Summary: 'Look remember when I lent you my hoodie cause you were cold and you said you own me like forever?' he asked looking around frantically. He took a deep breath for a moment looking away, 'Can you pretend that you're my girlfriend?' She blinked a few times shocked, 'Can I what?' ScottxOC

A.N: Hello, new chapter. Sorry it takes me so long to post. This one is a bit hard for me to right at times. It can get very painfurl.

Enjoy

How to fake date and survive a kanima for beginners

Today there was no debate about what to wear again. She put on a sweater and jeans. She brushed her hair a couple of times without looking to the mirror which was now covered by a sheet. She had to keep on staring at the sink as she brushed her teeth before she finally had enough and went to her room. She refused to look at any mirror for several days now. Feeling that if she just wouldn't look at herself, she wouldn't have the need to bring herself down. If she didn't look at herself maybe she could forget how she looked and be normal. She would look at nice people like Scott, Stiles, Danny, Lucy, Lydia, Harley even Allison Argent and not at herself and she would maybe stop thinking the way she was and be a normal teen. She wouldn't have to sit in the restroom or cafeteria during the lunch. Maybe she would be able to sit with them at lunch. Maybe she even would be able to eat with them and not feel so disgusted by herself.

Things changed a bit. She got a job in the local video rent store, and she actually started to plan what to do next about the house and things.

In her room she pulled out her old painting supplies which she hadn't used in a long time and started to prepared them. She reached for the light blue colour before her mind went back to the ripped skirt and the way Mike wanted to get close to her. She remembered the night being pushed to the ground.

Mia looked back at the colour and next to the light blue one and took it. There was something about red colour which always drawn her. Her hair wasn't red even if people often called her a redhead, but pure red very deep and very screaming was just something which Mia found incredibly alluring.

She took the sheet down from her bedroom mirror and instantly threw the paint all over the mirror covering every inch. She put the brush to her side just staring at the cover mirror for a moment oddly feeling better. She went to the bathroom and painted the small mirror there as well.

Outside she stopped by every photo they had hanging around the walls of the house and covered the glass on the photos with red paint making it look like some angry activist propaganda. She walked upstairs again and stopped by the door to her mom's room. She walked inside feeling the instantly coldness of a room which hasn't been used for a month. It was like when you enter an abandoned building. You know it's empty, but yet there is this feeling like of uneasiness from knowing you are alone there.

Mia walked inside slowly.

Her mom had one of those large mirrors on her wardrobe, but once Mia was inside she ignored it as she moved slowly to the bed. She let her fingers touch the sheets distantly remember times when she would wake up as a little girl and sneak into her mom's room to cuddle with her before they had to start get ready to kindergarten and first years of middle school. Her mom would cuddle and snuggle with her for a couple of minutes asking her if she slept okay, and what did she dream about. She would tickle her and tell her what she dreamed about or made something up.

Mia closed her eyes filling tears gathering in her eyes and a terribly large bump started to hurt her throat as she tried desperately not to let those tears out.

She looked at the mirror, she couldn't see herself from the angle, but suddenly she didn't want to pain that last mirror. She didn't want to stay in the room anymore. She didn't want to do anything in that room, but leave feeling as if something was slowly making her sick inside it.

She heard a familiar sound of engine outside.

Stiles promised to start picking her up and sometimes taking her from school if he could. She liked the thought of that. She liked the thought of spending more time with him and Scott like she used to. Maybe it would make her feel better.

Me, the realist: Only until they found out the truth about you. Wouldn't they be disgusted if they realized how fat you were? Filled in the right parts?

She tried to take in a deep breath slowly walking out of the bedroom to her room. She quickly put away her paints trying to be quick.

Me, the cruel one: Just look at what happened when you took that shirt?

'I tore it apart, okay?' she said to herself before she swallowed hard realizing she was talking to herself out loud.

Me, the cruel one: That is why your mom left too. You know that right?

She shook her head and tossed her things into her bag. She needed to get out of this house.

Me, the cruel one, the realist: You can't run from your problems. You can't run from yourself.

