Teen She-Wolf

Chapter 5 - The Spirit's On Me Like A Live Wire

***STILES***

I didn't think I'd get to see Age of Ultron today. Now, I'm about to see it with everyone else - and I feel a pretty strong sense of foreboding. Those Alpha twins are still out there, and when we're all in a dark, crowded movie theater, it's all too likely that they'll be taking advantage of that to ambush us. Maybe even with reinforcements - didn't Derek say something about an entire pack of Alphas? And how does that work? Where's the hierarchy in such a system?And, more importantly, in the event of an ambush, how would I defend myself? It's not like I can smuggle a gun or an aluminum baseball bat into the theater. Or any other kind of weapon, really.

At the theater, I look through the glass front door and gaze around the lobby. Danny is nowhere to be seen, so he must not be here yet. While we all get our tickets, Hunter says he'll stay outside and wait for his date.

"Are you sure?" Skylar asks, sliding ten dollars into the ticket booth. Derek had initially wondered about how she'd be able to get into the building - vampires are, literally, unable to enter new buildings uninvited. However, she pointed out the sign on the front door that reads, "Come in, we're OPEN." I'm not sure why a movie theater has that sign - I've never seen that happen before. Either way, this awfully convenient stroke of luck is good for us. Or, more accurately, her.

"Don't worry," Hunter says glibly, leaning against the wall next to a Tomorrowland poster. "I can defend myself quite ably if need be."

"Which is more than I can say for myself," I mutter under my breath.

"And besides," Hunter adds as I pay for my own ticket, "it'll look less suspicious, don't you think? I mean, if Danny were to come up here and see me surrounded by all his friends, he might think something's up."

"Most of us aren't really his friends," I say. "Except Jackson. Scott, Isaac, and I are just his teammates."

"Your Facebook profiles suggest otherwise," Hunter chuckles.

"And something is up," I add, ignoring his little joke. "There's a bunch of...you know what, never mind. I'm sure you can read it all in my mind anyway."

"I can, actually," Hunter says. "Tell Allison I wish her the best of luck in reversing her turning, okay?"

"You're getting really creepy there, dude."

"I know," Hunter says, waving jauntily as I walk into the theater. I'm the last one in line for snacks, which everyone is getting except Allison and Isaac (because they're too nervous about this whole thing to eat too much - but Scott agrees to share some of his large tub of popcorn with the both of them.) By the time we've all got our popcorn and sodas, however, I can turn around and see Hunter greeting Danny outside the door with a nice big hug, as if they're old friends.

I watch the two of them talk for a minute or so outside, before I end up having to take my turn at the snack counter. Just as well, because as I place my order, I hear the door open behind me, and it would kind of wreck Hunter's little plan if I were caught staring at him and Danny. But then, I don't think Hunter expected Danny to see all of us at the movies today either.

To his credit, though, Hunter manages to do a very convincing job of pretending he's never met any of us before. Apparently, even without the aid of mind-reading powers, he already knew who some of us were, because Danny had talked about some of us when he'd chatted with him online. But until today, he'd never had any faces to put with the names of Jackson, Scott, Isaac, and myself. Basically, Danny's teammates were the only ones he'd talked about.

"The pleasure is mine, boys," Hunter says after shaking hands all around. Behind Danny's back, however, he winks at me. Such an actor. Not to mention a jokester. Hey...being the jokester is my job! Now I'm starting to wonder if that means Danny really would consider me his type. But, of course, I'm still holding out for Lydia. Foolishly, I know. Don't remind me.