Side Bets

Lunch Confrontation

"Alright, spill it!" Lydia loudly dropped her school books onto the pack's lunch table directly in front of an odd gloomy Stiles.

All day Stiles seemed to just sulk around the school thinking to himself, not talking or responding to anyone more than he thought was absolutely necessary. Lydia had enough of watching her best friend be off like this. She wanted her bubbly, never shuts up, annoying, wonderful Stiles back.

The outburst shocked the table into silence and stopped Stiles mid-bite into his half-assed sandwich. He just couldn't be bothered to put enough effort into making a nice looking/tasting sandwich for himself this morning when he knew he had such a doomed fate this afternoon. Which meant it wasn't the most appetizing school lunch he'd made, but at least it was edible this time.

"Hwhaut?" He asked her through his mouth full, looking around for clues from his friends before nervously continuing to chew. He'd been spending most of the day just thinking of ways to get out of the bet before it was too late so forgive him if he hadn't had time to pay attention to anything that could've upset his best friend today.

"You know what! I've been patient with you all day and night, but if you don't tell me what's going on with you right now I'll— uh.." Lydia took a second to think before leaning forward onto the table and narrowing her eyes at him. "Or else you won't be invited to my birthday party."

The group reacted with quiet shocked gasps and scandalized giggles around the table as Stiles nearly choked.

"Awh Lyd dhat's-" Stiles coughed then painfully swallowed before continuing. "That's really harsh! You can't mean that!"

Lydia tilted her head slightly, stood up straight and crossed her arms, keeping her eyes narrowed the entire time. She was serious and her body language practically screamed not to test her.

"Duuude, you better fess up she's not kidding around-" Scott awkwardly laughed. "Sides didn't you already buy her a—"

"Shh! Shh Scott don't spoil it-god.. fine!" Cutting off Scott, Stiles set down his sandwich and nervously wiped his hands on his pants before explaining himself. "I um... did something stupid... I might've made a bet with Derek so he would come to the pack meet last night and— I-I can't go through with it but I also can't get out of it!"

Lydia eyebrows furrowed in confusion, piecing things together in her head. As thoughts raced through her head, she raised an eyebrow attempting to prompt him to continue but Malia interrupted before he could.

"That's it?" Malia gave an unimpressed look.

"Yeah... I thought it was going to be something really bad." Isaac said, looking at the others who were nodding. However, while the others seemed quick to write off Stiles's worries as him just being dramatic, Lydia knew there had to be more to the bet.

Stiles gave them a pained, it's-really-bad look to which Malia rolled her eyes at.

"Come on Stiles it can't be that bad. What are you supposed to do?" Scott asked, going back to eating his chips, the tension Lydia caused starting to dissolve. .

"I can't.. tell.. you..." Stiles picked at his lunch not willing to meet anyone's eyes, not while he was thinking about what he's about to go through in just a few short hours anyway.

"Stiles... since when do we keep secrets?" Lydia chastised similar to the way a mother scolds a child.

"Since always?!" Stiles insisted, glancing back up at her as he threw his hands up in bewilderment.

"And how often does it get us in trouble?" Lydia sighed and continued to reprimand him. Stiles sighed dramatically back before responding.

"Since always..." He knew she was right but he really hated how Lydia went all mother hen about things sometimes.