She rushed down the stairs as she swore she was being followed by some sort of monster made in her head like in the Babadook movie as she opened the door she was relieved to fin Stiles and Scott already parked outside looking at her funny for running and then stopping like that.

She pulled the bag closer and walked down the few steps and Stiles's jeep, 'Hi guys.'

'Hey, you okay? What was that?' asked Stiles suspicious as he started the car.

'Just getting away from my mom,' she told them and smiled quickly at them feeling her heart hammering against her chest like it wanted to burst out.

Scott almost called her out on her bullshit right then and there, but he had a talk with Stiles before not to pressure her or she would put her walls completely up and cut all ties. He felt his inside shook for a moment as he tried to hold back any bitty remark, Stiles told him he needed to give her time to come clean about her struggles not force her. He would be a hypocrite if he did.

'You painted?' he asked suddenly as his nose caught the smell of fresh paint.

Mia quickly touched her hair as if she was worried she had some there. He quickly realized that he couldn't just tell her he smell it since she was so weirded out the last time, when he sniffed her.

'Uh, you got some on your face,' he lied quickly telling himself he really was a hypocrite and before he could stop himself he reached out and brushed her cheek as if to swap the imaginary paint away.

Stiles gave him a funny look before he started to drive. For a moment it was quiet until he put on the radio.A local radio reporter started to talk about Isaac Lahey's escape from prison. By now everyone was talking about it like a new BH sensation.

Scott and Stiles shared a brief look. No one expect for them, Derek, Allison and Chris Argent knew what happened that day.

Mia just looked outside as the woman on the other end of the radio broadcasted. When Isaac helped her out in the hallway, she assumed he was the good guy. She still wanted to believe he was good even when he was taken for questioning after his dad was murdered. Now she just wasn't so sure.

Still, it wouldn't be the first time she made a bad judgment call.

The ride was relative silent. Neither of them seemed to have wanted to engage in some conversation.

Mia silently counted her days and the calories she took in. She needed to eat something today. She wasn't sure when or what yet. She could maybe deal with some potato or broccoli. She read broccoli contained 100 percent of your daily vitamin K and 200 percent of the daily dose of vitamin C. They help with growing bones as well as help prevent cancer.

She will see what is for lunch today and decide.

They started with gym which usually meant Mia was sitting on the bed and reading something. Right now she was very captivated by her Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment. She always took a book in gym with her unless the coach wanted her to write down results and things. Today they were wall climbing so wasn't needed.

People started to crowd the wall in the gym and Coach selected two of each gender to compete.

At one point someone blocked the light from the windows and the roof a bit and Mia prayed to God it wouldn't be Mike Harrington. Lately she had this weird feeling like he was everyone she looked.

She looked up and noticed Erica Reyes smiling at her, 'Ah, so not a romantic?'

She smiled at the girl. She hadn't seen the blonde since she got another one of her seizures and went to the hospital. She heard Harley say afterwards that there was a video of her peeing herself during it. She was horrified and hoped it wasn't true.

'Well, it is Russian Romanism just not your average boy meets girl kind of thing,' said Mia smiling, 'I see you won't be my companion on the bench today.'

The blood shook her head, 'Nope, today, I'm back to average student activities.'

Mia made a grimace, 'Overrated.'

Erica giggled a bit. Mia wouldn't go as far as calling them friends. They didn't have any subject apart from gym and chemistry together and the blonde was constantly in and out of hospitals while Mia had her own things. She didn't mind being a friendly lover really. It was less complicated that way. Scott and Stiles were the only ones she let in, well at least one foot into the door in.

She heard the coach called Erica's name, and she waved at her before she went to leave. Mia watched her for a moment leave before she spotted Scott was climbing with Allison Argent. Not much of a good actor as far as Mia could tell.

She returned to her book. She didn't spent a lot of time reading inside her house. She didn't want to use the light. She needed to figure something out. She should probably get a job. She should definitely get a job.

Mia was almost at the end of another chapter when she noticed the disturbance in the crowd. She watched as Stiles with Erica of all people were climbing the wall.

She instantly put the book down and walked over there.

