Chapter Seven

It was dark. I sit with Derek in his car in the car park of tenpin bowling. I watched as my friends went inside with happy smiles and I caught a glimpse of who my date is.

Dirty blonde hair, dark brown eyes, has dark clothing on and is friendly with Jackson.

"I know you told me to babysit Scott but I think he can handle going on a date," I told Derek, glaring at him.

"Just go," Derek rolled his eyes.

I had declined to get ready with Lydia and Allison. I didn't really feel like getting terrorized by Allison's parents. So, the only option was to get ready and have Derek drop me off.

"Are you sure you're okay with me going on a date? Because if you're not, I'm totally fine with just—"

"Yes, I'm fine with you going on a date." Derek had cut me off and he studied me. "Unless... You're actually nervous?"

I let out a fake laugh. "No! Me? Nervous? Shut the hell up." I exit out of the car, rolling my eyes.

"I'll pick you up at 9!" He yelled out to me with the window rolled down. I waved him off as I walked across the car park to the steps that led up into the tenpin bowling.

I walked into the surprisingly busy place. I found my friends on aisle 9.

My eyes land on the boy with dirty blonde hair and my heart begins to speed up slightly. Oh, no, I am nervous. He actually looks decent. He doesn't look like a jerk like I thought he would've.

"Oh, Faya, you're here!" Lydia exclaimed and jumped up from her seat. She got the guy and pulled him over to me, smiling widely. "Faya, this is Joshua."

"Hi," I speak shyly and I stuffed my hands in my pocket.

"Hey," he greeted back with a small grin, dimples appeared on his cheeks making my stomach turn into butterflies. "Call me Josh,"

Wow, I am a sucker for dimples.

We were left alone. I looked over and saw that Allison was taking her turn at bowling. "We should probably sit," I speak. Faya Hale never goes shy. Ever. I don't know what this boy has done to me.

He let me go sit down first, which was kind of him. We sat down side by side.

I eyed Allison and she knocked down a good few pins. Lydia is now at her station with Jackson behind her.

Jackson helps Lydia bowl and Lydia misses getting the gutter on both rounds. She pouted. "I'm so bad at this."

She turned on her heel and walked back over to us. Scott is sat on the other side and he gave me a smile.

"Hey, Faya." He greets.

"Hi, Scotty," I wink at him.

"Faya, it's your turn," Lydia said to me as she sat down on the other side of me.

Joshua gave me a smile and thumbs up. "Good luck."

"I don't need luck," I said as I walked over to the bowling ball and got the right ball. I walked over to the aisle.

I lined the ball up perfectly and took my shot, getting a strike at the end. I grinned widely.

I turned to the others, walking to sit down. "Impressive," Joshua speaks, nodding his head. "But have you seen my skills yet?"

He jumped up and took his turn, getting an instant strike. "Damn, you are good." I teased as he sat back down with a smug look on his face. "Bet you can't get all strikes."

"Oh, it's on," he held out his hand and I connected my hand with his. My heart quickens at how warm his hands are.

I removed my hand from him and continued to watch the others. Allison had walked over and got a strike as well.

Lydia grinned at her as Jackson walked up. "Somebody brought their A-game."

Allison high fives Scott, smiling. "Good job," Scott complimented her. Allison laughs, brushing a strand of hair back.

I watched Jackson scoring another strike. Lydia lets out a cheer for him, clapping her hands and grinning.

Jackson sighed in content and sat down next to Lydia, wrapping an arm around her. "You're up, McCall."

Allison nudges Scott. "You can do it, Scott."

Scott nods his head briefly and walked to pick up a bowling ball. He walked over to the isle and nervously looked around.

He then took his shot and ended up getting the ball in the gutter. I cringed for him.

Jackson lets out a laugh and I side glanced at Joshua, to see his reaction. I could see him smirking a little bit and he caught my eye, I shake my head at him, telling him not to laugh.

"Jackson?" I had barked, looking over at Jackson with a glare. "Mind shutting up?"

"I'm sorry," Jackson chuckled. "I'm sorry, I'm just flashing back to the words 'I'm a great bowler'."

"Maybe he just needs a little warm-up," Allison suggested.

