My Quarterback

Ch. 2

The twins lead us to a part of the woods we had never been to before. There was a mansion that looked like it could house six different families.

"If you guys don't mind I'm gonna go to my room" Derek finally spoke as we stood outside their home. A little shocked by his sudden choice to talk we just nodded.

Inside Derek trudged straight upstairs to his room while Cora lead us to the dining area to a table where we'd study.

"Is your brother okay?" Scott said one we were seated.

"Yeah he just didn't want to leave New York. His boyfriend had just broken up with him before we left so I guess it made things a little easier "

"He's gay!" Scott practically shouted.

The young girl made a look like she didn't mean for it to slip "Yeah, but don't make a big deal about it, and don't tell anyone"

"Trust me" I said thinking about the torture I go through on a daily "We won't"

"Is that why you moved here?"

"No. Derek wolfed out and almost attacked someone"

"Wolfed out?"

"Dammit" Cora cursed under her breath.

"Wow" Scott exhaled "Secret really aren't your thing"

"No they aren't" She nervously chuckled. It was like she knew she wasn't getting out of this one and was nervously playing with her hands. Neither of us attempted to pry, the look on her face said she was going to explain one way or the other "My family... we're werewolves" Scott and I exchanged looks with her, then each other and nodded understandingly.

"So Pride and Prejudice is, in my opinion, a pretty good book. I've read it so that will help with the project" I started to explain, and pulled the assignment from my backpack.

"I just told you we're werewolves and you ask about Jane Austen"

"Dude it's Beacon Hills. Stiles and I have know about werewolves since we were fourteen" her reaction was a mix between surprise and relief. She didn't bother to question how we knew or if it bothered us she just really accepted it and moved on. Honestly I was more bothered by the fact that Derek had only come down once since we had been there. It was to get a drink of water, and he was shirtless only waring a pair of grey sweats. I tried with all my might to pull my gaze away but it wasn't  working. The way his skin curved to fit across his muscles and his hair stuck up every which way really, for lack of a better phrase, turned me on. Luckily it was pushing eight and both Scott and I needed to get home.

I drove through the motionless night down an unfamiliar road when my jeep decided that, here, in the middle of nowhere it would give up on me. "Great" I said aloud to no one other than myself as I crawled from the driver's side and into the dead of night.

The winds whispered through the dark, empty trees like a warning in a foreign language. Shit I thought to myself. My head went through all the different options I could have taken 1) Waited for AAA 2) Called Scott 3) Called my dad 4) hid out in the Hale's pool house until sunrise. I was work shopping option number five when the sound of crunching leaves halted my thoughts. It was the sound of fragile leave breaking under harsh footsteps, someone was running towards me. I sped walked willing myself to just find a clearing or a street. I thought I was close to one when a strong arm got a tight wrap around my bicep.

"I don't have any money!" My eyes squoze shut as I yelped throwing my hands up in defeat.

"Stiles, It's just me" the voice was faintly familiar. When I opened my eyes finally Derek was standing before me in a running suit and gloves.

"Jesus Derek!" I breathed a sigh of relief "What are you doing out here?"

"Going for a run. What are you doing out here?"

My fist was still clutching firmly onto my chest "My jeep broke down. I was just on my way home"

"C'mon. My car is over here" I protested and insisted that I could definitely get home on my own, but his soothing voice in the night convinced me otherwise. Which is how I ended up alone with Derek in is car driving back to my house.

"Sorry if I was being a little rude tonight" Derek apologized after about fifteen minutes of driving in silence.

"Oh that's fine. If I had just moved across the country I would most likely act the same"

Several times Derek would open his mouth like he wanted to same something then he'd close it again. Finally he sighed then spoke "Cora, she said she told you about my... my ex-boyfriend"

"Briefly. And don't worry your secret is safe with me"

The hands that were gripping the steering wheel seemingly relaxed. White knuckles turning a calming pink again "You... you d-don't care?"

I shrugged my shoulders "To each his own right? And like I said I'll keep your secret"

"But why?"

And before I knew what I was admitting my mouth was moving "Since I came out I've pretty much been treated like a foreign species. I just wanted someone to be normal around me, so I could be myself" he gave me confused look with the tilt of his head "I just mean I know what it's like being stuck in a closet, but you don't have to be someone you're not around me" By the time I finished we were in front of my house.

Like he was letting go of everything he was holding on to Derek looked up at me "Thank you Stiles" and in that moment I felt an alarming amount of calmness that had, since my junior year, very much disintegrated.

"No problem"

We came back the next day to work on the project. Derek was a surprisingly better mood. Giving input on the project and making jokes. Halfway through our time Scott had seen a picture on the wall and quickly turned to Derek.

"Dude! You played football?"

"Yeah at my old school"

"You should try out here. We could use you"

"Yeah. Jackson 'dickhead' Whittemore is usually the quarterback" I chimed in "But there's no doubt in my mind you'd be ten times better" Surprisingly enough this compliment caused a slight blush to spread across his face.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to try.