'She's just freaking out,' said Lydia and Mia frowned a bit at her. She walked closer to the wall as Erica slowly came down. After that people slowly started to leave the gym, she walked closer to her, 'Are you good?'

The blonde shrugged her shoulders looking pretty upset, 'I just wanted to do one thing, you know? Just once.'

'I just feel always so useless and weird. I'm the girl who is always sick and who peed herself last month.

Mia gave her a supportive look, 'Erica, you know you're more than that, right?'

The blonde made a grimace, 'I'm tired of being overlooked and feeling like this.'

Mia took her hand, 'It gets better, okay? Maybe not...right now, but it definitely gets better.'

The blonde nodded, but it didn't look like she got too convinced.

She nodded supportive before she walked back to her spot. She knew what she had in mind. She hopped the blonde would feel better. Maybe she should spent more time with her.

Mia took her bag and walked out of the gym after coach called it a day and sent the kids to the lockers. She thought she would wait for Erika outside maybe it wouldn't be so bad to spend some time with her.

Her eyes noticed Jackson Witthemore as he was absently starting somewhere in front of him with his back to her.

She looked around.

The hallway with was empty. No one was dressed yet, and come to think of it Jackson wasn't in the gym today.

She didn't want to approach him. She wasn't a chatty person, but she sort of felt like she own him a little bit for before.

'Uh, Jackson? Are you okay?' she asked.

Nothing. No responds.

She frowned a bit and walked closer to him, 'You okay?'

'Yes,' came the short monotone answer before the boy turned around and looked at her, 'I'm okay. Thank you, Mia.'

With that the boy just walked away to the lockers leaving Mia completely confused because what the actual hell?

She looked around, but she was the only one who heard this strange behavior. Even when he gave her the one and only time ride, he didn't say even you're welcome after her thank you. He was even then a dick-okay, not a total dick, but he was dickish.

Mia pressed herself against the wall by the lockers waiting. She felt a bit sick to her stomach but not in a way she was actually sick, but in a way she was actually…hungry.

She pulled out her phone and started to look through the choices of lunches for today. No broccoli. Shame. She tried to decide what could she possibly pick when all of the suddenly she thought of her book and looked into the bag.

Of course, she left it in the gym. She walked back to the gym a bit grumpily. However, once she was inside she completely forgot about her book.

'Erica?' she called for the girl who was not moving still on the wall.

No answer. Maybe she should call someone for help.

She walked closer again, 'Erica, are you alright?'

As she got closer she realized what the problem was. Erica was shaking. She was having a seizure.

Mia let out a startled yelp as the girl suddenly started falling. She had barely time to move as suddenly Scott caught her. She wasn't even sure when did he appear.

She rushed there as well just as Allison Argent came telling him to put her on his side, ''

Mia watched as Erica completely out of it trembled on the ground in Scott's arms. It was painful to watch someone in so much pain with no control over what was happening to him. Painful and so familiar.

She for a moment felt like she was inside the hallway on the carpet pushed to the ground with her face to the side as someone's body was crushing her. Now she truly felt like she was going to be sick.

Me, the hopeful one: Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away!

The image finally left as someone called the ambulance was here.

Eventually the seizure stopped and the ambulance came to pick Erica to the hospital. This happened a couple of times so no one was too bothered by it. Mia was. She felt like she was shaking too as she was sitting in the cafeteria thinking about what happened. She decided to go with some meat, smashed potatoes and peas. She wouldn't eat the meat, just the peas maybe a potato.

She cut her food into the tiniest pieces while Stiles and Scott talked about Erica and what happened.

She occasionally said something as she slowly took all her peas not bothering with the rest of the food and just creating a mess which looked enough like she eat half it. She didn't but it was important to make it look like she did. At some point the conversation moved to Scott and Stiles date with Allison and Lydia at the Ice rink. Mia found it very sweet. Scott and Allison couldn't do many couple things in public. Not in her house, not in school, or in some public place like a coffee shop or something. But the close rink sounded ideal for a secrete date. Even if Lydia and Stiles would be there too.

