"What's wrong with you?" Malia asked in a bored tone, Kira looking over with wide eyes.

"Me?" Her voice came out strained, gripping the lacrosse stick tightly. "Nothing."

"You reek of anxiety." She sighed, shutting her book. "And it's distracting. What's going on?"

"Scott and I sorta had this thing happen, but it wasn't much of a thing." Kira blurted as Rowan walked over, taking a seat next to Malia on the bleachers. "And now I'm starting to think it wasn't much of a thing, at all."

"What do you want it to be?" Malia asked while Rowan messed with her camera lens, pursing her lips in concentration.

"More." She sighed, resting her chin on the lacrosse stick.

"Then tell him." Rowan gained her attention, the girl shrugging and slipping the strap over her head. "If you really like him, take the chance."

"You think?" Kira shifted on the bench, looking at her with uncertainty.

"Mmhmm." She brought her camera up, snapping a picture as Stiles prepared to take a shot. She winced as he shot it towards the goal, the ball landing right into the goalie's net, deciding it was a good thing she hadn't gotten it mid shot.

"What if he doesn't like me back?" She asked timidly, the girl giving her a comforting smile.

"Then he's missin' out." She answered simply, taking another photo as the new freshman took his own shot, actually making it into the goal before the goalie could even move. She joined the rest of the bleachers in applause, not noticing the discouraged look on Stiles' face.

Scott moved to the front of the line, scooping up a ball and twisting his stick between his hands. Everyone watched in anticipation as the team captain took a shot, only to have it hit the side of the goal-not actually getting inside. Everyone except the three girls erupted into laughter, players shouting out teasing calls at him.

"It looks like it's not the only thing he's missing." Rowan said with a frown, sitting back.

"Is there anyone you have your eye on?" Malia piped up, the girl shaking her head.

"I uh, I'm trying to stay out of a relationship, actually." She shrugged, watching the freshman make another goal. "My last one, didn't really work out."

"What was his name?" Kira asked, leaning over so she could see her better.

"I don't wanna talk about it." She cleared her throat, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. The two girls both nodded in understanding, not dwelling on the topic and instead focusing on the tryouts.

Goal after goal was made by the freshman, while Scott and Stiles seemed to be doing everything except make a goal.

"Isn't the captain supposed to be one of the best players on the team?" Kira whispered as Scott threw off his gloves and walked towards Stiles. "Or good?"

They watched as the two bickered, Stiles making jerky arm movement and glaring at the freshman. The boys looked over as he made another goal, cheers and clapping echoing from both the field and the bleachers. Their angry stares were cut abruptly by a sharp whistle, their coach waving all the players over.

"Hustle up!" Coach yelled, the team jogging towards him as he pointed his whistle at them. "McCall, Stilinski. Grab the long sticks, you're covering goal for two on ones. Let's go! Line it up!"

The two juniors grabbed the correct equipment and stood on front of the goal, ready to take on their opponents. One of the freshmen ran forward and passed Stiles, only to have his stick knocked out of his hands and sending him into the ground.

"That's my boy!" Coach yelled, blowing into his whistle as the crowd erupted into cheers a grin working it's way onto Kira's face. Rowan got a shot as Scott and Stiles highfived, smiling at how good it came out. "Those two are like sons to me."

A sophomore nervously got ready to go, Stiles sending his best friend a confident wink as the whistle sounded. All three boys were off, the sophomore not even getting past the two juniors as he fell to the ground, letting out a groan.

"Yes." Kira laughed, gripping the netting of the lacrosse stick while Malia just seemed confused. They took down another player, causing Rowan to laugh and shake her head, clapping in awe.

"That's how you do it!" Coach yelled, hitting the air with his fists as Scott and Stiles chest bumped, sending Stiles to the ground. "That's how it's done!"

Everyone seemed to fall silent as the freshman-now Liam, she learned from the constant shrieks of annoying fourteen year olds behind her-got ready to go against them. The air was tense as he took off, getting past Stiles and Scott easily and making a goal.

"That was luck!" Malia shouted, standing up and waving towards the feild. "Do over!"

"Sweetheart, there's no do-overs," Finstock scoffed, shaking his head and turning back around. "This is practice."

"Twenty bucks on Scott and Stiles." Everyone's attention shifted to Rowan, who gave the older man a challenging look, a crumbled bill between her fingers.

