Insidious ✖ Theo Raeken

s e v e n t e e n

I didn't fall asleep, I just lay there, in the cold water, letting myself engulf into the liquid time from time, hoping that it will wash away at least some of the negativity. Of course, it didn't. Nothing can take my turmoil away.

I don't know how much time I spent there and I was glad that no one looked for me while I did. Water freely flowed down my body as I emerged from the tub, seeing myself as a true nightmare fuel in the mirror right ahead of me. The bleeding from the several spots on my wrists had stopped, leaving faint crimson lines drawn downwards.

I didn't bother to dry my hair otherwise than simply throwing a towel on it. All soaking wet I walked to my room and changed my clothes, putting on black blazer and dark blue skinny jeans. My eyes settled upon my quite crashed mobile phone before I actually decided to check it.

If I had an emotional range wider than a teaspoon right now, I would've bulged out my eyes at the fact that it's about a middle of the night now.

I need to go and see my dad.

At that moment my head strangely swirled, almost making me drop to the ground. That's probably because of the loss of blood, but I can't worry about myself now. I didn't even bother locking the door after I stormed out of the house. Lately all I have been doing was storming out of various places, because I can't keep up with the time I'm given, I always am late and can't manage to get my life into a grip.

The more I neared the building the more anxious I got. What will I say to dad? More importantly, what will he say to me? I can't even remember the last time we properly spoke.

The second I walked in, the dim lighting of the corridors shone upon me, bringing back many memories, but I couldn't let myself dwell on them. I was already sick of myself jumping from one memory to another, unable to stay in reality. I have to stay here, right where I am, and right now my top priority is my family; my dad.

I ascended to the floor where the ward was and quietly neared the door. I wasn't sure if I shivered because my hair was still damp and I was cold, or because I saw Stiles already sitting beside dad's bed. For about full minute I just stood there, contemplating what to do, whether to enter at all, but eventually I came up with no reasonable thought, so all I was left to do was actually enter.

With the faint swinging of the door Stiles raised his head from his entwined fists. He was sleepy and his hair was messy; the view made me want to smile for a second, but the inner battle in me was stronger and I looked at my brother with a stupid expression.

He lightly clapped his hands as if he was amazed I came, but his face showed no emotion except that of fatigue. "You're here."

He spoke, but I didn't. I wanted to, but I didn't know what to say. Step after step I stopped at the opposite side of where Stiles sat, that is, at the other side of the bed. "How is he?" I croaked out, fighting the urge to wail with all my might.

Stiles didn't answer right away; I could see that he was shaken to the state he didn't react too much. "They extracted the bone marrow that chipped from Noah's when he attacked him. He's okay now. Sleeping."

"So... Noah attacked him?" I asked, reflecting on the guys I know at school with the name of Noah. I came up to the conclusion that it must be the tall and skinny one, with African features and mocha skin. I didn't know him personally, though.

"Yeah. He was a Chimera. Part berserker, part werejaguar."

Slowly, I nodded my head, biting at my lip. "I see."

Truth to be told, I was a bit surprised that Stiles didn't lash out on me once again. Never had I seen him so fuming when he found out about me and Theo. I thought he would hit me at that moment...