—
Austin had spent majority of his weekend with Ryder. When he wasn't bashing the girl about her choice in ice cream flavors, he was probably in his bedroom doing school work for the next month.
His life was boring, he'd admit it.
At his old school, he would spend his time either playing baseball or watching his friends bully people, not his best moments. But now he figured he had something he actually enjoyed doing.
Which is why he had decided that he would officially ask Ryder to go on a date with him. While many people would assume their trips back and forth to the ice cream shop were dates, Ryder had made it abundantly clear that they were only hanging out. And if it had been a date, Austin knew he wouldn't want their first official date to be getting ice cream.
The boy was walking into the school, the first day back after the lacrosse game. He glanced around the halls, quickly spotting his new found crush. He almost immediately took notice of the different jewelry she chose to wear that day.
Sighing softly to himself, he adjusts his jacket before walking towards her.
"Hi, Ryder."
His steps slow as he watches someone he's grown familiar with walk up to her. His brows furrow as he watches her smile nicely at the boy.
"Hey, Isaac."
He felt like he had lost the opportunity, shaking his head with a determined look, ultimately deciding that he'd take his chance at lunch.
He clears his throat awkwardly, praying to God that no one saw his failed attempt. However, he hadn't noticed the strawberry blonde who stood not to far away, quirking a suspicious brow at his actions.
•••
Ryder glanced up from her book, smiling softly at the blue eyed boy in front of her.
The girl was sat at her usual table for lunch, not really expecting anyone to sit with her. She hadn't gotten the chance to speak with Austin all day, but she had seen him around the school, she naturally assumed he was done being around her. It was only a matter of time before he followed in everyone else's footsteps.
"Hey." He smiled, picking up on the way she closed her book so he had her full attention.
"Hi."
Austin shifts in his seat, moving around the fries that sat in his plate, he was almost sure she noticed how nervous he was but chose not to speak on it, which he was grateful for.
Ryder looked at him with a squint, patiently waiting for him to speak, she could tell something was on his mind and didn't want to interrupt before he could get anything out. Though it seemed she wouldn't be doing the interrupting.
Just as Austin opened his mouth, confidence suddenly rushing through his veins, the chairs next to them are being occupied by Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski.
"Did you see the dead guy this morning?" Stiles instantly asked as he sat in the seat next to Ryder, Scott taking the one near Austin.
"He wasn't dead." Ryder corrects.
Stiles scoffs, "He might as well have been." He glances at Scott, wincing at his expression, "Sorry, buddy."
"That was you?" Austin asks, his voice harsh but low, making sure no one around heard the conversation.
"I don't know." The McCall shrugs, noting the confused expressions on their faces, "It was like a memory in a dream, I don't know, I was there but it wasn't him."
"But dreams aren't memories." Stiles points out, Austin raising a fry in agreement.
"Then it wasn't a dream. Something happened last night, and I can't remember what."
"That's unfortunate." Ryder hums, glancing around the cafeteria in boredom.
Stiles rolls his eyes, glancing at the girl next to him before he spoke, "What makes you so sure that Derek even has all the answers?"
Austin watches as Ryder shakes her head at his words. He could briefly remember the short explanation she gave on the older man. He also recalls her telling Scott not to listen to whatever bullshit came out of his mouth.
"Because during the full moon he wasn't changed. He was in total control while I was running around in the middle of the night attacking some totally innocent guy." Scott explains, pulling his hand back with a wince as he tried reaching for the grapes on Ryder's plate. She wasn't eating them but that didn't mean she wanted him to have it.
Stiles sighs, "You don't know that."
"I don't not know it. I can't go out with Allison. I have to cancel."
"Woah!" Ryder cuts in, "What'd i say about avoiding her?"
"Not to avoid her." Austin answers for him.
Stiles quickly speaks up, "No, he's not avoiding her." He turns to Scott, "You're not cancelling, okay? You can't just cancel your entire life. We'll figure it out."
"Figure what out?"
Ryder drops her head at the voice, Stiles sliding his hand under before she could hit the table. Austin bites his apple, dropping it to his plate as he quickly moves to the other side of the girl, allowing Allison to sit by Scott and making sure no random sits by Ryder.
"Just, uh, homework." Scott covers up, smiling slightly at the brunette that moved toward him.
"Why is she sitting with us?" Stiles whispers.
"Yeah, why are we/you sitting with them/us?" Lydia and Ryder glare at each other, the latter speaking up,
"You're welcome to leave."
"I'm fine here."
Allison glances at the blonde, her lips lift gently, "Just figured you guys could use the company."
"We don't—"
"Get up." Their attention falls on Jackson, the boy forcing someone out of their seat.
"How come you never ask Danny to get up?"
Danny answers for him, "Because I don't stare at his girlfriend's coin slot. So I hear they're saying it's some type of animal attack. Probably a cougar."
"I heard mountain lion."
"Idiot." Ryder mutters, her eyes rolling at the Whittemore.
Lydia scoffs, "A cougar is a mountain lion." She watches Jackson raise her brows, "Isn't it?"
Jackson shrugs, "Who cares? The guy's probably some homeless tweaker who's gonna die anyway."
"Love the compassion." Austin mutters, glancing at the girl next to him who chuckled at his words.
Stiles scrolls through his phone as he speaks, "Actually, I just found out who it is. Check it out."
As the video played, Austin taking absolutely no interest in it, he took everyone being distracted as an opportunity to speak to Ryder.
"Hey." He lowly called out, not wanting to catch any unwanted attention.
He watches as she tilts her head towards him, clearly a sign of listening but not wanting to draw attention to them.
Ryder hums softly, giving him the opportunity to speak.
"I-uh, I wanted to ask you something earlier but when I caught you, you were already talking to Isaac. So, I figured I'd ask now rather than later when i probably won't be able to ask—"
"Well, if you keep rambling you won't be able to ask." She cuts him off him a short laugh, eyes focused on how everyone was still watching Stiles' phone, Scott preparing to go into detail on how he knew the man.
"Right, sorry." He clears his throat, "I was wondering if you'd like to go on a date? Like an actual one—?"
"Can we talk about something slightly more fun, please? Like, oh, where are we going tomorrow night? You said you and Scott were hanging out tomorrow night, right?"
Austin sighs, watching as the girls attention immediately flew to the strawberry blonde. He couldn't tell if she was annoyed that she cut him off or that she was just speaking in general, either way, he was slightly upset that her attention was drawn elsewhere.
Again.