God, I wish that you had
thought this through

Before I went and
fell in love with you
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE FOLLOWING DAY, MJ FOUND HERSELF leaning against Stiles, who was sitting on one of the classroom desks as Allison and Lydia showed Derek the mark on their arms.

Derek turned to Scott after looking at the bruises with his arms folded and a frown upon his lips. "I don't see anything."

Looking between their arms, the werewolf spoke. "Look again."

It was clear to MJ that Scott was just trying to to keep a peaceful dynamic between the group, and her heart broke for him because while his efforts were sweet, he was failing.

Derek looked to Allison, "How is a bruise gonna' tell me where Boyd and Erica are?"

"It's the same on both sides. Exactly the same."

The older mans eyes were hard-rimmed and fixed, so much so that it was as if he was no longer able to move his eyeballs, like they'd rusted into place. "It's nothing."

"Pareidolia. Seeing patterns that aren't there. It's a subset of apophenia."

Scott looked back towards Derek. "They're trying to help."

However, only a look of irritation was returned. "These two?" He only scoffed before pointing at Lydia. "This one who used me to resurrect my psychotic Uncle, thank you." He added sarcastically before looking towards Allison, "And this one, who shot about thirty arrows into me and my pack."

Stiles suddenly spoke, gently intervening and Margot couldn't help smile as she rested her head upon his shoulder. "Okay, all right, now, come on. No one died, alright? Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death. That's what I call an important distinction."

"My mother died." Allison excused. Her glare was the only message Derek needed. Nothing she said afterwards registered in his mind; like watching a movie on mute.

Glare and spit, it was all Derek would do. The only thing that moved was his masticating jaw as he scoffed, "Your family's kittle honor code killed your mother, not me."

"That girl was looking for Scott. I'm here to help him, not you."

"You wanna' help? Find something real." The older wolf began walking but was stopped by Scott as they had a rather hushed conversation.

However, just as Margot was about to leave the room, her hand gently grazing Stiles' as she walked, she heard the gentle call of her name by her ex-boyfriend. "Hey, Margot?"

The girl smiled however, anyone could tell it was more of a gentle grimace. "I'll be out in a minute." She whispered to the boy beside her before turning and walking back to the centre of the room. "Yeah?"

"Could you maybe come over tonight? I just have some of your stuff at home." Scott broke his gaze, preferring instead to rest his eyes on his best friend friend who was not-so-subtlety gazing at the pair as he fidgeted uneasily. "You probably want... That back? Right?"

MJ stayed rooted to the spot, the breeze from the open window moving her hair softly away from the cheekbones that had become so much more prominent over the previous weeks. Her features buckled just slightly before she spoke, "Sure. I'll see you at seven?"

"Great, yeah... Perfect. See you at seven."

...

Coach Frinstock slammed an economics text book down on the table, capturing the class' attention. "The stock market is based on two principles. What are they?"

Scott's hand shot in the air, "Yes McCall, you can go to the bathroom. Anybody else?"

The teenage boy lowered his hand but continued to speak, "Uh, no, coach, I know the answer."

Coach began laughing but stopped suddenly seeing the McCall boys face, "Oh... You're serious."

"Yeah, risk and reward."

Frinstock began to make his way towards Scott's desk, "Who are you? And what have you done to mccall? Don't answer that, I like you better."

He walked towards the front of the class once again, turning sharply. "Does anybody have a quarter? A quarter?"

Stiles suddenly began to look through pockets before the unimaginable happened. Instead of finding a quarter, a condom packet came flying out and landed in the middle of the classroom floor, right in front of Finstock.

Sporting a counterfeit smile, MJ hoped that the awkwardness that bathed the moment would be transient. She swallowed, breathing heavily as a dull ache began to grow in her chest.

However, despite the fact the entirety of the class was laughing and giggling at the Stilinski boy, his eyes were only focused on the girl in front of him as she too ignored the rest of their peers and the ache in her heart the appeared from nowhere and instead winked at Stiles. Grinning wider as a rose blush began to blossom on his cheeks.

Coach picked it up from the floor and placed it in front of Stiles as the teenage boy handed him the quarter instead. "Stilinski, I think you, uh... You dropped this."

Coaches gaze flickered to MJ. "And congratulations."

Scott looks of confusion quickly turned to realisation as he stared between Stiles and MJ, understanding what Frinstock was hinting at. Realisation of what the man just said caused MJs and Stiles words and objections to become caught in their throats. She looked up and the Stilinski boy was staring at her in bewilderment. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks and prayed it wasn’t noticeable. She coughed and then pushed her hair back behind her ear, even though it was already there.

"Risk and reward. Put the quarter in the mug, win the reward. Okay, watch Coach. That's how you do it. Okay. Danny, risk or reward?"

Danny sat forward, "What's the reward?"

"You don't have to ake the pop quiz tomorrow."

The boys face twisted into one of confusion, "Coach, it's not a pop quiz if you tell us about it."

"Danny, you know, I really expected more from you. Really."

"McCall. Risk, reward. The risk, if you don't put that quarter in the mug, you have to take the pop... The... The quiz. And... And you have to write and essay. Risk, more work.

"But isn't it just chance?" The McCall boy picked up the quarter.

"No. You know your abilities, your coordination, your focus, past experience... All factors affecting the outcome. So, what's it gonna be, McCall? More work, no work, or choose not to play?"

Scott then put the coin down on the desk. "No play."

"Okay. Who's next? Who wants the quarter?"

Creating a quick drum-roll on the desk Stiles suddenly jumped from his seat before rising from his seat.

"There you go! There's a gambling man! Step up, step up, Stilinski!"

Stiles walked to the front of the room, aiming the coin clearly very concentrated before a voice called his name.

"Yeah, Coach, I got it."

However, his name was called again, repeated by Sheriff Stilinski as he stood at the door of the classroom. "Stiles."

And in that moment, MJ felt her heart drop.

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 !
this chapter was so so
boring! be prepared
for some love triangle
moments next
chapter