Mystic Hills at 11 PM on Thursday, September 12th.
The wind was whistling through the trees, and the rain was pouring heavily on the small clinic's glass, hitting it as if trying to get in.
Scott McCall was placing the last equipment on the shelves, putting the sterilization tools in their place carefully, preparing to close the clinic after a long day. He wore a partially wet coat, and raindrops covered his hair, but he barely felt them, being busy finishing his work.
The intermittent sounds of thunder and the flickering lightning in the sky made his heart beat a little faster. It wasn't just fear of the storm, but something else… something related to what was coming.
Suddenly, a strong knock on the door made him jump slightly, standing on his tiptoes.
"Who is at this weather?" he muttered to himself while wiping his hands on his coat.
He opened the door cautiously and found a girl standing there, her hair wet and tears streaming down her cheeks. His heart skipped one or two beats; something in her eyes stopped him from speaking.
"Oh my God!!…Help me please! I was driving and didn't see it coming!... It came out of nowhere," she said, her voice choked with fear, and her words coming quickly, "I… I hit a dog while driving…"
Scott felt his tension increase. He tried to control his voice:
"Calm down… take a deep breath. Everything will be fine… I just want to see the dog."
Allison nodded awkwardly, stepping hesitantly to the side of the car, then opened a small bag. Scott's heart began pounding as he saw the dog inside, its sharp barking deafening, swinging its paws violently.
Allison stepped back a step, trembling slightly, and said:
"Ah… it's… it's very angry…"
Scott approached slowly, a feeling of responsibility taking over him, lowering his head slightly, and without realizing it, his eyes shimmered golden for a brief moment, and he let out a soft growl barely audible over the sound of the rain and thunder.
The dog suddenly stopped barking, looked at him for a moment, then calmed down.
Allison whispered in astonishment, "What did you do?"
Scott glanced at her with nervous eyes, his heart racing, trying to smile but feeling embarrassed:
"Ah… I don't know… I… I didn't mean to…" he said shyly, looking away for a moment before turning to carefully take the dog and place it on the examination table inside the clinic.
Allison followed him cautiously, some curiosity beginning to sparkle in her eyes.
Scott started examining the dog's injured paw carefully, touching it gently; every movement reflected his concern and expertise, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing at Allison from time to time, trying not to show his admiration openly.
"The paw is broken… but don't worry… it will be fine," he said calmly, trying to control the tremor in his voice.
Allison stared at him in astonishment, a mixture of admiration and surprise in her voice:
"You… you did that quickly and precisely… are you a professional?"
Scott smiled shyly, touching the splint on the paw again:
"I… I've been working here for three years. I love animals… I love helping them. That's all."
Allison noticed his tension, smiled lightly, and said:
"Oh… okay, seems like you… know what you're doing."
Scott gathered his courage and finally said:
"I… I'm Scott McCall."
Allison froze for a moment, her eyes widening:
"You… you're the training star today? The one who beat everyone?!"
Scott felt shy, his cheeks turning slightly red, looking away from her eyes:
"Ah… no… it was nothing… just… luck."
Allison smiled lightly and said:
"Ah… okay… my name is Allison Argent."
Scott raised his head slowly, his heart fluttering, feeling as if everything around him stopped for a moment, knowing who she was since morning but never daring to approach.
"Allison…" he said in a low voice, full of admiration and awe, trying to seem natural despite his obvious tension.
She smiled, feeling gradually at ease because she knew he was sincere and caring.
Scott refocused on the dog, starting to put a small splint on its injured paw with extreme precision, each movement meticulous and professional, as if he were painting a small picture of care and tenderness.
The dog sat quietly on the table, panting slightly, and Allison breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the animal was in safe hands.
"Will… will the dog feel pain later?" she asked, in a soft and concerned voice.
"It may feel some discomfort for a few days, but with a little rest and medicine, it will return to its normal self soon," Scott replied, his eyes shining gently with care.
Allison smiled, feeling reassured:
"Thank you… really."
Scott stood, opening the clinic door while she followed him outside, the sound of rain masking any other possible growl of the dog:
"You're welcome… and by the way, there's a small party near the waterfalls tomorrow for the return of school… if you'd like, you can come, and also, you'll be my guest."
Allison looked at him in surprise, then asked with a hesitant smile:
"A party? Here?"
"Yes…" Scott said, his voice still carrying a slight nervousness, "for the return of school… a little fun after all these serious times."
Allison laughed lightly and said:
"Okay… I'll be there."
She got into her car, tilting her head toward Scott and said:
"Thanks again… for everything."
Scott smiled, a strange warmth flooding his chest, and said softly:
"You're welcome… see you tomorrow then."
