song that inspired the chapter: Raised By The Wolves - Falling In Reverse

"I'm insane, I am smart,
All it takes, is a spark, to ignite my bad intentions,
And do what I do best to your heart,
Don't be fooled I was raised by the wolves,
Now the moon hangs in full, so you know I won't play by the rules"

"Now look what you made me do," he snarled as he punched her again. His defenseless girlfriend was curled in a fetal position as Anna observed from the stairs. The woman's nose was bloodied, droplets dripping onto the floorboards bellow. That's why he had bought this house, wipe clean surfaces perfect for washing away the evidence.

Anna could see it, plastered so obviously on her raging face. You bastard, those hazel eyes screamed, you bastard! But she took the pain nonetheless with a spiteful little smile that said, try me. As he beat her, smacked her around the room like a ragdoll, Anna heard Georgina crying in her room. Briefly she thought about comforting the tiny second grader but she was too much of a coward to try. What would she say? How could she explain to a six-year-old that her daddy beat her mommy because he didn't love her enough to care anymore? Anna thought about shouting for Kyle, a veteran of David's abusive, drunken behavior but decided better of it. He would probably be laying on his bed, trying to make his eardrums explode and turning a blind eye because his mother had told him to. Even as Anna observed the horror, she caught her mother's eye. The resilient woman – with a major in bioengineering – raised a trembling finger to her lip and blew a 'shh' from ragging lungs.
So instead Anna just sat and watched, unsure of what to do and understandably unaware that just down the street something similar was happened to a boy named Isaac Lahey.

This was three years ago and he's gone now. Georgina missed her father but Anna didn't miss the abuse shown to her mother by her step-father. Georgina was only a half-sibling, bonded by her mother to Anna and Kyle but nonetheless the three children loved each other like they were all holey related. It was the morning since the discovery of a body in the preserve that bordered Beacon Hills and everyone apart from the confused Georgina was tense.
Anna came clattering down the steps in her Goth gear. Dropping various books as her clunky doc martins stomped over the wooden floorboards. It was the first day back at school for the trio and everyone was unprepared, rushing and tripping over things. Mrs. Chambers only rolled her eyes at the panicked teens and continued to butter the toast and replenishing the orange juice supply. The more organized nine-year-old continued to draw a bent flower with detailed petals and coloring that only went slightly outside the lines. Anna donned her hoodie covered in schools and hissing black cats with huge white eyes like saucers. Her own ebony cat, with beckoning blue eyes stared up at her.
"What?" Anna questioned a little forcefully. She hated the way that cat looked at her sometimes.
"Meow," the cat – Tybalt – replied. Anna didn't see the point in having a cat but her mom was a Wiccan and liked to have one around. As long as Tybalt made her mom happy, then Anna would at least attempt to tolerate him.
"Go away," Anna said and gave him a nudge with her foot. The feline hissed before slinking off with a low growl. "Hey, Kyle, I need a ride." Her brother was now a senior this year and loved taunting her about it. Anna kept trying to convince herself junior year would be different but it felt as if nothing had changed and that nothing would. Senior year was Kyle's final year before college and Anna was pretty sure he still had no idea what to do. Kyle was trying to avoid his future for as long as possible but at this rate he was on a collision course of disaster.
"Whatever," Kyle said shoving toast into the back of his throat to which he gained a sharp 'Hey!' from Georgina who scowled at him. He only ruffled her hair, much to the blond's disgust. Georgina was like an exact replica of her mother, all dirty blond hair and large brown eyes. Anna phone began to ring as she regarded her family fondly. She looked at her caller ID and Carly's name propped up with a cheerful picture of the brunette.
"Hey girl!" Carly hollered into the receiver. The sound of her best friends voice made a smile play on Anna's lips.
"Hey, C-lee," Anna replied, using the bad nickname that made Carly roll her eyes on a regular basis. "Can you believe we're juniors?"
"I know, right?" Carly sighed into the phone. She didn't seem all too enthusiastic about being forced back into the social cliché that was high school. "It feels like nothing's changed."
Here was her best friend confirming her suspicions. It wasn't Carly's fault, she had no way of knowing that Anna wanted something different, something more this year but at least she had Carly and Erica and wasn't hanging out with the Emo posers. "I hope Erica's okay," Anna continued, "I have spoken to her at all for a few weeks now."
"She just had a bad seizure, again," Carly soothed her at Anna's seemingly panicked tones, "Her mom told my dad. She's on some new medication and hasn't been herself recently."
That helped Anna's frantic mind slightly. She was happy that Erica was finally getting some proper treatment and wasn't just being dumped on the waiting list. "Okay," she finally said, "So is she going to be back at school today or-?"
"I don't know," Carly said sadly, "We'll just have to see."

