Second Chances - Stiles Stilinski (Season 1)

Chapter 3: Friends With Benefits

Stiles

I watch wearily as Scott sets himself up in the goal. I glance back at the three girls on the bleachers. Allison is beaming down at Scott. I can't even watch, I am cringing so much. Scott and I are bottom of the barrel, lucky to be on the team types. I think there is a permanent imprint where my ass is on the bench.

The whistle blows, and Scott grabs his head like he's being electrocuted from the sounds. A ball comes sailing at him, hitting him square in the face, knocking him back. The whole team laughs, Natalie is watching through fingers as she covers her face. Shit, I say to myself. Or out loud. Not too sure. I go to close my eyes as another ball comes sailing toward him –

The ball lands effortlessly in his stick.

Allison and Natalie jump up and cheer. I am standing literally, in disbelief. Even Scott is confused, looking at the ball in his net like he's never seen a lacrosse ball in his life.

"Now toss it back?" Finstock mocks, doing a wide motion with his arms to signal Scott tossing it to the next player.

He catches the next ball, top left corner of the goal. The next one, bottom left. The next one. The next one. Natalie is jumping up and down on the bleachers. Lydia pulls herself from her smug pose, straightening her back and her dress. Jackson is up. There's a determined look on his face. He charges to the goal, the sheer momentum lifting him off the ground as he shoots. The ball streamlines from his stick for direct line to the goal.

Scott catches it with a simple arm motion. "That's my friend!" I scream, watching Scott smile wide. He isn't looking at me though. He's looking to Allison. Natalie looks from his face to hers, to mine. We're in trouble.

.....................................................................................................................

Natalie

Eva is flicking through stations of my car as her two friends giggle in the backseat. I smile, thinking about to when I was 13, going to the movies with my friends. Probably Scott and Stiles. Well maybe not. There was an awkward few months where I didn't really want to be around Stiles. After I realized I liked him.

After he turned me down.

"Oh god pick a station already," Stiles says, poking his head from behind my drivers seat. I giggle at the sight of him next to the two preteen girls. Eva glares at him.

"You have your own piece of shit car Stiles. Should have just used yours," she sneers at him. He leans back and crosses his arms, defeated.

"Scott's going to be waiting for us at the trailhead. We're late," he whines to me.

"As my sister said, you had your own car Stiles. Sorry I drive the speed limit!" I say to him through the rearview mirror as I pull into the theatre. I reach for my purse as we pull up. "Be good you hooligans," I lecture as they all unbuckle. Her two friends respond in unison and Eva leans over and kisses my cheek. "Here, take this," I shove two ten dollar bills in her hand. "You know, in case those boys aren't paying." I motion to the group of three boys trying to act inconspicuous in a huddle at the front door. Eva turns to me with fear in her eyes.

"Don't tell mom! I didn't tell her it was a date." I squeeze her thigh, understanding. Stiles opens her passenger door like a chauffeur.

"And here's the 5 bucks for popcorn, now get out of my seat," Eva scoots out and rolls her eyes, taking the money. Stiles pulls it away, mischief in his eyes. "Unless you need this?" He switches the money out for a condom. Eva screams and runs away.

"You pervert!" She says over her shoulder, heading inside.

"You just didn't want to give her five dollars, did you?" I snicker and he buckles in.

"Ah, you know me too well Goodman." He sighs and relaxes as I leave the theatre. There is a pause, music filling the silence.

"Stiles?"

"Yea-rp"

"Why are you carrying a condom?" I can see his ear tips reddening from my peripheral. I let the music carry the next few seconds as I wait for his answer. He is stumbling over his words.

"Uh- uhm, well, you know, or like, well you never know when you might need it," he says, chuckling. I look over at him with my side eye.

"Stiles, you're a virgin." He covers his face with his hands, rubbing them up and down like a mad man after slowly letting them fall and drag his eyes down. "I mean I don't carry condoms around, because like, I am normal. And a virgin."

"Yeah. Yep. Yeah you are. Are we close? Where's Scott," He's fidgeting around in his seat. We pull into one of the two parking spaces at the trailhead, no bike in sight.

"Must be late," I say. I wonder why I love watching Stiles squirm so much. "So back to our conversation." He sighs, exasperated.

"Ok yes! I am. Congratulations, you win about knowing everything about me. I am already embarrassed enough as it is without the 20 questions. God, is it getting hot in here?" He pulls on his collar dramatically. I rest my hand on his thigh, and his eyes dart down.

"It was one question, Stiles. Relax. I am just joking around," he still stares at my hand on his thigh as I pull away and rest them both on the wheel, looking out the window. "It's not as embarrassing as hearing the gory details of Lydia and Jackson's sex life. I literally just give her a thumbs up." I hear Stiles chuckle.

We sit in silence for a moment.

"Do you remember the middle school dance?" I blurt out, looking at him. He literally looks like a deer in the headlights. I feel my heart skip a beat, wondering what made me think of that. He nods silently. I roll my head to look forward. "We were still best friends after that weird moment. That's when I knew I wouldn't be able to get rid of you," I giggle. He's sitting as still as can be. I don't think I have ever seen Stiles sit in silence this long.

I shift my body to face him, my knee resting on the center console and my back against the window. He stiffens. "Stiles, this is another moment. Where you can be awkward as fuck and just walk away and that's enough of an answer." I literally hear him gulp nervously. I play with my hair, then glance at him.

"We can do it, and not be anymore. Like what if we have sex, so we don't have to be virgins." Stiles mouth falls open. I raise my hand in defense, "And still be friends! Friends with benefits! I am just so nervous about sex, and losing my virginity, and it would be so easy with you because, well you're Stiles." My heart is racing out of my chest. This isn't too much is it? I could laugh this off, but I am starting to think maybe he couldn't.

He starts to say something, then stops himself, then starts. His brain looks like it's stopping and restarting. I can practically hear the Microsoft Windows sound. He's backing up further and further...and the door opens. Stiles falls out, sprawling on the ground in front of Scott, gasping for air. Scott looks down, then looks at me. "Ready for a hike you two?"