✓ | battle wounds, scott m.

chapter fifty two.

Ella walked in between Scott and Stiles as they headed towards the lacrosse field. "Of course you're still the team captain. You got your grades up just like Coach told you to, right?" Stiles asked. "Yeah, but he never told me I was back on the team," Scott replied, "He just told me to show up at tryouts today." "We got bigger things to deal with anyway. Did you tell Argent yet?" Stiles asked. "Ah, I texted him but he didn't get back to me," Scott replied. The twins stopped to look at him. "You told him his sister Kate came back from the dead over a text?" Ella asked, shaking her head. "I didn't have the money to call France," Scott mumbled.

"Yeah, you think you got money problems?" Ella asked. "Try paying for an MRI and a visit to Eichen House," Stiles added. "Another notice?" Scott asked. "Yeah, this one said, 'Final.' Now, what the hell are we even doing here anyway? We got like a 117 million problems and worrying about our status on the lacrosse team is not one of them," Stiles said. Scott looked at something over Stiles's shoulder, "It is now." The twins then turned to see a younger boy at goal, catching every shot that was thrown at him. At the sight of the boy, Ella felt something hit in her stomach. She looked down at her stomach in confusion before shrugging it off and turning back to the boy. Who the hell is that?" Stiles asked.

The boy removed his helmet and walked to Garret. "Nice, Liam. You might just be our first ever freshman captain," Garret high-fived the 'Liam' boy. "Okay, you boys have to practice your asses off," Ella said, pushing them towards the field.

After practice was over, everyone headed into the locker room, Scott and Stiles walking towards Liam. Ella was about to leave, but she saw them walking over to him and immediately turned, not knowing what the hell they were going to ask him. "Hey, Liam," Stiles said, catching Liam's attention, "You want to explain what that was out there?" "What do you mean?" Liam asked, eyebrows furrowed together. "That little display," Stiles said, "Your little circus act." "What circus act?" Liam asked. "You caught every shot," Stiles said, holding his hands up in the shape of the goal then set them down. "I was in goal," Liam said in an 'it's obvious' tone, Ella laughing quietly. "Yeah, but nothing, not a single shot got past you," Stiles pointed at Liam, Ella slapping Stiles's hand out of Liam's face. "Yeah, I was the goalie," Liam said, looking at the two boys, "You guys played this game before?"

"You're a freshman, right?" Ella asked, Liam looking at her and nodding. "Yeah." "But you weren't here last semester," Stiles said. "I transferred from Devenford Prep," Liam told Stiles then looking back at Ella. "Isn't Devenford Prep the school for the kids that think they're all high authority? That school is a hell of a lot better than here. Even if they do have some conceited kids," Ella scoffed, Liam laughing a bit. "Daniella, but they call me Ella," Ella smiled, holding a hand out for Liam to shake. Liam smiled at Ella and shook her hand, "Liam." You transferred?" Scott asked.

"Yeah," Liam responded, glancing at him. "No, you got kicked out, didn't you?" Scott asked, causing Ella to look at him with confusion. Liam looked Scott up and down with confusion, "All right," he chuckled, "Look! Kicked out or transferred, what do you guys care? I came here to play lacrosse. The team could use a few good players, right?" "No," Stiles said at the same time Ella said, "Yes." Stiles glared at his sister before saying, "No, we don't need any more good players." "Actually, we could sort of use a couple," Scott said. "Okay, how'd you get this good? Have you always been this good? Or did it suddenly happen just once over night? Have you ever been out in the middle of the woods during the night of a full—" "Stiles!" Ella and Scott hissed. "Hmm," Stiles hummed, stopping. "Look, I learned from my stepfather, all right? He made team captain when he was a sophomore," Liam looked at Scott, "Like you. And yeah I guess I'm just that good." Liam grabbed his jacket and duffel bag and glared at Stiles before smiling and nodding at Ella as he walked out of the locker room.

Ella turned her head to watch him walk out, "He wasn't lying that time."

