Authors Note: HEYO! XD Please tell me what you think; I would love to know XD I own nothing and no one, apart from the following: Harlequin (Harley),Sam Campbell, Charlie Jones, Zane, Chase, Gabriel, Ben, Mia, Stiles' fox = Melrakki (Rak, Rakki), Stiles' wolf = Okami (Oki, Kami), Derek's wolf = Cana, Cheryl.
JUST SO YOU KNOW: I know we are now aware of Stiles' real name, as well as his Dad's, but I'm NOT about to go through every chapter and change them XD Also, I've made up Stiles' middle name XD
You guys are all so amazing and I love you all! In a non-creepy non-psycho kind of way XD
Please review XD
P.S. I know it's been a while, but I've been having a lot of issues with family, University, my anxiety, etc. It's kind of knocked me off of my writing. Trust me when I say I'm trying to write for my fics as fast as I can.
Chapter 51 – Part 2
Stiles
The next day, Monday, September 22nd, Sam and I were back to going to University. However, it was only a half-day for some of us. The details on why was still a bit iffy, but none of us was complaining. I mean, who didn't like finishing early, or having a two-hour lunch break? It was weird being back. It always was for the first few days. Trying to get back into the routine, trying to catch up…. There was a record of why we were off – of our injuries, so it wasn't like we could be accused of skipping class or threatened with being kicked out. It wasn't like Sam and I were bad students or got poor grades. Besides, the majority of the staff were understanding.
As soon as Sam and I finished Art, walking out of the front entrance and into the parking lot, we split ways with a promise to check in with each other later. I waited until Sam started to drive away before I headed over to Derek's Camaro. Harley jumped out of the car as I got closer, smiling a little brighter than the day before and waving. The kid was still scared of being outside, even when with me or Derek, even if the whole Pack was around! The kid was clinging onto Derek's hand, leaning into the Alpha's side, as she pulled on a loose thread on her black and white, flannel print, high waist, mid-thigh skirt. I practically jogged over to the two of them, a wave of relief filling me. It was as if I had been holding my breath all day and, only now, had I let it go. Once I was a few steps away, Harley cautiously let go of Derek's hand, tentatively walking up to me. She was quick to attach herself onto me, wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face into my stomach.
"Hey there, beautiful girl." I smiled, hugging her tightly. "Am I happy to see you."
"Do you have to come back later?" I heard her muffled reply. "Can't you just come home?"
"Well, as it happens, I'm all done for the day. No more class until tomorrow."
As quickly as Harley had grabbed me, she lifted her head from me to stare up at me, eyes wide.
"Really?" she whispered.
"Really." I nodded. "Allison and Lydia are waiting for the guys, so they'll be back later; Sam's gone home to relax and have a nap. So, it's just the three of us for a little while."
Not even Derek could fight the smile.
Before I knew it, the three of us were in the car, driving to a café a few miles out of town. The café was quaint and out of the way, not too many people around. Then again, not many people knew about the place, only enough to keep the place in business. Peter had been the one to recommend the place. Apparently, Peter had found the place a few months before I came along, one night when he couldn't sleep. According to Peter, they had good coffee and even better food, especially the fries. We had been meaning to try the place out since he had told us all. We just never had the chance.
The parking lot of the café was empty, save for five other cars. Harley placed herself between Derek and me the moment we all stepped out of the Camaro, slipping her hands into ours. Though, on one hand, it could look to be a young child holding the hands of family members, Derek and I both knew, at this time, it was because she was scared. But no one else needed to know that. Keeping a tight hold of her hand, the three of us walked into the small café.
Altogether, there was around eleven customers and three workers, which included the chef. Harley chose a table to the side of the café, two couches facing into a table, next to one of the windows. She sat on the inside, next to me, whilst Derek sat opposite us, placing Harley's back in the empty space.
"What you thinking, Bud?" Derek asked as we looked over the menu. "Pretty sure I saw milkshakes on the back."
"That's the ice cream drink Auntie Sam likes, right?" she frowned, slightly.
"That's the one. Would you like one, or do you want something else?"
