Note: It's late and I can't grammar-proof right now but hey I did it, I didn't forget SO YEY

shitty plot that doesn't even make sense oh yay

(PS: Before you lovely people shoot me dead, just remember this is purely for fun and I am well aware that all the good, making-some-sense, well-structured fanfiction out there, is somewhere far from this... draft. This, again, is just for fun, and many canon events or facts have been omitted.)

Chapter Two

I'm Not Calling You A Liar

The lava of the volcano shot up hot from under the sea;

one thing leads to another and you made an island of me

When I wake up, the sun has almost set. The room is quite dark, but I can see the stars from where I am. I sit up and try to shake off the dizziness. I head to one of the two doors, choosing the one that leads to the bathroom (the other one's a sort of small wardrobe). Inside the bathroom, the light is bright and there's a huge mirror above the sink. On each side of the mirror there are three small shelves. Aside the bottom one on my left with some toothpaste inside a glass, there's nothing else there. Thankfully, there are clean towels hanging on the wall, and the bath – oh yes, it's a bath and not a shower – is tempting. I take off my clothes and smell them, gladly confirming they're still clean. Without closing the door, I jump in.

It takes me about thirty five minutes (oh that hot water… oh) and after I'm done getting fully dressed, I feel a little bit better. Just a little. I can't dry my hair, so I put them into a rushed ponytail. Finally, not having anything better to do, I head outside the door.

The chilling atmosphere has now turned into an absolute cold hell that makes me want to get back inside… but for some reason I don't. I check my cell phone

thud

and I see three text messages from an unknown number.

thud

When I open the first one, it reads:

Save this number. Had to dump previous cell. Call me as soon as possible.

The second one:

Oh. Forget it. Found a way to fix it. We're cool.

And the last one:

…that means you don't need to call me. The bus will be here in a few. :)

I take mental notes that I need to stop freaking out every time I receive a text. It's normal and I'm striving for normal, even if that freaks me out more than anything. You're not normal, they had been trying to convince my whole life and You're not… abnormal, I had been trying to convince Melanie. If this wasn't nerve wrecking enough, my personal demons sure helped.

I smile it off and distract myself with more shivering from the cold weather. I walk to unknown directions and I let the night sky clear my head. People walk beside, behind, opposite or next to me and I'm not letting my guard down but I can't feel any threats just yet. Even though I see fear in the eyes of everyone, like something has recently happened, I feel better than I ever did back in the city. I almost feel in control and since I'm trying to think Melanie's coming safe and sound here… things are looking up.

Ah. But the old lady recognized me. I was hopping we could start anew here and, not that I mind the reputation of my family, but family means roots and I don't want roots when I feel the need to fly every now and then. Big bad wolves are behind me, claws out, ready to attack and I can't stay on the ground.

I need a shirt with a big "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS WEREWOLVES" to remind me that bad, dressed in black guys can't keep me down. I am strong now.

When I come near the beginning of the woods, I don't think twice and take the turn. It's dark and probably dangerous but one of the few things that have remained same here, or at least one of the things I still hope haven't changed, is the Hale's house. I didn't even know them to be honest, but my mother kept reminding me that "they're good people" and I "shouldn't listen to the chit-chat" that was going around at that time. I can only remember a beautiful girl with long, raven hair. I had spent at least two of my birthdays wishing I could get her hair (didn't work), and the only time she talked to me was when our mother's met at a store, started chatting… and instead of replying to the girl's cheerful, "Hey!", I made a complete fool of myself, hiding behind my mum like a baby.

All in all, this is the only memory I can remember without trouble and I find it irritating that it's not of my family but rather of just my mum and some strangers.

thudthudthud

I come to a halt and breathe in. My heart's racing and dammit I hate thinking about the past so much.

I get over it as soon as I see the glade, the burnt smell that's wandering in the air even though it doesn't physically makes sense and then the house. Such a beautiful house, even though it's almost destroyed to the ground and the theme colour is… well, black. It's a shame that no one, seemingly, came back to restore it.

I bring myself closer to it and slowly realize that there's really no one there. There are only a couple car tracks on the dirt but the scenery almost gives off a cold vibe. The house itself gets defensive and tells you to get the hell out of there. Which, frankly, I don't plan on doing, since I have nowhere else I want to go tonight. Not unless Melanie gets here first.