"Yeah, maybe he just needs the kiddy bumpers," Jackson snickered.

"Just— Just aim for the middle," Allison advises Scott who stands near us with an embarrassed expression. I felt bad for him.

"How about you aim for anything expect the gutter?" Jackson sarcastically laughs out, which Lydia laughs at.

I shoot another glare over at Jackson. "Let him concentrate."

Scott gave Allison a smile before approaching the aisle with another bowling ball. He lets out a sigh.

Scott stands there for a decent five seconds before taking his shot. It goes down the middle,  but it ends up in the gutter.

"Oh!" Jackson had laughed and Scott's shoulders sank. "Great job, McCall. Man, you are a pro."

"Shut up," I had snapped at Jackson, weirdly feeling overprotective of Scott. Maybe it's because Derek said to think of Scott as a little brother.

I jumped up, seeing it was my turn. I grabbed my purple bowling ball and smiled. Purple is my favourite colour.

I walked over to the aisle and eyed it. I then bowl, getting an easy strike. I turned on my heel, walking over to Josh with a smirk.

"Second strike," Josh counted and I nodded. He looked up and saw it was his turn.

"Good luck," I tell him.

"I don't need luck," his dark brown eyes sparkled. He winked at me and I rolled my eyes playfully, smiling as he walked over to grab a bowling ball. He walked over to the aisle and just like me, he got a strike.

After the others had gone, it was finally Scott's turn. He approached the aisle again with his green bowling ball. He still looked embarrassed.

He does know he can cheat at any sport, right?

Allison jumped up and walked over to him, whispering a few things to him. She twirled back around and smiled proudly and took her seat.

Suddenly, Scott got a strike.

I grinned widely and for some strange reason, I felt super proud of Scott. I clasped my hands together excitedly, my heart beating widely.

Allison lets out a laugh and a wide smile as Scott turns back to her. Lydia looked over at Allison. "What did you say to him?"

"Uh, I just gave him something to think about," Allison grinned as Scott took a seat next to her.

Scott gave me a wide smile.

And just like that, bowl after bowl, Scott kept getting strikes and so did Allison. Instead of teaming against each other, we ended up working with each other. Josh, I mean. Allison, Scott, Josh, and I made a deal with each other.

The person who can get the most strikes has to make the losing team do something the winning team wants.

I'm not prepared to lose this and neither is Scott.

And, I guess it's even, considering each member of the team has a supernatural ability to cheat in sports.

"That is seriously amazing," Allison bragged as Scott came back from his strike. "Jackson, uh, how many strikes is that?"

"It's six," Jackson grits through his teeth. "In a row."

"Yeah, but we've got seven each," I looked over at Allison with a wide smile. "Josh and I are winning."

She lets out a giggle. "Not for much longer."

"Something just clicked, I guess," Scott had looked over at me with a knowing smile.

I giggled. "Maybe it's natural talent," Scott lets out a laugh at my joke.

Lydia had stood up, looking at Scott as it's her turn next. "I could use a little natural talent." Lydia pouts. "You mind helping me out this time, Scott?"

"Uh," Scott stutters, looking at Lydia. "No, you're good. Go for it."

Lydia inhaled sharply. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." And she walked over to the aisle after grabbing a ball.

"Hey, I'll help," Jackson had offered, standing up.

Lydia turned to Jackson. "Uh, how about I try this on my own?"

Jackson nods and lets her do it. I watched as Lydia had done a perfect form for bowling, getting a strike.

She turned around with a smile. "I think I'm getting the hang of it," she sits down.

"That was sort of perfect form," I told Lydia.

She looked at me with a dumb expression, twirling a strand of her hair. "Was it?"

Josh leant closer to me. "You won't do that with me, will you?"

I turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Act dumb for my benefit,"

My heart swelled and I shake my head, giving him a small smile. "So you're saying we should hang out more?"

"Yeah." Josh nods. "Only if you want to."

I intertwined our hands. "Of course I do." Butterflies. I'm feeling butterflies.

God, if we go further with anything, I'm not sure how Derek will take this.

I could only imagine one thing. Derek finding this boy and beating him up into a pool of his own blood. My heart sinks, realising that this could never work. Hales clearly aren't meant for relationships.

