Jane and Lydia were sat either side of me like protective guardians. They held mirrored poses of one leg crossed over the other, twisting inwards towards me, with both hands folded on their laps.
"You guys don't have to babysit me you know… If you want to get to class, that's cool," I told them as we waited for the nurse to get back from calling my parents.
"Don't be silly, Emily," Lydia tutted, shaking her long hair over her shoulder.
Jane looked at me and I instinctively caught her gaze. Her mouth was pulled in a tight line.
"What?" I asked, raising my eyebrows, shuddering slightly on my breath. I was feeling a lot better now, however my lungs were taking longer than my mind to get back to normal.
The girl glanced at her feet, then at Lydia, before taking a gasp of courage. "I… I get what the cause of this was, Em. I just don't want it to happen again. If you see… " She trailed off, not wanting to put the blame on anyone. Her hands twisted in her lap.
"It won't happen again," I say, forcefully, hoping that I'm right. What are the chances of me bumping into Mr Lahey much? Jane must think that it was Isaac who triggered my panic attack. She's never liked him much anyway.
"How do you know? This isn't a big school, Em, you're going to bump into him." Jane asks me, lifting her hand and placing it on my knee comfortingly.
"Because it won't."
"Is this about Isaac?" Lydia pipes up, tilting her head to one side so that her hair floats down like a princess. I catch Jane eyeing her jealously before I start speaking.
"No- Well, yes, but it's not what you think at all," I sigh and wipe my fringe back off my face. God, this is so difficult. I don't know what I can say and what I can't.
"Are you guys not together anymore then?" Lydia inquires, leaning towards me with her mouth falling slightly open, crestfallen.
"You weren't that serious though, right?" Jane buts in before I can answer.
"But you were so cute together!"
"You can do better, Em."

"Guys! Stop!" I cry from a sudden burst of anger, standing up suddenly and holding my hands out. "Just stop. I know you're just trying to help, I'm grateful for that. But what happened between Isaac and I is not something I want to talk about so just drop it. No, we're probably not going to be speaking much, but he isn't a bad person. Let it go. It's over."
Jane and Lydia mirror each other again, blinking at me with pouted lips. I almost laugh at how similar they are. No wonder they've never really spoken much, because when they do, the clash of personalities is too much for anyone to handle.
"Please," I try again, speaking softer now. They both really helped me out during my attack and I don't want to offend them at all. The questions have to stop though.
I made them both agree to never ask me about Isaac again, which they did. Afterwards, I gave them each a hug, said thank you and told them to go to class. If I'm going to get a hold of my confidence again, I'm going to have to learn to brave on my own, instead of relying on my friends to help me all the time. I've faced some pretty terrifying things recently, but I had a feeling the worst wasn't over quite yet and I will need my courage to face it.

…

I decided to finish the day at school. I spoke to my Dad after leaving the nurse's office and he wanted me to come home. I disagreed. There's no point hiding away any longer. Besides, I have a lot of work to catch up on too and really was feeling a lot better now that I knew Mr Lahey was long gone.

I had Art class for last period. Having managed the go the rest of the day without any other strange occurrences, I had an inkling that something was bound to happen. It was when I was painting on my canvas, trying to get the colour of the pot of flowers in the middle of the room just right, when my teacher appears over my shoulder.
"This looks great, Emily," Miss Bailey marvelled.
I smiled, feeling really good in my self – I was finally getting back to painting for fun, and not for… other reasons.
"Except, you know you only have to focus on the vase and the table, not create a background. But I admire your imagination," She continued and my I felt my heart shudder slightly. Before I could protest, she had already walked away to the next student.
Blinking, I put down my paint brush and stepped backwards from the canvas so I could see my picture as a whole.

This is impossible. I don't even remember doing this. I swear.

My eyes were drawn to colours on my pallet that I didn't even remember mixing. Greens. Browns. Dark blues. All colours to fit the scenery that I had managed to fit around the flowers in the vase; All colours that together created the impression of a certain lacrosse field at night. A sick feeling washed over me. Lacrosse pitch. Night. Fear.

Once the bell rang, I couldn't get out of the classroom faster. A bizarre end to what had been a pretty crap first day back.

I was too busy thinking about how much I needed to see Jane's familiar, comforting face, when Allison crossed my path in the corridor. I smiled at her and waved, putting on my brave face again.
"Hey, Allison!" I called out.
She gave me a double take, and stopped, almost reluctantly.
"Hi, Em. Glad to know you're back in school," Allison smiled faintly and gripped the strap of her bag intensely.
"Thanks, yeah. Haven't seen you in ages. How've you been?" I asked, getting a really strange vibe from her. She could hardly look me in the eye.
"Fine, yeah. Look, sorry, I'm just super busy at the moment, I've got a lot going on. So, sorry, I have to go. We'll catch up soon, okay?" Allison hurriedly explained, glancing over her shoulder.
"Y-yeah, okay-" I stuttered out, but she had turned and left before I could even say goodbye.