▽

Ella sat with Malia and Kira on the benches, watching the boys on the field warm up. Malia sniffed Ella, Ella turning her head to see Malia right on her shoulder, "Oh! Wow!" "What's wrong with you?" Malia asked. "What do you mean?" Ella asked, knitting her brows together. "You reek of protectiveness and confusion," Malia said. "Well, I am a protector," Ella nodded slowly. "You smell more of it than ever, though," Malia shook her head. Ella pointed to Liam who was doing push-ups on the field, "Since I saw that kid, his name is Liam, I feel the need to protect him more than anyone else. Maybe that's why I smell like confusion." "Why?" Malia asked.

Ella shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. Maybe there's something like love at first sight, but not love, like. . protective at first sight; I don't know!" Malia snorted, "Love at first sight." "Whats so funny about that?" Ella asked with a brow raised. "Love at first sight doesn't exist, silly," Malia laughed, swinging an arm around Ella's shoulders. Ella laughed and shook her head at her friend. Ella watched as the boys then lined up, Stiles going first and struggling to put the ball in the net of his stick. Ella sighed, Stiles picking up the ball and throwing it into the net before launching it, the ball going into the net of the goalie's stick. Ella snorted at her brother's failure.

Stiles went to the back of the line, Liam stepping forward. "Go, Liam!" Ella shouted with her hands cupping around her mouth. Both Scott and Stiles turned to look at Ella with their arms up, Ella smiling cheekily at them before turning back to the freshman.

Liam took a step forward then threw the ball, the ball landing in the goal. "Yes!" Coach and Ella shouted. The other few players went before it was Scott's turn, Scott looking at Ella for some motivation. Ella noticed him looking at her and she smiled, "You got this, babe!" Scott smiled and nodded, turning away and shooting the ball. The ball hit one of the poles of the goal. "You don't got this," Ella muttered, letting out a small laugh. "Nice, McCall," Garret called to Scott. "Hey, Garret," Stiles said, Garret turning to him, "Shut up."

The boys went again and again, Liam making every one of his throws. On the other hand, Stiles and Scott kept missing. "Isn't the captain supposed to be one of the best players on the team?" Kira asked Ella. "Or good?" Malia asked. Ella shrugged in response to them. Liam made another goal, everyone including Ella cheering for him. "Ella, you sound like a proud mom," Malia laughed. Ella raised her chin up, "I am a proud mom." Coach called the players into a group, telling Scott and Stiles to get the long sticks for two on ones. Garret went first. He ran and dodged Stiles but then got his stick knocked down by Scott. Ella cheered for her brother and boyfriend. "That's my boys!" Coach cheered, "Those two are like sons to me." A player in a green shirt went next, almost dodging Stiles but then knocked down by both. "There you go!" Ella shouted, Kira and Malia smiling lightly.

Next was a blue shirt boy who immediately got knocked out by the boys. "That's how you do! That's how it's done!" Coach exclaimed. The boys chest bumped, Stiles falling to the ground. The boys danced around but then stopped at the sight of Liam stepping up to the ball.

Ella bit her lip, "Oh, hell." Liam picked up the ball with his stick then began running, dodging both Stiles and Scott and doing a twist before making a goal. Suddenly Malia was standing up and shouting, "That was luck!" Ella looked up at her then made eye contact with Scott, the couple shaking their heads. "Do-over!" "Sweetheart there's no do-overs, this is practice," Coach said. "Ten bucks on Scott and Stiles," Malia bet. Coach nodded at Malia, "I'll take that action. Hey, get back in there, Liam!" Liam got the ball into his net then ran. He got passed Stiles but was then flipped into the air by Scott, landing with a crunching noise. "Oh, shit," Ella muttered as she immediately got off the stands and ran over to the younger boy. "Don't move! Don't touch him!" Coach shouted to Scott and Stiles, Ella trying to help Liam stand. "I'm okay, Coach. I'm alright," Liam assured, going to put pressure on his leg but then yelling out. "I think. . I think it's my leg," Liam breathed out. "I think we better get him to the nurse," Ella nodded to Coach. Coach nodded and motioned away, "Take care of him, Daniella."