Poison and Wine

Hailey Miner stepped out of the car after what seemed to be the longest car ride of her life. She stared up at the house in front of her and stretched her legs, losing her balance as her little brother shoved his way out of the car and ran up to the house.

“Dad this place is awesome!” he shouted, dropping his backpack and staring up in awe.

“Glad you like it Aaron,” their father, Jason, said, mussing his son’s hair up.

“What do you think, honey?” Alyssa Miner asked her daughter as she grabbed a suitcase out of the trunk of the car.

“This is not exactly what I had in mind when you guys said we were moving to California,” she said, crossing her arms and turning to her mother.

“I did tell you it was Northern California,” her father said matter-of-factly as he stood at the end of the driveway waiting for the moving van to show up.

“I know,” Hailey said with a sigh. “But when you live in New York for seventeen years and hear the word California you automatically think sunshine and beach. Not cool and rain.”

“I’m sure you’ll get used to it,” Alyssa said. “It’s not much different than home.”

“Yeah. This neighborhood seems a lot nicer though,” Hailey said looking up and down the street.

“Mom what’s the name of the town again?” Aaron asked, running back to the car, his eyes wide with excitement. Hailey laughed at her brother’s enthusiasm. For a nine year old, he sure had a lot of it.

“Beacon Hills, honey,” she said, handing him his pillows he had in the back seat.

“Home sweet home,” Hailey said to herself, grabbing her backpack out of the car and swinging it over her shoulder, walking up to the front door of her new home for the first time.

****

“Now are you positive you have everything?” Alyssa asked as Hailey started to get out of the car.

“Mom, I’m a junior in high school. I think I’ve gone to school long enough to know what to bring on the first day,” she said with a laugh while her mother stared at her.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come in with you to get you all settled?”

“Didn’t Dad do that last month when he was here during that week that we were packing up New York?”

“Right, right,” Alyssa said nodding her head. “Well if you’re sure you’ll be alright.”

“I’ll be fine, Mom,” Hailey said with a smile. “But if you don’t leave now these kids are going to think I have separation issues,” she said, gesturing behind her to her peers who were staring at the new girl talking to her Mom.

“Okay, point taken. Have a good first day. I’ll see you at three.”

“Bye Mom,” Hailey said with a laugh, closing the passenger door and turning to face her new school. She noticed how all eyes were suddenly off her once she had turned around and she couldn’t help but shake her head.

“Deep breath,” she whispered to herself. “And go.”

With as much confidence as she could muster, Hailey walked her way up the stone steps and through the front doors of the high school. She saw a sign up ahead that showed her exactly where the office was and she exhaled a sigh of relief. She wouldn’t have to awkwardly ask someone for directions.

“Good morning dear,” the woman behind the desk said with a smile. “How can I help you?”

“Hi I just transferred here and I was wondering if you have a map of the campus so I can find my classes without any trouble. I already have my schedule and locker information and everything else,” Hailey said, holding said papers up for the secretary to see.

“Of course I do,” she said enthusiastically opening one of her desk drawers and searching through the files. “Hm, I know I have them here somewhere. Just a moment.”

“Take your time,” Hailey said with a smile, turning her back to the counter separating her and the secretary. Through the open door she watched the others make their way to their lockers. Most if not all of them glanced at her in the office and she heard whispers but she wasn’t sure if they were really about her. It could be anything.

“Aha! Here we are!” the secretary said, holding a map up and making her way to the counter. “Now my name is Mrs. Slauson and if you have any questions I’m always here.”

“I’m Hailey Miner,” Hailey said, graciously taking the map. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Slauson.”

“You’re very welcome. Have a good first day.”

“Thanks,” Hailey said, giving one last smile before turning to re-enter the hallway. She looked at her schedule and saw that she had Physics first thing. She read the room number and then looked at the map to find her way to the classroom. As she read the map she started walking through the hall. Just as she was about to glance up to see what room she was near someone walked right into her side and all of the papers she was holding spilled to the ground as she lost her balance.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” came a light female voice as Hailey looked to her right to see said person. She was crouching down, starting to pick up Hailey’s papers. Her dark hair fell down her back in soft curls and she wore a golden pendant around her neck.

“It’s alright,” Hailey said. “I should have been paying more attention,” she admitted as she picked up the rest of the papers.

