Even though she was only going to soothe her guilt, Josie couldn't deny that Lydia threw a great party.

The inside of Lydia's large house was filled to the brim with people, music playing under the loud conversation, as soft lights dimly lit the interior. Red solo cups lined every available surface. The music floated in from the backyard where fairy lights were strung up over the pool. The pool water reflected the soft glow back onto the dancing teens. Around the perimeter, a table of alcohol shook in time with the speaker next to it.

Josie, who had been to her fair share of parties in Oregon, was suitably impressed. This wasn't the crowded gatherings in sticky basements she was used to. Lydia's colonial house looked like it was ripped from an interior decorating magazine.

The pressing heat of the crowd was oddly comforting. Resisting the urge to slip off her boots, Josie pushed herself through the throng of people. With how large Lydia's house was, it took a minute to find the door to the backyard. Allison had texted earlier, informing Josie where she was with Scott, and asking for her to check in.

"Jo!"

A sudden weight against her back made Josie tense. The tickle of dark curls and citrus perfume immediately soothed her panic. She lifted her hands to squeeze onto Allison's arms encircling her chest. Josie giggled and leaned her head back to meet Allison's eyes. "Hello to you, too."

As Allison detached herself, Josie realized they had an audience.

Scott McCall was standing a few feet away, smiling his soft smile and rubbing the back of his neck nervously, as the girls laughed. Josie didn't mean to meet his eyes as she turned but found herself smiling automatically.

"You haven't met Scott officially, right?" Allison tugged Josie's elbow towards the boy. Her eyes were wide and pleading for Josie to behave. They only relaxed a fraction when Josie just smiled back. "Scott, this is my fellow new girl, Josie."

"Hi," Josie raised her hand to wave in greeting just as Scott put a hand out for her to shake. The awkward silence overtook them for a moment as Josie stared blankly. "Um…"

"I don't know why I did that," Scott looked horrified with himself. His laugh was self-deprecating as he lowered his head. "That was easily the dorkiest thing I could've done."

Allison caught his falling hand and linked their fingers together. Scott's face lit up as she beamed back. Her voice was gentle as she tugged him closer. "Well, I thought it was cute."

In an attempt to remind them she was there, Josie gave an exaggerated nod. "Oh, yeah. Very respectful. If I was her dad, I would've loved it."

Scott choked out something resembling a laugh. "Good to know. I feel like I need all the pointers I can get."

"One step at a time." Allison grinned before shooting a teasing look Josie's way. "Let's finish the date first."

"Who knows if she'll want a second one?" Josie mused.

Allison turned away to hide her smile from Scott as his eyes widened exponentially.

"I didn't mean that like I was expecting to meet your dad!" Scott's eyes flicked between Josie and Allison. Josie tried her best to keep her face serious as he sputtered a reply. "I would love to meet your dad, but not until you're ready. If you're ever ready!"

Twisting her face to resist laughing, Josie commented. "You sound like Stiles when you're nervous."

Realization blossomed on Scott's face as a giggle escaped Allison. His smile negated any annoyance he tried to put into his voice. "Well, that was surprisingly mean."

Allison's hand drifted to rest on Josie's forearm as the two laughed loudly. She barely felt herself lean into the touch. With the lightness filling her chest and the grounding touch of Allison's hand, Josie couldn't remember why she hadn't wanted to come in the first place.

Josie shrugged as her giggles gradually slowed. "I'm a bad influence."

"Definitely," Allison agreed before pushing her shoulder into Scott's. "Josie planned on drinking alone."

"And not crashing your date." Josie tugged lightly at one of the strands of hair framing her face. It wasn't hard to see how much Scott was itching to get back to his alone time with Allison. Judging by her longing looks, Allison agreed. "So, I should get to drinking."

Scott's face lit up. "I can get you a drink!"

Before Josie could protest, he disappeared into the crowd surrounding the drink table. Resisting the urge to coo, Josie turned to give Allison a soft look. "He's giving me a toothache with how sweet he is."

"I know!" Allison gushed, resting her hands on Josie's shoulders, and shaking them. "And do you see the way he keeps looking at me?"

"It would be hard to miss." Jose agreed. She brought her hands to rest on Allison's shoulders, mimicking her posture. It was impossible to miss how much Allison was glowing under Scott's attention. "I'm happy you're having a good time."

Face creasing in concern, Allison shook off Josie's hands. "Are you going to have a good time? I know you and Lydia had some argument earlier, and you don't have to tell me what it's about—"

"I promise I will tell you later." Josie was surprised to find she meant it. "Don't worry about me and Lydia, worry about the boy who is falling all over you."

