“Thanks,” he said after a moment. “No one deserves trauma and it’s not something I would wish on anyone. But it’s fine.” After finding his sister again, it was hard for him to not compare his life to hers. Compared to her, he seemed to have a walk in the park. But he had mostly accepted that trauma isn’t a competition. What they both experienced was real. Kole shrugged. “Yeah, I was sports popular…like, when we won a game they would all congratulate me and whatever but I didn’t have any actual friends. I ate lunch alone. I didn’t want to be popular…just…not avoided.” Despite how it looked on the outside, Kole had never been accepted by his peers growing up. “Hopefully you had a better time with the whole friend thing…though judging by the way you talk, I am going to guess that you avoided it.” A chuckle escaped his lips at her last words. “You’ll fight me, huh? I don’t know if that’s a good idea…my clumsiness fools people…I’m actually pretty strong.”

"You don't have to thank me, I'm just stating the truth." She shrugs absentmindedly and stirs her drink. "It's really not fine, Kole, and honestly? There's some people out there who have done some really sadistic things and they don't exactly deserve good things." She muses with a frown. "See, I'm sorry, but I would have probably assumed and avoided just because that wouldn't have been my scene, but being popular is far too overrated anyway, social status disappears the day you walk off that field in your cap and gown." Taking another bite of her food, she swallows and nods. "A hundred percent, it wasn't like I was a stoner kid taking a hit under the bleachers or anything, I just sat at my locker and people watched, wrote a bit in my journal, silly things like that." Skylar laughs at his words before clicking her tongue in disagreement. "I don't know..I think I could take you."

“Hey, no.” Lydia immediately shook her head at Skylar’s words. “It’s totally fine. I was awake anyway.” The strawberry blonde said softly. She had helped Stiles with his nightmares for a long time, and even had a couple of her own. So Lydia knew exactly what this was about and she didn’t mind that Skylar had shown up. She’d known the other girl since childhood and would do anything for her. “I’m glad you came here. Seriously, Sky. Come inside.” Lydia stepped out of the way to let the darker haired girl inside the apartment. “If you need to talk, I’m all ears.” Lydia could be a harsh person, and come off kind of cold. But as soon as someone she cared about was hurting, she immediately went soft. Almost like she went into protective mode within seconds. “Take a seat on the couch. I can get you a blanket, sweatshirt, a drink, anything you need.” Lydia offered. “Or I can just sit and listen.”

"Honestly, it's okay, I really should have waited until at least it was morning, but why were you awake?" She finally focuses up on her and notices that she didn't look like she had just woken up, a look of worry forming in her expression as her eyebrows crinkle together. Following Lydia inside, she sits herself down on the couch and keeps her arms around herself. "Can I get a drink, please?" She already knew the answer but wanted to ask anyways. "Do you remember..when my parents passed away? I had just turned fourteen and pushed myself away from...everyone."

Kole was definitely not someone who could read people well. Sure, he had his wolf senses to help with feelings and what not but the intent behind people’s niceness or opposite was usually lost on him. He wondered what it was like to have that ability. “Oh. No….just years of trauma,” he told her, shrugging his shoulders. It was much easier to excuse it that way. It wasn’t like he could blurt out his secret to this basically complete stranger. “I suppose unique is a good way to put it,” he told her, knowing full well that he fit into that category. “Ah…yeah, I’ve heard some of that. I think a lot of people pretended to be someone they were not in high school. A lot just wanted to be popular because they were afraid of what it was like not to be.” Kole took a bite of his burger and chewed thoughtfully as she spoke. Warnings were easy to give out, he knew the truth in that, especially when someone had been hurt previously. It was the same for him. Yet, he didn’t want that to stunt his growth as a person. “Ah….hurt. Isn’t that part of like the human experience? Hurt goes with it…regardless if we try to avoid it or not. Why should anyone stop themselves from something because of a chance?” Kole chuckled and shook his head. “I have been called a lot of things….weird, stupid, loser….annoying…but I don’t remember cute being on the list.”

