Chapter Text
I found myself slammed up against the wall. I smirked at the girl that thought she was going to beat the crape out of me. There was blood on my teeth from my busted lip and my nose.
"You think you're all that, you loud-mouth newbee?!" The girl sneered.
"Aww! You think I have a loud mouth! My mom does too," I said, probably not helping my case. "Only difference is that I think she likes it. Shows how much I am like her."
This got me a punch to the gut.
You'd think this would be more like a cat fight, but this girl was musseled and was a few inches taller than me. She was broody and probably ate girls my size for breakfast.
She had made the mistake of just putting her hands on my shoulders to secure me. I brought my arms up behind her head and pulled it down at the same time bringing my knee up. (Don't worry I was carefull and made sure not to do too much damage by only getting her forhead.)
I then pushed her onto one of the lunch tables and said, "I know this wasn't too much of a beating. Probably wasn't enough, but I would rather not get into too much truble. You are just a stupid High school bully and not worth it. If I see you bullying anyone ever again, it will be worse and I could care less how much jail time it gets me." I turned away and started to walk to the shy blond girl that the bully tripped then stooped. "And don't be so quick to judge. Me being the 'new girl' gave me the advantage."
"Hi, I'm Anica," I said. "That is my middle name."
"Erica," she introduced herself while brushing some of her hair behind her ear.
"Nice to meat you, Erica." I said, "Now let me buy you a new lunch. I hate bullies."
***
After we had settled at a table and had a few conversations, the Announcement speakers blaired loudly, "Anica Taris, please report to the Principle's office. Anica Taris."
"You serious!" I shouted as the cafeteria got noisy again. Then I turned to Erica and smiled. "Sorry. I kind of expected this. See you tomorrows?"
"Yeah, sure," she responded and I headed off.
***
I was let into the office and the principle asked me to take a seat.
"So, today is your first day. Is that correct?" He asked me.
"Yes, sir," I responded.
"And you have already gotten into a fight?" That sounded more like a statement.
Again. "Yes, sir."
"Do you care to tell me why, Miss Taris?" He asked.
"That depends. Do you want me to tell you how you would like to hear it so you could expelled me already or do you want me to tell you my actual oppinion and point of view?" I questioned back.
"Well," he said with a surprised look. "Whatever is the truth would be for the best."
"Okay." I cleared my throught dramatically. "I use to have an older Sister. She was six years older than me and when I was four, she started getting bullied. She wasn't perfect. Nobody is."
"I don't see how this has anything to do with a high school fight," the principle interrupted.
"Well fine! I'll skip my reasoning!" I shouted.
*Flashback*
I was sitting at an empty table by a full table of loud girls. The table got a little quiet and I was a little suspicious. I turned around just in time to see a brown haired girl stick her foot out in front of a blond all the while smirking as if this was one of her greatest achievements.
I picked up my carton of chocolate milk and dumped it on the burnett's head. I would say that it was a mistake but I would do that to any bully. I hate bullies.
She stood up and laughed at me bitterly. "You think you're funny?!"
"No," I said, "but I don't like bullies.
The cafeteria had grown quiet when I had dumped the milk on her.
"And how am I a bully," she tryed to defend herself.
"I saw you trip her!" I yelled pointing at the shy blond girl with her lunch all over the tiled floor.
"Where's your proof," she said with a snobby tone.
Is this girl serious! "I'm sure that there are cameras in this school and obviously there are witnesses."
She got up in my face and said, "but who will believe you and this loser against me and my friends."
"Well I'm sure there are some other 'losers' that have seen you do this before. Or maybe you've done this before to some other 'loser.'" I fired back and did the least rational thing to do in this situation. I shoved her. I only wanted her out of my face but I didn't think of how it was asking for a fight.
That only made her more angry. She knocked me onto the ground and punched my face busting my nose. It wasn't broken (I've had it broken before). She punched again and this time my lip split.
I felt myself lifted from the floor and shoved into the small wall space between two giant windows.
*Flashback Over*
I told the principle the whole story. Turns out the girls name was Janet Robar.
She got suspended for two weeks and I got suspended for one. Her for bullying and getting into a fight with me. I was only suspended for fighting her.