"Hey, you okay?" Josh asked gently, I blink and looked over at him.

"Yeah..." I mumbled. I sink into my seat with a frown set on my face. I should stop talking to Josh for the best.

If Josh does find out about my world, he'll only end up dead.

I tried to argue this in my head, but I couldn't. Derek's ex-girlfriend, Paige, died from this world. No human survives this monstrous world.

"Are you sure?" Josh was too sweet for me.

"Yes," I snapped, growing annoyed, not at him, but at the situation. I didn't mean to snap at him, but I suppose it's the best.

I ignored his hurt expression. I jumped up and walked away, going to the games section of the bowling alley.

I felt myself getting fired up and I was scared I'm going to hurt Josh unintentionally. I lean on a game. My life will never be normal, no matter how much I try to get it to be.

I looked down at my shoes.

I should just leave.

"Faya." I looked up and Scott's there, with a sad expression on his face. "What's wrong?"

"This," I mumbled, making a small hand gesture. He doesn't say anything and lets me continue. "I can't go on dates, Scott."

"Why not?"

"Because Hale's relationships always end up dead," I admit to him. "And I don't want Josh to end up dead. I don't want anyone to die because of me."

"Faya, don't think like that," Scott shakes his head. "I'm literally dating an Argent and I haven't been killed yet."

"That's different," I interject. "Allison doesn't know about the supernatural, I think. But, what do you think will happen when she does? Protect you? No. She'll get conned into killing you by her parents."

Scott continued to be in denial. "No, that's not going to happen—"

"That's exactly what will happen," I had snapped. "You're not the first werewolf to get into a hunters bed, okay? Bad shit will happen if you continue to be around her."

"Faya," he had growled, glowing his eyes at me. I glow my bright golden eyes back, standing up straighter and getting in his face. "We're talking about you, not me."

"So? My conversation is over. I can't date Josh." My eyes stopped glowing and I can feel myself getting heated.

I begin to panic. No, not here. Not now.

"That's not true—"

"Shut up," I tell him, trying to calm down.

"No, we're not done talking—"

"I said shut up!" I burst and gasped when flames appeared on my hands. I squeeze my eyes shut and Scott curses up a storm, shielding me from people's views.

"Faya, what the hell," Scott hisses. "Stop doing that!"

"I can't," I barked back. "I haven't learnt how to control it completely! Derek's still teaching me." 

"Listen to my voice," Scott tells me in a gentle voice. "Faya, you're okay. You're safe and you're with me. I'll protect you."

I felt myself calming down. My heart rate going to a normal pace, I looked down at my hands and they've completely stopped going into flames.

"Thanks," I mumbled shyly, embarrassed that Scott's the one that had to calm me down. Usually, it's Derek.

Derek has told me that whenever this happens, I need to think of something good. Like, what family I had— which at the time was Laura, Peter, and Derek. Now it's just Derek.

But, I guess, in some ways, I have Scott now too.

Even if our relationship is a bit odd.

"You're welcome," Scott replies back. "I have a question." I knew what was coming and I looked up at him. "What are you?"

I hesitate to answer. But I guess he did deserve to know. "A phoenix," I quietly said.

"What's that?"

I didn't answer his question. I looked over at the others. Allison was watching us the entire time with a pained and jealous expression. She turned away after catching my eye, talking to Josh.

Jackson wasn't there.

I looked over near us and saw that he was by a game. "What's wrong with him?" I wondered.

Scott had walked over to Jackson and I sighed, following. "Nice shot, man." Jackson ignored Scott's compliment. "Listen, I know we both didn't want to be here. But, the thing is, we don't have to hate each other."

Jackson looked up then looked at Scott with a clenched jaw. "I don't hate you. I just don't believe you. You know, you've got everyone thinking everything's fine and normal about you, but I know something's off. You cheated tonight."

"How do you cheat in bowling?" I remarked, slightly worried that Jackson might find out about our secrets.

"I don't know," Jackson shakes his head. "But you did." His eyes looked over my way. "And I bet you know about it as well. I see the way you guys glance at each other with smirks. And I don't know if it's steroids or something weirder. I'm guessing something weirder since it's pretty obvious that you're a freak. So, don't think for a second I've given up on finding out what your little secret is."

