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“DEREK!!! LET’S GO!!! WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE!!!” Laura yelled from the bottom of the stairs in the foyer. Keys jangling in her impatient hands.
“Yeah, I’m right here,” replied Derek from behind her. She was startled at first, not expecting her brother to be ready yet. Once she actually turned around and saw him, she was furious at him for not being ready.
“What the hell are you wearing? Go get dressed, idiot! Mom is going to kill us.” She snapped at Derek, and he replied with an eye roll. Yeah, in retrospect, she should have listed to her mom when she said the little kids will pick that up from her one day. Sure enough Derek did, because five year old Derek just wanted to be cool like his older sister, so for a year straight he copied her mannerisms because Laura was ten, and she got to have a shiny new bike.
“I am dressed. I’ve been dressed for the past forty minutes. What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“Are you serious right now? Do I need to remind you that mom is running to re-election? We have to look presentable. The election is Tuesday!” She looked incredulously at Derek.
“I’ll be damned if we lose to Kate Argent! Mom is a respectable woman and we need to show them that!”
“Laura, we are going to the town fair. Its farm animals, arts and crafts, and a Ferris wheel. There is nothing wrong with my jeans and shirt. Dressing up will only look like we are trying too hard. People already love mom, we are not losing to Kate Argent. Now let’s go.” With that Derek left the house to wait in the car for his sister.
The ride to the town fair was silent. Derek could tell that Laura was not thrilled with his attire, and she looked like she was about to berate him again. But Derek stood by his convictions. Besides his mom rocked, ok? She was a fucking queen and had always done right by the citizens of Beacon Hills in the past four years. Also, the fact that she was co-campaigning with Deputy Stilinski for the same party; they pretty much had this election in the bag. Because, really, who would not vote for the single dad/town hero for saving a few unfortunate citizens that were caught in the middle of a bank robbery two years ago? It’s a shame about Mrs. Stilinski’s passing; she was everyone’s favorite librarian and everyone loved her story hour; would have been nice to have her here.
By the time they arrive to the fair, there looks to be a pretty decent turn out, even though the fair just began ten minutes ago. Judging by Laura’s heavy exhale, Derek knew this was going to be a long day. Adjusting his “REELECT HALE” button, he made for the door to step out when his sister’s hand stopped him,
“Behave, don’t do anything stupid, ok?”
“Yes, ok. I know this is important, I get it.”
They both made their way to tent that the municipal office had set up to join with the rest of their family. Derek could see his mom speaking with her constituents and as they drew closer he could hear his mom thanking the lady for her support. His dad stood tall and proud to the left of his mom, holding a cup of lemonade, no doubt one he bought from Cora’s Girl Scout table.
There were also Girl Scout cookies peaking out of his mom’s bag where it was sitting on an empty chair.
“Hi mom, dad,” Laura greeted and smiled awkwardly at her parents. Derek nodded his greeting. He was never much for words.
“Kids,” their mom greeted in return, “I only as that you help with passing with some of these fliers and pins.” She kissed both her children on the cheek.
“AND stop by Cora’s table!” their dad reminded.
“Got it.” Derek made for the table to grab some fliers and bag of pins, and when he turned around his mom was looking at him fondly.
“You look as handsome as your dad did at your age,” the reminiscent tone in her voice did not fail to remind Derek that his parents have been together since they were both eighteen. Twenty five years later, they are still together, and married for twenty three.
“Hey! What about me?” Laura whined. Derek could not help the smug look on his face. Yup, his jeans and shirt were just fine for the town fair. Suck it, Laura!
“Beautiful, as always,” his dad smiled at Laura. Despite being the eldest and a young woman in her own right, she will always be their baby girl.
Derek and Laura made for the opposite directions from the tent and greeted as many people as they possibly could. They handed out fliers to eligible voters, buttons to children; hoping that their parents would vote Row A, and REELECT HALE, as the glossy paper and buttons boldly proclaimed. Hoping that they would make the wise decision and elect STILINSKI for SHERIFF by choosing Row A again.