Allison nodded. "I will do my best."

Before Josie had to find a more reassuring response, Scott appeared over Allison's shoulder clutching a red cup.

"Okay," Scott cringed as he held the cup out to Josie. "So, I just realized how much drink mixing experience I don't have."

Josie carefully took the cup and inspected the contents. "I'm sure you did good. Alcohol is alcohol, y'know?"

As Allison was nodding in agreement, Josie took a tentative sip.

At the bitter taste of pure vodka running down her throat, she couldn't help but spit it back into the cup. Blinking away the tears in her eyes, Josie focused on the twinkling fairy lights overhead. She could hear Scott's groan and Allison's laughter around her.

Attempting a smile, Josie looked to Scott. "Sorry, I was not expecting pure vodka."

"With a splash of Coke!" Scott added.

"With a splash of Coke." Josie confirmed. "That is my cue to leave. Have fun, kids."

The couple called out goodbyes as Josie fled. She couldn't help the coughing fit that overtook her at the ache in her throat. The last thing she wanted was for Scott to get embarrassed during their date—the poor kid looked like he was scared to death already.

Before Josie could get very far in her trek to the drink table, she was stopped in her tracks by a lilting call of her name.

Lydia was carefully picking her way towards Josie. She wobbled for a split second as she hit a crack in the pavement and Josie instinctively reached for her.

Her hand connected with the damp skin of Lydia's wrist. It had been a long time since Josie had touched someone else on purpose. The feeling of skin on skin made her throat close as nausea swirled in her stomach. The familiar sensations began to ghost over her body.

Hands on her shoulders holding her head underwater, hands pushing on her chest methodically, small hands squeezing tightly onto her own. A still ankle resting on her knee, arms encircling her waist, sticky clumps of hair being moved off her forehead.

Swallowing around the lump in her throat, Josie released Lydia's wrist as calmly as she could manage.

Lydia just brushed imaginary dirt off her black dress and shifted the tight fabric. Her red curls were messier than usual, lipstick rubbed away, and a hickey was blooming on her exposed collarbone. Following Josie's eyeline, Lydia giggled. "Jackson."

It was the only explanation that Josie needed. "Enough said."

Even with the previous argument looming over them, Josie couldn't help but laugh under her breath. Instead of focusing on the emotions surrounding Lydia, Josie went back to their common ground. "That dress is doing wonders for your curves."

"I know." Lydia held her arms out so Josie could get a better look. She gestured back for Josie to twirl. "You're totally pulling off the 90s ingenue look. I never quite got the hang of layering."

Josie smiled and gave a twirl as requested. The silky fabric of her slip dress fluttered out around her thighs as she spun on her toes. The liquid in her cup came dangerously close to sloshing over.

Lydia wrinkled her nose and snatched the cup from Josie's hand. She sniffed at it before tossing it over her shoulder, clear liquid spilling onto the concrete. At Josie's scandalized look, Lydia rolled her eyes. "I'll make Jackson clean it up tomorrow. C'mon, let's get you a proper drink."

After mixing Josie a 'proper drink' and leading her to a perch on the stairs, Lydia disappeared to find Jackson.

Josie tugged the sleeves of her shirt over her hands as a barrier from the sweating cup. She took another drink that from Lydia's mixture and leaned into the wall.

It didn't take a genius to figure out this was Lydia's version of an apology. She helped Josie do everything that she had originally railed against. The upstairs was off-limits, so no one would bother Josie on the stairs. Her mixed drink was made with the good vodka that Lydia kept locked in a kitchen cabinet. The admission to Lydia being bad at something, even as dumb as layering clothes, was another part of it.

There was probably never going to be a verbal apology, but Josie didn't really care. If Lydia apologized through actions, then she would take it. The other girl was trying, and that's all Josie cared about. There was an unspoken understanding between the two of them that their argument was over. Josie accepted Lydia's apology when she took the cup.

Silent apologies were the norm for Josie's parents. Fights were few and far between in the Tantama household, but they escalated quickly. They usually ended when money magically appeared in Josie's bank account. She could always tell the morning after who had done it; Melati would cover her guilt by making waffles while Anton just hid in his art studio.

Swirling her nearly empty cup, Josie frowned at the pang of homesickness that hit her. They tended to only hit when she was staring at her dark ceiling in Baba's house, Kitty twined around her legs, missing the fuzzy noise of her parents' music down the hall.

Josie tossed the last of the drink back. That should fix that.

Her legs wobbled slightly as she maneuvered down the steps.

Josie couldn't care less if her drink was going to be made with shitty vodka instead of the good kind Lydia had given her. She just needed something to drown the homesickness lingering in her stomach.

