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His heart clenched in his chest when he heard Issacs's voice say the words they had all been dreading. Erica was dead. His Catwoman, one of his first friends. She was gone, and he couldn’t even tell her… He took a deep breath and went on with the rest of the night with the others, but Scott had stayed close to him. He knew something was wrong with Stiles. He didn’t have to be a werewolf to know. Stiles wanted to make sure Isaac and Derek were okay, but the two had closed up and took off before he could focus all his energy on them.
So instead, he headed for his jeep.
He sat there for a while, staring at the wheel, letting the words ring in his ears. He could still hear her laugh and see her smirk. Even as a wolf, that smirk had been the same. Sure, it had a bit more bite to it, but it was the same. A devilish little quirky thing that made you wonder if she really was the sweet, innocent little girl.
When he finally drove, he found himself at the old playground. It wasn’t far from his house, but far enough away that his father probably wouldn’t suspect that he was there. No one would. Why would he be hanging out at some broken down playground in the middle of the night? Stiles was weird, but he wasn’t that weird.
He sat himself down on the only swing that wasn’t broken and rocked himself as he let the memories take over his mind.
“Sweetie, go on, you’ll never make friends if you stay clinging to me all day.” His mom’s voice was laughing, but she was stern as she gave him a gentle shove towards the gang of kids that were running around and playing. He, of course, didn’t see Scott McCall, the nice nurse’s son who had hung out with him during his mother’s appointments, but there were a bunch of other kids.
He slowly made his way over, at first heading for the roundabout before thinking better of it. The kids were going way too fast, and he was prone to get hurt. He didn’t want his mother to worry any more than she already did for him. So, he went for the swings.
He sat down next to a boy who got up the moment Stiles sat down, jumping away to go and play somewhere else. He hung his head and just rocked himself back and forth for a bit before someone sat down next to him again. He looked over to see a meek little girl, smaller than even he was, sitting on the swing. Her lip was bleeding, and she had a bruise forming on the side of her cheek. She had obviously been crying and Stiles felt like it was his duty to make her cheer up.
“I’m Stiles. Do you wanna be my friend?” The little girl must have just noticed him because she almost fell off the swing when he spoke. But she nodded her head at him before ducking it, letting her blonde hair fall over her. Stiles could see a smile on her face, though.
“I’m Erica…”
They remained close in elementary school but, once junior high started, he and Scott became the outcasts. He didn’t want to drag Erica down that road with them, and she was trying to fit in with the other girls more. Girls who hated Stiles. So, the two had parted ways, but would say hi to each other when they saw each other.
Then the bite happened. Stiles wasn’t angry like Scott had been. In fact, Stiles was the one who pointed the Alpha in her direction. Especially after her seizure during the rock climb. He felt helpless, as Scott had been the one to run to her side, but maybe Derek could help her more than he ever could.
Boy, did that not work out the way he thought.
He smiled to himself as he swung, remembering being blasted in the face by his own car pieces, and dragged away by her. He had to admit the new look, looked amazing on her. But he always thought she was beautiful. Especially on Halloween, when they would match costumes without trying. So, when he made the Batman comment to her, it wasn’t to sass her, and she knew it. He could see it in those honey brown eyes.
She knew. He was still her Stiles, still her first friend. She was still his.
He felt the tears running down his face as he hung his head and let go of the chains on the swing. Running his hands through his hair and sobbing his heart out.
Erica was gone, but she’d never be forgotten.