I shake off the feeling that the broken windows are watching me like I'm prey. I get myself in front of the door. I'm close to knocking it, but it's stupid, right? The place is abandoned.

I walk inside and the first thing I notice is the staircase, or at least what it has remained of a staircase. The second floor seems devastated. The inside is in the same, bad shape as the outside. It looks like the fire happened really recently, not years ago, but I don't understand why I can feel life in there. It's basically a cemetery of another family. That's when I become aware of myself and try not to touch anything. Cemetery. Not as creepy as it's chancel. I don't even have the right to be here. The air is full of unsaid threats I'm supposed to listen to.

My phone rings and I jump only high enough that I'm the only one who'd notice if anyone else was around. I don't check the caller ID, ignore my heartbeats and answer.

"You settled in?" she asks without greeting me. I hear people chatting next to her. She's on the bus.

"Yeah, yeah," I reply. "I'm outside, right now."

"Oh? Where?"

"Do you remember the Hale's?"

"Uh," she takes a moment. Then takes another one. She finally gives up. "No. Why?"

I chuckle. "Nevermind."

"So everything's like you thought it'd be?"

"Mmm."

Melanie breathes. "Mmm?"

Should I tell her, or should I let her find out on her own while we're being chased out of Beacon Hills?

"Uh," I struggle. "It's just an idea, but maybe we should change our names to your surname. Get back to Clemens, y' know?" I try to act as normal as possible but I feel her squeezing her eyes on the other line. She doesn't bite normal.

"Why?"

"Oh, nothing. Just to have diversity."

"Two surnames isn't diversity. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I just told you everything's fine."

"You said 'mmm'," she reminds me, "which never counts as an answer when I use it. I'm on my way there so I'll find out sooner or later anyway, you know."

Because that's just so much better, right?

"Today," I start. "The lady that's got the rooms we'll be staying at. You know, the rental rooms. She recognized my last name."

"No biggie. I thought your parents were friendly with everyone," she sounds like she's chewing on something. She's a lot more relaxed than, say, an hour ago.

"Yeah, that's what I thought until I saw her having a silent panic attack," I sigh. I pace back and forth. "I don't know, Mel, maybe it wasn't like I thought, maybe they had enemies, maybe they'll recognize us here. I… I don't know," I repeat. "I don't want my stupid name to mess things up. I don't want them to find us. That's all."

"Hey, hey, hey," she rushes. "You're the big girl here, right? Don't do this now. You said everything will change. It's changing already. Yes? Don't do this now. We're fine."

As I recompose myself, I'm about to tell her that she's right, that it's just how my mind works and soon enough, I'll stop finding threatening patterns everywhere. But a noise comes from… somewhere and I drop the phone from my ear and turn around.

thud

Melanie's talking and I can only hear her mumbling because the phone's on my hand and my hand's near my hips.

thud

I find myself frozen and my beating heart is dancing again with fear. My eyes scan the burnt walls around me but I can't see anything, even though I feel the presence.

Presence. thud

The noise comes from behind one more time and the next thing I know, I've turned around and my hands are in the air, along with a few wooden boards that were previously scattered around me. I haven't put much thought into it but I'm pretty sure my power has kicked in and I don't care who sees me as long as I'm safe.

But there's no one there to see me.

I'm simply staring at an empty space with the semi-opened door of the house a few paces away from me. The moons is brightly shining on the dirt outside and everything's okay. No one's there.

I haven't crushed my phone in my palm even though I'm holding it too tight. I put it back to my ear hesitantly.

"—wrong?", Melanie's asking. "Hey, Od, you hear me?"

"Yes," I breathe and the boards fall down immediately, no longer needed in my command. "Yes, I'm here. I just thought I…", I relax my position, "heard something. It was the air." It was nothing.

"Where are you, man?" she asks.

"Uh, nowhere. I probably should go find something for us to eat. You must be starving. Call me when you get here and I'll come pick you up." I don't tell her that the bus station is literally next to the place we're staying. Or that I have no money to get us anything. Or that I just heard she's not hungry but I'm totally ignoring her. "Be careful, yes?"

She fumbles a yes, a bit annoyed I'm playing big sister, but says nothing about it because she knows I wouldn't have it any other way. She tells me to be careful too and then hangs up.

I look around. "You're fine," I mutter to myself.