For a few moments, Harley was in silence, face drawn in thought as she looked over the milkshake flavours. As she thought, her legs swung a little, back and forth underneath the table, her feet a good inch or so off the ground.
"Can I have a vanilla one?" she asked, looking up at Derek with her wide eyes.
"Of course, you can!" Derek grinned. "Think I might join you there."
"Me three," I added. "Question now is: what do you want to eat?"
It wasn't long after ordering that one of the workers brought over the milkshakes. I knew Derek had ordered large drinks for the three of us, I really did. I just didn't expect them to be as big as they were. The glass must have been, about, the size of my head, give or take. All three had whipped cream on, the top smothered in chocolate sauce, as well as the inside of the glass, with a chocolate wafer roll sitting opposite the straws. I was sure Sam would have been salivating over it if she had been with us.
As we thanked the worker, Harley wiggled herself forward on the seat, until her feet touched the ground. She stared at the glass for a moment, her eyes wide. Gingerly, Harley stretched out her right hand, swiping her finger through the cream and sauce, taking a tentative lick. Derek and I watched, smiling, waiting for her verdict. The second her face lit up; we knew. Picking up the drink, Harley took a sip. It was the first time she had tried a milkshake. Honestly, the first time she had tried ice cream, considering it was so cold.
Half of it was gone in seconds.
When Harley finally came up for air, she had a delighted grin on her face. Fishing out the wafer roll, a tube about ten centimetres long, she crunched it in three bites, somehow managing to get chocolate all around her mouth.
"I like it!" she announced. "Human food is so much better than the food Fairies eat."
"Oh, yeah?" Derek grinned.
"Uh-huh. And you know what? I'm happy the others didn't want me because I got to find all you guys. You guys are better."
We didn't leave until two hours later, sweet treats bagged up to take home for everyone, as well as take away milkshakes for the three of us. It was the third milkshake the three of us had. But, hey, nobody could resist Harley's puppy eyes, not even me.
We had nine pair of eyes on us when we got back home, eight noses softly sniffing the air. Peter smiled instantly, a satisfied look on his face when he recognised the scent. Harley, either, didn't pay attention to the looks or just didn't notice, opting, instead, to skip over to the girls and plonking herself in between Erica and Lydia.
"Dessert," I told them. "For after dinner."
"Where'd you get them from?" Jackson frowned, his eyes following the bag as I walked to the kitchen.
"Café, at the edge of town. The one Peter told us about.
They only looked away at the bag to turn their eyes to Peter.
"The milkshakes are really good." Harley grinned. "I like them!"
Chuckling, I made my way into the kitchen, leaving Harley to inform the Pack. Honestly, they were all children at heart. Placing the takeout bag on the bench, I turned to the fridge to grab a bottle of water, jumping up onto the counter after I closed the door. It was nice to just sit there, listening to the soft mumble of voices coming from the other room, hearing their heartbeats. There was always something so soothing about the sound, knowing that everybody was safe and alright. Leaning back, resting my head on the cupboard behind me, I closed my eyes, letting the sound wash over me.
It took me longer than I would have liked, as I sat there, to realise there was someone actually in the room with me.
"You just gonna stare at me, Superman." I grinned.
Ever since the Pack's conversation about preferring to wake up as Batman or Superman, Derek would get all flustered whenever I called him Superman, his face growing redder and redder. I didn't have to open my eyes to know that it was happening this time, I could smell the change in his emotions. There was something so satisfying about making Derek blush, seeing him so vulnerable and soft. Don't get me wrong, he had let his walls down dramatically since I had first moved in, but I loved catching him off guard.
"Come here," I said, holding out my hand, eyes still closed.
I heard the soft thud of footsteps, until his hand was in mine, slotting himself between my legs and leaning against the counter. Twining our fingers together, I rested out hands on my left thigh, humming softly as Derek rested his forehead on my shoulder as Derek's other arm wrapped around me loosely. My senses were overwhelmed by something that was uniquely Derek, mixed with the citrus-fruity scent of his shampoo. Breathing deeply, I could feel tension, a tension I never realised I was holding, fade out of my body.
