UNLOVEABLE ─ s.stilinski

xxii. the truth

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
the truth

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Harley came to the assumption that Rhys was keeping a secret from her, and Stiles Stilinki knew about it.

She concluded it was why they got so close out of nowhere. Harley had expected them to become close eventually, so it wasn't shocking. Stiles and Rhys were more similar than they thought; both of them like comics and nerdy films, they enjoy making sarcastic comments and playing online games about odd creatures. She never understood why it took them so long to realise they were meant to be friends... or more.

But what she didn't expect was Rhys to leave her.

The night of the formal was great, Harley had a good time with Estella, she hadn't really even thought about Lydia. Which would end up being a mistake. Because while she was dancing and drinking Lydia was being mauled by an animal on the lacrosse pitch.

Along with that, Rhys was nearly killed by Allison's aunt, Kate, on the streets of Beacon Hills. He was attacked when walking home, there was not motive as to why Kate would choose him. Wrong place, wrong time she supposed. Stiles had found Rhys and took him to the hospital where he flatlined five minutes later.

Harley had no idea, not a single clue until she got a call after the dance. It was Maya, her voice cracked and croaky. She explained the events in minimal detail, taking multiple pauses to gather her words. Harley was lost, she didn't understand she couldn't understand. The first thing she did was run to the hospital where she found Stiles talking with his dad. She walked up to him, he was the one who was there, he had to know why.

"Stiles?" She asked, her voice quiet a noticeable contrast to her usual loud and clear tone.

Stiles and the Sheriff turned to her. She could see Stiles had been crying, his eyes were rimmed red and his face blotchy with tears. Harley knew she looked the same.

"Wh-what happened?" Harley managed. She already knew, she had been told but it didn't make sense, none of it made sense. "He was at the dance wasn't he? Why wasn't he at the dance?"

"He was..." Stiles spoke turning to her, she could see the tears threatening to spill from his eyes, he rubbed a hand over his face aggressively. "He was, he left. But I didn't-" He paused. The Sheriff rubbed a hand on his son shoulder before giving them some space. "But I didn't stop him."

Harley didn't know what to say, what could she say? She hasn't stopped him either, hell, she hadn't even seen him. It was like she was tested and she failed to do one thing, the one thing that would mater the most.

She wiped a stray tear from her cheek, "Uh... well, you know how he is... was... he hated parties."

Stiles managed a small smile, hardly there, a twinge of his lip. "Yeah."

Harley never got to see Rhys. She never got to see the condition he was in, according to Stiles...which wasn't much... the reason he died was blood loss, he had multiple clawed wounds that scrapped down his chest. Harley wanted to throw up at the thought.

Her friend, her best-friend was gone. Rhys, the grumpy-sunshine was gone. The only person she ever trusted completely was gone. The only person who could make her laugh so much that her face would hurt was gone.