He watched her leave, a dreamy smile forming on his face, and the rain was still falling, but the atmosphere seemed less stormy, as if something nice had begun between them.
[The next day.]
The morning was still cold, and a light fog wrapped around the school's iron gate.
The sounds of students filled the place, laughter, ordinary conversations, a familiar slight chaos… a completely normal world.
But near the gate…
There was something different.
"So… you treated a dog that got hit, and now you have a date with the new, exciting girl?" Stiles asked his friend in surprise.
Scott nodded his head and said yes… that's what happened.
Stiles looked at his friend enviously and said, "This isn't fair! You're so lucky! Dude, the thing was easy for me like this! I like Lydia from seventh grade, and she doesn't even know I exist yet!"
Scott smiled sarcastically and shrugged:
"Maybe I'm just more attractive to girls."
At that moment, Jeremy approached, with half-closed eyes and tired steps, asking curiously:
"What are you talking about?"
Stiles looked at his friend and said, "Jeremy! You won't believe it, but Scott got a date with the new French girl!"
Jeremy's eyebrows rose in astonishment, his eyes staring at Scott and Stiles wide:
"Wait… what did you say? Scott got a date with… the new French girl?!"
Stiles took a deep breath, his eyes sparkling with excitement, his words coming out fast:
"Yes, Jeremy! I can't believe it either… he met her by chance yesterday, while… he hit a dog! And then got an invitation for the party tomorrow!"
Scott lowered his head, touching his hands nervously, trying to ease the situation:
"No… it's not an actual date… just… a small invitation."
Jeremy laughed sarcastically, shaking his head:
"Oh, really? An invitation to a party? Scott… that counts as a date."
Stiles couldn't believe his luck, waving his arms and laughing:
"Haha… you're so lucky! I wish I had luck like this!"
Scott smiled shyly, touching his hands unconsciously:
"I just… love animals… nothing more."
Stiles shook his head, continuing to joke:
"Haha… maybe the secret is that you're… a veterinarian! Yes, treating dogs is the key to hearts!"
Scott shook his head helplessly, smiling nervously:
"Stiles, stop exaggerating…"
At that moment, he noticed someone familiar passing through the hallway. It was Vicki Donovan, Matt Donovan's sister, walking quickly to one of the side corridors, carrying her bag.
Jeremy looked at her quickly, his eyes wide:
"Vicki…" he muttered in a low voice.
He approached her with quick steps, taking a small box from his pocket:
"Vicki… take this… don't let it get out of control."
Vicki stopped, looked at him, then took the pills with a mischievous smile and said:
"Thanks, Jeremy. I know what I'm doing."
Jeremy smiled, feeling warmth in his chest.
She and the drugs were the best two things that happened to him after his parents' death.
Stiles whispered, his voice a mixture of astonishment and concern:
"Scott… look!"
Scott saw the scene, then approached slowly, his heart beating fast, and his eyes fixed on the scene:
"Jeremy… what are you doing?"
Jeremy looked at them with confused eyes:
"Scott, Stiles… this… it's none of your business!"
Scott's voice was low and firm:
"No, Jeremy… please stop. These things are destroying your life… and Vicki's too!"
Stiles got closer, waving his hands:
"Yes! Do you see what you're doing? You're giving her poison, and you know it!"
Vicki quickly took the pills, swallowing one while Jeremy tried to hide his tension, taking another for himself, his face pale, eyes looking around.
Suddenly, Tyler, Vicki's boyfriend, appeared with confident steps and a smug smile:
"Hi, Vicki. I knew I'd find you here with… crack addicts."
Vicki raised her head, tense:
"Hi…"
Tyler gestured with his eyes toward Jeremy:
"Hey, call Pete Wentz. He wants his nail polish back."
Jeremy stammered in surprise:
"Pete Wentz, huh? You're an old TRL fan… Are you a Carson Daly fan?"
Vicki raised her hand trying to calm the atmosphere:
"Oh, Ty… be nice. This is Elena's little brother."
Tyler smiled defiantly:
"I know who he is. I'll defeat him in a bad defeat."
Then he suddenly approached, giving a short kiss to Vicki, smiling arrogantly, and pushed Jeremy away mockingly.
Jeremy tried to defend himself, waving his arms:
"Tyler! Hey! Leave her!"
Vicki tried to mediate quickly, raising her voice:
"Stop! This doesn't help anyone!"
Tyler smiled slyly, a threatening look:
"Stay away from my girl, or…"
Before he could finish the threat, Scott suddenly intervened and said: "Back off, Tyler."
Tyler raised his eyebrow and said, "Oh, what? What are you going to do, McCall?"
