hold me closer

25

I only realized I had fallen asleep until after I woke up the next morning. Everyone else had fallen asleep, too. They all packed up, going home to get ready for school.

I walked into my room. As I opened my closet, I noticed that the sliding door to my weapon collection was opened a crack. I furrowed my eyebrows, thinking it was weird. I shrugged it off, however, and changed into a white top and jeans for the new day.

"What if we need some kind of trigger?" asked Scott as we walked down the halls of the school. "Wasn't Malia driving when she remembered the crash?"

"Yeah, but how are we supposed to trigger a memory that we don't remember?" Stiles asked.

"Maybe it's a delayed thing?" Scott guessed. "Maybe you have to wait a couple hours to see what happens."

The lights flickered. We looked at Kira.

"That wasn't me. I swear," Kira defended.

"We keep an eye on each other today, okay?" Scott said.

"Yes and keep an eye out for eight other potentially homicidal chimeras," Stiles added.

"And keep an eye out for the Dread Doctors," Kira reminded.

"Starting to see the appeal of a third eye!" Stiles said as we left for AP biology.

"Anything happen yet?" Theo asked.

"Nope," I replied, taking a seat beside him. "You?"

"No," he responded.

"So, while introducing the African Cane Toad sounded like a good way to deal with Australia's infestation of the grey-backed beetle," Mrs. Finch was saying halfway into the class period. "Unfortunately, the toad also decided to eat everything else in sight. And, everything that tried to eat the toad - from crocodiles to household pets - quickly died from the poison they secreted.

"A perfect example of an invasive species. One hundred and two toads introduced in 1935 became 1.5 billion by 2010. Once an invasive species is introduced, everything changes."

Sydney stood up. She put the drop-out form on Mrs. Finch's desk.

"Wise decision, Sydney," Mrs. Finch said. Lydia got up, going after her. "Lydia, you know it's for the best."

Lydia walked out of the class. Moments later, I saw Scott perk up. He had heard something. I started to feel it, too. I searched for Lydia's emotions. There was stress and anxiety with a little bit of fear.

I got out of my seat, heading out the door, ignoring Mrs. Finch's calls. I went towards the counselor's room where I assumed Sydney had gone. I found Lydia on the ground, her hands shaking.

"What's happening?" asked Scott, walking in.

"I don't know," I replied. "I think she's remembering."

After another moment, Lydia opened her eyes and blinked.

"Lydia? Are you okay?" Scott asked and he grabbed her shaking hand.

"I'm okay," she said. "I'm fine."

"You remembered something," Theo stated.

"Not about the Dread Doctors," she replied. "Nothing about them or the surgery."

"What was it?" I asked, helping her sit in the chair.

"My grandmother," she said. "At Eichen House."

"Lydia? Lydia?" Her mother came into the room with Sydney. "Oh, my God! What happened? Are you all right?"

"Mom, I'm fine. It was nothing," Lydia assured.