I don't stay home Monday. I spent all of Sunday pacing my room contemplating what I'll do when I walk into school and see the twins. I have to be up in a few hours and I haven't slept yet.
I can't not go, the boys will know something's up. They've knocked multiple times wondering why I've been in my room all weekend.
Get it together, I tell my shaking hands.
When I hear Scott rush downstairs I know it's almost time to leave. He is always running late. I've been ready for hours, but I'm not ready to walk into chemistry. I had a skirt on, but my bruise got darker, so I changed. It looks worse than it feels now, but it's still no cakewalk. I flatten the front of my shirt and recite my lie.
I'm all good. I needed to study for my math test. No, not math, that's not believable. Economics. Yeah, my economics midterm. I had to get ahead for my economics test.
I take a deep breath and open the door. I walk out into the hallway and Isaac is leaning against the wall with a coffee cup in his hand. He doesn't drink coffee.
"Good morning." He hands the cup to me. I take it quickly so he doesn't catch the shaking.
"Why?" I take a sip, squinting at him. It's got so much creamer in it I swear it's just vanilla creamer. He tried at least.
"You were running late, and I don't want to be late because of you." He nudges me softly so I don't spill the coffee.
"You didn't have to."
"Yeah but now you owe me something."
"I didn't ask you to do this. And I give you rides!"
"Y/N, I'm kidding." He skips the bottom two steps and jumps around to me taking every one. "I mean, you owe me five dollars now but..."
"Get in the car." I roll my eyes.
I set the cup in the sink and dump out the basically white liquid.
When I get to the car Isaac is in the front seat and I don't see Scott.
"Um?" I say as I start the car.
"What? Oh, he went with Stiles a few minutes ago."
"Okay..." I let it go. Scott loves Stiles, but I actually look at the road when I drive.
"Can I ask you something?" He says after a few minutes of awkward silence. My heart begins to race. Who sets up a conversation with that?
I don't want him poking into my business. "No." I say not looking at him.
"Oh, that was just a formality. I'm going to ask anyway. Do you think we'll win the game this week?"
"Why would you phrase it like that? You gave me a heart attack."
"Is there something you don't want me to ask?"
"Yes." He looks surprised I admitted it. "Yes, I think you'll win this week." I smile at myself.
When we're a block away from the school I see the bald man. I turn my head behind me as I drive by to make sure it's him, completely running a stop sign.
"Y/N!" Isaac brings me back to the car.
"Sorry!" Come up with a lie now. Two seconds. "I thought he was going to walk out in front of me." What kind of lie was that? He was on the other side of the road.
"Do you know him?" He seems unnerved.
"No." I speed to the parking lot and get out of the car quickly. If I'm inside I'll be okay. Get it together. I pull my chin up and regain my composure. This is ridiculous. I'm over exaggerating. I'm being ridiculous.
Regardless, I can't help but walk in close behind Isaac. My eyes are flicking to every person I pass.
"Y/N!" I hear Lydia's shrill voice resonate through the crowded hallway. I bite my lip and shrink down. Isaac gives me a 'you've done it now' look and leaves me to fend for myself.
I turn around to a furious strawberry blonde.
"Hey, I was gonna-"
"You stood me up! What's up with that? You didn't even call me. Or return any of my forty calls for that matter." She crosses her arms and leans on one hip.
"I was going to call. I'm sorry. I just got busy. I've been studying for economics all weekend." I see Allison down at her locker and try to block her from Lydia's view. Too late.
"Allison!" She pulls me behind her. "Y/N never showed up Friday. What was she doing?"
"I said I was-" She holds a finger up behind her to stop me.
"Allison." She says.
"Uh, I don't know? She said she was heading to your place last time I talked to her?" She gives me a weary look.
I throw my head into my hands.
"So you left, just never showed up. Why? What was so much more important than our plans?"
"You never went to Lydia's?" Allison leans from behind Lydia.
"I got caught up," I swallow, "with something else."
"What?" They both say.
"It doesn't matter. I said I was sorry." I walk away. I don't need everyone poking into my business. They all need to leave me alone.
By the time chemistry rolls around I had almost calmed my nerves. I almost forgot about it. Almost.
Isaac comes up next to me just before I see the twins walk towards the classroom. The audacity to show up after what they did. I make eye contact with Ethan and they dip their heads down and enter quickly. I go to grab Isaac's arm. He's someone I know. He's familiar. But I can't just randomly touch him. He would be creeped out. I catch myself and hold my arms closer to me.
In class, Isaac almost sits behind me, but I kick the chair out with my leg so he knows to sit down. He gives me a 'you sure?' look and I just nod.
The twins are behind me. I'm hyper aware of every noise they make. One of them scoots his chair out a bit and I ball my hand into a fist.
When the bell rings they fly out of the room.
"Huh, they had nothing to say today." Isaac remarks to himself.
"Yeah." I leave quickly to get to my locker before practice.
It's too cold so I go to sit in my car. I jump when there's a knock on my window. Stiles is waving with a dopey smile across his face.
"Y/N, open up." His voice muffled through the window.
"Jesus, Stiles, you scared me." I say as he flops in.
"Sorry, it's just that my jeep doesn't have heat, and I saw you sitting alone. So I figured..."
"Stiles, it's fine." He's so awkward. It always takes the pressure off me. Then again, most of the time he's trying to make it tense.
"How long is practice gonna run anyway? Shouldn't they be done by now?"
"Yeah but sometimes coach yells at them for a bit after practice. Ya know, to instill confidence in them. It's great for team morale."
"I swear if Scott is just hanging back for Allison I'll kick his little werewolf ass!" Stiles stops abruptly and smacks his mouth shut. His shoulders tense and he looks at me with his eyes wide open, giving away his mistake.
While this is happening, I cement my face in my previous expression. Within a split second I have processed what he said. Everything is his reaction proves he wasn't being funny. He doesn't know what happened to me, he can't. He's not making fun of me. He wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. A week ago I would have laughed at him. But I know what I saw. And it makes sense. Red eyes and claws? I knew it wasn't drugs.
"No, because Isaac would be out here by now." I say trying to keep the conversation moving, appearing like I didn't catch his slip up.
He blinks, but looks more confused than convinced.
"Speaking of Isaac, what's going on with you two? Because as your surrogate brother I have to go on record and say I don't get the best vibe from the guy." I know he asks so I'll forget his werewolf mention. I must say, though. Werewolf? That's the explanation? I can't help but laugh at the 'young adult novel' of it all. Stiles, on the other hand, thinks I'm laughing out of embarrassment.
"Scott said the same thing... and then invited him to stay at our house."
"Do you not want him there?"
"I didn't say that."
"So you do! Oh this is so exciting."
"Shut up, that's not what I meant either."
He thinks he's got me.
"What's going on with you and Lydia?" I hit back.
"So, you're admitting there's something? Because Lydia and I are in the works. You see, I have a-"
"Ten year plan." We say together. "Yes, you've explained it many times." I finish.
"It'll work I'm sure."
"Mhm." I can't believe this idiot gave it away. It explains so much. Scott and his newfound confidence. His new friends, and the random disappearing. I make a note to thank Stiles later.
We see the boys walk out of the building and Stiles hops out.
"Thanks for not letting me freeze."
"You owe me so much, Stilinski." He leaves the door open for Isaac to get in.
"What's with you?" He asks and I realize I'm smiling at him.
I'm not crazy, I think to him.