Chapter 1

Rumors

"Can I sit here?"

Riley heard someone ask.

She looked up at the new girl who just started at Beacon Hills High.

"I don't see why not," Riley smiled.

The girl sat down and offered her hand to her, "Hi, my name is Allison."

She took the offered hand, "Riley."

"Do you always sit here alone?" Allison asked.

"I guess. I haven't really noticed. It's just always been this way…How do you like it here?" Riley asked trying to change the subject.

"It's just like any other high school across America," she said.

"Where are you from?"

"My last school was in San Diageo. My family moves around a lot," she said, "What grade are you in?"

"I'm a senior. Can't wait until I'm out of here. You?"

"Sophomore."

"You still have a few years left. I don't think that I feel sorry for you," Riley said.

"Allison!" Lydia said coming up to the table, "I thought I told you that you could sit with me at lunch," she said while looking at Riley.

"I couldn't find you," Allison said.

"No worries, I found you. Let's go!" Lydia said as she dragged Allison away from the table Riley was sitting at.

"It was nice meeting you," Allison called to Riley.

"You shouldn't talk to her," Lydia said once they were out of ear shot.

"Why?"

"She's not stable. And she's weird. Always wearing sweaters," Lydia said.

"Well, maybe she's always cold," Allison as she sat down at Lydia's table.

Jackson was already there waiting for them.

"Who are we talking about?" he asked.

"Riley," Lydia said almost disgusted.

"Oh, her," he said, "She's weird."

"That's what I said," Lydia said.

"Have you given the chance to get to know her?" Allison asked, "She seemed nice."

"She doesn't have any friends. I don't think she is nice…I hear she's deformed in some way," Lydia whispered the last part.

"I heard that too," Jackson said while looking at Riley from across the lunch room, "Ben told me that for someone who is deformed, she has a hot body," he said.

Lydia hit him, "She does not. And when did Ben see her naked?"

"He walked in on her while she was in the changing room at Macy's," he smiled, "He said that he was able to work off of her image for a while he played with himself."

"You're disgusting," Lydia cried.

Allison agreed.

"Don't worry babe, I don't need an image of another girl. I have you," Jackson said and then kissed her.

Lydia looked happy with herself.

"I heard that she was hospitalized for a mental break down a few years ago. That's why she's a super senior. She missed a whole year of school," Lydia continued, "That's why I think that you should stay away from her," she said to Allison.

"I think all your information is just rumors. You shouldn't believe them," Allison said.

"Suit yourself if it hurts your image, I warned you," Lydia said.

Allison looked over at Riley. She felt bad for her.

XXX

It was after school and Riley was at her place of employment, the only animal hospital in town.

"Scott, can you give me a hand with Dex?" Riley called.

She was having trouble putting the over large dog in his cage.

Scott McCall came running to the back where they keep the cages.

"He's been really worked up," she said.

Scott took the leash from her. Dex, the dog, put his tail in between his legs and backed up into the cage with no problem.

"That's weird, thanks," she said as she looked the cage.

"No problem. That's really out of character even for him," Scott said.

"Maybe it's the full moon coming up. All canines sense it," she said walking away.

"Yeah I guess," Scott said trying to catch up to Riley, "Can I ask you something?"

She stopped and looked at him, "Yeah."

"Are there…any wolves in California?"

She laughed, "No, not for a long time. Why?"

"Nothing…I thought I saw one last night in the woods. Can I ask you something else?" he asked.

"If you make it quick."

"Can you help me change my bandage?" he pointed to his side.

She looked at him questioningly.

"When I was in the woods last night…something bit me. I thought it might have been a wolf."

"That's your problem. Maybe you shouldn't be in the woods at night. You could get attacked by anything. Yeah, I'll take a look at it. Let me just get some bandages," she said.

She came back with a first aid kit.

"Where is it?" she asked as he took a seat on one of the tables.

Scott lifted up his shirt.

Riley could see the old bandage and the dried blood.

She removed the bandaged and sighed at what she saw.

"Is it that bad?" Scott asked while he tried to look at it.

"No, actually, the opposite. I don't see anything," she said while she touched his side, "Were you high when you were in the woods last night?"

Scott looked at himself and saw that there wasn't a scratch on him.

"I hope this isn't what you guys do when I'm not in. Play doctor, that is," Dr. Deaton said.

Scott put his shirt down and jumped off the table.

"Get back to work. Play doctor on your own time," Deaton said as he left to go to his office.

"I need the cages cleaned out," Riley said.

"Then why don't you do it," Scott said.

She laughed, "Oh it doesn't work that way. I've been working here longer that you have. I have seniority, which means you have to do as I say."

"I thought Dr. Deaton was our boss."

"He is. But you still have to do as I say. It's how it works. Rachel did the same thing to me when she worked here. When I'm long gone, and there is a new person, you get to do the same thing. So…the cages need cleaned," Riley said as she walked away.

Scott rolled his eyes.

Forty-five minutes later, Riley went to check on Scott's progress.

"This would go a lot faster if you decided to help. I would have helped if you asked me to," Scott said irritated.

They were outside in the back of the building.

"I just came to tell you, what a nice job you were doing and that I'll see you tomorrow. I have a Bio test to study for," she said.

"No you don't," Scott said and then he sprayed her with the hose, "Oops."

She couldn't believe that just happened, "I can't believe you just did that. I was just about to tell you that Deaton gave the night off to the both of us. You could finish tomorrow," she whipped her face of water.

Scott looked guilty, "I'm sorry. I have an extra shirt you could wear," he said.

"Oh no, that's okay. I have extra clothes in my locker," she slammed the back door behind her.

Riley was in the employee closet changing her sweater to a dry t-shirt she kept in her locker.

She didn't see that Scott and come back in after putting the cages away.

She didn't think to close the door behind her all the way.

He didn't think Riley was still in the closet, he stopped in between the door and the wall.

Riley heard the door creek; she turned to look at him.

She saw him looking at her scares on her back and shoulder. She turned completely away from him as she finished changing.

"Sorry," Scott said and closed the door.

He stood there trying to understand what he just saw.

Riley opened the door again and walked out, "I'll see you tomorrow," she said about to leave.

"Does it bother you? What the kids say about you at school?" he asked.

She stopped, "No not really."

"But they say…"

She turned to look at him. A little scare tissue was showing because of her short sleeve shirt.

"I know what they say. None of it is true, Scott. You really shouldn't believe in rumors," she said sadly.

"Can I ask, what actually happened?" he asked.

"I doesn't matter. It happened a long time ago…Can you lock up?"

"Yeah. I have a few things to do before I leave," he said.

"Thanks," she smiled at left to go home for the night.