'So do you want to come with us?' asked Scott eyeing her food for a moment as she was cutting everything into the tiniest bits.

'Hm, you're going and Stiles going and Allison and Lydia are going so why the hell would I go?' she asked honestly. It wouldn't make sense for her to go on their double date. She didn't really like being in cold for too long, and wasn't looking forward to spent extra time with Lydia Martin since the skirt incident.

'So my cover wouldn't get blown?' asked Scott eating his food.

'You're going there with Allison and Lydia hardly doable,' said Stiles and stole a couple of his fries.

Scott frowned a him a bit, 'You should come.'

'No, thanks. I don't want to get cold, and I want to go see Erica in the hospital,' she said before she nodded somewhere behind Stiles, 'Besides isn't it kind of impossible for you guys to go if Stiles doesn't gets the keys to the place?'

Scott shot his friend a look, 'You still don't have them?'

'I was busy okay?' defended himself the pale boy before he actually stood up, 'But fine, fine. I'm going. '

Mia chuckled as Stiles grumpily went to Boyd who was sitting alone at the end of the cafeteria. Mia didn't go to the cafeteria very often so she did not know where much who sat with who, but it looked like he was quite lonely.

'So you're gonna go see Erica? That's nice. What me to come along?' asked Scott with a sweet smile.

Mia shrugged, 'No worries. You can continue to prepare for your date so you swap her off her feet.'

Scott chuckled, 'Don't worry, I got this, Mia.'

The redhead raised her brows, 'Yeah? You seem to be forgetting Stiles and I talk a lot, and he mentioned that skating is not your strong suit.'

'That traitor,' said Scott annoyed for a moment, 'I'm not great, but I'm definitely not a total lost case, okay?'

'Okay,' said Mia making sure he knew she was making fun of him.

He rolled his eyes.

'You and Erica are friends?' he asked, 'I noticed you too talking today and you seemed to be very nice to her and worried when it happened. You were pretty shaken.'

Mia shrugged her shoulders, 'Not friends, but we're not like unfriendly. I guess, I'm not stressed about talking with her so maybe we could be friends?'

She made a grimace, 'You know how I get. I get stressed, and I cannot talk to people. I just stayed quiet like a ball of nervousness and anxiety.'

Mia brushed her hair behind her ear knowing how much it was true, 'I hate that I'm like this. Like I meet someone new, and I'm always so super shy and weird around them,' she admitted and looked at Scott, 'and all I can think about is. No, this isn't the real me. I swear, just wait a bit, and I'm really great and awesome and nice and funny and really great.'

He smiled at her softly, 'I never thought you were weird.'

'Riiiiight.'

'No seriously, you were awesome from the start. You laughed with us, and the nervous part it was cute. You were sweet. I liked you from day one.'

'So I never was weird and shy around you? Not even when we met?' she asked daring him to tell the truth. Scott just smiled at her wider, 'Yeah, you were a little bit shy, but I could tell that wasn't you. I could see you were nice, cute...actually kind of cool. You sat with me and Stiles on the bench and cafeteria. The losers of the school.'

Mia took his hand suddenly, 'I never thought you were a loser or Stiles.'

Scott squeezed her hand, 'Well, I didn't feel like one when I was with you or Stiles...maybe a little bit when I am around Harris and Jackson but that's just their natural vibe.'

The redhead chuckled. Scott felt proud he made her smile. She had a cute smile which could light up a room. Some people were just like that. They brought the sun into the room. Mia was one of those people. Scott wished he would always get to see her smile.

'Well, for the record. Nervous or not. Anyone who doesn't spent the time with you to get to know you better doesn't deserve to know how awesome you are when you are okay with being with them,' said Scott actually meaning it.

The redhead smiled, 'Thanks, Scott, and for the record. You're not a loser and never were. You're more awesome than most people in this school.'

'Also, it's very nice you will go see Erica.'

'Thank you again. She left her backpack her and day clothes so I will also return them,' told him Mia as she looked down at her plate.

