Harley is curled up on the couch, a blanket strewn over her lap as her mom sits across from her on a chair. The two are sitting in silence, just being in one another's presence serving as a source of comfort.
"Can I get you anything?" Alayna asks. "Food, drink, space, a dog?"
Harley sighs softly, weighing her options, before realizing, "Wait, a dog?"
Alayna stutters for a moment, "Well-I-I thought-you might-I don't know."
Harley tries to smile, but can't bring herself to it. She stares at the wall for a moment before saying, "Dad always made hot chocolate when I was sad."
"Do you want hot chocolate?"
"No," Harley sighs. "I don't think I do."
"Do you want to be alone?"
"I don't know. I think so."
"All right. Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"Not yet. There's a lot going on with my friends, and I don't wanna know what happened before we figure that out."
"Might I ask why?"
"I wanna focus on them. I wanna help them."
"That's awfully noble of you, don't you think? You have the right to grieve."
"If I start, I don't know if I'll stop."
"That's okay."
"Not right now. I need to help right now. Then I'll grieve."
"Just take the night, okay?" Alayna pats Harley's knee as she stands up. "This isn't something you can avoid forever."
"We need a solution for our problem. That takes precedence."
"Do you want to talk to me about your plan?"
"It isn't that good of one. Frankly, I'm just hoping."
"For what?"
"I don't know. People who know what to do and can fix it all, I suppose. I hate to sound like a damsel in distress, but I can't help them. I'm not strong enough. I'm hoping for..."
"Heroes?"
"Yeah. I guess I'm hoping for heroes." Harley falls silent, and Alayna takes that as her cue to leave. Once she reaches the doorway, she calls back to Harley.
"We're all hoping for heroes, kid. Sometimes, we have to be the ones that step up and become them."
Harley hadn't even noticed she fell asleep until she awoke to a variety of texts later that night.
Scott: how are you feeling now? havent heard from you
Scott: were headed to the rave now. ill let you know any updates
Stiles: scott wont tell me wut happened. r u good?
Allison: Hey, why aren't you here? I know you have a ticket, I made Matt get you one
Stiles: y r jacket pack asking where u r? r u friends now or something
Lydia: Hey!! I was wondering if you wanted to study together soon for chem, you seem like the best bet I've got for a friend right now.
Lydia: Sorry, total TMI, yikes!! Let me know tho :)
Allison: Stiles said something happened, but he doesn't know what. Hope everything's okay!
Scott: things are bad with allison and her family. gonna need your help soon
Scott: i know you said you dont need us rn, but we need you
Stiles: WHY IS JACKET PACK OBSESSED WITH U WHAT ARENT YOU TELLING ME
Harley can't help but smile slightly, even blushing as she reads the messages from Stiles. She knows that "jacket pack" only means Erica, and maybe even Isaac, but it makes her happy to have people care that much for her. Especially people she doesn't know too well.
YOU ARE READING
Hoping for Heroes
Fanfiction"She's basically, like, if Captain America and Scarlet Witch had a baby, but then Black Widow raised her. Her last name is literally Rogers!" "..." "She's right behind me, isn't she?"
