♞

16
-Ice Pick-
(season two, episode three)
♞

Gym sucked for Joey. Mainly because she hated wearing shorts; they would always shift to uncomfortable spots. Allison seemed to have no problem with them though. She climbed up the rock wall flawlessly.

Her hips swayed as she switched positions on the rocks, making her way up. Scott followed behind her.

"They look cozy," Stiles whispered to Joey.

She gave him a quick nod. "Yeah, I'm glad they're doing okay."

Stiles tried to respond but Coach cut him off. "Stilinski, Greenberg, on the wall!" He then blew the whistle.

Joey gave the boy a thumbs-up with a smile. He responded with the same type of smile. Sweet and genuine.

Stiles and Greenberg made it up with no problem and kicked back off. Landing on the ground.

"Russo, Erica, on the wall!" Coach yelled.

Joey was quick to attach the suspending clip to her vest. Erica did the same, hesitantly.

Joey's sneakers pushed her up, rock by rock. Erica was going at a slower pace, finding her place on each rock.

She was shaking. And Joey noticed.

"You can let go, Erica. If anyone laughs at you I'll make sure they never speak again, alright?" Joey dropped down a few places to stay by the girl's side. She could see her fingers gripping tightly, her breathing was shallow, and her legs were about to buckle.

"I can even go with you." She eased. Her blonde hair was falling out of the ponytail and into her face, causing her to make a silly face.

Erica chuckled slightly.

"See? It's not so bad up here. But at any time we can go back down." She whispered.

Stiles watched from below, confusion covering his face. "What's she doing?"

Coach shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"C'mon Erica. Let's get back to the ground." Joey rested her hand on top of Erica's.

"Okay." She whispered back.

Both the girls kicked off the wall and made it to the ground with a huff.

"Are you okay? Do you need any water?" Joey asked.

Erica shook her head as people laughed.

Joey turned to the crowd. "Laugh one more time and I'll make sure you don't laugh again, alright?" Her hands were clenched at her sides.

People nodded, others rolled their eyes and moved on.

"Thanks, Russo," Erica said, walking off into the locker rooms.

•.•

"-Wants to have a good time. Several times in a row. In several different positions." Stiles rambled.

"What are you idiots talking about?" Joey said, popping up behind them.

Stiles jumped. "You gotta stop doing that!" His hand landed on her shoulder.

She nodded with a sly smile. "Okay, Stilinski. You're not gonna get to even have a chance at a good time unless you remove your hand, though."

He blinked at her. "Yeah, sure." The boy quickly took his hand and shoved it in his pocket.

Once Joey had turned around to acknowledge Scott, he was gone.

"Okay, seriously, both of you. Stop doing these things to me." He sighed, pulling Joey into the gym to leave and find Scott. Who was conveniently already there?

Holding Erica.

"What the hell did we miss?"

•.•

It had been a day since the incident with Erica. She hadn't shown up that morning, and Joey just assumed she was embarrassed because of the seizure. She wasn't sure.

"Got 'em." Stiles sat down at the lunch table, keys in his hand. "I'll pick you up after work and then we can go get Joey, cool?"

Scott didn't respond. Instead, his attention was directed to the lunchroom doors.

Which Erica was walking through.

Her hair had been curled, she had bright red lipstick, and it was paired with a leather jacket and skirt. She looked amazing.

"What the holy hell is that?" Lydia asked, resting her hands on their table.

"It's Erica" Joey replied, with her mouth open from shock.

Scott, Stiles, and Joey stood up and walked out, leaving the strawberry blonde behind. And they kept walking until they saw Erica getting into Derek's car. A smirk was covering her face.

Oh, Derek was in deep shit.

•.•

"Derek, what's your plan, huh?" Joey asked, holding her phone tightly.

He huffed on the other line. "Don't ask questions you won't like the answer to, Jo."

"That's the thing, I'm not getting any answers."

"No matter what I say, you're not gonna like it."

"Whatever, Stiles is here, I gotta go."

Joey hung up the phone and stepped to her front door, opening it quick.

Stiles stood on the other side, ready to knock.

"Oh, hey. Ready?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yep. Let's go."

•.•

The pair, Joey and Stiles, sat on the bleachers of the hockey rink. Tying their skates onto their feet.

"You know, sometimes they are things you wouldn't expect would work as a good combination, but then turn out to be a perfect combination." He shifted in his seat. "Example A, the blue socks your wearing and the orange earrings."

Joey chuckled. "Oh yeah? What's example B?"

He laughed awkwardly. "I don't know- Just uh- things..."

"You mean like, us?"

Silence filled the air. He coughed to break it.

"Yeah, maybe. If you think it would work- or be a good combination."

Joey smiled sweetly. "Of course it is, Stiles. You just have to make the next move. I made the first one." She winked, throwing her jacket on and skating into the rink.

Stiles sat there in complete and utter silence.

"I'm in love with this woman."

•.•

Lydia was skating around like an absolute angel. Her hair was flowing behind her. It was perfect. And it was also the first time anyone had seen her smile since she went missing.

"She looks ama- happy. She looks happy." Joey said, correcting herself.

The crush was over, so why was that her default? To compliment the girl she used to like?

She moved on. Right?

"Yeah... Happy." Stiles responded holding the girls hand; helping her skate.

Then...

Lydia screamed. Really loudly. It was so loud that the whole rink echoed.

Joey dropped the boys hand, causing his smile to drop, but she didn't notice.

She was just to busy trying to get to the girl she loved.

Wait what?

Joey grabbed her shoulders and held her.

Held her until she calmed down.

Held her as she cried.

Held her as she was carrying her out of the rink.

Held her all the way until she got her into her bed.

Yeah, love... It's a crazy thing.

And Stiles would know because,

He held Joey as she cried a few days earlier.

Held her until she calmed herself.

Held her until she fell asleep in his arms.

Love was just always in the wrong place at the wrong time.

•.•

The trio sat at their lunch table, skimming through books.

"Guys, that tables empty."

Scott and Joey looked up. "What" They said in unison.

"Look-" He pointed at the empty table behind them that always had someone there.

"Who's table is that?"

Joey knew he knew the answer but she still replied. Very softly she said, "Boyd."

*NOT PROOFREAD*

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