Chapter 1

Lea is what people call me. Especially my friends. Friends that were strangers to me from birth to the beginning of the new school year. I'm happy to have met them. I would even consider them as my best friends. It's hard for me to trust people and make friends. However, I was able to do it. I was able to make close friends with a certain brunette man with adorable moles on his face a dark secret of my past.

My name is Marlea Hartman and this is how I became friends with a werewolf, banshee, hunter, and a normal teenage boy.

"Marlea, you're going to be late for your first day of school!" My mother called out to me.

"I'm coming!" I yelled back and looked at myself in the mirror.

Having the day be your first day of school is nerve wracking, but to have it also be a new school is a whole other level. I know the kids will make fun of me, but I'll just have to push it aside. I'll try my best to not have it bother me.

My mother and I moved here a few weeks ago. She received a job offer here at the Beacon Hills hospital. I'm from a smaller town than Beacon Hills, so this is a little step up from what my mother and I came from.

My father is gone. He just one day disappeared without a trace. I was about ten when it happened. My mother still has no idea what happened to him. He came home one day, just like normal. The next day we woke up and he was gone.

Letting out a sigh, I took my hair brush and brushed my hair a bit to fix it as I looked at myself in the mirror. Light blue eyes stared back at me. Mascara covered eyelashes with a light shade of brown eyeshadow surrounded my eyes. Light pink tinted chap stick covered my lips. I wore no foundation or blush. I didn't know how to use makeup that well and I don't really care to.

I shut the door of my locker, closing the lock on my locker. Holding my book, notebook, and folder close to my body. I snaked my way through the hall, passing people. I hated crowded spaces.

Finally, I made it into the classroom. I sat down in a random desk and hoped that the classroom wouldn't be packed. To my wonderful luck, it was packed. Although some seats around me were empty. I felt awkward. Did I smell bad?

I casually sniffed my clothes. I smelled like my body spray I got at Bath and Bodyworks. I saw someone coming down the row I was in and the row next to me. They were two boys. One had puppy eyes and a crooked jaw. The other one was tall, dorky, and had moles on his face.

The dorky one sat behind me and his friend beside him. He leaned over and I hear him whisper to his friend.

"Dude, you really need to rethink the tattoo design." The guy behind me said.

"I like the tattoo. Now I just have to find Derek and have him tell me how to keep the tattoo on without healing it off." The other one said.

Healing a tattoo off? I don't know much about tattoos, but that sounded really weird. Can that happen? Apparently so.

A brunette woman sat in front of the puppy eye boy while a strawberry blonde girl sat on the other side of the man behind me.

Suddenly everyone's phone went off, even mine. Funny, I just got this phone number a few days ago. The only people who have my number is my mom and the school.

As I was reading the text message, a woman's voice was heard as she walked into the classroom. She was reading the text message aloud to us.

"The offing as barred by a black bank of clouds and the tranquil waterway, leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky, seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness." The woman read aloud and looked up at us from her phone. "This is the last line to the first book we are going to read. It is also the last text you will received in this class." She smirked at everyone. "Phones off, everyone."

I put my phone in my pocket after silencing it completely. When I did, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw the male behind me with an awkward smile.

"Hi…uh…" He began to say and the bit his lips together before continuing. "Do you happen to have an extra pencil I could barrow? I promise to give it back."

I parted my lips and then smiled slightly as I replied. "Sure." I had a spare pencil in the ring of my notebook. I pulled it out and handed it to him. "Here you go."

He took the pencil by the eraser part. Giving me a cute smile, he thanked me and I turned around. A few minutes later I felt another tap. I turned around and saw a piece of paper folded into a little square near my face. I turned to see if the teacher was looking and she wasn't.

Taking the paper, I opened it up and smoothed it over my notebook to look like I was still taking notes. I smiled when I read the words written on the paper.

I know, I know. Passing notes in class is very middle school. I just couldn't help but want to introduce myself to you. I'm Stiles Stilinski. What's yours?

I looked up briefly and then back down to the paper as I wrote out my reply.

Am I at the right school? I should be in high school…Oh well, at least the classes will be easier. My name is Marlea Hartman. Please call me Lea.

I went under my left arm and acted like I was holding myself as I passed the note back to Stiles. I heard him make a cute sound when he saw I replied. The paper crinkled as he opened it and I smiled when I heard him huff out a laugh. Moments later I received a reply on the note.

I wish I was in middle school. It was so much easier than this. Plus, those days were easier. It's nice to meet you Lea. I hope you don't mind me sitting behind you. I don't want to be a bother.

I replied back.

You're not bothering me. In fact, I find you amusing. Just as long as you don't cut any of my hair off or do anything to make me hate you, we'll be okay.

After handing it back to him, the teacher turned back to the students. She said her name is Jennifer Blake, but we need to call her Ms. Blake.

