#4

"So what's up with you and the boys?"

"…what do you mean?" Elie knew exactly what Jessie was talking about, but she pretended to not understand and kept stuffing the carrot sticks into her mouth.

"Why aren't you with them? It's not that I don't enjoy your company, but you've been smothering me these past few days." Jessie ignored Elie's clueless expression and pressed her for an answer.

"….." Elie continued to chew and kept stabbing her food with her fork.

"Did you guys fight?"

"…..No"

"Then what's wrong? You look kinda depressed and that makes me depressed too…..soooo spill," said Jessie, as she took a sip of Dr. Pepper. Elie hesitated for a moment and reluctantly began to talk.

"They've been weird lately," when Elie saw Jessie raise her eyebrow, she added, "Well, weirder than usual. They won't tell me what it is, but whenever I get close to them they change the subject…and they keep coming up with various lame excuses not to include me in whatever it is they're doing…I mean even with Lydia's party…I wasn't going to go anyway, but Stiles told me that it's for the best that I didn't go. It's like…I don't know…..they don't want me around anymore."

"Well, maybe it's some boy-thing. Like, you didn't want to tell them about the bra, remember?"

"What boy-thing?"

"Dunno….but look. You guys are best-friends, right? They probably have a good reason for keeping you in the dark."

Elie hoped Jessie was right, but what reason could they possibly have? She knew it wasn't to do with Allison, because she had gotten to know Scott's new crush during French class. Unlike Lydia, she was quiet, polite and likeable; she had even invited Elie to come shopping with Lydia, which Elie politely declined. No, Allison wasn't the problem.

"So, about this Derek," when Jessie brought up that name, Elie nearly choked on her food. Elie hurriedly grabbed her water and gulped it down, while Jessie was chuckling at her.

"What about him?"

"Did you call him?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I'm sixteen."

"You keep saying that but you know… if you guys were in Maine, it would be completely legal."

"How could you possibly know that? Is that true? I mean, did you actually look it up?"

"Yup. Isn't it absurd that where you live decides who you are allowed to date? California is one of the strictest states I'm afraid, so if you don't want to get him arrested, you guys'll have to be very hush hush."

"Jessie! There's nothing going on between me and Derek!"

"Why did he give you his number, then?"

"I…..I…..I don't know"

"You like him don't you?"

"I…I don't know."

Jessie seemed amused by all this but Elie was just confused. She was confused as to why he gave her his phone number, and she was also confused about her own reaction towards him. Ever since that night at the diner, all she's been thinking is about Derek, besides Stiles and Scott being distant.

"Just give him a call and ask, you idiot." Jessie said as a matter-of-factly. Elie knew her friend was right. The only way to find out is by asking him directly.

At home, Elie was doing homework on her bed while listening to The Downward Spiral on endless repeat, to drown out her problems. She tried but when the song 'Closer' came on for the fourth time, she threw down her books, turned off the music and gave up. S

he walked over to her dresser, grabbed her wooden music box and returned to her bed. It was a birthday present from Stiles when they turned thirteen. After making sure that her door was closed, she opened the box. When she lifted up the lid, it played Imagine. Inside the box were random trinkets such as a necklace with initial 'A' that she got from her father when she turned twelve, a pearl pendant that belonged to her grandmother, a ring with a small garnet stone which had belonged to her mother, a ticket stub from her first ever rock concert…and a folded up piece of paper.

She took out the paper and closed the music box. Taking a deep breath, she typed in the numbers on her phone…but she couldn't bring herself to press the 'call' button. What would she say? Hi, this is me from the diner, you also saw me in the woods the other day…but can you tell me why you gave me your number?

"God, that sounds so stupid, even in my head." Elie grumbled and she just saved the number on her phone, crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it into the bin. She decided to sleep on it and call him some other time, when she figures out something to say, without sounding too stupid. Just thinking about him made her heart beat faster.

So when she heard from Stiles about the Sheriff's plan to arrest Derek that day in the morning, she was so shocked that she nearly choked on her cereal.

"WHAT?!"

"He killed her and then buried her in his place," said Stiles while munching on his cereal.

"How the hell did you and Scott find out about it?" Elie couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"We just found the body…" not wanting to make eye contact with his sister, Stiles concentrated on eating his breakfast.

"What do you mean you found it…it was buried so how did you….I mean, is this what you've been up to all this time?! Being all secretive and going around behind my back?"

"We aren't being secretive! And we did not go around behind your back."

"Oh, really? Because you guys have been lying and keeping this from me this whole time!" Elie was starting to lose her temper. She was angry. She was angry that they kept something as big as this a secret. They had gone looking for the corpse together, so she didn't understand why they suddenly decided to keep her out of it. And then there was Derek.

"How do you know it's him?"

"Seriously? The body was buried in his property. Also, he was gone for… like, six years, and suddenly he turns up and so does the dead girl! It seems pretty obvious don't you think?"

"No. It all sounds like circumstantial evidence."

"But who else is there? You saw the guy!"

"He was nice, when people weren't messing around in his property."

"Derek, nice? Sis, those two words don't go togeth….hang, on? When did you see Derek?"

"…nowhere." Elie lied.

"You're lying. I can tell you're lying. We're twins, remember?"

"You have your secrets, I have mine" and with that Elie stood up, cleared her bowl and left the kitchen. Stiles was shouting something but she didn't care.