Her smile falters as she looks down, understanding the years of trauma part as well as anybody else did in this town, it seemed to be a far too common thing here. "I doubt you deserved those years of trauma, I'm sorry you had to go through that." She honestly states, just because she didn't really know him at all, didn't mean that the person she was getting to know, deserved that torture. "There aren't many other good enough descriptions for this place, or more specifically, the people in it, when the majority of them are rather unique, and the other's..I'm not sure as to why they are still here, other than the cheap prices." Sky muses with a raised eyebrow as she listens to him, nodding her head in agreement. "I'll never understand the whole need to be popular, but to each their own, I suppose." Taking another sip of her drink, she tilts her head as he explains hurt and how human..it truly was, and for once, she couldn't quickly counteract it with something. "Unfortunately it is, and admittedly...you do have a point, if we got rid of hurt overall, we wouldn't learn our lessons or make the mistakes that we need to in order to grow, but I just really don't want to hurt anyone else." Skylar states as she makes a face at him. "Then I just added it to the list and I'll fight you if you disagree." She grabs one of her french fries, mimicking the sound of a lightsaber as she waves the french fry, a grin on her face.

“Basically,” he told her, a tight smile on his lips. The truth was Kole was born into the supernatural world and had never been taught how to live in it on his own. Wolves weren’t, by nature, lone animals. Wolves - and that included werewolves whether they were born or made - were pack animals at heart. Kole didn’t even know if he would know how to be in a pack. Sure, now he had friends, but he always felt like he was still on the outside of it all. Hearing her talk really had him wishing that his parents never moved and they were still alive and life had been better. Sure, he wouldn’t have been the angry boy she said she would have befriended but he still would have been the awkward kid and maybe that would have been enough. “Lydia?” he asked, his eyebrow raising. “I know her. We’re friends…she helped me a lot with my dyslexia.” This town really was small and he was learning just how small every day. “And this is me ignoring your warning. Besides, my dad taught me that every mistake is a lesson and so, if you’re a mistake then it’s a lesson I guess…wow that was not smooth.”

"I like to think that I can read people well enough." She remarks, though the tight smile on the other's lips makes her frown for a moment. "Is something wrong?" She questions with a tilt of her head, willing to listen if he did decide to open up to her, but she would also understand if he didn't, they barely knew each other after all. "This is a small town after all, and certainly getting smaller as time goes by, can't exactly blame the people when Beacon Hills certainly has...a unique portion of people. Lyds and I were best friends when we were younger, but she wanted to be popular, and I wanted to be on the outside of it all." Skye explains with a warm smile. "I'm glad she helped you though, from what I've seen, she's changed for the better compared to that high school persona." Looking up at him, she searches his eyes for something as she chews on her bottom lip out of stress. "Kole...I hurt people, it is..one of the only good things I'm doing so I'm warning you for good reason, it's not because I want to be alone, I just don't want to hurt you." The young witch explains. At his words, a snort escapes alongside her genuine laughter, causing her to quickly try to stifle the rest of her laughter in fear of snorting again as she covers her face for a moment. "Not really, but it was a cute attempt anyhow."

“Ah. See, my brain should be pessimistic at this point but it’s just not. You’d think….” Kole stopped himself. She didn’t know he was a wolf and he wasn’t going to give out that information. He had a few friends that knew - mainly because they were also supernatural. “You know, after all I’ve been through…but no.” He shrugged his shoulders, covering up his almost accident. He really needed to be more careful with what he was going to say. Her words made him look up at her for a second. It didn’t seem that she meant to say it but as far as he could tell, it seemed that she was keeping something very hurtful inside. Of course, he wasn’t going to push it but it did make him sad for her. Kole chuckled. “Thanks for that. You’re a rare one, then.” Kole raised an eyebrow before taking a bite of his food. He finished it and grabbed his drink. “Too bad. We’re friends now,” he told her before taking a drink of his shake.

"It should be because you've gone through so much hell that there should mainly be negative energy in your head to the point that you're numb, but somehow, you can still find the good in things..and in people?" She guesses that's what he might say as she raises an eyebrow in intrigue, for she knew that, that wasn't something she had ever learned to do. Nodding her head in understanding, she diverts her eyes back down when she sees him look up at her after her slip-up, it certainly wasn't something she would share to....anybody really. Reaching up, she rubs the top of her nose and laughs softly at his next words. "It's no problem and no, I wouldn't want to be that, there's nothing too rare or special about me, I'd rather stick to the sidelines, but I did always prefer a small group of friends and with your personality, you would have been at the top of that list, other than my ol' best friend, Lydia of course." Skylar muses as she shakes her head and offers a small smile. "Kole...trust me, you're making a mistake and this is me warning you."

