today i saw the whole world, teen wolf

𝟎𝟎𝟗 the search for a cure.

the search for a cure

___

SHE WOKE UP THE next morning with a pounding headache. The alarm clock on the nightstand doesn't help the aching as it buzzes louder than usual. She groans, pulling her white comforter over her head to shield the sun shining through the mesh curtains above her nightstand. If werewolves were real, vampires could be too and right now, she was convinced the shining sun was burning her alive. The noisy buzz continues beside her.

Another groan rips through the room as she throws the blanket off her like a child during a tantrum. Without sitting up, she reaches out for the alarm clock before banging a fist down on it. Her eyes stay closed as the incessant noise somehow grows louder. She jumps at the sound of something hitting the floor, the alarm clock thuds against the wood. It was reflexive like her body was frightened by loud noises. The night before was to blame for her jumpy behavior.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asks, interrupting her attempt to go back to sleep as the blankets pull over her head. He steps up to her bed, not waiting for her answer. He picks up the clock from the floor before turning it off and putting it back where it was.

She groans, the only way of communicating this early in the morning. He fights a growing smile as she peaks over her comforter with squinting eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept at all. The shadows under her eyes highlights how her skin was pale. His smile quickly fades at the sight of her.

It wasn't an odd thing for her to stay up later than she should. It wasn't odd for her to be tired in the morning, to be angry at her alarm clock. The paled face wasn't new to Charlie as it resembled the same way she was the weeks surrounding their father's death. Hell, she hadn't looked happy for months before that.

Her emotionless expression was unrecognizable to him. At least for those weeks they had mourned their father, she looked sad. Now, Charlie couldn't pinpoint a single emotion behind her exhausted eyes. It scared him more than anything. It almost pushes him to ask about what truly happened the night before.

"You know, you don't have to go to school today. I can write you a note," he tells her, reminding her of his presence beside the bed.

Yawning, she pushes the blankets off of her. "No, it's fine. Besides, forgery is a felony offense," she dryly remarks as she sits up in her spot and rubs away the sleep in her eyes.

"Paxton," he cautiously starts, not wanting to worry her, "you were locked in the school for hours. I'm surprised they're even opening today." He deflects his questions about what had happened by keeping it short and simple.

Communication was never a Bridger strong-suit.

"I'm not gonna let a stupid break-in stop me from going on with my life," she mumbles as she ignores his eye contact.

He studies her for a moment, "how do you do it?" he asks with a slight tilt of his head as he speaks the words on his mind. Her eyebrows pull together once she meets his stare, not understanding what he meant. "How do you pretend like nothing happened to you?"

A short huff of air mimicking a laugh escapes her as if she could simply laugh off how vulnerable she felt. "I could ask you the same thing," she starts rather harshly, an instinct of feeling vulnerability. "You've been fine since dad.." she trails off, not being able to speak about it.