A Question Of Roomates

Ch. 22

Class had yet to start when Scott threw himself into the seat beside me. He'd begun to dig through his backpack presumably for his one and only pen and notebook "What's up Der?"

"Scott. Everything good?"

"Great. Just looking for...Ahaaa" he clutched a pen, kissing it in victory "Old reliable" I shook my head at my friend watching as our professor had yet to come in. He'd gotten comfortable in his place a sure sign he probably wasn't going to retain much of anything "So...how is he?"

"Who?"

"Stiles. Dude c'mon I know he's been going off the rails. He just keeps saying he's figuring it out, I'm counting on you to tell me the truth"

I looked at the kid and he seemed genuinely worried for himself, no way would Stiles tell him the truth and he deserved to know, he cared "Not good. He's freaking out,, and stressing and now he wants to ask Matt for help"

"No way, not that dick"

"That's what I'm saying! I don't know, he isn't going to breathe until this gets resolved"

"I know. Which Is why we have to figure something else out, something that doesn't involve that asshole. Stiles' mind isn't clear"

"You're right" the pride suddenly appearing on Scott's face told me he hadn't heard that phrase much. At that moment the tardy professor was bounding into class, slamming his briefcase audibly onto his desk "We'll figure something out" he leaned over to whisper before trying to focus.

Stiles wasn't home when I got in for my midday break. Or I assumed he wasn't. His bedroom door was closed and everything seemed to still be in it's place from earlier in the day. I slapped together a quick sandwich and buried myself into a textbook, I wasn't even sure if it was the right one, but at least I'd learn something that day.

I'd been halfway through and was trying to decide if I wanted another sandwich or not when Stiles' bedroom door suddenly went flying open. He was standing there, still in his pajamas, and his hair thrown around like he'd just woken up. But there was no way that was possible, because his eyes were wide awake and trained on me "Shit! Babe. I thought you-"

"Derek what is this?" he was suddenly holding up an envelope. On it was my mothers handwriting and there was a check peaking out from the top of it.

"Hmm? I don't know"

"So a check from your mother addressed to me shows up and you don't know why"

I dusted the crumbs off, standing to meet him. He stood defensive and rigid "No I mean-"

"I am not some basket case" and suddenly his voice was rising. The fragile piece of paper was being thrown to the coffee table and the tips of his ears were pink.

"I never said you were! She asked how you were and I might have vented to her about how stressed you've been. She cares"

"Well, here" Like it was nothing he was stomping to swipe my phone from the couch. He bypassed the passcode easily and when he finally handed the device to me my mother's contact was open, all I had to do was hit the little green button "You can tell her thanks, but she can have it back"

"Stiles, you don't have to be so tough all the damn time. It's okay to get help"

"Yeah, it is, when you need it but I don't. I've got a plan, I'll get Matt's help an go from there. You haven't even let me try"

"What's this really about? Because you said you needed a solution to keep you in school and here it is and there you are getting mad about it"

"That is a shit ton of money, not just for this school year but the next, and I'm not their kid. Jesus Christ we haven't even had sex yet, we don't know where this is going and you all are just okay with dropping all this money on someone"

"So that's what it is? You don't think you're worth it? Who cares if we haven't slept together. When I say 'I love you' when I tell you I care about you? Do you think all of that is just bullshit?"

"Maybe I'm just tired of you saving the damn day all the time. Maybe I just want to feel like I'm in control and not sitting in the back seat feeling guilty while you take care of me, my messes and yourself and everything else. I've inconvenienced enough people to know when I am turning into a burden and that's the last thing I want to happen with you Derek. I won't let it happen with you" Stiles was stern. He looked smaller than usual, his clothes hung baggy on him as he went on "You'll resent me, you may not think so and that's fine you can be oblivious to that fact but I wont. You'll resent me, and it'll kill me if that happens" and then he was on the floor and he was crying. He was crying harder than I'd seen him cry before. He was sobbing and it was like the dam had broken. It wasn't just the stress of his current situation but everyone that had come before, everything that he had ever blamed on himself. All I could do was hold him and wait for the storm to pass.

I figured it was good to cry.

He didn't talk about it anymore. When he was done he just stood up, brushed himself off and went to find a more comfortable spot on the couch.

"Fine. We'll try it your way, I'll hold on to that-" I explained, nodding towards the check "-until this is over. If this works I'll give it back to my mom and we'll forget about it. But if it comes down to no other choice I want you to consider it. I'd never force you to take it but you have to promise you will consider it"

I wanted to believe him. I did believe him, I just hoped It was the right thing to do.

"Promise"