𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐀 | 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐊𝐈

10. Indestructable Bonds

STILES' POV

Like Scott and Allison, I too am being forced to have a session with Miss Morrell. Ava would have been forced to have one too... if she wasn't still in hospital. It's been two days since Lydia's party, Matt taking us hostage at the station and, since Ava was nearly killed.

I weave the rope in the net of my lacrosse stick before tying it in a knot, I then do the same, over and over.

"You know, when you're drowning, you don't actually inhale until right before you black out. It's called 'voluntary apnea.' It's, like, no matter how much you're freaking out, the instinct to not let any water in is so strong that you won't open your mouth until you feel like your head's exploding. But then, when you finally do let it in... that's when it stops hurting. It's not scary anymore. It's-it's actually kind of peaceful," I explain after Morrell asked me how I feel about Matt's death.

And Morrell, trying to make something out of what I explained says, "Are you saying you hope Matt felt some peace in his last moments?"

I stop what I'm doing as I sigh and look up from my stick. I shake my head as I state, "I don't feel sorry for him,"

"Can you feel sorry for the nine-year-old Matt who drowned?"

I lightly scoff as I clutch onto my lacrosse stick, "Just because a couple of dumbasses dragged him into a pool when he couldn't swim, doesn't really give him the right to go off killing them one by one," Morrell raises her head ever so slightly, clearly interested in what is coming out my mouth. "And, by the way, my dad told me that they found a bunch of pictures of Allison on Matt's computer. And not just of her, though. I mean, he photoshopped himself into these pictures—stuff like them holding hands, and kissing... You know, like, he had built this whole fake relationship. So, yeah, maybe drowning when he was nine years old was what sent him off the rails, but the dude was definitely riding the crazy-train,"

My guidance counsellor presses her lips together and nods once, "One positive thing came out of this, though... Right?"

I know immediately she's talking about my dad being reinstated as Sheriff, which I couldn't be happier about. If only he didn't have to go through all of what happened to get his job back.

"Yeah. Yeah... but I still feel like there's something wrong between us. I don't know. It's just, like, tension when we talk. Same thing with Scott,"

Morrell stares straight at me when she talks as I go back to looking down, "Have you talked to him since that night?"

"No, not really... I mean, he's got his own problems to deal with, though..." I reply as I think to Scott's mom finally discovering Scott is a werewolf, which I don't think she's taken well. "I don't think he's talked to Allison, either... But that might be more her choice, you know?" Allison hasn't really spoken to any of us since that night, and it's understandable why. "Her mom dying hit her pretty hard... I don't think she's even visited Ava in hospital,"

"How is Ava?" She asks sincerely.

"The doctor said if they didn't get to her when they did she would've died,"

"Have you visited her?"

I nod as I fiddle with the net, "Yeah, but she's been in and out of it... they have her on all these drugs after her surgery. I met Liz, her guardian, and she's... she's really upset. I think they might make Ava move again,"

"What about Jackson? Have you spoken to him?"

"Jackson?" I question, hiding my surprise at him being mentioned, "Jackson hasn't really been himself lately. Actually, the funny thing is, as of right now, Lydia is the one who seems the most normal,"