His Little Brother

Chapter 5 (Edited)

Cal walks along the sidewalk of a suburban neighborhood with Scott and Stiles. Stiles glances over to Scott "What?" he asks. "What do you mean what?" Scott responds. "I mean what. And you know what." Stiles tells him. "What what?" Scott questions. "That look you were giving." Stiles explains. "I wasn't giving a look." Scott tells him. "Oh, there was a distinct look." Stiles retorts. "What look?" Scott asks. "The one that says the last thing you feel like doing is going to a party." Stiles explains. "It's not that. It just feels a little weird going to a different high school's party." Scott tells him. "One drink, you'll be fine. I went to nursery school with this girl. She promised to introduce us to all of her friends. So no Allison, no Lydia. We're moving on." Stiles says. Scott glances to his phone seeing a missed call from Alison, but he slips the phone back into his pocket. Cal sighs "Why am I here again?" he asks. "Because... Because you are. Now let's go." Stiles tells him. "Moving on." Scott says and Cal puts his hands in his pockets. "Onward and upward." Stiles adds. "Let's do this." Scott smiles. "That's what I'm talking about." Stiles smiles. They turn down a walkway to the door of a house, Cal sighs and follows after them. "How's my breath?" Scott asks "I'm not smelling your breath." Stiles tells him. "Do you have any gum?" Scott asks. "No gum. You're fine." Stiles responds. "Can you at least tell me what kind of party it is?" Scott asks. "17th Birthday." Stiles tells him. Cal sighs and looks down as they walk in. "Stiles!" Heather says throwing her arms around Stiles, and kissing him on the lips. "So happy you made it. Come help me pick out a bottle of wine." Shocked by the kiss, Stiles glances to Cal who shrugs and Scott who gives him an encouraging nod. As Heather pulls Stiles away, Scott's phone buzzes showing another message from Allison. Cal looks round awkwardly hoping for a way out. His phone buzzes showing a message from Lydia 'Outside x'. Stepping away from the house, Scott and Cal walk on to the sidewalk where they find Allison waiting under a streetlight for Scott and Lydia smiling at Cal who goes over to her. "Message your brother I'm taking you home. You're obviously feeling uncomfortable in there. If you weren't you wouldn't have come out here so fast." she tells him.

The next day at the school Lydia and Allison hold their arms together, bruises forming a symbol on their skin. Derek stands in front of them while Scott and Stiles look on at his sides. Cal sits on a table with his legs crossed underneath. Derek raises his eyes to meet Allison's. Neither of them blink, glaring at each other. "I don't see anything." he says. "Look again." Scott tells him. "How is a bruise going to tell me where Erica and Boyd are?" Derek asks. "It's the same on both arms. Exactly the same." Scott points out. "It's nothing." the Alpha says. "Pareidolia. Seeing patterns that aren't there. It's a subset of apophenia." Cal pipes up. "What he said." Derek says pointing at Cal. "Take another look." Scott pleads. "I don't need to." Derek says. "They're trying to help." Scott tells him. "These two? This one who used me to resurrect my psychotic uncle. And this one who shot about thirty arrows into me and my pack?" Derek questions. "Hey, no one died. There might have been some maiming. A little mangling. But no death. I call that an important distinction." Stiles says. "My mother died." Alison says. "Your family's little honor code killed your mother. Not me." Derek tells her. Cal starts biting his finger nails feeling uncomfortable with the arguing. "Okay, can everyone back off for a second?" Scott asks. Alison looks at Derek "That girl was looking for Scott. I'm here to help him. Not you." she says. "You want to help? Find something real." Derek tells her. He turns to go making Scott follow and stop him. "Give her a chance. We're all on the same side now." Scott says. "Then maybe you should tell her what her mother was actually trying to do that night." Derek pushes past him, heading out of the classroom. Scott and Stiles join the rush of students in the hall. Cal follows after them keeping his head down. "What does a pack of Alphas want with Erica and Boyd?" Stiles asks Scott. "I'm not sure it's them they want." Scott explains. "What--Derek? Like they're recruiting?" Stiles asks. Scott doesn't answer, instead he slows, something catching his attention. Glancing back, he glimpses two students walking the opposite direction. But he turns too late to see their faces. "Scott? You coming?" Stiles asks him. With a last glance behind him, Scott hurries to catch up. Cal quickly walks next to Stiles trying to avoid everyone's stare.