That was weird. Considering the last time me and Allison spoke was when we were on the phone and she was telling me that her and Kate were going werewolf hunting, I thought she'd have more to say. Unless… unless Allison knows something about Derek and she's keen to keep it quiet. Kate has to have got the upper hand that night at the graveyard. She's definitely keeping him prisoner somewhere, and I had a pretty strong feeling that Allison was in on it too.
I sighed, knowing that I was going to have to get involved at some point. My few weeks of relaxation and hiding away were over – I have a werewolf to rescue.

Before I met the girls at the end of the day to go watch lacrosse practice, I went back to my locker to put some of my books away. It seemed as if the universe wasn't done with throwing strange incidents at me today, because as soon as I tugged open the metal door, a small, folded piece of paper fell out and fluttered to land on my shoes. I squinted before bending down to examine it. It had a rough edge and blue lines, like it had been hastily torn out of a notepad. What the…? I put my books down and gingerly unfolded the paper out.

Oh. My breath swept away.
It's from-
It's from Isaac!

He had scrawled my name at the top of the page in a rushed print, like he didn't want to get caught writing it.

'Emily,
I need to know how you are. I can't bear this. Seeing you this morning- I just can't have that happen again. It's all my fault what happened to you. It's my fault he's messed with your head. I am so sorry for everything. I wish I could go back and change it so it was me, not you, that he was taking his anger out on. I can't make amends for that, and you're the one suffering the consequences.
He's taken my cell phone and is watching my every move. I have to work shifts at the graveyard now so I have no free time anymore, with lacrosse and homework. He's even got the Principal thinking that I'm some helpless child who needs to have an eye kept on him. But I won't let that stop me.
You're the only person that I've ever met who has ever taken the time to actually get to know me. You listen and you understand. You're beautiful and funny and brought some sense into my messed up life. You tried to help me, Emily, and that's more than anyone has ever done for me before. I would do anything to be with you, even go behind my father's back.
I understand the risk and get it if you never want to see me again. After what I've put you through, you deserve better. I know the fear that you're feeling right now.
If I can't be with you now, know that I'll wait, Emily. Don't give up on me, please.
Isaac.'

My heart thumped loudly in my chest. I felt my mouth go dry. Oh, Isaac…
I had hardly processed his words fully when I catch the noise of someone approaching behind me.
"Hey!" I hear Stiles's voice calling.
Quickly screwing Isaac's note into a ball in my fist, I spin around in a haze and smile at Stiles.
"Hey yourself," I reply automatically, but all I could think was: Oh my god. Oh my god. Isaac still wants to be with me. He's willing to risk it. Oh my god. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac.
"How're you doing? I haven't seen you in forever," Stiles asks, grinning at me as he reaches my locker.
Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. "Yeah, good, thanks."
I imagine us trying to make it work as Stiles begins to speak again. Quick squeezes of our hands in the corridor. Conversations through scrawled notes. Diving into empty classrooms to kiss. A knot in my stomach appears and I can't tell if it's a good exciting nervous or a bad forewarning nervous.
"-what do you think?" Stiles finishes his sentence and wrings his hands in front of his chest. I blink, realising that I hadn't listened to a word he said.
"Sorry, I completely blanked, what did you say?"
Stiles's face flashes with nerves for a split second, which really confuses me. We've been friends for forever, why would he be nervous about talking to me?
"Oh… I was just saying… Um. Did you really not hear me the first time?" Stiles runs his hands down his face and sighs, exasperated.
"Yeah, come on! Don't leave me hanging, man!" I smile, shoving Isaac's note into my pocket and shutting my locker door.
"I just wanted to… Well, I just figured that you need something good to look forward to… not that you would think this is a good idea, I just wanted you to have someone to go with, so you don't miss out… and it would be fun, I guess… I mean maybe-" He blabbers on, waving his hands about.
"-Stiles," I interrupt, cutting my hand through the air and laugh lightly, "Get to it or we'll be late to lacrosse at this rate."
He runs a hand through his hair and glances at me sheepishly, "Sure… sorry. I wanted to ask… If you wanted to… maybe… go to the Winter Formal with me?"
Excuse me, what? The Formal. With me? Dancing. What?
My face must have been a picture because Stiles immediately started waving his hands again, "I get it if I'm not your first choice, but I heard that you and Isaac were no longer speaking from Lydia and I want you to have a fun night after a pretty awful few weeks, and we're good friends, I mean, it wouldn't have to be a date date, well I hope it could if you wanted but- I don't mean- Oh god, I'm gonna stop talking…"