Scott looked at him with confidence he didn't know the source of, "It seems you didn't hear me, I said… back off."
Tyler looked at Scott with sarcasm and said, "Does facing some balls give you a vertical spine finally, McCall? You want me to leave it, okay, I'll leave it alone."
Tyler suddenly lunged at Jeremy.
Thunk!!… Crack!!… Boom!!
He pushed him against a nearby wall once… twice… and a third time.
"Enough!" shouted Scott.
He tried to grab him—
But—
A push!
Tyler pushed Scott backward, making him step back several steps.
"Hey!! Stop that!" shouted Stiles and tried to intervene, but Tyler grabbed him by his shirt, knocking him down, while Stiles struggled to breathe.
"Ty! Stop! You're hurting him!" screamed Vicki in terror.
Scott's anger erupted, growling with a strange voice, then he gathered his strength, lifted Tyler, and threw him away, with a loud collision sound.
Thwack!!
The sound of Tyler's back hitting the floor was heard.
Tyler rolled several times and landed face-first on the grass in the middle of the school yard from the force of Scott's throw.
Silence. Silence filled the place, and the students gathered, looking at the scene in astonishment.
Everyone was shocked, even Scott himself didn't comprehend what had happened, his eyes shimmering faintly golden, his heart racing, and he didn't feel Tyler's weight at all.
Tyler got up quickly, trying to provoke a fight and hit Scott angrily, but Matt Donovan suddenly appeared and grabbed him forcefully:
"Calm down, Tyler!"
"Back off!! I said back off!" Tyler shouted in anger and madness, trying to get out of Matt's grip.
"Calm down, Ty! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Matt shouted angrily, holding his friend with all his strength.
Scott looked at Tyler with tense shoulders, while Stiles lay on the ground, watching the scene in shock.
Then, for a moment—
"Tyler Lockwood!! To the principal's office now!!"
Shouted Coach Bobby Finstock angrily.
Tyler muttered angrily, but retreated slightly due to the coach's angry yelling, then looked at Scott and said, "This isn't over, McCall."
Bobby shouted:
"This is not the place to prove you're a cheap action hero! Move now!"
Tyler clenched his fists in anger, then turned and left.
Vicki hesitated a little, then followed him while Matt was right behind them.
The coach looked at Scott as if he were an alien and said:
"I don't know where you got those muscles, McCall, but it's better not to let it affect your brain and get you into trouble."
Scott nodded nervously and said: "Yes, coach."
Bobby sighed and clapped his hands: "Alright, show's over, everyone, back to class!"
Then he walked away, leaving everyone in silence filled with astonishment and tension.
After everyone calmed down and left, while looking at Scott and whispering among themselves, Scott and Stiles approached Jeremy.
Stiles approached Jeremy quietly, trying to start a conversation:
"Jeremy… you know this isn't good… drugs destroy your life… don't give them to yourself or Vicki."
Jeremy sighed sharply and shouted: "Mind your own business! This is my business!"
Scott approached closer, his voice low and serious:
"We're here because we care about you, Jeremy… we won't let you fall."
But Jeremy, with tearful eyes, shook his head violently and left, his voice filling the hallway with anger: "Stay away from me!"
Jeremy tried to leave and end the drama, but before the situation calmed down—
"Jeremy!!!"
The voice pierced the place.
Everyone turned.
It was Elena running toward them, her hair flying, her features full of panic.
Behind her, Bonnie was trying to catch up.
"What's happening?! What did you do?!" Elena shouted as she reached Jeremy and grabbed his shoulders.
Jeremy tried to pull away from her:
"I'm fine… leave—"
"No, you're not fine!" her voice shook.
"Look at yourself!"
She grabbed his face with her hands, forcing him to look at her.
His eyes were red… absent… as if part of him was missing.
Bonnie approached slowly, her gaze shifting between everyone… between Scott, Stiles… then fixing on Jeremy.
"Oh my God…" she whispered.
Elena breathed fast, trying to understand:
"What's happening? Jeremy… tell me what's happening!"
Jeremy pulled away from her violently:
"I told you I'm fine!"
"No!" she shouted, this time louder, more pained.
"This isn't you!"
Silence.
Scott stepped closer cautiously:
"Elena… he—"
"You!" she interrupted suddenly, turning to him.
"What happened here?!"
Scott hesitated, looked at Jeremy… then at her:
"He was… using. And giving to Vicki too."
The words fell like stones.
Elena froze.
Slowly… she turned to Jeremy.
"Is this true?"
Jeremy didn't respond.
And that was enough.
"Jeremy…" her voice lowered, painfully fragile.
"Tell me it's not true… just… lie to me."
But he didn't.
He turned his face away.
