That Girl (Part 2)

Chapter 3

EDITED

"How's Lydia?" Dan asked just as Haylie swung round and kicked the boxing bag as hard as she could.

"Awake." She said bluntly as a sign to him to say she wasn't talking about it.

While they had been training together most days, Haylie avoided any questions about her friends. Even when he was just asking to make conversation.

Dan knew it as well. He had been getting all the information he needed from other people, but he still held out hope she might trust him. "Have you seen her?" he chanced just as she moved back into position and began punching the bag like he taught her. She met his eyes for a second with a warning. "Haylie, I'm asking about your friend that's it."

She sighed and punched again. "I'm seeing her tonight when we're finished here."

He nodded with a small smile, hoping that was progress. "What time did you want to finish up here anyway? Haven't you been here all day?"

"I left for lunch." She said with a shrug. "Besides, I like being here." He folded his arms across the navy-blue t-shirt.

Dan nodded again appreciatively. "Because you feel safe? Or because you feel strong?"

"I am strong." She said quickly and then shook her head out from whatever self-deprecating thoughts threatened to escape. "I've always been strong. I just haven't always known how to use it and that's why this time with you is..."

She trailed off when a smile started to creep on his face. He laughed, his bright teeth making it a beautiful laugh. "Haylie you can admit you enjoy spending time with me. Even if it is just for the chance to punch me in the face."

She let herself laugh back as she stood back up straight, obviously done with the bag. "Is this one of those chances?" He shook his head. "Come on, I want to spar."

"You're right you are strong. I'm not yet willing to add skill to that and let you actually punch me in the face." She laughed again and swore she saw his eyes twinkle from it. "I like it when you laugh." She didn't let her smile drop at his quieter words. "I like it because it means you haven't completely decided that I'm your enemy."

She sighed and started to unwrap her hands. "Dan, if I thought you were my enemy I wouldn't be here."

"But you still think we're on opposing sides."

"I'm not on a side." She shrugged. "I don't think there are sides anymore. You guys know about Scott and you're leaving him alone. We both want people to be safe. Our friends and our families."

He nodded and chanced a step closer. "Then why are you so guarded about Lydia?"

She held his blue eyes, try to see if he was still working an angle. If he had made her laugh to get what he wanted but then she shrugged. "It's not just you okay." She confessed. "This world is filled with monsters and even the ones who look like us are dangerous. I'm still adjusting to trusting people when it comes to my friends. I'm having a hard time trusting my friends with my friends." She forced another laugh but it was true. She didn't know why she didn't want Alison and Scott to know about her digging into her history, but she knew she didn't trust them to.

"Trust is earned. I get that." She thought he might mention Derek, but she was so thankful that he didn't. "You know when I first found out about all this werewolf, supernatural stuff I had a hard time too. I could barely even go grocery shopping without looking at every stranger like they could be hiding something under their skin." She nodded. That was exactly how it felt. "But then I learnt, it's not always about knowing what your enemy is. But knowing if it's an enemy or not. That's why we have the code."