Please, Stay- A Stydia AU

Tree Time

"Lydia! Sweetheart it's time to get up." There was a knock at the door. "I let you sleep as long as I could," her mom said apologetically.
Lydia opened the door, revealing that she was fully dressed, leaving only hair and makeup left. "I'm up," she said. "I was just getting dressed." She'd chosen a dress with a floral pattern and a handkerchief hem.
"Are you nervous? New school." Natalie crossed the room and sat on Lydia's bed.
"No," Lydia lied easily. she went to her vanity and started her makeup. "All high schools are the same."
"I'm sorry about the move," Natalie said quietly. "You know how it goes when-"
"Yeah, I get it," Lydia interrupted. "It's fine."
"Here." Natalie came behind her and began to braid her hair. Lydia closed her eyes at the familiarity of the touch for just a second. Then she pulled herself back and finished her makeup. When her mother finished her hair, Lydia got to her feet and straightened her dress out. "It's okay to be nervous," Natalie said quietly.
"I'm not. They're just teenagers."

-~-~

"No way! Spider-Man is way better than the Hulk!"
"You're both wrong because Thor is the best."
"Thor?" Stiles scoffed. "So muscles are more important to you than brains?"
"Yeah. I'm not a chick." Thom leaned back in his seat and shrugged.
"Girls like muscles," Matt pointed out.
"Damn I hope not," Stiles joked. He grabbed a fry off of Scott's plate and popped it in his mouth.
"Hey check it out." Scott elbowed Stiles and nodded to the door of the diner. "It's that new girl."
Stiles followed Scott's gaze and felt like he'd been sucker punched in the gut. She was beautiful. 5'3", strawberry blonde hair, hazel eyes... he felt like he'd seen her before but he couldn't place it.
"You okay man?" Scott asked.
Stiles slowly got up. "I'm gonna invite her to sit with us."
"What?" Matt blinked. "Dude."
Stiles ignored him and made his way to the front of the diner. As he approached, she turned to face him. "Hi," he said. "My name is Stiles Stilinski. Would you like to sit with us?"
"Oh," she said, "I actually..." Jackson and his crew came in and Stiles stepped back.
"Ah. Right. That's totally fine..."
He watched her walk away with the group. She cast him a look over her shoulder before sitting. Jackson hung back and smirked at Stiles. "Really?" He asked. "You thought a girl like that would talk to you?"
Stiles rolled his eyes and turned away. "I just thought she'd avoid you and your crabs."
"That was a rumor," Jackson snarled behind him. Stiles smirked and went to his table, sliding back into the booth beside Scott.
"What's her name?" He asked, letting his eyes wander to the girl again.
"Lydia, I think," Scott said, following Stiles's gaze.
"Dude stop staring at her," Thom hissed. "You're embarrassing me."
Stiles ignored him, only jerking his gaze away when she caught him looking. About five minutes after that, Lydia got up and walked out of the diner.
"Come back!" Danny called. "She didn't mean it!"
"Screw her," Ashley said.
"Oh man don't do it," Matt said just as Stiles got to his feet and raced after her.
"Hang on," he said as he exited the building. "Lydia, right?"
She eyed him distrustfully and nodded. "Yeah. Stiles Stilinski?" She was by the curb, as if planning to walk home.
"Yeah." He tried to pretend that his name on her lips didn't make his heart jump on his chest. "Hi. Look I... Do you want a ride home?" He motioned at his Jeep.
She hesitated before turning and walking to the Jeep. He stared in disbelief then jogged over and opened her door. She glanced at him before getting in. He went around and got in, wishing that he had cleaned it out.
"Where am I going?" He asked.
"I don't have the address memorized yet," she said apologetically. "But I know where to go. Right up here and then the first left."
"Great. When did you move in?"
"Just a couple days ago actually."
He nodded. "Well, welcome to Beacon Hills."
"Thank you."
"Do you mind if I ask what happened with Jackson's friends?"
Lydia hesitated and then said slowly, "I just didn't buy into their bullshit. They didn't like that so much and I left. I don't need to be popular."
"Most people don't think that way."
"I didn't use to," she said quietly, looking out the window. "Left at this stop sign."
Stiles turned onto his street and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "How far?"
"The blue house."
Stiles grinned softly and pulled into his usual spot. "You're right next door to me."
"Really?" She scrunched her nose. "Who would have guessed?"
"Right?" He got out and opened her door.
"You don't have to do that."
"I want to."
She eyed him. "I guess I'll see you around."
"Guess so."
She turned and walked into her house without another word.

~-~-

Lydia pulled on her nightgown and looked in the bathroom mirror. The day did not go according to plan. She had planned to not show fear, climb the social ladder just as she had back home. But that didn't happen.
She found herself bored with the superficial discussions, irritated by the gossip and cruel words. Something had happened to her after the incident. She wasn't sure she liked it. Lydia but her lip and went into her bedroom. She pulled her window open and slipped out into the big tree between her house and the house beside her. Was that one Stiles's or was it the one on the other side? She sat on the branch, close to the trunk, and looked at the sky. Maybe this move was for the best. Maybe things would get better. She couldn't be messed up forever right?
A sound startled her and she turned in time to see Stiles slide out of the window across from hers. "Hey," she said.
"Hi... Sorry. Am I interrupting your tree time?"
"My what?"
Stiles perched against his windowsill. "My mom planted that tree a long time ago. She would go out there and call it her tree time."
She smiled softly. "I like it. And no you're not. I wouldn't mind company."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Stiles bit his lip. "You sure?"
"Stiles. Stay."
He didn't need to be told again. He sat on the other side of the trunk. "So. Your parents get a job offer or something?"
"My dad." Lydia picked at a piece of bark. She didn't say that her parents were retrying a relationship that had already failed, that she and her mom had to move with him for a "fresh start". She didn't say that there was a ghost in their house that no one could ignore. She knew Stiles could tell that she was holding back. He didn't push it.
"My dad's the sheriff," he said after a minute. "He's pretty damn good." The pride was evident in his voice.
Lydia couldn't help but smile. "You two are close?"
"Yeah. He's one of my best friends."
"Keep that." Lydia hoped she didn't sound sad when she spoke. She swung her legs and stared down at the grass.
"So...." Stiles said slowly. "Got a boyfriend back home?"
A corner of her lips twitched without permission. She glanced at him. He was sweet, that was for sure. He seemed nice too. But she just got here. She needed to be careful. "No. I'm focusing on..." She trailed off. She didn't want to say "myself" so she said "family." instead.
He smiled at her. "More people our age should do that."
"Yeah," she said quietly. Silence fell between them. Lydia had never been truly comfortable with someone in silence before. But they just sat there and enjoyed tree time until they retreated to their beds.

-~-
"Lydia! Just turn up the music!" Courtney reached forward For the radio.
"I said no!" She slapped Courtney's hand away. "Turner is asleep in the back. I can't believe you Courtney. It's only six o'clock." Courtney pouted at her and reached for the radio. The next thing Lydia knew, all she could see were headlights and all she could do was scream.
-~-~
Lydia woke up sweaty and shaking. She dropped her head into her hands and tried not to cry. The past was never going to leave her alone.