Something inside her… broke.
"Why, Jeremy?" she asked in a barely audible voice.
"None of your business." he replied coldly.
She stepped back… as if the words slapped her.
"None of my business?" she repeated slowly.
"I'm your sister!"
"I didn't ask you to be responsible for me!" he suddenly shouted.
The voice was sharp… full of anger… but hiding something deeper.
Pain.
"I'm your sister!" she repeated, this time in a broken voice.
"This is literally my business!"
Stiles said:
"We're just trying to help you, man…"
Jeremy looked at him angrily:
"I didn't ask for your help!"
Scott approached closer:
"But we won't stand by and watch you destroy yourself!"
"Destroy myself?!" Jeremy laughed sarcastically, an empty laugh.
"You know nothing!"
Elena shook her head, tears beginning to gather:
"So tell us! Help us understand!"
"There's nothing to understand!" he shouted.
"This makes me… feel something at least!"
Silence.
The words hung in the air.
Elena looked at him… as if she didn't recognize him.
"You feel…?" she whispered.
"And what about me? And Aunt Gina?… What about us?"
He didn't answer.
He just looked away.
And that was the worst.
She approached him slowly, her voice trembling:
"I lost my mom and dad too… but I didn't—"
"You're strong!" he interrupted harshly.
"I'm not!"
She stopped.
That sentence…
broke everything.
Her tears finally started falling.
"No…" she said, shaking her head.
"You just… choose the easier path."
His eyes ignited:
"Don't pretend you understand!"
"I'm trying!" she shouted.
"But you're pushing me away!"
Heavy silence.
Bonnie placed her hand gently on Elena's shoulder:
"Elena…"
But she did not move.
She was staring at Jeremy… as if clinging to the last thread that connected her to him.
"Please…" she said in a completely broken voice.
"Just… stop."
A moment.
Just one.
He could have said something… anything.
But he did not.
Instead, he said in a cold calm voice:
"Mind your own business, Elena, you have no right to lecture me, you are the reason I've come to this state, you are the one who caused our parents' death."
And then—
She collapsed.
A gasp came out of her, as if the air had suddenly been cut off.
Her hand went up to cover her mouth, but the tears had already started.
"Jeremy…"
But her voice disappeared.
She turned slowly… then faster, as if she could no longer stay, and then she began to fall.
Bonnie's eyes widened in anger at Jeremy's words, but she caught Elena before she fell:
"I'm with you… I'm with you."
Elena began to cry… silently at first… then clearly, her body shaking.
Scott stood in place… helpless and shocked at what he had just heard.
Stiles lowered his gaze… not knowing what to say.
Jeremy…
Just stood.
Looking at the ground.
Then… he turned… and walked away.
Without looking back.
The sound of his steps was the only thing heard for a moment.
Until he disappeared.
Elena collapsed further, holding onto Bonnie as if she were the last stable thing in her world.
"He's drifting away…" she said through her tears.
"And I… can't stop him…"
Bonnie gently held her:
"You won't be alone."
Scott looked at the place where Jeremy had disappeared…
And his eyes filled with worry.
Then he looked at Elena.
And here… he understood only one thing:
This… is just the beginning.
After a while of emotional collapse, Elena and Bonnie left.
Stiles breathed slowly, looking at Scott:
"You know… I hate feeling this powerless."
Scott nodded and said, "Me too, honestly I didn't think Jeremy's parents's death would destroy him like this, I mean the drugs?"
Stiles shrugged and said, "Everyone has their own way of dealing with grief, some deal with it by… self-destruction."
Scott shook his head, his eyes following Jeremy as he walked away, his heart heavy with worry, realizing it won't be easy… but he won't give up before bringing his friend back to how he was.
Stiles looked at Scott and said, "How did you throw Tyler in the air like that?"
Scott sighed and said, "I don't know, since yesterday I feel much stronger."
Stiles raised his eyebrow and said, "You mean since the night you got bitten?"
Scott nodded and said, "And that's not all, look."
Scott lifted his shirt, and Stiles' eyes widened in shock when he saw smooth skin.
"Did… did you really healed?!" Stiles shouted in shock.
Scott nodded.
Stiles looked at Scott very tensely, his mind still thinking of the impossible things he had seen from his friend.
Super strength… speed… regeneration… enhanced senses… quick reactions… what on earth was happening?
Riiiiiingggg!!!
The school bell rang, announcing the start of classes.
Scott sighed and said, "What annoys me is that Jeremy and Vicki are using drugs in the middle of the school and no one noticed."
Scott said in a quiet surprised voice, then turned and left toward his class.
Meanwhile, Stiles stood in the doorway, watching his friend's back with a mix of tension and worry.