fixing a broken smile

chapter 10

Maddie was alone at her locker. She was looking at the mirror that she had hanging up inside of it. She winced as she touched her sore cheek. Like she knew would happen, her dad hadn't been happy with Allison's dad, not only making a fool of him, but showing him up by killing that poor cougar. She winced again as she continued to poke at her newest hidden bruise underneath her make up. She jumped back with a small yelp as her locker door was suddenly slammed closed by someone. She went to go snap at the person, but was taken back when a good sized teddy bear stood in place of who ever it was. "Happy birthday, Mads!" Stiles cheered out as his head popped out from the side of the largely sized teddy bear.

She sighed and rolled her eyes at him. Why he insisted on getting her the largest teddy bears he could find every year, she didn't know, but he always did. He was a tradition keeping kind of guy, she guessed. She looked over at Scott beside him, who was holding a balloon and two cards, and she raised her eye brows at him. Normally he was the only sane on in all of this mess. "He got you in on this too this year, Scott? I'm surprised with you." she told him, forcing herself to smile as she looked between them. It wasn't like with Isaac, she couldn't give them a real smile, a real laugh, like she could with him.

Her expression turned to one of confusion, though, when she noticed his own expression toward her. It was like he was searching for something. He had never done that before. She wondering briefly if he had finally gotten the clues when Allison's dad had broke up her and her dad while he was yelling at her. She brushed the feeling off, knowing better then to think for a second that either Scott or Stiles would put the pieces together. Scott seemed to snap out of it when he realized that he was making her uncomfortable now. "Oh, uh, yeah. Happy birthday, Mads." he told her as he moved forward and pulled her into a hug. Without her noticing it, he took a quick sniff of her and found that he was right.

She was wearing more make up then she should have been, and he could pretty much smell the bruises with being so close to her. The blood was a sweeter scent, different almost from Allison and Stiles' blood. Maybe because it was closer to the surface of her skin? He didn't know, but he didn't really care what her blood smelt like either. He was a werewolf, not some stupid vampire freak. He pulled away from her and returned over to Stiles' side. Both he and Maddie were giving him odd looks now, but Stiles was the only one of the two to realize that it had to do with something werewolf related . . . sort of. "Sorry, I, uh, I just really missed your, um, your hugs, Mads." he told her, hoping that she bought it. He knew that Stiles didn't, but she seemed to believe it enough not to question him.

She nodded her head, giving him a strange look before looking over at Stiles. She looked the teddy bear over and knew right away that she couldn't stuff this one inside of her locker. Why did he insist on out doing himself every year, and for no other reason but to give her something she would just leave around in her room? It was yet another thing that she didn't understand about Stiles. Though, she wondered if that was why he did it. "You know, it should be me being the one getting you a teddy bear. Ho-how's your dad since . . . you know, that night?" she asked him, suddenly nervous and on edge upon remembering the very night herself. If Isaac hadn't have grabbed her when he did? She could have been hit by a car, or worse, she could have gotten in the cougar's way. It didn't happen though, but Stiles' dad had been hit by one of the cars backing up.

While Stiles filled her in about his dad, Scott took the chance to really study her. He hadn't thought to test his new senses on her before. He could see the off colored cover up that she had plastered on her face to cover up her bruises. He could see how she stood as if she was ready to run away on a moment's notice. She was holding herself as if she was guarded, not wanting to let anyone in to see her pain. He felt suddenly guilty, knowing that some of these signs would have been clear even if he wasn't a werewolf. He glanced over at Stiles, who didn't see what he saw now. They were officially the worst friends ever. The bell rang, startling both Maddie and Scott. Yet another sign that something was wrong with her that he had never noticed before. The three of them then said their good byes as Maddie took the bear from Stiles, leaving the boys to walk together. Scott sighed as he watched her retreating form. He officially sucked at being her best friend, and so did Stiles.