Author's Note: I wanted to get this chapter out as fast as I could. I figured after this week's episode, we could all use some general cute-ness.

The song was ending. He glanced over at Scott and Allison who were completely and totally smitten. Lydia followed his gaze and he could see her smiling out of the corner of his eye.

"God, we're good," he said in a low voice.

"We really are," she replied. "Ready?"

"Born ready."

Stiles guided Lydia back to the table, his hand on the small of her back. She pulled him into the booth with her even though he had been sitting on the other side before they left to dance. Stiles thought that was a nice touch.

"How long until the movie starts?" Lydia asked, conversationally.

Stiles looked at his watch and pretended to be surprised.

"Aww, man. Thirty minutes. We should get out of here.

"So soon?" Cora asked, leaning forward.

"Yeah, we can't be late. Scott and I need popcorn if we're going to sit through a chick flick."

Lydia swatted him in mock indignation.

"Stop pretending you don't love it," she teased.

"I don't," he protested, smiling at her.

"You do," Lydia poked him in the chest, playing the knowing girlfriend role perfectly.

Well, two could play at that game. Stiles grabbed her hand and threaded his fingers through hers.

"Okay, I do."

Scott and Allison sidled up to the table, wearing matching shy smiles. He could tell Scott appreciated everything he was doing.

"You guys ready to head out for the movie?" Stiles asked pointedly, hoping that they played along.

"Sure," Allison said at the same time Scott said "What movie?"

"Scott," Stiles said in a faux patronizing tone. "As much as we'd both like to get out of it, we have to go to the romantic comedy. The girls won the coin toss. We go to the Seth Rogen movie on the next double date."

"The next one?" Scott looks hopefully at Allison.

"I promise," Allison looks like she means it.

"Cora, Jackson. It was nice seeing you."

Stiles slid out of the booth.

"Lydia?" Cora asked.

Stiles saw Lydia go white. Her eyes became fixed on her lap. She wrung her hands.

"Yeah?" she asked, quietly.

Stiles didn't know what had gone down between Lydia and Cora. But it didn't look good. Stiles felt terrible for putting her in harms way. He remembered Lydia saying something about Jackson and Cora pulling pranks on her and suddenly he was furious. Before a few weeks ago, Lydia had barely talked to anyone. How could she possibly have deserved to be teased and ridiculed?

"Be careful with this one," Cora pointed to Stiles. "He can be tough to hang onto."

"Trust me, Cora." Stiles said, trying to keep the edge out of his voice. "She's going to have trouble getting rid of me."

Stiles offered Lydia his hand and she took it.

She followed him out of the diner. Her heart still pounding. Being around Jackson and Cora was never easy. Being around them when she was pretending to date Cora's ex and Jackson's rival and at any moment she could be found out, opening herself and her new best friend up to humiliation and mockery... that was even worse.

But Stiles hadn't let that happen and she was grateful. He had a lot to lose too. As Lydia held his hand she couldn't help but think there were worse people to have on her side.

That moment of happiness lasted for half the walk from the booth to the front door.

"Mom? Dad?" she heard Allison ask in a high pitched voice.

"Crap," Stiles' hand tightened around her own.

Lydia's stomach dropped. This could ruin everything. Allison telling her parents about a boy she liked and asking if she could date him was one thing. Her parents finding her on a secret date with that boy? This was not good. This was very not good.

Lydia saw Mr. and Mrs. Argent walking towards them from the parking lot. They were about five seconds from a very awkward moment. Lydia looked around for a place to run but there wasn't one.

"Look uncomfortable!" Lydia ordered Scott and Allison.

With no time for romance, Lydia grabbed Stiles by the back of the head and dragged his lips down to meet hers. Stiles made a small noise of surprise but Lydia cupped his chin, making his mouth line up with hers. Stiles slid one arm around her waist and pulled her tight to him. Lydia's breath hitched. She felt him smile against her and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. His other hand gently brushed the hair out of her face, trailing his fingers down her neck.

Lydia heard the sound of a throat being cleared.

"Mr. and Mrs. Argent!" Lydia cried in a bubbly voice, breaking herself away from Stiles. Her cheeks must have been bright red because they were stinging in the cold. "How are you?"

"Hello Lydia," Mrs. Argent said, her eyes still fixed on Scott. "Weren't you and Allison supposed to be studying."

"Mom-" Allison started, but Lydia cut her off.

"You're absolutely right," Lydia told her. "We were in the library but I got really hungry and we decided to grab a snack and we ran into Stiles and Scott and..."

Lydia giggled. She hoped this was convincing.

"You know," Lydia gave Allison's parents a huge smile. "I just hope Scott and Allison didn't feel like third and fourth wheels."

"I'm Stiles," Stiles extended his hand to Mr. Argent who, thankfully, shook it. "Be honest with me, how much of Lydia's lipstick is on my face?"

Mr. Argent cracked a smile and it was all Lydia could do not to sigh in relief.

"You're mostly clear," Mr. Argent assured him. "So that makes you, Scott?"

"It does, sir," Scott said stiffly, offering his hand eagerly. "It's nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Argent."

"Nice to meet you too," Mrs. Argent eyed him suspiciously. "Are you all headed back home?"

"Actually," Allison said. "We were thinking of heading to the movies. Lydia and I are kind of burnt out on studying. I was just about to text you for permission."

"The movies?" her mother asked.

"A romantic comedy, actually," Allison stood up straight and spoke a bit more forcefully.

"The boys want to go to a romantic comedy with you?" now her father seemed suspicious as well.

"I'm a sucker for them," Scott lied.

"I'll be home right after," Allison added.