Isaac knows it's going to be a bad day when he wakes up late for school. It's not just him being pessimistic either, oh no. Every time he's ever woken up late for school his day has been utter shit. For a few moments he considers just not getting out of bed, but he has an Algebra test and mandatory Lacrosse practice today so he all but falls out of bed with a halfhearted groan.
In an attempt to try to make his day just a little better he heads to the coffee shop on the way to school and orders himself a super sugary mocha latte (don't judge) to try and restart things on the right foot, nothing better than foamy, chocolate coffee to set the world right. Except as soon as he gets his drink and starts off towards school he bumps into someone entering the coffee shop and spills it all over himself and the floor. He backs up and worriedly looks at the person who ran into him, hoping he didn't spill it all over them, too, but instead of the college aged hispter he expects Isaac comes face to face with none other than Peter Hale. Blinking in surprise Isaac begins to stutter out an apology.
"Peter! Aw geez, I'm sorry," he says, bending down to pick up his dropped (and now very empty) cup. "I wasn't paying attention, did I spill any on you?"
Peter just gives him a politely amused look and takes the empty cup from Isaac. "Shouldn't you be in class?"
Isaac feels his face heat up slightly. "I woke up late, I was just stopping for coffee."
He must have heard the truth to Isaac's statement because he nods and places a hand gently on his shoulder. "Off to a bad start then," he says as he nudges Isaac back towards the counter. "Let me see if I can help." Isaac gives a token protest but allows himself to be lead back up to the ordering counter. "Just tell the young lady what you ordered, I'll pay for it and you can head off to class like a good little pup."
Caught completely off guard Isaac does as he's told and within another few minutes he's holding a fresh latte and being shooed out the door of the shop by Peter who is wishing him a nice day. He's half way to school before he takes the first sip of his latte. It's the wrong flavor but it's plenty sweet and caffeinated so things could be worse.
He signs in on the late sheet and heads to the locker room first for a change of clothes before making his way to English, which is mostly over anyway. He arrives with enough time to copy down the homework and ask the teacher what he missed before the bell rings and he's on his way to algebra.
If he'd been asked if he felt prepared for this test ten minutes ago he'd have told you "Yeah, totally. I studied my tail off!" (werewolf joke not intended). However, now he's sitting at his desk staring blankly at most of the questions and wondering how he'd been so wrong. Everything had made sense last night! He hears himself whine as he physically feels his grade dropping. How's he going to explain this failing grade to Finstock? Coach was going to hate him more than Greenburg if he failed Algebra. Again.
"Question one: x equals 56 over 5." Isaac knew that voice. He looks to the left, two seats away Lydia Martin is idly running her pencil along her test. He can hear that she's not really writing anything and he wonders why she's muttering the answers until she spares him a quick glance, nodding her head to the test paper in front of her and whispering "Question two: a equals 3.89."
Isaac grabs his pencil and starts filing out the answers she gives him. She skips a few, only saying "It's gotta look like you actually did the test, dummy," as an explanation. By the end of class he's managed to fill in the answers Lydia left out and feels the stress of another failed algebra class lifted from his shoulders for the moment.
He watches Lydia sweep out of class and he swears she's never looked more like the Goddess Stiles says she is more than at that moment. He's quietly thankful that the pack has worked out most of the issues between everyone and they can all be friendly towards each other now. For the most part (Derek still doesn't talk to Allison unless he absolutely cannot help it and no one really trusts Peter all that much still, but it's progress). Feeling a bit less like the world is a horrible place Isaac goes about his day.
It unfortunately does not improve. He trips over a stool in Biology and drops his book bag, spilling all of his books and papers on the floor. He feels his face heat up as the class laughs and he makes to scoop up his things. He feels a bit better when Danny bends down to help him out after telling off a few people for laughing at him. Later, in gym, he trips over his own feet and takes a soccer ball to the face. Stiles is there, though, hand out to help him up and a concerned expression on his face, which Isaac waves off. He drops his lunch on the floor when a group of freshmen rush by and knock into him. Allison saves the day by handing over her peanut butter and jelly sandwich and an apple with a smile.
The worst is Lacrosse practice though, when Isaac realizes that he's left his stick at home and there are no spares at school. He sits himself in the back of the locker room and makes himself as small as he can to avoid being called out. It's not usually a big deal and he's one of their best players but with the way his day has been going Isaac just doesn't feel like he can deal with a verbal lashing from Finstock. He raises his hand for roll call and doesn't even talk much when Scott and Stiles try to check on him. He knows he's probably worrying them but what would he say? "Sorry, having a crap day and I just wanna curl up in a ball a not anything for a few hours?" Yeah, real great.