#

She stormed out of the house, grabbed her bike and rode off. She was angry and confused. She couldn't believe that Derek was capable of murder, and she couldn't believe that the boys had kept the news from her all along.

Then her phone rang. It was 'Hey Jude' which meant that the caller was Stiles, so she ignored it. Shortly after Hey Jude, it was Blink-182's 'Dammit.' She was angry at Scott too, so she ignored his call and she just turned the power off. In fact, she didn't feel like going to school. Stuff this. I'm not in the mood to be at school. I don't want to see or talk to anyone. AND I need a drink. And with that she headed to Sandy's apartment. She knew Sandy would be home, as she often skipped the morning lectures at the local college.

Elie ran up the apartment stairs and when she got to room 203, she immediately started banging on Sandy's door and she tried calling on her mobile phone, but it went straight to the voicemail. 'Come on, Sandy…' Elie knocked on the door again and even called out to her several times. She was about to give up and leave when Sandy looking hung over, opened the door.

"You bitch, what time do you think this is?"

"Oh, Sandy! I'm really, really, sorry but I need that tequila!" She gently pushed passed Sandy and walked into her apartment.

"Huh?!" Bleary eyed Sandy looked confused by the way Elie was behaving.

"Will explain later, you still have that bottle I left last time I was here, right?" Heading straight for the kitchen which was covered with food containers, dirty dishes and cups, Elie rummaged through cupboards looking for the tequila bottle.

"Uh…yes?"

"Got it! Thanks! I'll see you at work then! Love you!" Elie shoved the bottle in her school bag, kissed Sandy on the cheek and ran out of the apartment. Back on her bike, she rode off towards the woods to the secret place she and the boys used as a hide out since they were seven.

When she got to the secret place, took out her tequila bottle, earphone and iphone, she threw down her bag, and sat down under the tall oak tree. She knew that here, she would be left alone, and undisturbed. She plugged in her earphone and began to drink the clear liquor while listening to The Downward Spiral.

She just couldn't believe that Derek was the murderer. Is that why he gave her his number? Had she been his next target? If she had called him back, would he have lured her out and done what he'd done to that poor girl and bury her in the woods too? I can't believe I fell for him…God, did I just think that? Well, too late now, Contrats! Your first crush turned out to be a killer! And with that she took another swig of tequila. The world began to swirl with the music, so she lay down on the dry autumn leaves and closed her eyes. She didn't know what to think, so she just stopped.

"Elie! Elie! Wake up!" when Elie woke up, Stiles was looking down at her and shaking her shoulder.

"….. #$" Elie pushed him away and slowly sat up. She wondered what time it was.

"I was worried sick!"

"…why"

"WHY? WHY?! Because you never skip school! AND you weren't answering your phone!"

"…."

"…did you drink a whole bottle?" Stiles was holding up an empty bottle.

"Um…no. It wasn't new..."

Stiles sat down in front of her and he started to pick out pieces of dry leaves from her hair, and asked,

"Elie, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Really?!" said Elie and pushed away Stiles' hand.

"You're acting weird." Stiles looked concerned.

"Me? What about you and Scott?"

"What about me and Scott?"

"You know what, forget it." Elie stood up and shook leaves out of her jacket and jeans.

"What?"

"You'll just lie to my face again, like you've been doing for the past few days."

"I didn't lie to you!"

"AAAND, that was another one. Just stop it Stiles, I get it. You don't want me around anymore."

"I didn't say that! I'm not saying that!"

"Then, tell me right now, what it is you're keeping from me!" Elie yelled out in frustration. Tears were swelling up and she hated herself for getting this emotional. She felt so stupid. Like a little kid throwing a temper tantrum for not getting what she wants.

Startled by Elie's reaction, Stiles panicked and wondered whether to tell his sister about the werewolf situation. But he didn't want her involved in this because it might put her in danger. Knowing means becoming a target and he didn't want that for his sister or father. He opened and closed his mouth for a while, because he didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell her the truth. She hated lying to his sister, and seeing her upset…but he just couldn't. He didn't have any super-powers like Scott and if anything happened, he'd be powerless to do anything. He won't be able to protect her. So the only way he could keep her safe was to keep her in the dark.

"Don't cry, Elie"

"I'M NOT CRYING!" She punched Stiles in the stomach, grabbed her bike and rode out of the woods. Stiles bent double in pain, and called out to her but she ignored him.

"Aren't you coming to the game?" Back at home, the Sheriff was getting ready to go to the boys' lacrosse game. Usually, Elie would have been the first one out of the door, so the Sheriff was puzzled.

"No."

"Are you okay? You look terrible…"

"Thanks, Dad. I'm okay. Just tired, that's all,"

"Well, get some sleep then."

"Okay, enjoy the game!" Not wanting to worry her father, Elie gave him a smile.

After her father had left the house, Elie lay in her bed, thinking about the conversation she had with Stiles earlier that day. She wasn't angry anymore. It was replaced with sadness. And then she remembered the sad look Stiles had just before he told her not to cry. For a moment, she thought he was finally going to tell her the truth. She didn't give a damn whatever the secret was. What hurt her was that he had lied to her. And Scott too. She pulled the bed sheet over her head and cried and cried.

Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and just reading! I'm sorry there isn't much Derek X Elie yet...I promise it's coming soon. I hope you're enjoying the story and I would love to know what you guys think, so drop me a line :)