We stared at each other in a moment of silence, both of us probably feeling awkward as hell. Stiles?! I had never even considered thinking about Stiles in that way before. He's my friend. He's my next door neighbour. I knew this kid when he had no front teeth for god's sake! He's just- He's not Isaac.
Oh no… This is going to get real complicated. I can't say no to him because of Isaac, because if anyone gets wind about us… A lump crept into my throat as I forced triggering memories out of my mind. I have no idea what to do. I guess it would be a pretty fun night… Stiles is a really good friend.
"Sure, I'd love to," I find myself saying, biting my lip slightly.
"…But?" Stiles nervously flinches away from me, thinking that I have bad news.
"No buts. I'm saying yes."
"Really?"
"Really, really. Stiles, just as friends though, I can't- I can't…" I made gesturing motions between us as I struggled to find the words, "be anything more to you. Nothing can happen."
He nodded sincerely, "Sure. Got it."

We began to walk down the corridor and I nudged his arm with my elbow.
"Your tux has to match my dress through. And I get to pick the colour scheme. Some colours really clash with my hair," I joke to him, trying to lighten the mood.
"Damn, I really wanted to wear a fully pink suit!"

When we reach the boys locker room, we fall to a stop and I glance up across at Stiles smiling at me from ear to ear. I make a move to step backwards when Stiles suddenly takes hold of my arms and pulls me into a hug.
"Um," I squeak out, patting my friend's back awkwardly. He's certainly acting strange today.
Stiles leans back and steps towards the locker room, beaming a grin at me, "See you later, okay?"
"Uh, yeah, sure."
"Glad you're back."
"Um, thanks."

I stride to Jane's locker before I overflow with awkwardness. Since when was my friend supposed to make me feel so on edge?

Thankfully, when I met the girls, they were in full swing conversation about the need to stock up on winter clothes because of the snow, so I didn't have to join in much. There was a lot going on in my mind. First the lacrosse painting, then Isaac, then Stiles. And I had to think about Derek as well. I sure was throwing myself back into the deep end. I just couldn't quite decide if my Supernatural problems were outdoing my normal teenage life problems.

Once outside, we settled ourselves on the bleachers behind the team bench and huddled close together for warmth. I ended up at the end of the row squeezed next to Jane, who was rubbing her hands together before touching her cold cheeks.
The team strolled out onto the pitch in a pack of red jerseys.

It happened pretty quickly, I don't know how she had time to catch on.

He looked at me. And smiled. I saw his fingers flex as if all he wanted to do was throw me a wave.

Without thinking, my breath suddenly caught in my throat and I shrugged up my shoulders, flashing a quick grin.

A second later, Isaac had to turn away from me, biting his lip to stop himself from smiling too much. I put a gloved hand to my mouth and turned my burst of happiness into a cough.

But nothing gets past Jane.

"What was that?" She remarked, turning sharply to stare at me.
"What was… what?" I answer, raising my eyebrows as if she was crazy.
"You… and Isaac. I saw that."
"…Saw what?"
She pouted and faced the lacrosse pitch again, "I thought we were past you keeping things from me."
"Jane… Nothing can happen between me and Isaac," I explained, feeling guilty for lying to her again. Looking at her disappointed expression, I just couldn't help myself finishing my sentence quietly, "Nothing anyone can know about anyway."
She whipped back around to look at me again, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted.
"Em-!"
"Nothing. Can. Happen. Got it? Isaac and I are over," I repeated to her whilst telling a different story on my face. Jane nodded, getting the message.
"Sure… I got it," She smirked, giving my hand a quick squeeze.

…

It was an hour of agony watching Isaac on the field and trying to look like I wasn't enjoying myself. He looked so hot, and his hair had been windswept back off his face, I could hardly bear it. I needed to know that what he said in his note was true.

So when practice was over, I told Jane to wait by my car because I 'had to go and get a book I forgot in my locker'. She rolled her eyes at me, but agreed.
Instead, I went and hid just around the corner of the corridor where the locker room was. I watched every single person on the team leave, except the one I was searching for. Luck had finally decided to be kind to me after a rough day. With my eyes, I followed the back of Scott and Stiles's heads turn away towards the parking lot before making my move.

