Right Beside You | Stiles Stilinski | Two

19 - Testing, Testing, One, Two, Three

"Okay, and then what happened?"

"Well, he almost choked on his end of the fry, but I'd say it went pretty well for the most part."

Allison threw her head back as she laughed, slamming her locker shut and leaning against it. "Oh my God. I can't believe you seriously did that. I'm never getting over that."

"I know, it was super lame." I ducked my head even though I was still grinning. "It's so obnoxiously gross and cheesy, but it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"It still seems like a good idea now. I mean, it certainly seems like you two enjoyed yourselves."

She elbowed me suggestively and I rolled my eyes. I was about to reply that I enjoyed doing anything with Stiles, so long as our lives weren't in danger, but I was interrupted by my phone. I glanced down and grinned at the face that popped up on my screen.

"Speak of the devil," I greeted, accepting the call. "You do know we have school today, right?"

"Yes, I know that we have school today. If I didn't know that we had school today, I would not be on the phone with you while I was breaking several traffic laws trying to get to school in time for first period."

"Stiles, you really shouldn't be on the phone while you're driving."

"I wanted to talk to you about the kanima. So—"

"Is that why you're late? I told you to give up the research and go to bed last night."

"Scarlett, this is a matter of life and death!"

"I know! You really need to get off the phone while you're speeding."

"I'm not gonna get a ticket. I'm like a block away."

"Then I'll talk to you when you get here."

"Scarlett!"

I ended the call, smiling widely as Allison giggled.

"I'm so glad you two are finally together," she said, making me roll my eyes. She linked her arm through mine, tugging me down the hall so we could wait for the boys at their lockers. "So, you guys kissed in the car and then he drove you home. Did you kiss him again?"

"Well, technically, no..."

"Technically?"

"He finally got around to kissing me."

She actually squealed, jumping in her step. "Ah! Finally! God, I bet Lydia had a field day with that."

"Yeah, not so much..."

Allison frowned as my smile disappeared. "You did tell her, right?"

"Well, yeah, I told her but...I don't know. It's not the same anymore. She hasn't been the same Lydia since the whole Jackson thing, and that's on top of the currently-feeling-crazy-because-she-doesn't-know-anything-about-the-supernatural thing."

"Yeah," Allison sighed. "I guess that's...understandable."

I knew she also felt guilty for not telling Lydia the truth, but it was different. Allison didn't have to confront Lydia every single day. She didn't have to listen to Lydia trying and failing to fall asleep, tossing and turning and trying to muffle the sounds she made while she cried into her pillow. I'd attempted to bring the subject around with Lydia once or twice over the weekend, but Lydia shut me down every time. She was struggling with two opposite instincts: demanding answers and pretending that nothing was wrong. Hearing the truth would mean ceding control, and hectic as Lydia's life had become, I knew that was still hard for her.

Allison nudged my side, jarring me from my thoughts.

"So, how did that conversation go? About your date?"