"I like this." Derek sighed, nuzzling slightly. "I like this a lot."
Honestly, so did I.
Later in the evening, when we were deciding on what to have for dinner, Peter had the idea of inviting over Sam, since Charlie was working until late. I went with Peter, Jackson, Boyd and Isaac to go get her, the guys wanting to get out of the house for a short while. We didn't, however, when knocking on her door, expect Sam to open it, standing there without a shirt. In just shorts and a bra.
"Damn, I thought you were the pizza man," she sighed, grinning. "I was hoping I'd get some free pizza."
Jackson and Boyd were the only ones trying to look anywhere but at Sam, attempting to avoid looking at her breasts. Peter, Isaac and I seemed to have a lot more control.
"Nah, only kidding, I thought Charlie was back early," Sam smirked. "So, what's up, guys?"
Awkwardly, Jackson cleared his throat, his eyes flicking from Sam's face to her chest, scratching the back of his neck. Boyd, on the other hand, kept his eyes trained on the ground. Sam didn't seem to take the hit, however.
"You may want to put on a shirt, my dear." Peter chuckled, rolling his eyes.
That was when Sam glanced down at herself.
"Oh, yeah, that'd be a good idea." she nodded.
Sam turned away, walking into the apartment, leaving the door open. The five of us took that as an invitation, congregating in the kitchen as we waited, Isaac hoisting himself onto the bench, swinging his legs a little.
That was when I saw it.
Sitting on the side, next to the microwave, was one of those microwave meals and a can of pears. Now, fine, I would concede that not all microwavable meals were bad. Hell, some of them tasted really good. Others, however, looked and smelled disgusting, never mind the taste. This particular one fell into that category.
When Sam finally came around the corner, when she saw me looking in the direction of the offending thing.
"No." was all I said. "You're not eating that."
"Which is why we're inviting you for dinner." Peter interrupted.
"We're actually going to order pizza," Isaac added.
Glancing over at the microwave, Sam sighed softly, before pushing both the meal and the can into the trash.
"I was kind of looking forward to them." she mused.
"No, you weren't, you she-devil." I glared. "Now, come on. Get your butt in the car."
That night was like any other. Fun, relaxing. The usual. It was just nice to have our little routine.
The next day, however, the stress began.
During music, we were given a project. Put together a set of, at least, four songs. Record them, mix them, with the minimum being adjusting the sound levels, and hand them in as part of our final grade for the year. And it was due the beginning of January. Yeah, I had a couple of months to work on it. But, of course, that meant a couple of months of anxiety and questioning whether or not what I was making was good enough.
Good thing, however? I wasn't in it alone. Erica and Boyd were in the same boat as me, both of them stressing over what to do, how to do and when. We didn't have the equipment at home to get a good recording and there was only one studio that was worth using, what with the acoustics and soundproofing, so no noise from outside the room was picked up. But it was booked out in a blink. The others? They were shit. Don't get me wrong, the other studios were alright if you could use them at the right time, when no one else was around and you could crackdown and get stuff done.
Yeah, if only.
Which was why, back home on Tuesday afternoon, the three of us were trying to figure out a game plan. No matter what we came up with, there was always something that wouldn't work. Something that would get in our way.
But then Wednesday rolled around.
All of us got home by two-thirty, Sam hanging at the back with Isaac, the two of them whispering so quietly the rest of us couldn't hear them. When we walked into the house, though, we weren't faced with the usual three faces. In fact, we were faced with nothing. Just an empty hallway.
"They weren't going anywhere, were they?" Allison asked as we all stood by the door, listening for just the smallest of sound.
"Don't think so…." Danny frowned. "Derek tell you anything, Sti?"
"Nope." I sighed.
My eyes darted around the entryway, looking for the smallest out of place thing. Anything that was moved just an inch, anything that was missing. But I found nothing. Nothing seemed to be wrong. So, where were they?
"They must have left a note, right?" Erica mused. "If they were going anywhere. That, or we'd be able to tell if something was wrong. Maybe they're still in the house."