The Principle told me to bedtime get a teacher to report bullying.
***
Because I was suspended, I wasn't going to be able to see Erica in class tomorrow like I said I would. So I was waiting outside of the school for it to be let out. I had my phone in my hand with Erica's name already typed in and the blinking line waiting for her number to be put in.
When I saw Erica walk out with her head down and a light green backpack. Over her shoulders, I ran up to her.
"Hey," I said, "so I got suspended. Could I have your phone number cause I cant be here tomorrow?"
I held the phone out to her and she typed it in for me.
"Thanks!" I said. "See you around and I start school aim on Monday."
I hugged her and started to walk home with my royal blue backpack. It had a wolf howling on the front pocket and the full moon on the left on the next pocket.
***
To: Erica
Hi this is Amber
I texted when I got home and was in my room.
"Anica!" My mom called for me.
"I'm coming mom!" I called back before running down the stairs and to the living room.
My mom asked me to explain what happened at school before she decided to ground me anyway. I did and made sure to use all of my good points including the one about the bullying. We hate bullies. I also told her that even if she didn't ground me while I was suspended that I would do extra work around the house.
My mom sighed and agreed telling me that she wanted to meet my new friend.
When I got back to my room, I picked up my phone from my bed and texted Erica.
To: Erica
You are so cool that my mom wants to meet you after only hearing a few things about you.
From: Erica
Oh that's cool
***
The first day wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. When i finished my chores, I did my homework from the day before along with a few doodles around some of the papers.
When it was around the time that school would get out, I watched some Supernatural.
Then I started doing that thing I sometimes do where I cant find a conformable way to sit and start moving a lot.
I ended up upside-down with my lefts over the back of the couch and my head dangeling over the edge of it. My arms were streacbed down onto the floor until I sat up and pulled out my phone.
To: Erica
Do you want to hang out? My place or yours or maybe just walk around town?
From: Erica
Maybe some other time. I need to start an essay for Mr. Haris's class.
To: Erica
Yeah no problem
I watched some more supernatural before deciding to do something else. I wondered around for a while and then started to make something for dinner for my mom and I.
***
The next few days went by and it was Friday when I got too board.
If someone had walked into my room, they would have found me jumping on my bed with my music up and me singing with a spoon microphone.
I did this often enough that my mom would just laugh at me grab her own spoon and join me.
One time I had a fan in my room and sang through it. Mom laughed.
If you're wondering about my Dad, it's not that he isn't in our lives, he just works a lot. Ever since my sister.
Anyway so I was singing one of my favorite song by Faith Hill, 'Dearly Beloved.' I was partly through and still singing before I noticed the two people at my bedroom door.
"Her daddy's in the front row
Muttering 'oh no here
we go again
They had a couple dates
Now she's three months late
And it's twenty bucks a plate I spent, oh'"
At that point in time, I had turned around and screamed.
"Mom! Seriously, you scared me!" She was laughing and I saw who the other person was. "Hi, Erica. What are you doing here?" We had given eacother our addresses on Wednesday.
"Um, well I was wanting to know if you wanted to hang out now but you weren't answering your phone," she said.
I grabbed my phone from my dresser and sure enough, there were three missed called from Erica.
I blushed, "sorry about that."
"So you want to hang out?" She asked.
"Sure, let me get some shoes on and you can show me around town. All of your favorote places," I answered.
Erica muttered something that I didn't catch.
"What was that?" I asked while tying my boots.
She took a breath. "I said that I don't have any."
"What? Why not?"
"I just never had any friends to go out with so I never saw any reason to go out at all," she told me. She was holding back on something but I'm okay with that. We haven't known eachother for a full 7 days yet.
"Then I guess well be exploring together."
***
We were walking away from an Italian Ice place laughing at one of the jokes I told when Erica stopped. She had a far away look in her eyes
"Erica?" I asked, "Are you okay?" I set my hand on her shoulder and she started shaking. She started to collapse. I cought her and slowly brought her to the ground. Her limbs were flying everywhere.
She was having a seizure.
"Help!" I yelled. "Somebody help me!"