By the time Derek had made it to the edge of the park, he had spoken to so many eligible voters he lost count, given out all of his fliers and buttons (including the one on his shirt to a little girl that wanted to be just like his mom when she grows up), stuffed his face with Girl Scout cookies and lemonade, and he was proud of himself. He looked across the park, searching for Laura, for his parents, only for his eyes to land on the municipal tent, where Deputy Stilinski stood with a young boy. A shy looking kid that looked incredibly uncomfortable. Derek wasn’t sure if the kid was uncomferatble by the large crowd that had come out to the fair or the fact that he was being spoken to by an officer of the law. His could see the kid fidget with this glasses and scratch his neck as he looked to the ground. Deputy Stilinski had one hand on the boy’s shoulder, nodding his head at whatever the kid is saying to him.
Even from way back here, Derek could see the kid’s features. He had an upturned nose, high cheek bones, a Cupid’s bow mouth, and incredibly pale skin. He is tall and lanky looking. The dark rimmed glasses stand out on his face, and if anything they probably enhance his eyes. Derek really wishes he was close enough to see the color of his eyes. The blush on his cheeks does nothing but fascinate Derek even more. He is completely enraptured by the kid and there is a desperate need within him to get to know the boy. And without realizing, he had begun walking towards the tent, not paying attention to his surroundings.
“Well, hello there!” Derek’s attention snapped to the voice in front of him. He is apologizing profusely to the person he bumped into on autopilot. He is not really focusing on who was really speaking to him, who he was speaking to, or truly meaning his words for that matter. He needs to get to the tent, damn it!
“Aren’t you a cutie!” the moment a hand caressed his cheek, Derek became alert. But it was a moment too late. Kate Argent is looking at him like a predator about to devour her prey. And it is a moment too late that Derek realizes that he is the prey. He is startled and bit flustered at her frank behavior. Like she knows him. Like she has the right to be so forthcoming with him. But Laura’s words echo in his head to behave and not do anything stupid.
Derek grabs a hold of Kate’s wrist and gently removes her hand from his face. He gives her a nervous, tight lipped smile and steps back.
“Good luck on Tuesday, Ms. Argent.” And with that he leaves a flabbergasted Kate Argent in his wake; like how dare he not give her the time of day and walk away so abruptly! He hurries along to the tent, only to see the kid across the parking lot about to get in a squad car with Deputy Parrish.
Derek really hopes the kid did not do anything stupid to warrant a reprimand from the man that is about to become the Sheriff. By the time Derek reaches the edge of the parking lot, the squad car is pulling out of its spot; he locks eyes with the kid, and stops breathing for a moment.
Derek is still a little dazed and confused when he makes his way back to the tent. His brain is unable to fully process what actually just happened. His heart beats wildly in his chest and Derek can feel a slight flush on his cheeks. Contrary to what Cora says, he is not actually a robot. He is capable of showing emotion; he just chooses not to let things phase him as much. Failing miserably on that front right now, though. He plops himself down on the empty chair where his mom’s bag sits and proceeds to scarf down cookies from the bag. Fuck yes, Samoas FTW!!
“What’s up goober?” Laura asks. Derek is startled, and looks up with wide eyes and cheeks full of cookies.
That is definitely a sign that his brain is officially fried. How did he miss Laura approaching? She is like a bull in a china shop. Not that she stomps around like one, but rather she is the kind of person that laughs the loudest, and makes conversation with everyone. It's really hard to miss her approaching. He raises a finger to her asking for a moment to swallow the cookies in his mouth before answering.
“Who was that kid? I hope he didn’t get in trouble with the Deputy,” yeah, his brain is mush. Of all the stupid things he could possibly say, that is what his mouth goes with. This is going to end bad for him, he feels it. Damn.
“Who?”
And Derek really hates that innocent, intriguing tone of voice his sister does when she knows the answer to something and is plotting something evil. Like she wants to lure you into her trap, leverage all the information out of you, and use is for her nefarious purposes…like blackmailing you into doing all her dirty work. Derek knows he is trapped, game over. He might as well let it play out and suffer with dignity. She only makes is ten times worse if you try to play it cool.
“You know who, stop being coy,” Derek huffs at her.
“Oh, that’s Stiles,” and with that she turns around and walks over to Cora’s table few yards down to make her own cookie purchase.
Oh, that’s Stiles. What does that even mean? What even is a Stiles?
It’s later that night during dinner that Derek finds out what a Stiles is. He is Deputy Stilinski’s son. He is a freshman at Beacon Hills High. And if the smug smirk Laura sends him is anything to go by, he is truly screwed.