"Wouldn't we hear them, if they were still here?" Jackson fired back.
"Only if the door was open."
"Which leads to the question," Boyd added. "Why would the door be closed?"
Turning to each other, we all raised an eyebrow. There was a multitude of reasons as to why the three of them would be behind closed doors. Only none of those reasons seemed to make much sense, given they knew we'd be home.
"Right," I said. "We'll split up and look for them. Three to the basement, three on this level, three upstairs and four to the top."
"Or you could all come up here." Peter's voice laughed from the top floor.
I wasn't sure we'd run up the stairs so fast before.
The moment we were up there, the only door open was to the room at the end of the hall, where we had gone for karaoke. Harley, the little imp, was peaking around the corner of the door, grinning and giggling as she waved us closer. Sam and I were the first to start forward, the others following close behind us. It took mere seconds for us to get to the door, passing over the threshold to find –
"What the hell….?" I breathed.
All around the room, there was recording equipment. From a computer set up with different software, such as Garage Band and Logic Pro X, and there were many others, from what I could see, to speakers and microphones, to microphone stands and padding around the room…. There were so many things, my eyes could barely take it all in.
"Sweet!" Sam nodded, as she walked around, inspecting everything. "This is, like, top of the range stuff."
Erica and Boyd, as they stood next to me, couldn't quite seem to find any words. To be quite honest, neither could I. I hadn't known that Derek or Peter had overheard us. I, especially, didn't know that they would go out and buy all the equipment we needed and more!
"Before you say anything," Peter said, looking towards the three of us. "We wanted to. You're family. Besides, we needed to do something with this room."
Neither he nor Derek let us say anything else, only allowing Sam and me to set everything up.
Sam and I had everything set up after, about, an hour. I had read almost every book I could on Music Technology, looked up everything I could when I lived back in Dallas. I had even spent a lot of my time in my High School's Music Department, working a lot with the small selection of equipment the school had. As soon as everything was set up, the only thing left to do was to test it out, make sure everything was definitely working.
"Alright Sammy," I grinned. "Pick a song. Any song."
I opened up Logic Pro X, whilst Sam chose, connecting the Shure SM58 microphone and placing it in the stand, attaching the pop filter and angling it just right. I made sure it was the right height for Sam, that sound was coming through, that the sound was coming through the headphones instead of the speakers, and opening a YouTube to MP3 converter. Nudging me out of the way, the minute I had opened YouTube in another tab, Sam took control, typing in a karaoke version of the song and artist. She converted the song, inserting it into the open file, before setting the four-bar count-in, putting on the headphones and pressing record. I had only just enough time to put on my own set of headphones, before the music started.
"You could never know what it's like
Your blood like winter freezes just like ice
And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you
You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
And did you think this fool could never win?
Well look at me, I'm coming back again
I got a taste of love in a simple way
And if you need to know while I'm still standing you just fade away"
The song she chose was I'm Still Standing. Though it was, obviously, a cover of an Elton John song, a song that was known to be upbeat and happy, this version had a dark undertone. It was slow, drawn out. A song that portrayed the pain it took to go through hell and come out the other side. Sam kept her eyes closed as she sang, swaying slightly.
"Don't you know? I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Once I never could hope to win
You starting down the road leaving me again
The threats you made were meant to cut me down
And if our love was just a circus you'd be a clown by now
Don't you know? I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Don't you know that I'm still standing better than I ever did?
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)."
It took Sam a moment to snap out of her trance-like state after she finished singing. We stood in the silence for a while, looking at nothing, both of us taking in the song. In a strange way, the message of the song meant both the same, yet different, things to the two of us.
It took longer than either of us would have liked to begin moving again, heading downstairs to the others.
Thursday and Friday afternoon were then spent with Boyd and Erica playing around with the equipment, experimenting with different sounds and microphones, finding which mix worked best for them. Both of them already had their setlists worked out, the two of them pairing up for two of their songs. I had already been corralled by Erica to help her out with her voice, showing her how she could autotune her voice just enough so it wasn't noticeable, and that she was happy with how it sounded.
