"Dude, this is sick!" Scott shouted happily as his best friend drove into his driveway. He opened the passenger door and hopped in. "This was your mom's?"
"Yeah! I mean my dad wanted to sell it and put the money towards another car but it's nice to kind of have a piece of her around, you know? Plus it's in near perfect condition!"
"Oookay, dude. I'm looking at your dashboard right now and I can honestly say that I didn't even know cars HAD that many warning lights," Scott smirked earned an annoyed look from his childhood friend.
"Dude I said NEAR perfect. A little duck tape and this baby is ready for an off-road adventure in the mountains," Stiles said proudly, patting his steering wheel. Almost instantly the car squealed in response. Stiles chuckled nervously before hitting the steering wheel with force a few times in order for it to stop.
"Yeah, you're definitely riding solo on that big adventure, bud!" Scott pat his friend's shoulder, earning a dramatic swat-away.
"Whatever, I bet Y/N would LOVE to go with me!" Stiles shrugged.
"Yeah, bro. You wish," Scott chuckled, hinting at the crush Stiles has been nursing for years now.
Although it was a joke, he could really picture it. Nothing but you, him, the trees while blaring his mom's old cassettes that he'd found earlier that day.
You reminded him a lot of her. Your voice, your taste in music, but mostly your personality. You were sweet and playful. You never hesitated to respond to his witty remarks in the best ways. And the thing that always made him melt was how you, above all, cared wholeheartedly about the people you loved.
"Go with you where?" The sweet, melodic voice made the boys jump, making you smile. For a second, the boys forgot that the windows were wide open. You perched against Stiles' window and leaned against her hand. His heart sped at the close proximity. The smell of you was intoxicating.
"Off-roading in the mountains. You. Me. And this baby!" Stiles grinned, going to pat the steering wheel but refraining due to the past event. He settles for awkwardly rubbing the dashboard.
"Yeah, pass. I heard that thing squealing from my room next door. But we should celebrate our new chauffeur! Wanna grab some snacks and have a movie night? Or maybe we can go to the woods and star gaze!" you called while jogging over to Scott's side of the car. "Unless, of course, you're too chicken!"
"Why'd you look at me when you said that?" Scott pouted as you opened his door and waited for him to hop in the back. "Well, now you definitely don't get shotgun."
"Ugh okay then get out so I can climb in the back," you rolled your eyes.
"Nice try. The last time you said that you refused to move from the seat. Climb over me," Scott shrugged. You huffed and started to climb over him.
A hint of jealousy tickled Stiles' chest.
"Oh my god, you're joking," you scoffed, looking at his deadpan face. "Fine."
"OW THAT'S MY LEG! GET OFF!"
"You told me to- DID YOU JUST TRY TO THROW ME OUT OF THIS CAR?"
"OW JUST CLIMB OVER ALREADY!"
"Guys-"
"Stiles! I hear that you got your-..." Melissa began as she walked out into her driveway. She stopped talking as soon as she caught a glimpse of the flying limbs and curse words coming from the passenger's seat. "What the hell is-? Actually, you know what? I don't want to know. I just wanted to wish you congratulations before I left for my shift! .. Also please don't kill my son."
"I'm really thinking about it right now," He said looking over at Scott and rolling his eyes at the way he threw the rest of your body in the back seat. Melissa chuckled.
"Well, I'm actually in a hurry. But you kids have fun. Be. Careful." She said sternly as she walked towards her car. "Scott, I have a late shift tonight but I left some money on the counter for a pizza and a little extra for Stiles' gas! Congrats again!"
"I'm not taking that money!" Stiles called out. "But thanks anyway!"
—————
"Okay since we can't decide on a movie, want to go out to the woods and star gaze or start a campfire? I think my dad has some beer." You smiled. The boys were sitting quietly, both of them dead set on watching their respective movie choices. "I'm not really in the mood to watch Star Wars or Inception anyway."
"Yeah, that sounds way better than having to hear Scott shit on a cinematic masterpiece," Stiles stood up, grabbing his keys from his left pocket. Scott playfully rolled his eyes and followed behind the two of you.
"So what essay topic did you choose for tomorrow's paper?" You asked, trying to lighten to mood a bit as you walked out of the front door.
"The effects of-"
"Wait, what essay?" Scott interrupted. The two of you stopped in your tracks and turned back to him. "There's an essay?"
"Yeah, the two-page essay in English over-"
"Jane Eyre. Oh my god. Yeah, I can't go out tonight. I almost forgot to finish that!" Scott yelped. He started jogging back towards his room. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!"
You both stood in silence for a second. Stiles' heart fell a little at the thought of the night ending so soon. All he wanted to do was hang out with you. He was debating on making the good ol' yawn-and-stretch move during the movie. There went that plan.
