Speak No Evil, Stiles Stilins...

TEN. SHAME IS SHARP, AND MY
SKIN GIVES SO EASY

Lacy Austin is the only person who doesn't make Lydia feel insane, and it's a reminder to her that Lacy's the only real friend she ever had. She's never kept secrets or looked down on her. She's never cruel. She's always kind. She's more traumatized than anyone and still, she's not spiteful. There was a point in Lydia's life when she was jealous of the girl who was Lacy Austin, envious of her pretty heart and magical ability to make everyone fall in love with her. Maybe that's why Lydia felt like she didn't deserve to have her as a friend.

"I just don't know how he can switch up as fast as he did. That kiss meant something, I know it did. And now he doesn't even show up to school?" Lydia had been continuing her rambling about Jackson to Lacy while they sat in car in the parking lot. Neither of them felt safe, both for different reasons. They found comfortability in each other. "I mean, look at me. I know I'm not the problem, so, what else is there?"

Lacy's never been the best at giving relationship advice. Her life was always focused on school and volleyball. She never found time to join her friends in the dating pool. "It's never been a secret that Jackson doesn't deserve you, Lydia," she found herself saying. She scoffed a small laugh. "I don't think anyone's good enough for the great Lydia Martin."

Lydia rolled her eyes while she laughed. She smiled. "Tell me something I don't know," she joked, making Lacy smile again. "But I'm serious. I mean, I feel like I don't know him at all anymore. Maybe I never did."

"Did you tell him all of this at Scott's house?"

"I told him that I hate him."

Lacy's eyes go soft. "And do you?"

Lydia had been spaced out, staring out the front windshield. She blinked once then turned to look at her. "No. I should though. I want to."

Nobody's ever seen Lydia Martin's vulnerable side. Many believe that she doesn't have one. But Lacy knows her. She knows all of her friends. "There is someone out there who deserves you, Lydia. You just haven't found them yet." She quirked a smile. "There's always Stiles."

Lydia's brows furrow. "The Stilinski kid? Yeah, no thanks." She dismissed quickly.

"Stiles is sweet. Sure, he's all over the place and clumsy, but, he's better than Jackson." She titled her head. "You're telling me you haven't noticed any other boys other than Jackson?"

"I mean, there's this guy who I'm pretty sure is following me around."

Lacy blinked. "What?"

Lydia shook her head. "I don't even know his name. He just shows up everywhere I go. I'm kind of used to it."

The causality of her explanation was concerning, but Lacy only blinked again. "Oh. . .is he cute?"

She hummed in thought. "A little too much baby face, but, sure. Cute." Lydia answered and they laughed again.

They eventually had to get out of the car and attend their classes. Lacy doesn't think she'll ever be comfortable walking through the halls by herself. She's still always on high alert, keeping her arms wrapped around her body.

Scott finds her from the other end of the hallway. "Lacy!" He shouted, wasting no time running up to her with his usual cute smile. "Hey."

"Hey, Scott."

"Has your dad called you or said anything about Jackson?"

Lacy shook her head. "No. I know he's not here, though. I don't smell that disgusting Armani cologne he always wears," she explained with a nose scrunch.

Scott released a nervous laugh. "Right."

"Do you know why he's not at school?"

"No!" He answered a little too loud because he saw her flinch. "I mean, no. I haven't seen him. Was just curious if you have or not." He repeated calmer.

Lacy eyed him strangely. "No. After what I heard he did to Lydia, I kind of don't want to see him, ever."

Scott nodded. "No, yeah. I get it." The bell rang. They had the next class together. They walked side by side. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

He rolled his eyes, hearing her laugh. "You and Stiles have the same humor," he stated.

"That's because I grew up around him too much," she said with an amused smile. "But sure, you can ask."

As they soon reach their classroom, Scott turns and faces her, his hands tight around the straps of his backpack. "Does it scare you being back?" It's a question he's wanted to ask since seeing her back in school, but he's been too busy to ask.

If there's one person who loves the Austin family more than anyone else, it's Melissa McCall. Her and Sam were close, great friends. Because of Stiles always being around her, that meant Scott was often around her as well. She was more popular than he would ever be, but she was sweet. She had her own life but she always talked to him like an equal. Her disappearance was sudden and tragic.

Scott felt her fear that day in the hallway. He smelled her anxiety, heard her increasing heart rate. He never saw her look so afraid. She didn't look like the outgoing person he always knew her to be. She still didn't.

Lacy's face had fallen. "Is it obvious?" She asked, semi rhetorically.

He smelled anxiety again. "Maybe a little," he downplayed. Scott stared back at her with gentleness. Lacy always liked how gentle he could be. He shared that trait with his mother. "I know we haven't gotten the chance to really talk since you've been back, but, I missed you a lot."

She stared at him in silence.

