Shout out: Thank you to wolfgirl442 who was the first person to comment and tell me whether or not this story was okay!
Note: This is sort of a filler chapter before the big police station showdown, but still important.
-Reminder if you want me to write about something specific even if it isn't with my main character feel free to ask.
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"Clear your schedule. This could take a while." Lydia told Allison and I opening up several shopping bags.
"How many outfits do you plan on wearing tonight?" Ally asked Lydia as she began pulling dress after dress out of the bags.
"It's my birthday party. I'm thinking host dress, evening dress, then, mm, after - hours casual." She said tilting her head to contemplate one of them.
"I noticed that you didn't send out any invites."
Lydia's jaw visibly clenched "It's the biggest party of the year, Allison. Everyone knows."
"I was wondering if maybe this year things, you know, might be different."
"Why would anything be different?"
"Just 'cause things have been off lately. Things and people. Like Jackson." Real smooth Ally real smooth I snorted
"What do you care about Jackson?"
"Do you know if he's coming tonight?" "Everyone's coming. This one's American rag." Oh gosh, that's ugly "Mm, I love it. For me, not you. This one's material girl. It's for you."
Allison's mom stepped in asking to see her and she declined. I could tell something was wrong but she was hard to read so I let it go. Plus her mom sort of terrified me.
I finally decided to speak up "So uh….why am I here? I hadn't realized I was so inner circle that I would be in on a strategy meeting of Lydia Martins."
She gave an airy laugh "Well you are one of the only people who doesn't purposely ignore me these days, that makes you potential bestie material," said as an obvious barb towards Ally who visibly flinched. "Now what about this for you?" she asked holding up a floral print white dress
"No offense Lyd's but none of those are my style. I have one at home you will approve of" I didn't want to make her mad but I hated most of the dresses she had held up.
Lydia narrowed her eyes at me "No black, no maxi's, heels, and for goodness sake put on visible makeup!" she demanded. I rolled my eyes and saluted plopping on Ally's bed while they talked back and forth about tonight. Finally, Lydia scooped up her stuff, told us goodbye and that we had better not be late or we'd face her wrath.
Once she left I turned to Ally "For a human she sure is terrifying," I told her and we both burst into giggles.
"Do you want to get ready together again? It was so great doing that last time, I finally feel like I am getting to know you and that we are becoming great friends."
I had to smile "I feel the same way." I clapped "Alright I have to go home to grab the dress, do you want me to come back here and we can go together?"
"Actually would you mind if we just got ready at your house? I am trying to avoid my parents a little." I told her it was no problem and we decided to take my car since I don't drink.
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"Hey Ally, can I tell you something?" I asked her nervously as we got dressed on different sides of my room divider. "It's about last night"
"Sure but if you're going to tell me you made out with Scott then just know I threatened Lydia with my bow when she did,"
"She did what?" I gasped
She laughed "I'll tell you about it after you tell me about last night," So I did. I told her how I actually had a pretty great time with Matt despite having to distract him all night, and how I thought things were good between us until I saw the photos on his camera.
At this point, we were both dressed and we had moved to my bed to chat. She looked appalled at what I was telling her. "I know I shouldn't be scared, I am kickass, supernatural and all of that….but it makes me so nervous that I didn't know that this kid has been following me. How could I not know?"
"Well, you thought he was your friend. Did you talk to him or just leave?"
"We skirted around the subject, but maybe I should confront him. I have no idea," I told her running my hands through my hair in frustration.
"Just don't go anywhere with him alone, and worst case scenario I tell my dad and he goes and threatens him with some of our many weapons," We both laughed at that and the mood was instantly lighter. "Oh if we don't head out now she is going to murder us!" We both hightailed it to the car and headed to Lydia's.
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"For Lydia," Allison said sighing and we clasped hands like we were marching to our doom. Some kids ran past us yelling and we both jumped and laughed at our nervousness. As we walked to the door I saw Stiles frantically trying to get a huge box through the door.
"Happy Birthday! Yeah! Coming in. Oh, whoa. Can't. Okay. You know you don't - can you just grab that side, maybe?" Lydia decided to ignore him and stressed drinking the punch. I was a little jealous that he was so obviously wanting her attention but I wanted to help too so I pushed the box a little causing him to almost fall through the doorway. "Haha, thanks….Arielle" He looked at me a little nervously but I just smiled and headed out to the backyard where everyone was supposed to be.
The music was pretty loud so I didn't really hear what Scott and Stiles were talking about but I caught one part "I figured out it has something to do with water. You know, the fact that all the victims were on the swim team, the way the Kanima reacted around the pool." Smart Stiles, I thought approvingly. Ally and I walked over to the boys so she could hear what was happening too.
"So whoever's controlling the Kanima really hates the swim team?" Scott asked
"Hated the swim team. Specifically, the 2006 swim team. So it could be another teacher. Maybe like a student back then. I mean, who are we missing though? What haven't we thought of?"
Allison broke into the conversation "Uh, Jackson's not here."
Stiles looked a little grumpy "Yeah, no one's here." Scott suggested it was early "Or maybe nobody's coming because Lydia's turned into the town whack job."
"Well, we have to do something, because we've completely ignored her for the past three weeks." Ally said clearly feeling guilty, most likely for what Lydia has said earlier.
