Becoming Were

Chapter 20

~Allison's POV~

Piper and Derek are holding hands, standing side by side on the cliff bank. Piper is staring intently at the sunset, not noticing the look of pure admiration on Derek's face as he watches at her. Derek pulls a piece of Piper's fiery red hair behind her ear. A rustle of branches is heard behind the couple, a short flash of blonde is seen. The girl moves closer to Piper's side, unnoticed by the couple. I try shouting, anything I can to warn her. Derek says something that makes Piper blush, this only makes the blonde sneer maliciously, she moves forward like a lion stalking it's prey. She appears over Piper's shoulder, arms wound back, prepared to push Piper to her death-

"Alice? Alice, wake up!" A voice says in my ear.  

"Emily! Emily's going to kill Piper!" I yell as I sit up. I wince as my forehead makes solid contact with my brother's. I flail around in my blankets, trying to warn Piper, before I realize it was only a dream.

Derek looks at me, holding his forehead, pure shock in his eyes. "Emily's trying to do what?" 

"Nothing, just a dream." I mutter, shaking my head as the pain subsides. 

"You had a dream that Piper was killed by Emily?" Derek asks.

I hop out of bed, going into my bathroom to change into some shorts and a tank top. "Well, not quite, she was going to push Piper off a cliff, but I woke up before she did."

Derek looks concerned. "Have you had many dreams like these?" 

I make my way back to Derek, brushing my hair. "No. Well, I did have one other one, a while back. I used to get them a lot, at least once a week, but I've only had one other one in the packhouse."

Derek sits on my bed, "Does Emily always try to kill Piper in the dream?"

"Oh, no. This is the first time Emily has made an appearance."

"But you said-"

I interupt, "I meant that I have had dreams about Piper and you, like this. But this is the first one with Emily."

Derek abruptly stands up, "You've had dreams of Piper and I?"

"Yes, that's what I've been saying," I say slowly. "It's usually just you two, but this time Emily came out of nowhere and tried to push her off a cliff."

"Are you sure she was trying to hurt Piper?" 

I nod, one eyebrow raised, "I'm pretty sure attempting to push someone off a cliff counts as hurting."

Derek begins pacing my room, biting his lip. After a few moments, he turns to look at me with a serious expression. "If you have any other dreams like this, come tell me, alright?"

"Alright," I whisper. "I just haven't really been having dreams lately. When I go to bed I'm usually exhausted and it takes a while for my brain to stop thinking."

 "Mom and dad would be proud," Derek says. He looks up at me with the same big, brown eyes that my mother used to have. "I'm serious, Alice. They would be proud of how you've been handling everything that's happened since summer started." 

"I know," I whisper.

"You've changed so much. You used to constantly have your nose in a book, and constantly be writing little stories. Now... there doesn't seem to be time for any of that. You've been pushed into a new world full of new faces and experiences and I haven't been here for you the way I should."

"Sure you have-"

Derek interrupts me, "No, I haven't. I'm sorry for that, I know the change is tough to deal with."