The Longer I Live

Chapter 23: That's the Best Part. They Only Found Half.

Weekend dinner at the Argents appeared to be going well. Danny ate every bite of Victoria Argent's grilled chicken breast and veggies before the matriarch came out from the kitchen with a platter of desert.

"Wala! My homemade tiramisu chocolate cake!" Stiles's mother announced.

Seated on his right, Allison and Sheriff Argent applauded Victoria as she entered the dining room. On his left, his boyfriend seemed distance constantly playing with the peas on his plate.

Stiles tried to keep up appearances, but still felt guilty about transpired between him and Derek. Digging a fork into his peas, he heard his father clear his throat.

"So, Danny," Chris Argent asked their dinner guest. "Has Coach Finstock selected a new captain for the lacrosse team?"

"Actually, he hasn't announced it yet, but the inside scoop is that Principal Lahey's son, Issac, is going to be given the position." Danny revealed.

"That's wonderful!" Victoria added cutting into the cake. "Issac's mother is going to be ecstatic. Isn't that great, Styles?"

Nothing got past the Argent matriarch. Sensing her son's head elsewhere, she tried to get him to participate in the conversation.

Lifting his head from his plate, Stiles looked at everybody. "Oh yeah. It's good news."

"How's that extra credit project coming along?" Sheriff Argent asked.

Stiles's eyes widened and turned to Danny who dropped his fork on to the plate. He had forgotten to mention that he recently visited the reservation and Derek.

"It's...coming along just fine," he answered his father.

The sound of the doorbell grabbed everyone's attention.

"Who can that be at this hour?" Victoria wondered.

"I'll get it," offered the sheriff. "Everyone, enjoy the dessert."

Disappearing into the living room, Danny shot an annoyed look at Stiles. "You didn't tell me you were continuing this project." His voice was cross between a stern parent and angry whisper.

"Danny...I..." Stiles hoped to explain himself.

Sheriff Argent angrily marched into the dining room. Grasping a large manila envelope in his hand, he tossed several 8x11 photographs on to table in front of everyone.

"STILES! WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE?" Sheriff Argent screamed.

All eyes focused on the standard black and white photographs. Taken by an experienced photographer from a long-distance lens, it showed Stiles and Derek kissing passionately in his black jeep in front of the Argent residence. Taken obviously after the young man's second cancer treatment, Stiles immediately turned ghostly pale.

"I...can explain," he defended.

Danny's eyes began to water. He was hurt. "How...why did you do this?"

Getting up from his chair, he began to walk away.

"Danny, wait!" Stiles grabbed for his wrist, but his boyfriend pulled away.

"No Stiles!" Danny spat. "I'm tired of your excuses! It's obvious what you want, and it isn't me!" He sadly turned to the teen's parents. "Thank you for a lovely dinner. I'm sorry it had to end in his way." Dragging his heels, he saw himself out.

Watching him leave, Stiles felt like dying inside.

"Care to explain this?" Sheriff Argent demanded. Victoria and his sister said nothing.