Adam Finstock

The Tell

Adam sighed leaning back in the driver seat of his car and looking at the empty video store in front of him. His dad had made a request and Adam offered to go get it the moment his dad pulled his homework from the pile. He had filled in random answers so he didn't give him hell for not doing it at all and he knew the odds of any of them being right were low. With one final sigh, Adam got out of the car and made his way inside. The only movie his dad ever asked for was Independence Day and that one was always in the same spot. As Adam turned the corner a body roughly slammed into him sending him to the ground. The weight on top of him and the stray movies digging into his side was forgotten when his eyes met the large watery brown ones of a familiar face.
"Are you okay?" He asked her sitting them both up. A large blush spread across her face as she looked down at her straddled position on his lap.
"I'm fine, I'm so so sorry." She rushed out as she tried to get back to her feet.
"It's really not a big deal." He told her as he picked up the movies she had dropped and handed them back to her.
"Do you mind if I just..." Adam trailed off as he reached around her to grab the movie he was after.
"Sorry." She rushed out as she tried to move out of the way.
"I remember you. You gave me a cookie in your dad's office once. I was crying if I remember correctly. Reyes right? Sorry I'm sure you told me your first name and I'm going to feel like a total asshole when you tell me it again." Adam told her with a smile.
"Erica, and I never told you so don't feel bad." She told him bashfully.
"Erica." He repeated tilting his head to the side.
"Did you walk here?" He asked looking out the store window for a car.
"Yeah, it wasn't this dark when I got here." She told him quietly as she took in his features.
"How about we check out and I take you home then? With the animal attacks and stuff, I don't think I could let you walk home with a good conscience." He offered. Erica started to shake her head but stopped once he sent her a slightly pouted look.
"If it's not too much trouble." She said following him to the register.
"It's never too much trouble." He told her taking the movies from her hand and placing them on the counter alongside his own.
"Oh, you don't." Erica started but Adam cut her off.
"I know, I wanted to. Consider it my thanks for back then." He told her handing her the bag.
"It was just a cookie." She told him shaking her head and blushing once again when he held the door open for her.
"Maybe to some people. It meant a lot to me. It was the first interaction I had with someone that didn't involve condolences or asking if I remembered them. I guess when people found out I couldn't remember the accident they assumed I forgot everything." He explained as he opened the car door for her and then around to his side.
"So where am I taking you?" Adam asked as he started the car.

The drive from the video store to Erica's house was short and filled with the soft sounds of the radio.
"You're kinda tense, are you okay?" Erica asked after five minutes of debating with herself.
"I'm still trying to get comfortable with the whole driving thing." Adam admitted with a deep breath.
"Oh, I'm sorry for asking." She rushed out.
"My house is the one on the left." She told him softly feeling guilty.
"Before you go, maybe I could get your number?" Adam asked her after putting the car in park. Erica paused in thought before nodding her head. Adam smiled and handed her his phone watching her face as she typed it in. Erica blushed deeply as she looked up to hand his phone back.
"Thank you." She rushed out before getting out of the car and running inside. Adam laughed lightly to himself and shook his head before backing out of her driveway and heading home.

Adam had just finished hearing the lecture from his dad when his phone started ringing.
"Hello, Lydia. How may I help you?" He asked her.
"Please." She said through a sob.
"Lydia?" Adam asked as he rushed to the door for his keys.
"Lydia, where are you?" Adam asked again stopping briefly to tell his dad he had to go.
"Video store." She mumbled. The sound of sirens sent Adam into a state of panic. The drive there was shorter than it should have been. As soon as he made it to the parking lot he threw the car into park and jumped out.
"Adam." Lydia called out to him when the police tried to block his path. They let him through after she called for him and he rushed to her side.
"Are you okay? What happened?" He asked her gripping her cheeks and looking her over.
"Is that a dead body?" Stiles called out from his dad's car making Adam pull Lydia's face into his chest.
"I wanna go home she mumbled into his shirt.
"Let's get you to the hospital first, okay?" He asked her pulling back slightly to look her over. Lydia nodded and Adam asked for permission to take her. After getting the okay Jackson took her keys and Adam helped her into his car.

The next morning Adam felt weird going to school and Lydia not being there. He wanted to stay home with her but his request was denied. Lydia had sent him off with a quest if you will. To tell Allison happy birthday for her.
"Just the girl I'm looking for." Adam called out when he spotted her.
"Hey, no Lydia?" Allison asked looking around.
"Not today she isn't feeling well. She did want to wish you a happy birthday though." Adam told her.
"Can you not say it out loud?" She asked wincing slightly.
"Why not?" He asked her shaking his head.
"I had to repeat, it's kinda embarrassing." She told him.
"It's fine so did I. After the accident I was in a coma for a little bit and then I took a while out so they made me repeat. Nobody is gonna care. 17!" Adam said in a hushed shout making Allison laugh.
"Besides, you are going to be much more embarrassed in a second." He told her before walking away.
"What does that mean?" She shouted after him.
"You'll see." He told her with a grin.

Adam was starting to realize how boring class was without Lydia nitpicking him like she always does.
"Just a friendly reminder, parent/teacher conferences are tonight. Students below a 'C' average are required to attend." Mr. Harris told them. Adam groaned and let his head fall against his desk.
"I won't name you, because the shame and self-disgust should be more than enough punishment. Has anyone seen Scott McCall?" He asked looking down at Stiles. Before he could get an answer the door opened revealing Jackson.
"Hey, Jackson. If you need to leave early for any reason, you let me know." Mr. Harris whispered to him.
"Everyone start reading chapter nine." He addressed before walking back to his desk.
"Mr. Stilinski, try putting the highlighter down between paragraphs. It's chemistry, not a coloring book." He called out making Adam snort softly to himself.

Shortly after class ended Stiles ran after Adam.
"Hey, did Lydia not come to school today?" He asked him.
"No, she wasn't feeling well." He told him stopping at his locker.
"Do you know what happened?" He asked him.
"Look, I get it. You have a thing for her, but you have a one in a million chance." Adam told him closing his locker.
"So there is a chance." Stiles said excitedly completely forgetting about his question. Adam shook his head walking away.

Adam was cheering on his way to Lydia's house because he barely got out of parent/teacher conferences. He was a bottom tear 'C' average.
"You feeling better?" Adam asked Lydia as he stepped into her room to see her putting on makeup.
"Mhmmm." She hummed as she posed in the mirror.
"Ooookayyy." Adam said with a laugh pulling her up and sitting her down on the bed.
"Look at me." He told her pulling her chin up to look in her eye.
"Hellooo." She grinned up at him. Adam smiled back taking a wipe and started gently removing her makeup.
"Let's get you in bed." He told her crawling in next to her after turning off the likes.
"Thank you." She mumbled against him.

(Thank you for reading!)