SIRENS • STILES STILINSKI / BOYXBOY

27

ROAD TO BEACON HILLS

Miles away from the conflict that was happening in Liam's pack, Stiles was arriving back to Beacon Hills after years of running away from his home and past. Stiles had heard about Scott's death but avoided going to the funeral not wanting to admit the loss of his best friend. With Scott and his friends gone, he had nothing in Beacon Hills but his father. This summer was different, as he knew his father wasn't getting any younger and any less stressed out and it was time that he would pay some respect to his best friend and mourn him the way Scott would've.

Stiles had been riding in the Greyhound for 3 hours until it dropped him off at a stop two miles from the town. "You don't go in anymore?" Stiles asked the driver as he stared at the field of corn with the sun scorching on the ground.

"This is as close as we go." The man told Stiles and he nodded not wanting to cause trouble. 

"No. You're good." Stiles told the bus driver, as the driver drove away. Stiles looked at the path as his skin began to heat up but was able to keep himself cool. He began to walk towards the town as the signs on the road guided him there, as he counted every step he took towards the town. Every step he took gave him hope that he'd be a couple more steps closer to home.

As Stiles continued to walk towards the town on the road he heard a car's engine from behind approaching him. It began to slow down and then the car honked at him getting his attention but avoided it as he didn't want to take the risk of carpooling with a stranger.

"It's not often a hitchhiker is an old friend." Stiles' heard a familiar female voice and then turned towards an old white pickup truck to see a woman with strawberry blonde hair smile at him with joy. "Need a ride?" Lydia Martin smiled at him with joy.

Stiles looked at Lydia with joy as it had been forever since they had last seen each other, neither talked. They all had lost contact of each other as time and their lives moved on.

"Don't mind if I do." Stiles laughed as he threw his bag into the back of the pickup, and hopped into Lydia's passenger seat. Lydia began to drive towards the town and they began to catch up with each other.

"I can't believe it." Lydia spoke with her usual tone of grace and serenity. "How long has it been?"

"A little too long." Stiles responded with joy. "What have you been up too? I'm sure all good."

"I have my own clothing company here! It's doing great, a little local shop that sells of course trendy items. You know how it is."

"Woah, that's amazing." Stiles congratulated his best friend as he knew it be something she'd do well at. Lydia is an intelligent woman and he knew that she could do anything.

"How about you?"

"I uh, I worked at a marine life sanctuary in the Bay Area for awhile. Just quit and felt like I should come back home and see you all again. Especially Scott." Stiles tells Lydia and Lydia gets quiet not knowing if Stiles knows.

"Stiles-" Lydia says in a sad tone wanting to comfort Stiles.

"I know..." Stiles responded back to her and she returned a comforting smile.

Lydia pulled up to Stiles' home and hugged him as he walked out of the truck with his bag. "Call me if you need anything? Or just come by the store alright? I'm always here." Lydia held Stiles tight in his arms knowing that he's about to find out a lot of things that are happening in Beacon Hills in a matter of seconds. This would be the last time that she would see her good friend be as pure as ever before this town would break him.