I heard some foot steps running up behind me. I turned to see who it was. There were two teenage boys there.
"Hi, I'm Scott," he said. "My mom is a nurse at the hospital."
"I-I don't know what to do," I panicked. "I've never been in a situation like this."
"Call an ambulance," he said while taking care of Erica.
I dialled 911 and waited.
"Hello, this is 911, what is your emergency?" The operator asked.
"Um, my friend is having a seizure. I need an ambulance. We're on 8th street."
"Okay. An ambulance is on the way." And the girl hung up.
I could here the ambulance in the distance and the other boy started to talk to me.
"Hey, I'm Stiles." He said. "Don't worry Erica is going to be fine. She has been after all of her other seizures. She is epileptic. And I have ADD so thats gotta explain my lack of brain to moulth filter. Sorry."
The ambulance arived and they took Erica to the hospital.
After they left, I turned to the boys and asked, "Can either of you give me a ride to the hospital? I don't know where it is and Erica and I walked."
"Yeah, sure!" Stiles said. "Let's go!"
***
I was waiting in Erica's hospital room when she woke up.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was afraid you wouldn't want to be friends with me. Most people don't after I have a seizure." She said.
"Why wouldn't I want to be your friend? It is okay that you have seizures. I mean not okay. That probably sucks," I said. "You are a great person. And even though I haven't been friends with you for long, I still want to be your friend." Erica had tears in her eyes. "I don't care if you have seizures or not, I can deal and be friends with you."
By the look in her eyes, I could tell that no one had ever told her something like that. "Thank you so much!" She wrapped her arms around me ans I wrapped mine around her.
"Tell you what. When you get out of the hospital, we go back to the Italian Ice place and go explore more of Beckon Hills," I said. "How does that sound?"
"That sounds great!" Erica replied. "I can't wait!"
***
On Monday, I made it past lunch time and through the entire day. I saw Scott and Stiles a few times and was actually partnered with Stiles for a project in biology class. I had a lot of homework from the week I was suspended.
Erica and I had our last class together but that was it. We sat together at lunch and we ended up partners for the rest of the school year.
After school, we both went for Italian Ice. We both got a large with all of the flavors as Salted Carmel.
We were walking to Beckon Hills City Park when we started to ask each other questions.
We got to know each other better.
The two of us were still licking our Italian Ice and swinging on swings by the other when I asked a more personal question than the ones we're were asking. Like, 'What are some of your hobbies,' or, 'what is your favorite color?'
"Sooo," I said, pumping my leggs to keep going, "do you have a crush on anyone?"
Erica blushed and turned her head away from me.
I gasped, stopping the swing with my feet. "You do, don't you?!" I shouted across the almost completely empty park. "You have to tell me! Who is it?" I was saying quieter that before but just as excitedly.
She didn't say any thing and I started guessing. "Is it Brad from your P.E. class?"
"No!" Erica exclaimed.
"Is it Danny?" I asked, "the gay one?"
"No."
"Not Danny. Is it..." I trailed off. "I have no idea. Tell me pwease?" I Hebe her my best puppy eyes which probably wasn't that good.
She told me anyway. Or at least mumbled a name that I diddn't hear.
"What was that? I didn't quite get that," I told her.
"I like Stiles," she said louder.
"What?" I said shocked. "Stilinski? Buzz cut? Tells jokes at the wrong time? Is never not talking? This tall?" I raised my hand to about an inch shorter than me.
"Yeah," she said, "that one."
I thought about it for a little. "I guess you two would be cute. Isn't he totally into Lydia Martin though?"
Erica deflated, "yeah."
"Okay, honey," I said, "it's getting late. Lets get you home and we can talk again tomorrow."
***
The end of the school year was nearing and I found that even though I only started living here in January, I loved Beckon Hills and mostof the people.
Erica and I became closer friends than ever. I know that with us being friends, she was happier than she was before.
I was happier too. I never dealt had a best friend. Only people that I talked to in school.
I told off a few more bullies but no more fist fights. Once I almost got into a fight with Jackson Whitmore. I cought him bulling Stiles and Scott.
