Rise

Chapter Two

*I don't own Teen Wolf.*

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        After Mr. Stilinski had left, I threw my cup away and exited the cafe, putting my earbuds back in.  I found a bench to sit on in the shade and waited out the remainder of my time listening to music.  When Bobby picked me up, he asked me all sorts of questions about how my time shopping had been, and even easily agreed to dinner at the Stilinski's.  I found that a little suspicious, but wrote it off as him being eager to get me out of the house more.

     Once we were home and I was in my room, I plugged in the string lights that ran along my ceiling and lit the few candles scattered around my room.  I'd brought them with me from Sandpoint, and they helped chase away the musty scent of the stale air that seemed to fill all the upstairs rooms.  

        I hastily put my few new clothes away and threw myself onto my bed so I could seek out my best friend over Skype.  As soon as Kat's big brown eyes were visible, a smile stretched across my face and tears burned in my eyes.

        "Heyyy, are those tears of happiness or am I just having a really bad hair day?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

        "Shut up, you know your hair's always perfect," I grumble, blinking until I no longer felt the threat of bursting into an ugly crying session.  It was true, too.  Kat had hair longer than mine, all the way down to her hips.  It was glossy, black, and thick.  The women in her family all wore their hair long, and seemed to never have problems with frizziness on rainy days, like I did.  Flawless warm brown skin was another thing Kat was blessed with, the warm brown color because she was Kutenai and the flawless part because she, like her mother and grandmother before her, was a medicine woman.  They were big advocates of natural medicine, as you could imagine.

        "So, how's California?  Has your uncle converted you into a lacrosse fanatic, yet?" Kat asked, just barely audible over the shouting of six-year-old little boys in the background.

        "Ha!  No.  He did make me run until I thought my legs would detach at the hip, though.  I strongly suspect this may only be stage one of his devious plot," I said with a smirk.  "And Cali's fine, I guess.  A bit warmer than I'm used to, but really, Beacon Hills isn't the most "California" place, if you know what I mean.  In some ways, it's like home.  Woods and rivers and raccoons knocking over our trash cans at night."

        A crease formed between Kat's thick brows.  "Yeah, about that... be careful, alright?  Gramma is really worried about you.  I think she was trying to suggest we kidnap you, even.  She keeps saying Beacon Hills is... imbalanced."

        "Imbalanced?"

        "Dangerous," Kat said, sternly.  "Gramma talked to some of her friends from down south, and your childhood summer vacation spot's name is quite literal.  It's a beacon.  It attracts things there, and not just suburban families looking for a nice place to settle down."

        "You mean like... spirits?"

        "Maybe, but I mean things a little more on the corporeal side.  Just... be wary," she said, before a nerf dart sailed into her face.  "Kale!  I'm going to string you up by your toes, you little brat!"

        She disappeared for a minute and I could hear the excited squeals of the twins as she chased them around before reappearing.  She smoothed her hair down, and cleared her throat.

        "Now, tell me what's been happening in Sandpoint?" I asked hopefully.

        Kat rolled her eyes, "It's been like two weeks, Roar, you know this place is boring as hell.  Shall I fill you in on the frog I found at the foot of my bed courtesy of Kale and Keegan?"

        "Oh, absolutely," I responded, settling my face into my palms.

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