They continued to eat in a lighter move which Mia grateful for feeling her stomach settling. She even didn't feel so upset about eating today. Well, not too much anyway. The key was in cutting her food in the smallest pieces. She made sure she cut it several times and played with it as much as possible. She ate her peas though so that was something.

'Hm,' coughed Stiles at one point and frowned as he came back putting the key on the table, 'What exactly are they doing?'

Scott and Mia who were sitting next to each other turned around only to catch Lydia and Allison turning away from them.

'Lydia is probably complaining that I am being mean to her,' said Mia and continued to eat her peas.

'Yeah? Why?'

'She sort of forced me to wear the skirt. Well, she didn't force me, but it felt like it. It felt like just because she said it I actually had to do it,' she rolled her eyes, 'I think she's a witch. Red hair and all.'

'Strawberry blonde, first of all,' said Stiles immediately cutting it and Mia chuckled, 'And you have red hair as well.'

'Which is why I know,' she said pretending to be completely serious which confused Stiles for a moment until she gave him a very creepy smirk.

Stiles shook his head, 'Okay, no, knock it off. You're freaking me out.'

'I'm not doing anything…yet.'

'Seriously. Scott, tell her know it off,' he told the werewolf who couldn't help but chuckled at the whole scene. It was good to watch Mia happy and engaging in conversations and jokes.

Mia have him an innocent look, 'But I'm really not doing anything, Stiles. Do you feel okay? Maybe something is creeping on on you?'

'Miaaaa,' wined Stiles, 'This is like that stupid movie night where you all pranked me. Not cool.'

'Well, definitely not when you told your dad and we got busted-'

'Hey, guys,' said Danny as he suddenly sat down next to Mia, 'Look what he texted me last night.'

The red hair blinked only once before she leaned across the table to look at the text Danny got most likely from his cheating ex.

'Block him,' she said surprising herself a bit as well. Then again, wasn't it always so much easier to give advice to other people? Telling people what they should do was easier than actually doing something smart with your own life.

'He's not worthy of your time or you know space in your mind.'

'What are talking about?' asked Stiles and Danny grumpily admitted about catching his ex. He spent most of the time in the cafeteria with them mainly because of Mia who he now took as a keeper of his situation. She didn't mind it. She liked Danny just fine. Maybe she should rethink her status as a friendly loner after all.

Scott looked down at her plate and smirked, 'Jeez, could you cut it smaller any more?'

It was a joke obviously, but the moment he said it he felt as if he turned Mia's emotions in 180 degrees. She went from happy and careless and satisfied to nervous again.

'Uh,' she smiled at him, but he could tell that it was a fake smile. Not a Mia smile he knew and loved. This smile did not light up the room.

'I just like small bites, okay?' she said with a playful voice, but he could tell she was being defensive. He didn't understand why it upset her all of the sudden. It was joke. He didn't mean to make her feel like her eating was weird.

'Besides why are you looking at me, when Stiles eats like a cow,' she pointed at the boy.

'True, you just tried to steal my muffin,' said Danny and Stiles opened his mouth, 'I beg your pardon. I would never try to steal anything. I just saw how it was nicely just standing there and thought maybe you don't want it.'

'Oh, I want it alright. Stay away from my muffin.'

'I'm just saying a guy like you needs to hold his figure for you cute single dudes now that you are single again, so maybe you do not want to add an extra pound,' Stiles started to bullshit his way out of it and soon Mia's emotions were back to normal, Scott felt relieved, but still confused about what happened. He was starting to think that maybe Mia was a perfectionist. She was a student with very good grades away studying and working hard in school many times skipping lunches. Maybe she just didn't like it when people pointed out her flaws which was why she was so upset about the skirt. She didn't like people seeing her and judging her. No one did really but Mia was even a level up with those things as she was constantly nervous and anxious about too many people. Also another reason she might not like cafeterias.

'Hey, you never told us if you were painting today,' started Scott again feeling like Mia got a bit uneasy, 'Just in the house. It wasn't a painting just something. I can't even explain it. It's just…'

'Art,' said Danny, 'I get that sometimes in the band we just do a thing and we can't call it a song or anything just…music.'

