It isn't usual for them to stay in the library for hours just doing homework and studying algebra but Scott, Stiles, Lydia, and Kira agreed to have a group study session for anyone in their group who needed it. And it turns out Scott and Malia really needed it. They started the study session at 4PM but now it's dark outside and a luminescent half moon is hanging in the sky.
While Lydia is trying to get Malia to answer one of the algebra exercises, Malia starts to fidget and slams shut her notebook cutting Lydia midsentence. "I really appreciate the help you guys are giving to me," she stands up and looks at the clock above the librarian's desk. "But it's now 7:38PM and I'm really hungry."
"Oh, we can all go out and eat dinner," Stiles suggests, looking at everyone on the table. He and Scott exchange a quick I-don't-know-where-this-is-going look before they both look at Malia again, waiting for her response.
She sighs. "I think I'll pass. Studying made me tired." Malia gathers her things from the table, looks at Stiles and says, "I'll go by your place later to get some more help with algebra." Before she walks towards the doors she looks at everyone, but takes more time in looking at Lydia. "Thank you for helping me, we should try this more often but at a Burger King or something," she tells them and walks out of the library.
The four of them just stare at each other for a while. Lydia pouts, her eyes still big from being cut off by a person who really needs help in what she was tutoring about. Kira looks at Scott with her mouth still slightly ajar. Malia didn't storm out angry or ungrateful but her leaving made everybody feel her unease and desperation to get away from math.
"Well. That is really good progress, seriously," Stiles says, breaking the silence. "She's saying thank you now. That's good, right?"
They answer him with a chorus of "yeah"s and nods. Another short silence falls on them. But Scott clears his throat and closes Kira's notebook.
"I think we're all hungry so," he looks at Stiles first and glances at Kira, who was sitting beside him. "Maybe we should all pack up. Let's just take Malia's suggestion and study at Burger King next time."
Scott helps Kira with her things and says goodbye to Stiles and Lydia and leaves the library, talking quietly about Japanese and Korean food.
When Stiles turns back to the table he sees Lydia packing her bags in a hurry. He frowns, "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Lydia zips up her bag and turns to him slowly. He couldn't read the expression on her face; she looks disappointed, confused, and expectant all at the same time. "Nothing, I just want to get home. I'm starving so…"
"Oh, oh yeah. Of course, right," he stammers and quickly dumps his papers in his bag. He has had a crush on Lydia for the longest time and has also been friends with her for a long time too but he still gets nervous and restless when he talks to her sometimes. Like he's caught off guard for some reason. But he likes Malia now, right?
"Uhh, Stiles?" Lydia snaps her fingers in front of his face, making him focus again. "I didn't drive to school today so could I maybe catch a ride home with you?"
"Sure, definitely," he answers quickly, leading her out of the library. He closes the lights after.
The walk to his Jeep was a silent one. The only noise they can hear is the steady tap of Lydia's heels on the floor, the gentle movement of the things inside their bags, and their breathing. Lydia only breaks the silence when they got in the car.
"So, you and Malia, huh?" she looks at Stiles with a teasing smile.
Stiles starts the engine and looks back at Lydia. "I don't really know what Malia and I are. I don't think she's my girlfriend."
Even in the dark Stiles sees Lydia rolling her eyes. They drive away from the school.
"I'm helping her with things she don't understand, help her adapt," he makes gestures with his hands to make is points seem more reasonable and understandable. "Also, I tell her how normal people act and react to things, y'know? Like that time when we were in Mexico."
"And she also comes to your room at night and you two just do homework, right?" Lydia asks sarcastically with one of her eyebrows raised and that teasing smile still on her face.
He let air escape through his closed lips, making a pretend exasperated noise. "Let's not talk about it now, okay? I'm not sure about what's happening either. I'll worry about it when dating is the top priority and then you can ask me all these questions."
Lydia turns her head to him assuming that he'll look serious even though the tone of his voice isn't. But she saw that Stiles was smiling and he directed his smile to her quickly before looking back at the road.
"Hmm, okay," Lydia pursed her lips and stares outside the window.
Silence falls on them and Stiles couldn't help but feel bad about something. He wanted to keep talking to her, not about Malia, but just talk. About anything. But he doesn't even know what to say to her. Suddenly, he could feel something heavy slowly building in his chest. Oh God, what is this? he thinks to himself, trying not to make Lydia sense that he's feeling anything but normal. Stiles glances over to his side and sees Lydia's head leaning on the window, her breathing even, and eyes closed. She's asleep. The heavy feeling in his chest went away.
I've missed her. The realization dawns on him and he doesn't want to drop Lydia off at her house yet. So he turns left from the Martin's block and buys himself more time.
Lydia wakes up to the smell of cheese and grease. When her eyes finished adjusting to the darkness, she sees a huge white sign that says "Burger King". She closes her eyes again, still groggy from sleep. Ever since all the supernatural things started happening, she was always tired and lacks sleep. But she wouldn't let that show.
The driver's door opens to her left and she looks warily at the person getting in the Jeep. It was just Stiles.
"Cheeseburger, fries, and iced tea for you," he hands a paper bag and plastic cup to her and she takes them quickly. All the studying made her hungry.
"And bacon cheeseburger for me," Stiles says ceremoniously before he takes a big bite off of his burger.
They bite and chew in silence for a few minutes, with Stile's occasional groaning every time he takes a bite. Lydia takes another bite from her burger and turns her whole body to face Stiles. "Why are we here?"
Stiles, assuming that Lydia would stay quiet the whole time, turns at her with big eyes and a mouth full of burger. He tries to speak but stops, grabs his iced tea and drinks until his mouth isn't full anymore. He puts the cup down and sighs. Time to be honest with her.
"Well... we're here because I didn't want to get you home yet. I wanted to spend more time with you," he tells her with a serious look on his face. "We haven't really talked for a while, y'know, just the two of us. I miss spending time with you."
"And sometimes you're on your own, wandering, and we aren't with you. It just scares me to think that something bad could happen to you with no one around," he continues, messing up his hair making him look like he's really shy.
There was a light heat forming from Lydia's neck to her cheeks and she was thankful that it was dark in the parking lot because at least Stiles won't see. "I'm fine, I'm safe," Lydia says quietly, almost whispering.
"We're always in save-the-world mode. There's always one supernatural thing after another," she says with a weak laugh. "We don't really have time to actually just talk."
"Well, at least we have this moment of peace and quiet from save-the-world mode, "he beams at her. His smile is so contagious that she smiles back at him.
"Though I don't really know what to say right now. I mean, I really want to talk to you but… You know it's like I have a lot to say but I can't say it but ugh," he messes up his hair some more and laughs a little. "Am I making sense?"
Lydia laughs with him. "You are. And it's fine, let's just stay like this and eat. Maybe you can play some music?"
"Sure, yeah."
When Stiles parks in from of Lydia's house, the time was already 9PM. He turns off the music and turns to Lydia. She was looking at him too.
"Thanks for the ride and for buying me dinner," Lydia tells him.
"It's no problem, my pleasure," he smiles at her as she gets off the car.
"Stiles," Lydia says quietly. She doesn't continue until he looks back at her. "I missed spending time with you too." She then closes the door and heads toward her house.
He sits there in the dark for a while, thinking about how happy their dinner made him. As he drove away he felt a light weight growing on his chest. She just left his side and now he misses her again already.
And then it hits him. "OH MY GOD DID LYDIA AND I JUST GO ON A DATE?"