Bundled in Kyle's car, Anna prepared herself. Mainly because she was prone to throwing fits of laughter whenever she was in the ramshackled Ford Tempo Coupe. Kyle was always doing something to make her giggle even though it wasn't purposeful. Maybe he should become a comedian when he finally leaves school.
Today his music choice for the first day back was a mix of Jessie J and The Black Eyed Pea. He sang loudly and off-key oblivious to the spazing sister. "…Everybody look to your left" – he sang, quite dangerously turning his head left – "Everybody look to your right!" – head turned in the opposite direction – "Can you feel that?"
"Yeah!" Anna song-shouted.
"We're paying with love tonight! It's not about the money, money, money. We don't need your money, money, money. We just wanna make the world dance! Forget about the Price Tag!"

Soon the school came into view and Kyle stopped his cat-yowling and turned his sound system down. Beacon Hills High was a rotting building, all crumbling pillars and fractured walls. Filled with broken teenagers all with secrets to hide and each trying – somehow – to just get through each day.
Okay, so maybe that was a bit of a dramatic description of the hellhole that Anna called school but a vast majority of the time it was an accurate one. Anna took in a deep breath and observed an exchange between one of her companions and Jackson Whittemore. Jackson was no doubt trying to intimidate Scott McCall in some way as the spoilt rich kid climbed out of the Porsche his doormat parents had showered him with. Anna only rolled her eyes and continued to scan the campus, she spotted Stiles Stiliniski and Carly bickering – again – about something but Erica was nowhere to be seen. Anna hoped she was okay.
She swept her ebony hair over her shoulder to reveal the brownest shade of eyes a person could have. Anna supposed she got her hazel eyes and pale skin from her father because her mother was all glowing tan and dark features, similar to Kyle and Georgina. Anna was the odd one out with naturally mousy brown hair. Kyle tugged at the jagged mess of brown. His liked to change, packed with various different tones from dirty blonde to the deepest maroon. "You ready?" Kle chirped as he killed the engine. Anna nodded and opened her car door.

Someone collided with it. As soon as she got it half-way open, someone's bike smashed into it and it was thrown shut. The boy – Anna thought they were male at least – was knocked backwards onto the rough tarmac of the school parking lot. Horrified, Anna leaped from the car with a yelp as Kyle rushed from the driver's side.
"Are you okay, man?" Kyle asked the kid, offering a hand to help him up. He took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet by the stronger senior.
"Yeah," the boy muttered. Anna had seen him around before, he was an occasional friend of Erica's, floating in and out often. Anna knew his name but at that moment couldn't remember it. It was a biblical one, she knew that much.
"I-I'm sorry. You came out of nowhere I didn't see," Anna spluttered, trying not to look like the clumsy fool she felt like. "I mean, you're okay, right? Nothing broken or anything…"
"I'm fine," he replied, despite the fact he winced when he said it. Anna nodded slightly. "I'm Isaac by the way."
Anna was a little stunned. She hadn't felt any need to introduce herself but she felt stupid now for not. She just hit him with her brother's car for god's sake! "I'm Anna," she said, holding out her hand for him to shake. After a second's hesitation, he took it and shook back, firm hand wrapping around her fragile one and almost crushing up.
"Kyle," was all his brother did to introduce himself, that and awkward little wave that looked more like he was hailing a cab. "Hi. Bye."
Kyle locked his car and went to sprint after some senior girl Anna vaguely knew as Simone. The two of them stood there for a while before Anna asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I've been worse off," he said, grimacing slightly. He had a limp to him and walked like a kicked dog, eyes mostly downcast. Anna wanted to ask but didn't want to seem like she was prying.
"Do you wanna walk with me?" Anna was surprised she'd asked that. She wasn't one to usually make a habit out of socializing with people outside her immediate circle but she'd said she'd wanted things to be different this year.
"I can't sorry," Isaac replied, sounding genuinely apologetic. "Lacrosse try-outs. But you'll be there, right?"
"Yeah," Anna said, absently, glancing round at the faces of the people who were giving her some curious stares. Anna wasn't concerned. When you've been a Goth girl since freshman year you kind of get used to the looks. "I mean, my friends are trying out this year."
"Ah," he said, "They any good?"
Anna's tongue twisted slightly when she had to reply. She ran a distracted hand through her cosmic blue hair. "Sort of." She knew she sounded unconvincing but at least she had tried, right?
Isaac gave her a funny little smile; she didn't quite understand the meaning of it. "That's what I'm like," Anna laughed politely before allowing him to continue, "So I'll see you then?"
"Sure," Anna said as she began to stride away, her back partially turned on him, "Bye."
"Bye," he called back picking up his bike which was so clearly damaged. The chain had come loose and everything. Anna pretended not to notice the mess she'd made and kept walking until she reached the trio that had arranged themselves near the benches.

