Off Limits

Chapter 5 - Making Things Worse

Stiles reached the table where the group sat and quickly noticed that there was only one seat left and that it was next to Lydia. He decided against sitting next to her and instead stayed stood up which left Allison, Scott and Liam flashing him dirty looks. Isaac in the other hand, seemed to have his own idea of why he wasn't sitting with her and smirked at him smugly as he recalled their conversation from earlier. Lydia, however, seemed completely over it as she rolled her eyes at him and turning away from him slightly, as if to pretend he wasn't there. "Erm...Stiles? What are you doing? You look awkward, sit the fuck down." Allison hissed at him from opposite Lydia as she gave him a confused look. "Erm...I don't want to, I'm happy standing thanks for the offer though." He chirped back as he shuffled uncomfortably on his feet, playing nervously with his hands. "Stiles!" Allison said his name like a warning, as she moved her head subtly in the direction of Lydia. "Whatt? Is it a crime to just stand up nowadays? You know its good for your body's circulation right?" Stiles whined in protest which made Allison frustrated. She knew he was just being an ass. "Ha yeah right, he's probably worried that he might just pop a boner if he sits down next to her!" Isaac cheered rudely at him with a deep chuckle which made everyone whip their heads over to him. Stiles felt his cheeks heat up from a blush immediately. He actually wanted to kill Isaac. Allison and Lydia pulled disgusted faces at the blonde boy, whereas Scott looked like he wanted to rip his head off. "Isaac what the actual fuck? That's disgusting. Don't be so vulgar." Allison scolded him quickly with a death glare that could actually kill. Scott, however, seemed to be delayed in the conversation as he quickly understood what Issac just said as he whipped his head back to Stiles, giving him a puzzled look.

Stiles wanted the floor to swallow him whole as Scott flicked his dark gaze between him and Isaac. "Wait what? Why would you get a boner? Stiles? Do you fancy her or something?" Scott asked him quickly and despite his confused tone, Stiles could feel the anger that lay slightly dormant behind it, ready to leap out at any slight movement and wrong answer. Upon hearing this, Lydia snapped her eyes back to Stiles, they were eyes wide and full of shock as she studied him carefully, her gaze burning holes into his skin. Shit, shit, shit. What was he supposed to say? Isaac had really dropped him in some shit and it wasn't even true. Now whatever he said they all thought that he fancied her, even though he didn't. Scott was going to kill him. Stiles thought as quick as he could on his feet, the rest of the group staring at him like he'd just sprouted another head. "What?! No of course I don't. Don't be stupid Scott, Isaac is just being an annoying prick. I don't like her in the slightest, if anything, she irritates the fuck out of me. And i kinda wish she wasn't here. Plus, she's your sister so erm yeah no...like hard pass, that's just gross." Stiles rambled awkwardly as he struggled on what to say, but as soon as he said it he knew he had made things worse and gone too far. Scott, who apparently was the only other person who seemed okay with what he just said gave him a smile before he carried on eating his burger. As his greatest worry was Stiles actually liking his sister, not that he didn't like her. Allison looked angry as she scowled at him and Liam just looked shocked. Lydia however, looked very upset as her eyes became slightly glassy. What the fuck was up with her? Did she want him to fancy her or something? He didn't get it.

Before anyone could say anything else, Lydia rose quickly from her seat, refusing to meet his gaze as she lightly patted down her skirt. "I-erm...i think i should go. You're all great but i don't want to make anyone uncomfortable and fall out." She said softly, her voice cracking slightly like she was about to cry, and before Scott could respond, she headed off out of the cafeteria quietly, leaving the group dishevelled. Allison hastily stood up too and glared angrily at Stiles and Isaac. "God you guys are such assholes." she snapped at them in frustration, pointing between them from across the table, before chasing after the strawberry blonde leaving the table in silence. "Okay that's it. I officially don't understand women." Isaac semi-joked breaking the awkward silence. "It was just a joke why is everyone so mad." he continued as he began to eat his pasta. Scott scowled at him slightly, "Dude...it was just inappropriate she is my younger sister, please just don't make dirty jokes about her. its just wrong." he argued back before standing up also. "And you!" He turned to Stiles suddenly, his expression unreadable. "I get that you don't like Lydia, for whatever weird reason, fine. But please, for the love of god, she is apart of this group now and she is my little sister so you're going to have to learn to get along with her or at least pretend to. And for fuck sake, try not to be such an asshole all the time." He sighed at him heavily as he brought his hand to the bridge of his nose in frustration. Stiles was shocked as he stumbled on what to say in response. Scott rarely ever raised his voice so when he did, he knew it was something important to him. "Okay I'm going to go check on how Lydia is because she seemed kind of upset. And Stiles please, apologise to her...by the end of the day." Scott said with finality and authority before leaving the table, Liam quickly following after him like a lost puppy.

