"Make some friends," Aubrey Douglas muttered mockingly to herself, "Sure that will be easy. Not like I'm the weird, quiet girl who transferred in the middle of the year last year."
"Well with that attitude it will be impossible for you," her Aunt Gen chimed in while pulling up to Beacon Hills High School.
It was Aubrey's sophomore year and it is safe to say she is less than excited. She had moved to Beacon Hills last year to finish out her freshman year, per request of her Aunt and Uncle, because according to them it was not healthy to be cooped up in the house all day doing online school. She agreed mainly due to the fact that she didn't have the energy to argue with her new guardians. Her parent's death was already hard enough and they did not need to fight with Aubrey's anger and fluctuating emotional state. Although, now that she thought about it, nobody at her school needed her emotional state last year either, but oh well.
Aubrey forced a smile as she left her Aunt's car and made her way to the school. Make some friends, she repeated in her head as she passed multiple friend groups who were reuniting after a long summer - probably full of adventure. She quickly came to a conclusion that this was going to be rather difficult. At this point most friend groups were definite and not looking for new members, which did not help Aubrey in her promise in making an effort. But maybe luck would be on her side this year, it kind of owed her after all the bad luck the world seemed to give her last year. She took a deep breath and walked into her first class of the day, taking an open seat near the windows.
It only took a few minutes before the final bell rang for the other students to take their seats. She ignored everyone because that is what she has become accustomed to: ignoring people and being ignored, but it could be worse.
"As most of you know there was a body found in the woods last night," the English teacher began while writing on the board, "But be at ease. The police already have someone in custody."
The class door opening drew Aubrey's attention from the window. A pretty girl with slightly lighter hair than Aubrey's dark, almost black hair, walked in behind the school's principal. He introduced the girl as Allison Argent who was obviously new to the school. That brought back memories from Aubrey's first day where the principal introduced her the same way, but it was much more awkward since it was half way through the first semester, not the first day of school where being new was normal.
Allison hurriedly sat down behind Scott McCall and he already seemed to be taken by the new girl, as seen by the small smile creeping on his face.
The end of school bell could not have come sooner. Since her first class she was extremely anxious to get out of school and go home. The day went fairly well and Aubrey even got the nerve to introduce herself to Allison in their history class, so that was one step in the direction of making friends and surviving the rest of her high school days.
She walked towards her locker and noticed the familiar form of Allison a few lockers down from her own.
"Hey Aubrey," Allison greeted with a cheerfulness that shouldn't exist after a grueling day of school.
"Hey Allison. How were the rest of your classes? Were you able to find everything okay?"
"They were alright, although Mr. Harris seems a little on the stricter side."
"Yeah, he is a pain in the ass. I interacted with him last year and let me tell you it was bad," Aubrey laughed a little as she shut her locker, but before more conversations could happen a sickly sweet voice entered.
Lydia Martin, the school's queen bee, was grinning at Allison, "Killer jacket. Where did you get it?"
Allison seemed startled for a brief second before she replied, "My mom was a buyer for a boutique in San Francisco."
"And you are now my new best friend."
Wow, Aubrey's eyes grew a little, she is here for a day and Lydia has already recruited her for the popular clique. Speaking of popular, Jackson Whittemore has entered the chat as he wraps his arms around his girlfriend.
"Hey Jackson," his girlfriend giggles, "Meet my new best friends." She flicked her gaze to Allison and Aubrey.
"Allison Argent."
"Uh, Aubrey Douglas."
"Right, you were here last year, weren't you," Jackson asked, keeping his eyes steady with Aubrey's. She gave a curt nod before adverting her gaze. "Anyway, this weekend there's a party. Friday night. You both should come."
Allison shifted next to Aubrey uncomfortably, "I can't. Family night."
Aubrey gave him a small smile, "I might be able to make it."
"You should. I mean, everyone is going after the scrimmage," Jackson says. Which led to Allison becoming curious about this school's odd choice of a popular sport. Aubrey's attention changed, however, as they discussed lacrosse and they landed on a pair of watchful eyes across the hall. Scott was looking over at the four and it almost seemed like he was listening on their conversation even though he was on the other side of a crowded hallway.
"Practice is in a few minutes. Come watch," Lydia almost demanded as she grabbed hold of Allison's arm and began to tug her away, "You too Aubrey. I won't have friends that don't do social events."
