Give Me Hope [Teen Wolf] (Wattys2014)

1- Protection

I break free of all of students milling around in the hallways, the school day officially over. Laughter and voices surround me as head straight to the bike rack. No one looks my way. No one ever does. I don't even think one person in my grade knows my name. Most of the bikes at the rack are gone, only a couple still chained up. I lean up against the bar next to my brother's bike.

Today was the same as any other school day. Isaac brought us to school on his bike, we went our separated ways for our classes, met up for lunch, went to a few classes together, I went to my free period, and then I meet him outside by the bike rack. I sat in the back of all my classes and was ignored by everybody. There is no exaggeration in that statement, either. In everyone's eyes at Beacon Hills High School, I don't exist, I'm not super pretty or super popular to gain any attention, so why should anyone be bothered with me?

Isaac's blonde head comes bounding through the mass of teenagers in front of the school. I'm thrilled and sad to see him; thrilled because I don't like to be separated from him and sad because we have to go home now. I've always hated school, but I'd rather be here than at home any day.

"How was your day?" Isaac asks, crouching down next to unchain his bike.

I bite the inside of my cheek. "Fine. Chemistry was interesting as always."

Isaac spins the dial on the the lock, flicking his hair out of his eyes to look up. "What happened?"

"It doesn't matter." I shake my head.

"Did somebody say something to you?" Isaac stands up after unlocking his bike, a protective look on his face.

I lower my eyes. "Mr. Harris was just being a douche."

Isaac's face hardens. "What did he say?"

I throw my hands up in the air. "What does it matter? You can act like older, protective brother all you want, but we both know that you won't say anything because Mr. Harris would just call dad."

He remains silent. We both know that what I said was true. Neither of us would risk having the school call home, the punishment would be unbearable.

Our lives didn't used to be like this. The Lahey family was one of those families that everyone thought was perfect. We had the perfect parents, who were completely in love. I was born nine months after Isaac and they both loved us to the end of the earth. All happy endings must come to an end, and ours did when Mom was killed by a drunk driver. We don't really know much, except it was quick. I was only eight at the time, Isaac was nine.

Six months. That's all it took for our dad to lose it. Eight months was all it took for dad to lock us in the freezer to punish us. I was the first one to be locked in it. Dad blamed me for killing mom, said it was my fault. The fact that I look like a younger version of her didn't help, either.

"Come on, let's go home." Isaac mumbles, pulling his bike away from the rack.

I hop on the handlebars as he starts to pedal away from the school. "Are you doing lacrosse this year again?"

"Yeah," Isaac answers. "First practice is tomorrow morning."

"I'll try to be there." I say, shutting my eyes as the wind blows through my blonde hair.

Isaac slows down a little bit going around a corner. "Don't push it, Chloe."

I turn my head around as far as I can. "I'll just tell him that Harris assigned us a project and I told my lab partner to meet me at the lacrosse field. He'll never know the difference."

"Just don't say anything. He might not even realize that you are leaving early with me." Isaac sighs, pedaling faster.

I clutch the bars in my hands, tighter. Our house comes into view after a few minutes of silence. Unfortunately, dad's old car is parked in the driveway, giving us a warning to behave. Isaac pedals up the driveway and I hope off when he slows down enough. He drops the bike on the grass, like he always does.