5 years earlier...
"Come on Derek, we're going to be late if you don't hurry up"
"Would you be quiet all ready? I'm done"
"Then let's go. I don't want to miss anything"
Derek Hale was an outcast in his own right. 17 years old, senior in high school and a loner. People talked about him, about his family, and didn't even bother trying to meet them.
Until one day during his sophomore year, Salem Constantine moved into Beacon Hills. The daughter of Sgt William Constantine in the Marines. She was sent to live with her grandmother during his time away.
At first glance, all you saw was a beautiful girl. Black hair, fair skin, and piercing blue eyes. Salem had an innocent air to her but if you looked closer, in her eyes you could see mischief and mystery. And that's exactly what Derek saw.
They formed a close bond and became inseparable, although he never understood why she wanted to be around him.
Tonight, they were going to the dance...sort of. People made it very clear that they weren't supposed to be there so they made an alternative choice. Salem had the idea to rig a boobytrap that made the fire alarm go off making the sprinklers in the gym turn on it. Derek added to it by blocking the emergency exits and put jumper cables connected to batteries on all the doors, so that if they tried to open them, they'd get shocked. Once the clock in the gym read 9:30, Salem and watched from a tree as the chaos began.
Soon the air was filled with screams of shock and distress. Girls ran out of the school looking utterly horrifying. Dresses ruined, hair soaking wet, mascara running down their faces. It was priceless.
When they had enough, Derek hopped down from their vantage point and looked to see if anyone was around.
"No one's here. Come down"
First came Salem's bag, followed by her landing in Derek's arms.
"I'm fully capable of getting down on my own, y'know"
"Says the girl in a dress. Let's get you home"
He had parked his car on a abandoned road. They climbed in and drove off. The whole ride home they talked and laughed about the prank.
Derek pulled up to her house. A big two story old Victorian era home.
"Can I come in? I don't feel like driving home"
"Sure. Meet you by the window, okay?"
She got out the car and ran into the house. Her grandmother always went to sleep early and knew Salem was out late.
—
"Can I talk to you?"
"Yeah. What's up?"
"We can't be friends anymore"
"The hell do you mean "we can't be friends anymore"?"
"Exactly that. We don't speak to one another. Act like the other doesn't exist"
There was deafening silence as the words sunk in.
"Why?"
"What?"
"Why? Did I do something?"
"No"
"Then what is it?"
"I just don't think we should be friends"
"So there's no legitimate reason you can give me?"
He didn't answer.
"Fine. If that's what you want..."
Salem couldn't finish. She just looked at him before getting up to walk away. He couldn't see the tears falling from her eyes as she left.
A few months later, Salem completely avoided Derek.
The betrayal she felt only got worse when she saw him hanging around with Kate Argent.
One day they passed each other in the hallway. Salem alone. Derek with Kate and her friends. Derek locked eyes with her and was shocked.
The Salem he knew was no longer there. The eyes that once radiated happiness and joy was now filled with hatred, resentment, and rejection. Her normal sparkling sapphire blue eyes were now coal black.
The glare she gave him made his heart stop. What had he done?
More time passed.
Salem's grandmother died from a stroke.
They graduated from high school.
Most Derek's family died in the fire at their house. His Uncle Peter in a coma at the hospital.
Salem disappeared right after school finished.
Derek and his older sister Laura left Beacon Hills.