“I’m Allison,” the girl said, handing Hailey her papers with a smile. Hailey smiled back at her and that’s when she noticed the boys standing behind Allison. The one right behind her had a hint of a smile on his face, tan skin, and dark hair. The other stood next to him and had short hair and a goofy look on his face as he stared at Hailey.

“Thanks. I’m Hailey.”

“You’re new here,” the dark haired boy said.

“Yeah, my family just moved here last week from New York,” Hailey said, nodding her head. The boy let out a low whistle.

“Whoa, long way,” he said. “I’m Scott.”

“My boyfriend,” Allison said with a smile, looking at Scott.

“And I-I’m… I,” the other boy stuttered and Hailey stifled a laugh.

“This is Stiles, my best friend,” Scott said, nudging Stiles in the side with his elbow. “Though I’m highly starting to re-consider that.”

“Wow, way to throw me under the bus dude!” Stiles exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air and staring at Scott.

“That’s an interesting name,” Hailey said. “Stiles.”

“It’s not his real name,” Scott said with a wink.

“Shut up,” Stile said through his teeth, eyes wide.

“Well, it was nice meeting you all but I should get to class.”

“What do you have?” Allison asked, cocking her head to the side and adjusting the strap of her backpack.

“Physics,” Hailey said with a disgusted face.

“Us too!” Allison said excitedly. “Come on.”

Hailey smiled as she followed Allison to the classroom, Scott and Stiles behind them. So far she really liked these people and kept her fingers crossed that they might be her first friends in Beacon Hills. They entered the classroom and Hailey saw that instead of desks they would sit at lab tables in partners of two. She saw a red headed girl look up when she heard the door open and stare at Allison.

Allison flinched beside her and she heard Scott’s breathing become ragged. That’s when Hailey noticed that the boy next to the red haired girl had his eyes on Scott’s. There was something off about it all.

“Come on, let’s be partners,” Allison said, leading the way to an empty table. She set her books down and stared straight ahead. Hailey looked back up and saw that the red haired girl had done the same. Scott and Stiles sat at the table behind them and Hailey turned to Allison.

“What was that all about?” she asked in a hushed tone as other students came in.

“That girl, her name’s Lydia,” Allison said, looking at Hailey with some sadness in her eyes. “When I moved here last year, she was my first friend and even became my best friend. The boy is Jackson, her boyfriend.”

“Did he do something to you?” Hailey asked, glancing back at the table where Lydia and Jackson sat.

“No,” Allison said with some hesitation, looking back to Scott. “We just don’t speak anymore…”

“Oh,” Hailey said, looking back to Scott and Stiles. Scott quickly looked away and Stiles was too preoccupied with his pen to know what was going on.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class. As the teacher explained that the people they were sitting with would be their partners for the whole year, Hailey glanced around at all of her classmates. Her gaze turned to the window and saw someone leaning against a tree facing the school.

Her eyes focused and saw that it was a guy, he couldn’t have been much older than her and he was dressed in black. He was staring directly at the classroom they were in, his arms crossed against his chest. She couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was and her heart skipped a beat. That’s when he looked right at her, his gaze cold and she jumped in her seat.

“Are you alright?” Allison whispered and Hailey looked at her, catching her breath.

“I’m fine. There was just, someone outside and he looked right at me when I wasn’t expecting it,” she said, looking towards the window again.

“I don’t see anyone,” Allison said, shaking her head.

“Yeah,” Hailey said, her eyes scanning along the rest of the windows. “Neither do I.”

“Ladies, unless there is a raging fire outside that you’d like to tell us about eyes front please,” their teacher said and Hailey ducked her head.

“Sorry,” she and Allison said in unison.

****

“So how’s your first day going so far?” Scott asked, setting his lunch try down across from Allison. Hailey looked up from her food and watched Stiles file suit.

“Pretty well. I’m so glad Allison and I bumped into each other,” she said, turning to smile at Allison who exchanged the gesture. “There was something kind of weird, though.”

“What was that?” Stiles asked, taking a bite of his burger. Out of the corner of her eye Hailey saw Scott and Allison share a look and she frowned slightly.

“This morning in Physics, I was looking around. Standing outside I saw a guy dressed all in black and he was staring at our classroom. Then all of a sudden he was staring directly at me. When I looked back like, two seconds later, he was gone,” she said, looking between the three who all not so subtly looked at each other.

