𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 | stiles stilinski ✔️

nineteen

"WELL, IT'S NOT another dead pool," Parrish sighed as he clicked through all of the names, "more like an already-dead pool."

Lydia frowned, "all of them? All dead?"

The young deputy nodded from where he was sat in front of the computer. "Yeah. And they all died in the same place."

Harper leaned forwards, scanning all of the data over his shoulder. Her dark eyes widened a little at the place of death, although she wasn't completely surprised.

"Eichen House."

After giving Parrish a quick thank you, Lydia gently grabbed Harper's wrist and tugged her out of the room. Harper ran a hand through her hair as they left through the front door, the cold night air immediately hitting their faces. She shivered, her heart beat a little quicker than usual as she glanced over at the strawberry blonde marching next to her.

"Lyds," Harper sighed, "please tell me you're not planning on going to Eichen House."

The silence that Harper received was all the confirmation that she needed. Pausing in her tracks, she ripped her wrist away from Lydia and folded her arms across her chest. Lydia whirled around, releasing an exasperated sigh at the sight of her stubborn best friend.

"My grandmother left me a list of ten suicides, including her own," Lydia reminded her, her tone more on the harsher than softer side, "I need to know why. And there's gotta be someone in there who's willing to take a bribe."

Harper's mind went back to her stay at Eichen House. While she had mostly been stuck with Jeremy out of all of the staff, she knew one orderly in particular who was sneaky. Brunski.

"Please," the brunette bit down on her lip, "at least call Scott or Isaac or someone. Make them go with you."

"They're all at that stupid party," Lydia turned her nose up, "I'm going now. With or without you."

They stared at each other for a few seconds, as if waiting for the other one to break and give in. Lydia's green eyes were hard, almost reminding Harper of before the strawberry blonde had grown to be kind. It reminded her of how Lydia always used to get her way. Including right now.

Her gaze made Harper feel guilty, memories of her rejecting Lydia in the girls' bathroom flooding through her brain. She felt like she owed it to her.

"Lydia..." She breathed, her shoulders sagging in defeat, "we go in, we look at what we need to, and we go straight back out. We don't talk to anyone that's not Brunski, and if anyone asks, my last name isn't Verum- it's McCall. Okay?"

The strawberry blonde reached out and squeezed her hand, her eyes softening significantly. Harper almost thought that Lydia was about to say 'never mind' and call it a night, however, a small smile crossed her face and she nodded swiftly.

"I knew I could count on you, Harps."

...

HARPER CALLED STILES before they entered the building she had been avoiding for the past few months, just to ask him what he was doing. His voice seemed to calm her nerves a little, although he had no idea he was doing so. He just spoke about his dad and how he'd gone across the road for some snacks before asking what she was doing.

Of course, Harper lied and she felt immensely guilty for it. She told him that she was watching a film at home, claiming she had a headache and didn't want to go to the party that the rest of the school were at. What made her feel even worse was that he asked if she wanted him to go over while his dad was asleep and look after her.