Mia smiled, 'Yeah, something like that. I painted back before then I stopped I guess I didn't feel very inspired until this morning and I sort of went with it.'

'Sounds good,' said Danny right before he pulled his tray away from Stiles who was till eyeing his muffin like a piece of muffin.

Scott smiled a bit as he remembered something, 'So we're on for tomorrow then? The art show you wanted to see.'

Mia nodded happily. She was very excited about that actually. She was counting days wishing it would finally be Friday. She hasn't been involved with art for a while now even if she was always drawn to it. She couldn't explain it. Even this morning when she only painted the mirrors red she felt so alive doing so…like Danny said. It couldn't be described it was just how she felt and how it made her feel and yet it was…art

They parted for a couple of classes with Mia afterwards. Scott tried to piece together the things he knew about Mia, but so far he didn't know what to think about her behavior. Maybe Stiles was right and he was seeing too much into it. Just because he had the ability to tell a lie or different emotion he couldn't use it against Mia like that to pull info from her. They were friends, he shouldn't do that to her. If she was ready to talk she would just talk, right?

He felt someone move closer to him and looked over at one of his classmate's and teamplayer, 'Yeah?'

'Yo, are you and coach's assistant dating?' he asked him looking at his face as if he wanted to read it. Scott frowned a bit at the question. Most of the school knew by now that he and Mia were dating. By now it was old news, so why was Mike asking?

'Yeah, why?'

'Oh, I just thought you broke up or something so I could make a pass. Lucky you,' said the boy causally and looked back to the front, but the encounter left Scott upset.

Why would he think they broke up? Were they not affectionate with each other? Did they not spend enough time together in school?

Well, actually they kind of didn't. Sure sometimes he hugged her. And at the beginning there was that one kiss for Mrs. Argent, but apart from that. It wasn't like normal people usually paid attention to how much time a couple was spending together in school or how much they made out around the hallways, but Mike noticed. It might have been only because he was kind of interested in her which pissed Scott a bit off. Mike was an asshole, who treated his last ex like a piece of crap, not to mention he knew that Mia and Scott were dating so what he would instantly jump at her? What a dick!

Still, and this didn't only make Scott upset but also a bit afraid. If Mike who was just a kid from school noticed he and Mia weren't the typical in love couple what if the Argents noticed it as well.

He started at the clock and prayed for a quick bell.

After one of her classes, Mia was a bit startled when Scott blocked her way.

'Listen do you think maybe we're not affectionate enough?'

It caught her a bit off guard, but she started to think about it. Ever since the skirt it was as if they kind of got to the friend area again.

She took a small step forward. Scott was taller than her. Not as tall as Stiles, but she was very short for her age so it was enough to make him look very big to her. She raised her hand and very gently brushed his hair with her fingers, 'Maybe we could work on that.'

Scott heard someone tell another person, 'They're so cute.'

He felt a bit better by the gesture and the reaction and reached out to take her hand. She looked at it. Wasn't it strange? Like people are used to being alone and just with themselves, family and friends, and then one day you just need this someone to hold onto for dear life like without them you are somehow incomplete even if until then you were living alright on your own, 'I feel like in kindergarten. How do couples do this?' she asked and brought their hands linked by the fingers higher to look at them.

'How do they just know? Do you take a class?'

'Whao, you're full of jokes today aren't you?' asked Scott and shook his head, 'You just…you do what feels right. Basically the only thing you want to do is be near them. You want to hold their hands, or talk with them. You want to be close to them. Almost obsessively close, but yeah close. When it's with the right person, it just feels natural,' he said looking at their hands as well, Mia could see in his eyes he was thinking about the person which made him feel like that.

Mia watched him closely, 'Is it really that bad?'

He looked up at her, 'Hm?'

'What's so different and wrong with you? Is it really so bad that the Argents just don't want you two to be together? Because the way I see it, you're the most amazing boy I know, and I can't imagine what they could have against you.'

He smiled a bit looking away feeling a bit self conscious about himself, 'Thanks, mom.'

