"Stiles!"

***

All over Beacon Hills, kids were getting ready for the formal, blissfully ignorant of the fact there was a demon among them. They should be worried, screaming for mercy and locking themselves in their homes. Whilst everyone was anxious about how they looked, some poor guy was unknowingly on his way to being eaten alive.

Lydia was going to the formal alone. No one was going to hold her arm or dance with her. She had a mission to fulfil. Natalie Martin was strangely more excited than she was. As Lydia put on her dress, Natalie did her hair. She wore a hairband over a half-updo that was particularly poofy. Her mother covered the black bags under her eyes with concealer, the ones formed from many sleepless nights. She looked perfect for a night of fun and romance, yet Lydia was secretly ready for a fight.

"You look beautiful, sweetie," Natalie said as she raised a camera towards her. She pressed a button, activating the flash and taking a photo of a nervous Lydia. "I wonder how Stiles will react when he sees you. Is he coming to pick you up?"

"No, we're meeting each other at the formal." She lied. It seemed to appease her mother's concerns as she happily adjusted Lydia's hair. She hoped that he had listened to her and heeded her warning. He was going to be a target if he went.

Nevertheless, someone at this dance was going to be demon food unless Lydia could stop it. It was time to dance with the Devil.

Meanwhile, Stiles was checking himself out in the mirror, only in his underpants. Despite what Lydia told him, he was still going to go. She needed support, and he was going to give it to her whether she liked it or not.

Abruptly, there was a knock at his door. "In my underpants!" In a panic, he grabbed his dressing gown and wrapped it over his body. His dad entered the room, despite his intentional warning. "Dad, get out!"

"Don't worry. I'll be out of your hair soon." He reached into the pocket of his uniform, retrieving a small spray can. "I just needed to give you this."

He presented him with some hot pink pepper spray. "Ladies' pepper spray? Are you serious?"

"Hey, don't complain. There's some sicko out there who likes boys." Noah handed it to him. "It's just to protect you."

His son huffed. "God, you sound like Lydia."

"Well, she's probably worried too. I am!" he argued.

"Dad, I can take care of myself. I've been building up these muscles." Stiles flexed in front of his father, showing off the "work" he had done."

Noah cracked a smile. "What muscles?"

Stiles lowered his arm in annoyance. "Well, strength doesn't have to be physical. It can be mental."

"Look, do you know what Alex Drake looked like when we found him?" his dad asked.

"Lasagna with teeth."

"Oh, you heard?"

"I was at his funeral."

He exhaled, beginning to walk away. "Are you picking Lydia up at her house?"

"No," he started, attempting to make a good excuse. "I'm, uh, meeting her at the formal."

His dad seemingly accepted his lie to be the truth. "Okay."

As Noah left his room, Stiles glimpsed at a picture of him and Lydia. They had a good six months, even though the last three were quite chaotic. An orchid corsage was left discarded on his desk, delicate and unworn. But he wasn't going to lose her, not tonight.

Alone in her bedroom, Jennifer combed through her long dark-brown mane. After a few brushes, a clump of hair tumbled into her palm. It was happening again; she was weakening. She needed to feed quickly.

Jennifer stared into her reflection, analysing the broken girl before her. Her skin was pale, and her electric eyes bulged out of her skull. How did it get so bad in such a short period of time?

As tears lined her eyes, she swiftly applied her foundation and covered every impurity. She didn't want to do this anymore. She never wanted to be a monster, yet fate made her one. Jennifer Check was doomed.

***

The formal was boring when you didn't have anyone to dance with. Whilst everyone else was having fun, Lydia stood at the sidelines and drank punch that was probably spiked with alcohol. She eyed every single person, searching for Jennifer through a crowd of many. Whenever she saw a mop of brown hair, she immediately assumed that it was her. However, it would turn out to be a red herring. Jennifer had to be here somewhere.

Stiles parked his jeep near the school. He clutched the corsage in his hand, hoping to surprise Lydia and give it to her. He thought the parking lot was empty, but he was unaware of the person waiting in the shadows.

As he wandered towards the school building, a ghost silently stalked him. The ghost of a girl whose life was shattered. A broken young woman whose soul had been corrupted and twisted into something evil. She was out for blood. Most of all, she wanted vengeance.

She had been waiting for his arrival, and now it was time to pounce.

A twig snapped behind him, startling Stiles. He spun around to see if anyone else was out there. Though he couldn't see anyone, he was still unnerved.

Although, when he turned back, he flinched at the sight of Jennifer in front of him. She smiled. "Hey, Stiles."

"Oh! Jennifer..." he awkwardly scratched his head with his free hand. "Hi, I, um... didn't see you there..."

"I was calling out for you. Didn't you hear me?" she wondered.

"Surprisingly not," Stiles replied. "You're a little quiet."

Stiles was about to step out of her way, but she stopped him. "Do you like my dress?"

She was wearing a long white dress with a black lace ribbon around her waist. "Yeah, you look nice."

"I was hoping you would like it," Jennifer responded.

He nodded, swiftly moving past her. "Anyways, it was nice seeing you-"

"No, wait." Jennifer grasped his arm, preventing him from leaving. "I need to talk to you. It's about Lydia."

Instantly, she gained his full attention. "What about her?"

"There's something about her that you need to know." She told him.

She seemed concerned, and it wasn't hard to see why. Stiles knew Jennifer to be kind and considerate, always showing worry for her friends' wellbeing. "What is it?"