"Hey guys," she sighed to no one in particular. They all seemed wrapped up in their own worlds' except Carly who couldn't wait to talk to me.
"Did you just hit the grave-digger with Kyle's car?"
"He hit me!" Anna objectified, throwing her arms up and whining a similar way Georgina – who was nine years younger than her – would. Carly just laughed and managed to roll her eyes at the same time. It was starting to become her national expression.
"Let's see this thing then," Stiles commanded Scott, who lifted up his shirt to reveal a bandage over a large.
"Oh my God!" Anna blurted before she could stop herself. "Are you okay?"
"Don't feel too sorry for him," Carly said, pulling a face and rubbing toothpaste off her dark skin. "Can you believe these dumbasses went into the woods, in the middle of the night and tried to find the body with a killer on the loose?"
Anna whistled, "Wow." She said, "That really is dumb."
The two boys did nothing to acknowledge they'd heard the girls' conversation, only ploughed on with their own. "It was too dark to see anything really," Scott explained to the three of us. "But I'm pretty sure it was a wolf."
"A wolf," Carly scoffed, because she like Anna knew there hadn't been any wolves in this part of California for over half a century. "A wolf bit you?"
"I heard a wolf howling." Scott replied.
"Uh, No. You didn't." Stiles informed him flatly.
"What do you mean 'No I didn't' how do you know what I heard?" Scott said, swinging his backpack loosely over one shoulder in a similar way Anna did. Today she hadn't brought her torn thing and had opted for a more stylish yet less practical satchel. Carly was laddered with three separate items. Her backpack, track uniform and Art folder. Anna, Carly and Erica were all on the track team. They weren't very good or, at least, Anna's friends weren't but they had fun and occasionally made it to a championship although this was rare. Anna's track uniform was stuffed into her satchel which was making odd groaning noise under the weight and the eyes of the kitties bulge. The sooner she could get to her locker, the better.
Stiles gave a hoarse laugh, "Because, genius, there haven't been wolves in Beacon Hills for like, sixty years."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. There are no wolves in California." Stiles said, giving his friend an incredulous look. Scott, on the other hand, looked relieved.
"Well," Scott announced to the group as we climbed the steps towards school. "If you guys don't believe me about the wolf then you're not going to believe me when I tell you I found the body."
Stiles's eyes grew to the side of dinner plates. "You found the body?" the spazing teen exclaimed, "Oh my god that is so frikin' cool! You know this is going to be the best thing that happened to this town since…" as if on cue, the one and only Lydia strutted past the group with two equally as pretty girls – blonde and brunette – in toe. "…the birth of Lydia Martin. Hey Lydia, you look like…you're going to ignore me."
Carly and Anna slid again into a fit of laughter at Stiles desperate attempts to get Lydia to like him. For all four of us, knock-backs were just a part of daily life.
"Don't laugh, this is your fault!" he said, addressing the group. "All three of you, dragging me down into your nerd depths. I'm a nerd by association. You've scarlet nerded by you."
"Suuuuure…" Anna said with a smirk, "We're the reason."
Carly looped her hand through Anna's and spurred her on. "Come on," she said in unison with the ringing bell that announced first period. "We've got class."