'No but really,' she insisted, 'I know you for a while and I know you're a good guy, so…I just don't get it,' she said and almost told her. Just then just like that. It was on the tip of his tongue. It wasn't in a shouting match or in a dangerous situation that he was about to slip and let her in on the supernatural secret. No, it was right now. Right now, in the most calming moment of them all. He wanted to tell her just because….just to let it out.

He smiled at her, 'I guess it's because I'm too much of a good guy. Maybe they want someone tougher a real bad guy.'

She chuckled lightly, 'Idiot.'

She watched him for a moment, both of them just standing there completely quiet. Just looking at each other. There wasn't anything more to be said, so they just remained like that in silence until the bell went off and they started to walk to their classes already late.

Mia took Erica's clothes and backpack and headed to the hospital on her own in the end. She was walking through the hallway to the main desk pulling out Erica's things closer to her, when suddenly she walked straight into someone, 'I'm so sorry.'

She didn't look up and just continued to walk. She barely took two steps when she heard.

'You're Mia,' said a man's voice.

She turned around. She rarely looked at strangers. She tried to avoid eye contact just in case. The man in front of her looked familiar, but she couldn't place him in that moment.

'Uh, hi,' she said softly feeling a bit nervous. She was always nervous around strangers especially strangers who were tall dark haired men very bigger than her.

'You're Scott's girlfriend,' he said and smiled at her. Actually smiled, but it didn't calm her nerves. Plenty people smile, even bad people could smile.

She tried nodded return the smile, but couldn't, 'Yes, and you're?'

'His friend,' he said calmly before he took a step closer.

Mia mentally looked at her odds. She was in a hospital so plenty of people would hear her or see her if she was in distress, but she had to leave the hospital so hopefully he wouldn't be waiting for her.

'How are you? You seemed kind of down sometimes,' he said as if they were friends who met a lot. Mia didn't like this conversation. She wasn't okay with some guy coming to her and just talking with her like he knew her.

'I'm good. I have to go.'

'Visiting?'

'Yes, a friend from school,' she said and turned around to leave when he spoke stopping her with his words, 'Wouldn't you want to feel good again, Mia?'

She looked at him.

'Wouldn't you want to feel in control again? Like everything would go back to the way it was?' he asked her calmly, and she felt the shake and sickness in her stomach like this man could see into her. Like he knew her secrets.

She swallowed and shook her head, 'Stay away from me.'

She hurried away not bothering to look back. She didn't go to the main desk but instead she hid herself in the nearby bathroom for a couple of moments. She felt like she couldn't breathe she tried to puke when suddenly she heard.

'Mia, are you okay?' called a familiar female voice.

Mia froze with the fingers inside her mouth. She quickly pulled them out and brushed her mouth and face, 'Yes. Sorry. I just really needed to pee.'

She lied mortified that Mrs. McCall saw her running into the restroom like this. She took a couple of deep breaths before she walked out and smiled at her, 'Hi.'

Melissa looked at her worried, 'Are you okay?'

Like a mother and nurse she walked to the girl and checked her forehead, 'You're not hot.'

Mia smiled at her gratefully, 'I'm fine, really, but thank you.'

The woman smiled back at her a bit, 'What's all this?'

'Uh, I came to return it to a friend? Erica Reyes?'

'Oh, good, she was feeling pretty down. It might cheer her up you're here, red. Come on.'

Mia chuckled at the nickname and followed Mrs. McCall out. She made sure she didn't saw the man anywhere in the hallway as she walked, and she didn't, but she still felt this creepy feeling like she was being watched.

Erica was lying in a hospital room. Melissa warned her they only had a few minutes before the next tests.

Mia walked inside and the blonde smiled at her, 'Hi.'

'Hey, I brought your things. Wouldn't want to lose such nice things, would you now?'

Erica grimaced and Mia sat down, 'How do you feel?'

'Better, much better,' she said with a strange expression on the face, 'I think from now one everything will be only good. You know?'

Mia blinked a bit confused, but decided to go with it, 'I'm glad to hear it. It will really be good.'

She dared to reach out and take her hand. Erica smiled suddenly, 'That's nice.'

'What?'

'Your heartbeat. It has a nice sound.'

