Love's Spiral

Stiles parked his Jeep at an entrance to the preserve. The three friends had planned this night the second that Scott had informed Spencer and Stiles of his break-up with Allison.

Spencer was torn between a happy and a sad emotion for her best friend. She was happy that they broke up because now she didn’t have to worry about whether Allison would turn around and kill Scott like the hunter that she is. However, she was sad because Scott was her best friend. Spencer didn’t like to see him hurt.

Scott was hurt. He wasn’t himself. Even being around him for the few minutes they were in the Jeep together, Spencer could feel it.

Spencer had hoped that the break-up wouldn’t change him so much. She knew that someone’s life shouldn’t revolve around one person being a part of it. Her father was her whole world before the accident, and now he couldn’t even remember that she was his daughter. Then she found Derek, who understood what it was like to be alone. Spencer was able to connect with Derek in a way that she couldn’t with Scott or Stiles, even. Yet, somehow, even though she knew that Derek was dead, Spencer didn’t feel sad. It confused her. She still felt as if she was safe. Spencer didn’t have anything to be afraid of. She knew that he was dead, but it confused her that they didn’t find his body when everything was over at the school. Spencer tried not to dwell on it too much. Thinking that Derek was still alive could destroy her mind. She’d go crazy looking for him everywhere.

Derek was gone.

That was that.

The three climbed out of the Jeep and walked through the first line of trees into the forest. Spencer remained on Stiles’ tail since she had no idea where exactly they were going.

Scott was behind her so she felt safe being in the woods at night. The last time she’d been here was on the last full moon, when they first found out that Scott was a werewolf. It was also the night she met Derek.

Had that only been a month ago? Spencer thought, stepping over a puddle. It had definitely felt longer than that.

“Where are we going?” Scott asked, for just about the millionth time that night. He wasn’t exactly happy about being out at night, especially after the school incident. That and his mom had kept a sharp eye on him the past few days that there hadn’t been school. But his mom was working now. He had nothing to worry about.

“You’ll see.” Stiles promised.

“We really shouldn’t be out here. My mom is in a constant state of freak-out from what happened at the school.”

“Well, your mom isn’t the sheriff, okay? There’s no comparison, trust me.”

“Seriously, I almost got in trouble for going to the library last night to study with a friend.” Spencer shared. “I haven’t been able to leave the house since Friday. I’m feelings stir crazy.”

“Can you at least tell me what we’re doing out here?” Scott asked.

Spencer sighed. “Have a little fun, Scotty. You need it.”

“Exactly.” Stiles agreed. “When your best friend gets dumped - ”

“I didn’t get dumped.” Scott insisted. “We’re taking a break.”

“Alright. Well, when your best friend gets told by his girlfriend that they’re taking a break…” Stiles stopped walking and turned to face his two friends. “...you get your best friend drunk.” He said holding up the bottle of booze that he had somehow gotten his hands on.

Scott looked wary. He really didn’t want to do this in the middle of the forest.

However, Spencer was willing and ready to get completely smashed. Forget about the whole Derek dying thing, move on, and be happy.

Halfway through the bottle, Spencer took another shot, handed the bottle to Stiles and laid down the ground using a rock as a pillow.

Stiles took a swig, placed the bottle at Scott’s feet, and spread himself out next to Spencer.

Scott had close to five shots and wasn’t feeling anything. The rest was split between Stiles and Spencer. Spencer was only feeling half as tipsy as Stiles was drunk.

“Dude, you know, she’s just one… one girl.” He hesitated, trying to find the words inside his influenced brain. “You know there are so many - There are so many other girls in the sea.”

Spencer giggled at Stiles’ confusion.

“Fish in the sea.” Scott corrected.

“Fish?” Stiles questioned. “Why’re you talking about fish? I’m talking about girls.” Stiles sighed. “I love girls. I love ‘em.”

Spencer furrowed her brow and turned her head to face him.

“I love… Especially ones with strawberry blond hair, green eyes, five-foot-three - ”

“Stiles, I have blue eyes.”

