shattered soul [teen wolf]

[chapter twenty one] ignorant bliss

'✧∘* ೃ ⋆｡˚.

An eerie silence floated through the air as Aires sat with her hands in her lap, watching the ducks glide across the lake. There was no particular reason for her to be in the forest so early, she wasn't sure herself why she was there.

But something about it felt comforting.

"Aires."

Lila.

With an icy glare, the Hale slowly turned to face the woman that stood only steps away from her. It had been over a week since she had last seen her birth mother, since the night in the graveyard. Her hands tightened into tight fists as she narrowed her eyes on Lila, attempting to assess her motives.

"Your back." She cooly whispered whilst sliding off of the rock she had been sitting on.

Slowly, she crossed her arms against her chest, hugging her leather jacket to her body. Despite it being almost April, there was a bitter chill in the air. Though that didn't stop Aires from wearing her favourite Chanel dress and pumps.

"You look beautiful." Lila whispered with awe in her eyes.

"Thank you." Aires hesitantly whispered back as she shifted about. "I have to-"

"Do you have a few minutes? We can walk to wherever you need to be, I just want to spend some time with you."

Lila's motives had always puzzled the Hale, she wasn't sure whether she was being deceived or the woman actually had a heart of gold. Still, she never once let down her guard. But that didn't mean she wasn't intrigued by her birth mother. Lila seemed to genuinely want to be around her, spend time with her, get to know her.

She seemed to actually care about Aires.

"Okay." The Hale bluntly mumbled back before flipping her hair over her shoulder and strutting through the woods.

"So, do you have school today?"

"Yes, I'm retaking my PSATS."

A frown tugged on Lila's face as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "Oh, I don't think I ever got to take them, I gave birth to you at sixteen and then... Well- You know the rest of the story."

Something strange swirled in the Hales chest as she felt her glare soften. Lila never got to have a normal life, a normal childhood, just like Aires. She was forced to grow up too fast, and had her life stolen from her. Just like her daughter, Lila had gone through a ridiculous amount of pain.

"Wait- Re do?"

"Yes. I'm redoing them to beat my score from last year."

"But you were a Sophomore last year?" Slowly, the gears turned in the woman's head and a grin stretched across her face. "Oh wow, so you're smart, smart then?"

A small smirk tugged on the girl's lips as she rolled her eyes. "Yes, I am 'smart, smart'."

Aires had always been a high achiever, miles ahead, always already in the know of anything and everything. That was just how she was. But seeing someone else surprised by it reminded her that she was in fact not normal, whilst her mind may have been a curse at times, it was also a gift.

"Wow, you definitely didn't get that from me." Lila mumbled, earning an eye roll from the Hale. "Do you roll your eyes a lot?"

A scoff fell from Aires lips as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you always ask a hundred questions?" She shot back with a challenge in her eyes.

"Touche."

There were things the Hale wanted to ask, answers she secretly craved. But the thing that held her back, scared her the most, was the fact that she could slowly feel herself starting to soften around Lila.