𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐍, derek hale ✓

𝐒𝐈𝐗

┏━━━━⋆°.☾⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆━━━━┓

LIZARD ON THE LOOSE!

WALLY TAYLOR OWED EMERSON AVERY A COUPLE OF FAVOURS.

In their sophomore year, she and the Taylor boy had teamed up for the county science fair, winning a blue first-place ribbon despite Wally's lack of appearance at the final conference. She carried them, and he knew it, so that had been favour number one.

Favour number two that he owed her was because  Emerson helped the boy cheat on a certain biology test that would've made his grade or broken it entirely. Safe to say, he finished with a B+ in his worst subject last semester, all thanks to her.

And yet, judging by the grimace on his face when she asked to cash one of these favours in, it seemed as though he forgot about them entirely.

Luckily, Emerson was anything but forgetful.

"So, could you do it?"

"If I didn't value my life, absolutely I could."

Trying to convince Wally to start tutoring the Lahey boy was proving to be tougher than she anticipated, but it needed to be done.

Despite Emerson not particularly loving the newest version of the Lahey boy that was parading around the halls, acting like he was tough shit, there was still a part of her that wanted him to succeed. The only reason why she even thought she was feeling like this was because beneath his flashy new exterior was the shy boy she had taken under her wing.

So, she'd pull enough strings to help him— even if she wasn't the one to do so anymore. She couldn't let the kid drown any more than he already was. Besides, Wally was great at chemistry, a complete natural at balancing equations... Isaac would be in good hands.

But Wally didn't feel the same, no matter the sob story she pitched to him. Emerson frowned, pushing herself up from leaning against the row of lockers next to Wally's. "The kid's harmless, I swear," she responded, "and he really needs the help."

Wally levelled a glare in her direction. "He killed his dad, Emerson."

The blonde girl waved her hand dismissively. "Those are just rumours," she said, only to receive yet another unimpressed look from the redhead in front of her. "Okay yeah, maybe they locked him up for a little, but the important part is that he wasn't found guilty! He's a good kid, Wal."

Wally's sigh filtered into her ears, followed by the boy shutting his locker. "You won't let this go, will you."

"Nope."

It looked like he was mulling it over in his mind, his tongue prodding against his cheek. "Give me his number, then."

Emerson squealed, jumping forward to embrace the Taylor boy. "You are a total lifesaver, did you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah," he responded, brushing her off despite the small grin he had on his face, "but you're officially one favour down, and if this goes sideways I'll—"

"—throw me under the bus, got it!" She fished her phone from her pocket, pulling up Isaac's contact before all but shoving it in Wally's face. "Write this down."

ೃ࿔*:⋆

It was only a few days later when Isaac Lahey approached the senior in the hallway, just as she was on her way to soccer practice. She had heard him before she had seen him.

"I heard people who wear the number ten are integral to a team's success."

Emerson stopped in her tracks, spinning around on her heel to see the boy approaching her from down the hall. Once he was close enough, her eyes narrowed on their own. "I didn't know you knew what the word integral meant."

He hissed lightly. "Ouch," he mumbled, a hand to his heart. There was an uncertain edge to his tone, almost like he was forcing his voice to come out so... wrong. "I just wanted to come say thanks."

Feigning nonchalance, she quirked a brow upward. "For?" she asked, hiking her bag further up her shoulder. "You're gonna need to be a little more specific there, Lahey."

He rolled his eyes. "Thanks for sending Wallace my way," he emphasized, and all Emerson could do was nod as he spoke. "He's a total nerd... was a bit annoyed when I said thanks but no thanks, though."

What? What the fuck?

"I had to cash in a mighty favour to get that nerd to help you," she grumbled in response, throwing a frustrated hand in the air. "Why the hell would you turn down his help?"

"Chemistry isn't really a top priority right now," he explained with a small shrug, trying to downplay the statement entirely. "Between lacrosse and fighting for my sanity every weekend, I'm pretty booked."

Something uncomfortable settled in her gut. It's none of your business, Em. Don't—

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "What's been going on?"

Isaac winced. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," he confessed, subtly pulling Emerson by the wrist toward the lockers when he saw students trying to pass the two. His voice lowered substantially. "What do you know about something called a kanima?"

Confusion laced her features. "A what?"

He hummed. "I figured," he said with a small huff. "It's like a lizard, but also a person? They're killing people around town, and we know it's someone from school."

Even though it was clear that he was omitting information, like the name of said someone from school, her eyes were blown for a moment before she blinked. Her face instantly neutralized after cataloging the information. A student-turned-lizard was hunting around the town, at the same time the Argents were? Un–fucking–believable.

"Why are you telling me this?" was her follow up question.

Isaac stilled for a second, his eyes darting up and down the hall before settling back onto her face. Was that— was that remorse she was seeing floating around in his eyes?

"I know you want nothing to do with me— with us," he began, shifting from one foot to the other, "but, I don't know, I just wanted to give you the heads up. Oh, and don't go to the rave."

An apology.

"I wasn't planning on going." Her eyebrows were furrowed, her frown deepening. "Does Derek know you're telling me this?"

At the boy's initial silence, she got her answer. Though, she wasn't expecting the words that would soon come out of his mouth.

"Derek says being left in the dark could kill someone like us... and I'd like to have my chem tutor back eventually, y'know?"

Perhaps it wasn't an apology, no.

It was a peace offering— a damn white flag.

⋆°.☾⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆

[ wyn's note ]

isaac's a douche rn but he can't stand to hurt emmy's feelings??? that's baby right there

perhaps they can get through this awkward patch?!?! teehee more to come soon xx