SEVEN. WHO'S AFRAID OF LITTLE OLD ME?

Isaac Lahey and Daphne Torres were two completely different people and yet they couldn't have been more perfect for each other. First loves, eighth grade sweethearts, more than likely to get married out of high school; Daphne was outgoing. Isaac was shy. He hardly ever talked. Daphne brought him out of his shell. She was so sweet, she was kind, Isaac always described her. She was smart, she was courageous, she was the light in every room. She lit up his life. Now Daphne's dead and Isaac has no light.

Daphne never stopped talking bout Isaac to anyone, especially Kayla and Lacy. Almost everything out of her mouth was about Isaac – the way he smelled, the way he smiled, how he played Lacrosse. He has the prettiest eyes I've ever seen in my life. He's so sweet. He loves so simply and yet so much, Lacy remembers Daphne telling her one time at their sleepover. She looked love struck, in awe, like she always did.

The girls usually just let her ramble until she got tired, but it was clear to every single person that Daphne and Isaac were in love.

When Daphne went missing, Isaac remembers multiple people (most he didn't know and most whom had never spoke to him before) coming up to him and asking what happened. Where's Daphne? Have you talked to Daphne? I haven't seen her since the game. She didn't show up to school today. All these questions rattled his brain and he called her. He called her many times, hundreds of times, but she never answered. Daphne always answered his calls.

Her mother answers. Isaac, is Daphne with you? She's not home.

No, Mrs. Torres. I haven't seen Daphne since the volleyball game.

Issac, people are telling me Daphne is missing.

She's won't answer my calls.

   When's the last time you saw or talked to Daphne, Isaac? Samuel Austin asks him during the interrogation.

Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne? Where's Daphne?

Isaac, Daphne's dead. . .

He stares at his phone screen often. It's a picture of Daphne laughing, Lacy sitting across from them, the flash so bright it makes her appear pale but she's beautiful. It's his favorite picture. He calls her to hear her voicemail, the only time he ever gets to hear her voice. He reads their text messages. He stares at the pictures of them on his walls. The clothes she left at his house are tucked away in his closet. He still smells her perfume on his pillow. He wakes up crying. He goes to sleep crying. He's always crying. He's always cry—

Issac stared at Lacy Austin in the hallway, the girls staring back petrified, her feet like eyes wide. Her phone was in her hand her father on the phone. "Lacy, sweetheart, did you hear me?" Sam asks her.

"Y-Yeah, dad. I heard you. Isaac's coming back to school," Lacy repeats his words while staring at the latter. "I'll talk to you later." She mumbled and slowly hung up the phone.

She hasn't seen Isaac since the day of the volleyball game. They'd been at lunch, Daphne under his arm, and they left early to practice before the game that night. He couldn't go to Lydia's party. Lacy doesn't recognize him now, the boy wearing all black clothing when he used to wear sweaters and baggy sweatshirts. He isn't slouching like usual. Isaac stares back at her like he can't believe she there, like he's seeing a ghost. Maybe he is.

Lacy stepped forward. "Isaac," she spoke his name, feeling eyes on them in the hallway. Oh, my god, Isaac Laney's back in school. Lacy Austin's back in school. Their friends are dead. His girlfriend's dead. Do they hate each other?

"Lacy," Isaac said in the same tone. "You're back."

"Hi."

"W-W-When did you get back?" He stuttered, taking a step back.

"Few days ago," she partially lied. Lacy clutched her phone tighter in her hand. "Wow. It's so good to—" Don't lie to him, Lacy. It not good to see him because seeing Isaac, you see Daphne. You see Kayla. You see yourself back in those rooms. "I-I-I'm sorry—"

"Does Hannah know you're back?" Isaac cut her off, his face twisting at the name.

Lacy swallows a painful lump on her throat. The scars around her mouth start to hurt again. Her chest feels like it could explode. "Yeah, she knows," she answered softly, her nod light. "Wow, I never thought I'd see you again."

"Yeah, likewise." He mumbled back, blinking rapidly. The bell rang and everybody in the hallway started to clear out to go to their glasses, but the two of them remained standing, almost as if they were thinking the same thing, like they were each seeing a ghost in each other's place.

Lacy walked into Econ with Isaac still very much on her mind. "Lacy!" Coach Finstock's naturally loud voice startled her and she paused. He walked up to her and laughed. "Don't forget about what I said about the midterm. Don't even worry about it. Just. . .go with the flow," he made a wave motion with his arm.

The people already in the classroom stared at her as he spoke rather loudly. Lacy choked back her nerves and smiled shakily. "Thanks, Coach." She mumbled.

He gave her a thumbs up as she walked through the isle to a desk. Scott lifted his head and smiled at her. "Hey, Lacy."

"Hi," she said quietly and down, her desk not far from his.

