Chapter Three: Surprises

Three days later and he still hadn't called.

She'd tried to tell herself that she didn't care that much, that they'd only known each other for a few days and that things weren't that serious yet. But it was like a nervous tick, an endless cycle; every few seconds she found her mind returning to her phone, her fingers finding the home button, and the same wave of disappointment washing over her all over again.

She'd almost thrown her phone - her very, very expensive iPhone - across the room on Sunday evening when, yet again, she had not received a call from him, but Kira had intervened just in time.

He'd said tomorrow. That was Friday. Today was Monday.

"Maybe he's busy," Kira offered as she towel dried a mug, shaking Malia from her reverie.

"Who cares?" Malia said flatly, shrugging as she continued to wipe down the tables and push in chairs. But even Kira could tell that she didn't really mean it, no matter how convincingly she had tried to say it.

"You do. Hey, here's a fun idea, why don't you try calling him? Phones work both ways, you know."

Malia froze. She knew that, of course she did. But she couldn't give this guy the satisfaction of seeing her give in, of being the one to call first. Besides, what if there was a reason why he hadn't called her? What if he just wasn't that into her? What if he had already moved on to someone better, someone prettier?

"There's no one else, trust me," Kira insisted, reading the brunette's mind.

She heaved a sigh. "How do you know? We only went on one sort of date and drunkenly made out in the kitchen. I don't think that's exactly a recipe for success."

Kira gave her a pointed look, her eyes shifting from Malia to something just out of her line of sight and back. "Well maybe if you used your eyes, maybe the answer would be right in front of you," she said cryptically, making Malia furrow her brows.

"What are you talking -" she stopped abruptly when she turned around and saw Stiles standing there in front of her. Her mouth falling open, she looked back at Kira only to find her friend wasn't paying attention anymore. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Okay, so you're definitely mad at me. But I can explain," Stiles said in that same, quickened tone that he always got when he was nervous, desperate. Malia swallowed but said nothing, waiting. "We were slammed at the station this weekend. I don't know if you noticed, but a lot went down and we busted a lot of people… but I guess that doesn't excuse the fact that I didn't call when I said I would. And I'm sorry. Like, really sorry. I even brought bagels."

Malia gave him a skeptical look, eying the brown bag he held in his hands. "Isn't it a little late for bagels?" She pointed out.

Stiles looked affronted. "It's never a bad time for bagels," he told her. "And besides, I heard from a little birdy that someone's favorite was the everything bagel. I don't know if that's true but…"

"Alright, fine, you got me," Malia replied, rolling her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "You get a table, I'll make us some coffee."

When Malia returned a few minutes later, she came bearing two mugs and two plates. Stiles had set up shop at a table near the window, a few feet away from a man who was typing away at his Macbook and talking to someone on the phone. Malia sat down, immediately getting a whiff of the delicious bagels as Stiles opened the bag. She waited patiently for him to place one on each plate, studying him in silence.

He looked tired, his eyes slightly red and his hair a little more disheveled than usual, and he was wearing his uniform. "So you are playing hookie," she murmured, taking a sip of her coffee.

Stiles laughed, shaking his head. "I actually took the afternoon off. Kira told me she'd kill me if I didn't come over right away, and bring food. Lots of food."

"Food was a good call," Malia agreed, glancing back at the counter. Kira was busy chatting up a customer, explaining to them what the special of the day was. Good, she thought, she's not trying to eavesdrop. "But you didn't have to skip work for this. We could've talked after -"

"Well this isn't really what I came here for," Stiles said, gesturing to the bagels and coffee. He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair, mussing it more. "I mean - I did want to come and apologize in person because I was an asshole for not calling you - every time I had a second I stared at it, wondering what might happen if I did try, but it was too late and I always got pulled away before I could - I guess what I'm trying to say is that I also came here with the intention of asking you on a date." He exhaled, his eyes meeting hers expectantly. "So, would you go on a date with me, a poor, inconsiderate Coffee Boy?"

Malia felt a smile tug at her lips as she sipped on her coffee, considering his words. The fact that he had come all the way there in the middle of the day - albeit after being threatened by her best friend - bearing food and apologies made her quick to forgive him for not calling.

In fact, this was almost better. It was definitely worth the wait.

"Yes, Stiles," she said finally, pulling a chunk out of her bagel and popping it into her mouth. "I will go on a date with you. But only under the condition that you don't say you're gonna call, cause we know what happened last time…"

"Alright, alright fair enough," Stiles grinned, holding his right hand up. "You have my word. Scout's honor."

Malia quirked a brow. "You were a boy scout?"

"Yeah, until I accidentally burned down my tent on a camping trip. It was kind of a disaster," he grimaced at the memory, taking a sip of his coffee.