Stiles turned to look at Spencer with a blank stare. He knew he had messed up. He was drunk, but he caught himself. “Right. That’s what I mean.” He assured. “How did you know I was talking about… About…” Stiles lost his train of thought. “What was I talking about?” He asked, looking up at Scott. He noticed the way Scott was sitting, with his arms crossed, not looking at all like he’d had five shots. “Hey, you’re not happy.”

“Yeah, Scotty, what’s wrong?” Have some more to drink.” Spencer insisted, lifting up the bottle and handing it to Scott.

Scott shook his head. “I don’t want anymore.”

“You’re not drunk?” Stiles asked, as Spencer took a swig and put the bottle down.

“I’m not anything.” Scott said.

“Well, that’s depressing.” Spencer admitted.

“Hey, maybe it’s like… Maybe it’s like not needing your inhaler anymore, you know? Maybe you can’t get drunk as a wolf.”

Scott furrowed his brow and looked down to his friends.

“Am I drunk?” Stiles asked.

“You’re wasted.” Scott told him.

“Yeah!” Stiles cheered.

“And I’m not. I’m tipsy. But not nearly as much as him. Maybe it affects me, too. With the supernatural stuff.” Spencer offered.

Scott looked to her and shrugged.

“Damn, this blows.”

“Aw, come on, dude.” Stiles said, noticing how down Scott looked. “I know it feels bad. I know it hurts. I know. Well, I don’t really know.” Stiles laughed. “But… I know this. I know that as much as being broken up hurts, being alone is way worse.”

Spencer furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about?” Spencer and Scott looked down at him.

Stiles breathed a laugh. “That didn’t make any sense.” He said, then broke out into a quiet fit of laughter. “I need a drink.” Stiles said, reaching over Spencer to take the bottle from the ground. He couldn’t get to it quickly enough before a stranger’s hand took the bottle from the three.

“Well, look at the two little bitches and their slut getting their drink on.” The person said.

“Hey!” Spencer shouted, sitting up, suddenly being engulfed in rage.

“Give it back.” Scott demanded.

“What’s that little man?” the man asked.

“I think he wants a drink.” His friend stated.

“Give us the bottle back.” Spencer said, getting up from the ground and standing in front of him.

“Spence, maybe we should just go.” Stiles suggested from the ground.

“You brought me here to get me drunk, Stiles.” Scott informed. He stood up from the rock. “I’m not drunk yet.”

The man scoffed at Scott’s comments and took a swig from the bottle. Scott took a step in front of Spencer, putting himself between her and the random man.

“Give me the bottle.” Scott demanded.

The man ignored his request.

Scott tilted his head a little bit.

Spencer’s stomach was in a fit. She couldn’t tell it it was the nervousness from the situation or the anger coming from Scott. Either way, she felt as if she could blow these men to pieces.

“Give me the bottle of Jack.” Scott said, but the words came out weird. It wasn’t his voice that was speaking. It must have been his wolf.

Stiles noticed Scott’s hands hidden behind his back. His claws were growing.

Spencer’s hands were pinned to her side, trying not to perform any of her spells.

The man held the bottle out slowly.

Scott snatched it from his hand and threw it deep into the trees. It smashed against one, alcohol showering the area. Both Scott and Spencer backed away from the man and started walking back to the Jeep.

Stiles sobered up quickly and followed after them. “Okay, please tell me that was because of the break-up.” Stiles begged. “Or ‘cause tomorrow’s the full moon?”

“Felt like the last one.” Spencer answered honestly.

Scott got to the car first and opened the passenger side door for the two.

“Going home now, yeah?” Stiles questioned.

Scott nodded and Stiles and Spencer piled into the car.

!@#$#@!

Spencer had been awake for hours working on her assignments for the coming week when there was a knock at her door. Without looking up from her textbook and paper she allowed the person to enter.

“Spencer, why are you working on school work before school?” It was the sheriff.

Spencer responded as she answered another problem. “It occupies my mind, Pops.”

“You know, you don’t have to go back today if you’re nervous.”

“I’m nervous, but staying home won’t calm the nerves. I need to go so I’m not thinking about it.” She said as she wrote one last equally balanced equation and shutting her book, paper tucked inside. “Sitting around won’t do anything for me. School. Work. They’ll keep my mind busy.”

