Chosen Family

"Zak, wake up we have school!" Stiles jostled me from my bed on the couch.
"Nooo, I have late start." I grumbled, burying me face in my pillow.
"Since when?" I could here the pout in his voice.
"Since I'm a senior and my first class was cancelled."
"Not fair."
"Wait til next year. Now go away, I have another hour." I heard him chuckled and bound off towards the kitchen. Seconds later I passed back into the dream world for another hour of sleep. But all too soon my cellphone's alarm went off and I groaned myself awake. I slept for another five minutes before rolling off the couch and heading up to my room to change. I found a comfy pair of boyfriends jeans, a blue Ed Sheeran shirt, a plaid shirt to throw over, and my black converse. I grabbed my bag and knocked on the bathroom door.
"Kaleen, you almost done in there?" I waited but heard nothing. "Yo Kaleen!" Still no answer even though the sink was running. "You okay?" I started getting nervous so I tried the door which didn't budge. I checked my cell to see that I had to leave in five minutes. "If you don't answer, I'm coming in." I said rather loudly just in case she didn't hear over the water. However, she still didn't answer, so I grabbed the spare key, which was cut when Stiles and I were little, and opened up. "KALEEN!" I yelled and threw my bag down as I dropped next to my passed out mother. "Kaleen!" I patted her cheek and she felt cold. I moved her so she was on her back and checked her breathing and pulse. My heart started racing even more when I didn't get either. My eyes looked her over and I saw a rubber band around her upper arm, then the needle on the floor next to her. "Fuck you Kaleen." I spat as I angrily dialed 911, placed the phone on speaker, and started CPR. The operator picked up on my fourth pump.
"Hello 911, how may I help you?" A female voice asked.
"Hi, I need an ambulance." I told her my address and the circumstance. Once she told me the ambulance was on its way, I let my phone drop and disconnect on its own. After 30 pumps, I breathed into her mouth twice, and began the next set. "Come on Kaleen, breathe dammit!" Five minutes later, an ambulance arrived and took over. I answered all their questions and firmly told them I would be riding behind them. I waited anxiously in the waiting room for any news on my mother. Mrs. McCall came up to me and kept me company.
"Do you need anything?" She asked, rubbing my arm.
"No, I just want to know if she'll be okay."
"She'll be fine."
"I hope so, I'd like to punch her right now." I growled. I sighed and let my head fall into me hands. "Please don't tell anyone, especially Scott about this."
"I won't, but I can't guarantee they won't find out eventually."
"I know, I would just like it to happen later than now... I can only deal with so much. Do you know where dad is?" I looked up at her like she held all my answers.
She shook her head sadly, "No, but he'll be here as soon as he can."
"Yeah... I don't want him to lose his job... again for something stupid like this."
"He won't, he's the best sheriff this town has."
"Yeah, he is." I smiled. Half an hour later, I was informed that my mother was breathing on her own, was stable, and that they had pump her stomach. They asked me a few more questions about my mother before the doctor left again. "I should get going." I spun my keys around my finger.
"You sure?" Mrs. McCall got up concern. "I think it'll be okay for you to take the day off."
I shook my head, "I'll go crazy if I just wait here. Anyway, I have an exam I'd like to get done."
"Okay." She replied, unhappy with my decision. "Should I come with you so you don't get a tardy?"
I shrugged, "Or a note will do if you don't mind."
"Okay." She wrote me a quick note, which the doctor signed, and handed it to me. I said farewell and headed out the door. I arrived an hour late to school, but was excused because of my note. I passed Scott in the hallway, but shook my head as I headed into my classroom. I was able to forget how fucked up things were as I took my exam that counted as 20% of my grade; I was grateful for it. But that peace of mind was soon shattered when Stiles grabbed my hand and dragged me into the library.
"What the hell Stiles?" I asked quietly as we rounded a shelf.
"What's going on?" He crossed his arms.
"What do you mean?" I rolled my eyes.
"You smell like mom." Scott replied as he joined us, "And you don't smell happy. Actually you smelled really anxious this morning."
"I'll tell you after school."
"Zak." Stiles's brown eyes pleaded with me.
I sighed, "Kaleen had to go to the hospital, so I went with her."
"Is she okay?" Stiles's voice rose with distress.
"Yes, she's stable, but she'll probably have to spend the night."
"What happened?" I remained silent, knowing I'd be outed by Scott if I lied. "Zak, what happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it okay. I'll tell you later."
"Zak." Stiles scowled and grabbed my arm.
I shook it off and turned to go, "I said I'll tell you later. I have class I can't be late for." I walked off. This was the third fight in about two weeks that Stiles and I have gotten into; this was beginning to look like a long last semester in high school.
School finally ended and Stiles waited impatiently by my locker. I rolled my eyes as I asked, "Yes?"
"What happened?"
"Kaleen passed out so she had to go to the hospital." Stiles knew there was more to the story, but he was also aware that if I didn't want to talk about it, I wouldn't.
Kaleen's ride to the hospital became a well known story, but no details beyond she was unconscious was known. Kaleen returned home four days later and I warned her if I ever found out she was doing drugs again and/or found drugs in the house she would regret it. Things became strained in the house over the next three weeks. I fought with her more than usual which got me into fights with Stiles; she was his family after all. No one at school noticed because I still smiled and carried on, it's what I do. but as the weeks progressed I found myself more and more at the old Hale house, finding solace in the quiet and no demands to know why things had reverted back to how they were with my mother and I.
Stiles and I had never fought like this and as often before, and it didn't take long for the pack to realize we were at each other's throats. They'd often disappear or demand one of our's attention when things got too bad. I missed the relationship we once had, but I couldn't share the need for family he craved from her. Finally it all came to heed way one night, Stiles and I ended up fighting again to the point where we were both too tired to fight. It started with a call from Kaleen.
"I already told you no, now drop it Kaleen." I bit out. "Drop it, I'm not calling you that or giving you anything. Bye." I ended the call with gritted teeth.
"Do you really need to talk to her like that?" Stiles asked harshly with crossed arms. The pack shared an uncertain glance.
"Yes, I do."
"It'll like these past few months didn't exist!" He threw his arms up in frustration. "What has she done that makes you act like this?"
"What hasn't she done!" I shot back.
We yelled a few more times before Stiles sighed and quietly said, "You act as though she's a bad guy, Zak."
I looked away with a sad scowl as I slung my bag over my shoulder, "I do."
He looked at me startled, "When did you decide she was a bad guy?" Stiles asked.
"When I knew she wasn't coming back and I moved on." I replied and then walked out the door. I climbed into my car and drove to work, unhappy and too tired to fake a smile.