CHAPTER NUMBER ELEVEN:
season number four episode weaponized!

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           OPHELIA DIDN'T STAY TOO MUCH LONGER AFTER MEREDITH SPOKE ABOUT CHARLIE. She refused to keep herself in that room more than she had to, and so she called Scott to come pick her up. But imagine Ophelia's surprise to see him pull up with Liam in the passenger seat who wore a small smile. The teen eager to unbuckle his seatbelt, Ophelia squealed and ran up the car— that she presumed was Melissa's— and jumped up and down on her toes as Liam clambered out of his seat and into her arms. Ophelia hugged his neck close to her, while his arms rested on her waist. He smelled of fresh soap, which meant he had went home and showered. Ophelia felt all her worries roll off her shoulders as she breathed in his scent, with happiness mixing in the pile. "You scared the shit out of me." Ophelia didn't curse often, but this seemed like a proper place to do so. "I've been so worried."

           The two pulled away, but Ophelia kept her hands on in shoulders in fear that if she'd let him go, he'd just disappear again. "I know. I heard you told Garret you were gonna kick his ass." He said with a raised eyebrow. "You need to stop threatening people my account, Ophelia." Liam chuckled, reaching up to brush a few strands of golden hair out of her face. He loved the way she cared so much about him. Nobody had before... "You flatter me too much." He sighed, making Ophelia giggle. "You're upset..." He pointed out.

           This caught Scott's attention, who was watching the two with his arms crossed as he leaned against the car. Ophelia furrowed her eyebrows at how he knew her emotions, but then she realized he could sense them. "I'm fine," she half lied. She wasn't fine before— but Liam made her feel better. "Meredith said something in there that put me on edge..."

           Ophelia flickered her eyes to behind Liam's back, where she saw Scott already watching her. "I'll tell you about it in the car." She promised, letting go of Liam's broad shoulders, and walking to sit in the backseat. Scott and Liam shared a familiar look, and followed her lead. Liam went to open the door to back where Ophelia was sitting, but Scott let out a warning growl under his breath. With wide eyes, he jumped into the front seat. In an instant, their eyes were searching hers for some answers from her.

           "Back when I was in kindergarten— I had this friend... His name was Charlie." Scott's ears perked up at the familiar name. Liam looked a bit confused, but allowed her to continue. "I met him in the middle of school. I was going over the colors of the rainbow with my teacher, because I kept mixing up orange and yellow." She explained, the memories falling back into place as she recalled them. "I remember feeling shivers down my back. Which was odd for Mrs. Pierces classroom because she always kept it warm during the summer and winter. My teeth were chattering all of a sudden, so she used her cardigan as a blanket to help soothe the goosebumps that rose on my skin." Her eyes trailed down her arm, where a new set of goosebumps were settling. "Nothing was making me feel better. Me being the little kindergarten kid I was, began to sob. And that's when his face flashed in front of me. It startled me so I screamed— making my teacher and classmates freak the hell out." A small chuckle slipped past her lips. "They called my parents and blamed it on 'lack of sleep'. Which wasn't true seeing as they always put me to bed at seven... But I went home and was punished for making a scene at school. I stomped up the stairs, mad that they didn't believe me... And that's when I saw him again. Sitting on my bed waiting for me. I jumped back— however this time I swallowed down my urge to scream. My curiosity got the best of me, and I walked in. I scanned his ginger hair, wide set jaw, lanky figure. He seemed to be about sixteen, which was double my age at the time. He told me his name was Charlie, and that he wasn't going to hurt me— that he was going to be my best friend." Ophelia's hand twitched from being so nervous, that Scott reached out to grab it. She blushed as his thumb ran over the porcelain skin to soothe her jitters.

           "He seems scary." Chimed in Liam.

           Ophelia nodded. "He was. Even more scarier when he was mad or jealous. He would push down people at recess and make it look like it was me so nobody would want to talk to me. He liked me all to himself, and everyone who tried getting close to me ended up getting hurt. Eventually people stopped trying when fourth grade came around— and Charlie brainwashed me into believing it was because they couldn't see me for who I truly was... that they didn't deserve my friendship." Shaking her head, Ophelia used her free hand to push back her hair behind her ear. "It was an abusive friendship, but I was so young I didn't understand. As I grew older, Charlie stuck around. I didn't know what he was, or why nobody else could see him. I just knew that my parents called him an imaginary friend— and that ticked me off because he wasn't in my imagination. He was real to me. Charlie truly was my bestfriend. He braided my hair. He'd read me stories at night when I couldn't fall asleep. In a sense, I did love Charlie..." She paused and looked down, both werewolves hearing her heartbeat accelerate. "Until the sixth grade dance. Travis Baker asked me to dance. Charlie told me not to, but I was just so excited someone wanted to dance with me, I accepted. He was so mad, that he made Travis fall into the snacks table when he leaned in to kiss me— and made it look like I pushed him down on purpose. Everyone stared at me like I was some monster on steroids. In the sixth grade, that was the talk of the school. For weeks people called me different names. I had no friends other than Charlie and he liked that."