Erica and Boyd recorded their duets first, on Thursday. The first they chose was Partners in Crime by Set It Off. One version we found was Nightcore-ed, with a picture of Harley Quinn and The Joker as the picture the lyrics were backed onto. Erica, unsurprisingly, took to pretending to be Harley Quinn as she sang, not giving a fuck even as she tried to keep the tune. The second they chose, which was surprising, was which was surprising, was You are the Music in Me, from High School Musical 2. The good version, though, sang by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. Boyd was the most enthusiastic with this song, his eyes always flicking to Erica as he sang, a small smile stuck on his face. The moment I showed Erica how to autotune her voice, I was finished with my job, the two of them focusing on mixing their voices until they had, what they thought, was the best version of the two songs.
Friday, the two of them recorded their individual tracks. Boyd started off, asking me to help him out with the vocals of both of his other songs – Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran, as well as Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts. I provided harmonies that he couldn't hit, giving him a different layer for his final mix. We, probably, recorded the songs seven times each, before he was happy. Erica, however instead of singing herself, had Sam and me sing a cover of Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum, by a group called Boyce Avenue, as well as getting me to, somehow, sing the song Your Love is My Drug by Kesha. I was still unsure just how she convinced me, but I did it for her anyhow. Besides, even though it was cringey as anything, we all had a good laugh about it. And I got to sing with my best friend, even if it was a love song….
Of course, this didn't mean either of them were done. They could decide to go back and re-record their vocals, plus they needed to record the instruments and place effects on them so they fit with the final mix.
It wasn't until Friday night, when I should have been asleep, that I finally compiled my list of songs. Made worse by the fact I couldn't sleep, my brain decided it would be a great idea to start recording right then and there. I got everything set up easily, most of it still being connected from recording Erica's songs. Making sure the door was closed and I set everything up to my liking, I began first with putting in a drum loop. Unlike Erica and Boyd, I preferred to start with some form of instrumentation, even if it was just a guitar and a drum loop from the program to begin with.
I had guitar and vocals recorded for all four of my songs, before the sun was up.
The weekend was far more relaxed. Charlie had managed to get the weekend off from work, so she and Sam were hanging with us from Saturday morning, until sometime Sunday.
It was a little after breakfast, on Saturday, after Boyd, Isaac, Danny and Scott had gone off to their respective part-time jobs and the rest of us were scattered around the house, that it came up.
Charlie, Allison, Erica and Lydia were upstairs, talking more about the wedding. Specifically, Charlie's dress. Jackson, Peter, Derek, Sam, Harley and I, on the other hand, sat in the living room. We weren't talking about anything really, just skipping from topic to topic, letting the conversation flow naturally. But we could all tell there was something Sam wanted to say. She kept fidgeting, playing with her fingers and biting her nails every now and then. It was during a natural lull that Sam's fidgeting seemed to worsen, seeming as if she was about to say something before changing her mind.
"Sam?" Peter asked, voice soft. "Is there anything you would like to share?"
We tried our best not to stare at her. We had found out the hard way that, when watched, Sam didn't respond well. She would, either, excuse herself from the room or get defensive. When she didn't feel pressured, when you didn't watch her, she seemed to feel more comfortable. I suppose, most people would feel that way. I know I did.
"Well, I, uh…. I guess, I, um…. I guess I have a little something to ask." Sam admitted.
For a moment, I wondered if that was all she was going to say. I thought she would change her mind, decide that it wasn't worth asking. But then she turned herself towards Peter, her heartbeat rising dramatically so.
"I want to ask if you'd want to do a father-daughter dance with me. At mine and Charlie's wedding." Sam whispered.
Sam wasn't looking at Peter. If she was, she would have seen his surprise, which slowly turned into a watery-eyed grin. Instead, she took the silence as a 'no'.
"Never mind," she breathed, rushing her words. "It's stupid. I mean, my real dad didn't, wouldn't, want to do it with me, so why would you?"
Well, that was depressing.