The principal was on stage, addressing the students as Lydia sulked in the corner. "I hope everybody has had an opportunity to have something to eat and drink. Now, it's time for some dancing." Lydia rolled her eyes, clearly not in the mood. "Now, here's the real treat. These fine young gentlemen have taken time out of their sold-out national tour for a free performance. Playing here for one night only, I would like to present... Lance & Griffin!"

Her drink tumbled from her fingertips. Her eyes widening as the crowd screamed their name. The band who started it all strolled onto the stage, soaking in the applause. She scowled, having the right mind to confront them over their nefarious misdeeds.

"She's been a bit... erratic lately, hasn't she?" mentioned Jennifer.

He sighed. "You're telling me."

"Well, I think I know why." She stated, edging closer to him. "You know how Lydia has been really upset since Alex Drake died?"

Stiles nodded. "Yeah?"

"It's not just because he was brutally murdered and stuff..." she appeared to hesitate. "No, I can't say it."

"Jennifer, it's okay. You can tell me." He insisted, wanting to know.

She took a deep breath, falsely confessing. "Lydia and Alex were intimate."

He froze, a dismayed look appearing on his face. "What?"

"It wasn't official or anything. She was just using him for casual sex." Jennifer explained. "They were doing moves I haven't even heard of. She used to rant about her relationship with him all the time, even when you weren't looking."

"She did this when we were together?" he murmured.

"I know, it was totally sick. Eventually, he broke it off in the end." She informed him. "I think that's why she keeps blaming me for his death. She was jealous. When I have something she wants, that's when lies are spread."

Dejectedly, Stiles agreed with her. "So, I guess you've heard about her calling you a demon?"

"Sadly, yes." Lydia wasn't wrong though. He was surprisingly naïve to believe Jennifer's words, yet it was something Lydia used to do before she got with him. "I just can't believe she'd mess with your head like that. Making you think that she actually loved you." She softly stroked his arm, soothing him. "I care about you so much, Stiles. More than I've ever had the guts to admit."

As Stiles let his guard down, Jennifer's words slipped into his brain and enchanted him. He soon found himself inexplicably drawn to her. She leaned in, staring at his lips. Stiles was too entranced to think sensibly, betraying his love for Lydia as their mouths collided. He couldn't control his lust for her, something about her was indescribable. 

The band started their most popular song, though it seemed like the only song they sang. "All alone in an empty room. Nothing left but the memories of when... I had my best friend."

Lydia couldn't help but relate to those words. She had truly lost Jennifer, and she was planning to murder her. Could she really kill her best friend?

As they continued to make out, the orchid corsage slipped out of Stiles' hand and fell to the floor. Nonetheless, he was completely unaware, purely focused on the girl he was kissing. She broke away for a moment, whispering. "Say I'm better than Lydia."

Her comment drew him back to reality for a moment. "What? Why?"

Knowing that her old friend was nearby, Jennifer realised that they needed to get as far away from her as possible. "Come on. I want to show you something." She took hold of his hand, pulling him away from the school. Still spellbound, Stiles simply obeyed and followed her.

There was a bizarre taste on Lydia's lips. She thought it was the punch, but it was more sugary and sweet like lipgloss. As soon as she understood, her eyes widened in fear. There was a reason why Jennifer wasn't here. "Stiles!" she uttered, promptly sprinting out of the gym. Hardly anyone noticed nor did they care for that matter; they were too captivated by the band.

The pair entered an abandoned school building, somewhere quiet and away from everyone else. The lights flickered on, revealing a swimming pool nearby. Jennifer had a smile on her face, yet Stiles was noticeably anxious. "Are you sure we should be here?"

"It's fine, Stiles. Why don't you show me your breaststroke?" she joked as they wandered around the pool's edge.

Once outside, Lydia scanned the area for her boyfriend and her ex-best friend. Then, her eyes locked on his jeep, seeing that he had come to the formal. She ran over, hoping to find him inside. "Stiles!"

Of course, like she should have expected, he wasn't inside. But she knew that he was near. Hopefully he wasn't being eaten just yet.

Jennifer and Stiles sat down by the water, the passion long gone. "I feel so empty." She admitted, curling her fingers around her dress.

"Yeah, me too." He didn't even know why he was here anymore. In fact, as his senses began to return to him, he soon recognised the holes in Jennifer's story. 

Hoping to feel something again, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him in. "Why don't you come here and kiss me again?"

Before he could object, she smacked his lips against hers and the two started to make out once more. Nevertheless, Stiles was no longer interested in her and decidedly broke away before things got worse. "I can't. I'm sorry. This feels... weird."

Her smile dropped. "What?

"I just... don't see you that way." He asserted. "You're just a friend."

She narrowed her eyes. "Just a friend?"

"I'm sorry." Stiles apologised, understanding that she was upset. "I should go find Lydia."

In an instant, fury overtook her. With one hand, as Stiles attempted to leave, she violently threw him into the water. She jumped in soon after, pulling him down. Jennifer screamed at him. "Why can't you choose me?! Why doesn't anyone choose me?!"

Lydia didn't deserve his love. In her eyes, they were a mismatched couple who needed a reality check. Jennifer was one of the only people who understood him, but he never truly saw her. If she couldn't have him, then no one can.

***

We're in the endgame now.

It's spooky season which is the perfect time to wrap this book up. There are three chapters left, and then the story's over. A part of me wishes it wasn't but that's the way things are.

- Alice ❤