Stiles ran his hands through his hair shakily, probably making it even messier than it already was as he shifted his weight awkwardly between his two feet. Isaac was the last one to stand as he chucked his now empty pasta container in the bin. He smiled devilishly at Stiles as he walked close to him. He lifted a finger as he pointed at him with a smirk. "You soo fancy her, it's actually funny. I was just teasing you before but nope, you actually do. This is going to be fun!" he jeered at him smugly with a wink before sauntering off confidently, leaving Stiles alone by the table, his emotions a mess as he struggled to understand what just happened.

He found quickly after lunch in his next couple of classes that the group was definitely angry at him. Allison refused to talk to him in math, Liam just smiled awkwardly at him, Isaac would just laugh at him, and Scott, he just seemed genuinely fed up at him. He felt terrible and he hated it. He didn't understand the big issue, isn't it worse to pretend to like someone when you clearly don't? He might as well tell her straight instead of living a lie. But he didn't really mean to blurt it out in front of everyone else and humiliate the girl. He felt bad. He needed to apologise quickly. As soon as the bell rang for the end of last period, Stiles leapt to his feet, gathering his stuff as quickly as he could and heading straight to his locker. He threw his textbooks in in haphazardly as he was beyond caring at the point. He needed to find Lydia. After walking further down the corridor, he quickly spotted the small girl through the hoards of passing students, as she was leant casually against the lockers, a tall muscular boy, who appeared to be on the lacrosse team due to the jersey he was wearing, was stood close next to her making her giggle. The sight burned Stiles in a way he couldn't describe. What was so fucking funny? He approached them quickly, as he pushed his way through other students, not even caring when the jock flashed him a irritated look as he stopped in front of them.

"Lydia? Can we please talk?" he asked her softly, as he searched for her gaze, their eyes only meeting briefly as she looked up at him with a blank expression before turning away from him. "Erm...buddy we are talking here, can you like fuck off?" The broad boy said in a huff as he stepped between Stiles and Lydia, clearly marking his territory. "Erm no. Don't get your steroids in a twist 'buddy' I'm not after your girl I just need to talk to her, it's important." Stiles retorted as he began to get irritated. "Well she clearly doesn't want to talk to you, so take a hike loser." The muscular boy spoke once more, pissing him off. "Well if you would just let her talk...holy shit." Stiles said in frustration as he sighed heavily, but the boy just raised his hand up to him, creating more of a barrier between him and Lydia. Lydia looked up at him, once more, her gaze appeared sad as she bit her lip slightly, still remaining quiet, before dropping her eyes back to the floor. Stiles sighed once more as he tried to move closer, but the jock pushed him back from her. "Okay you know what? I can't be bothered with this shit. I came here to apologise to you Lydia, so that's what I'm going to do. Okay I'm sorry for being a jackass and i'm sorry for making you upset, I know I'm difficult and arsey and it's kind of just the way I am, I have an issue with new people and i really don't understand the weight of my words sometimes, and its something i'm trying to work on. I really am sorry for being so rude since you got here and i'll try to do better. I'm sorry. There. I said what i needed to say, you do with that what you will, there is nothing else I can do." Stiles protested as he held his hands up in faux defence before walking away, out the building as the boy sneered at him. Lydia's gaze followed him out of the building with curious eyes as she tried to process what he just said.

Stiles walked slowly, his head full of invasive thoughts that he didn't know what to do with. What did she actually want from him? Did he actually upset her that much that she had now just stopped acknowledging him altogether? What was he supposed to do? If she wanted to hate him, fine. Two can play at that game. But at least he had apologised so Scott can't say that he didn't try. Stiles waited by his jeep as he waited for Scott to join him, he shook his head gently as he struggled to get the image of the boy and Lydia out of his head as he failed to understand why it bothered him so much.