/ trigger warning: minimal swearing and hints of mature themes /
Chapter One / Wolf Moon
"So, Melly," Melanie's father, Oliver, began the conversation using her childhood nickname which she could only roll her eyes at. "Are you excited for your Sophomore year?"
Melanie raised an eyebrow at her dad, "Really, dad? You're asking me if I'm excited to go back to school after months of sunshine, shopping and absolute laziness? And I thought you knew me well." She laughed as her mother, Lillian chuckled at her daughter and husband's close relationship.
"Oh Mel," she shook her head, "we all know you adore high school."
"Yeah," Melanie's younger brother, Jonah, piped up, "we all know you're a complete nerd."
Melanie rolled her eyes again at her family. They really did know her well. Despite the utter morons who she had to hang around all day - courtesy of her best friend, Lydia Martin - and the teachers who managed to drain the life out of her, not the mention the scent of body odour mixed with deodorant and strong perfumes, Melanie couldn't deny that she did enjoy her social life at school.
"You're just annoyed that you're stuck in middle school for another year, Joe," she laughed as Jonah scowled. "Trapped in an intellectual wasteland, a glorified holding pen where adults put you as you make that awkward transition between child and teenager so they don't even have to look at you."
"Oh and it's so much better where you are," Jonah drawled, "a clique filled asylum that cares more about your GPA and grades than your mental health so that they don't look like middle aged cretins who wasted their lives."
"That's enough, you two," their dad warned. He knew his children were intelligent and could argue hours on end, both sides creating creative and logical points, but the kids had to get to sleep early that night for school the next day and he knew that if they started they wouldn't stop until they came to a conclusion.
"You've both had your say," Lillian intervened, knowing her husband was tired from a fourteen hour shift at the hospital, "now off to bed, both of you. You need your rest for the exciting days ahead of you both tomorrow." She smiled at her children and breathed a laugh as the two continued to debate on who had it worse, despite the fact that they were both completely fine.
Melanie was now upstairs in her room skyping Lydia so that the two could decide their outfits for the first day of their Sophomore year. It seemed kind of petty, but the two girls wanted to make an impression and nothing was worse than clashing according to Lydia.
"So, I know I'm usually a sucker for a floral dress," Lydia began, Melanie looking at the strawberry blonde rummaging through her wardrobe on the screen of her laptop, "but the weather has caused me to change my mind - it's simply too dreary outside for pastel colours."
"What about that plaid skirt?" Melanie suggested now getting up to look through her own wardrobe. "You know, that greyish high waist one you bought when we were shopping for our Winter wardrobes?"
Lydia grinned and sighed dramatically, "What would I do without you and your fashionista skills, Lainey?"
"Well you'd end up choosing a floral dress and be shunned from sitting with me in lacrosse practice," Melanie rolled her eyes at the nickname Lydia had given her in kindergarten because she couldn't say her full name.
"Hmm, I think I'll pair the skirt with my blue pullover, knee high socks and some black ankle booties," Lydia smiled satisfyingly at the outfit she had chosen along with some extra winter clothes for warmth. "Now, what have you planned for our first day back in the pits of hell we call high school?"
"Okay, so seeming as we love to match but not clash -"
"- I already love where this is going -"
"- I've chosen a black skater skirt -"
"- simple yet effective -"
"- a burgundy sweater -"
"- love it -"
"- my white snood -"
"- this just gets better and better -"
"- patterned black tights and some light brown ankle booties." Melanie said with finality as she awaited her best friend's verdict.
"Gorgeous combo, Melanie," Lydia flicked her hair behind her shoulders as the two grinned at each other, "you really do have an eye for fashion as well as your weird obsession with mythology."
"Hey," Melanie laughed, "mythology and legends always have a basis in facts, don't diss this Lyds."
It's true. Melanie had been incredibly interested in mythical creatures and the supernatural ever since reading the Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and the Heroes Of Olympus series'. And because of this, naturally, History was her best subjects - she had a keen eye for detail and positively loved the fiction of it all.
"Slow down, Homer," Lydia laughed, "don't get your Golden Fleece in a twist."
"Number one," Melanie started, putting one finger up, "it was actually Apollonius of Rhodes who was given credit for telling the tale of The Quest Of The Golden Fleece, and number two," another finger rose, "I know you knew that so please stop dumbing yourself down for Jackson's benefit - especially not around me seeming as you rise above my solid 5.0 GPA and you know how much that pains me."