Scott turned around in his seat. "I saw that you came to game last night." he mentioned.

Lacy took out her book and half smiled. "Yeah, Stiles is pretty persuasive when he wants to be," she said timidly, slouching a little in the desk.

He chuckled. "Yeah, we all know that. Sorry I didn't get to say hi."

"Oh, that's okay. Is your leg feeling better?"

She missed the way his face subtly changed. "Oh, yeah, yeah, totally. Y'know me, a trooper," Scott said awkwardly, holding up his fist.

Lacy smiled, also awkward. Turning her head, she saw Lydia walk into the classroom and she sat up a little. The red haired girl caught her eye as she sat down on the opposite side of the classroom. Lacy smiled a little, Lydia returning the gesture but it seemed forced.

Stiles waltzed into Econ and almost sprinted to his desk. "Lacy," he said jubilantly and sat in front of her. "Uhhh, you haven't happened to see Isaac today, have you?"

She blinked a few times at how quickly he asked the question. "Y-Yeah, I saw him early. My dad called me and said something about him coming back to school," she told him.

He quickly nodded. "Right, right, yeah. My dad called me, too. Uh, it's crazy that he was proved innocent after what happened."

Lacy furrowed her brows, titling her head. "What do you mean?"

Stiles and Scott looked at each other. "Y-You don't know? Sam never told you?" The brunette realized.

"I was kidnapped and gone for four months, Stiles."

Scott shot him a look. Stiles's jaw dropped. "Well, yeah, but–y-yeah, you're right. My bad." He stuttered and scratched the back of his neck, his skin turning red.

Lacy quickly shook her head. "Wait, what happened with Isaac?" She retracted, looking between him and Scott.

Before they could answer, thought it seemed like they both were struggling to come up with an explanation, Jackson rushed into the classroom and sprinted down their isle, taking the free desk behind Scott. "Hey, testicle left and right—" he noticed Lacy sitting there. "Lacy."

"Jackson."

It was no secret that Lacy and Jackson did not get along. He treated Lydia terribly (not that she treated people nicely, but she'll digress) and he was obnoxious. A popular boy with a lot of money who thought he was better than everybody else. He also said that volleyball was the worst sport, Lacy always pointed out that at least they won their games.

Jackson turned his attention back to the boys. "What the hell is a kanima?"

Lacy furrowed her brows. She flinched when Coach Finstock slammed his book on his table, gaining their attention. "Alright, listen up. A quick warning before we begin our review. Some of you, like McCall, might want to start their own study groups because tomorrow's midterm is so profoundly difficult. . . I'm not even too sure I could pass it." His eyes quickly widened. "Not to freak you out too much, Lacy."

All eyes turned to her. Lacy's cheeks turned red from embarrassment. "Thank you again, Coach." She mumbled and tugged on her earlobe.

"Right. . ." He clapped his hands. "Okay, I need a volunteer at the board to answer the first question," he announced and pointed to the board with the equation on it. "Who's got it, huh? Come on, let's go, buddy."

Lacy watched the three boys around her lean close together. She pretended like she wasn't listening. "Paralyzed from the neck down. Do you have any idea what that feels like?" Jackson asked while glaring at them.

"I'm familiar with the sensation," answered Stiles.

"Wait. . ." Scott said more softly. "Why would Derek test you? Why would he think that it's you?" He asked Jackson, leaving Lacy even more confused.

"How should I know?"

"Wait, do they think it's Lydia?"

At that, she quickly looked at them.

Jackson shook his head slightly, half rolling his eyes. "I don't know, all I heard was her name and something about chemistry," he explained.

Lacy leaned forward. "What about Lydia?" She voiced, causing Stiles to jump and remember that she was indeed sitting around them.

"Uhhh. . ."

"Jackson!" Finstock yelled, making all of them flinch and face forward. "Do you have something you want to share with the rest of the class?"

"Uhhh," Jackson hesitated. "Um, just an undying admiration for my. . .my coach." He landed on.

Coach grew a smile. "That's really kind of you," he said, feeding Jackson's ego. "Now shut up!"

His ego deflated. Lacy hid her grin.

"Shut it! Anybody else?"

He called Lydia up to the board. When Coach walked away, Scott turned around again but this time, he looked to Lacy. "Lacy, I know you've been gone, but, did your dad tell you about Lydia and what happened?" He asked quietly.

Like every situation around her recently, Lacy was completely lost. "No, Scott, he's been too busy making sure I don't lose my mind," she snapped under her breath, not meaning to. "Now what the hell is going on? What happened to Lydia?"

Scott and Stiles would've been gentler in explaining what happened, but not Jackson. "She went missing, that's what happened," he said bluntly, Stiles exhaling an annoyed breath. "Two days. Then she hobbled out of the woods completely naked with no memory."

"That's a good approach, Jackson. Nice," Stiles said sarcastically while glaring at him.