'Whoa, how strong meds are they giving you again?' joked Mia honestly not sure how to take what the blonde was telling her.

Erica shook her head, 'You'll see. I will tell you and maybe you will want it too.'

'What what?'

'Girls,' said Mrs. McCall with an apologizing smile, 'Mia, dear, you need to let Erica get ready for her tests.'

Erica squeezed her hand, 'It's all going to be amazing from now one, Mia.'

The redhead felt an odd uneasiness in her stomach again. She really felt like she was going to puke today or soon.

She walked away from the hospital remember the man from earlier and stopped outside to make sure he wasn't hiding somewhere ready to follow her. It was weird. She felt like something very bad was going to happen.

She pulled her coat closer to her body and walked to the nearest bus stop where she took a bus to the video rent store. She applied for a job a couple of days ago and got it. Not many people wanted to work there even if the pay was pretty solid. A couple of days in on the job, her colleague Bella explained that one of the people who worked there got attacked by an animal. She remembered for a couple of months ago the mountain lion alert which was going around all day and night. Still it was a couple of weeks ago and it didn't see like the creature was coming back any time soon.

She worked for a couple of hours enjoying the job as she was even allowed to read if there were no customers. She finished a couple of chapters of her book from earlier before it was time to clock out and close the shop.

Mia finished her duties and closed the shop when she got a text from Stiles that he will come pick her up. She was a bit surprised by this since she assumed it would be a late date at the ice rink, but they were already heading home apparently.

She looked up. The full moon was a couple of days ago now the moon wasn't so big as then. It was a bit colder than the night before, but still it was clear that it wasn't winter anymore. She wondered what she was doing. She painted almost all of her mirrors red this morning. She was probably going slowly insane without realizing. She was working only a part time job, so that money would hardly be enough to keep her house and people from realizing she was in such a colossal mess. Maybe she could start selling things online.

Yet, as she was standing there alone on the street at night, Mia's real problems seem million miles away. As she was watching the night sky which looked so big and endless it was as if everything was pointless. Right now she could disappear and the world will keep on spinning, this town's life would carry on, her friends' lives would carry on.

Nothing, no problem, no success, no achievement felt important to the existence of the universe.

Mia knew what she wanted to paint tonight.

Suddenly she heard something move in the bushes by her side. Since she started working at the store and told Bella she would go by bus mostly. The woman was kind enough to give her one of her pepper sprays.

She didn't want to immediately pull it out. Somehow it made her feel silly even if she was a bit scared.

The redhead tried to look casual as she remained looking to the sky, but let the corner of her eyes wonder to the side she thought she heard the noise.

At first she didn't see anything and called herself down. But then after a moment of causally scanning the area her heart sank as she noticed what very much looked like someone's head peeking at her from the bushes. She couldn't see anything else but the head and she felt how all of the sudden her heartbeat started to go up as whoever the head was belonging to stood up revealing that he was a very tall person with something large behind him like a cap or so. It took one movement for Mia to realize it was not a cap but more like...a tail or some limp attacked to his body.

Mia shoved her hand into her pocket with the keys and pepper spray not caring if she would look like some nutcase when all of the sudden the Stiles's jeep lights flashed at her and the store.

Immediately after that she finally dared to look at the person in the bushes feeling million times safer and relieved, but whoever the person was had been nowhere to be seen.

'Hey, are you okay?' called Stiles as he peaked outside from the driver's side. Mia hurried to the jeep and got inside.

'Hi, sorry. I thought I saw something- someone looking at me in the bushes, but it must have been just in my head.'

Stiles looked at her oddly, 'Someone or something?'

'No, it was some guy. I just it was nothing,' she shook her head realizing how insane it sounded now as she was with another human being.

'Forget it. It was just my mind playing weird mojo on me. Tell me how was the date with Lydia?' she asked knowing it would quickly change the subject and Stiles's focus.

She was right.

As the car left the driver way, Mia kept on trying to find something in the dark of the bushes, but she couldn't see anything.

That night she decided to look every single door and window and kept the light by her bed on all night feeling as if someone was watching her.