As they begin lining up for shooting practice Isaac hears Finstock's voice. "Really, McCall?"
"I'll have it fixed by next practice, I promise," Scott's voice is even and almost bored sounding under the false apologetic tone. "Sorry Coach."
Isaac can hear Finstock sigh and shoo Scott off to run laps. Isaac catches a wink from him as he feels something tap against his shoulder. When he turns there's Stiles holding what must have been Scott's Lacrosse stick. "He knows you've been having a cruddy day," Stiles says. "He said not to worry about it."
Isaac's not entirely sure how to feel but he takes Scott's stick and goes through practice without a word. He's not about to make Scott's favor useless by getting Finstock angry and running laps himself. By the end of the day he's tired both physically and emotionally and all he wants to do is go home and sleep.
"Hey, you alright?" Scott's leaning against the row of lockers next to Isaac's and he looks so concerned for him that Isaac almost breaks down the dam and lets it all out, right there on Scott's shoulder.
But he doesn't. He nods, closes his locker and simply says "Yeah, just a rough day." He slings his bag over his shoulder and mutters a thanks to Scott before making his way back home. He hears Scott call after him, inviting him out for pizza with the pack. He feels bad when he doesn't answer and just keeps walking but he's had a long day and he'd like to avoid hanging around in a group of people, even if they are his pack.
He makes it home and into his room before he hears Erica and Boyd moving around in the apartment. He ignores them in favor of crawling into bed and burrowing under his sheet. He hears Erica hang up the phone, having missed the conversation she was having entirely, before she starts making her way towards his room, Boyd following behind her. She doesn't knock and just invites herself in. Isaac gives her a halfhearted growl which goes ignored as she sits on the edge of his bed and runs a gentle hand up and down his arm.
"You want me to bring you anything?" she asks in a soft tone. He shakes his head and burrows further into his pillow. He can hear Boyd watching from his doorway as Erica gives his shoulder a soft squeeze. "Alright. You know where we'll be if you feel like joining us."
She stands and starts to leave, Boyd following her out as he says "There's left over pasta in the fridge if you get hungry, but I think pizza is loads better."
They leave him be and Isaac can feel himself already relaxing. He's a bit lonely in the empty apartment, but the solitude gives him a chance to unwind without having to worry if someone will burst in on him. It doesn't take long before he's dozing off, cradled pleasantly between wakefulness and sleep. He lazes like that, not quite asleep, for he's not sure how long until he hears someone – no, several someones – coming into the house. He recognizes the smell of friends and relaxes again.
He's feeling better now that he's had some alone time and his stomach rumbles in agreement. His door opens and Scott sticks his head in. "I heard that," he says with a grin before walking in, a pizza box balanced in his hand. "It didn't feel right eating out without you, so we brought dinner."
Isaac feels like he should be telling them to get lost and that he just wants to be alone, but as Stiles clumsily climbs onto his bed and Scott settles himself next to Isaac he just doesn't have the heart to. Smiling he moves so that everyone manages to pile onto his small bed. Scott's on one side of him, Isaac leaning into his shoulder comfortably, Stiles is on the other, his hand already fiddling with Isaac's curls. Erica leans back and lays her head on Isaac's lap, making a pleased noise when Isaac's hand automatically finds its way to her hair. Boyd sits sideways, pulling out a large bottle of soda and Derek perches himself at the foot of the bed, looking at the lot of them like a proud parent.
It's here, piled on and surrounded by people who were strangers not too long ago, that Isaac feels all the stress and sadness of the day melt away. He laughs as Stiles clumsily tries to feed Erica a slice of pizza while she's lying down and he keeps hitting her in the nose with a dangling bit of cheese. Boyd hands him the now open bottle of soda and he takes a swig of it, nearly spraying the whole bed with it when he feels Scott playfully nuzzle Isaac's neck with his nose.
They talk and laugh and Erica has her feet in Derek's lap and Stiles is curling Isaac's hair around his fingers, each in turn. Boyd's telling them a story about something that happened to him over the summer and Isaac can feel Scott chuckling from where he's laying against him. Just as Body is reaching the exciting part of his story the bed gives a creak and collapses to the floor and everyone is silent for a moment before Isaac begins to laugh. He really doesn't mind too badly either, which surprises him. Everyone climbs of the broken bed and helps to get rid of the now useless pieces.
Isaac wake up in time for school the next day and not a thing goes wrong. He comes home and in his room is a brand new bed, a size larger than his old one with a note on top of it in Derek's hand writing.
Sorry about your bed. I hope this makes up for it.
It does and Isaac makes sure to thank Derek with an overly affectionate hug when he gets home.