Shoving through partygoers, Josie vaguely heard complaints behind her. The fuzzy voices were easy to shove away in favor of getting outside as the comforting warmth began edging more and more into suffocation. With the advantage her platform boots gave her, Josie could see the foggy glass of the patio door.

Just as Josie's hand was reaching for the door, someone decided she was taking too long and easily cut her off. The boy she vaguely recognized from lacrosse practice was already disappearing into the crowd of people—ignoring how his elbow had hit firmly in the middle of Josie's chest.

Forced to stop short, Josie balanced precariously on her toes before flopping onto her heels. Her scar gave an ache in sympathy. It was more annoying than painful, but Josie's hand still ghosted over her sternum. She muttered a half-hearted, "Small dick motherfucker."

Josie turned and immediately ran into someone's drink.

A mixture of ice and alcohol splashed up her sleeve and onto the front of her dress. A shiver rolled down her neck as a breeze drifted in from the open patio door. Her previous buzz had been swallowed by worry.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit." Josie experimentally touched her finger to one of the stains dotting the front of her dress. When it came back damp, part of her loosened slightly. All she had to do was keep the stains from drying and then it could be a problem for tomorrow.

Too focused on the impossible task of getting stains out of satin, Josie hadn't even bothered to see who she ran into. The voice rambling in her peripheral was slowly coming into focus and Josie resisted the urge to laugh.

Glancing up from her dress, Josie found that Stiles was in the middle of a long-winded apology. She had clearly missed most of it. Instead of attempting to find a way in between Stiles's words, Josie just patiently waited for him to be done.

"...I would totally get you a new dress, but I am so completely broke." Stiles finally paused for air. He seemed taken aback by how casually Josie was waiting, arms crossed loosely over her stomach, fingers tapping her red cup. When she raised her eyebrows, he just nodded with a bewildered look.

"Stiles," Josie bit the inside of her cheek to hide just how amusing she found the situation. She pitched her voice higher over the crowd around them. "You know that I ran into you? Like, this is my fault."

"You—you let me go on this whole time!" Stiles gaped at her as his eyebrows shot up his forehead. He seemed personally offended—red staining his cheeks and slowly traveling down his neck. "That is unbelievable."

Josie was too busy watching the blush trail under the neckline of Stiles's shirt to create a response. After a few seconds of silence, she finally made it back to her own head. If Stiles noticed her staring, he didn't say. Personally, she was going to blame the alcohol. "I was being polite."

"I wasted a great apology on you!"

"And I wasted being polite on you!"

Maybe it the alcohol or the crowd, but Stiles seemed more at ease than Josie had ever seen. His face was open and animated, like how Josie was used to seeing him from a distance. "Josie, I am officially taking back every apology I've ever given you."

A giggle escaped before becoming a full smile. Josie didn't know whether it was the proud smile covering Stiles's face, how he said her name, or the alcohol, but she couldn't help it. "That's, like, a decent amount of apologies."

"And they're all gone." Stiles confirmed. His hands moved as he talked, earning him annoyed looks from the people passing by. "There are none left. The apology bank is empty."

Josie, thankful the cup in his gesturing hand was empty, raised her eyebrows. "Even the one after you gave me a bloody nose?"

Stiles's face slackened into one of offence. His mouth opened and closed silently before he mimicked Josie's raised eyebrows and crossed arms. "Well, when you say it like that, it sounds bad!"

"Because it is bad!" Something about the slump of Stile's shoulders reminded Josie of a toddler about to throw a tantrum and she couldn't help it. The laughter spilling out of her was unexpected and Stiles flinched at the noise.

He looked woefully confused as Josie tried to calm her gasping laughter. After she got most of it under control, Stiles poked her empty red cup cautiously. "Just out of, y'know, boring curiosity, how much have you had to drink?"

Suddenly aware she was swaying in her spot, Josie shrugged. The tingly feeling that covered her body on the steps was slowly receding. "Just one. Lydia made me something after Scott tried to give me straight vodka."

"Oh, Scotty." Stiles's face became disgusted at the mere thought. "Poor boy."

"He was trying to impress Allison." Josie informed him, leaning in like she was sharing a secret.

Stiles played along, leaning in closer and stage-whispering, "Oh, to be young and absolutely pathetic."

Another smile flashed over Josie's face. She scoffed at the look on Stiles's face—too proud for how bad the joke was—and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm going to get another drink and then we can continue making fun of them."

Just as Josie was about to resume her quest outside, Stiles let out a low whistle. "Yeah, that doesn't seem like a great idea."