           "Not long after that, my parents considered putting me in Eichen House. For Charlie had not been my only visitor— they assumed I was insane just like the people from school. I remember we were all sat at the table. I was crying, my mom was so angry at me for making her deal with me. One second everything was calm, and the next Charlie started exploding lightbulbs and throwing chairs. I guess it was his way of making them believe me." She picked at her fingers. "My mom cried as she clutched onto me. It had shaken her up bad. I went to my room and just sat on my bed thinking about how messed up my life was. Charlie came sit beside me. He held my hand saying things to try and make me feel better. Next thing I knew, he was trying to coax me into killing myself. I distinctly remember hearing him telling me that we would be able to be together forever, and that nobody understood me like he did." Her eyes went blank for a moment, until she regained herself again.

           "I didn't do it, obviously. I remember having a talk with my grandmother before she passed. She had clutched my hand, and said it was as simple as go away. And so that's what I did to Charlie. I made him go away and leave me alone... for good. Or what I thought was for good." She chewed on her bottom lip. "Meredith said he's back for me."

―•―•―•―•―

          IT WAS SILENT ON THE PORCH BETWEEN OPHELIA AND LIAM. Scott was waiting for Ophelia in the car as she said her farewell's to the freshman. She could the stories she told him didn't settle right within him because he looked sad. Ophelia frowned, and cupped his cheek. "What's the matter?" Liam was hesitant to answer her. "Did I do something to upset you— is it about Charlie?"

           "Kinda." He stuffed his hands in his pocket. "I'm just disappointed you didn't tell me you could see ghosts..." Liam sighed, feeling stupid. She wasn't his girlfriend— she wasn't obligated to tell him anything. But it still hurt his feelings. "I just thought we could tell eachother stuff like... that." He explained.

           Ophelia bit the inside of her cheek as she thought over an answer. She felt bad for not telling him sooner. She just didn't want him to feel like his problems were put on the backburner, or his issues mattered less. "Liam... I meant to tell you." Ophelia promised. "I just didn't want to put you on hold, or have you think differently of me."

           "I would never think differently of you, Ophelia." Liam answered. He looked up at her through his eyelashes as he said: "just like you didn't think differently of me." He whispered. Although he had never voiced it, he was relieved Ophelia was there for him. Mason was one of his closest friends, and his secrets just made the two of them drift farther away. "But I understand." Liam confirmed. "And ghost or not... it's my turn to threaten someone for you." He said, causing Ophelia to laugh. "Charlie's no match for these." Liam showed off his small muscles that weren't prominent— but were still there nonetheless.

           Cackling, Ophelia brought Liam into another hug. Her head nuzzled into his neck as he gripped her waist. "You're one of the best people I have ever had the privilege of meeting, Liam Dunbar." She sent him a dazzling grin as she pulled away with her eyes glistening with tears. "Sleep good, Li."

           Liam smiled back at her, watching her climb into the car. With one final wave to both Ophelia and Scott, he unlocked the front door and walked in. Ophelia buckled herself in, and almost immediately Scott spoke up. "He likes you." He said, his voice a bit dull.

           Ophelia's eyebrows furrowed as she glanced to Scott, who pretended to be focused on backing out of the driveway. "What?"

           "Liam—" Scott's jaw clenched.
"He likes you." He repeated. Ophelia's face scrunched up at the statement. Scott scoffed. "Oh come on. You know he does, Ophelia!"

           Ophelia gaped at him as she crossed her arms. "How would you know?" She questioned, quirking an eyebrow forward.

           "Because he looks at you the way I do." Scott muttered under his breath, gripping the steering wheel. "Like you're the only person to care about on this earth." — Ophelia's cheeks heated up as she moved her hand to rest overtop's Scotts on the small armrest.

           "You're something else, Scott McCall." Ophelia said softly, her lips pressing into a sweet smile as she gazed at boy beside her.

           Scott blushed, gulping at how nervous Ophelia made him. "The same could be said for you, Ophelia Cooper." He retorted.

―•―•―•―•―

           OPHELIA FELT HER STOMACH DROP AS SHE WALKED INTO SCHOOL, REMEMBERING THE EXAM. She hadn't been studying like she was supposed to, given the fact she had been thrown into the supernatural world head first. As soon as she walked in, Scott smelled her anxiousness amongst the others and grinned. Ophelia was too busy panicking, she hadn't seen him sneaking up behind her. In a sudden movement, Scott's fingers jumped into her sides making her gasp in surprise.