Class wasn't totally insufferable for Anna but she was happy to be out of it. It was the usual catch up stuff, reading through the semester syllabuses and starting new work. For the most part, Anna was, at beast, bored. Carly passed notes to Anna throughout the class, moaning about the teacher. She was lucky more than once that she didn't get caught by the old bat, but Carly was so accomplished at note passing she had made it an art.
Second period flew by without complaint and Anna practically ran out of class to dump her heavy books into her locker. A few pieces of metal down from her a girl she didn't recognize was frowning at a map plan and running a shaking hand through her hair. "Can I help?" Anna asked. She had surprised herself again today. Last year she would have turned a blind eye on the new kid but today Anna was feeling generous.
"Um… do you know where room 212 is?" she asked, shoving the map into my hands. "I can't find it on here.
"Oh, that's a new room and it won't be on here," Anna explained to the new girl, "It's in the math building, second floor. Oh and if anyone tells you to go to Hallway C, don't buy it. We don't have a Hallway C."
"Thanks," the new girl said with a warm yet apprehensive smile. People did that a lot around Anna, she wasn't sure why, maybe it was because she was a bit too Goth although she didn't like to be referred to as that. This was her own style and she wore it with pride. "I'm Allison. Allison Argent."
"Hi, Allison, I'm Anna. I think we have Chemistry together," said Anna, peering at her timetable. "Yep, fifth period."
"Well, maybe you could show me later," Allison offered, waving absently, "Meet me here after lunch?"
"Sure." Anna replied and couldn't help the smile that was playing on her lips. In just a day she'd gained too friends or, at the very least, two acquaintances. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe this year was going to be different, after all.

Anna strode over to Scott and Stiles who were leaning against the opposite row of lockers, watching the exchange. Anna was fully aware that she was grinning like an idiot but she just couldn't help it.
Carly came strolling over, face mixed with exasperation and some mild disgust. "Can someone please tell me how new girl's here all o' five minutes and she's already in Lydia's clique?"
"Because she's hot," Stiles told her matter of factly, "Hot people work well together."
Whilst Stiles and Carly bickered and Scott ogled Allison, Anna checked her Facebook for about the bizillionth time. She knew there was no point; she barely went on Facebook anymore because no one ever talked to her apart from family and close friends but this time a new name had popped up in Anna's friend request box. And that name was Isaac Lahey.
Anna contemplated her phone for a while and then told herself she was behaving as badly as Lydia and just clicked accept. Once she pushed her phone into her pocket she realized everyone was staring at her.
"What?" she snapped a little too forcefully. All of their eyes seemed to narrow in slow motion.
"Well," Carly began to recite, "You've had your eyes glued to your phone for the past five minutes look all flirty and starry-eyed-"
"-You didn't respond to us when we called your name like three times," Stiles pointed out, "and now you're blushing-"
"And," Scott said, sucking in a breath as if trying to make it more dramatic, "You didn't encourage Stiles when he said we weren't going to make first line this year, which you usually do."
Anna scowled at the three of them. "Fine," she huffed, placing to newly-painted finger-nailed hands on the hips of her t-shirt advertising a band none of them had probably heard of. "Stiles you'll probably do it this year. Just…have faith in yourself."
"Riiiiiiiiiiight," Stiles replied, "Faith is what has kept Lydia Martin saying yes to my dates over the years. Faith is the exact opposite of what I need."