A man came in the room and asked for Scott to leave. His mother was pulling him out for today. Once Scott left, who was the puppy eyed boy, everything went back to normal.

There was a loud thump on the window. I turned to look at what the sound was, finding a blood splatter on the window. Everyone was looking at the window and Ms. Blake walked over to the window to see what was going on. From a distance, there was darkness coming towards us. It was a huge flock of birds and before I knew it, they kept smacking right into the window.

Glass shattered everywhere when they finally made it through. I felt my arm being tugged, brining my body with the pull. Everyone was screaming or yelling as the birds swooped down to peck at us.

I tightened my grip on whoever was holding me. I saw the strawberry blond girl holding onto the body as well.

Finally, everything stopped. The birds were all dead. Blood was everywhere along with the corpses of the birds. The strawberry blond girl slowly rose, but I stayed connected with the body of whoever was protecting me. I couldn't think or move. The only moving that I was doing was shaking and breathing.

"Shhh…" A voice said and I felt two arms holding me now. "You're okay."

It was Stiles. I recognized the voice when my brain started to work again. Still, I held onto him and didn't move. I didn't want to see the mess. I didn't want to move from a spot that I was protected in.

"Come on." Stiles said and slowly picked me up, carrying me bridal style. "Ms. Blake, I'm taking Marlea to the nurse's office. She's not responding to me at all. She's like a statue."

I couldn't hear Ms. Blake's response. I was too busy focusing on getting my body back to me. I was shaking like I was outside in the snow without a coat on. I needed to focus on relaxing and Stiles was the only thing I could think about right now.

I felt the bed chair that was in the nurse's office. He was trying to sit me down, but I clung tighter to him. Why was I doing this? This was so embarrassing, yet I couldn't stop.

"Okay. Okay." He said and sat down on the nurses bed chair with me on his lap. He had my forehead in the crook of his neck while he explained what happened to the nurse.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the nurse walk out after mumbling something. My breathing became normal again after so long. I felt weak now and very tired.

"She's going to have the school call your mom." I heard Stiles say. He was rocking me back and forth now, still holding me and keeping me safe.

I found the strength to speak, but it was quiet. "I'm sorry." I did feel bad. I hated that he was taking care of me. Plus, I was being so clingy to him. I needed to stop.

"Don't be. I kind of like this. Makes me feel like I'm a knight saving the princess." He said in his joking tone. "Really, you are fine. I'm here."

I finally was able to more a bit. I wasn't shaking as much but I did sit up to look at him. He had a small cut on his hairline. I imagined it was from the glass when it shattered.

"I'm sorry that I clung to you like that. I've never had something like that happen and…" I was lost for words.

He rubbed my back and gave me a pat on my back. "I said you're fine. Plus, it gave me a reason to leave that room. You haven't inconvenienced me at all."

I bit my bottom lip, still not believing him. I am always a nuance to people.

"If it's not too much of a hassle now, can I have your number?" He asked with a small glint of mischief in his eyes.

"You just saved me from birds attacking and now you're hitting on me?" I joked and gave him a shrug. "I guess I could see this as a role playing game and you're here to collect the reward."

Stiles let out a laugh and took out his phone. Handing it to me when the screen had new contact info on it, I typed in my number and name. He took it back and nodded to himself.

"Quest completed. Now, is there another you have?" He asked.

I shook my head at him. "Sorry, I'm one of them characters with daily missions. Come back tomorrow and we'll talk."

Stiles gave me an opened mouthed smile as he shook his head. "I knew I would like you when I saw you."

"I knew you'd be trouble when I heard you plop your ass down behind me."

"It's not my fault I'm tall and the desks are made for tiny people like you."

I let out a playful scoff and tosses my hair over my shoulder. "You just wish you were short like me, Giant."

We sat there bantering back and forth until the nurse came in. My mother said that it was okay for me to go home after what happened.

Stiles followed me to my locker. I was getting my stuff out to go home when he started to speak.

"Uh, so…" He started to lean on the locker, like it was normal for him. Clearly it wasn't. He looked so awkward. "Do uh…you…" Smacked his lips together and then let out a huff.

"To save you from anymore awkward actions…" I began to say and closed my locker. Turning to look at him, I gave him my sweet smile. "I do not have a boyfriend."

Stiles looked relieved at first, but then played it off as nothing. "I…wasn't uh…I mean that's cool."

"You weren't going to ask me if I have a boyfriend?"

"Nope."

"Then what?" I asked and crossed my arms.

"I was going to ask if…" He trailed off, looking around to see if something could help him. "If you…mop floors." As soon as it left his mouth, I knew he was regretting his choice of words. Stiles closed his eyes and mentally kicked himself.

I placed my finger on his nose. "Pinocchio, your nose is growing." I teased and then turned to leave. "See you tomorrow, Stiles."

"Yeah. See ya." He called out awkwardly.

This was going to be a fun year. I could tell.