my personal devil in prada // lydia martin

Like a choked cat being shoved into a blender. Alive.

I -- for once in my life -- am actually early for history, and take my seat next to Stiles.

"Thanks again for last night."

"No problemo mi amigo, ¿cómo está tu padre?"

"He's doing alright."

"Good," I then see Scott through the classroom window, parking his bike, "Uh oh, traitor incoming -- 10 o'clock."

Stiles snorts, and I add, "You sure you don't want me to stab him?"

"Charlie, I'm pissed off at him -- he doesn't need to die."

"He'd heal. Probably."

"Besides, where'd you get the knife?"

I lean down and hike my pant leg up, to reveal the dagger tucked into my sock.

"Do you seriously carry that around with you all the time? I thought you were joking."

"I never joke about my knives. Especially Patrick."

"Who's Patrick?"

"The knife."

"Charlie, you're my best friend, but honestly, you're a bit psychopathic sometimes."

"I know," I smile, but it quickly leaves my face when Scott walks in.

Stiles glares straight in front of him, ignoring Scott even as he comes to sit behind us.

"Still not talking to me?"

Silence.

"Charlie, can you tell Stiles-"

"Oh hell no, I'm not being stuck in the middle of this."

Scott sighs, "Okay, can you at least tell me if your dad's okay? It's just a bruise, right? Some soft tissue damage? Nothing that big."

Absolute and utter silence. Stiles really was adamant about the whole cold shoulder thing.

"You know I feel really bad about it, right? Okay. What if I told you that I'm trying to figure this whole thing out, and... that I went to Derek for help?" Scott baits.

Stiles takes the bait. "If I was talking to you, I'd say that you're an idiot for trusting him. But obviously I'm not talking to you," he pauses for a few moments and the anticipation obviously gets to him, "what did he say?"

***

Scott then explains to us that Derek wants him to get really angry -- and this is how he'll learn control. Which is the most fucking ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life.

"Wh- he wants you to tap into your animal side and get angry?" Stiles asks, with the same amount of incredulity that I'm feeling.

"Yeah."

"But that makes literally no sense -- every time you get angry, you lose control and try murder us."

"I know. That's what he means when he says he doesn't know if he can teach me. I have to be able to control it."

"Well, how's he gonna teach you to do that?" Stiles asks.

"I don't know. I don't think he does either."

"Well, that's about as reassuring as jumping out of a plane and realising you've forgotten the parachute." I quip.

"When are you seeing him again?"

"He told me not to talk about it. Just act normal and get through the day."

"When?" Stiles smacks Scott on the shoulder.