—
Austin wasn't necessarily one for violence, but he wanted nothing more than to stab Lydia's eye out with the fork he held because of how much she's been cutting him off.
He wasn't one hundred percent certain if Ryder had heard him or not, but based on her expression she definitely did. He could hear the sigh she let out before she turned slightly in her seat,
"And hour at most. But I get to choose where we go."
"Really?" He gasped out, quickly catching the tables attention.
He could faintly hear Lydia's voice fade out as she raised her brows at them.
"What's going on over there?"
"nothing that concerns you." Ryder rolls her eyes at the girl causing the strawberry blonde to scoff.
"Well, I—"
"Shut up." The Miller girl snapped, "Don't talk to me."
"Okay." Allison drags out, "How about we continue talking about our group hangout?"
"You guys do that." The tattooed girl falsely smiles, turning her head to Austin, "We are going to leave."
"Wait—"
"Goodbye."
•••
The two teens stood outside the cafeteria, speaking quietly to themselves as they waited for the bell to ring so they could part ways and go to their separate classes.
Their conversation is cut short as they hear none other than Stiles shout.
"Ryder! Am I attractive to gay guys?!"
"Stiles—"
"This is urgent, Ryder."
"I'm not a gay guy, so i wouldn't know, genius."
Stiles frowns, "But you like girls, right?"
"You aren't a girl, Stilinski."
"Austin—?"
"You like girls?" Austin's heart drops.
"And guys." She quickly reassures, not speaking up on the sigh of relief he let out.
"Austin—" Stiles cuts in.
"No. I'm not gay, but even if i was i probably wouldn't even glance in your direction." He shrugs, catching the smile that makes its way onto the Miller girls face.
"Don't lie. You're into me." Stiles concludes.
"Not really." Austin's head shakes as his eyes narrow.
"Oh, yeah you are. You're into me."
"Stiles—"
•••
Austin was jittery as he sat in the drivers seat next to Ryder. Since lunch, she hadn't mentioned where they'd be going for their date, only giving him directions to the place.
As he was new to Beacon Hills, he couldn't really tell where she was leading him, only following wherever her finger pointed.
From the small smile that coated her features, he could tell that she was excited, and that only made him hide his own smile in return.
"Okay, now turn here."
"Got it." He mumbled.
"We're here." She exclaimed, pushing herself up so she was sitting higher in the seat.
He looks up at the place, his heart pounding as he stared at it "We're bowling?"
"You don't like bowling?" Her voice drops, smile slowly falling.
Austin quickly tries to explain himself, not wanting her to get anymore upset, "It's not that i don't like it, i just don't know how to do it."
"Oh."
"Maybe you could teach me?" He suggests, watching her perk up again, "Yeah?"
"Okay." She shrugs, "Let's go."
•••
The two had been bowling for almost half an hour now and Austin was currently losing. It wasn't that Ryder was a bad teacher, he just couldn't focus with how she touched him to rearrange his stance.
"You're holding it wrong again. This is like the tenth time, Austin." She sighs, moving forward to place her hand on his bicep.
So, maybe he was doing it on purpose.
"Sorry." He mutters, glancing down at her with soft eyes.
"It's okay, just maybe, pay more attention to the ball rather than me." She said, looking up at him just in time to catch the way his cheeks redden in embarrassment.
His eyes stayed locked on hers, almost as if he was scared to look away, "I'm sorry."
"Stop saying you're sorry."
"Sorry—"
"Austin."
Before they could say anything, their attention falls on the group of people that just walked in. Their moods almost immediately dampen at the sight of Jackson arguing with the worker in the front, Scott, Allison, and Lydia behind him with looks of awkwardness on their faces.
Austin frowns, jaw clenched as he glances down at Ryder's fallen expression.
"Do you want to go?"
He didn't want to leave, not only because he was a sore loser but because he was having a great time with her. But if she wanted to go, which he couldn't blame her, then he'd follow along like a lost puppy.
"We still have thirty minutes left of our date."
His heart swarmed as she said this, he wasn't able to contain his smile or the fast beating of his heart as he continued to look at her.
His eyes move over towards the group of four, Scott smiling in their direction as he noticed their presence.
Austin nodded back in his direction, turning to the brunette in front of him with bright eyes,
"We have thirty minutes to get ice cream, but that's only if you want to, of course."
She chuckles, "Only if you promise to get anything other than mint chocolate chip."
"But it's good!"
"It's not." She claps back, taking the ball out of his hand and placing it back on the rack, she could hear him following behind her as they made their way back towards their table.
"I swear it is, Ryder." He promised, "What's that saying? Don't knock till you try it?"
"I'll knock anything before i try it. And that includes your nasty ass ice cream."
"It's not nasty." His voice lowered, clearly not bothering to defend himself anymore.
"Whatever." She huffed, silently allowing him to grab her bag.
It was almost as if he didn't realize he was doing it. Her bag wasn't heavy, she definitely could've carried it on her own, as much as she wanted to see him blush in embarrassment again, she didn't want take the teasing too far.
The two walked past Scott's group, Ryder took notice of how Allison was also reaching Scott how to bowl. Or,
more so, whispering dirty things in his ear as some sort of motivation. Sending the couple an odd look, the two walk away, not wanting to cause any unnecessary drama in public.
She could faintly hear the sound of Lydia mumbling under her breath. She did her best to not turn around and ask the green eyed girl to repeat herself a little louder. Just as she was going to turn, a hand made it's way to her lower back, gently forcing her forward.
"Don't even worry about it." He whispered in her ear, smiling politely at the man at the counter that Jackson yelled at before turning his attention back to the hit in front of him, "Let's go get our ice cream."