Becoming The Shadows (Shadow Series #4)

03- Mexico

 My fingers drum against my thigh as I watch Parrish head up towards the small pizza place to retrieve the pizza we had ordered for tonight. He has been awfully kind in letting me stay with him the past few weeks. Before I had died, I had liked Parrish because he seemed like one of those people you could trust. I'm lucky enough that he's the one I've been staying with instead of another deputy that I hardly know.

I rest the side of my head against the window, tiredly. The past few weeks, I've been getting myself ready to start school and settle in at Beacon Hills. I told Parrish that he didn't feel the need to let me stay with him, but he said he'd rather have me stay with him then be out on my own. I think part of the reason is because he gets a little lonely.

School was only four days away now and the thought only made me exhausted. I'd have to keep my act undercover and not seem suspicious in any way at all. Stiles is always the one to notice things first. If I screw up in the smallest way, he is bound to notice that something is up.

Speaking of Stiles, his blue jeep parks in the spot next to Parrish's car. I snap my head away from the window, watching Stiles nearly fall out of his jeep with his phone pressed to his ear. Slyly, I lower the window just enough to hear the conversation he is having with the person over the phone.

"You do realize that my dad will straight up murder me, right?" Stiles says into the phone while shoving his car keys in his jean's pocket. "Like, you guys will be going to my funeral next." He tenses up at his choice of words. A blast of hot air floats out of his mouth and his eyes squeeze shut. "I- I didn't mean it like that."

I glance towards the restaurant to see Parrish at the very end of the line. Stiles steps up on the walkway, headed to the gas station right next door. Quietly, I slip out of the car and follow Stiles to the gas station, making sure I don't make any noise in the process.

"Do we even know where to go in Mexico?" Stiles asks as he steps inside of the gas station.

I slip in the small crack of the door behind him before it can shut. A little bell above the door chimes. The man behind the counter barely even looks up at the two of us, too focused on his magazine in hand. Stiles heads down the candy aisle and I walk behind him in the other aisle, pretending to be interested in the many rows of chips.

"Okay, look. I'll head that way in a few minutes." Stiles grabs a few candy bars in his hands and heads towards the drinks, which happen to be right behind me.

I spaz out and awkwardly shuffle closer to a bag of doritos. I keep my back to Stiles, hoping he doesn't recognize me. I casually peer over my shoulder to see Stiles debating on which drink to get from the coolers.

"Yeah, yeah." Stiles nods his head. "I'll see you two at Deaton's in five minutes."

I wait until he grabs a drink from the cooler to sneak down the other direction of the aisle. While he heads for the counter, I sneak out of the gas station and back into Parrish's car before he can notice I had even been gone. At the same time, Parrish and Stiles steps out of either building. My eyes happen to glance in Stiles direction. Our eyes lock as he walks towards his jeep with the candy and soda in his hands.

The urge to jump out of the car and tell Stiles that I'm actually Clara is unbelievable strong. If it hadn't been for Parrish setting the warm pizza box in my lap, I may have gotten out of the car. I grab on to the box, staring down at it, feeling Stiles' gaze still on me.

"Hope you're hungry." Parrish slams his car door shut.

I keep my eyes down. "Starving." My eyes lift up to see if Stiles is still standing there to see him inside of his jeep and already backing out. "Parrish, I think I might walk back."