"I don't have any secrets," Scott protested, making eye contact with Jackson.

"Yeah, you do," Jackson smirked. "And here's the other thing. I don't know why, but I think whatever it is you're hiding," he looked over at Allison who was laughing with Josh. I scowled in annoyance. "You don't want her to find out about it, either."

I'm now waiting outside in the cold waiting for my brother with Josh. We made small talk, everything seemed... Weird. I didn't like it. And knowing that I'm the one that made things weird, made me feel bad.

"So, you and Scott close?" He asked. We're both sitting on the steps.

Were we close? Honestly, I wasn't even sure if we're friends. Yes, I want to be friends with Scott. Yes, I am his babysitter. Yes, I'm technically his sister now. I don't know what we are. We haven't confirmed anything yet. 

This whole situation is weird.

"He's like a brother to me," was my response. He nodded. "Speaking off, mine should be here by now."

I began to worry. Derek's never late unless something bad happened.

"What's his name?" Josh questioned, shifting closer to me. "Your brother, I mean."

"Derek," I answered, making eye contact with the brown-eyed boy.

"You guys close?"

"We're all we have," I replied sadly. Josh looked at me with wide eyes. "You don't know the story, do you?"

Josh shakes his head. "I moved here a few years ago."

I sighed. "It was called the Hale House. It's where I and the rest of my family grew up. I had a loving Mum and Dad along with my twin sister Cora, and my older sister Laura. One day, Laura had decided to take me to go support Derek's basketball game. Cora didn't want to, she wanted to play barbie dolls with Uncle Peter instead. Once the game was over, we all came to our house lit up in flames with all my family members inside... Only one survived. But, he's been in a coma for six years and hasn't made any improvement. A few weeks ago, Laura had gotten attacked in the woods by an animal and got killed. So... It's just Derek and I."

"I'm so sorry," Josh had tears in his eyes. Actual tears. He gave me this look. He felt sorry for me.

I just gave him a sad smile. "And I'm going to apologise in advance,"

"For what?"

The sound of the black Chevy Camaro comes into the parking lot. I sighed as he parked and climbed out. "This."

Josh is about to get a full integration by Derek. I stood up and Josh followed me down to meet my brother in the car.

He leans on the car and I noticed one of his windows is smashed. It was on the passenger side. I frowned.

"Hi," Josh was the first to speak. He sounded intimated. I looked at Derek who was glaring at Josh. I wanted to go die in a hole. Josh holds out his hand. "I'm Joshua Anderson."

Josh kept his hand out awkwardly. I held my breath, I wasn't sure if he was going to take Josh's hand or not.

I relaxed when Derek shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Joshua. I'm Derek."

"Call me Josh, though," Josh insisted and Derek nods, pulling away from his grasp. Josh looked at me. "I'll see you Monday?"

Butterflies interrupt my stomach and I forgot how to talk as I stare at Josh with wide eyes. "Yes, she will," Derek had answered for me. "I'll be in the car. You've got two minutes." He went around his car and climbed in.

"Um, sorry," I mumbled, quickly composing myself.

"It's fine," Josh tells me. He then brings me into a hug and I don't object. I relaxed into him, gripping onto him. "I'll see you soon,"

"Okay," I whispered and pulled away from him. He kissed my cheek. Blushing, I opened the door to the car. I entered the car and Josh closed it for me, giving me a smile. I smiled and waved.

Derek exits the bowling alley and we're left in silence.

"Faya," Derek spoke after a few minutes in a disapproving tone.

I sink into the car, annoyed. I know. "I know. I know, I can't date anyone. It's just going to get them hurt."

"Unless you think he's the one," Derek tells me. I raised an eyebrow. "Give it a few weeks. Your crush for him will either go into nothing or dwell."

My heartbeat rises in excitement. "Really?"

"If you really want that," Derek says softly.

"I really, really do."

A/N

7 chapters later and we finally meet Josh! Awe I love Josh and Faya already! Though I'm not really sure if I want Josh to stay in the plot...