Malia looked again at her mirror reflection and regretted for a hundred times that she let Lydia pick her outfit. Sure, knee length socks were probably cute, t-shirt with stripes was flattering, but thanks to tiny jeans shorts and light cardigan, she was freezing. Today was the day, when Malia was going to die on hypothermia, for sure.

Above her head rang the bell, which meant only one thing - last period was over and she had meeting with Scott. Their English teacher assigned Scott to help her with the essay about Jane Austen, and he was such a nice guy, that he didn't bitch about it. Actually, she suspected that he would volunteer anyway. Guilt was making Malia sick in her stomach, but it has probably different affect to others. For Scott it was need to babysitting her.

She sighed, rolled eyes on her image and headed to parking lot in front of the school. Scott was already there, of course, sitting on his motorbike and... wait, what? Malia approached him with disbelieving expression.

"I thought you said that you have a car."

"I said that I'll give you a lift," Scott replied innocently as she was still eyeing his machine with number thirty-two on the front. "Is there a problem? I thought you could like this more than cars giving the..."

Scott stopped, when he saw how Malia's eyes narrowed. She was not going to talk about that. It was enough that they made her sharing her feelings in Eichen House and there was no way, Malia would let herself think about killing her family. The werewolf looked unsure what to do and she took pity on him.

"I was used to running on all four, I was used to have stability and cars are, if nothing else, stabile. This?" she lightly kicked into front wheel, which won her offended gasp. "This is everything but stabile. When the wind is going to blow, we are going to end up like bloody porridge on the sideway. Thank you, but no thank you."

"Ok, but you know that you're supernatural shifter with speed up healing, right?" Scott was lucky that he didn't use the tone, like when you talk to five year old. Instead it sounded almost soothing. "I'm quite positive that even if we would crash it wouldn't kill us."

"Was that supposed to calm me?" Malia folded her hands, raising brows on him. "If yes, you are not doing very good job."

"Just..." he handed her helmet and cocked his head to the seat behind him. "Just trust me."

They stared at each other for another few seconds but eventually Malia dramatically sighed, took the helmet and sit behind him. He definitely had some Alpha powers how to persuade people because this was insane. Both put their helmets on and Scott started the engine. They weren't even moving and Malia had enough, this wasn't going to be her favourite way of travel. She pressed herself on his back, holding tight like she was going to fall every second.

"Uh, Malia?" she heard Scott chuckle. "I need to breath, you know?"

"You have speed up healing too," Malia squeezed him even more. "Even if I'm going to break you a rib or two, you'll be fine. Now come on, let's get this over with."

The entire ride was a nightmare, the wind was cold, and she promised herself that from now on, she will wear trousers and jackets only. Fashion wasn't worthy of feeling she was lizard in the Arctic. Although, when she felt Scott's abs under her hands, she could see the appeal of this whole 'motorbike thing'. Not that she would ever admitted that. Not now, not ever.

"It was horrible," she said dryly, right after they arrived to McCall's house. "You should get a car like normal people do."

"Malia," he laughed and gentlemanly opened the door for her. "I'm werewolf who agreed to help were-coyote with English paper. I think that bike is the most normal thing in my life."

"Whatever," she mumbled and hoped that he didn't noticed how she blushed. Malia blamed house temperature, which was slightly higher than outside.

xxx

They camped in the living room, because being in Scott's room would be weird, since she was a girl, he had girlfriend and Melissa was nowhere to see. Malia liked his mom, they met twice so far, but it was obvious after who Scott inherited his caring nature and well... good look.

"Your mom is working?" she asked and it surprised her that she really cared and wanted to see this woman again. McCall's were quite addictive.

"Yeah," Scott nodded and handed her cup of tea, which she gratefully accepted. "She has afternoon shifts this week. What about your dad? Is it getting any better?"

Malia suppressed the need ask 'which dad?' but instead just shrugged and left his question without answer. Her dad didn't take the fact, that his daughter is were-coyote very well. He was constantly drunk and Malia welcomed every opportunity to not be at home. Her biological father was Peter Hale, and that theme for conversation was just big no-no. She wasn't going to think about it, she wasn't going to talk about it.

Without any more personal chit chat they started work on her essay. After two hours, and three cups of tea she drank, they were finally done with research and Scott started printing their notes. It occurred to her that she didn't want it to be over, she didn't want to go home and she didn't want to leave Scott. He made her feel wanted and safe.

The Alpha was handing her, freshly printed papers when their hands brushed at each other and Scott lifted his eyebrows.

"Wow," Scott sounded surprised. "Stiles was right, you are..."

"What did Stiles said to you? What I am?" Malia barked out, and stooped in the middle of movement, because if Stiles told Scott about what happened in Eichen House basement, than... Than nothing, she realised. There was no reason for freaking out. Stiles was Scott's best friend, of course, he told him about losing his virginity. If she would have friends, she would confess them about it too. And it was the knowledge, that she has no one else, which hit her like a punch in the stomach. Malia was doing fine on her own, all those years, she never really needed anyone so the sudden urge to share, caught her off guard.