Kole sighed and picked up a fry; though he didn’t eat it at that moment. “The thing is…I guess we all have shit that happens in our lives that make it seem that we are meant to be alone but I don’t think any of us are.” He did push the  fry in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. After he swallowed he spoke again. “My twin sister was taken by the people who killed my parents…I was tossed between foster homes because…no one wants an upset, angry nine year old…and then I just got older which didn’t make it better. I didn’t have friends until I moved here. Now, though….it’s different. I have my sister back and some friends…so, don’t think about just being alone always…reach out.”

Putting down her own food for a moment as she wipes her face carefully with a napkin, she listens to his words with an intrigued expression clear on her face, a small smile threatening to spill on her lips. "Well, I'll admit that you are not wrong, Kole. I don't usually like to be wrong, but I give credit where it is due and that's a good way of thinking, better way than what my brain always goes to, I have a rather pessimistic thought-filled brain, but I'm working on it." She remarks with a scrunch of her nose at her own words due to them not being entirely true, she did enjoy the negativity, helped give her a reason to fight in the first place. "Perhaps I should talk with your sister then, we'd have something in common." The words slip out before she can fully register it as Skylar clears her throat and sticks a fry in her mouth to distract herself. "I would have befriended an upset, angry, nine year old back when I was a kid if that makes you feel any better." Sky replies with a small smile up at him before she genuinely laughs. "Oh...no, I'm not good on that part, and I'd rather not make friends."

“i mean i did leave a dog behind actually, but i had lydia watch him.. i just mean like, worrying about whether or not there’s gonna be a catastrophic event that will kill several hundred people and stuff like that. it’s always gonna be on my mind, no matter how long things stay calm here. but it was nice to get away. you should try it if you can.” talia really did enjoy her time out in washington, even if she was a little worried the entire time. she still had a great time and it was a nice escape. her eyebrows slowly furrowed at skylar’s story as she frowned and shook her head. “i.. that’s awful, skylar. i’m really sorry. i remember hearing about it at school but i never really knew too many details. it’s not like i was gonna ever ask you back then.” the two still weren’t super close, but enough time had passed that talia felt more comfortable with at least asking now.

It shouldn’t have shocked him as much as it did - that her parents were murdered - still it took him by surprise. His jaw clenched out of reflex and he felt his chest grow a bit tighter. “That sucks,” he said after a moment. It more than sucked, honestly. He wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone. “Beacon Hills seems to have that affect on people…” His parents weren’t murdered in the small town they were both in but the fact that they were supernatural; a werewolf and a druid, caused it. “How old were you?” He knew that she didn’t want pity or for him to go on and on about it. He knew what it was like and for him, that would be enough.

Making a face, she swallows down the lump in her throat and nods her head. "Honestly, I'm just grateful that you didn't apologize weirdly enough, which I know you would understand." She muses, clicking her tongue. "One can only hear I'm sorry so many times before you're just numb." Skylar states as she finally looks back up at him, contemplating on whether or not she should tell him the actual truth, or if she should tell him the lie that's been going around Beacon Hills since she was fourteen, and in that quick moment, she makes her choice. "I was just a baby, I didn't really know them at all." Skye says with a small shrug. "Had adoptive parents at that, they died on my birthday a few years back, so I think I'm just destined to be alone." She lightly jokes, though she doesn't mention how the second death is her fault.

“I probably need it,” he told her, a shoulder rising and falling quickly. He was glad she took him up on his offer. He would have felt bad to eat while she was waiting. “My story?” he asked, chuckling lightly. His story was one that most people could not know - at least not fully. The partial truth would work, though. “I am a new-ish resident. I actually was born here. I went to school here until first grade. My parents were both raised here, met in high school, and got married…they moved away when my twin and I were seven…when I was nine, my parents were murdered.” He was so used to telling the story that it just came out without him thinking. “After bouncing from foster home to foster home…I decided to come back here…”

"Oh, I'm sure you're not that bad, but I'm still happy to help." She responds with a smile and tilt of her head. "Everybody has a story." Sky simply states as she looks up when she sees her food arrive, though she quickly steals one more fry from his plate with a laugh. She visibly frowns when he reveals that his parents were murdered. "I know you may have heard this a lot, but I am sorry, people don't deserve that, or at least not many of them do." She muses with a shake of her head. "We're the same on one thing, my parents were murdered too." Her eyes drift down as she takes in a deep breath, it was the honest truth and it wasn't one that she told..most people.