"I would love to," Peter told her, placing a hand on top of both of hers. "Not to mention, honoured."
"Just so you know, I can't dance. I'm not graceful or anything. I, just, kind of…. I dunno, stand there and jump, or whatever." Sam told him.
"I can teach you."
Before Sam could say anything, Peter began playing a slow, instrumental song on his phone, placing it on the coffee table. It was then that the girls joined us from upstairs. The moment Sam took Peter's hand, she was stumbling and stepping on him, missing counts and being generally uncoordinated.
Which was when Peter suggested Sam stand on his feet, so he could literally walk her through it.
"Aren't I too big for that?" Sam frowned.
All Peter did was flash his blue eyes, reminding her about his werewolf strength, flashing his usual cheeky smile.
"I used to love when my Dad would dance with me on his feet." Erica mused, dreamily.
"This is the first time I would have," Sam said, quietly, smiling shyly at Peter.
For the rest of the morning, Peter danced with Sam, getting her used to the rhythm. Once they stopped, they made a plan for dance lessons twice a week, until the wedding, though we all had a feeling they'd continue after, with Peter teaching Sam different styles. As we went into the afternoon, however, specifically after lunch, Sam asked if she could take Harley out.
"Charlie and I want to ask her if she'll be our ring bearer and flower person," Sam told me, after pulling me into the kitchen away from the others. "And, if she says yes, we were going to take her to find her an outfit. Two, actually, so we're covered, you know? Besides, we need an Aunty day with her!"
And how could I saw no?
After seeing if Harley wanted to go out with Sam and Charlie, of which she did, I was somehow convinced to let Harley have a sleepover with the two of them. It seemed that, when being faced with puppy eyes from Harley and Sam, it was far too easy for me to agree with things. Within minutes, Harley had things packed in her backpack for the night and the morning, taking a few things to keep her busy, namely her sketch pad and pencils.
It wasn't long after they left that Derek then pulled me off to the side, with his own request. Which was how I found myself sitting in the café we took Harley to at the beginning of the week. On our first date. It was strange even thinking that word. Date. It was the first one I had ever had. Before Zane turned on me, we never went anywhere, only ever to his apartment, and it wasn't like I had 'dated' anybody else.
Derek seemed just as nervous as me. His hands would shake slightly every so often, running one through his hair more than he usually would. His heartbeat was all over the place, skipping a beat here and there, raising at random points…. He was all over the place. Though, I expected I wasn't any better.
We took a table of two near the front of the café, once again, this time on the other side, the window next to us looking over the parking lot. When I went to sit down Derek quickly pulled my chair out for me, as if we were at some fancy restaurant. I could feel my face heating up as sat down, as Derek went up to the counter. When Derek came back, he had a large slice of Victoria Sponge Cake in hand. I already knew what drinks he ordered and that they'd be over ASAP. Taking two forks out of the cutlery jar on the table, Derek passed me one with an almost shy smile.
"Chocolate, huh?" I asked, trying to defuse the slight awkwardness as we both took a small bite of cake. "Wanting it as an aphrodisiac?"
In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best thing to say. I felt like an idiot the second I said it. Derek pretty much chocked, his entire face a flaming red, right to the tips of his ears. Honestly, my embarrassment was kind of worth it, just to seem Derek like that.
"Calm down, Superman," I laughed. "It was a joke! I know you wouldn't try anything like that."
It took a moment for Derek to calm down, managing to clear his throat after I grabbed him a glass of free tap water the café provided. His face was still cherry red by the time one of the workers brought over the milkshakes, a knowing and almost fond smile on her face.
With every minute that passed, we both seemed to relax more. We both were having fun. Like that morning, we didn't take about anything in particular, allowing the conversation to progress on its own. I did, however, keep checking my phone, seeing if I had a text or possible missed call from Sam or Charlie.
"Stop worrying," Derek said, reaching a hand out to place on mine. "Harley's safe with the two of them. I doubt anyone would be able to land a hand on hi-her. Her."
"I guess you're right." I sighed.
"You know I'm right."