The sheriff nodded. “Alright. But don’t say that I didn’t offer.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Spencer smiled.

“You working tonight?”

“No,” Spencer shook her head, “but I am studying with Isaac after school. And then I’ll probably head over to Scott’s. Meet Stiles there.”

“Haven’t you done enough studying?” The sheriff joked. “I mean, there is no higher grade than an ‘A’.”

“This isn’t studying for me, technically. I’m supposed to bring Isaac’s grade up to bring my grade up.”

The man nodded. “Just don’t over-study.”

“You got it, Pops.” Spencer promised as the man walked away.

“Good luck on that test.” He called.

!@#$#@!

The school day was passing slowly, and still halfway through, Spencer couldn’t get last week’s events off of her mind. Every corner that she turned she saw a flash of the alpha before her eyes. When she sat by a window leading to a parking lot, she saw Derek’s death play over and over outside.

After class, Spencer walked the halls alone. She came upon Stiles sitting outside of the office. She furrowed her brow at him. “What are you doing out here?”

Stiles suddenly got nervous, watching the office door. The bell rang and suited men came from within talking about Derek. Stiles started to stand up next to Spencer.

“We’ve been watching his family’s house. He could wind up there.” It was the Sheriff. He looked over at his son and Spencer. The man sighed. “Give me a second, please.” he told his colleagues. The man walked over to the teenagers. “Don’t you two have a test to get to?”

“Yes, sir.” Spencer said. “Let’s go, Stiles.” She told him, grabbing his arm and leading him away.

“What’s going on?” Stiles questioned, pulling his arm back gently. “Did you find Derek yet?”

Spencer eyes fell to the ground.

“I’m working on it.” The sheriff informed. “You go take your test.”

“Alright, Dad, listen to me - ”

“Go!” The sheriff ordered.

“This is really important.” Stiles promised. “You have to be careful tonight, okay? Especially tonight.”

Spencer looked up to Stiles and noticed how afraid he looked. His father was going out at night, searching for someone who wasn’t even alive anymore. What’s worse, it was a full moon.

“Stiles, I’m always careful.” The sheriff assured.

“Dad, you’ve never dealt with this kind of thing before, okay? At least not like this.”

The sheriff nodded. “I know, which is why I brought in people who have. State detectives.”

Stiles and Spencer both looked at the group of men standing off to the side that the sheriff came out of the office with.

“We trust you, Pops. Just be careful.”

The sheriff looked to Spencer after she spoke.

“I’ve lost one dad, I don’t want to lose another.”

The sheriff sighed and put a hand on Spencer’s shoulder. “I’ll be fine. Go take your test.”

Stiles sighed. The boy threw his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed Spencer’s hand to lead her to the classroom they’d be in until Harris’ classroom was fixed up.

“You okay?” Stiles asked.

“What do you think?” Spencer snapped. She sighed when she realized how mean it sounded. “Sorry. The full moon is getting to me. So much as happened in so little time. This is the first time I’ve heard his name since that night.”

“That’s why I was waiting around for my dad alone. You said that you didn’t want to be a part of it. I figured you would go straight to class.”

Spencer nodded. “I’ll be sure to do that next time.” Spencer and Stiles walked into their temporary classroom. She looked up to see Isaac with a spot saved for her.

Isaac didn’t make any huge gestures when she walked in. He only looked up and a smile came to a corner of his mouth.

Spencer smiled back. “I’m gonna sit by Isaac. Make sure he’s ready for the test since we only got one chance to study this weekend.”

Stiles nodded and took a seat to himself.

Spencer approached Isaac and sat in the empty seat behind him. “Are you ready?” she questioned, when he turned to face her. She noticed him shaking slightly and realized that it was a stupid question to ask.

“W-what if I don’t get a g-good grade?” he asked her. “T-that w-would mean your grade w-won’t go up.”

Spencer smiled and shook her head. “Isaac, don’t worry about my grade. I can live with a ‘B’. You, however, need a better grade if you’re going to pass sophomore year.” Spencer put a hand on his arm to comfort him, but he winced back from it. The redhead furrowed her brow. “Oh, I’m sorry. What happened?”