A lot of people liked me just after my first day. Not so much the teens that I fought with. Bit what really surprised me was when Lydia Martin came to talk to me.
"So, Anica," Lydia started, "I'm going to be having a party to celebrate the beginning of the summer. Do you want to go?"
"Um," I said, "Can Erica come? I wouldn't be able to go to a party if my best friend wasn't aloud to go."
"Yeah, whatever. You can bring her," Lydia said and walked down the hall.
***
"Erica," I said hesitantly. We were at lunch sitting at our usual table alone.
"Yeah?" She looked up at me from her food and a book.
"How do you feel about going to a party next Thursday?" I asked. "The last day of school. From six to ten. At Lydia Martin's house."
Erica didn't look too conforable with that idea. "Do you want to go?"
"A little bit," I responded. "But if you don't want to, we could do something else."
"No," Erica said. "Lets go to that party."
***
Erica and I sat on some chairs inside in silence. The music was loud and most of the teens were so drunk they wont remember anything tonight. Some didn't even go to BHHS.
We had to sit through drunk boys batting on us.
At some point in time, one boy was pretty insistant on getting with Erica. I politely said that we were being called and we walked to the other side of the room.
We stood by a wall and the boy followed us. He pressed Erica into the wall and put his hands on her hips.
I pulled him away from her. I pushed him onto the floor and punched him in the face. I yelled into his ear (so he could hear me over the music), "If you are stupid enough to put your filthy teenage hands on her one more time, a punch in the face isn't where I'm going to stop. I hope your drunk ass remembers this because this will be your only warning."
I stood up, put my hand on Erica's shoulder, and told her, "come on. We are leaving."
So this party didn't turn out how I thought it would. Oh well.
While I drove my orange cheveron truk, I asked if she wanted to spend the night still or go home. She wanted to stay at my house still.
When we finaly got to my house, it was probably around 10:30 and Lydia's party was most likely still going on.
Erica and I fell asleep on my bed watching Supernatural and eating brownies.
Let the summer begin.
***
Half way through the summer, Stiles texts me.
From: Stiles
Dr. Deaton has a litter of puppies that need adopted.
I read the message.
To: Stiles
Who?
From: Stiles
Scott's boss. Hes the local vetranarien. Litter of puppies that need adopted.
I laughed. The way stiles texts is like the way he talks. Fast and not always in compleat sentences.
To: Stiles
K what kind of puppies
I pressed send and it didn't surprise me that his answer was almost instant.
From: Stiles
Idk
Well that explains the fast answer.
To: Stiles
I'll think about it
I thought about it for a while before texting Erica.
To: Erica
Want to go with me to the vetranarian tomorrow?
From: Erica
Sure Y
To:Erica
Puppies for addoption
From: Erica
Cool I cant get one tho
To: Erica
That sucks
***
Erica and I walked into the building after my dad gave me a ride (he insisted even though I have my truck). It was the first time Erica met my dad. It wasn't too eventfull.
Inside there was a man talking to a woman. They turned to us.
"How may I help you?" the man asked us.
"Uh," I started smartly, "my sort of friend, Stiles, told me that there were puppies up for addoption here." I paused. "Are there?"
"Yes there are," he said. "Come right this way."
I looked at the woman. "Have you seenthe puppies?"
"No," she responded.
"I'm sure they are adorable. Do you want to come too?" I asked.
"Sure," she said.
"I'm Anica," I told her. "What's your name?"
"Laura Hale." She followed us too the puppies.
There were 15 adorable English Springer Spaniels. They were all bouncing around and playing with eachother.
I think that I know what love at first sight is now. I fell for them right then. Four of them were adults. Two males ant two females.
"Are there two litters?" I asked Dr. Deaton
He nodded and said, "Yes. Lilly had six. Two girls and four boys. Nina had three girls and two boys."
Erica and I played with the puppies and pet their parents.
I was holding one of Lilly's boys(He was the runt) and talking to Laura. She was holding one of Lilly's girls.
"Have you ever had a pet before?" I asked her.
"No but my family use to love wolves," she responded.
"Use to?" I didn't mean to ask something so personal but I did.
"Yeah," she said hugging the playfully puppy. "Most of the died in a fire a six years ago."