"I'll take that action." He pointed at her, the girl smiling triumphantly. "Hey, get back in there Liam! Coach needs a new whistle."

Stiles made a face that resembled a dying fish until Scott nudged him, refocusing the boy. Liam ran foward, barely dodging Stiles and hitting Scott. The smaller boy flipped over his shoulder, hitting the ground with a sickening crack.

"Oh god." Rowan gasped, quickly setting down her camera and jogging into the field, pushing through the sweaty players.

"Don't move!" Coach shouted, pointing at Liam and turning to the brunette girl as she bent down next to him. "Sinclair! Don't touch him!"

"Coach, I went to medical camp this summer." She replied, the man stepping back and gesturing for her to continue.

"I'm okay coach, I'm alright." Liam assured and went to get up, only to cry out in pain. Scott and Stiles slung his arms over their shoulders, Rowan dusting off her jeans as she stood up.

"They need to get him to the nurse." She sighed, rubbing her forehead. Coach just nodded with a dumbfounded expression, the boys heading towards the school.

● ● ●

"Sorry, I'm kinda swamped tonight." Melissa sighed, rubbing her face as Sheriff Stilinski walked alongside her. They stopped in front of a room, the nurse grabbing a clipboard and flipping through the pages. "Third time I've seen this girl in almost two months, and I still can't pinpoint what's wrong with her."

"Hypochondriac?" Stilinski asked, Melissa shaking her head.

"No, the way she describes the pain and the look on her parents' faces are too real to be made up." She let out a long breath, flipping back to the top page. "Rowan Sinclair, seventeen."

"Rowan?" His eyebrows furrowed, unable to place the familiarity of the name.

"Not a name you see often, right?" Melissa chuckled, shaking her head. "I tried to look into her family's health history for anything that would help, but it was closed adoption."

"Adoption?" He glanced at the clipboard, a grim look crossing over his face. "That's where I know it."

"Know what?"

"When I first joined the force, a couple found an infant in the preserve, completely abandoned." He explained, taking a deep breath. "Thankfully, she still had her hospital bracelet. Rowan Gallagher."

Melissa's eyes widened slightly, remembering seeing it on the news. Charlotte Gallagher was arrested for child abandonment, but was not charged, instead pleading insanity and was currently residing in Eichen house. The woman had been dragged out of the courtroom, screaming that her daughter should have died, they should have taken her offering.

"Why would they move her back here?" She asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "I'd want to stay as far from here as possible."

"Figured everyone had forgotten." Sheriff shrugged, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I'm gonna go back to the station."

"Night." Melissa nodded, opening the door. Rowan looked up from her hands, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Y'know, we gotta stop meeting like this."

"Sorry." Rowan smiled, fidgeting with the sleeve of her cardigan. Melissa motioned for her to take it off, the girl obliging.

"So, was this one different from the last two?" She asked, putting a stethoscope into her ears.

"Yeah." The brunette replied, flinching when the cold chest piece came in contact with her skin. She took a deep breath as Melissa listened, motioning for her to continue. "It wasn't my stomach this time, it was my chest and back. And it felt repeated, like someone was hitting and stabbing me over and over again, but at the same time."

Melissa paused, looking up at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"Like an axe?" She asked, Rowan nodding in response.

"Exactly like an axe."

● ● ●

Rowan ran her hands down her face, checking the time on her phone again as she waited for Melissa to get back, the nurse saying she would be back soon.

It had been almost twenty minutes.

She let out annoyed huff of air set the phone on the bed, shutting her eyes as a migraine was starting to form behind her eyes. There was suddenly a searing pain in her back, the force sending her to her hands and knees on the floor.

Rowan let out a strangled cry as she arched her back, clawing at her skin to find the source of pain and finding none.

"Somebody help me!" She screamed, sobbing as the pain intensified, radiating through her muscles.

"Rowan?" Melissa knelt down next to her, her bloody clothes forgotten as the girl recoiled, letting out another shriek of pain. The pain ended as abruptly as it had come, Rowan falling against her as she fought for her breath.

"It's gone." She breathed, a tear slipping down her cheek. "The pain, i-it's gone."

________________________

Not edited.

Well damn.

How'd you guys feel about that little revelation? Do you think Rowan knows she's adopted? Or that her mother is a psychopath?

Who do you think her bad relationship was with? What happened? Hmm.

Any theories about what happened to her back?

Vote and Comment ❤️

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