He hesitated. “Lacrosse injury.”

Spencer smiled. “You gotta make sure that those boys don’t hit you too hard or passing this test will be the least of your problems.”

Isaac nodded shakily and let out a small sigh of relief as his secret was kept another day.

“You have forty-five minutes to complete the test.” Harris said, moving to the front of the classroom in front of the podium. “Twenty-five percent of your grade can be earned right now, simply by writing your name on the cover of the blue book.”

Spencer looked down and wrong her name on the cover right away. Just in case, she leaned forward to make sure Isaac did the same.

“However, as happens every year, one of you will inexplicably fail to put your name on the cover, and I’ll be left, yet again, questioning my decision to ever become a teacher.”

Spencer looked over to Stiles.

Stiles looked back, giving one of his innocent laughs.

Spencer rolled her eyes and looked away from him.

“So, let’s get the disappointment over with.” Harris picked his stopwatch off of the podium and started the time. “Begin.”

Spencer opened her book and started on her test. She moved through it quickly, having it be the only thing she was focusing on. Sure, she was worried about Isaac and his grade, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. Spencer was done with her test in ten minutes. She stood, grabbed her bag and her test and walked towards the front of the classroom, giving Isaac a small pat on the back for encouragement.

Isaac jumped again when her hand touched his back.

Spencer silently apologized and kept walking. She turned her test into Mr. Harris, ignoring any comment he made and looked back at the classroom to her friends.

Scott was looking around the classroom.

Spencer keyed into his emotions.

Scott was hearing the different sounds, moving throughout the classroom. It had been awhile since he was in a silent room like this, with all the anxiety inside of the walls.

“Scott.” Spencer whispered. “Breathe.” Spencer closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. She tried to force her way into his emotions, but he was too far gone in the nervousness. “Scott, it’s the full moon. That’s all. Breathe.” Spencer could hear his heartbeat accelerating. She wasn’t helping. There wasn’t anything that she could do.

Scott stood from his desk and walked out of the classroom, past Spencer.

Spencer called after him, he didn’t respond.

Scott kept running and dropped his backpack in the middle of the hallway.

Spencer moved to pick it up. She saw Stiles walk out next. Spencer grabbed his arm. “Stiles, your test.”

Stiles waved her off. “At least half of it was done. I gotta help Scott.”

Spencer nodded. “I’m gonna wait here. For Isaac.”

Stiles nodded, and quickly leaned in to kiss her forehead and take Scott’s backpack before running off down the hall.

Spencer only hoped that Scott was okay. She couldn’t find him in the school. There were too many noises. Spencer leaned against the wall by the door and tried to get her mind off of Scott. Twenty minutes went by and half of the class was out. Another ten and Isaac and another student were the only ones left. The last five minutes went by and the student came out. Spencer heard Harris call time. She bit her lip, anxiously. Another five minutes passed before Isaac came out of the classroom with Harris. Harris walked right past her. “Isaac.” Spencer called as the boy almost walked away from her.

Isaac stopped and turned back to her.

“How’d it go?”

Isaac shrugged. “H-he graded my test in front of me. Since I-I was the last one d-done.”

“And?” Spencer questioned, completely on her toes.

Isaac sighed. “I got an eighty.” He smiled. Isaac watched as Spencer’s eyes lit up with his response.

Spencer lunged forward and hugged him tightly.

Isaac cringed and Spencer pulled herself away quickly.

“Lacrosse injury?” Spencer said, taking it upon herself to lift up his shirt to see what she hit. Isaac’s stomach was covered in black and blue bruises. “Isaac.” She gasped.

Isaac grabbed his shirt from her hands and pulled it back down, looking around the empty hallway double checking that no one else saw.

“Isaac, Scott doesn’t have bruises like that and he’s first string.”

“J-just forget it, Spencer.” Isaac said, walking away.

“No, I won’t.” Spencer said, chasing after him.

“I-I, uh, I don’t n-need y-your help anymore.” he barked.

Spencer stopped in her place as he kept going. She was hurt. Something was wrong with Isaac.