Olivia Dunbar had no idea how she had ended up in public school again. Not that there was necessarily anything wrong with public school, but Beacon Hills High was certainly not Devenford Prep. Olivia and her twin brother, Liam, had attended the elite prep school for the last four months. But then Liam was kicked out right before Christmas break because of his issues with the lacrosse coach, and where one twin went, the other followed.
She still had some acquaintances from her years at Beacon Hills Junior High, but she hadn't really stayed in contact as much as she should have. Olivia didn't think that she was all that stuck-up, but there was just something about Devenford that had essentially cut her off from her old life. And now that she had departed from the "prestigious institution" (she wouldn't miss the stuffy language that ran rampant through said institution's halls), it was likely she would rarely hear from her friends there.
Olivia sighed at her lonely thoughts as she took in the scene before her. She was perched on the cold metal bleachers of the school's athletic field, watching the lacrosse team tryouts. When the twins' stepfather had dropped them off for school that day, he'd asked - well, 'begged' seemed like a more accurate term - Olivia to stay late and watch the tryouts. She was, after all, the only one that would be able to calm Liam down if his I.E.D. started acting up. And sure, she was pissed that her brother had possibly ruined her chances of getting a full ride to Carnegie Mellon by forcing her to leave one of the best private schools in the state. But that didn't mean she didn't want the best for him. He was her brother. One of her main goals in life was for him to be happy. And if being on a slightly-above-average public school lacrosse team helped with that...then she'd do her best to support him.
Liam was running around the field, staying pretty faithfully at the front of the pack. As soon as he passed Coach Finstock for the last time, he began to do push-ups by the watercooler. Other athlete-wannabes were catching their breath or doing small stretches to keep their muscles from cramping, but not her brother. He looked sweet and innocent, with his upturned nose and baby-blue eyes. But he was just as big a showoff as any other talented teenage boy. Luckily, she ended up being distracted by a cheerful call of "Olivia!" from the bottom of the bleachers. Mason Hewitt, Liam's best friend since the first grade, was climbing up the rows toward her, grinning from ear to ear.
"I didn't know you were going to be here!" Mason declared, delighted. Olivia couldn't help but smile at the boy, who was like a brother to her. One of the only good things about Beacon Hills High was that she would be seeing Mason on a more regular basis. They hugged quickly, before sitting down on the blanket that Mason had so thoughtfully brought. Honestly, she was surprised he hadn't brought a thermos of hot chocolate. It was totally something he would do. He was nice like that.
"Doc asked me to come. He was worried that my brother would do something stupid." She rolled her eyes, causing Mason to chuckle.
"Liam Dunbar? Doing something stupid? Never," he drawled sarcastically, and the pair started to crack up. Liam was a nice enough guy, but his I.E.D. always ended up getting the three of them into trouble. They were banned from two city playgrounds and the public library because of him. Thankfully, the high school had a pretty extensive collection on its own, and parents could always be asked to pick up certain necessary books.
"How's he doing so far?" Mason asked, scanning the field. One would think that he was trying to spot his friend, but Olivia knew better. He was on the hunt for a boyfriend, and who better to date than a ripped lacrosse boy? Not that she would know about that, of course. She tended to turn into an awkward stuttering mess around cute boys, and had never had a significant other because of it.
"Good, I think. You'd think I'd know enough about this stupid sport by now," she huffed, "But you know how I am."
Mason nodded. It was a fact known by anyone acquainted with the twins that Liam was definitely the athletically-inclined sibling. Honestly, Olivia had to put a majority of her focus into not tripping as she walked around most days. But she was also much better at school than her brother. She'd been accepted at Devenford because of her stellar grades, not just because her stepfather had pull with the school.
Cheers from the center of the field called their attention to Liam, who had just scored a goal on the goalie. He looked smug as he turned towards the bleachers, waving at his sister and best friend. They smiled and waved back, before Mason let out a soft, "Ooh." Olivia looked at him, confused, and he just pointed back to the field.
"That's Scott McCall, a junior. He was team captain last year," he said of the boy who stood at the front of the line, "He's supposed to be amazing. One of the best lacrosse players Beacon Hills has seen in years. And he's pretty cute, too."
Olivia nodded, studying the boy. She could only see his profile, but that was enough to see the determined look in his eye. He flung his crosse, and the ball he was holding bounced off the edge of the goal. The rest of the prospective players laughed at him, and Liam's friend Garrett even called out, "Nice, McCall!" The sarcasm was evident, and Olivia frowned. Maybe the older boy was just off to a rough start, nothing to be mocked about. But that was just the way it was with boys, she discovered. They had to insult each other to make themselves feel better. Much like a lot of girls, if Mean Girls was anything to go by.