"Oh," I said. "My older sister died six years ago too." I hugged the puppy.
Erica looked over. "You never told me that, Amber"
I had a few tears fall down my face. "She committed suicide when she was 16 almost 17. She was bullied for six years."
I don't know what it is but I feel connected to Laura somehow. It was faint but there. Suddenly I'm saying things that I never talker about before. What is wrong with me.
Laura pulled me into a hug.
Laura ended up getting a puppy. She got Lilly's runt, the one I was holding.
We both got the runts cause I got Nina's runt. A small little girl.
She named hers Kaleb and I named mine Sam.
Laura and I hugged and she left for her car. It was beautiful and black. It was well taken care of.
I texted my mom to pick Erica and I up.
***
I decided that I needed a job so that I could pay for Sam's needs without my parents' help.
I ended up working at a place called Janet's Place. It had four sections and I worked at any of the ones I was needed at. The biggest section was an arcade. There was a sturdy area for teens and a place for small children to be watched and play around. The fourth area was a little café/snack bar sort of thing.
Most of the time I'm in the children's area or the arcade.
Today I was with the children. One of my co-workers, Genie, was with the four kids that wanted to have story time and I was with three that wanted to color.
It went well well and on payday, I got Sam a Blue caller with a paw thing that had her name and my phone number.
Then I got a bag of dog food and a small bag of treats.
On Wednesday before school started again, Erica came over to help me train Sam.
We decided that one of the things that were first on the list of teaching were to stay down. Sam loved to jump up on people. She was still a small puppy but when she got bigger, the jumping would become a problem.
***
It was two days before school started again and I would be going into my sophore year of high school. I ran into Laura at the store. I was getting some random shacks for my sleepover with Erica on for my 17th birthday and she had a bag of dog food and ingredients for a meal or a few.
"Expecting someone?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said, "my little brother is coming down from New York City."
"Cool," I said. "I'm shopping for my birthday sleepover."
"Its your birthday?" She asked.
"On friday," I confirmed. "I'll be 17. I got held back in third grade because I got sick so much that year and missed too much school."
"Well happy early birthday!" She exclaimed.
She finished checkout but stayed behind for me.
She put her dog food in her car and helped me load my groceries into the passenger side of my truck.
"Thanks for helping me," I thanked Laura.
"Oh," she said modestly, "it was no problem at all. And because I probably wont see you before friday," she took off the necklace she was weeding. "I don't have anything to give to you for your birthday but this should do." She stretched her hand with the necklace out.
I stared at the beautiful silver wolf on the chain. It was so simple but it looked special. "I cant take this," I told her.
"It's fine," she insisted. "It was my mom and grandma's before it was mine. It was most likely suposed to be passed down through the family but I don't plan on having any kids. Plus, I think it would suit you."
I let her put the necklace on me and thanked her again.
"Have a great day, Anica," she said. "Don't forget to smile."
We hugged and she walked away. At her car, she turned and waved at me. She had a tattoo of a three spiral shape on her wrist that I never knoticed before.
I waved back and we both got into our veachles and drove our seperaye ways.
***
Sunday was pretty uneventful until that night.
I only knew because he textd me. I don't know why he decided to tell me, but he did.
From: Stiles
Two joggers found a body in the woods. Scott and I are going to go check it out.
To: Stiles
Ok be careful. The murderer could still be out there.
For about three hours, I've had a bad feeling. Must be the nerves for the first day tomorrow.
***
Friday came and I don't know what it is but even when Erica and I had gone tryouts for the lacrrosse team to cheer Scott and Stiles on, Scott was doing flips and very good.
Last I knew, Scott had asthma.
Things couldnt get more weird.
***
Later Friday night, while teenagers were getting drunk at another one of Lydia's parties, Erica and I were having a sleepover because I was officially 17 years old.
We snacked of brownies and watched Supernatural. My mom worked at a bakery. That's why we always seem to have brownies.
We had sloppy joes for dinner and my dad was actually there. He sot of through himself into work after my sister died.
My mom came into my room to sing Wannabe by the Spice Girls with us.
***
Okay so I was really board.
