Anyone But Her

Maybe, Just Maybe

Stiles pulled up outside his house and sat silently in his jeep for a bit. The car engine slowly dying out as he turned it off. He stared forward blankly, his thoughts running rampage inside his head. He hit his steering wheel is frustration, before instantly regretting it as he caught his knuckle on a nook and blood began to pour out. He proceeded to swear loudly before heading into the house and slamming his car door behind him.

Once inside, he quickly wrapped his hand in a bandage before heading up two flights of stairs to the top floor, to his bedroom and crashing on his bed. Why did everything have to be so fucking complicated? He hated everything. He hated his brother for getting to her first, he hated him for being so perfect, for being amazing at sports. He hated Lydia for choosing a jackass, for her being so smart and amazing but mostly, he hated himself for just being him. For being stupid, dorky weird and anxiety-ridden Stiles that no girl would dare look at twice.

Stiles sighed heavily as he sat up, remembering how only a couple of days ago, Lydia was sat in here, on his bed, pouring her heart out to him and yet somehow after all that he still found a way to screw it up. Stiles lay sprawled across his bed, his head hanging off the edge at an awkward angle that made his head fuzz and his thoughts go wilder than usual. Maybe Lydia was right? Maybe he should just stick to hating her, to being a twat, to her wondering what she ever did wrong and his family believing that he was the worlds biggest asshole. Maybe that's who he was, who he'll ever be? Jackson's whiny pathetic brother who can't get laid and stays in his room all the time playing video games. Is that what his life had become? So fucking be it.

Stiles sat up and sat at the edge of his bed as he turned his game console on, placing his headphones on and getting involved in a game. A few hours passed and he was feeling hungry and fed up, he took off his headphones and headed downstairs only to find his mom walk through the door with loads of bags. "Stiles? you're home early, is everything alright?" She questioned him as she took her key out the door and headed past him to the kitchen.

"Oh yeah erm nothing really just felt a little bit sick." He lied as he took hold of some of her bags and helped her carry them through. "Oh okay dear just make sure you get plenty to drink okay? and do me a favour would you? Be nice to your brother when he gets home i think him and Lydia are going through a rough patch and he doesn't need you pestering him too." She said nonchalantly as she put food away in the fridge.

Stiles scoffed in his head, Ha some 'rough patch' the asshole just stopped giving a fuck about her ages ago. He decided against saying something in response and instead decided to change the subject. "Mom? can i ask you a question?" He said sheepishly as he sat himself on the counter, his long legs bouncing against the units. She looked up at him briefly, a flicker of concern swept her face before it was quickly pushed away as she carried on with what she was doing.

"Yes Stiles? What can i help you with?" Stiles suddenly felt quite self conscious and nervous at her response yet pushed through it anyway. "Well erm i don't know really...but do you and...Dad think i'm a loser for not bringing any girls home?" He spoke quickly and looked down at his legs as soon as he said it, frightened of her answer. She suddenly stopped what she was doing, placing down the bagged vegetables she was holding and turned to him fully.

"Stiles. No. No of course not! We would never think such a horrible thing of you, you're...our...son and we know exactly what sort of person you are and 'loser', well that definitely does not describe you. Lost and misguided maybe, but you're not a loser sweetheart. We don't judge you based on how many girls you bring home or how many girlfriends you have, that doesn't matter nor does it matter that Jackson brought home Lydia years ago, to us you're both the same, you are our beautiful and blessed boys and we love you to pieces." She finished, her eyes shiny. Stiles pondered for a moment, his mind suddenly full of painful memories as he recalled the times when he would be unnecessarily harsh to Jackson's mom. He wished now he could take it all back, he really did.

She walked over to him and gave him a small but tight hug, as if she could hear his thoughts, before going back to where she was standing previously. "Really? you think me and Jackson are equal? even though he is literally captain of everything, good looking, Mr popular and dates the pretty girls?" Stiles questioned her further, spite filling his voice as he spat out the sentence, as he fiddled with the edge of the counter. His mother turned to him once more before eventually continuing with putting the food away.

"Sweetie it does not matter. Like i said you're both equals in our eyes and is that what you really think? that Jackson is some sort of perfect son and that you're not?" Stiles nodded shyly, avoiding any eye contact with her. He knew she knew what he meant. Of course moving in with the family that your dad cheated on with your mom was never going to be easy, but having a brother like Jackson definitely was no picnic either. "Stiles, that is ridiculous. You are just as good as he is, you're handsome and have grown into a fine young man, you're good at sports and clever and deep down, i know that behind that sarcastic and defensive demeanour of yours you are such a sweet and caring boy, who cares way more than he lets people believe. And for girls? well if they can't see what a perfect guy you are, they aren't worth it Hunny." She continued, she spoke softly but with purpose before flashing him a smile that made him genuinely happy for the first time in ages.

Stiles was so surprised he felt almost numb. Did he hear that correctly? They viewed him and Jackson to be the same? He hopped diligently off the counter, before hugging his mom once more and with a brief "Thank you." He headed into the living room, laying comfortably on the sofa. Maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed. Maybe he was just venting in anger and blowing things way out of proportion? But it seemed that his mom had just brought things back into perspective. She was right, maybe Lydia wasn't the girl for him if she didn't want him, maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as a bigger loser as he once thought. And if Lydia wanted him to be an asshole again, well good god she was going to get one.