The goal shots carried on for quite a while, with Liam making every shot he attempted. Each time, Olivia and Mason cheered, and each time, he looked at them with so much happiness that it was almost nauseating. But the other boys trying out seemed to be very fond of her brother, which made her smile. Maybe Beacon Hills High wouldn't be so bad, after all. On the other hand, Scott continued to struggle, as did a boy named 'Stiles', who Mason told her was Scott's best friend. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear they were dating," was all Mason had to say of the two boys' friendship.
Coach blew his whistle, and all the boys gathered in front of him. Words were exchanged, and Scott and Stiles ran towards the goal, picking up longsticks on the way. The two juniors took up defensive positions in front of the goal, and Garrett had first crack at them. The blond boy tried to fake them out, but Scott was too quick for him. He knocked Garrett down, and Olivia couldn't help but smile. Garrett was her least favorite of Liam's friends - she thought he was a cocky asshole - and she was pleased to see him fail at something.
Stiles cheered, high-fiving Scott as Coach called out, "That's my boys!" It was an odd comment, since she was pretty sure he was supposed to be impartial. But Mason assured her that Coach was "eccentric, boarding on crazy" and it was just best to roll with it. A boy in green went up against Scott and Stiles next, and he was mowed down by a double-team smash. The two defenders jumped and knocked helmets, and Olivia snorted.
"Boys are dumb. Why do we like them?" she inquired, not really serious.
Mason nodded, a considerate look on his face. "Because they have nice abs," he said decisively. Olivia laughed at that, and he grinned at her.
Back on the field, Stiles and Scott took down a boy in blue, Coach cheering them on. The two boys celebrated by bumping chests, with Stiles falling down immediately afterwards. So obviously Stiles was not the physically-gifted member of their friendship.
Finally Liam was at the front of the line, and Olivia knew from her brother's stance that he was taking this seriously. This was the kind of situation their stepfather had been afraid of, and suddenly she was glad that she was there. There was a high chance that Liam was going to explode, and she would be the only shield between everyone else and the blast. Crossing her fingers, she looked at Mason, to see if he had noticed Liam's posture. He looked at her with wide eyes, signaling that he had.
Liam swung his crosse in the air, like the drama king he was, and rushed towards the goal. He dodged Stiles, who once again fell to the ground, with an impressive jumping side-step. He turned and ducked under Scott's incoming crosse, transferring his own behind his back. He spun and threw, and Olivia and Mason cheered as the ball went into the net. As he ran towards the end of the line, a brunette girl at the bottom of the bleachers stood up and yelled, "That was luck!" Coach turned to look at her, eyes only a little wider to convey his surprise.
"Do-over!" the girl called, cupping her hands around her mouth.
"Sweetheart, there's no do-overs. This is a practice," Coach informed her, chuckling a bit. But the girl wouldn't back down.
"Ten bucks on Scott and Stiles," she declared, and Coach grinned.
"I'll take that action," he said, pointing at her before turning back to the field. "Hey! Get back in there, Liam!" he yelled.
Olivia sighed. Just when she thought she could stop worrying. "Who the hell does that girl think she is?" she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Malia Tate. She's Stiles' girlfriend," Mason informed her, not looking away from the action on the grass.
"Of course she is," Olivia grumbled.
Liam stepped to the front of the line again, and Stiles and Scott returned to their defending positions. The crowd on the bleachers seemed to hold their breath, waiting to see what would happen. Lunging forward, Liam once again dodged Stiles, who had jumped in the air before falling into a somersault. But immediately after, Scott went for his lower body, and Liam flew over the junior's back like a sack of potatoes. The freshman crashed to the ground, an audible crack sounding through the air. A stunned silence laid across the pitch as the older boys pulled off their masks.
Olivia was off like a shot, racing towards her brother's prone body. She followed Coach as he raced towards Liam and yelled, "Don't move! Don't touch him!"
"I'm okay, Coach. I'm alright," Liam tried to assure the older man as he got to his feet. But he let out a cry and fell back into the clutches of Scott and Stiles.
"I think it's my leg," Liam whispered, but his voice was overpowered by Stiles' declaration that they should get him to the nurse.
Olivia followed them as the three boys left the field, completely ignoring the commotion happening behind her. The trio headed towards the school, specifically the boys' locker room. Normally, the thought of entering such a place was enough to make her gag, but she had tunnel vision right now.
Upon entering the locker room, Liam was hastily deposited on a bench before Stiles ran out to look for the nurse. Scott hovered a few feet from where Liam sat in pain, and Olivia approached the much taller boy.
"What the hell," she spat as she poked him in the chest, "did you do to him?"
Scott looked down at her with confusion on his face. "Um...who are you?"
"I'm his sister, and I want to know what the hell you did to my brother!" There wasn't much that could set Olivia off, especially since she considered herself to be a fairly chill person. But anyone that messed with her twin was going to get an earful from her.
"I...I didn't mean to!" Scott stuttered, possibly in an attempt to defend himself, based on the fact that he held his hands up in surrender. But Olivia was having none of that, even if his crooked jaw and puppy eyes were ridiculously endearing.