Giving a squeeze to Derek's hand, he entwined our fingers. It felt so cliché, so predictable…. But I didn't care. It sent this rush through my chest, my stomach dropping like it does when you're on a rollercoaster.
And that's when we were interrupted.
"Are you two dating?" a woman asked, standing beside our table. "You are, aren't you. That's so cute!"
"Ah, thank you…." I replied, straining a small smile.
"I do have a question though. Who's the guy and who's the girl?"
And there it was.
Though I had never been on the receiving end of the question before, I wasn't too out of the loop to know it was extremely common. I wished I knew what made people think that was an acceptable question, especially when you didn't know the people, or person, you were asking.
"We're both 'the guys'…." I coughed. "That's, uh, the whole point."
"Oh, right, of course. Of course." she giggled. "But, like, who's the top and who's the bottom?"
I pretty much wanted to run out of there and dive into Derek's car. I wanted to be away from this woman who found it acceptable to ask such personal questions to complete strangers.
"Ma'am, what you're asking is extremely rude," Derek answered, giving a reassuring squeeze to my hand. "You wouldn't ask these questions to a seemingly straight couple, nor, I expect, would you like if you were in our position."
The woman's face dropped, her stance shifting ever so slightly.
"I'm sure you don't mean to be so rude," Derek proceeded. "I understand that. It is, however, a very uncomfortable and stereotypical position you're placing us in, which is not what my boyfriend, or I, were wanting for our first date. Now, I don't mean to be rude, but we'd both appreciate it if you would leave us alone."
I wasn't sure what this woman would do, let alone say. I was ready for her to begin yelling and cussing us out.
But it never came to that.
The worker that had brought Derek and me our drinks, however, intervened.
"Cheryl, what have we told you about bothering the customers?" the woman sighed. "You can't do this to people."
"But, I –" Cheryl began.
"No buts. Leave. Now. One more time and I will ban you."
And, with that, Cheryl was gone.
With an apology and a free refill on our milkshakes, our saviour in the form of a café worker went back to work.
Safe to say, she would be getting a rather big tip.
After our run-in with the crazy woman, Derek and I were able to relax and enjoy ourselves once again. It took a short while, but we managed it. Derek had refused to let go of my hand, rubbing his thumb back and forth over the side of my thumb. He seemed completely relaxed, smiling and unguarded. He was so different from what he was like only a year ago.
"Does this ever feel surreal to you?" I asked during a small lull.
Why did I say that?!
"What do you mean?" Derek baulked slightly.
If I could, without looking like an idiot, or worse, I would have hit myself. I wasn't sure why it came out of my mouth. It was meant to stay in my head, where it belonged, but now it was out in the open. I couldn't take it back.
"I just mean, uh…. Oh God, that came out all sorts of wrong." I groaned, running a hand over my face. "I just mean…. Think about last year. When we first ran into each other, before I came to live in the house, before we realised we knew each other."
"What about it?" Derek frowned, nodding slowly. "Is everything ok?"
"Of course! Well, I think so…. Maybe? I don't know…. You know what, just forget I said anything."
"No, no, tell me. What's going on in that head of yours?"
Looking down at the table, biting the inside of my cheek, I tried to think of something, anything, I could say or do to get out of the situation I had landed myself in. It was so stupid that I couldn't control my mouth or anything that came out of it…. Through my life, I had a lot of people question whether or not I had ADHD or if I was on the Autistic Spectrum. As far as I was aware, I only had ADHD tendencies, like a lot of people. Autism or Aspersers, however? I didn't know. I hadn't exactly had a chance to get myself tested.
Next thing I knew, Derek had moved his chair. Instead of sitting across the table from me, he had moved his chair to the side next to me, bending his head until he was looking me in the eyes. Taking hold of my other hand, he lifted it up and kissed the back of it, keeping it held there.
"Please," Derek whispered. "Tell me?"
Squeezing his hands a little tighter, I lifted my head slightly, taking a breath.