"Uh, yeah, okay. I'm coming," Aubrey flustered out, clearly stunned by the turn of events. She was not expecting an invite to hang out with Lydia and Allison, but hey the world is full of surprises. She trailed behind the two as they all walked outside and towards the lacrosse field.
When they finally made it to the benches most of the team was already on the field for tryouts, which has to be the fastest these boys have moved because nobody wanted to show up late for Coach's tryouts otherwise it decreased the already slim chance they had at making the team. The team did a quick huddle and broke off to start the tryouts. She noticed Scott take the position in goal, which was weird because the few times she watched lacrosse last year she never recalled him playing, or if he did it wasn't good.
"Who is that," Allison asked as she pointed to where Aubrey's gaze had just been.
"I'm not sure who he is," Lydia replied with a shrug.
"Scott McCall," Aubrey filled in. She sent a smirk towards her new friend. "Wasn't he the one who handed you a pen or pencil or something in English this morning?" Allison didn't respond, but the small blush that creeped upon her cheeks told Aubrey enough.
"Okay. Give me your phones," Lydia demanded after the team had ended tryouts for today.
Aubrey handed over her phone and Lydia typed in her number, then she did the same to Allison's phone. "There, now we can make plans to hangout and go shopping because you both have strong potentially to be absolutely gorgeous. Shame I didn't know you last year though, Aubrey, you could've been transformed sooner."
"Yeah, a shame," Aubrey smiled before bidding her two new friends goodbye. Looking good for guys had been on the lowest tier of her problems last year, but now she has to keep an open mind. Friends are good to have, she told herself even though she felt ridiculous about saying it because she had plenty of friends at her old school in Oregon. Yet this felt different, it was more of an effort to make friends and talk to people now because they hadn't gone through what she had. They wouldn't understand her now quiet and reserved behavior or the panic attacks or the constant hyper vigilance she went through daily.
Her Aunt's car horn knocked her out of her spiraling thoughts as she finally approached the parking lot. "Hey Aunt Gen," Aubrey greeted happily as she got in the car, "This will blow your mind, but I made friends today."
"Oh my lord," her aunt breathed out with a growing smile on her face, "Are you serious? This is fantastic, I told you it wouldn't be too hard. Who are they?"
"This new girl, Allison Argent, and Lydia Martin," she answered as her aunt pulled out of the parking lot and onto the back road that led to their house.
"Martin. As in the red haired girl that lives down the street from us?"
"The very one. Although I'm pretty sure she only talked to me because of Allison – who is a super sweet girl from San Francisco who just moved here within the last few weeks."
"Argent, you said. I think I might have known someone with the name Argent back in the day."
"Common name?"
"Possibly," Gen responded before they lapsed into silence and Aubrey just watched as the trees flew past the car. It took them about ten minutes before the house came into view. It was a very nice house that seemed to have a mix feel of a mansion and a cottage. It was mostly stone, had a four car garage, steps that led up to the front door, and multiple balconies on the second floor. The house was also covered in green ivy, which added to the fairy tale cottage look. Aubrey still doesn't know why her new guardians had such a big house in the first place because it was just the two of them that lived there before Aubrey joined. To add insult to injury both had day jobs and were hardly home, but it worked for them and the more time Aubrey spent there the house seemed less huge and over the top.
"Alright, I assume that you'll be going on your usual run now," Gen commented as the two got out of the car and made their way into the house. "Be sure to be home for dinner. Should be around six thirty and Finn should be joining us, hopefully his shift won't go into overtime."
"Okay, I'll see you then or probably before. I might just go on a short run."
With that Aubrey ran up the stairs and to her room to change into proper running clothes. She went with warmer leggings and a sweatshirt over her t-shirt because it was getting into the fall season which meant dropping temperatures which caught her off guard last year considering she thought California was supposed to always be warm.
She was out the front door and heading to the trail in the woods behind the house before Gen had even settled her things. Aubrey walked slowly while she put her running playlist on shuffle and began her run. Surprisingly, running had been very therapeutic and relaxing especially when it was in the calm woods of Beacon Hills. It was a very beautiful land and with not that much animal activity it was very peaceful and quiet – sometimes the only noise she needed on a run. Not today though. Today was a day to get lost in loud music as she ran her post first day anxieties away. Although about twenty minutes into her run a different kind of anxiety filled her as she realized she had gone off her normal trail.
"Weird," she muttered as she slowed down to a jog and took out her earbuds, "I could have sworn I was on the path."
