CHAPTER THREE:
I VOLUNTEERED

AS THE DAY ROLLED BY, Elaine continued to be distracted, the Latin phrase still repeating in her head in a jumbled mess. It made her head continuously ache. Lydia had managed to catch up to the girl, telling her about how there was going to be a math test the next week and that they should make a study date for it. Upon noticing Allison, Elaine called out to her, offering the girl a small smile.

"Allison, hey!" Elaine smiled, stopping in front of the woman with Lydia joining her side.

"Elaine." Allison smiled back, moving her gaze from Scott who she had been looking at moments prior.

"Allison, this is my friend Lydia. Lydia this is Allison." Elaine introduced the duo, smiling kindly.

"That jacket is absolutely killer." Were the first words Lydia spoke towards the girl, making Elaine sigh and cross her arms over her chest. "Where did you get it?"

"My mom was a buyer for a boutique back in San Francisco." Allison explained to the strawberry blonde.

Lydia smirked. "And you are my new best friend."

"Dude, right here." Elaine spoke, scoffing once more.

"You know I love you, Laine." Lydia responded, sending her friend a smile. Elaine rolled her eyes before moving so that she was leaning against the lockers beside Allison, her foot placed against the locker and her hand running through her red-ish tinted hair. She wasn't really sure what color her hair was exactly, seeing as it changed depending on the sunlight. At the moment it had a auburn-red tint. Sometimes it was dark brown, sometimes it was light brown, sometimes red decorated it. She gave up on her natural hair color after the third grade.

That's when Jackson appeared greeting Lydia with a small make-out session making Allison and Elaine exchange looks, Elaine giving Allison an apologetic smile. Lydia moved her lips from her boyfriend before turning her attention back towards Allison. "So, this weekend, there's a party."

"A party?" Allison questioned.

"Yeah. Friday night." Lydia answered her. "You should come."

"Uh, I can't." Allison answered. "It's family night this Friday." Elaine couldn't help but smirk slightly at the excuse that the girl had managed to come up with.

"You sure? I mean, everyone's coming after the scrimmage." Lydia asked, raising an expectant eyebrow at the girl.

"You mean football?" Allison asked, smiling slightly. This of course earned an obnoxious laugh from Jackson, making the teenager roll her eyes.

"Football's a joke in Beacon." Jackson told the female, leaning against the locker. "The sport here is lacrosse. We've won the state champion for the past three years."

"Because of a certain captain." Lydia smiled, turning towards her boyfriend who smirked.

"Well, we have practice in a few minutes. That is, if you don't have anywhere else. . ."

"Well, I was going to―︎"

"Perfect!" Lydia smiled, taking Allison's hand and walking off. Elaine rolled her eyes before following after the two and towards the lacrosse field. The three girls walked towards the bleachers and taking a seat, Elaine noticing the exchange between Allison and her brother. They sat down and Elaine nudged Allison, grabbing the dark haired girl's attention. Elaine cocked an eyebrow at her.

"What was that?" Elaine questioned.

"What was what?" Allison asked, frowning.

"The exchange you just had with my brother."

Allison's eyes widened. "That Scott? That's your brother?"

"Yep." Elaine answered, popping the 'p'.

"You two look nothing alike." Alison spoke.

"I'm adopted." Elaine answered.

Alison's eyes seemed to widen even more, her cheeks heating up. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I didn't even―︎"

"Don't." Elaine smiled, laughing slightly. "It is perfectly fine, Ali." Elaine seemed to raise her eyebrows in surprise as she watched coach throw a lacrosse stick towards Scott, along with a helmet and gear. "Am I seeing that correctly? Is my brother actually going on field?"

"He gave me a pen earlier today." Allison suddenly spoke, making Elaine cock an eyebrow at her.

"My brother spoke to you? Huh. That's a first."

"Why do you say that?" Allison questioned.

"Well, he usually only talks to Stiles and I, sometimes a few others, but he likes sticking with his partner in crime." Elaine explained. That's when the whistle blew, making Elaine frown slightly as she watched her brother cover his ears at the sound. The first ball was thrown, hitting him right in the face plate, earning a wince from Elaine and laughs from the team of boys. She watched as Scott stood up again, another ball being thrown before he caught it. Elaine's mouth dropped slightly as she sat up straighter. She glanced down towards Stiles who was still on the bench, listening as he cheered for the boy.

Her gaze moved back towards Scott, watching as he caught the next one. Along with the next one, and the next, until he had somehow managed to catch all of them, including Jackson's. This of course earned surprised looks from everyone who knew how bad he was at the game. Elaine stood up, cheering loudly for her brother with Lydia joining her in the process, Stiles standing up on the bench as he yelled for his best friend.

When practice was over, Elaine turned towards Lydia. "Hey, I'll be there in a minute."

"Just hurry, yeah?"

Elaine gave her a two fingered salute before jumping down the bleacher and making her way towards Scott and Stiles. "What the hell was that?"

"I told you that working out would pay off." Scott smirked towards his sister who rose an eyebrow at him. "While you and your dead language still has no purpose."

"Oh haha." Elaine mocked, narrowing her eyes at him. "Anyways, where are you two off to?"

"Scott found the dead body." Stiles told her. "We're going to go see it. Wanna join?"

"Yeah, no thanks." Elaine spoke, scrunching her nose up in response. "I have to work both jobs tonight. So, I have to go."

"I thought the hospital was only on the weekends?" Scott questioned with a frown.

Elaine sighed. "Yeah, it usually is. But, mom said they were short on nurses, so I volunteered to help."

"You've been doing that a lot lately." The trio all started walking towards the parking lot.

"Well, I have to save up for a car some how." Elaine answered with the shrug of her shoulders. "I don't mind the work. It helps us out, even though I don't get paid that much, it's still money that mom doesn't have to use on us." She ruffled Scott's hair before offering a smile towards Stiles. "I'll see you two whenever." With that, the female walked off and got into Lydia's car, requesting to go home before she had to spend the first half of the day at the hospital, and the second half at the animal clinic with Scott.

"You know, my mom loves you. She could totally get you a car if you asked." Lydia said, shrugging her shoulder earning a blank look from Elaine.

"Did you just hear yourself? I'm not asking your mother to buy me a car. That's rude. And besides, I'd rather be able to get one myself. Pay for it, and not feel in debt to your mother." Elaine told the female.

"What's the point of having money if I can't spoil my friends with it?" Lydia questioned.

"I have a brother Lydia, I'd have to share the vehicle with him and I'd rather not." Elaine pointed out. Lydia thought about it for a moment before nodding her head.

"Right. Forgot you had one of those."

They stopped in front of Elaine's house, the woman quick to unbuckle her seat belt before running into her home and changing into the pair of blue scrubs that she was forced to wear. She grabbed a bag, stuffing it with regular clothes for when she went to the animal clinic afterwards. She quickly brushed through her hair before putting it into two braids and then running back out of the house and getting in Lydia's car.

"Go." Elaine breathed before Lydia nodded and started towards the hospital.