Give Me Courage (Give Me Series #4)

25 - CDC

Our friends in line for the PSATs curiously watched Scott and I talk about our fight up until the moment Scott turned away to join them by the lockers. They quickly snapped their heads away from the two of us, pretending to immerse themselves in a conversation like they were talking amongst themselves the whole time instead of eavesdropping. Scott gave me one last warm smile over his shoulder once he landed himself back in his spot between Malia and Kira.

A soft smile fell on my lips as I watched our pack stand in a small circle together with a small spot left open for me between Isaac and Stiles. A huge weight lifted off of my shoulders knowing Scott and I made up and we figured out why we reacted the way we did. Our pack would grow stronger from all of this and, hopefully, more connected. Liam would eventually forgive Scott for everything.

The only problem I was concerned about was Isaac and Aiden. They still didn't trust or forgive Scott for everything he did to me. Back in France, they practiced their fighting skills, often using a punching bag and I was certain they were imagining the bag was Scott's face.

"Hey," Isaac surprised me by leaving the group to approach where I stood a few feet away. His hand gently grabbed my bicep between his fingers, urging me to focus my attention on him instead of the thoughts swarming in my mind. "Aiden and I have everything ready for tonight."

My eyes flicked up to meet his blue ones, feeling a sense of relief rush through my body. "Good. Thank you."

I glanced at our friends around his shoulder, briefly catching Stiles' eye. The corners of his lips tilted upward once we made eye contact. He shifted his gaze back to the group to the conversation happening.

"Are you okay?" Isaac dropped his hand from my arm. His blond eyebrows furrowed together with concern gracing his facial features. "Aiden and I can do this ourselves if it's too much for you."

I lightly shook my head in response and moved to stand beside him as I wrapped my arm around his back. "I need to do this, Isaac, for the same reason you need to. That part of our lives needs to be over."

He narrowed his eyes at me like he was waiting to make sure I was truly okay before he nodded his head. Plans were made for tonight that we needed to go through or we would never be able to fully move on.

My eyes shifted from Aiden, who stepped closer to Kira when we approached the group, shooting a kind smile in my direction. He knew I brought Liam to my old house earlier this morning to explain my past to him. Stiles informed everyone else while I was in the house with Liam, slyly texting them not to bring any of it up or be concerned if I was acting off. The conversation about Liam's wellbeing fell short when Kira abruptly stopped in mid-sentence. She hastily averted her gaze to the floor once I stood beside Stiles.

"Uh," Aiden pulled the attention upon himself. "Where's Lydia?"

I quietly snorted in amusement at his attempt at an innocent question. Everyone in the pack knew the hidden reason behind his question about her whereabouts. He tried to play it off cool, but everyone shared a knowing look with each other, aside from Kira who refused to pull her attention away from her sneakers.

"She took it her freshman year," I answered him with a smirk.

Aiden scowled for a half a second before he scrambled for his phone in his pocket.

My eyes slowly slid from Aiden to the quiet girl beside him, attempting to shield her face with her dark hair. "Kira," I addressed her. "You don't have to avoid making eye contact with me. I forgive you, for everything."

She hesitantly lifted her head with a few strands of hair falling in her face, lips parted in shock. Her wide eyes did a quick glance around the circle, noticing everyone was watching her before she fully focused on me. A small look of fear laced in her irises like she expected me to abruptly pull my bow out of a nearby locker and shoot her with an arrow.