"Do you think I'm hot?" Stiles was sitting in Scott's dorm room looking at her face with much scrutiny in the mirror.
"What?" He said, a laugh on the tip of his tongue.
"Oh, grow up. You're a guy – what do you think?"
Stiles pondered over her appearance as Scott hesitated to answer. She was cute, she could give herself that much. She had mousey brown hair that fell just above her shoulders. Her eyes were almond shaped and a light honey brown and her nose curved up like a miniature ski slope. She was skinny and gangly and had moles places haphazardly on her face. Cute? – Sure. Hot?
"Yeah… I guess." He looked at her like he was waiting for her to freak out on him. So, naturally, she punched him in the arm. "Ouch! Come on, Stiles. You've been my best friend since we were like five years old. There is no way I could ever think about you like that."
"Ugh. You're no help." Stiles flopped down on Scott's bed. "I've had one actual relationship in my life and that was when I finally gave up on Lydia Martin and went out with Danny for a month. My love life is pathetic."
"Don't be so down on yourself. What about the coffee shop girl, Haley?"
"So far out of my league it's ridiculous. Besides, how is anything ever going to happen if I only see her while I'm working?"
"Ask her out."
"Scott, please don't try to be funny, it's not your strong point. Remember when I said 'out of my league'?"
"You asked Lydia out dozens of times."
"Very true. But do you remember how well that went?" Stiles groaned. "It's fine, I'll just stay a virgin forever. No big deal."
"Don't be so dramatic." Scott rolled his eyes.
For weeks it went the same – Haley coming in the shop every night at 5:30. Stiles would make some very lame comment ("You're sure you don't want to ditch that tea for some delectable coffee?" "Whoa, it's 5:40. I thought you were standing me up!") and Haley would smile and roll her eyes.
Stiles had officially developed a major crush. She started to notice the days when Haley was in a particularly good mood (She wouldn't act any different, but she would stay around the shop for a little while, instead of leaving right away. Sometimes she would read, use her laptop, or just simply sit there) and the days where she was not to be disturbed. Those days she wouldn't even smile at Stiles, all she would do was glare at her and storm away with her bitter tea. Although Stiles will admit that she always liked to poke fun at her on those days.
"Does Haley go to the University?" Alison asked one night when Stiles, Scott and herself were all sitting in Stiles' dorm room.
"Yes. Why else would she come to the coffee house?" Stiles said.
"It's just, I looked at the yearbook for the year she would have come to this school, and there's no one named Haley in the freshman pages." She said. "Hold on, I'll show you." Alison turned around to look through her bag, pulling out a slightly dated yearbook.
Stiles grabbed the yearbook and started flipping through the section where the entire freshman year had their picture. F…G…H… She was right. There was no Haley. Stiles leafed through the pages, looking at pictures this time.
"You're right." Stiles muttered, careful reviewing the pages.
"Maybe it was a nickname? Or maybe her parents spelt Haley really weirdly, like with a Q or something." Scott provided.
"What the hell…" Stiles muttered. She had found Haley's picture, but not under the name Haley.
"What is it?" Scott asked.
"Derricka Hale." Stiles read from the page.
"I have a bone to pick with you." Stiles said as Haley entered the shop.
"What?" She snapped, walking up to the counter. She was in one of her bad moods, Stiles could tell.
"Whoa, don't get mad at me, Derricka" Stiles' mouth widened into a smile as the name rolled off his tongue. Haley's eyes widened in horror at the sound of her other name.
"Where the hell did you hear that name?" Her voice was almost a growl. Stiles was suddenly sorry that he had ever found her name in the yearbook. She abruptly grabbed Stiles' collar, violently pulling her across the counter. Stiles let out a yelp of surprise.
"Calm down, it's just your name. No need to be angry." Stiles' voice came out as a squeak and Haley reluctantly let go of her collar.
"Come with me." Her voice was a command; one that Stiles wasn't about to disobey. Haley didn't wait for her as she stormed out of the shop.
"I guess I'm taking my break now." Stiles said, looking at Isaac nervously for some reassurance. Isaac just shrugged and chuckled as Stiles ran out the door after Haley.
Stiles found her behind the building, still looking furious, but slightly less so than she did inside.
"How did you hear that name?" She growled again as soon as Stiles was close.
"I saw it in a year book. You know I was very surprised to not find your picture under the name Haley." Stiles tried to smile to ease the tension but it was no use.
"Don't use that name." She stepped closer to her, so close that their faces were barley inches apart. Stiles knew that she was trying to be intimidating, but she was just pleasantly surprised.
"Yeah, I got that." She said. "But why?"
"Because who the hell names their kid Derricka?" Her face held a smile for a fraction of a second. "And Haley – Hale… it just fit." Haley's voice dropped from furious to something else in a matter or seconds. Stiles almost couldn't place it… it's was almost like she was sad.
"You're upset with Derricka? You should hear the name I got stuck with." Stiles said.
"Yeah, Stiles does sound pretty stupid." Haley scoffed.
"Ow! Stiles isn't my real name, it's the one I chose. My last name is Stilinski. I kind of did the same thing as you."
"Except Haley is a real name." She rolled her eyes again. Everything was silent for a moment. "Okay fine, I'll take the bait. What's your real name?" She asked.
Stiles was silently thrilled. That was probably the first personal interest that Haley had every taken in her.
"Not telling. But I will say that my parents were even more messed up than yours." She smirked. Haley, big surprise, rolled her eyes again. But this time it was without the smile.
There was a moment of silence. Stiles didn't know what to do – leave? She felt like she'd be squandering a pretty huge opportunity if she just left now. But Haley wasn't saying anything.
"So, are your parents those fun kind of people that like to name their kid something weird just to be unique? If so, we have that in common." Stiles was making conversation, trying to fill the silence. Unfortunately it didn't work because Haley didn't say anything. She glared at Stiles like she had some personal vendetta against her. "Okay, uncomfortable silence it is." She left this open for Haley to say something, but again – nothing. "Look, if I've said something wrong just tell me…"
"I have to go." Haley said, her voice sharp and fast. She turned away and was out of Stiles' view before she could blink.
"You didn't even get your tea." Stiles muttered to herself before going back inside.
"Please tell me you at least got her number." Isaac said pleadingly as Stiles marched back inside with an angry look on her face.
"Isaac, you should have learned by now that I'm a huge idiot."