The Kit and the Cub

A New Friend

Tuesday

I woke up on my own, meaning my dad wasn't home and I was thankful. My wounds have healed a bit more so I moved easier while getting ready for literal hell this morning. I grabbed a granola bar from the kitchen, slinging my bag onto my shoulder, heading out the door. I got in the Jeep; she only stalled twice before she started up.

I realized when I got out of the Jeep at school that I felt brighter than usual. I pulled out my phone, blindly walking to my locker. I let a grin fall on my face at the unknown message that read

~Hey Stiles it's Paris~ I quickly replied.

~Good morning~ A message came back minutes later.

~Are you coming to the cafe later? I would love to get to know you some more!~ I stopped just short of my locker.

~Yea I'm down~ I smiled this time, glad to have some human interaction again. I shoved my phone in my pocket before finally looking up. The twins were close to my locker, seeming to be arguing. My hand instinctively drops to my bag, hovering over the pocket that holds my container of mountain ash. I carry mountain ash everywhere nowadays. In my bookbag, my locker, Roscoe, the kitchen, my desk wherever it can be quickly stashed and easily accessible. I tried to ignore them, but it didn't work seeing as their attention was on me as soon as I started to put in my combination for my locker. I spoke up before they even had a chance to open their fat werewolf mouths.

"Seriously don't want to deal with bullshit right now. First period hasn't started and I'm currently in a decent mood considering my life is what it is, so what the hell do you two want and please for the love of Christ Almighty make it quick because I need not to be late." They looked a little dumbfounded at my outburst and also a tad nervous. I gave them a look that meant start talking or I'm going to walk away. Finally, Ethan started to speak.

"Um, can we talk to you during your free period or at least, after school?" He looked away awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. I was confused to the gods but I wasn't going to let them ruin my rare, quite pleasant mood.

"Fine, sure, I guess. Find me on the lacrosse field or just meet me at my Jeep. I'm not going to practice, gotta go." I was still confused, but they were pleased when I said I would talk to them. I had to sprint down the hall to get to Econ, though. I, surprisingly, kept my pleasant mood until I left that class. When I saw my dad leaving the principal's office, I lost all the color in my body. When the principal beckoned me over, I felt sick.

"You have an early dismissal, Mr. Stilinski. I will see you again tomorrow, bright and early." My grip on my bag tightened as I nodded, offering a weak smile as he went back to his office.

"I will see you at the house. We seem to need to have another conversation." My dad said, walking stiffly to the exit. I trailed him, not-so-closely. I wasn't a werewolf, but I could smell the fear coming off of myself. After reaching Roscoe in the parking lot, I hopped in and sped out of the lot, not missing the twins' concerned looks.

When traffic slowed a bit, I managed to text Paris, telling her something came up and that I couldn't make it today. I could tell she was sad, her response being a simple okay. I pulled up before my dad, so I rushed inside, putting my bag in my room and going back downstairs to start making dinner. I was almost finished with the food when my dad walked in. He walked to the kitchen after taking off his coat. He didn't say a word, thankfully, and just sat down.

I quickly sat a plate in front of him, waiting for him to dismiss me. He waved his hand, shooing me away as he began eating. I went back into the kitchen to put up the food and wash the dishes. After tense, agonizing minutes of silence, my father began to speak.

"I had an interesting conversation with the principal today." I just made a strained noise that he ignored as he continued to speak. "Your school work has excelled and your top of your class but you're distant in class. We need to change that." I stiffened, almost dropping the glass cup I was washing. "Stiles?"

"Yes, sir?" I was trying to push away as much fear as possible.

"Are you some kind of faggot now? You take it up the ass and like it now? Because that's what the principle noticed on your locker. "

"What?!" I squeaked, agast. "No, sir, I am not." I dropped the plate I was cleaning after such a question, though, thankfully, it fell back into the water, only slightly soaking my shirt. It was a blatant lie, I am gay as hell, but he won't see through the lie, and I will continue with the lie as long as I want to continue to live. If I wanted a quick death, I would just tell him all the things I've hidden from him. It was quite the list by now. Lying just kept getting easier and easier. I was good at it by now.

"Good. It better stay that way or my friends will just have to come back over for some fun." I get a nerve wrecking shiver through my body as the memories break through like water from a newly broken dam. I worked so hard to build that dam. I could hear him smirking through his words. I answered with a yes sir, continuing to clean the kitchen. He left me to my chores, going up stairs. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in.

I ate a little, then took a shower, spending a few hours texting Paris before going to bed. Three sessions in a row with no beatings. Finally someone upstairs was answering my prayers. I would like to think it was my mom, but I don't want her to see any of this. My last thought before I succumbed to the darkness and nightmares was my beautiful, amazing, and loving mother. I let one tear, just a single tear, fall from my eye in her remembrance.