words are empty air ➳ stiles / isaac [1]

1.01 » vending machines

"I'M GONNA GO get a candy bar. You want something Maggie?" offered Stiles.

"No thanks," replied Magnolia cheerily. They were still sitting in the chairs closest to Lydia Martin's room, waiting to see when she would be available to visit. She'd been attacked and bitten by a werewolf and hadn't woken up since Jackson had brought her to the hospital. Stiles had been at the hospital all weekend, but Magnolia had just arrived an hour ago.

She'd been reading the book on her lap since she'd gotten there, but looked up from the pages just to watch Stiles walk off into another hallway. She smiled to herself as she thought of her long-term crush. He was the kind of person whose smile was contagious. Magnolia noticed it the first day they met.

It started when she met him and Scott McCall on her first day at Beacon Hills Junior High. They were all eighth graders at the time, and she had just moved there from Washington.

She sat next to Stiles and Scott during her first period. They became friends right away, sharing a common sense of humor and answers to their first class assignment. But by lunchtime, Lydia was already claiming her. At first she made Magnolia uncomfortable, but she fit into Lydia's popular clique in no time.

She still hung out with Scott and Stiles as much as she could, somehow managing to be best friends with both them and Lydia.

But now things had changed. Somehow, Scott was bitten by an Alpha werewolf while he and Stiles had gone on a corpse searching adventure without her. Then, crazier things happened that involved running away from the Alpha at school, being allied with Derek Hale, Scott falling in love with the new girl, and Lydia suddenly being sucked into the drama. Unfortunately, that meant Lydia being attacked and bitten by the Alpha.

Magnolia yawned and turned the page of her book. She had never been patient, and this wait was no exception. She saw Ms. McCall walking towards her so she placed the book on the chair next to her and stood up.

"Lydia's awake," she said, making Magnolia feel relieved. "She's going to take a shower but after that you'll be able to see her."

"Thank you so much," beamed Maggie, relief filling her veins.

"No problem honey. Just make sure that Stiles gets some rest after his visit, please. I don't think he's eaten a home-cooked meal all weekend."

"Sure Ms. McCall," Maggie agreed. She nodded at her and walked back to the nurses' desk. Although it should have bothered Magnolia that Stiles had gone to such lengths to stay by Lydia's side, she was used to the pain and slight jealousy she felt. Magnolia knew that it was wrong on many levels to be jealous of her best friend, so she never let her defeat get the best of her. She just had to accept the way things were.

Nevertheless, she wondered anyways. Would Stiles have waited for her if she were in the hospital? He would visit, she was sure, but an overnight stay was questionable.

She pushed the thoughts away and sat back down to continue reading. She hadn't even read a sentence when a loud crash and the sound of glass breaking pierced her ears. Magnolia jumped a little and looked up, but quickly put her face to the book again. Whatever happened was none of her business, and she didn't want to be impolite. She went back to reading, completely unaware that it was just Stiles, who had knocked down the vending machine down the hall.

Magnolia read each line with wonder in her eyes, following each word like a hiking trail. As fast as she became enveloped in her book was as fast as it was interrupted yet again. A girlish but raspy scream immediately chilled Magnolia's skin as she recognized the most distinct scream she'd ever heard. Lydia.

Magnolia tossed her book aside, something she rarely did because she treated her books with the utmost care, and hurriedly reached for Lydia's door. Much to her surprise, Ms. McCall, Stiles, and Mr. Martin got there before she did, even though she had been the closest to her room. Lydia wasn't in her hospital bed so they raided the bathroom at lightning speed. Stiles ripped aside the shower curtain, revealing only an empty tub.

Where could Lydia have gone? she thought, completely appalled.

Ms. McCall shut off the running water, worry evident on her face. Magnolia looked to Stiles, who was gazing off into the distance. She followed his gaze, which pointed to the only way Lydia could have escaped. An open window.

✿  .・゜゜・　❀　・゜゜・．✿

"I don't understand how she just jumped out the window. Do you think she might've...turned?" Magnolia asked Stiles sheepishly.

"I don't know," he said, looking at the ground. "Let's just see what Scott's mom is telling my dad."

They eavesdropped subtly as Melissa and Sheriff Stilinski walked with Mr. Martin and another police officer, staying close enough to hear what they were saying.

"Nothing suspicious?" questioned the sheriff.

"Nothing. She just took off," stated Ms. McCall.

Sheriff Stilinski turned to the other police officer and said, "Let's get an APB on a sixteen-year-old redhead. Any other descriptors?"

Melissa was about to speak before Stiles interrupted her. Magnolia looked at him wide-eyed, wishing she had been quick enough to pull him back before he got himself into trouble.

"She's five foot three, green eyes, fair skin, and her hair's actually strawberry blonde."

"Is that right?" asked Mr. Stilinski sarcastically.

"Yeah," answered Stiles, like it wasn't highly unusual that he knew all that. Sheriff Stilinski pulled Stiles aside and whispered so low that Maggie couldn't hear. Then he spoke a little louder and looked at her.

"Magnolia, please make sure Stiles gets back home safely. Where he should be."

"Sure am being asked to do a lot of favors today," Maggie said, laughing a little to lighten the mood. When no one else seemed amused, she added, "No problem sir."

Maggie walked to Stiles' side as he watched two police officers examining a broken vending machine on the floor guiltily.

"Did you have something to do with that?" whispered Magnolia.

"Shh, just keep walking," Stiles hushed, both of them hurrying away from the scene.