Lydia rolled her eyes with slight complacency and said goodnight before signing off.
Sucking for someone else's ego was not something Melanie would do, and she wished Lydia wouldn't - or at least wished she didn't know about Lydia's higher than above-average intelligence. Ignorance was bliss in Melanie's eyes, which is one reason why she refused to get involved in other people's drama - of course if someone told her they needed help and asked for her opinion or advice, she'd give it, but she wasn't one to gossip or try and cause unneeded bitchiness like some of the morons that she attended school with.
In some ways, Melanie hoped that some things would change this year yet she would probably be very uncomfortable if the dynamic changed - that was one of her fatal flaws, she was a creature of habit and constantly making the same mistakes over and over again without realising and sometimes unbeknownst to her, her habitual ways hurt others. And so, she reminded herself, before falling asleep, of what Albert Einstein said - 'Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.'
Next morning, Melanie dressed in her chosen outfit and did her usual morning routine for school before dropping Jonah off at middle school and arriving at Beacon Hills High School and parking next to Lydia. The two looked each other up and down before nodding and grinning in appreciation and then set off for the building itself.
"So this year I want you to get a boyfriend," Lydia came out with as they strode through the parking lot, checking out who looked good.
"And it's a no from me," Melanie mimicked Simon Cowell from The X Factor, causing Lydia to roll her eyes with a hint of a smile on her face.
"What? Why not?!"
"Because all the boys we both know are either 'roided up jocks, morons or care too much about their petty little first-world suburban tragedies than they would about me," Melanie shrugged as they passed two boys in their grade who seemed to be having a heated discussion before one was distracted.
"...since the birth of Lydia Martin," he said, spinning and staring after her. "Hey Lydia, you look ... like you're gonna ignore me!"
"And," Melanie continued with a laugh as they walked to their lockers, "they're much too interested in you to even see me."
"Only because I have a boyfriend," Lydia pursed her full lips, "boys want what they can't have, naturally, so if you picked some random lacrosse player that Jackson could set you up with, all the boys would be falling at your feet." Melanie merely laughed at her best friend and didn't even consider the manipulative plan - she was far beyond high school boys and wasn't really interested in a full on relationship.
"As you all know, there was a body found in the woods last night." Melanie's English teacher began. "And I am sure your eager little minds are coming up with various macabre scenarios for what happened. But I am here to tell you that the police has a suspect which means, you can give all your attention to the program on your desk."
Groans emitted around the room before came the occurrence that changed everything - there was a new girl, and her jacket was to die for.
The Principal entered the room with the long haired brunette trailing behind him with a humble smile etched on her pretty face, "Class, this is our new student, Allison Argent. Please do your best to make her feel welcome."
"Take a seat," the English teacher waved his hand to Allison after the Principal had left the classroom. She sat down in the desk to the left of Melanie which gave her a chance to look closer at her gorgeous jacket. After the boy in front of Allison had oddly given her a pen, Melanie gave the new girl a compliment on her choice of outerwear to make her feel more comfortable and introduced herself. Allison seemed relieved to actually have an acquaintance and Melanie wished she could sympathise, but she'd never been the new girl.
After class ended, Melanie met up with Lydia by their lockers and caught Allison smiling to something in the distance by hers.
"That jacket is totally killer," Lydia started as the two girls walked up to the brunette, Melanie nodded in agreement.
"Where did you get it?" Melanie asked, forgetting that she didn't inquire about it earlier.
"My mom was a buyer for a boutique back in San Francisco," Allison looked at the ground shyly and back at the girls.
"And you are my new best friend," Lydia smiled excitedly, pointing at Allison and flicking her hair behind her shoulders."
"Umm, current best friend standing right here?" Melanie raised her eyebrows playfully at Lydia, "I mean, who's the one helping you plan this raging party for Friday?"
"Hmm, I guess we can be a trio," Lydia said and the three girls laughed, Allison seeming more and more comfortable by the second. That is until Jackson Whittemore came over and began making out with Lydia right in their faces.
"If you didn't know," Melanie sidestepped closer to Allison, "her name's Lydia, and the thing on her face is called Jackson. He has a tendency to be kind of an asshole, but don't worry, it's not personal - he's just two brain cells shy of a homo sapien."