"We all did. Especially my mom. It tore her up really bad," Scott continued. "I'm really sorry about what happened you to. I'm just happy you're home safe."

I'm not safe, Scott. I never will be. "Me too," she says instead. Lacy manages a smile. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Scott's crooked smile returns.

When Lacy hears a tap on her bedroom window, she has about a ten second panic attack until she sees that it's Stiles. Her dad's asleep by now and she had locked herself in her bedroom to study. He's standing there smiling and waving at her. She raises the window with shaking hands. "Stiles, what are you doing here?" She doesn't see his blue Jeep in her driveway or on the street. "Where's your Jeep?"

"Oh, I parked it around the block," Stiles responded, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "I figured Sam might kill me if I try using the front door."

"And you thought sneaking through my window was better?"

"It's not sneaking if you haven't let me in yet," he points.

Lacy rolled her eyes. She steps back to let him. Stiles crawled into her room and almost fell to the floor. He rested his hands on his hips and smiled. "Hi."

"Hi," she says back oddly. "Exactly why are you here, Stiles? You haven't climbed through my window since seventh grade."

"Oh, uhhh," he searches for an excuse. "I just wanted to, uh, check on you."

"Check on me."

"Yeah. . ." He said with a convincing grin. "Yeah."

Lacy moved away from the window. "Why do I need to be checked on?" She asked and sat on her bed. She gathered her books and stuff up and moved them out of the way.

"Well, uh. . ." Stiles paused again. He anxiously twiddled his thumbs like he was playing video games. "I haven't really seen you in a couple days. I've been a little busy, so. . .I kind of felt obligated to make sure you're okay."

"Uh huh," she muttered, still not convinced, but she smiled anyway. "Stiles, I'm fine. I'm just staying for this midterms," she tells him, dragging her hand along her braided plait.

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "But I thought you don't have to take them? You got cleared by the teachers."

"Yeah, well, I don't really feel like repeating my sophomore year of high school."

"Why not? Scott probably has to. You two can be together."

Fortunately, she doesn't ask to elaborate on that statement, and instead she laughs. Stiles smiled. "I don't want to be different from everyone else. I'm trying to get my life back on track."

The energy shifts. "No, yeah. Of course. I get it." He looks around her bedroom. "You literally haven't changed a thing in here."

Lacy half grinned. "It's too good to change."

Stiles eyes the posters and photographs on her walls. Seeing the pictures of her with Daphne and Kayla before they died makes him frown. "You miss 'em?"

She doesn't even ask for clarification. "Every day," she answered wholeheartedly.

He moves to her desk and grazes his hand along the covers of her books and her computer. "I know I haven't asked you about what happened," he says without looking at her. "Sorry about that."

Lacy shakes her head. "It's okay. I, uh," she brings her knees to her chest. "I don't think I can tell you anyway."

Stiles does look at her that time. Her arms are wrapped around her legs like a child waking up from a nightmare. That's exactly what she is. He remembers being in that position after his mom died. "You can tell me anything, Lacy. You know that." He states.

"I don't think so, Stiles."

He frowned. Stiles takes long strides towards her bed and sits down beside her. "Why not?"

"Cause we're older now. We have our own lives. It's not exactly the easiest thing in the world to talk about, especially with you."

He looks confused. "With me? W-What does that mean?"

She knew what she wanted to say but finding an explanation made her feel embarrassed. Lacy sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Because we've watched each other grow up, Stiles. You don't want to know the things that happened, trust me. Nobody does. I wish I could forget about it. . ." Her voice turns distant.

There's a silence between them. Stiles eyed the side of her face. "I'm always here to listen, Lacy. It doesn't matter if we're not close. I'm still here for you. You know that." He voices softly. "You were there for me when my mom died. This is me returning the favor."

It didn't matter to her how sweet his words were or how hard he was trying to get her to talk to him. The key to her secrets were locked away where nobody could find it. She didn't plan on opening the box anytime soon. "Why are you really here, Stiles?"

At first, Stiles couldn't believe that she wasn't believing him. Next, he tried coming up with another excuse. Before he could, there was a knock at her bedroom door. "Lacy, are you okay?" It was Sam.

Both of their eyes fly wide open. "Shit!" Lacy whisper yells and stands up from her bed. "I-I'm fine, dad!"

Stiles stands up in a flash. "What do I do?" He whispered frantically.

"I don't know!"

"Can I come in?"

"Uhhh," she continued to every which way around in a panic. Lady grabs Stiles's shoulder and points to her closet. "Closet! Hide in the closet!" She demands as quietly as she can.

"Okay–" Stiles yelps when she pushes him harshly to her closet.

Lacy watched him run inside and close the door. She quickly sits on her bed and grabs her phone, pressing it hard to her ear. "Come in!" She raised her voice. Sam walked into her room. Lacy put on the biggest smile, trying to hide her nerves. "Hi, daddy."

