𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 ━━ scott mccall

TEN ━ ❝to be somebody❞

◤ chapter ten: ❛ to be somebody ❜ ◢

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THE THOUGHT OF GOING TO HIS OWN HOTEL ROOM WITH AIDEN DIDN'T SOUND APPEALING, AND STAYING WITH SCOTT AND STILES DIDN'T SOUND MUCH BETTER. Dropping off towels for Scott, though he found the room empty when he went in, he followed Lydia to her and Allison's room. Every little movement, howling wind, or thumps caused him to flinch, this faint humming in his ears and song on his lips full of something ashy.

         Lydia didn't question it – wanting the company herself and wrapping her arm around his as they walked. She said she felt some type of dread in her stomach that didn't feel natural, which didn't ease his worries at all. Cooper was a siren; he found himself in tune with all songs, even this violent jazz, and Lydia had driven herself to the sight of a dead body without even realizing. He didn't think that was a good pair at all.

         Allison looked frazzled when they entered, wide-eyed and holding onto herself as if to keep herself from being violated. "I'm rooming with Aiden, and trying to avoid him," Cooper offered as an explanation when Allison turned questioning eyes on him, after which she only nodded.

         Quick to lay down the towels, Lydia turned to Allison and spilled about the creepy receptionist and the sign of suicide numbers. Cooper added in what he felt necessary, not that there was much to add, until Allison frowned and asked for clarification, "One hundred and ninety-eight?"

         "Yes, and we're talking forty years. On average, that's...four-point-nine-five a year, which is...actually expected," Lydia confirmed before sighing, "But who commemorates that with a framed number? Who does that? Who?'

         "Sickos," Cooper commented.

         "...All suicides?" Allison asked.

         "Yes – hanging, throat-cutting, pill-popping, both-barrels-of-a-shotgun-in-the-mouth suicides."

         "I mean, it's not unheard of for people to go to a motel to kill themselves, but so many people? At the same place in the middle of nowhere? It feels...wrong to me," Cooper added, his tongue suddenly feeling coated with a thick taste of jazz.

         Lydia turned away from them, ears searching for something Cooper couldn't hear, eyes almost mystified before whispering, "Did you guys hear that?"

         "Hear what?" Allison frowned.

         "Oh, my God, oh, my God –" the strawberry blonde became ghastly pale, life draining from her face.

         "Lydia?"

         Cooper stood up, standing in front her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Lydia? You alright?"