"I don't care if you 'didn't mean to'," she stated, glaring daggers, "What if you broke his leg? He loves lacrosse! If he can't play this season, he'll be devastated!"
Any response on Scott's part was stopped as Stiles came back in, followed by the nurse. She made quick work of examining Liam, promptly informing the gathered teens that he had sprained or broken his leg, but either way he needed to get to the hospital. She then bustled out of the room, leaving a murderous Olivia with two idiots and her injured brother.
"One of you two better be able to drive, because you're not getting out of this," she growled.
"My Jeep's out front," Stiles said. Olivia said nothing, and Stiles took that to mean that his car would do.
Scott begged off for a moment, so he could go inform his girlfriend about their departure. Olivia didn't see why it mattered, but she let him go after he promised it would take no longer than 5 minutes. She impatiently tapped her foot while Scott was in the hallway, causing Stiles to shoot a glare at her. But she glared right back, so the older boy backed off.
Eventually Scott came back in to the locker room, only to head right back out. This irritated Olivia to no end, but there wasn't much she could do about it. He probably had about 20 or 30 pounds on her, and a heck of a lot more muscle, so she couldn't see herself being able to drag him back. He wasn't even gone another minute, and when he came back, he had a huge grin on his face. Stiles bounded over to him with the energy of a jack-rabbit, and they enthusiastically bro-hugged.
Olivia didn't have to say anything to break them apart, as Liam chose that moment to moan in pain once more. Scott and Stiles finally snapped to it, picking Liam up so they could head to the parking lot. Olivia was in charge of opening all doors in the way, and she let out a heavy sigh of relief when she finally spotted a blue Jeep outside. The three of them hurriedly loaded Liam into the car, and Olivia sat next to him in the backseat, holding his hand the whole time. Her brother looked at her appreciatively, and she gave him a small smile in return.
The car ride was quiet, the low sounds of some pop song flowing out of the speakers being the only sound besides Liam's moans of pain. Every time Scott opened his mouth or looked towards the backseat, Stiles subtly shook his head and the other boy returned to a neutral sitting position, eyes on the road. It was a great benevolence when they finally pulled up in front of Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital and the twins could finally unload themselves from the death-trap on wheels. The juniors hustled Liam inside and Olivia followed close behind, making sure that they didn't injure her brother more.
A nurse in blue scrubs - Scott called her "Mom" - helped them lift Liam into a wheelchair. Then she grabbed hold of the chair's handles and told the other three teens to sit in the waiting room while she took Liam to be examined. But Stiles told Scott that he had to go help Malia study, and left without saying a word to Olivia. She was fine with that, although she was miffed that he got out of his wrongdoing so easily. Granted, he hadn't actually been the one to hurt Liam, but she still felt like he was just as guilty.
The boys had a muttered exchange before Stiles left, and Olivia didn't pay them any attention. She was too busy texting Mason to let him know what was going on. She would have texted her mother, but she knew that her stepfather was on duty and would let her know what was up. As Stiles finally left, Olivia looked over at Scott, who was leaning against the front desk with a dejected look on his face. She almost felt sorry for this near-adult, who probably felt threatened by her brother's skill and was worried about being ousted from his position as team captain. But none of that mattered. He had still injured her brother, probably benching Liam for the whole season. And she was not going to let him get away with that.
Olivia sat in the waiting room for what felt like eternity, texting with her friends from Devenford and with Mason. Eventually she noticed that Scott had wandered off, but she didn't really care at this point. She was worried about Liam, but Scott's mom had come and told her that their stepdad was doing his examination, so she wasn't as worried as before. When Dr. Geyer came out into the waiting room about two hours after Liam had been taken away, he looked surprised to see her.
"Olivia, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"I came in with Liam. I was at tryouts, just like you asked me to be. Didn't he tell you?"
"He did." The man paused, wrinkling his eyebrows as he frowned, "But I thought you two had left."
"What are you talking about? Liam hasn't come out. Nurse McCall told me that you were waiting on an x-ray," Olivia informed him.
"We were, but Liam wasn't in his room when I went to get him. I assumed you two had decided to head home."
Olivia groaned. What had her idiot brother done now? She knew he didn't like hospitals, but for him to leave before he could get treated for a serious issue? That was a new low, even for him.
"Are you sure you haven't seen him?" her stepfather asked. She shook her head in response.
"Don't worry, Doc, I'll go find him. I'll use my twin powers and everything." She tried to reassure him, and herself, by grinning. But deep down, Olivia was a bit worried. Liam couldn't have gotten that far, right? But why would he leave? What if he had hurt himself even more?
She said goodbye to her stepfather as she exited the hospital. Today was not at all turning out like she expected. Once again, Liam was causing problems. And once again, she was going to have to fix his mistakes. Ah, the joys of being a twin.
