A Little Bit of Everything and Everyone

Dangerous (Derek Hale - Teen Wolf)

The whispers follow me as I walk down the halls of Beacon Hills High School. Even with my headphones in I can hear them.

"That's the girl with the screwed up family."

"That's the girl who's mom is crazy."

"Didja hear what happened to Isabel? Yeah, her mom went insane and tried to kill her." Everywhere I go, the whispers and stares follow me. By lunchtime, the news has circled the whole school. After pulling my brown paper bag filled with my regular PB&J, apple slices, and water bottle, I head into the cafeteria to find my friends. As soon as I walk in, a wave of silence hits. I look around at the pairs of eyes that are not moving from me. An senior with soft brown eyes is looking at me, but not in the same way as everyone else. He almost looks....sad, and....apologetic? I see his friend nudge him and whisper something and he quickly turns away from me. If he didn't know before, now he does.

My friends have occupied our usual table but all give me cold looks when I approach.

"What are you doing?" Anastasia sneers as I set my things down.

"Eating lunch," I reply quietly.

"We don't want a psycho sitting with us. And we don't want the rumors everyone is spreading to be associated with us. I have reputation to uphold Isabel. Find somewhere else to sit." Tears sting my eyes as I glance at the others sitting by me. No one defends me. I slowly stand and walk out of the cafeteria. And then out of the school.

I head to the lacrosse field, knowing I'd be alone because it's the middle of the day and all of the players are in class. I sit on the cold metal bleachers and pick at my food. Memories of the last week and a half pop up in my head.

My mom wasn't always crazy. When I was younger she was a normal mom. She came to PTA meetings. Volunteered at the hospital. Baked all the time. And then her dad died. Mom fell into depression. No matter what my dad or I tried, nothing helped her. Things didn't get better. They got worse. My dad had left for a business conference on the coast two days before the incident. The first day was fine, I guess. Mom stayed in her room. I brought meals and left them at the door. The second day was worse. I came home from school and knew something was wrong. Normally I could hear the TV from mom's room but that day the house was silent. I cautiously walked to her door to find it opened. Also unusual. The rest is kind of a blur. I saw her with the knife. She lunged for me. I narrowly escaped and ran to the neighbors who called the police. Mom was taken away in an ambulance and I was taken to the sheriff's station. Dad came home right away. I don't remember much else.

I stayed with my aunt a few miles away from home while my dad sorted things out. I didn't go to school. I didn't answer any of my friends' texts. I didn't get on social media. I disconnected from the world. News reporters circled my aunt's house. A day after everything happened, I was all over the news sites and channels. I didn't go to school for a week. Today was my first day back.

While I'm sitting, eating my lunch, I don't see him emerging from the woods. I'm staring at my shoes with my legs pulled up to my chest when he jumps onto the bleachers next to me, making me jump.

"Sorry," he says. He smiles and his white teeth gleam at me. I take in his strong jawline, facial hair stubble, and his muscular torso under his motorcycle jacket.

"Can I sit?" he asks. I shrug.

"Go ahead, I was getting ready to head back up to school anyways." He sits next to me as I start to pack up. But I don't leave. There's no way I can go back to the whispers and rumors about me up at that high school.

"What's your name?" he asks me after a moment of silence.

"Isabel."

"The Isabel that's been all over the news for the last week and a half?" I nod.

"Sorry about your mom," he says. He sounds genuinely sorry. I shrug again. We sit in silence. I hear the school bell ring in the distance. A breeze ruffles my hair and I'm regretting not grabbing my jacket out of my locker. I shiver.

"Here," he says as he hands me his jacket, leaving him only in a t-shirt.

"Oh, it's fine. I'll be okay," I say hurriedly.

"Just take it. I'm fine." I take the coat and slip it on. It smells like woods and dog...? Maybe he has a pet.

"You know, they're just words. They can't hurt you," he says. I glance at him, tucking a lock of my brown hair behind my ear.

"That doesn't undo what my mom did. How she made me feel helpless. How I still feel helpless."

"You don't have to feel helpless Isabel. What if I could make you feel powerful?" I glance over. He's already looking at me. His hand rests on my knee.

"What?" I ask.

"What if I could give you power? And strength. And speed." His hand is sliding up my leg but I don't move it. His eyes have locked onto mine and I can't look away.

"What if I could give you something you never dreamed of having?" he says, his voice dropping lower. He leans close, his lips inches from mine. My breathing catches and my heart is racing.

"W-what do you mean?" I ask, stuttering.

"Are you scared Isabel?" he asks. I shake my head.

"You're lying. I can hear your heart racing."

"It could be because a guy I've never met before is sliding his hand up my thigh and staring into my eyes," I tell him. He pulls his hand away and laughs a little.

"Sorry," he says. He starts to stand and get off the bleachers.

"Wait! What were you talking about??" I ask. He's already walking back the way he came, towards the trees.

"You need to get to class Isabel. Don't worry, we'll meet again," he says with a grin. He winks at me and after I turn to grab my bag and turn back, he's gone. I stuff my hands in my pockets and head up to the school.

It's not until I'm done for the day and heading back to my aunt's house t hat I realize I'm still wearing his coat. With my hands in the pocket I feel a slip of paper and pull it out.

Derek Hale

is all that is written on it....hm.