Erica had to go home to spend the rest of the weekend with her family but I had nothing to do so I decided to call Laura to see if the puppies could play while we hung out.
I know that Laura wan an aadult but we were still friends.
The phone rang a few times before a male voice said, "who is this?"
"Um," I said ignoring his question, "is this Laura's boy friend?"
"No." He deadpaned.
"Who are you then?" I said, "because last I checked, this was Laura Hale's phone number. Plus," I added, "I'm not answering who I am to a stranger when you also could have just looked at the Contact name."
"The contact name just says Taris Wolf."
"Oh," I said. "Well I'm a friend of Laura's. Who are you. Can i pplease talk to Laura?"
"I'm Derek Hale," he said, "Laura's brother. She cant talk right now.What did you need her for?"
"I just wanted to know if Kaleb and her would like to hang out," I said.
"Who is Kaleb?" Derek asked. Well he probably didn't know she had a dog yet.
"Her English Springer Spaniel puppy," I responded hesitently.
"I have to go," he told me, "bye." And he hung up.
***
I could see it now! Even from afar. Scott was falling head over heals in love with the new girl. It was kind of adorable. I aprove and normally I wouldn't care who dated who but Scott was sort of my friend.
Go Scott!
***
That Sunday the police let out that the body in the woods was the body of Laura Hale.
Erica and I saw it on the news and I cried. Erica had tears in her eyes but she wasn't as close to Laura as I was. And I wasn't very close to her at all.
The police were asking that anyone that knew her go in to be asked a few questions.
I went in and told them about how we met and our one other encounter at the store.
Nothing I said could have been useful for anything they were looking for.
***
On Sunday, my job was to stay after and empty all of the coins from the machines and put them all back into the dispenser thing that people pay for them at.
I was walking to my truck through an ally(not the best parking choice i know) when I was pushed against a wall.
I tryed to fight him but he was too strong. He smelled me.
"Get off me you fucking dunk!" I screamed at him.
"Where did you get that." He gestured to my necklace
"What? My necklace?" I questioned. "I got it for my birthday from one of my friends. She is dead now so if you want it you are going to have to kill me for it!"
The guy steped back. "That was Laura's," he said.
"What," I said. "You know Laura? Are you the one who killed her? Oh my God I'm going to die and you're going to literly take the necklace over my dead body!"
"No." He said almost apolageticly. "I'm Derek Hale. I'm sorry. She just loved that necklace. I never would have thought she would give it to anyone."
"Oh," I said anoyed, "you answered her phone last week. You're just as grumpy and rude is I figured you would be. Now that I know who you are, I have something more important to ask." I walked over to my truck and unlocked it. "You are taking care of Kaleb right? Your sister's puppy?"
"Oh," he said, "yeah. A bit more playfully than I would prefer."
I laughed while getting into my truck. "He's an English Springer Spaniel. They are normally energetic. We got our puppies together. Well bye. You are an insane ass hole by the way."
I drove off and left him behind.
***
Someone else was attacked today but they were more lucky than Laura. He was rushed to the hospital leaving our chemistry class in chaos.
The rest of the day wast pretty uneventful untill lunch when some boy came over to Erica and I. He sat down across the table from me.
"Hi," he said shyly. "I'm Mathew. I go by Matt though."
"Hi Matt," I said, "I'm Anica but I'm sure you know that already because I know you are not new so why are you sitting over here and not with your friends?"
"Oh, uh. I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me tomorrow night?" He asked sort of.
Erica was smiling at me and nodding. "Sure," I said,"why not."
"Cool! I'll pick you up!" He said standing up. "Is six o'clock good for you?"
"Sure, why not," I said. "Casual right?"
"Sure," he said smiling, "why not?" He walked away.
***
I put on my boots and jean leggings with a tank-top and my jacket with no sleaves and a hoodie.
I left my hair down like I usually do. I looked into the mirror in my room and laughed because this was the exact outfit I wore ob my first day of school at BHHS in January.
Matt picked me up at six and he took me to a small area at a park by a lake and got out a cooler with sandwich ingredients and grapes with kapresuns.
"I didnt know what kind of sandwiches you liked so I got all this and figured I would make them here," He said.