“Maybe you were seeing something,” Scott said, shrugging his shoulders.

“I’m sure it was nothing,” Stiles added.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” Hailey said, pushing her food around with her fork.

****

“So is it safe to say your first day at Beacon Hills High was a success?” Allison asked, closing her locker and walking over to Hailey’s with her.

“Absolutely,” Hailey said with a smile.

“Are you busy now or do you have to get home?”

“Well my Mom said she’d meet me here at three but I don’t think she has any plans. Did you have something in mind?”

“I was wondering if you’d want to come to the Lacrosse game with me,” Allison said as Hailey grabbed the books she’d need for homework. “Well really it’s just a scrimmage since it’s the start of the season but Scott and Stiles are both on the team.”

“I’ll have to check with my Mom.”

“Well what are you waiting for let’s go!” Allison said, closing Hailey’s locker and heading towards the door. “Make sure she knows that if you come I won’t have to sit all by myself since Lydia and I aren’t friends anymore.”

“I’m sure she’ll say yes,” Hailey said, spotting her Mom’s car and leading Allison to it.

“Hi honey,” Alyssa said, stepping out of the car and smiling at her daughter. “Who’s your friend?”

“I’m Allison Argent,” Allison said, walking over to Hailey’s mother and shaking her hand. “It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Miner.”

“Likewise,” Alyssa said, smiling at Allison.

“Mom I was wondering if it was alright if I could stay here with Allison to watch the Lacrosse scrimmage,” Hailey said, shoving her hands in her pockets.

“Oh um, I suppose so,” Alyssa said, shrugging her shoulders. “What time should I pick you up?”

“I can bring her home,” Allison said quickly. “These games are unpredictable as far as time goes.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you Allison,” Alyssa said. “Do you want me to take your backpack home, Hailey?”

“Sure, thanks Mom,” Hailey said, dropping her bag in the back seat. “You know, maybe it’s time to rethink that whole buying-Hailey-a-car thing.”

“I’ll talk to your father,” Alyssa said with a laugh, opening the driver’s side door. “Have fun.”

“Bye,” Hailey and Allison said at the same time, waving goodbye.

****

“So this is Lacrosse,” Hailey said, watching Scott run down the field, cradling the ball in his net.

“Yupp,” Allison said.

“Huh,” Hailey said, clapping her hands together. “Interesting.”

“Not a lot of Lacrosse in New York?” Allison asked with a laugh.

“It definitely wasn’t one of the more popular sports. Football was the thing at my old school, as it is with most other schools.”

“Naturally,” Allison said with a smile. “Oh come on!”

“What? What did I miss?” Hailey asked, looking between the field and Allison.

“Scott was about to score when a guy from the other team practically knocked him down and stole the ball. He should have gotten a penalty.”

“Alright then,” Hailey said with a laugh, scanning the field.

Her eyes widened when at the far corner at the edge of the woods she saw him again. It was the same guy from that morning. His eyes were scanning the field before finally locking on his target. Hailey followed his line of sight and settled on Jackson. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked back at the guy.

“Allison who is that guy?” she asked, keeping her eyes trained on him so this time he wouldn’t disappear.

“Where?” Allison asked.

“There in the far corner,” Hailey said, pointing at him. Her eyes shifted ever so slightly when she heard Allison move beside her.

“Hailey there’s no one there,” Allison said slowly.

“What?” Hailey asked, blinking. She looked and he was gone. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Are you sure you’re not just seeing things?” Allison asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“No, I saw him,” Hailey said with a sigh. “He was dressed all in black and he was watching Jackson for some reason. I’m telling you Allison he was there. It was the same guy from this morning.”

Allison hesitated and Hailey noticed she looked uncomfortable.

“Is something wrong, Allison?”

“No it’s just, that was Derek. Derek Hale.”

“How do you know who he is? You didn’t see him,” Hailey said and saw Allison wring her fingers together.

“Derek has a sort of… tendency… to just stand around far away from crowds and watch things. He’s nothing special,” she said quickly. “Just ignore him.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Hailey said and Allison sort of twitched.

“Trust me. He’s nothing you want to bother yourself with. Trouble tends to follow Derek," she said, her voice turning cold as she touched her pendant.

"Okay," Hailey said, trying her best to sound defeated. On the inside, she was intrigued if anything else. Somehow, someway, she was going to cross paths with Derek Hale whether Allison liked it or not.