Allison held in a laugh as the couple broke apart, unknowing of Melanie's remark. Yes, Melanie and Jackson didn't get along constantly, but who did? Not even Lydia could stop him from being an asshole sometimes, nor his best friend Danny could tame the wild beast that is Jackson Whittemore. Despite this, he was totally whipped for Lydia and unfortunately liked to pretend that he wasn't by being an utter dick. He and Melanie had their good moments though - they had known each other for years.
"So," Lydia began in an upbeat tone, "there's a party this weekend..."
"A party?" Allison sounded apprehensive.
"Yeah," Jackson put in, "Friday night, as Mel said, you should come."
"Oh, I can't," Allison looked to the left - something Melanie knew was a tell for constructed image or sound meaning that she was about to lie. "It's family night on Friday, but thanks for asking."
"You sure? Everyone's going after the scrimmage," Jackson said, his arm around Lydia's shoulders falling to her waist.
"You mean like football?" Allison tilted her head questioningly. Melanie laughed and shook her head before Jackson said, "Football's a joke in Beacon, the sport here's lacrosse. We've won the state championship for the past three years."
"Because of a certain team captain," Lydia said, looking at Jackson fondly.
"Ah yes, our second year of high school and Jackson's the reason we've won three years in a row despite him being in his penultimate and final years of middle school," Melanie said, sarcasm dripping off her tongue, gaining a sly smile from Allison and two scowls from the King and Queen.
"Well, we have practice in a few minutes," Jackson looked back at Allison, "So, if you don't have anywhere else -"
"Well I was going to -"
"Perfect, you're coming.
Because it was rather cold outside, the girls and Jackson stopped by Lydia and Melanie's lockers so that they could grab their coats, Lydia's dark blue trench coat and Melanie's white one with a belt tied around it. After going outside, watching Lydia and Jackson to kiss each other goodbye - though it looked more like trying to eat each other - the three girls stepped up on to the bleachers, made themselves comfortable and ready to watch Coach Finstock pulverise his students.
"Let's go! Come on!"
"Who is that?" Allison asked pointing at the boy who was walking to the goal.
"Him? I'm not sure who he is," Lydia frowned, "Why?"
"He's in mine and Melanie's English class," Allison replied, shaking her head.
"Oh, the weird one who gave you a pen?" Melanie asked and Allison nodded, "Umm, I think his name is Sam or Sebastian or Silas or - okay all I know is that it begins with an S."
"Hey! Way to catch it with your face, McCall!" Jackson yelled across the pitch as McCall fell to the ground with a thump after taking a ball to the face. Melanie snorted - she loved the brutality of lacrosse, it was a shame she sucked at it and Jonah gained all of the sport genes.
It seemed that getting smacked in the face and taunted by the school's dictator gave this McCall boy a confidence boost because once he got up, there was no stopping him. He swung his stick left and right, up and down - he was ... good!?
"He seems like he's pretty good," Allison commented with a triumphant smile.
"Oh, very good," Lydia was also smiling, though hers was a surprised one.
"Good?" Melanie was baffled. It was now Jackson's turn to throw one at McCall. With all of his might, he sprinted, jumped in the air and swung at McCall who caught it with such ease that Jackson looked as though he wanted to murder the boy right then and there. "He's brilliant!"
The three girls stood up with everyone else and cheered for McCall's new found talents, Lydia giving her boyfriend a challenging smirk, Allison grinning at her seemingly new crush and Melanie's clapping slowed as she wondered just how did he get so good at lacrosse - hadn't he been sitting on the sidelines for their entre Freshman year because he was awful? No one gets that good over the span of two months, but Melanie ignored it - ignorance is bliss and she did not want to get involved in whatever drug problem this boy may or may not have.
That afternoon, Melanie invited Allison and Lydia round hers for a study group. In reality, this meant that they were going to talk boys, hair and nail cuticles - maybe with some quadratic equations and covalent bonds here and there.
"Welcome to my humble abode," Melanie smirked at the two girls who walked in before she locked the door behind them.
"Are your family home?" Allison asked curiously.