"I'm kind of bummed. I was excited to go to the woods," he heard you mumble. He looked up with wide eyes and saw you looking at the jeep. When you looked back at him, he swore he felt an army of butterflies swarm his stomach.
"Yeah, me too. I mean, we could just swing by the gas station, grab a few snacks and watch the sunset. I mean- if you want. I totally get if you don't since Scott isn't here!" He spoke swiftly, making you laugh. God, that laugh.
You've always been closer to Scott than Stiles. Your moms were best friends since their high school years so when they fell pregnant at the same time, that title was bestowed upon the two of you. Your moms wanted so bad for the two of you to get married and loved to make jokes or plans on the future you two held together.
It wasn't like you never thought about it, especially as kids. As you aged, though, you both grew to realize that you were more like siblings than anything else. So the idea of getting together was just mutually weird. But regardless of how many times Scott assured Stiles of this, it never really seemed to click.
"Yeah, that sounds like fun! But we don't need to spend money on snacks, I have a pantry full of the best junk food money can buy," You joked, making him chuckle softly. "Wait here, okay? I'll be right back."
Stiles hopped into his jeep. He could feel his heart pumping at the speed of light. An endless amount of questions and overanalytical thoughts raced through his mind while you took your sweet time in your house. He scrolled through his phone to take his mind off of the fact that you agreed to hang out with him. After a while, he even began to wonder if you just flat out changed your mind and decided to leave him planted.
Then he saw your door open and close before you approached the Jeep. You were carrying an enormous bag that, by the looks of it, was filled to the brim with snacks.
"Damn, are you planning on feeding a whole village!?" He said dramatically as you plopped the bag in the backseat. You grinned and rolled your eyes.
"Oh, that's just for me! This is for you," You pulled out a granola bar and tossed it lightly at his face that he failed to catch.
"Okay, ow!" He laughed throwing it back. "And that better not be for me. I strictly only eat junk food and that does not meet those qualifications."
"Huh. So the man can't catch and only eats junk food. Remind me again why you're on the lacrosse team?" You teased.
"Whatever, you're just grumpy because you're hungry. For my sake, please start eating," He said making you giggle. "Oh my god, before I forget. You'll never guess what I found today. My mom's cassettes."
"NO WAY! Oh my god!" Your eyes widened in excitement.
"I was hoping to listen to these with you actually! Scott doesn't really understand my music taste."
"That's because Scott lacks any kind of taste. I would love to listen to them with you! Can I pick one out or did you have one picked out?"
Whenever he first became friends with Scott, you and him were a package deal. Every time Scott came over, so did you. Though, you'd tag along strictly to spend time with Stiles' parents. You absolutely adored them. You'd help his dad with little projects around the house that Stiles always refused to do and beg his mom to braid your hair. Since your mom was often at work, you'd rarely have your hair done in much else besides pigtails. Claudia happily took you and Scott under her wing knowing your parents were always working or away.
You even adopted a few of her mannerisms like the way you put in your earrings. The faces you made while putting on your makeup. The way you took things out of the oven. It was all her.
So getting to listen to her music was almost as special to you as it was Stiles. He wouldn't want to share this moment with anyone else. Even though it took the entire drive for you to finally decide on a cassette.
"Jesus christ Y/L/N just pick one!"
"Oh my god! This one says 'To my brave deputy, the man who still asks me to kill spiders'! We HAVE to listen to this one!" You cackled, holding up the cassette-only for it to be swiftly taken out of your hands.
"NO WAY! She cannot be talking about my dad. He gives me such shit for making him kill spiders!" He laughed before realizing how much of a wus he sounded like. "I mean like when I was a kid."
"No, you don't," You laughed as you grabbed it back and put it in the stereo. He opened his mouth to argue whenever a soft giggle blared over his speakers
"Noah, I swear to God if anyone hears this but you, I will kill you," Claudia's voice immediately shut the two of you up. You both almost forgot the sound of it and stayed silent while she spoke. "I am not normally the love ballad type of gal but having you in my life changed that. Here are a few songs I used to make fun of my parents for liking. Now they make me think of you. Anyway, I love you haha I hope you enjoy it!"
You looked over at Stiles who was looking at the horizon. Your heart broke at the sight of the tears that threaten to fall. The goofy boy who was just teasing you the whole drive disappeared into a numb shell.
Until he felt you take his hand into your small one.
His eyes widened and looked at you. Searching your face for the reason that compelled you to do such a thing. He looked down at the perfectly intertwined hands and relaxed a bit.
"Are you okay?" you asked softly. Stiles nodded.
"Yeah, yeah, um.. it's just been a while since I heard her voice," He smiled back as the lively song played on. A hint of sadness showed in your smile as you nodded. "I wasn't expecting to hear her voice but I'm kind of happy to have heard it actually."
