My fight with Liam was enough distraction as it is. Obviously, it was a shock to me that it actually happened. Then, when the one and only Hayden Romero approaches me in the middle of my deep thinking, naturally, I'm dumbfounded.

"Hey uh, Riley?"

I try to mask my curiosity. "Hayden."

"Are you okay? I mean, I sort of saw what happened outside the Bio classroom."

My jaw drops slightly. "Oh."

It's only been five minutes since I last spoke to Liam inside the school. I've just come back to practice here on the field and I'm already being confronted about it and by Hayden, who came up more than once during the misunderstanding.

"Sorry, I don't want to be nosy," Hayden says, shaking her head. "It's just... it was a bit hard not to notice."

All I can do is nod. "Were you there the whole time?"

"Mostly," she answers honestly with a shrug. "Didn't hear everything, though. Don't worry."

"Still, aren't you weirded out or something?"

"No, not really. I'm just here now to ask how you are because I know how much of a jerk Liam can be."

At her words, I can't help but laugh a little. "That's interesting."

"And," Hayden adds, brushing her hair out of her face, "there's nothing between Liam and I. Nothing romantically, of course."

I flush in embarrassment. I was the one who assumed that and here she is, telling me otherwise. "Oh."

Hayden laughs. "Is that all you say? Oh?"

"I'm a little distracted."

"I get it. Just remember that Liam and I would never... you know," she says, making a disgusted face as if what she's saying repulsed her. "You get me, right?"

"Yeah," I say, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry for uh, assuming that."

"It's fine," she reassures me. "Just keep that in mind, okay? I don't want to make another enemy."

"Another?" I ask, then nod when I realize what she means. "Oh."

In unison, we knowingly say, "Liam."

"So, I'll see you around, yeah?" Hayden finishes, already beginning to step back.

"Yeah. See you."

Hayden sends me a friendly smile, then jogs back to her place in the field to go back to training with the rest of the soccer team. Although I'm not exactly friends with her just yet, I suppose she's nice enough. But even with her reassurance that she and Liam have nothing going on, there's a side of me that keeps saying that there is, and it's making me feel guilty.

Liam doesn't attend the rest of his lacrosse practice. At the end of the day, I'm slightly upset at how we left things. Even as friends, we've never actually fought. It was always just banter, and now, I'm more anxious than I've ever been in a long time all because of our argument earlier.

I come home with an air of disappointment all around me. My parents have scheduled a movie night and dinner together, though, so once I'm back at my house, I shower right away and get changed into a comfortable navy blue top and white shorts. About an hour later, I'm in the middle of studying for an upcoming test on my bed when my phone rings loudly from where it lies on my desk. When I finally grab ahold of it, I answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Riles. Are you dressed?"

I make a face at my cousin's words- he can't see me anyways. "That's a little weird for you to ask, Scott."

I hear him sigh on the other end of the line. "You know what I mean. So, are you?"

"Yeah," I reply. "Why?"

"I'll explain later. I'm almost at your house. Meet me outside and just tell your parents you'll try to be back before dinner."

Despite my confusion, I get up from my bed anyways. "Uh, okay."

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Wait, are you calling me while driving?"

Scott laughs nervously. "Maybe. Okay, bye."

A beeping sound signals that Scott has just ended the call, and I didn't get the chance to scold him for using his phone while driving on his bike. I sigh and walk down my hall, heading to my staircase where I come across my dad.

"Where are you going?" he asks me.

"Oh, um, Scott is picking me up. We're going to... bond for a little while."

"Bond? But it's almost movie time."

"I promise I'll be- well, I'll try to be back before dinner."

Dad sends me a pointed look. "You'll try?"

"Please, Dad?" I plead. "I'll be quick. Probably."

"What are you two even going to do?"

"It's an inside thing. Like an inside joke," I lie, impatiently bouncing on my heels.

My dad looks unsure, but he eventually nods. "Fine. Just be back in time, okay? School's been keeping you so busy nowadays."

It isn't actually because of school... "Right. Okay, I'll see you later. Bye."

I hurry down the stairs and make my way out of my house. Luckily, I see Scott already there, sitting casually on his motorbike parked on the side of the road. I jog to reach him quicker, and once I'm near enough, he extends his hand to give me the second helmet.

"So, what's the problem?"

"I'm sure you know Liam went to Sinema again tonight. Anyways, he-"

"Wait," I interrupt Scott, "Liam went to Sinema again?"

"Yeah," says Scott slowly. "To see Hayden. Uh, didn't he tell you?"

"No. Of course not."

My cousin stares at me curiously, trying to read me based on my expression. Currently, my lips are pursed and my arms are crossed over my chest, so maybe he can tell that I'm irritated. It's as if Liam purposely went to that club again right after our fight just to annoy me, even though I'm fully aware that he's still paying Hayden back.

"Anyways," Scott continues after a brief pause, "Hayden's a chimera."

