—
Her soft laughter didn't seem to bother him as he went to put in more money for a picture. He kept telling her to be a little more serious, her not bothering to listen as she laughed so hard that her eyes were closed.
Looking back, Austin realized that the pictures couldn't have came out any better.
•••
Ryder held her own part of their photo booth pictures, deciding that she would keep the one that showed more of Austin's smile, while he kept the ones that showed more of hers.
She could vaguely make out the hue that covered her eyes in the pictures where she kept them open. The Miller girl was going to voice how they could redo them, only for Austin to speak up on how perfect they looked.
Exiting the photo booth, the two links hands, walking back to the rink.
Suddenly Ryder's falling to the ground, covering her ears as an ear piercing scream echos throughout the area.
"What the hell is that?" The George teen mutters to himself, wrapping his arms around Ryder hoping to lessen the loud noise for her.
"It's Lydia."
The girl whimpers, her breathing growing obnoxiously heavy, leaving Austin to believe that she was going to turn.
The pounding of footsteps have him looking up in panic.
He watches as Stiles' eyes land on her trembling figure,
"Get her out of here."
•••
Austin's heart was racing.
He had abandoned his jacket, the clothing item being held tightly in his grasp as he walked around calling pout for Ryder.
The girl had fully turned, much to Stiles' prediction. Austin had it in his mind that he was forcing the girl out because he was scared of her, only for the Stilinski to follow after them and remind them that Lydia had yet to know of the supernatural world.
Stiles was driving around the woods where they dropped Ryder off, just in time for her clothes to rip and her fork to turn into a wolf.
Stiles himself, hadn't realized that the girl went completely naked when she turned, which he should've guessed.
He had left Lydia in the care of Allison and Scott, knowing the two would take care of her, for now, his main concern was the white wolf that was roaming aimlessly around the woods.
"Ryder?!"
Stiles slowed down his car as he shouted out his window, he could see Austin a little ways ahead on the road getting out of his own car.
Before he could call out to the teen, he watched the George boy kneel down cautiously.
The Stilinski watched in amazement as Ryder, or the wolf version of her, stalked close enough for Austin to touch her fur.
Getting out of his car, not closing the door in fear of scaring the girl, Stiles took slow steps towards them.
Ryder growled, her head snapping in his direction, giving him a warning not to get closer.
Austin looked up at him, "Stay there. If you get any closer, you'll scare her."
Stiles rose his hands to mock surrender.
"Are you her anchor?"
Unzipping the jacket, Austin puts it over her back, "Her mom thinks so. I'm -so far- the only person who's been able to calm her down."
"Does she remember anything...when she turns back?"
He was a curious guy, Austin could give him that, "Bit and pieces, I usually ask her what she can remember, then tell her what she left out."
The two boys never once break their scare from the girl who went behind the tree to shift back.
"Usually?" Stiles frowns, "She's turned since the last full moon?"
"This is her fourth time."
"Can you guys turn around so I can run to the car in embarrassment?"
Austin chuckled in relief at her words, doing as he was told.
"Dude." He snapped at Stiles, noticing how he didn't listen to her, instead choosing to stare at the tree she stood behind.
"S-Sorry."
The car door closing let them know that she made it there, turning to look at each other, Stiles looked as though he wanted to say something.
Just as he was about to open his mouth, he's cut off he Ryder's voice.
"I'm ready to go home, Austin. I don't know how I feel about being damn near naked in your backseat."
"Right, of course." He began walking to jj's vehicle, "We'll see you at school, Stiles."
"Yeah." He whispered, sighing to himself before walking back to his jeep.
•••
The next school day was a bit awkward to say the least.
Awkward for Stiles at least.
Ryder seemed fine as she walked through the entry way of the high school, with Austin glued to her side. Majority of the day went on like that, the two refusing to leave each others side unless deemed absolutely necessary.
The rambling of Austin only stopped when he noticed the way Scott and Erica Reyes were cuddled up against a locker.
While he knew that Allison and Scott were supposed to be a discreet as possible with their 'forbidden' relationship, he could admit that he thought it was a little weird that he was doing that via Erica.
However, the stare that Allison had on the werewolves was enough for him to realize that he most likely had the story wrong.
And as curious as he was, he couldn't deny that he wanted to know what was happening. So, with a reluctant sigh, he bent down by Ryder's ear, squeezing her side as an apology for startling her,
"Can you tell me what they're saying?"
"You're a inquisitive person, Austin George." The girl smiled, "You're going to get one of us in trouble with all this ease dropping. Or even worse, they'll think we're interested in what they have going on."
"But I am interested in what they have going on." He admitted, "Until someone jumps out of a moving plane, aside from you, they're my only source of entertainment in this school."
Ryder hums, "And what about the entertainment that is your school work, Mr A/B honor roll."
"I'm over it." He shrugged, intertwining their fingers, "It's like milking a cow at this point."
Her head jerks, she blinks harshly as she processed his words,
"Uhm- I don't think that's the saying."
He pouts cutely, "Huh? Why wouldn't it be?"
"Because not everyone can milk a cow, Austin." She laughs, "Can you milk a cow?"
"I've never even seen a cow outside a screen."
"Exactly."