Second Chances - Stiles Stilinski (Season 1)

Chapter 14: Sorry Coach

Natalie

I open my history book to the chapter written on the board to get an idea of what today's lecture will be about. I welcome the distraction from the many concerned looks of my classmates around me. Ok, we get it. I found a dead body two days ago and almost was crushed to death in a movie store. Can we move on?

"Hey," a voice cuts through my thoughts. The curly-headed boy in the seat next to me is staring at me. I recognize him from the party at Jackson's the other night. "You alright?" I smile and nod to him reassuringly. I must be the local nutcase.

I look up to Scott coming into the room and can practically feel the iciness oozing out of Stiles sitting next to me. The incident last night has left a tension in our trio. In the mountain lion confusion last night, Scott protected Allison instead of Sheriff Stilinski, which ended up with Stilinski getting hurt.

"Are you still not talking to me, Stiles?" he asks as he sits down in his chair in front of him. Stiles sticks his tongue in his cheek and looks off in the distance. "Can you at least tell me your dad's alright? It was just a bruise right? It wasn't serious?"

Stiles sits in silence, and Scott looks devastated.

"What if I told you I am trying to figure everything out, and that I asked Derek for help?" I see Stiles twitch. This new information had to be tempting.

"What did he say?" Stiles blurts, leaning forward.

"He told me I have to lean into it, the wolf side. And then find an anchor to control it. He said he thinks he could teach me."

I raise an eyebrow. "Last time you tried that you tried to kill us," I mutter. He looks at me and grimaces.

"When is he teaching you?" Stiles whispers as the bell rings for class to begin.

"Tonight, after my shift at the animal clinic."

"That gives me enough time then," Stiles says, leaning back in his seat, satisfied.

"For what?" I question.

He looks over and winks at me. "For me to teach him myself."

After class, Stiles tells Scott to meet him at the lacrosse field after our next and last period. The tension is still there, but I can tell Scott is just happy that Stiles is talking to him after ignoring him all day.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow then," I say and spin on my heel to head to my next class. It would be nice to have the night to myself after this week.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Stiles says as he runs in front of me, stopping me in my path. "I need your help with this." His hands are both up in a stopping motion like an overly excited crossing guard.

"With what? I can meet you after my math class if you need," I shrug him off, trying to get around him. He stops me again by holding my shoulders. The sudden touch makes me acutely aware that the hallway has cleared out.

"I need to get some supplies for Scott's lesson. I could use those famous Natalie Goodman muscles," he says as he puts his arm around me and starts walking me the opposite direction of my class.

"Stiles, we still have one more class," I giggle, watching him as he does a spin away from me and bows to take my hand.

"I think we can blow off calculus for one day."

I take his hand and he drags me to him, pulling me to the locker wall. One hand is resting on my cheek, the other on the small of my back. My heart is racing, and I try to glance around for anyone, but his hand is keeping my gaze trained to his.