𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓 | Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski

Chapter 7

Allison and Sylvia sat in Derek's car, Sylvia in the front seat and Allison in the back. Derek was blatantly ignoring Sylvia, focusing solely on driving. She knew what he was doing—using Allison to lure Scott. Derek drove toward Allison's place without a word, only breaking his silence to ask for Allison's address.

"Thanks for the ride," Allison said as she got out of the car. "See you at school, Sylvia."

"See you at school, Allison," Sylvia replied, exchanging smiles with her. Allison waved once more before disappearing inside.

As soon as Allison was out of sight, Sylvia turned to Derek. "Stop glaring at her," she said pointedly.

"I'm not glaring," he retorted.

"Yeah, try saying that to your face, Hale."

He didn't respond, his silence thickening the air between them.

"Are you the one who turned Scott?" Sylvia questioned, breaking the silence.

"No," he replied curtly.

"Do you know who did?"

"No."

"Will you help him?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

An odd tension filled the car, heavy and palpable. Sylvia could see the questions Derek wanted to ask but didn't. His jaw was clenched, his brows furrowed, and a prominent scowl marred his face.

"So, do you have a girlfriend?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"That is none of your business," he snapped.

"I'll take that as a no," she sassed back. "Did you get heartbroken?"

He didn't answer her, opting instead to glare, hoping to shut her up.

"I'll take that as a yes, too," she said, much to Derek's annoyance.

Derek tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. "Why do you care?"

She shrugged, leaning back in her seat. "Maybe I'm just curious about what makes you tick."

"Or maybe you should mind your own business."

Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. We both know you're not the brooding loner you pretend to be. You're hurting, Derek. And pretending otherwise doesn't help."

He shot her another glare, but this time, there was a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. "You think you know me?"

"I know enough," she replied softly. "You think you have to handle everything on your own, but you don't. You can trust people, you know."

"Trust gets you killed," he muttered.

"Or it gets you saved," she countered. "Depends on who you trust."

Derek sighed, the fight draining out of him. "Why do you care so much?"

Sylvia turned to look at him, her eyes soft. "Because I know what it feels like to lose someone you care about. And because Scott needs you. And maybe, just maybe, you need us too."

He was silent for a moment, digesting her words. "You don't give up, do you?"

"Not when it comes to the people I care about," she said firmly.

Derek's expression softened, just a fraction. "Maybe you're right," he admitted quietly.

She smiled. "I usually am."

For the first time that night, Derek's lips quirked up in a faint smile, but alibet a real one. "We'll see about that."

When Derek's car finally pulled up in front of Sylvia's house, the tension had eased enough to make the silence comfortable. She turned to Derek, her hand already on the door handle.

"Thanks for the ride," she said, her voice softer now. "And for answering my questions."

Derek nodded, his eyes briefly meeting hers.

Sylvia hesitated for a moment, then added, "And Derek? Take care of yourself, okay?"

His expression softened slightly, and he gave a small nod. "hmm."

With that, she stepped out of the car, closing the door behind her. She walked to her front door, pausing to take a final look at Derek. He responded with a nod before driving off into the night.

As Sylvia entered her home, she felt a surprising sense of contentment. The night had been chaotic, but somehow, talking to Derek had lifted a weight off her shoulders. She felt a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, things would turn out alright. Smiling to herself, she sent a quick text to her parents to let them know she was home safely, then headed upstairs to her room.

She couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as she changed into her pajamas. Despite the madness of the evening, there was a small victory in knowing she had reached Derek, even if just a little. She crawled into bed, feeling happier than she had in a long time.

As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but think about Derek's faint smile and the tentative understanding they had reached. It was a start, and for now, that was enough.