"It's just that…. From where we were last year, this is a complete one-eighty." I admitted. "It just seems too good to be true, you know? Like it's all a dream I'm going to wake up from and I'll find myself back in the basement and Dad'll be there waiting for me to wake up or Zane's managed to drug me or –"
"Stiles, breath!"
Only then did I realise no oxygen was being taken into my body. Immediately, I began gasping for air, which ended as hyperventilating. I couldn't seem to get my breathing back together; I couldn't regulate it. It was as if my body had forgotten how to do it.
Derek was there instantly. He pulled his chair closer to me, using his hold on my hands to move me forward. He rested his forehead on mine, staring into my eyes. A gentle red overtook his deep forest green irises for a split second, just lingering long enough for me to see it. But it didn't help my breathing. Before I knew it, Derek's lips were on mine. Yet again, my breathing stopped completely Only this time, after Derek pulled away, I could breathe normally again.
"What?" I breathed, my breaths still a little laboured.
"You were having a panic attack," Derek whispered to me, resting his forehead on mine again. "Ironically, you needed to stop breathing to be able to breathe again."
"Good to know."
We left the café, about, an hour later, the time around three in the afternoon. Like the last time, we left with a takeaway bag of sweet treats for after dinner, something we both knew the Betas would be drooling over until they got their hands on them. However, according to Derek, our day wasn't over quite yet. Derek drove us back into town. He drove for, about, five minutes, faster than he should have. until he brought the car to a stop, smiling at me as he stepped out. Following him, leaving the cakes in the, thankfully, cool car, I had to jog a little to catch up with him. Derek took my hand as soon as I was next to him, dragging me along slightly as he walked faster towards the edge of a forest.
"Derek, where are we going?" I asked, laughing. "Where are you taking me?"
"You'll see." Derek grinned.
Derek pulled me into a run, keeping hold of me by just my fingertips in the end. Which then, of course, turned into a race. The two of us ran as fast as we could, impeded by our laughter as we tackled each other, pulling the other back to get ahead. Sure, we were playing dirty, but neither of us cared. I had always loved running through the trees, feeling the wind in my hair as it rushed past.
As I ran, I couldn't help but let out a howl. It surged through me like electricity, an impulse so strong that I didn't want to stop it, even if I could. I could hear it reverberate off the trees, booming outwards and shaking everything. I could feel myself speed up, pushing against my limit. It broke something inside of me. Even though I didn't know where I was going, it was as if my feet did, barely touching the ground as I went.
I didn't stop until I came to a cliff and, even then, Derek had to pull me back.
"Geez, Gen," Derek laughed, breathlessly. "I could barely keep up."
I just laughed, looking out over the cliff I had almost fallen down.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"The Lookout Point. One of the highest points in Beacon Hills."
"The view us amazing."
"It sure is."
Glancing up at Derek, I saw him watching me.
"You're not even looking." I frowned.
"Why would I?" he asked, taking my hand. "You're the best view there is."
"Smooth as fuck." Okami whispered, in my head.
And yes. Yes, it was.
The weekend passed smoothly, Harley coming back from her sleepover with Charlie and Sam Sunday morning, bouncing and bubbly, her nails painted a sparkly red and purple, both similar shades to my eyes, light makeup on her face and her hair ringleted ever so slightly. She wore a galaxy purple, reversible sequined skater dress and her black ankle boots, a black velvet bolero jacket around her shoulders.
And then we came to Wednesday, October 1st 2014.
Sam's twenty-third birthday.
Peter, Allison, Isaac and I had left the house at nine in the morning, driving to Sam and Charlie's place to surprise them. We had a whole day planned for Sam, just like we had for everyone else, since Peter's birthday. Like they had for me, we wanted to give Sam the best day we could. All of us, together. As a family.
We snuck into their apartment building.
We crept up the stairs as quietly as we could, lest Charlie heard us.
We used our spare key to get into their apartment, drawing upon every bit of stealth we had to tiptoe around, trying to find them.
We heard a soft noise coming from their bedroom, soft words being exchanged back and forth from inside.
On the count of three, a silent mouthing of the words, I flung open the door.
"HAPPY BIRTH – OH MY FUCKING GOD!"
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