"Excuse me?" Josie frowned. One proper conversation was not enough for Stiles to be commenting on her drinking. Despite that, he seemed to have a point; Josie wasn't sure if her annoyance was coming across in her voice or if she just sounded more drunk. "The fuck does that mean, Stilinski?"

By the look on Stiles's face, it seemed she succeeded. He cringed and lifted his hands in a placating gesture. "Woah, woah, woah, do not look at me like that. It meant I was going to get us both drinks."

Annoyance replaced by a warm feeling, Josie handed her cup over willingly and cooed. "Aw, you're sweet. Sweet Stiles Stilinski."

The disgusted look was back. "Please never call me that again."

This time Josie did roll her eyes as he disappeared out the patio door.

Very aware of how dizzy she was becoming, Josie carefully cleared a spot on the nearby dining room table. It was a giant table that could've handled a family of twelve, so Josie had plenty of room to settle in on it.

The new vantage point gave her a great view out the patio door and through the rest of the house. Josie could see Stiles's reappearing with two cups clutched in his hands. He looked at their previous spot in confusion before catching sight of Josie's waving hand.

"Thought you left me stranded over there with Greenberg, for a second." Stiles confessed before handing Josie one of the cups. He moved to lean against the table, side-by-side with Josie, a solid foot of space between them.

Josie furrowed her brows. "I wouldn't do that to you. Such an asshole move."

Stiles just blinked at her owlishly. Maybe it was decaying people skills or the fuzzy haze over her brain, but Josie couldn't tell what it meant. The one thing she knew for sure was that she didn't mind it.

"You good?" Josie took a sip of her drink, glanced down at her lipstick smeared cup, and immediately raised her eyebrows at Stiles. He yelped as she punched him solidly in the arm. "Are you kidding me? Water?"

Letting a laugh that bordered on a cackle, Stiles grinned and rubbed his arm. Josie was just relieved his weird look was gone and he was back to making jokes. "What? It's a drink!"

"I'm drinking this out of spite, okay?" Josie clarified, ignoring how she was oddly proud of making him laugh. If anything, the water would clear her head and purge her stomach of its sickly-sweet feeling.

As the party slowly continued, the fog did slowly lift from Josie's brain but the feeling in her stomach never left. As Stiles filled in her in on the school's gossip, the two migrated closer and closer. Josie didn't know which one of them started it, but they ended up with Josie's hip inches away from Stiles's.

Even with their bodies angled toward each other, heads tilted together, Josie made sure to keep the gap between them. The last thing she needed was a repeat of the incident with Lydia. Stiles had already seen the scar on her shoulder and that's all Josie was going to give him.

Josie was in the middle of laughing too hard at a story of six-year-old Scott eating crayons (he thought they would make his stomach colorful, Stiles explained) when he came tripping in the house.

Stiles automatically moved to steady him. "Yo, Scott, you good?"

If Josie thought Scott looked nervous before, he looked sickly now. Sweat covered his face and neck in a feverish sheen. One hand gripped his head as his face pinched tightly in pain. He didn't even seem to see Stiles, much less hear him, as he continued to push towards the front door.

Still a bit tipsy, Josie carefully slid off the table with a thunk. She sent a confused look towards Stiles. "Is he okay?"

"No freaking clue." Stiles muttered before taking off after his friend.

Huffing under her breath, Josie followed behind him. It was hard to keep up with the both of them, Scott haphazardly pushing through people as Stiles frantically apologized for him. Josie trailed behind in the path Scott created of disgruntled partygoers.

Losing sight of Stiles, Josie kept making her way to the front door. She wasn't sure what was making her chase blindly after Scott, but she wasn't going to question it.

Josie stepped onto the front porch, barely catching a glimpse of Scott slamming his car door and resisted the urge to shiver. She couldn't do anything but watch helplessly as he drove recklessly away.

I told you so, a little voice sang in her head as Josie's previous bad feeling pushed to the forefront of her mind.

"Josie, do you know what the hell is going on?" Allison was standing on the sidewalk, a few yards away, a dejected look creasing her delicate features. Her arms crossed defensively over her chest as she met Josie halfway.

"I have no clue." Josie admitted. Another cold breeze made her shiver and wrap her arms around her stomach. It sent strands of hair into her face, but she ignored it. "Did something happen?"

"No! I don't think so! Maybe…" Allison tilted her head back, tears shining in her eyes. Her voice was thin and confused. "I thought he was going to kiss me."

Josie's eyes widened in panic at the idea of Allison crying. She was so not equipped to deal with that. "Hey, hey, hey." She rested her hand on Allison's forearm and rubbed circles through the jacket's fabric. "He probably just freaked because of how good you look."