She snorted, taking another piece of bagel and eating it, her eyes full of amusement. Malia shook her head. "You're just full of crazy surprises, aren't you?" She said. "Speaking of which - what do you have in mind for our date?" It felt strangely… good to hear the word roll off her tongue so casually.

Stiles smirked. "Well, like you said, I'm full of surprises."

"Crazy surprises," Malia corrected. She paused, waiting for him to speak again but he didn't say anything. "So you're really not going to tell me?"

He finished off his bagel and took another swig of his drink, shrugging. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Are you working tomorrow?" She nodded. "When?"

"Open to 4."

"Great. I'm picking you up at 7."

"God, you really are not giving anything away," Malia observed, leaning back in her chair. "This better be the best date I've ever been on in my life."

"Okay, no you're just being ridiculous."

"What, not up to the challenge?"

Stiles shook his head. "All I'm saying is that you'll be surprised. Take that how you will," he told her. Despite the fact that he was telling her nothing of interest about the date, she was excited. But she wasn't going to let him know that - she wanted him to think she was seriously skeptical about his date-planning abilities.

So she finished her coffee and stood, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I have to get back to work. Impromptu break is now over," Malia said finally.

"But we were having such a good time," Stiles protested, a mock pout on his lips. She couldn't help but get a little distracted; thoughts of Friday night came flooding into her head, and the sudden need to kiss him again was almost unbearable.

"You'll live," she laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She gathered up the dirty dishes and headed back to the counter, only looking back once to see him still smiling at her in a daze, before shaking his head and getting up to leave.

—

"You're leaving me here to deal with this alone?" Malia demanded, gaping at her roommate as Kira hurried around the apartment.

"Malia, you are 23 years old - you can handle getting ready for a date. You can handle anything. I, however, can't even handle organization. Have you seen my keys?"

The brunette let out an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes. "It's not the date I'm worried about," she insisted. "You know I'm seriously challenged when picking out what to wear. And this is one of those times when it is crucial that I don't look like a ten year old dressed me."

Kira dropped the seat cushion of the couch, standing up and looking around. She looked amazing, as always, in a shimmering black dress and red lipstick, her dark hair falling in a pin-straight curtain over her shoulders. Malia, on the other hand, had her hair up in a messy bun, and wore her favorite pair of knee-highs with shorts and an oversized 'Beacon Hills Community College' sweatshirt.

That was how she always dressed, but she never found fault with it until she was in a position where she could not afford to look that way.

"A-ha!" Kira shouted, finding her keys under a stack of mail on the kitchen counter. Then she turned to her friend. "Look, I'm already late so there's nothing I can do. I'm sure you'll be fine."

"But -" Malia started, but Kira was already running through the door, hastily shouting goodbye before disappearing.

Malia sat in the middle of her bedroom, clothes strewn all over the place, covering every surface, a mixture of not only her things but Kira's as well. She had on a pair of jeans and a lacy red bra, and groaned yet again as she tossed aside the blouse she had been considering just a moment before.

Picking out the right outfit for a date was already hard, but when it came to picking out the right outfit for a date she knew nothing about, well, she could have been sitting there all night.

That is, if the doorbell hadn't rang and made her get up.

Not even thinking twice about who it could be, Malia went straight for the door, unlocking and opening it to find Stiles standing on the other side. She just stood there in surprise for a moment, completely unaware of what time it was, before realizing that she wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Hi," she managed to say.

Stiles was trying and failing at hiding his amusement. "Hi." He said, clearing his throat and scratching the back of his neck. "I mean, if I'm early, I can just go back to my car and come back in like ten minutes…"

Malia rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "No, no it's my fault. Just come in already before the neighbors get a free show, too."

He laughed, obliging as he ducked inside and Malia quickly shut the door behind him. She hurried back to her bedroom, and in about two minutes flat she had thrown on a semi-sheer, loose black tank top, matching heels, and let her hair down from its bun. When she returned to the living room, she found Stiles toying with the abstract figurine that they had on the stand in their entryway.

"Kira made that her senior year of college," Malia explained, making Stiles jump, almost knocking it over. He caught it, returning it to its place on the table, sliding his hands hastily into his pockets. She smirked. "She was an art and design major."

"You two live together, right?" He asked, taking a step away from the table as she approached him.

She nodded, grabbing her clutch and checking to make sure everything was in it. Wallet, chapstick, keys, phone. "Yeah. She's on a date with Scott tonight. I think they went to a concert… or dinner… maybe both?" Malia shrugged. "Do you wanna go now? I think I've kept you waiting long enough."

"I don't know, I was starting to like it here…"

"Stiles!" Malia knew what he was doing. Stalling. But after a long day of wondering what exactly he had planned for her tonight, she couldn't wait a second longer.

He laughed finally as she grabbed her coat, holding his hands up defensively and moving towards the door. "Alright, sorry, let's go."