connection (STYDIA)

in which lydia has a secret

"You have to tell me!" Allison whines indignantly, pouting her lips at her friend.

"I don't have to do anything." Lydia's smug- she knows how annoying it is for her to have a secret and for Allison not to know it. "You'll just have to wait and see."

Allison rolls her eyes for the umpteenth time. "Lyd, stop. This is cruel and unusual treatment."

"Ally, stop." Lydia mimics her tone. "It'll only be a week, and then you'll know, problem solved."

"But you could solve my problem right now if you wanted to be a good friend." Allison chides, a childish, ploying look in her eyes. Lydia's gotten good at defying the puppy dog eyes, and today is no exception.

This conversation is going to last awhile.

***

"Do you know what that's all about?" Stiles inquires, gesturing towards the two girls, immersed in a discussion teeming with sarcastic quips and pouted lips.

Scott nods. "Lydia won't tell Allison who's taking her to Spring Fling next week."

"Ah," Stiles nods accordingly, though he already knew the answer to his question.

"You taking anyone?" Scott asks, nudging his shoulder. Stiles knows just how to dodge this question in particular.

"I don't think I'm going." He bites his lip, looking down and trying not to feel guilty for playing his best friend like this. "I wanted to go with Malia, but..."

Scott cuts him off before he can even finish his statement, immediately sensitive at the mention of the girl who had ripped his best friend's heart out and stepped on it. Stiles had been counting on that. "It's okay, man. We can ditch it if you want."

Stiles raises an eyebrow. "Dude, there is no way in hell that I am letting you squander this chance to be with Allison again. I'll be fine with a night by myself, I'll order a pizza and play a couple video games and be good. Some silence will be good for me."

Scott takes this in stride, and Stiles can't help but think about the fact that he has no idea what silence does to Stiles- how the quiet summons the monsters who climb into his lungs and refuse to let him breathe, how Stiles feels their claws tempting at the insides of his throat even thinking of them.

He clears his throat and continues to talk. "So where are you taking Allison before the dance?"

"Well, she said she wanted something simple, which means something classy but understated, according to my mom. I don't get why girls don't just say things like that. Anyways, I was thinking that Italian place by the dentist's office, because it's nice and has dim lighting and Allison loves Italian food."

"Sounds good, bro." Stiles claps him on the shoulder. "I'm gonna go to class, but I'll see you at lunch."

As he's making his way down the hall, Lydia disconnects from Allison's side and joins him as they stroll through the crowded hallway, but no one even notices the way her fingers curl at the bottom of his sweatshirt sleeve.

***
Lunch is an affair that more closely resembles a police interrogation than a high school cafeteria table.

Allison is grilling into Lydia, waving her fork in exasperation every time Lydia denies another guess as to her mystery date. Scott tries to help, but he mostly ends up just naming the entire lacrosse team and Lydia's only response is a tilted smirk and a "Been there, done that." Stiles just watches in amusement.

"Seriously, Lyd, why won't you tell us?" Allison questions for the umpteenth time.

"Everything's more fun with a flair of surprise." Lydia feeds her the same answer she's been supplying since that morning.