ochisia | stiles stilinski [2]

chapter three: ice pick

The unmistakable sound of the safety line whipping loose rang as Scott plummeted down to the mat after Allison had kicked his foothold. I didn't bother holding back my laugh when Scott suddenly stopped falling and he winced as the harness tightened around a certain area. The last of the safety line went slack and with a loud thump, he smacked down on the mat.

Coach's booming laughter filled the room, "McCall, I don't know why, but your pain gives me a special kind of joy."

"What'd he do?" I asked Allison with a grin once she made her way back to the group.

"Stared at my ass."

"Nice," my grin widened and I held my hand up for a high-five, which she returned enthusiastically.

"All right, next two! Alex, Erica, let's go! The wall."

With a groan, I trudged over to the wall and saw a girl who looked as if she was going to shit herself. While we were getting harnessed up, I leaned to the side a little toward her, "Hey, don't worry. It's not as scary as it looks."

She gave me a weak smile and once we were secured, I put my hand on the plastic rocks, pulling myself up. So concentrated on where I was putting my footing and what my next move would be, I barely noticed when I reached the top. I smiled victoriously and let myself repel down, landing solidly on the ground as I blew a stray piece of hair that was on my face to the side.

"Nice, Knight!" Coach grinned at me but stopped as soon as he heard a loud whimper. Turning my head to the source of the whimper, my eyes landed on the frizzy, blonde-haired girl gripping to the plastic as if it was her lifeline.

"Erica? Are you dizzy? Is it vertigo?" Coach called up to the trembling girl.

"Vertigo's a dysfunction of the vestibular system of the inner ear. She's just freaking out," Lydia rolled her eyes and I shot her a disapproving look at her lack of empathy.

"Erica?"

Her breaths started increasing as she began to hyperventilate.

"Coach, maybe it's not safe. You know, she's epileptic," Allison's face was contorted with concern, her eyes stuck on Erica.

"Why doesn't anybody tell me this stuff?" Coach threw his hands up frustrated.

"Maybe cause it's your job to know?" I mumbled under my breath and thankfully he didn't hear me.

Erica's eyes were now squeezed shut as she was completely frozen, her fingers white because of how tightly she was holding on.

"Erica, y-you're fine. Just-just kick off from the wall. Th-there's a mat to catch you. Come on."

Erica wasn't moving and I could see her hands shaking, about to lose their grip. In a split-seconds decision, I yanked myself upward on the wall, climbing to where Erica was.