Note: Text Message Name Key
Malia: Catch_Them_Mal
Stiles: Paw_Some_Stiles
Lydia: Red_Queen_Bee
Allison: Allie_Cat
Isaac: Is_This_Luv
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"Miss Tate?" Derek addressed Malia after class Monday morning.
Malia's eyes widened a little, but she walked over to Derek's desk. "Yes, Mr. Hale?"
Derek waited until the majority of the students had left, as well as the professor before looking at Malia. "I want to talk to you about Stiles."
"O-Oh? Well, you see the reason he's not here is hard to explain but I promise it's a good reason or I would've kicked his ass and made him come. Not that I'm a violent person but you see–" she rambled.
Derek gave her a small smile, her rambling very much like Stiles's rambling. "Malia?"
She blinked at him and cleared her throat. "Huh?"
"He's not in trouble and neither are you, but I know you're the person he's closest with and therefore, I need your help with something," he explained.
"Really?" she asked curiously. "What would that something be?"
"Meet me in the cafeteria at noon?"
Malia smiled and nodded. "See you then."
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[Catch_Them_Mal]
Hey Stiles?
[Paw_Some_Stiles]
?
[Catch_Them_Mal]
I won't be coming over for lunch today. I know I said I would, but something came up.
[Paw_Some_Stiles]
Oh? Well, I understand. I'll still see you after classes, right?
[Catch_Them_Mal]
Hopefully yes! ツ
"What's the verdict?" Derek asked and took a bite of his salad.
"He accepted it," she replied before setting her phone down and digging into her pasta. "So, you have a plan?"
Derek nodded and swallowed before speaking. "Yes. See, Stiles seems to think that I have no interest in him and that couldn't be further from the truth," he admitted quietly. "I really like him and have for a while, but I first met him in our shifter forms. I got to know him as a wolf but when he told me how he felt about me, even though he didn't know it was me, I had no idea what to say or do. All I knew was I wanted him to know that it was me, but the moment he put two and two together, he assumed I was trying to let him down easy." Derek sighed, his shoulders sagging.
Malia reached over and placed her hand on Derek's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't take that too much to heart. Stiles has a tendency to self-deprecate when it comes to things that he has his heart set on. He's liked you for a very long time and as hopeful as he was, there was always a part of him that didn't think he would ever catch your eye."
Derek looked at their hands and then back at Malia. "Well, I want to show him how wrong he is about that, and I would appreciate your help."
Malia tilted her head. "Did making you jealous work?"
"You mean taking his hand and leading him out while I was watching?" he mused.
Malia nodded with a smug smile. "Yep," she said, popping the p.
"I mean I wasn't happy about it that's for sure."
"So, that's a yes?" she asked with a grin.
Derek laughed at her excitement. "Yes."
Malia did a fist pump and beamed. "So, what's your plan?"
"I want to do a scavenger hunt. I want to set things up for him to find and I want to use details that he told me when we talked," he confided quietly.
"Such as?"
"Well, he told me that he tried to buy me a drink in the coffee shop one day, but it got spilled and he saw me talking to my closest friend, Erica. He thought she was more than a friend and gave up. So, I want to do something there. I want to leave the book he bought for me in the library with a note in it that'll be a clue because I didn't know he was the one who got me the book. I want to leave clues in places that connect to us." Derek smiled, his cheeks reddening slightly as the tips of his ears turned red.
Malia was staring at him, her mouth hanging open slightly and then let out a stifled squeal. "You are adorable! He's going to be so touched. So, where are you going to start?"
"I'm going to start at the beginning. I heard you say that he's liked me since he saw me during New Student Orientation, right?"
"Yes. Ever since that day, it's been Derek this and Derek that. No offense, but he's a lovesick son of a gun," she teased. "If he wasn't a kitty, I'd call him a lovesick puppy."
"You know he told me the night we first met that I was barking up the wrong tree, but you know I sure am glad I did my growling thing. Otherwise, I might never have met him or gotten to know him," he said quietly.
Malia tilted her head with a smirk. "So, some might say you were barking up the right tree," she joked.
Derek blushed harder and chuckled. "I see you get your sense of humor from Stiles then."
Malia flipped her hair and winked playfully. "Naturally. So, back to the plan. You were talking about the new student orientation which was in the Student Union building?"
"Yes. That's where we're going to start," he said with a grin. "Do you think any of his friends would be willing to help?"
"I know I will. I'm thinking Lydia and Allison for sure will, but I highly doubt that the boys will help," she admitted. "They're not quite as close with Stiles as us three gals are. It's not that he hasn't tried, but Scott has some new girl he spends most of his time with and Isaac adores Stiles, but he moved to the other side of the country after graduation. Though if we tell him about your idea, he just might show up for it."
"Then I say we've got a plan." Derek beamed, taking another drink of his lemonade and finishing his salad. "So, you go gather the troops and then meet me in the library on the third floor after classes?"
Malia squeezed his hand and nodded. "We'll be there," she promised.
Derek gave a nod and moved to get up. "Oh. What will you tell Stiles?"
"As close to the truth as I can without revealing anything," she said.
"I am glad you don't plan to lie. I'm just surprised."
"Well Stiles is incredibly smart, and he'll smell a lie a mile away. We also promised never to lie to each other even if it was life and death," she whispered.
Derek placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze and smiled. "You're a true friend, Malia."
She smiled as her phone buzzed. "I should probably..." She jerked her thumb towards her phone.
"By all means." He nodded, taking her trash from lunch and disposing of it before giving her his number. "I'll see you soon."
"Indeed, you will." She waved as Derek left the cafeteria before getting up and heading to her next class.
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[Catch_Them_Mal]
Girls? We have work to do. Meet me in the library on the third floor after classes.
[Allie_Cat]
What's up?
[Red_Queen_Bee]
What happened?
[Catch_Them_Mal]
Stiles.
[Allie_Cat]
I'll be there.
[Red_Queen_Bee]
Same here.
[Catch_Them_Mal]
Because when it comes to Stiles...
[Allie_Cat]
There's nothing I wouldn't do.
[Red_Queen_Bee]
You two are so dramatic but yes. For Stiles. See you both then. ♡
[Allie_Cat]
♡
[Catch_Them_Mal]
♡ ツ
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[Is_This_Luv]
Hey Mal. So, I just got into town a few minutes ago. Can I swing by?
[Catch_Them_Mal]
IZZY!!! Hells yeah you can! In fact, your timing is perfect.
[Is_This_Luv]
Oh? Why is that?
[Catch_Them_Mal]
Meet in the campus library on the third floor after classes?
[Is_This_Luv]
Why?
[Catch_Them_Mal]
Stiles.
[Is_This_Luv]
I'll be there.
Malia beamed at the responses of their friends and couldn't wait for Stiles to be surprised. She practically skipped to her next class, her body buzzing with excitement.
[Paw_Some_Stiles]
Hey. So, my dad asked me to come into the station and help with some filing and I'm going to go ahead and do that. Can we get together later this evening for a movie?
Malia smiled and replied.
[Catch_Them_Mal]
Only because it's you who asked. 😉 ♡