"Nah, mom's bakery doesn't close till six," Melanie began, "dad's probably in some seven hour surgery, my older sister Willow is staying in Minnesota, St. Cloud with her boyfriend and my younger brother Jonah is at lacrosse practice in middle school and he wont be home till five. So, it's just us gals."
It was around half six when Lillian Reign arrived home to see her only son lounging on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and heard a gang of giggling girls upstairs.
"Melly!" Lillian called up the stairs, Jonah jumping in the air and spilling popcorn everywhere then groaning as he picked it all up. "I'm home, and I brought your favourite!"
The next thing she heard were numerous feet clambering down the stairs for a slice of cake. But there was a new face.
"Hey mom," Melanie greeted, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek whilst Lydia took the bag that held the cake, "this is Allison, she's new in town."
"Welcome to Beacon Hills, Allison," Lillian smiled, "call me Lily."
"Thanks, Mrs - I mean, Lily," Allison laughed.
"Oh my, gosh," Lydia groaned in appreciation whilst taking a bite of the chocolate and vanilla cheesecake, "you never fail to amaze me, Lily."
"Why, thank you, Lydia," Melanie's mother smiled, "it's nice to have someone appreciate my cooking."
"Hey!" Jonah called, "we appreciate your baking, but your cooking? Hmm, how about we leave dad to that?" Lily rolled her eyes as Melanie laughed, knowing just how awful their mother was at cooking.
"This is the best cheesecake I've ever tasted," Allison said in awe, as Melanie and Jonah looked at each other and grinned knowingly - they'd been able to grow up with their mother's cakes and pastries.
"Well it's also nice to know that I have a second honorary daughter. Come by whenever you like, Allison."
After Melanie's friends left, her mother expressed how humble and nice Allison seemed and Jonah let out that he thought his sister's new friend was hot with a capital H. Melanie proceeded to call her brother a hormonal Neanderthal and told her mom what little facts she knew about Allison.
It was before she went to bed that Melanie's phone rang, and who was it but none other than Allison Argent.
"Hey, Al," Melanie said, "what's up?"
"You'll never guess what just happened," Allison's voice seemed rather nasal, as if she had a blocked nose.
"Do tell," Melanie jumped on her bed - yes, ignorance was bliss but she loved to have a chat with her friends about what's going on in their dramatic lives.
"Well, I may or may not have accidentally hit a dog on the way home from yours," Allison said in a high voice.
"Oh my - is the dog okay?" Melanie always had a soft spot for animals, she was definitely a dog person.
"Yeah, she's fine. I took her to the vets," she could practically hear the smile in Allison's voice, "but guess who was there?"
"The vet?"
"No!"
"Then who?"
"Scott!"
"Who?"
"You know," Allison sighed, "Scott McCall, the weird pen boy who's amazing at lacrosse?"
"Oh, Sebastian MacDonald, the odd flute boy who's amazing at getting hit in the face!"
"Melanie," Allison groaned with a laugh which caused Melanie to laugh also. "He asked me to come to Lydia's party with him on Friday - and I said yes!"
"Aha!" Melanie sat up, "I knew family night was a lie, you sneaky minx, you."
"Mel, I really like this guy," Allison said seriously, "do you think you and Lyd could help me with all the girly stuff? I'm not exactly good at hair and makeup and fashion."
"What else are friends for?"
It was finally Friday and the party was happening - everyone in the high school was invited as Lydia's house was practically a mansion. Lydia and Melanie went straight back to Allison's house to help her choose her clothes and get her ready before Scott picked her up for the party. They decided on a white blouse paired with some dark grey jeans, a cute black blazer and some black ankle booties. To top it off, they curled her hair, pinning some back and applied minimal makeup. She looked gorgeous.
Once arriving back to Lydia's, Melanie helped Lydia pick out a black bodycon and pumps and put her long hair in a half up half down style. Melanie then put on her black cut out skater dress, a few items of jewellery and her studded black ankle booties.
"Floral kimono, or no?" Melanie asked, "I know we said no light floral clothes for the Winter but I cant help but feel a little funeral-like."
"Hmm, I think no kimono," Lydia said, touching up her makeup, "Without it, you look all dark and mysterious. It'll make the guys come to you, and maybe you'll find a cute new boyfriend."
"I don't want a boyfriend," Melanie laughed before starting on her makeup, "Regardless, I do want to have some fun tonight."