Sam looks around the room. "Who're you talking to?"

"Oh. Ummm. . .Stiles." She said the first name that pops into her head, and then curses herself. She continued smiling. "Yeah, Stiles. I'll, uhh, have to call you back, Stiles. Bye!" She spoke rapidly and dropped her phone on her lap.

Her dad stares at her weirdly. "That boy, I swear," he said and walked further into her room. "He's more trouble than I thought."

"What do you mean?" She asked, her eyes following him as he came and sat with her on the bed. Without him looking, they darted to the closet door, but then quickly shifted back to him when he looked at her.

"If I tell you, promise you won't go bragging about it to your friends?" Sam negotiated with a tired look on his face.

"I don't have any friends, daddy."

He blinks. "Right," he mutters sadly under his breath. "Okay. Well, you know that Jackson Whittmore didn't show to school today, right?" She nods. "Okay, well, apparently Stiles and Scott kidnapped him and kept him locked away in one of the transport vans."

She almost choked on her breath. Lacy's eyes go wide. "Huh?"

"Yeah. Crazy, right? I got the Whittmore's threatening me while having to worry about a bunch of stupid teenagers. Anyway, so Jackson comes to the station saying that he was kidnapped and now there's a retraining order against Scott and Stiles." Sam released the deepest of breaths. "It's been a long night, honey."

"Yeah, it sounds like it," she says while glaring at the closet door. "So what are their punishments? Do you know?"

"Uhhh," he trails and scratches his cheek. "If I remember hearing Melissa correctly, there's no Stiles and no car."

"That's it?"

Sam shrugged. "What more does the kid got?"

"Yeah, I guess." Lacy tucks her hair back behind her ear. "So. . .why exactly did they kidnap Jackson?"

"Why do Scott and Stiles do anything, sweetheart? Probably cause the kid's an asshole. I can't really blame them, but, I'm a cop, so I have to." Sam said casually. He sighs tiredly again. "Okay, well, I just wanted to check on you."

"Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot."

He smiles at her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Daddy, I'm fine. I promise. Just have a lot of studying to do," Lacy said and motioned to her pile of textbooks.

"Yes, I see that. My smart girl." Sam leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I'll let you get back to it. And please don't let Stiles corrupt you too much."

She grew a smile. "Don't worry about that. He's too busy with Scott all the time to corrupt into anything."

He waved a hand. "That's fine with me. As long as it keeps you out of trouble." He headed towards her door. "I love you, sweetheart."

"Love you, dad. Goodnight," she said as he exited her room. Lacy's face stalled and she marched to the closet. She swung the door open, startling Stiles in the process. "Kidnapping?"

"I was gonna tell you—" she grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the closet. "Whoa, okay!"

Lacy glares at him. "Talk."

Stiles stumbled backward. "Jesus," he muttered and leaned his arm against her desk. "I-I can't tell you."

"After you sat here and tried to convince me that I can tell you everything?" She voiced harshly and scoffed. "Don't sell me that bullshit, Stiles."

"Lacy—"

"I was kidnapped, in case you forgot,"

"I haven't. Trust me—"

"So when I hear that you kidnapped someone, it doesn't set well with me," she continued to snap. "Lydia told me how you've all been acting weird and keeping things from her. And Jackson's been a dick to be more than he usually is. You're in love with her, so it doesn't make sense for you to keep secrets from her. So what the hell is going on?"

"I-I-It's complicated, Lacy. Way more than you think," Stiles stuttered, moving to the other side of the room. "And I mean, come on, it's Jackson! It's not like anyone would've missed him."

She rolled her eyes. "That's not the point, Stiles."

"I don't really know what you want me to say."

"The truth would be nice."

"Well, I can't give it to you!" His voice went high and he threw up his hands.

Lacy shook her head. "Then don't stand here and preach to me about being truthful if you can't be honest with me." She voiced, and it made him frown. "You should go before someone calls a tow truck on your jeep again.

Stiles' jaw shifted side to side. He clicked his tongue. "Right. . ." He walked to her window. "See you at school."

"Yeah." She mumbled to herself and watched him climb out of her window. Lacy shook her head again and gazed at the ceiling.

It hurt her to be kept in the dark. She hadn't been back long and Lacy thought it was her chance to regain the friendships that she lost, but now they were keeping secrets from her. From Lydia. They were aching weird. Strange things were happening. She didn't feel safe, not even in her own home. The knife was still under her bed. She locked her window and closed her curtains. You're not safe anywhere, she's always telling herself. I just want to check on you, they keep saying. Lacy can feel herself on edge every second of the day but it was getting worse. The hairs on the back of her neck are constantly up. What did she come back home to?

What the hell is happening in this town?