Allison gave a watery laugh and rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious!" Josie defended. Even if the laugh was mostly tears, it was something. "I'm getting nervous around you and, so far, we are strictly platonic."

"So far?" Allison raised her eyebrows in vague confusion.

Josie shrugged. "I never rule anything out."

The laugh that came from Allison was mostly surprised, but it was steady. The smile that broke through was soft. There was nothing Josie could do but return it. "Thanks, Jo."

"It's what I'm here for."

As her tears dried, Allison seemed to transition into anger. Her jaw clenched in annoyance as she aggressively wiped her eyes. "Some first date—Scott was my ride."

Still too worried about Allison to be properly angry at Scott for ditching her, Josie resumed the soothing circles on Allison's arm. "Baba should still be up, let me call her."

"Good, because there is no way I am calling my parents." Allison sniffled.

"Thank god for the fact that my grandma has no sleep schedule to be found."

Allison choked out a laugh as Josie reached an arm under her dress to grab her phone from the waistband of her tights. She shot a wink at the other girl and straightened her slip dress as casually as she could.

Before she could even turn her phone on, someone cleared their throat.

Josie swung around to see Derek Hale facing the two of them.

He gave a smile that was completely out of character for what Josie knew of him. "Allison." He seemed vaguely surprised to see Josie there but nodded in greeting. "Josie."

Despite her lingering bad feeling, the familiar face made Josie relax slightly. The noise of people around her, and Allison at her back, soothed the nerves she got from their first meeting. "Hi, Derek."

"Josie?" Allison's soft voice was pitched upwards in curiosity. Her voice was still vulnerable, and Josie felt oddly protective. "You guys know each other?"

"We've met before—I'm Josie's neighbor." Derek explained, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket. "Plus, I'm a friend of Scott. He's told me about you two."

"He has?" Josie raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She could believe Scott would talk about Allison to anyone who would listen, but they barely knew each other.

"More about Allison, no offence." Derek laughed casually. "I did hear the story of Stiles giving you a bloody nose."

A muffled laugh from behind her made Josie bite down her smile. She forced herself to ignore it, schooling her face back into a serious expression. "Scott's never mentioned you before."

"We've been in a disagreement for a while," Derek admitted before giving another winning smile. "I do know he'd want you to get home safe, though. I can give you both a ride?"

"Josie's calling her grandma to pick us up but thank you." Allison offered a tight smile to Derek. "It's nice of you to offer."

"Mrs. Strinakova isn't the fastest moving old woman." Derek looked at Josie for confirmation and she shrugged—he had a point, her grandma wasn't exactly spry. "Plus, Josie's house is already on the way."

The two girls shared a look.

"What's in it for you?" Josie asked.

"Being a Good Samaritan?" Derek raised his eyebrows at her, but Josie didn't blink. He sighed before raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, I'm hoping this will help Scott see things my way."

"So, this is about your argument with Scott." Allison relaxed slightly, her tone loosening in understanding.

"Disagreement," Derek corrected. "But yes. It'll help us all out."

Before Josie could say anything, Allison was nodding in agreement.

Making a noise of protest, Josie shot the other girl a look.

Allison, looking tired from the onslaught of emotions, just made a pleading face. "Please, Josie? I just want to go home and go to sleep."

"Fine." Josie grumbled as Allison's face brightened.

Derek began walking towards a car on the curb, Josie only recognized the type as dark and expensive, and Allison followed behind him. The two were exchanging pleasantries but Josie couldn't force herself to do it. Thankfully, neither seemed to expect her to.

Allison opened the back door for Josie with a flourish before sliding gracefully into the front seat. The sound of her explaining what street her house was on filled the silent car.

Taking another second to breathe in the cold air, Josie rested her arm on top of the open door. Just as she was about to suck it up, Stiles burst out onto the porch. His keys were dangling from his hands and a jacket was hanging from his arm.

He caught sight of Allison and Derek through the rolled down passenger window and Josie loitering by the open door. He mouthed, "What the hell?" at Josie while waving his hands in protest.

Josie gave him a thumbs up before waving her phone at him and mouthing, "It's fine!"

Throwing herself into the backseat, Josie slammed the door shut.

"Finally." Allison threw over her shoulder teasingly as Derek started the car.

In retaliation, Josie kicked the back of the seat.

Derek looked like he was vaguely in pain and sent a stern look towards Josie. "Please do not injure my car."

Rolling her eyes, Josie caught one last look out the window of Stiles on the front steps of the porch. He looked hopelessly confused and she resisted the urge to yell something out at him.

Well, it wasn't the worst party she'd been to. No one ended up dead.