This was so romantic. I couldn't believe my luck. Honestly this was my first date ever (I don't count the mmany Mother-Daughter dates I had with my mom).
"Tuna, please," I said with the happiness showing through my voice.
He made the tuna and asked if I wanted relish in it. I said yes and asked him to put mustard in it too(don't judge). He did.
When the date was over, he drove me home and bid me goodbye.
It was the best first date ever. Better than I could have imagined.
I floped onto my bed, got under the covers, and fell asleep.
***
The next three weeks wet by like a flash. I wolk up in the middle of the night. I Swede I heard a few gun shots. I went back to sleep anyway.
***
After school that day, I saw Scott and stiles pulling a weak looking Derek Hale into Stiles's Jeep.
All three of them are insane.
***
There was another murderer on Wednesday. Jackson and Lydia were there. Lydia didn't show up to school and it turns out that it was Allisons birthday.
Jackson did show up but every teacher was treating him like he was the one who was almost murdered.
***
Matt took me on another date. Our second date. He took me to his house an we watched Labyrinth staring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly.
This was my favorite movie as a kid.
Just before I walked inside my house at the end of our date he asked me to be his girlfriend.
I jumped around and wraped my arms around him shouting yes.
I kissed his cheek and ran inside.
***
I was thinking. Couples kissed. Like on the lips. I never had a boyfriend before now let alone kissed a boy.
All day I came up with different scenarios of how my first kiss would go. And at lunch, Mathew sat with Erica and I.
"Do you want to go on another date on Friday?" He asked.
I frowned. "I'm sorry. Erica and I are going to have a sleepover this Friday. It's a tradition we ended up making. Every other Friday we have one."
"Oh, that's okay," he told me.
And life goes on.
***
That night, some things went down at the school and it was shut down for Friday and next week.
The police say that it was Derek Hale
No matter how grumpy he is, I dout it was him.
***
Erica had a seizure durring our sleepover and her parents had rushed her to the hospital with me in the back with Erica.
***
While in the waiting room, I got a text.
From: Matt<3
Are you awake
To: Matt<3
I cant sleep in hospitals
Seconds later he called me.
I answered and almost instantly he said, "Why are you at the hospital?! Are you okay?!"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said. "Erica had another seizure."
"Well I have bad timing," he said.
"What was it you wanted to ask me when we started talking?" I asked.
"I just wanted to know if you wanted to go out on Monday," he stated.
"Yes but I have to go I think Erica can have visitors now."
"Cool. I'll pick you up at 12 pm."
I fell asleep with my head on Erica's hospital bed.
***
Saturday morning, after I made sure Erica knew I was leaving, I went to the Sheriff's station.
"Can I talk to the Sheriff?" I asked the lady at the front desk.
She asked me what I needed him for and all I had to say was that I knew Derek Hale for her to be calling the Sheriff.
I was let back and I nocked on the door to his office.
"Come in," Sheriff Stilinski said.
I opened the door saying a small hello
"Take a seat, Miss Taris." I sat and he continued with,"what was it you had to say about Derek Hale? Anything you can tell us will be helpfull."
"Well I'm not sure anything I say will be helpfull," I responded unsurely.
"Okay then."
"Okay," I paused. "So I have't really talked to him a lot but from the times that I have talked to him I know that he wouldn't have the heart to kill anyone." The sheriff tried to interupt but I stopped him. "No. Just here me out. I called laura. The last time I was here I told you about how I only had a few encounters but we were still friends. I wanted to know if she wanted to set up a play date for out puppies so we could hang out too. Derek answered. I didn't know it then but it was after Laura died."
I paused. "Thinking about it now, he sounded just like I did after my sister died. When he answered, he sounded so heart broken. That was the night he found part of her body and burried it. Stiles told me that much. The second time we talked was the first time we met. He didn't know it was me and i didn't know it was him. He asked me how i got the necklace. It was made original for his grandmother, given to his mom, and kept by Laura after the fire. He didn't know she gave it to me for my birthday. Give me a minuet. I'm out of breath."
The sheriff waited a bit while I caught my breath. He gave me a water bottle and I thanked him.
