Agony ☾Stilinski

05; Reflex

Rowan jumped as a nearby locker slammed shut, yanking her roughly out of her sleepy daze. She let out a shaky sigh and attempted to open her locker for the third time that morning, finally succeeding.

"Long night?"

Rowan cringed inwardly at the voice, finding it amazing how some people just couldn't take a hint. She still smiled politely at the senior-Reed, his name was Reed, and shrugged.

"Up studying."

More like she had been up clutching her sheets and screaming into her pillow in pain.

"Maybe you should lay off a little, it's not healthy to devote your life to books." Reed chuckled, leaning against the locker.

"Then what would I do in my spare time?" She asked in monotone, already knowing the boy's answer. It was the same thing, everyday.

"Maybe we could get some-"

"Fro-yo?" She finished with a strained smile. "I'm lactose intolerant. And actually, I have a test to makeup so, goodbye."

She shut her locker harshly, keeping her eyes averted as she walked down the hall.

And right into someone else's chest.

"Oh god," Stiles choked out, his arm imeadietly grasping her wrist and shoulder before she fell. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Rowan whispered, grimacing at how small she sounded. She cleared her throat and shook her head, giving him a wide smile. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" His eyes darted across her face and down to her hands, which were trembling uncontrollably. As if out of instinct his hands covered hers, holding them tightly to stop their shaking.

Rowan flinched away imeadietly, yanking her hands into her chest. A wave of emotions washed over his features, finally ending with one. Guilt.

"Sorry." Stiles rushed out. "Reflex, that's all."

"Not your fault." It wasn't, not at all. The gesture just struck a cord in Rowan's brain, resurfacing memories that she had buried for over a year.

He used to hold them like that.

"It's just an anxiety trick a friend taught me, her name was Allison." Stiles could have slapped himself in that moment, awestruck at the fact that he was producing word vomit each second.

"It's not anxiety." She said quickly, wrapping her arms around herself. "Just sleep deprivation. I-I don't even know why I'm telling you this. I have to go."

Rowan shook her head and pushed past him, leaving Stiles to stare after her. He turned as Scott and Malia walked over, their eyes on Rowan as well.

"So?" Stiles asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"She wasn't lying, and I can't pick up a scent." Scott sighed, shaking his head with a worried expression. "But I did pick up on something else."

"What?"

"Fear." Malia answered, eyebrows furrowed. "She's terrified of something."

"We just have to figure out what that is." Stiles stated, holding his hands out. "So, what's the plan?"

Scott paused for a moment, his face scrunched up in thought before it lit up again. "You're gonna ask her out."

"What, like on a date?" He spluttered, eyes wide as he hook his head. "She doesn't date."

"Ask her after the game tonight." Malia added, bouncing slightly. "And if she turns you down, I will."

The boys both turned to stare at her, her grin fading.

"Study date." She corrected, clearing her throat. "I mean, unless she wants-"

"No." They shook their heads simultaneously, Scott letting out a long sigh.

"Progress." Stiles muttered, pinching his nose. "It's progress."

● ● ●

"You sure you want to go?" Tracy asked on the other line, her voice uncertain.

"I have to." Rowan sighed, fixing her hair in her mirror before flipping it back up. "Junior class president, remember? That means attending every game possible."

"Ugh. Sports." She could picture her friend rolling her eyes as she switched her phone to the other ear. "No thanks."

"Thanks." She laughed, getting out of the car and locking it. "I'm getting more pumped each second."

"Well, I have a whole season of The Vampire Diaries to binge instead of sleeping so, see you tomorrow."

"Alright. Bye." Rowan hummed, waiting until she hung up before siding her phone into her bag. She took a deep breath and started towards the lacrosse feild, forcing a smile and waving to everyone who greeted her.

"Rowan!" She looked up to see Malia waving her over, a wide grin on her face. For the first time that night she genuinely smiled, walking over and taking a seat next to her. "Hey."

"Hi." She slid her bag off her shoulder and put it by her feet, bouncing to keep warm. "Has it started yet?"

"It's about to right now." She nodded towards the feild, where coach was yelling at all the players to get on the feild. "Some of the players are pretty..."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she searched for the word, Rowan laughing and finishing for her. "Cute? Yeah, I guess."

"Anyone of them catch your eye?" Malia nudged her, the girl shrugging. "What about number twenty-four?"

"Who?" Rowan raised an eyebrow, turning to squint at the field. "Oh, Stiles. I mean, I'm not really looking for a relationship."

"That doesn't answer my question." The werecoyote stated bluntly, blinking at her. "Do you think Stiles is cute?"

"Uh," She paused for a moment, scrunching up her nose. "Yeah. He's cute, in a quirky way."

"Right." Malia nodded, pretending she knew what quirky meant. "He's also really nice. I mean he helped teach me how to use my cla-clay. How to use my clay. For, pottery."

Rowan nodded slowly, not catching her slip up. She turned back towards the game, smiling slightly as she watched. "Yeah, he is pretty nice."

Malia grinned and gave Stiles two thumbs up, the boy shaking his head and jogging across the feild.

________________________

Not edited and a short filler, I just wanted to get onto the next chapter.

I love Malia, wowza. Little matchmaker.

Also; the next chapter will explain Rowan's price on the deadpool a bit more, since a lot of you seemed confused by it.

Vote and comment ❤️

Xx