Underneath it All [Teen Wolf] | Erica Reyes

(Bitter)sweet Revenge

The weekend slipped by and then next thing they knew Monday morning came again bright and early to the scent of buttery pancakes and sizzling sausage. The girls shuffled into the kitchen, their eyes still heavy with sleep, well, the lack of sleep. Throughout the weekend they managed to accumulate at least ten hours of sleep over the two day period but it was worth it to them. Their sleepovers were cherished monthly traditions. No matter what happened, they always ended up regretting staying up so late over the weekend but then they would go ahead and do it again because it was the only time they could actually be together now.

The further they progressed in school the busier they became. Well, the busier Melanie became. She helped in her mom's shop odd afternoons, she swam and was on the lacrosse team, she played the piano, she was a lifeguard, she was on the yearbook staff, she was in the school orchestra, she sang. She did this and this and this. And while that was going on Erica would either stay in her room waiting for Melanie to call for their nightly chats or she would have a doctor's appointment to take up the time. Either way she was always waiting on her or waiting for something. It didn't bother her, it was how things always had been, but she just didn't notice it until now.

Erica waited to be picked up for school or dropped off because she couldn't drive. She waited for a meeting to be let out to have five minutes between classes to chat about some piece of gossip she had heard. She waited to be acknowledged by someone who had hit her with their backpack but that one never came. It was as if she were invisible. And what kind of life was that? Having to constantly rely on someone wasn't her idea of living life and she had three people she needed to rely on: her mother, her doctor, her best friend. The day she would be able to stand on her own two feet would be the taste she could finally taste freedom.

But for now she didn't mind getting to hear the ways that Melanie was going to get revenge on Jackson and Stiles.

"Are you sure your shoulder's okay?" Erica asked as they entered the school building.

Melanie groaned long and loud, tilting her head back in the process. Jackson, who just so happened to walk by at the exchange, gave her an odd look. "Trying to call for a mate, Crowe?" he asked, his usual smug smile appearing on his face. "You won't attract anyone with that bellowing, sad to say."

"It made you stop, didn't it? What does that say about you?" she shot back almost without a second thought. The words came out of her mouth with ease, almost as if she were having a conversation about the weather. Looking up she spotted him glaring at her and she happily waved back, continuing down the hall.

"He looked as if he wanted to kill you," Erica commented as they approached Melanie's locker.

"Yeah, I'd like to see him try anymore than he already has," she replied, tossing her lacrosse stick in. She was going to get her official practice jersey and game jersey that day. Number 16. She couldn't wait to get her hands on it. "Besides, he'd hear it from Lydia if he ever really beat me up. As cocky as he is, the boy's whipped."

As she pulled books out of her locker she felt Erica nudging her shoulder. Melanie regarded her, noting Erica's wide shifting eyes and the clearing of her throat. Was Jackson behind her? Monday's were hell to deal with, she didn't want him on her ass too all because she couldn't quit while she was ahead. Instead when she whirled around she came face to face with Isaac. Well, face to chest. She had to take a step backwards and tilt her head back to properly look at this face.

"Hey Isaac," she greeted him with a bright smile and wave. She snapped her fingers and tugged her backpack around to the front so she could dig in it. "I have your clothes here...somewhere..." she murmured, moving her hand around. "Ah! Here ya go!" she wiggled the shirt and pats out from the space her open zipper allowed. "It's all here, freshly washed and dried. Thanks again for helping out."