The remains of a burned down house were the only things in view to tell her that she was wrong and she was nowhere near the path she had started on. In fact, Aubrey couldn't remember ever passing this house before, although she knew stories of an old house in the woods that burned years ago with a family inside. Since this house seemed to fit the description she assumed it was the same one she had heard stories about.
With a heavy sigh, Aubrey sat down on a nearby boulder and removed her sweatshirt to cool down - fumbling with removing her phone from the pocket as well. She had to find out where she was and what the best way to get out of these woods was or at least get back on her trail.
"What are you doing here," a deep voice demanded from behind her. She jumped to her feet in an instant, knocking her jacket to the ground, and whipped her head around to face the stranger. Before her was a young, handsome man who could be no more than twenty one. Yet the sour face he wore outweighed his handsome features and gave Aubrey an uneasy feeling, like something was off about him.
"I, um, lost my way from the path. And stumbled onto this place. Sorry. Do you, uh, know the way back?"
His brows sunk, deepening his frustrated look, "Go back that way. Its's right next to a large clearing if you look for that, then take a right at the largest tree in the clearing." He pointed in the direction he just came and she immediately started walking in that direction without another thought, not wanting to intrude on his property any longer or question his strange directions. When she walked passed him she got a strange tingling feeling in her arm, but she brushed it off as she entered the woods once more.
Eventually, when she found the clearing and took a right at what she thought was the largest tree, she began running again. She picked up her speed considerably, trying to make up for lost time, and she almost runs into two boys that were talking and walking with a purpose almost. She doesn't want to stop and talk to the two when she realizes it was Scott and Stiles Stilinski, so Aubrey does the logical thing and speeds up even more and runs passed them. She glances back briefly to see they have stopped and were just watching her speed on by. The odd tingling sensation creeps along her once again, but it was barely noticeable enough for her to question it and its second appearance.
Aubrey didn't stop running until she was on her front porch. There was no reason for her to have continued her high speed run after she had passed the two boys, but she simply found it exhilarating and she couldn't seem to stop herself.
"Hey kiddo," Finn calls out as Aubrey entered the kitchen. Her Aunt and Uncle were moving in sync with one another as dinner was cooking and they were setting the table. "How was the first day of school?"
"It was pretty average, but I ended up making two friends."
Finn grinned, "We told you. If we had made a bet, like I wanted too, I so would've won."
"Yeah, yeah. Next time." The three grabbed their food before moving to the dining table to continue the conversation.
"Aubrey said one of her new friends was an Argent," Gen spoke, "You wouldn't happen to know if it's the same Argents we used to know, would you?"
"I think it might be. The last time I, uh, spoke to Aubrey's father I think he mentioned something about a Chris Argent moving out here."
"That's what I thought," Gen nodded before turning her attention to Aubrey, "Your dad and Mr. Argent used to be old hunting buddies. Very skilled as I remember when I went with them a few times, although I think they only ever caught small animals when I was with them. Argent's sister was also a good marksmen, I just could never grasp the concept though, plus the poor creatures. I just couldn't bring myself to do anything to them."
Aubrey listened to her Aunt's short story, but subtly noticed the way Uncle Finn was staring at his wife. It was almost as if he didn't want her to continue or even share the story, like she was revealing a big secret. Maybe she was, but Aubrey would look into the deeper meaning later. Right now she could only feel the tensions grow as the couple seemingly stared each other down.
"So any development with the murder case down at the station," Aubrey inquired.
"We took a suspect into custody, but the Sheriff doesn't think he leads us anywhere closer to finding the real killer or the other half of the body."
Gen jumped in as she finished off her dinner plate, "I just hope they find the bastard that did it. The poor girl was in her twenties; she had barely started her life."
"I know, but the Sheriff isn't even sure if it was a murder. He suspects that it could have been an animal attack, but without the other half it's hard to tell."
"And what do you think," Aubrey asked while pushing the remainder of her food around her almost empty plate.
"I think that something or someone not natural was able to do something so monstrous like this."
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
So, I'm really late joining the Teen Wolf fandom which is really unfortunate because the show was really good. I know that not a lot of people will read this because of that reason, but I couldn't stop thinking about this story idea. Hopefully it will turn out okay.
Hope you enjoyed the first chapter anyway and it wasn't too terrible. Don't forget to favorite and comment.
~~Starstruck