"Me too. I miss her in all her spider-killing glory," You said earning a small chuckle from the boy.
"Yeah, or the way she would say both. Like where'd the L come from?" He laughed and watch you throw your head up in laughter. Instantly, you both shot into a conversation about Claudia and old her funny way of being. She was such a light. Just like you, Stiles thought.
You continued to talk about anything and everything well into the night. You didn't let go of his hand the whole time. Stiles could feel himself falling deeper in love with you in such a gentle and sweet way. He wanted to explore being your friend before anything else so that he could get to know every part of you; the friend, the girlfriend.
"Shoot, we missed the sunset!" You pouted after the cassette finished playing its last song, pulling your hand away to look for your phone. "What time is it?"
"I don't even want to know," He smiled. You looked at him with your Y/E/C colored eyes and he swore he felt his heart melt. "Can we just stay here a little longer before we go back to the real world?"
"Yes, please," you smiled. He continued to look in your eyes before you blushed slightly and shied away. The blush was subtle. He could barely see it in the dim light his car provided. But he did. "Hey, the stars are out! Wanna step outside and look at them?"
"Yeah, sure!" He nodded. You both got out of the car and opted to sit on the hood of his Jeep. It was a struggle for you to jump up but once you did, you plopped right next to him. You were so close he could smell your shampoo. "What's your astrological sign?"
"I'm an A/S. Why?" you asked, amused at where he was taking the conversation.
"Oh, that's your constellation!" He pointed up at the sky.
"You realize I can't see from your perspective and you're just randomly pointing at stars right now, right?" you asked sarcastically. He rolled his eyes and scooted closer to you and touched his right cheek to your left one. Instantly, his stomach was doing flips. And so was yours.
"Okay, close your right eye... that one," he said softly while pointing again. Stiles? No. He'd been your friend since elementary school. He was Scott's dorky friend. There was no way you could feel this way.
But you did.
The scent of his cologne suddenly made you feel tipsy. The warmth of his body felt so radiant and welcoming. The sound of his soft, raspy voice was more beautiful than any song you'd ever heard.
"How do you know that?" You asked, voice just above a whisper.
"My dad, um, he and I used to be total astronomy nerds," He replied, moving his face away but keeping his body just as close.
"Aww.. now you're just a nerd," you teased, making him chuckle.
"Um, no. I'm just a nerd by-"
"Association," You both said before laughing.
You missed his warmth pressed against your cheek. You wanted to find a way to get closer. It felt ridiculous that you were so nervous to touch him, but you were. You pushed past the nerves and shuffled a little to get into a comfortable position. Then he felt you hesitate a bit before placing your head on his shoulder.
Your head was on his shoulder.
His head was spinning. This was the moment he'd been waiting for since he met you. He felt a surge of confidence overtake him as he finally decided to voice his feelings.
"You know, Y/N, I-"
Suddenly your phone rang inside of the jeep and you sighed.
"It can wait. What were you going to say?" You asked, wanting nothing more but to hear the words about to fall from his sweet lips. The phone grew silent. But as he drew his breath in, trying to rebuild the confidence to confess, your phone rang again. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I need to check if it's my mom."
"No, no it's okay," he lied. "Go answer it, it might be important."
And sure enough, it was your mom. He heard you mumble your explanation for being out so late on a school night. And just like that, the moment was killed.
"Um, yeah my mom wants me home," You chuckled nervously. You were so embarrassed of the cock block that was your mother. "She's pretty mad."
"No, I mean it is late!" He laughed. "We can do this again some other time! Let's get you home."
You filled in the ride home with light, playful conversation. Mid-conversation you'd both burst into song and continue up like it was nothing. He did notice that, unlike the ride to the woods, you looked at him the whole way home. He felt so warm in your gaze.
"Thanks for the ride," You said as he pulled into your driveway.
"Yeah, no problem," He smiled. You grabbed your bag of snacks and got out of the car. His heart sunk at the sight of you leaving. As you walked past his side of the car, though, you paused.
"Hey, Sti?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks.. for tonight I mean," You smiled as you leaned into his window. "I had a lot of fun. We should do this again sometime."
He opened his mouth to answer but was greeted with a kiss to the cheek. It felt as if time stopped and the world ceased to exist.
He'd seen you do it a million times with your friends. It was a playful, quick act you did with ease. But this was different. You lingered. Enough to satiate his senses with your scent and the touch of your soft lips. He blushed furiously in response. His breath caught in his throat. You pulled away smiling once more before lugging your snack tote back inside.
Stiles stayed still for a few seconds after your closed your front door. His fingers grazed the skin you had just kissed before driving off with the goofiest, love-struck grin.
He was so into you.