Creeping through the door, I listened for anyone else moving about in the room. It was quiet, apart from a single teenage boy in the far corner shoving his lacrosse boots into his gym bag.
I spoke with a whisper, standing perfectly still with my hands clasped at my waist, "Isaac?"
His head shoots up, dropping everything in his hands.
"Emily!" Isaac breathes out and his voice calms the knot of worry inside me.

All of a sudden, he is there. Standing in front of me, moving his arms out to hug me. I wrap my arms around his waist and lean into his warm body. Isaac kisses my forehead and squeezes me tight.
"I've been so worried about you," He reveals, speaking into my hair.
Screwing up my eyes tight, I try to memorize everything about how it feels to be in his arms.
"I- I'm okay. I'm okay now. I'm better," I stutter out, turning my face into his neck. I felt so… normal. It was surprising to not have the usual jumbled mess of anxious thoughts buzzing through my mind. This is what I need to feel. It was great.
Of course I had to ruin the moment though.
"It stinks of boys so bad in this room."

Isaac laughed so hard, I felt his chest bobbing up and down. He leant me back, still chuckling and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. I couldn't help but contagiously pick up his laugh.
"What?" I beamed, shoving his arm back playfully.
"I don't know how I've got by without you the past few weeks," Isaac tells me, letting his shoulder relax slightly.
"I'm that great, huh?"
Wait, am I flirting? Pretty sure this is not how I imagined this conversation to go… I imagined more crying on my part anyway.
"You're that great," Isaac smiled lopsidedly, taking my hand in his. We curled our fingers around each other's and found the space between us closing.

"I'm not letting you go easily," I insisted, as my breath tickled Isaac's lips.
"Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Then we were kissing. I kissed him so urgently, knowing that these moments alone together were going to be few and far between. Isaac pulled me towards him, and as he did, his teeth grazed my bottom lip teasingly. I let out a sigh and tugged my fingers in his hair, letting his hands run down the curve of my waist. Oh my god. This is definitely worth the risk, I tell myself as I struggle for breath. I was really feeling happy, my heart full to burst.

And of course, this is my stupid life, so it had to be interrupted.

Isaac noticed before me, thankfully, because I was in a complete daze. A shadow had appeared at the door to the locker room and was slowly pushing it open. He suddenly grabbed my arms and pushed me hurriedly towards the shower block that was tucked around a corner, away from view.
I barely made it, and was doing everything I could to quiet down my heavy breathing. Pressing my back to the white tiled walls, I closed my eyes and prayed that whoever it was hadn't seen me.

"Isaac? You still here?"

I knew that voice. Stiles? What was Stiles doing back here?

"Y-yeah, just here," Isaac answered from the other side of the room, doing only slightly well to hide his breathlessness. He turned a deep breath into a series of coughs and I bit my lip from the tension.
I heard footsteps, then silence.
"Did you want something?" Isaac asks, sounding nervous.
"Yeah… Yeah. I'm not really sure how to say this…" Stiles explains. I feel my heart starting to race, and not because of the kiss. Stiles knows that Isaac knows about the werewolves. What if something has happened with Derek? Why would Stiles not come to me? Why would he go to Isaac? Oh shut up, Emily! I silently raised my hands to rub my eyes. Just wait. And listen. It's probably nothing.

"It's about Emily."

Oh shit.
This took both Isaac and I by surprise. I heard him trying to stammer a response, but failed to actually get out any words.

"Lydia told me that you guys are no longer on speaking terms," Stiles continues, sounding less and less Stiles-ish by the second. I had never heard this tone on him before, and it was kind of scary. "I don't know what happened, but if you hurt her in any way-"
"I didn't. I would never do anything to hurt her," Isaac interrupts forcefully, getting his head together.
"Well whatever happened, it seems like it's over between you now."
Ha ha.
Stiles sighs sarcastically before continuing on. I hear another footstep being taken. "I've cared a lot about this girl since middle school, and I never thought a loser like me would ever have had a chance. But now, I'm the first person she calls when she's in trouble. I've been there throughout everything that's happened since Scott was bitten. And I'm the one taking her to the Winter Formal. She doesn't need someone like you in her life."
"Are you threatening me?" Isaac squares up to Stiles, speaking through gritted teeth.
"I'm just reminding you that you've known her for, what, a few months? I've been there all her life. And it takes a lot for Emily to trust people completely. She doesn't deserve whatever crap you put her through.

Let. Her. Go."

A.N.
Hello! Thanks to everyone who has followed/favourited this story since I last updated, I appreciate it a lot. And to everyone who has been along for the ride since the beginning. Please let me know what you think, I love reading your reviews!
I know my updates are pretty random, but you won't have to wait as long as last time for the next chapter, I've already started working on it :) x