𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓 | Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski

Chapter 2

The doctor had said Paige—or Sylvia, as everyone called her now—had hit her head hard in the accident. Retrograde amnesia, he said. She might remember things eventually; she just needed time and familiar faces to help her recall her past. Paige was relieved, at least she wouldn't have to pretend to be someone else.

The next time she saw her supposed parents, the first thing she asked was what the date was, which confused them a little, but they didn't question it.

"17th November, 2010."

It had been five years since her death.

Sylvia's—no, Paige's—new parents were loving. Her mother, Audrey, was a psychiatrist, while her father, Owen, was a surgeon. She came from a wealthy family.

After getting clearance from the hospital, her parents took her back home to help her settle in and remember everything. The three of them sat on Sylvia's bed, and Paige observed everything in the room. The walls were painted a soft lavender, and adorned with small framed posters of Taylor Swift. The curtains were a matching shade, billowing slightly in the breeze from the open window. An expensive laptop sat on the study table, surrounded by schoolbooks and novels, their spines a testament to Sylvia's diverse interests.

Her eyes fell on the vanity against the opposite wall, cluttered with an array of expensive makeup products and jewelry. Shimmering eyeshadows, lipsticks in every shade, and delicate necklaces and bracelets lay neatly organized. It was clear that Sylvia had enjoyed indulging in the finer things, and her parents had spared no expense in providing for her.

Beside the vanity was a pinboard covered with pictures and mementos. Her gaze lingered on the photos—one of the family, smiling and happy, and another with two boys. One had whiskey-colored eyes and a sharp nose, the other with an asymmetrical chin.

Her mother followed her line of sight and quickly approached the pictures, while her father pulled out a journal and a photo album from the bedside table.

Her mother sat in front of her, pointing at the boy with whiskey eyes. "This is Stiles," she said, then pointed at the other boy. "And this is Scott. They are your best friends."

Paige nodded in response, her mind spinning. Her father opened the photo album, showing her the memories Sylvia had made.

"Silver—" the man began, then corrected himself. "Sylvia, do you remember anything?"

"Silver?" Paige asked, curious.

"That's your nickname—Silver, because you, Sylvia Sommers, are our silver lining," the woman said with a teary smile. Paige felt a pang of guilt at residing in the body of their daughter, the girl they loved so much.

She took the woman's hand in hers. "I might not remember anything, but I do trust you, and I really hope to remember everything soon, too."

Her father smiled and patted Paige's head with so much love in his eyes that she wanted to cry and tell them the truth. But she didn't have the heart to break theirs, so she kept quiet.

The days that followed were a blur of overwhelming emotions and new experiences. Paige, now living as Sylvia, tried her best to fit into the life of a girl she never knew. The Sommers family was patient and supportive, surrounding her with familiar sights and sounds to help jog her memory.

Audrey and Owen took turns showing her old family videos, recounting childhood stories, and introducing her to relatives and friends. Paige watched and listened, trying to piece together the fragments of Sylvia's life, while slowly and steadily Paige regained fragments of Sylvia's memories.

One sunny afternoon, Stiles and Scott came to visit. Paige was nervous, unsure of how to interact with Sylvia's best friends. They entered the room hesitantly, their eyes filled with a mix of hope and uncertainty.

"Hey, Sylvia," Stiles said, his whiskey-colored eyes searching hers for any sign of recognition. "Do you remember us?"

Paige smiled weakly. "I'm trying to. Can you tell me more about... us?"

Scott pulled up a chair and sat across from her. "We've been best friends since kindergarten. We did everything together—bike rides, camping trips, even got into trouble a few times."

Stiles laughed. "Remember the time we tried to build a treehouse and ended up falling out of the tree instead?"

Paige couldn't help but laugh along, feeling a strange sense of belonging. Though the memories weren't hers, the warmth and camaraderie they described made her feel connected to them.