“I did not notice anything but I have to admit I’m not the most observant.” It was true. Kole’s strengths lied with his wolf for the most part. Heck, even being a wolf couldn’t help how clumsy he naturally was. Kole shook her hand, an amused smile on his lips from her words. Still, it was already a better meeting than any he had when he was in foster care. Kole heard his number being called out and the worker brought over his food and shake. He motioned to the fries. “You want a few while you wait?” Kole had a couple of burgers so he mostly had enough food and he didn’t mind sharing while they waited.

"That's okay, I've been told that I observe too much, so I could easily help you figure out how to observe things better if you'd like." She offers with a small smile. Putting her hand back down, her eyes light up slightly at the offer as she nods her head, awaiting her own burger and milkshake. "Sure, thanks." She reaches over to take a few and place them on a napkin. "So, what's your story then, Kole? I mean, I've seen you around a couple of times but didn't you see before that, are you a new resident? And if so, why?" Her tone at the end is lightly joking because of how Beacon Hills could be as she pops a fry into her mouth.

“i think it’s kind of why the town has stopped hosting large events like that. almost every time it always ends with several people dying. or getting severely injured. or a building being destroyed.” talia could go on, but she felt like skylar got the point. it really sucked that beacon hills had to be on high alert all the time, but it was just their reality. “yeah, even if it didn’t feel super relaxing while i was gone, i still had fun. i just spent a lot of my time worrying about what was going on here, or if i’d have to rush home at some point.” but it seemed to actually be quiet for once, which was a great sign. “you’re definitely not alone on that. i think that’s how most people here cope with everything. but it really does wonders to let that sort of stuff out.” she paused for a moment as her eyebrows furrowed at skylar’s next words. “what happened again? if you don’t mind me asking..”

That was not what he was expecting - not that he was expecting anything in particular. For a very long time, Kole was not the person anyone would approach to sit with. Even the guys on his lacrosse team avoided him during lunch hours. He always thought that maybe his wolf gave off really intimidating energy but here in Beacon Hills it seemed that no one was overly bothered by him at all, thankfully. “Oh…yeah that’s fine. I’m waiting for my food now…it is pretty crowded here. Yeah, go ahead and sit down…” Kole licked his bottom lip nervously. “Oh. Duh. My name is Kole, by the way.”

Tilting her head to the side, she nods her head at his explanation before sitting herself down in front of him. "Yeah, this place isn't usually so crowded so now I'm curious if there's some kind of special going on or something along those lines." She remarks with a lazy shrug before pursing her lips in thought for a moment. "Well, it's not the worst to meet you, Kole." Skylar muses as she extends out her hand.

i recognize you. oh, the way the words sunk in like a stone in a river bed. it would be entirely unsurprising to allison if she looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the stranger spoke to her. because she was a stranger. allison didn’t recognize her in return. “i’m–” what? what? “i don’t recognize you,” she said, shaking her head. a strand of her dark hair slipped free from where she’d tucked it behind her ear. “what– what doesn’t go away?” and who are you? but that seemed rude to ask.

“i think a joint therapy session would probably be a great idea. but knowing beacon hills, some goon would take it upon themselves to try and kill all of us while we gathered in one spot. so maybe not.” talia shrugged, frowning at the mere thought of her pessimistic comment. she still had a bad feeling that something was off in beacon hills now that she was back, but she tried to remind herself that she was acting paranoid. the town had been fairly quiet for months now. maybe everything really had calmed down. “it’s fine though, seriously. sometimes stuff like that just kind of comes out. anyone who lives here kind of has a free pass to get emotional every once in awhile. i remember hearing about what happened with your parents and stuff. i’m uh-... i’m sorry. there’s not really much else to say, i guess. that’s just awful.” talia didn’t know the full story, but she knew the vague details.