before the void - isaac lahey ⁰˙⁵

24

"Well, he was a nice boy." My mom says as we stand at the doorway of the house.

I groan. "Mom," I mutter in protest.

"She's got a point, MJ. He was very sweet and good-looking. Plus, did I hear Stiles say he plays sports?" My dad asks and I laugh.

"Lacrosse, I don't think I've ever seen him off the bench before. So he must be decent, but not amazing." I condemn and my dad shrugs.

He grins widely. "He plays sports, Jane." He says, a sparkle in his eyes as he looks at my mom.

"Dad!" I call in protest and he smiles wider. "Okay, well. I'm going to bed." I say and I shake my head, smiling as I go to the stairs that lead to my bedroom.

"Wait! How did the bowling go!" My mom calls after me.

I pause, smiling as I look over my shoulder. "Good, really good."

☾

As I close the door behind me, my phone rings with Stiles's name as the caller ID. I sigh as I answer. "Yes, Stiles?" I ask, my voice tired.

"Hey, I know dinner was more than awkward, but I'm heading to Scott's right now. My dad got a call ten minutes ago." Stiles says quietly.

I gasp. "Close enough to pick me up?" I ask, making sure my door is locked behind me.

"I'm in the driveway now." He says and I look out my window and sure enough, there Stiles is.

I push the rope ladder down that Scott, Stiles and I created long ago and shimmy down as best as possible.

Stiles's jeep is still running when I clamber in, he turns to me. "Malley-" He starts but I hold up a hand to stop him.

"Don't okay. Just...drive." I say, the first real awkward interaction Stiles and I have had in our 15 years of friendship.

He swallows loudly, nodding without saying anything as he peels away from the driveway. We sit in awkward silence for the drive that can't be more than ten minutes long.

I tap my fingers on my knees as we drive. I reach to turn the radio on and Stiels stops my hand before it can reach it. I swallow loudly as he keeps his hand on mine.

"Stiles, we need to talk," I murmur and he lets out go of my hand and looks away.

He looks out the window and sighs. "Yeah, I guess we do."

I turned to him, knowing he wasn't going to make this easy. "We can't do this," I say gesturing between the two of us. "We can't, okay? We've known each other too long and we've been best friends for a decade and a half."

His jaw clenches as he nods once, the only acknowledgment that he hears me.

"And, I don't know what you want from me. But I can't be that for you and I'm sorry if I led you on or made you feel like I could be but I can't." I say and Stiles's shoulders drop slightly. "And I know how much that fucking sucks, but I'd rather do this now than in a year and a half when we're too far gone and there's no hope for our friendship anymore."

"Is it Lahey?" He asks, his voice strained. 

I furrow my eyebrows. "Isaac? No, I barely know him..." I trail off.

He looks at me for the first time. "Then why was he at dinner, Malena?" He asks, softly. I know he's angry and upset and he's trying to hide it.

"I don't know!" I say, shrugging. "I don't Stiles, but-but this isn't about anyone else okay?  It's about us. We won't work, it would end badly." I insist.