           "Scott!" She snapped, pushing his shoulder as he doubled over in laughter at her remarkable expression. "Don't do that."

           Scott's smile didn't cease as she pouted. It only grew three sizes. "You're going to be fine—" he reassured, but he could tell by the look that flashed across her face it didn't help. Sighing he moved closer to her, to where their bodies were almost touching. Ophelia's breath hitched in her throat as his thumb held her chin to make her look up at him. "Breath..." He coaxed. His left hand was making circles on her back to calm her breathing. "Relax..." Scott whispered.

           Ophelia gulped, the proximity between them sure wasn't helping slow her heart rate. "This isn't really helping," she mumbled, resting the palm of her hand on his chest.

           The affect he had on her made him grin. Scott loved seeing her all flustered because of something he did. "Take some deep breaths, princess. I know you'll fine..." He promised, pressing a quick kiss on top her forehead. "Now take an envelope and put your phone in. It's time to ace this test."

           Groaning, Ophelia slid her phone out of her back pocket as she lined up in the classroom. Ms. Martin handing the students their assigned envelopes. Her eyes read over a text her father sent her— a quick goodmorning and a love heart he sent almost everyday. It gave her a boost of confidence as she beamed down at her phone screen. "Cell phone in the envelope, Ophelia. You'll get it back after the test." She scolded her.

           Ophelia glanced up at her, before sliding in her phone and watching it get picked up. She looked up and down the rows to find her name, and she vocably groaned when she saw she was sitting by Stiles. "The feeling's mutual." He told her while fiddling with his pen. Ophelia knew there wasn't any way she was going to be able to concentrate.

           "Please do not open the test booklet unless you are instructed to do so—" Ophelia saw Stiles close his back up, causing an eye roll to escape. "This test is two hours and ten minutes. There will be two twenty–five critical reading sections, and two twenty–five minute math sections and an essay writing portion that will last thirty minutes." Mr. Simon told the whole class. "There's supposed to be two teachers monitoring the exam." He looked at Ms. Martin expectantly.

           "I know. It's Coach. He's not exactly punctual. Um, let me just try him again." She said as she stepped out the door to call him.

           As that was happening, Ophelia began to count on her fingers. She needed to focus on something so she wouldn't get distracted. Even though the past week had been everything but looking over notes, she was sure she could remember some things prior. — "Don't worry. Lydia told me all about this. I can help!" Allison popped up from behind her, bending over the desk to whisper in Ophelia's ear. Not that she needed to. Ophelia's eyes flickered across the classroom.

           "Allison— that's cheating!" Snapped Ophelia under her breath so no one would hear. No one except a curious Scott McCall.

           "It's not cheating." Allison denied crossing her arms. "It's not considered cheating when Scott uses his powers during lacrosse... You're just using your powers on this test that's hard and you need help."

           Ophelia pursed her lips. "Allison... I appreciate you wanting to help me, but I have to do this on my own. I couldn't cheat and know I cheated— I'd feel guilty." She tried covering her mouth with her shaky hand.

           Scott didn't know for sure who she was talking to, but he had a good idea. A small smile made it's way onto his face as he heard Ophelia talking about her guiltiness. She had a good heart that always thought about others— and he somehow felt like he related to that.

           Coming to the realization that Coach was going to be a no show, the test had to go on. Ophelia sat up straight and opened her test. Her fingertips danced along the wooden desk to distract her and keep her from having a massive panic attack— like Sydney— who had just fallen out of her desk. Ophelia watched as Ms. Martin helped her back up, chewing on her lip knowing that'd be her.

          Ophelia turned back to her paper. Her eyes scanned the words— and to her surprise, she remembered some of the vocabularies. Her pencil circled what she thought would be important information for later, when Ms. Martin burst through the door with the C.D.C behind her. Ophelia gaped as she was rushed to an inspection spot where Scott had also been placed. "This is outrageous!" She said to herself. Bitterness laced her words.

           Scott chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "I was doing so good." She whined and leaned into his touch. Ophelia huffed and cross her arms. "I might forget all the information next time." Ophelia noted.

           "Then you can get your little ghost cheater to help you out some more." Scott teased. Ophelia blushed when she realized he had heard her talking to Allison in class.

           "I wasn't going to listen!" Ophelia promised. "I told her to keep quiet."

           "I'm sure you did." Scott nodded.
"Cheater—" he added quickly. Ophelia smacked her lips and pushed at his chest.

           "I hate you..."