Howling to the Heart || Isaac Lahey

22.

I never really liked school dances. Believe me, I loved dressing up and doing my makeup and going shopping, but I wasn't a big fan on big crowds.

Since I was little, I always felt uncomfortable being around heaps of faces, noises, and lights—exactly what a school dance was. And normally I didn't go to them.

But tonight, I was and the only reason I agreed in the first place was because Stiles asked me to go with him, knowing how I felt about these things.

Yet, now he was going with Lydia which was my own fault. Part of me regretted answering for him, but the other part of me was happy because when he came out of the bathroom in his new suit, I'd never seen him smile so hard with his cheeks so red. I had to be happy for him when he was that happy. I just had to be.

Which brings me to now, sitting in my parked car outside of Scott's house. Since Stiles was going with Lydia and Allison was going with Jackson, Scott and I just mutually agreed to go with each other until he finds Allison. And then I'm on my own. At a school dance.

Yeah, I'm regretting everything now.

I took in a deep breath, calming my nerves as I opened my car door. Stiles had left his house in the jeep at the same time I did and with Lydia's house being further away from the school than Scott's, we'll probably run into him in the parking lot.

"You've got this," I whispered to myself, pushing my car door open and admiring my French tip nails that I painted after school. "It's only a few hours in a crowded room."

My white heels landed on the ground and each step toward the front door felt like dread. Even my navy-blue dress felt like it was being weighted down.

"Riah's home!" I announced, pushing the front door open.

"We're upstairs!" I heard Scott yell and I smiled faintly, closing the door behind me.

I quickly made my way upstairs, careful not to trip on the steps before I pushed open Scott's door to see him fixing up the jacket of his suit with his back to me while his mom beamed at me from the edge of his bed.

"Riah, honey! You look beautiful!" she happily chirped, getting to her feet.

I laughed, doing a small curtsy. "Thank you, Mamma McCall," I said, getting pulled into a hug. "It took me an hour to find this dress."

"Well, I think it matches your brown hair and tanned skin wonderfully," she hummed, pulling away as Scott turned around with a smile. "Oh, look at my two kids!"

Scott and I laughed, smiling at her. "You're so embarrassing, mom."

Melissa playful slapped his arm. "I've watched you two grow up. Let me have this moment."

"Yeah Scott, let her have this moment," I teased, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's not every day you don't dress like a dag."

"She understands me," Melissa agreed and Scott gaped at us in offence.

"I dress like a normal person," he argued, picking up his wallet. "What's wrong with how I dress?"

Melissa and I share a look before looking back at him. "Everything," we said at the same time.

Scott rolled his eyes, heading for the door. "Okay, we're going now."

"Grumpy teenager," Melissa mumbled, and I laughed, following Scott down the stairs with his mom behind us. "Now, don't stay out too late and try not to get in trouble."

"I promise we won't," I said over my shoulder as Scott opened the front door for me.

"I highly doubt that," she said, walking us out to the porch. "Make sure you both have fun tonight."