I felt a pang in my chest when Scott mentioned: "She's completely ignored Stiles the past ten years."
"I prefer to think of it as me not having been on her radar yet." Stiles said then whipped his head towards me "Not that I am necessarily still wanting to be on her radar in that way" I just nodded, honestly he doesn't owe me anything I was having sex with the person he hates most just a week ago. If anyone should be feeling guilt it's me.
"We don't owe her a party," Scott said like he was annoyed with the conversation.
Ally asked "What about the chance to get back to normal? She wouldn't be the town whackjob if it wasn't for us." She pleaded
"I guess I could use my co-captain status to get the lacrosse team here." Scott sighed
"Yeah, I also know some people who can get this thing going. Like, really going." Stiles said mysteriously enough that Allison had to ask who? "I met them the other night. Let's just say they know how to party."
"Well I don't know anyone else but Ma-" I choked on the word "I don't really know anyone else so I am taking Allison and we are going to go dance," She looked at me appreciatively that I was getting her out of this awkward situation. I just worked on enjoying myself as much as I could and ignored the conversation the guys were having. "Jackson's here," I told her when I finally spotted him.
"So is Matt," she whispered and moved me so I could see, and I ducked a little when he saw me. Lydia came over to us again and refilled Allison's punch and when I tried to decline she ignored me and gave me one anyway. I raised it to my lips and tried to pretend to drink but she moved it up so I had to drink or spill it all over myself. This better not have alcohol in it.
When Matt head my way I squeezed Ally's hand and walked into the house motioning for Matt to follow me. We went to a quiet room "You have two minutes," I told him and shook my head when he started to close the doors.
"Just one so I can hear you better," he said raising his hands in surrender. "Okay. Uh, right. So I know I took some pictures of you that I should've told you about. But is it really that bad that - that I think you're beautiful - and I think you should be the subject of a perfect photograph?"
"Um, Matt, some of those pictures I - I don't even know how you took them," I told him already frustrated.
"Telephoto lens. I mean, come on, Arielle. Photographers call them candid's."
"Well, police officers call it stalking." I immediately regretted it. I don't want to make him angry, and he was one of the first friends I made. He made it really clear he didn't want to be just friends right from the beginning.
"Stalking. So I'm - I'm a stalker now. That's - is that it? You - you think my bedroom is wallpapered with your photos. You think I'm the kind of guy that's gonna say something like, "well, if I can't have her, no one can." Well, you know what? Get over yourself, because there's another pretty girl walking through the room every five minutes." He looked like he instantly regretted what he had said too, but now I was angry.
"Well, then, all you have to do is wait another three. Good luck." I went to stomp off but he grabbed me
"Arielle, wait." At the same moment I stumbled and he reached out with his other arm to steady me. I instantly flipped him onto the ground.
"What is the matter with you?" He asked a little angrily.
"I told you I would break your nose if you ever grabbed me again, feel lucky I didn't resort to that." I told him and started to walk away then decided to turn back and look at him "I'm sorry, a little, okay not really. I still want to be friends though, just friends. No more creepy photographs without my permission." I felt better about that and walked away quickly, not waiting for his reply.
I stepped onto the patio and felt slightly dizzy. I looked up and everyone at the party was freaking out in some way. I saw Scott trying to get to Stiles who sat on the ground with tears in his eyes. I rushed as fast as I could to them while being dizzy. When I got there a girl behind the boys took Stiles and dunked him underwater for a second and then pulled him out asking how he felt.
"Like I might have to revisit my policy on hitting a girl." He said abruptly and I felt relieved, normal Stiles.
"He's sober." The girl told us. I reached out a hand and told her thank you.
Allison came running up to me ignoring the guys "Arielle! I just got a text saying there's an emergency, can I-"
"Of course!" I said before she could ask and tossed her the keys. She went running and I quickly lost sight of her. I hope she was okay to drive because with how my vision was blurring I definitely was not up to the task. We all split up looking for Lydia when I saw people getting thrown into the pool.
"Hey no, no!" I heard someone say as they were dragged towards the pool. I recognized Matt and I fought to get through the crowd "stop, guys! I can't swim!"
"Matt!" I called out "Guys let him go! Stop!"
They didn't listen as he cried out "I can't swim! I can't - I can't" I had almost reached him when one of the stupid boys from the lacrosse team grabbed me around the waist and held me back. Then Matt was in the pool.
"Matt!" I yelled out watching him struggle and I smashed my heel into the guy's toes and threw myself at the edge of the pool to grab him when an arm beat me to it and dragged him up out. I scrambled upright when he shouted at everyone. I threw myself at him hugging him and then stepped back holding his face to look at him 'Are you okay? I am so sorry I didn't get there in time," I had felt his fear and I hadn't wanted him to feel that.
His eyes softened when he looked at me but when he looked up over my shoulder his whole body tensed and glared murderously at someone behind me. He gently reached up and unclasped my hand from his face, and then walked away quickly I went to follow him when sirens broke out and I lost track of him.
Stiles found me then and pulled me close and kissed my forehead, he must have noticed my shaking. Scott and I need to go, will you be okay" I was a little confused but nodded "I promise that I'll be back as soon as I can I just need to go talk to my dad real quick."