Falling ~ Stiles Stilinski

Secrets Unfold

Michaela stirred, her body leaden with exhaustion, her thoughts sluggish and tangled from a fractured sleep. She blinked groggily, the events of the previous night clawing their way to the surface as she rubbed her eyes, the heaviness of sleep clinging stubbornly.

Images of Lydia, the eerie woods, and the lifeless body they had stumbled upon haunted her, sending shivers down her spine that she couldn't shake.

Trying to shake off the remnants of her unsettling dreams, Michaela forced herself out of bed and down the stairs.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," her dad greeted her, placing a plate of fruity crepes before her.

"As tempting as that looks, Dad, I've got to go. Stiles is here," Michaela replied, her voice still tinged with disorientation.

"Oh, hey, before you go, could you drop off your sister?" her dad asked. "I need to head to the restaurant early."

"Yeah, sure," Michaela answered, attempting to sound more awake than she felt. She motioned for her sister to join her, and they hastily left the house. During the car ride, her sister chatted excitedly about the day ahead, but Michaela remained lost in thought, still processing the night's events.

The scent of the freshly cleaned car, usually comforting, now felt suffocating, amplifying the tightness in Michaela's chest as she replayed the night's horrors. The engine hum and the gentle sway of the vehicle created a soothing atmosphere. Isabella suddenly looked up, turning to Stiles to share the latest Beacon Hills Middle School news. Her words filled the air with animated chatter, punctuated by occasional laughter.

As Isabella chatted away, Stiles noticed that Michaela appeared distant. The car's interior seemed to grow quieter, with only the distant sounds of passing cars and the soft hum of the radio filling the void.

Have you talked to Allison?' Stiles asked, breaking the silence with a tentative tone, his gaze flicking between the road and Michaela's distant expression.

Michaela's fingers trembled as they traced patterns on her lap, her voice betraying the turmoil beneath her calm facade. 'Yeah, I talked to her...I filled her in on everything. She suggested we meet in front of the school. We're going to walk in with Lydia, you know, for some moral support."

Stiles glanced at her, still keeping his eyes on the road. The steady rumble of the tires on the pavement provided a backdrop to their conversation. "Are you holding up okay?" he asked gently, his concern evident in his voice. "Considering everything..."

Michaela didn't know how to respond. The last 24 hours had been a whirlwind, making it difficult to put into words. She inhaled deeply, taking in the faint scent of her sister's perfume mingled with the subtle aroma of the leather seats. "Yeah," she whispered, trying to adopt a 'fake it till you make it' attitude. The soft timbre of her voice was barely audible over the car's gentle purr.

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Michaela joined Allison, who was engaged in a hushed conversation with Lydia.

"Do you really not remember anything?" Allison inquired, her concern evident.

"They're calling it a fugue state," Lydia responded, a hint of frustration in her voice.

That's just the fancy term for 'we've got no clue why you've forgotten running through the woods naked for two days,' Michaela quipped, surprising both girls with her sudden appearance.

Lydia turned toward Michaela and scrutinized her face for a moment. "You were there last night, you escorted me," she stated.

"Lydia, we've known each other since elementary school," Michaela replied, confused.