A/N: For those reading my other story At Last I See The Light (shameless self promotion) what I am aiming to do is alternate between stories and get one chapter out a week, alternating which story I post for each week. I have uni work to do so writing a chapter for both stories each week seems impossible to me right now but I will continue to write as much and as often as possible :) Thank you to xskymapx for the review, it means a lot.


When Stiles arrived at school a week later, everything was different. Teachers, who usually looked at him with anticipation for the next antic, would stare at him with pity in their eyes. Kids who'd usually poke him and call him freak were letting him win playground games, despite his terrible choices in hiding places. He was already tired of it, tired of being singled out because his mom was sick. The teachers had been told by his father, an attempt to keep Stiles' academic life on track. They gave him support he didn't ask for and forgave him for usually punishable offences.

The students had found out via nosey parents. They'd use phrases like 'that poor family' and wpuld warn their children 'to be nice to that Stilinski boy'. These were all things Stiles couldn't stand, wished they would just act normal around him.

So when the pretty redhead approached him at lunch, he was ready to scream. Even if she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen, he didn't want her pity. In fact, that'd be the worst way he could imagine their friendship to start. Pity and apologies. The two things he just wanted to end but seemed to be a natural reaction to these people. Stiles was left constantly wondering why they were sorry. It's not like they made his mom sick, and their apologies weren't going to cure her. He concluded that sorry was a stupid meaningless word that was there so everyone else could feel better.

"Are you Stiles?" Her voice pulled him from his thoughts about his peers and he nodded in defeat, knowing this would be yet another apology. When he looked up to see her beautiful emerald eyes, he stared in confusion. Her eyes didn't hold pity, in fact the short genius looked almost bored. "Great. My mom said I had to invite you to my party. So here, no bringing your other loser friends, this is a sophisticated party." He noticed her stumbling on the big word but he didn't ask her about it, embarrassed about his own obliviousness to the meaning of the word anyway. Still, he couldn't help but smile, glad she wasn't treating him differently because of his situation. He watched her pink dress swish as she walked back to her table, the pitying looks forcing him to look away.

When he was back in class, he stuffed the envelope into his Spider-Man backpack, rushing to Scott's side with a grin. "Guess who is going to Lydia Martin's birthday party? Scotty I need help for a present though. I want something cool. You wanna come over after school to play Batman? Or we can plan the present? Or watch cartoons?" He'd been doing this a lot recently, thoughts skipping rapidly, unable to keep up with himself. The doctor had said it was something to do with his brain, and given him some medication that helped him concentrate. It was yet another thing that caused the looks, sorrow for the boy with a dying mother who took weird medicine.

Math had been boring, as it almost always was. The girl with waves in her hair and an Ariel backpack answering all questions with a bored glance and an air of superiority. So when class ended, he couldn't be happier, grabbing his backpack and rushing out to his mother.

Scott trailed behind much slower, his asthma much worse recently. By the time he'd reached his mother, Stiles was already in Claudia's arms, hugging his mother close.

"Mom can Scott come play? We have to pick a present for Lydia. I'm going to her party mom. I can go can't I? Please?" The bombardment of questions took a little while to absorb but once it registered, Claudia nodded leaving a lipstick trail on her son's cheek.

"Scott can come over, if it's okay with Melissa. And of course you can go to a party. Just remember to stick the invite on the fridge okay?" As she spoke, she saw a little redhaired girl strutting across the playground to a father too caught up in his BlackBerry to notice the picture she was presenting to him. Under her breath she muttered "ignorant bastard" barely registering that it was a serious playground faux pas. "Okay kids, let's go."

Both children looked in admiration at the curse as Melissa guided them all to the parking lot. "I'll drive Scott to yours Claud, we can have coffee while they play?"

Once at Stiles' house, they'd played together until teatime. Stiles was switching toys every few minutes and being much rougher with them than Scott was. The quiet boy didn't mind though, he was used to the erratic behaviour of his best friend and found it somewhat comforting. Miraculously, Stiles had sat still for half an hour to make a list of potential presents for Lydia. He'd decided on an Ariel doll and a big book, Claudia agreeing to the gifts.

It was when they sat down for dinner that things went wrong. Stiles had started reeling off everything he'd learned that day, almost a routine by now for the boy. He was about to bring up science class when his mother's hand slammed hard on the table, Melissa and Scott both jumping at the loud crash.

"Can you please just shut up for once? Please? I don't care how boring math was, I just don't." She pushed away from the table, walking into the living room and falling down onto the couch.

Stiles was left fighting tears, confused as to why his mother had been so harsh, so mean. He was soon pulled into Melissa's arms, the nurse whispering that his mother hadn't meant it, that it was just because she was sick. As much as he wanted to, Stiles didn't believe her. It had been so real, he just couldn't believe it was anything but the truth.

Still, he put on a smile, ever the strong one, knowing if he didn't he'd get more empty apologies.