The Secret Holder

XXI. No Screamed Secrets

"What do we do?" Scott checks his phone. "She's not working tonight, so at least I can keep track of her,"

"We should probably let her know," I pick up a box with some clothes in it.

"Oh, no that's not what I meant. I meant what are we going to do about it? Telling her would just make this worse,"

I put down the box and dust off my hands. "So you're saying we shouldn't tell Melissa about someone trying to kill her?"

"Yeah, if I tell her there's more risk,"

"You know for being your own person you're starting to sound just like her."

Scott's eyes sharpen dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you can't just keep things from people because it's easier that way,"

"That wasn't your choice to make." Scott retorts, his lips in a hard line.

"I feel left out. What's this mysterious secret you guys are keeping from me?"

"It's nothing. We should go." I say coldly. I pick up the box and start walking out of the room, but Stiles stops me.

"Lydia, can I talk to you? Just for a second." I hand the box to Scott who takes it without a word.

When I hear the front door close downstairs, Stiles speaks.

"I'm sorry about what I said...and what I did...and I—you know I would never—"

"I know Stiles. It's fine."

"So we're okay, then?"

"Mm-hm."

"C'mere," He opens his arms and I welcome his embrace. It feels strange to be this close to him after the incident. Something inside asks me if he's even sorry.

He walks me downstairs to the door and leans against it as I'm leaving.

"Thank god that's over," Stiles says under his breath.

"What?" I ask, although hearing him clearly.

"It's uh...See you later, m'kay?" Stiles's face pales.

"Yeah. Okay. See you later," I give him a small smile with my mouth closed, and roll my eyes when my back is to him.

...

At the McCalls', we eat dinner, and Scott takes a chocolate cupcake out of the refrigerator for his mom. After we finish singing "Happy Birthday", Scott pulls out the rectangular red velvet box.

"And, Mom, this is for you,"

"Honey, you didn't have to do that,"

"I wanted to," Scott says, a smile in his eyes I don't see often.

Melissa smiles back at him, and then opens the box. "Oh my god, Scott, it's beautiful...How did you get the money for this?" Her eyes glisten a bit, and she looks away.

"Mom, I have a job, remember?"

"Deaton can't possibly pay you this much,"

"Mom! Come on! I saved up, that's all you need to know,"

Melissa narrows her eyes playfully. "Alright, kid, I believe you, come here,"

Melissa and Scott share a hug that makes my heart ache.

...

When all the excitement's over, and Scott and I have cleaned up dinner, Melissa bids us goodnight, and goes upstairs. I start to turn off the lights when Scott stops me. He opens the front door and tells me to come with him.

We both get in the car, and Scott starts it up.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

I recognize where we are until he makes a strange turn. He goes onto a windy road that leads to the outside of the city. All of the lights around us are out apart from the headlights of the car.

Scott drives out until we are surrounded only by hills and the clouded sky. He pulls off to the side of the road, and shuts off the car.

He gets out and opens my door for me.

"So...what exactly are we doing out here?"

"I don't know...sometimes I go out here when I want to get away from everything." Scott replies, his face shrouded by darkness. The only thing I can see clearly are his eyes.

He sits lightly on the hood of his car, and I join him. The silence is peaceful, but I break it.

"If you wanted to get away from everything, why did you take me?"

"Because you're a part of this too; all this stuff with the Desert Wolf is going to blow up. And as much as I don't want it to...the stuff we know...it's gonna get out. And when it does we have to be ready."