so long?"
"I was kind of stuck as a coyote."
We walk through the forest, picking our way through the underbrush and loose tree limbs. It feels exhilarating to be back. But before I can bask in the feeling, the feeling hits me. I stumble backwards, the force of the impact taking me off guard.
"Terra?"
I ignore her, immediately running in the direction of the pull. She follows close behind me, calling out my name the whole time. I stop in a clearing, the feeling suddenly disappearing. Falling to my knees I let out a low growl. Why can't I find it!? Every time I get so close, and then it's gone.
Malia crouches in front of me, "What just happened?" Genuine concern fills her eyes as she inspects me.
"You can't tell anyone...." I whisper. She nods, glancing around the forest for any prying ears. "Every day, I just...I get this feeling- like I'm supposed to find something. And right before I find it....its just gone." Malia stays silent, her eyes wandering around the clearing again.
Suddenly she pulls me off the ground, ignoring my protests. She doesn't say a word as we walk out of the clearing, passing a large tree stump on our way out.
♋
A/N: Slowly but surely, all of the chapters will be done with editing soon. I don't really have a lot to say about this chapter but can I just say: I love the Malia and Terra friendship. I just think they will get along really well. And one more thing – if you guys are really enjoying this story please send a message or comment on the first chapter of @ TeenWolfCommunity's book. They are featuring stories to help new writers get recognized. It would mean the world to me if you guys would do that. Anyways thanks for reading! (re-edited 3/7/15)
edited again 8/29/16