"We are friends, right?" brunette lifted her eyes to the boy who looked even more surprised than after her previous questions. She knew what the answer is going to be, because this was Scott McCall, he was everyone's friend until they proved him wrong. But either way, she wanted to hear it. She needed to hear it.

"Of course, we are," he assured her just like she expected. "You know that, don't you?"

Scott put the notes on the table and sat beside her, patiently waiting for her to answer. She liked that about the Alpha. They didn't know each other long time but so far, he never pressured on her. Scott was patient teacher and had always time, to just be there for her, when she needed someone. He never pushed into sharing feelings, but everytime he was there, when she wanted to talk.

"I just..." Malia hesitated not knowing how to express herself correctly. Last thing she wanted was to offend Scott McCall, who kept helping her, since she got out of the Eichen House. "I don't want you to think, that you have to be my friend, just because you turned me back to human and I didn't ask for it. When Stiles said he know someone who can help me, I'm sure he didn't mean that you have to be my friend."

"Ok, I don't know if I get that," Scott's expression furrowed as he tried to understand what Malia just threw at him. "You think that I'm pretending to be friendly, because I think...that I owe you to?"

"Well, when you say it like that..."

"Malia," Scott didn't let her finish. "I'm your friend, because first thing you did when you left the Eichen House, was to found me. And you brought us the katana which destroyed Nogitsune. I'm your friend because you are nice girl and you're having hard time. I'm you friend because you deserve one. I'm your friend, not from obligation or proving a point, but because I chose to be one."

That was the first time she looked at him...really looked at him. Because Malia was listening his heartbeat since she asked about their friendship and it was steady the whole time. Scott was telling the truth, or he actually believed of what he was saying. It was quite shocking for her, because after those years, she spend as coyote, she avoided humans. People meant danger, it was instinct not to trust them and she still followed that rule, even now. Scott was different, though. She trusted him, but then again – Scott McCall wasn't exactly human.

"What?" he asked and not knowing smile crossed his face. She was staring at him for a while now.

"Nothing," Malia said quickly, breaking the eye contact and shaking her head, pushing the uncomfortable thoughts aside. "So, um, before... you said that Stiles was right. What was he right about?"

His smile widened and she beamed at him right back. Maybe it was too much, but Scott's smiles were kind of infectious and sometimes it was good just to let go. Malia was tensed all the time, assessing people, predicting their moves but there was no need for that now. If what Scott was telling her, was truth than she was allowed to let go. Friends are supposing to be comfortable with each other, right?

"He said, that you're constantly freezing," Scott snorted, rolling his eyes and leaned towards the armchair to grab folded blanket. "I thought that you're fine now, giving to your... uh, outfit but obviously not, so..."

Werewolf spread the blanket between them, holding one end open like an invitation and she was staring again. Was it even possible that he was so thoughtful? It was getting old and it was getting ridiculous, how he could so easily threw her off the rail. It wasn't happening to her with his other friends, not even with Stiles. She was always snarky, sarcastic, inappropriate and it was her defence mechanism which somehow stopped working when it came to Scott.

What the hell was so special about him? It was bugging her, because yes, he was super Alpha werewolf, he was obviously caring about others, he had, uh... really nice body and no one else in his pack made her shiver when they look her in the eye. It was good thing that she was far above the teenage hormonal problems because if she wasn't that would mean...that would mean...no.

Scott was dating Kira and she liked Kira. She was such a nice girl, helping her with everything she needed and anyway, Scott was just her friend. Scott was Stiles' friend. Scott was... nice guy with really, really beautiful brown eyes. No! She wasn't interested in Scott McCall. Plus he didn't like her that way, he was just being nice. Friendly, he was friendly. They were...friendly. Oh, God, she was hormones driven teenager.

"Malia, are you ok?"

"Sure," Malia realised that it taking her too long. "Sorry, I just... thought about the English paper we have to do."

Scott was still waiting, holding open blanket for her. Right, one cuddle never hurt anyone, it didn't mean anything. Malia smiled, slipped under his left arm and lifted knees under her chin, leaning herself close to Scott. He wrapped blanket around her and just like Stiles, just a few weeks ago, took her hands into his. Malia immediately relaxed, exhaled, closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his body.

"Do you want another tea?" he asked but she just shook her head, because this was nice and exactly what she needed. Put all romantic thoughts away, Scott was warm, he was safe and he was there. They stayed like this for a while, not really saying anything and Malia thought that she could get use to this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I can't stay away from these two, I really really can't.

Let me know what you think about Malia's POV, it was quite challenge but I enjoyed writing it. For me she is like female version of Isaac - snarky and defensive on the outside and in the inside she is really vulnerable, and still a teenage girl.