"The spare bedroom is open for you and whichever boy of your choosing, Lainey," Lydia smirked as Melanie swiped on some winged eyeliner after sliding on her light purple lipstick.
"Maybe not that extent of fun," Melanie laughed, "I don't want a repeat of your last party with a one pump chump who took several minutes to even find his way."
"That really is tragic," Lydia pursed her lips.
"Don't I know it."
Melanie was the first one to get hammered, though many followed suit after that. Everywhere she looked, there were couples making out, people jumping in the pool, some vomiting in the bushes and others observing the rest of the party and judging. To say the least, it was a banger of a party.
She saw Jackson and Lydia practically dry humping against a pillar and then glanced to where Allison was dancing with her date, Scott McCall. They seemed happy together and Melanie smiled that Allison was fitting in so well. Her eyes grazed across the house and she spotted Scott's spaz of a friend.
"You there," she slurred while pointing at the boy with the buzzcut, "Pale boy!" He looked behind him and then pointed at himself with a confused look as Melanie sauntered towards him with a coy smile. "You're friends with Silas McAllister the strange baton boy who's amazing at getting made fun of by Jackson."
"I'm assuming you mean Scott McCall," he said with an awkward smile, "you're friends with Allison and Lydia."
"Very true," Melanie nodded, "Usually I go by the saying ignorance is bliss, but I have to know; is Simon McAuliffe, the peculiar hockey stick boy who's amazing at being a floppy haired teen, a good guy? Because Allison does not deserve to get hurt by an asshole who only wants to stick his dick in her."
"Oh, no Scott," he said frantically, "Scott's one of the nicest people, totally the best guy - yo, Scott, you good?"
Scott came stumbling past clutching his head as Melanie asked, "Are you okay?" He then proceeded to run out of the house with his friend following him.
"Mel!" she turned around and faced Allison who gave her a glass of water, "Was that Scott I just saw run past?"
"Yeah," Melanie nodded, feeing a lot fresher after downing the water, "He looked like he was having a migraine or something."
"Come on," Allison took Melanie's hand and the two girls reached the porch as they saw Scott drive away in his car. "He was my ride! Why would he leave me stranded like this?"
"I don't know, Al," the two girls continued to walk down the drive, "his friend said he was 'the best guy', but if abandoning your date makes you the best, I don't know what's the worst."
"Allison," their necks both snapped in the same direction and glanced at each other knowing exactly what they were thinking - this guy is hot. He had black spikey hair, green eyes and a chiselled jawline that could make anyone melt. "I'm a friend of Scott's. My name's Derek."
"Hale, right?" Melanie recognised him from her older sister's yearbook and all of the orchestra recitals that he seemed to attend.
"I'm here to take you home," he said after nodding to Melanie, "Scott called me and told me he was suffering from one of his ... migraines and asked that I help."
"Oh," Allison breathed in relief, "that would be brilliant, thank you."
"How about," Melanie intervened, giving Derek a sceptical look, "I drive you home."
"You've been drinking," Derek said, guiding Allison to his car, "but feel free to ride with us and I'll bring you right back here afterwards." He gave a seemingly charming smile but Melanie still wasn't sure she could trust him or not, so she agreed.
The car ride was silent with the two girls in the back and Derek in the front driving. Melanie got out of the car once arriving at Allison's so she could move into the passenger seat.
"Allison," Melanie called before getting back in the car after Allison thanked Derek, "If Scott's anything we hope he is, he'll apologise. Just a piece of advice, make him grovel."
"Will do," Allison laughed at the mischievous grin on her friend's face. "See you, Mel."
They were halfway back to Lydia's house when Derek spoke up, "Aren't you curious as to how I know Scott?"
"Ignorance is bliss, Derek."
"You're Willow Reign's sister, right?"
"Yeah," she nodded, "you're Peter's nephew, right?"
"And how do you know my uncle?"
"Even at the tender age of ten, I wasn't a moron," she laughed, "I knew Low was dating an older guy and it didn't help that she was in the loft and my room was under hers - he had to climb past my window to get out unseen. He wasn't exactly the most subtle one."
"Well, here we are," Derek said, pulling up to Lydia's house, "If you're in any kind of trouble, call me."
"I would ask why you're being so nice to me but-"
"Ignorance is bliss."