"So," he said, "What you're trying to tell me is that you don't believe that Derek Hale killed anyone?"
"I don't. I can't say anything about yhe night with the bus driver but on the night that Lydia and Jackson were at the movie place, I was talking to Derek at a park near my house around the time it happened. My parents got into a fight that night. My dad trys to over work himself. Has scense my sister died. I couldn't concentrate on my homework so I went to the park. Derek was walking Kaleb because he for got that day. He stopped to talk to me and I pet the puppy. But there is something I have to tell you. The day before that happened, I saw Scott and Stiles putting Derek into Stiles's Jeep. Also, Laura knew that Derek was comeing here from New York City. She told me she was supping for herself and him the day that I saw her at the store and she gave me the necklace."
"Okay," Shrift Stilinski said. "Can I get this statement on paper?"
"Sure," I said, "Can I do that now?"
I did the statement and then went home.
***
When I got home, I called Laura's phone. The first time it went to voice mail. The second time, Derek picked up.
"What."
"I talked to the police," I started. I admit, not my best conversation starter.
"What!" He exclaimed.
I explained and he calmed.
***
There was a knock on the front door.
I opened it and there was my boyfriend. His hands were behind his back.
"Hey," I said happily. "What's that be hind your back?"
"Oh these?" He said in fake innocence pulling hands out from behind his back. In his right hand was a blue ball and in his left was a small bag of dog treats. "Did I forget to tell you that your beautiful little puppy gets to come with us on our little date?"
***
We went to a dog park and tried to teach Sam to play fetch. She just wouldn't bring the ball back.
She nhas gotten better at not jumping all over people though she still does it when she gets excited to see someone (which is still a lot).
We had a picknick and then played some more.
When Matt was dropping us off, I said, "thanks for inviting Sam with us. She realty enjoyed it. This was surly the best group date ever."
He is so sweet.
***
I hung out with Erica some more this week and on Saterday, Matt and I had another movie night.
We were cuddled on his couch watching a stack of movies.
They were 'The Spiderwick Chronicles,' 'Wrath of the Titans,' and 'Real Steel.'
We were watching 'Real Steal' when my mom called me.
She had to go to a meeting with her doctor(she wasn't feeling well) and wanted me home.
***
There was just a few days until Winter Formal. I was hoping Mathew would ask me to go with him.
As lunch was finishing up, Matt came up to Erica and I. "Hey," he said. "Can I talk to you?"
"Yeah!" I said excitedly. This is the part where he asks me to go to Winter Formal with him. "Erica will you wait for me at our lockers?"
"Sure," she said walking away.
"What up?" I asked casually.
"I'm breaking up with you," He stated plainly.
"Oh," I said like I didn't care.
"You're not mad?" He asked confusedly.
"Do you want me to be mad?" I took a step closer to him. He took a step back. "Did you want to get under my skin?" I growled. He actually looked scaired. I wanted to laugh. "Did our relation ship mean anything to you or are you just a stereotipical teenage boy? I'm intreaged. What is it? Come on, you can tell me." My voice was in between deadly calm and angry.
"My friend Jack dared me to ask you out," he said.
"Oh. Well that makes everything better." I said sarcastically.
I turned around about to walk away when he asked, "really?"
I turned around and punched him in the face. "Does that answer your question?" I asked and walked to meet Erica at our lockers.
***
All through tthe day, I acted like nothing had ever happened.
That night Erica stayed at my house. I acted like a typical teenage girl after a break up. We ate ice cream and watched both 'Where The Red Fern Grows' movies. We both fell asleap on the couch in the living room.
***
Erica and I both went to the Formal just so we had something to do that night and something to talk about later.
Nothing turned out like it should have. Lydia was attacked on the lacross feild so it looks like even if we didnt go we would still have ended up talking about it.
***
During winter break, Erica had another seizure. I went to the hospital as soon as I found out. The doctor said that it was getting worse everytime. She wasn't going to be getting better.
The doctor said that she was probably going to die. Not really soon but that time was coming close if her seizures keep getting worse.
I cried. My heart was more broken than when my first boyfriend brokeup with me.