Anna was sat on the bleachers nearest to Stiles freezing her butt off. She was only here for her friend's sake. Despite it being September, the wind that ripped at the students made California feel more like Christmas time. Hovering in the row above Carly was the new girl, Allison Argent smiling and laughing with Queen Bitch Bee numero uno, Lydia Martin. Okay, maybe she wasn't that bad. Lydia had improved her attitude towards the underdogs of the school this year but only slightly. The Martin girl had been a complete douche in freshman year so Anna expected no better this year but had been mildly surprised.
Anna gave Allison a little wave too which Lydia looked rather stunned and Allison only gave her a shy little smile in return that Anna could tell was forced.
Stiles was, as always, on bench. Kyle was a senior and therefore didn't need to tryout and observed on the bleachers opposite Anna and Carly, the fresh-faced new talent that this junior year had to offer. But Scott was getting hounded by the coach and looked like he was going to actually be put in goal. He was really going to play.
"Well, this is going to be a disaster." Carly remarked as she played with her IPod. Obviously she thought that this try-out was going to be as bad as all the others for their two best friends. Anna, on the other hand was more optimistic and tickled her friend, which made Carly squeal and slap her.
"Go Scott!" Anna screamed from the sidelines. Scott didn't respond but she could have sworn she saw him roll his eyes under his helmet.

A whistle blew to announce the beginning of the game and Scott nearly dropped his lacrosse stick, snapping his head wildly back and forth as if he was in pain. Anna shifted uncomfortably in her seat at this and then cringed as a ball wacked him straight in the face. Scott was thrown backwards onto ground, landing flat on his back and trembling with embarrassment.
"Oh, God." Carly grimaced, placing a hand over her eyes to stop herself from seeing the disaster unfolding in front of her. Many of the boys teased and laughed at him, all except one who remained silent. It was the boy that had crashed into Kyle beat-up Tempo. Isaac Lahey. Anna observed him for a while. He didn't interact with the other boys, not once talking to them despite their numerous attempts. Eventually, he caught her eye and she gave him a friendly smile. Perhaps Isaac thought she was smirking at him because the one he returned was nervous and forced yet somehow warm. The smile didn't reach his eyes though. They stayed shadowed, downcast and secretive.

"Who's that?" Anna overheard Allison ask Lydia. She wasn't purposefully trying to snoop but she just couldn't help it, she wondered if Lydia would lie.
"I don't know," she lied – of course. It's not like they'd all grown up together, all gone to the same elementary and junior high schools. Lydia could be so…. Infuriating at times. Anna didn't know what Stiles saw in her.
"That's Scott McCall," I decided to inform her, turning slightly. "He's one of my friends. Why do you want to know?"
"He's in my English class." Allison said with a blush. So that would explain all the long looks and turning red and awkward behavior Scott had been portraying recently. He had a crush. He was in love. So sweet! Anna had been hoping to hook Scott and Carly up but that idea went out the window ten semesters ago. She couldn't help but feel an immense rush of pride at this. As a fellow loser, she knew that this was a moment to be marked in high school history.
As Anna turned her head back towards the field, Scott caught the ball. Like, actually caught the ball! Carly and Anna jolted from their seats and despite the biting coldness of the atmosphere around them, jumped up and down like two incredibly demented bunnies as Scott caught each and every ball that flew at him. "Go Scott! Go Scott! Go Scott!" Carly began chanting, it wasn't that original but Carly's area of expertize didn't rest in sporting events.

Jackson cut in front of the line, placing his stick across the player that was supposed to go next. As the two girls settled back into their seats, noticing Lydia was doing the same. In fact, both Allison and Lydia seemed mesmerized by Scott and Anna didn't miss the smug, satisfied look she sent Jackson who looked just about ready to murder him.

Carly and Anna braced themselves, holding onto each other for dear life and shutting their eyes tight against the inevitable booing that would soon erupted but they were overjoyed to hear an cataclysm of cheers from all four corners of the bleachers. Scott had caught Jackson's shot. SCOTT HAD CAUGHT JACKSON'S SHOT!

Stiles came rushing towards them and wrapped them in a suffocating embrace – each arm wrapped around the throats of the two girls. Once Stiles let go, they dashed onto the field, almost hyperventilating with excitement. Carly practically threw herself at Scott and hugged him as if there was no tomorrow. Scott could surprisingly support her weight, which he hadn't been able to do in the past. Not that Carly was fat but Scott wasn't exactly the fittest guy in the world all thought that statement had just been pretty much contradicted by his performance on the field.
"You were amazing!" Carly babbled, shaking him. "How did you do that?"
 Scott only shrugged, "Luck, I guess."