"She's a what?" I say in shock, dropping my arms to the side. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. And Liam tried to prove that he's a werewolf, but she ran away. He saved her from the Dread Doctors, and she's back in her house but we kind of have to join Liam and explain everything. Now get on the bike."

I obey my cousin and swing my leg over the motorbike, taking a seat behind him. "So, Liam's there already?"

"Yeah."

I roll my eyes. "Great."

"What happened between you two?"

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" Scott presses on, sounding concerned.

"Yeah," I sigh, not wanting to bother him with my problems. "Wait, why why exactly am I coming with you?"

"Aren't you friends with Hayden?"

"... Sort of."

"Good. But actually, you're coming because we kind of have a plan."

"Please don't tell me you and Stiles made a completely crazy one again," I say and finally put the helmet on.

"It's your lucky day, because the answer is no," says Scott. He kicks the engine to life before turning his head to look back at me. "Stiles is at the Animal Clinic with Theo- long story. So, the plan is all on me."

As we drive away from my house, I have no idea whether or not to be comforted by that.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Liam answers the door when Scott and I knock. He and I can barely look at each other for a split second when we both avert our gazes, his to to Scott and mine to the ground. Although Hayden is probably feeling very vulnerable at the moment, I can't help but have that odd feeling in my gut at the fact that Liam has been here for some time and was probably trying help her understand.

"Am I late?"

Behind us, Stiles is now making his way to the house as well, his jeep parked in front of Scott's motorbike.

"We just came," says Scott as his best friend approaches us, then he faces Liam again. "So how's she doing?"

"She won't come out from her bathroom," he informs us, stepping aside to let us in. Scott, Stiles, and I walk in and survey her house momentarily until Liam walks over to a door on the right side. "She's been there for a long time."

Liam halts and lets the other two boys make their way to the door he stands next to. Scott raps his knuckles on it hesitantly before speaking.

"Hayden? It's Scott. I know that you're scared but we just wanna help."

"Didn't think you'd come," Liam suddenly says from next to me.

I face him with a raise my eyebrows. "Mind telling me why?"

"I thought you wouldn't want to help Hayden."

I roll my eyes. "Excuse me, but I'm not that shallow. If someone needs help, then I'm going to try my best," I say in a low voice.

"Just thought that since you kept assuming she and I had a thing-"

"Would you stop and listen to yourself?" I hiss. "You're the one who accused me first of being too comfortable with Brett."

"I can hear her heart beating," Scott interrupts, turning around and looking serious. "She's really freaked out about what happened."

"Okay, wait. What exactly happened?" asks Stiles.

"The Dread Doctors came for her. She was trapped in her car," Liam explains. "I got to her in time and we ran away."

"So she's still freaked out about that?"

"She was okay when we got here. I went to text you for two seconds and she locked herself in."

Stiles frowns. "Why?"

"I don't know."

"She's definitely a Chimera?" Scott then questions his Beta.

"She said she heard a voice saying, 'your condition improves,'" Liam replies.

My mind is now all over the place, not knowing whether to find Liam incredibly kind for helping Hayden so much or to feel jealous- yes, I admit, I'm jealous- that they've spent so much time together, yet in reality, it's only been probably less than an hour since their incident.

"Okay, that's unsettling," Stiles comments, then takes a big step forward to the bathroom door, knocks on it a few times, then tries to talk to the newfound chimera. "Hayden, this is Stiles. Your sister works for my dad down at the station. Look, just open the door, okay? You can trust us."

When all Stiles gets as a response is silence, he backs away again and Scott takes his place.

"We just need to tell you the truth, Hayden, and that kind of thing usually is better face-to-face. Listen, either you're gonna unlock the door or I'm gonna have to break it open."

"Hayden," I try next, even catching a glimpse of Liam's mildly surprised face, "we know you're scared and probably wondering what the hell is going on, but you can trust Scott. He can help. We all can."

"It's okay if you don't want to talk, or if you're not ready to believe us, but I just I gotta know that you're okay in there."

Even after Scott speaks, there still isn't an immediate response. Fortunately, a few moments later, the sound of the door unlocking is heard. Scott then pushes the door further and it slowly swings open. What has me taken aback is when instead of seeing a frightened girl, we see one with glowing eyes, numerous sharp teeth, and long claws. She looks up at us with worry, breathing heavily.

"I believe you."

A/N: I apologize for this late update ahhh 😅 I've got so much tests coming up so I've been busy studying ew guys pray for me hahahaha

ANYWAYS I HAVE A QUESTION FOR Y'ALL: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HAYDEN AND LIAM'S RELATIONSHIP ON THE SHOW RIGHT NOW?

Personally, I think they're okay if they end up together. I think that the fact that they were sort of enemies before is interesting but her change of heart on how she sees him was kinda too sudden... like she just randomly decided to be his friend already ¿ I still wish they they got a character that Liam would be like head over heels for aw but RIAM FOREVER BISHES YAS 💘