holding fingertips

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
—
Ryder had found out through a very, very, very brief text message from Stiles that Derek Hale was, in fact, alive.
They had gotten caught up in a high speed chase that night, but the only thing she cared about was that her ex friend was okay. As long as he was alive, she would be fine. Now she could move on to more important things.
The girl was walking around the school, Austin hot on her heels as he expressed how much his mother adored her.
Ryder didn't think she gave off a good impression, but hearing her friend gush about how much his own mom liked her really warmed her heart.
While Jennifer George seemed like the type of woman to find the good in quite literally everyone, it still made her feel special knowing her cold exterior had made its way through the older woman's heart.
"And then she mentioned how she wanted you to come over for movie night but then I told her how you can't sit still during movies because you get bored easily—" He rambled, his hands moving around frantically as he explained. 
"But my mom said that was okay because she falls asleep a lot during movies so we'll be able to leave to go and get ice cream or something."
"I never realized until now how much ice cream we eat." Ryder mumbles, her lazy eyes moving around the hall way full of students. She took a quick notice of how some freshman's still struggling to find remember where their classes were, she wondered in the back of her mind if this is how she looked last school year.
Shaking her head of the thought, she continued her walk to her class, reminding herself of the test she had to take next period. 
She snapped her head in Austin's direction when his hand brushed against her own. His fingers barely grazed hers as he hooked their finger tips together. 
"Sorry." He said, yet he didn't pull away, "You sort of went off into your own world."
Ryder glanced down at their hands, her heart pounding quickly in her chest as his finger tips grazed the rings on her fingers. From an outsider, the way they stood off to the side, brushing their hands together, it would seem as if they were a couple enjoying a sweet moment together. 
Austin was brutality reminded that they weren't when her hand left his.
They had only known each other for a few months, but the George boy was thoroughly convinced that they were soon to be together. 
He had it all planned out, he would ask her to the winter formal, hopefully kiss her during a slow dance and if all went well by the end of the night, he would ask her if he could be her boyfriend. 
Of course, this could only happen if she even agreed to go to the dance at all. From what she's told him, she hasn't been to any school event, that only made his plan harder. But he realized that whether she liked it or not, she had a bit of a soft spot for him.
•••
"Did you get her to give you the necklace?"
Is the first this Ryder and Austin heard when Scott and Stiles sat at their table for lunch. Again.
Scott sighs, "Not exactly."
"Hey, guys." Austin greeted, figuring it was a bit weird of them to sit at their table but not speak to them directly,
"Hey." Both Scott and Stiles said before returning back to their conversation.
"What happened?"
"She told me not to talk to her. At all." The McCall frowned, Ryder could only assume they were talking about Allison.
Stiles squints, "So she's not giving you the necklace—"
"She's not giving me the necklace!"
"What necklace?" The blue eyed teen asked, taking hold of Ryder's hand when she softly hit his arm. He hadn't even realized that he didn't let it go.
"Allison's necklace." Stiles responded, "Well, did you find anything else out?"
"Just that I know nothing about girls, and that they're totally psychotic."
"Excuse you." Ryder spoke, clearly offended, just as she was about to voice her dislike for his words, Austin's thumb behind to trace circles on the top of her hand. It was then that she realized he hadn't let go.
"Okay, I came up with a plan "B" just in case anything like this happened."
"What's plan "B"?"
Stiles shrugs, shoving a piece of food in his mouth, "Just steal the stupid thing."
"Stealing isn't good." Austin reminded them, Scott showing his agreement with a finger point in his direction, 
"Couldn't we try at least getting to Harris?"
The Stilinski teen shook his head, "My dad put him on a 24 - hour protective detail, okay? The necklace is all we got. Steal it. Thank you."
The table grew silent, aside from the munching of Austin eating the grapes off of Ryder's plate and the crunch of the chicken tenders Stiles was eating. Scott suddenly gasped,
"Guys, he's watching us."
Stiles' brows furrow, "What's wrong?"
"Jackson's talking to me. He knows I can hear him. Look at me. Just talk to me. Act normal. Pretend that nothing's happening."
Ignoring his words, Ryder turns her head towards the Whittemore, her face scrunches,
"Why does he look like that?"
Scott practically demands his next words, "Say something. Talk to me!"
"I can't think of anything. My mind's a complete blank." Stiles splutters out. 
Scott's face drops, "Your mind's blank? You can't think of something to say?"
"Not under this kind of pressure." 
Austin turns his head, his arm making its way behind the girls chair, "He's not even sitting with them anymore."
"Where the hell is he?" 
Stiles sighs, feeling bad for his friend as he begins to grow agitated at whatever words Jackson was saying to him, "Scott, come on, you can't let him do this. You can't let him have this kind of power over you. Okay?"
A loud snap echoed throughout the cafeteria, startling everyone around them. Ryder grows annoyed at the fact that everyone's eyes were on their table because Scott got mad enough to snap his lunch plate.
"You think they'll make him pay for that?"