Lacy's face softened. "Lydia was missing?" She repeated his words in a soft voice, blinking and looked to the front of the classroom, watching Lydia at the board.

Stiles watched her face change and he turned around in his chair, leaning his arm on her desk. "You two haven't talked since you got back?"

"We have once. S-She came over to my house, but, I-I-I didn't know something bad happened to her," Lacy whispered, her eyes glossing over.

"No, no, no, it's okay—"

Lydia broke into a fit of cries. Everybody put their attention onto her and Lacy's eyes widened when she saw what she written on the board. It was in a different language, it appeared, and it was written all over the board. Her mascara was smudged around her eyes and she was pale, like she'd seen a ghost just then.

"Anybody else want to try answering? This time in English?" Said Coach.

The room started laughing and Lacy frowned as Lydia continued to stand there disoriented and in tears.

"What is that, Greek?" Scott questioned.

"No, actually, I think it's English," Stiles voiced, having taken out his phone and taken a picture of the board.

Lacy leaned forward again, eyeing his screen. Stiles flipped the picture and the writing on the board was translated into English. Someone help me. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she got a cold feeling. A little nauseous, even.

Soon, the bell rang and everyone stood up to leave. Lacy quickly stopped the boys before they left. "Wait, you still haven't told me what happened with Isaac," she brought up. She looked at Stiles, raising her eyebrows.

The boy opened his mouth, only a long 'uhhh' coming out, then he quickly looked at Scott. He frowned and exhaled a short sigh.

You would think Isaac Lahey was a giant monster the way people stared at him. He was almost unrecognizable. He had a title attached to his name: Isaac Lahey, a killer. A boy accused of killing his own father. A psycho. How could they believe these things if they didn't know him? Nobody knew him. Daphne was the only one who truly knew him.

Daphne knew everything he struggled with and she never told anyone. Issac sometimes wondered if that was the right call or not.

He stood in front of her decorated locker, the one right next Kayla's also decorated; there was a pit in both his stomach and heart like something was missing. He was alone in the hallway, something he was grateful for because the rush of emotions caused his claws to extend from his hands. His eyes glowered yellow. Issac could feel the warmth of her smile as he eyed the pictures of her, he could hear her laugh, and he balled his hands into fists, his claws cutting into his skin. If he wanted to, he could rip the doors off of all the lockers, he could burn down the school, he could kill—Isaac blinked, now being able to hear the sound of his own beating heart. He gulped, having the urge to reach out and touch the photo of his dead girlfriend.

"Isaac."

Isaac forced himself to change back and he shivered. His bones chilled. He slowly turned his gaze away from the locker. "Hannah," he voiced timidly.

"You're back," Hannah said in shock.

"Yeah, well, guess the police finally decided I was an innocent man," he said sarcastically. "Or I guess Jackson finally grew some balls and told the police the truth after days of me pleading that I didn't murder my father."

She winced slightly. Isaac eyed her hearing aids. "Maybe all the eyes will finally be taken off of me now," she voiced almost sarcastically, but she meant every word.

The first day Hannah returned to school, Isaac, along with everybody else, was in shock. He thought maybe he was in a dream. She'd been gone for months and came back a totally different person. She didn't speak, she didn't acknowledge anyone, and nobody realized she was almost completely deaf until she got hearing aids. She darkened. Isaac wanted to ask her questions c interrogate her about everything that happened, find out what happened to Daphne and the other girls, but he didn't. They haven't spoke until now.

The boy standing in front of her was not that Isaac Lahey she knew, the boy Daphne Torres was in love with and described to everybody. No, this boy was dark, he was on edge, he was in pain. That's when she noticed the blood dripping from his hands onto the floor. "You're bleeding."

Isaac quickly looked down and hid his hands in his jacket pockets. He scoffed a laugh. "Y'know, when I got told I could come back to school, I almost said no," he admitted, grinding his teeth. "Because I always ask myself 'What's the point of being here if she's not with me'?"

Hannah formed a frown.

"I didn't get to be with her in her last days. I didn't get to hear her voice. I'll never get to hear her laugh again. I'll never get to hug her. She's gone." He said bitterly through his teeth. Issac turned his head in the direction of Daphne's locker. "This is what people remember her as. A popular girl with a lot of friends. . . I lost my girlfriend."

"I'm sorry, Isaac." She formed words, guilt eating away at her.

Isaac scoffed another laugh and poked his tongue against his cheek. "I've spent months thinking, hoping, that I'm just stuck in a nightmare. That maybe Daphne's not dead and she's at home waiting for me to call her. Maybe she's just hiding. But that's not the case, is it?" His bitterness increased. "Maybe one day I'll get the truth. He finished and turned around, walking down the hallway, leaving Hannah in culpability.

You'll get the truth, Isaac, but it might kill you to hear it.