Chosen Family

"Hey Zak." Ryder greeted with a smile as he slid into the seat next to me.
I turned to face him and smiled back, "Sup Ryder?"
"Weeell, I was kind of coerced into going on a quadruple date tonight and I was wondering if you'd like to be my date?" He looked down with some pink tinting his cheeks.
"I'm not busy tonight, but why me?"
"Why not?" He grinned easily. "You're a pretty cool chick and if I have to spend it with someone, it should be someone I like riiight?"
"Awww aren't you a charmer." I propped my chin on my hand. "Well, what are we going to be doing tonight?"
"Let's see..." He leaned back in his seat and propped his feet up in his desk. "Bowling for a while, probably eat there, and then we'll see from there. I usually just go with the flow."
"Sounds like you get dragged into these things quite often."
"You have no idea. Usually I have a blind date." He groaned.
"Told them you'd already asked someone?"
"Yep, you're a lifesaver Zak." He smiled brilliantly at me.
"What can I say, it's what I do. What time are yoooou picking me up?" I grinned wickedly back.
He chuckled as he replied, "6 okay with you, m'lady?"
"But of course kind sir."
We were laughing as the teacher walked in and told us to quiet down. "Ryder, feet off the desk. Now please open to chapter 10..."

So I didn't tell anyone I was going on a date because the last thing I wanted was for Allison and Lydia to want to play dress up and the guys to give me a hard time. When I got home, I took a shower and changed into actual girl clothes. Don't die from a heart attack now, I do have female clothes. As I listened to Rise Against, I put on light boyfriend jeans, boots, a black t-shirt with a white heart on it, clasped a moon necklace around my neck, threaded a studded belt around my hips, and put on a black and white beanie hat. Just as my phone went off, I slipped my duct tape wallet into my pocket, grabbed my keys and jacket, and walked downstairs which was filled with pack members.
"Ready?" Ryder asked through the phone.
"You know it."
"Your friends know you're going on a date?" I could hear the grin on his face.
"Not a chance." Halfway down the stairs, I called, "See yeah." And then pulled open the door.
"Wait! Where are you going... looking like that?" Stiles brows furrowed together as the rest of the pack stared.
"Date, later." I quickly shut the door and ran to Ryder's car. Once in I commanded, "Drive."
"As you wish." He laughed and pulled away from my house. "So any real reason you didn't tell anyone? Ashamed of me?" He looked at me with puppy dog eyes.
"Please." I nudged him. "They would have given me so much crap that I probably would have called you up and cancelled. Plus, I didn't need dad to find out and insist you come in to have the 'talk' about taking me out. It would have involved guns and knowing how to track you."
"Having a dad as sheriff can be pretty scary. Sounds like you've had experience in this field."
"Once or twice." I replied as I typed out a mass message to my friends. FOLLOW ME AND I WILL KILL YOU, GIVE YOU THE COLD SHOULD, OR MAKE YOU TAKE CARE OF NIX. The last threat more for Derek, though I had a feeling he could care less if I went out on a date as long as his pack's secret was safe. Like hell I'd tell anyone.
A few minutes later I received a text from Derek, via Stiles, saying WHO'S NIX? I quickly typed back THE MOST ADORABLE PHOENIX EVER. I chuckled when the reply back was IT IS NOT ADORABLE. Ten minutes later we made it to the bowling alley where Ryder's friends were waiting for us.
"Ready?" He asked as he opened my door.
"Hell yeah, let's go kick some ass." I cheered. We quickly got our shoes and broke into two teams.
"Having fun?" Ryder asked half way through the second string.
"Quite. I haven't gone bowling in forever." I smiled.
"You should come more often."
"I'll think about it. Maybe try to convince the others to come."
"What do you guys do anyways?"
I thought back and memories of fights, almost dying, training, pack bonding, and other random and weird shit went through my mind. "Oh you know, the usual. Movies, video games, lacrosse, stuff like that."
"Sounds fun. Hey guys, we're gunna go get some pizza, what do you want?" His friends and their dates told us what they wanted and we headed to the pizza joint attached to the bowling alley. As we waited for our order, we sat at a booth talking.
"So, do they not know?" I asked while playing with my Dr. Pepper.
"Know what?" Ryder asked confused.
"That you prefer the Y chromosome over a double X."
Ryder's cheeks flared red and he dipped his head in embarrassment. "I don't know what you are talking about." It was muttered.
"I don't mean to embarrass you Ryder, and if they don't know I'm not gunna tell them. Call me the keeper of secrets." I grinned at him. "I was just wondering why you asked me when I'm clearly not a love interest."
He played with his drink for a little while and then replied, "My parents aren't exactly open minded... I'm just not ready to tell everyone yet."
"Understandable. Just don't hide it forever or you'll never find Mr. Right." I winked and took a sip.
He chuckled and then looked up at me, "How'd you know?"
"I've never seen you interested or date any females. We've been in the same class since 1st grade and never once have you gone out or seemed interested in anyone female."
"You sound creepy you know."
"I'm a people watcher. I'm not exactly Miss Popular, so often I end up watching the people around me."
"And what have you seen?"
I smirked at him and leaned forward, "That you have a thing for a certain goalie on the lacrosse team."
His eyes widened and once again he was red, "You're a creep."
"Why? I think he's quite attractive, so I'm not surprised you like him. He's also a really nice guy, he has to be to put up with Jackson half the time."
"You think he's attractive?"
"Just because I dress like a guy, act life a guy half the time, rarely date anyone, and know he is gay doesn't mean I don't find men attractive." I defended.
"I didn't mean it like that." He laughed. "Just a lot of people see him as the brotherly type if they aren't gay."
"Ahh, I just call it as I see it."
"I can tell."
"Deen!" The man at the counter called.
"Ready?" Ryder asked as he got up.
"Of course, I'm starving." We picked up our order and headed to the rest of the party.
"So Miss Stilinski, do You have anyone you're interested in?"
"Wouldn't you like to know." I smirked.
"I did ask, didn't I?" He nudged me.
"Since you asked so nicely... No not really. I'm just trying to survive Senior year, getting a boy would muddle things up. Plus, I doubt many people find me... appealing in that way."
"I don't know, you may be surprised, especially if you wear clothes like that."
"Har har." I stuck out my tongue before placing the food down for us to finally consume. We all pounced on the food and played two more rounds before heading out to find something else to do. We ended up at Friendly's for some ice cream, but once we were done I decided it was time for me to bow out.
"Hey, it was nice meeting you and hanging, but I need to get home. I have work at 8 tomorrow." I smiled and said goodbye to Ryder's friends and their dates.
"So do you really have work or are you gracefully saying you've had enough of them?" Ryder asked on our drive home.
"Me trying to get away from those people? Surely you jest!" I fakes a gasp and we both broke down laughing. "Okay seriously, I do have work tomorrow. I was having fun you know."
"I'm glad, don't want you hanging out cause you pity me."
"Nope, no pity here. If anything, I may rather hang out more than go home right now."
"Why?"
"Everyone's probably still over, waiting to pounce the moment I enter to interrogate me."
"That sounds terrifying. Good luck." He grinned at me with twinkling eyes.
"Thanks, leave me hanging. See if I help you out again." I teasingly stuck out my tongue.
He pouted as we pulled up to the house, "You don't wanna hang out with me?"
"Aww don't do that, you're almost as bad as Isaac." He chuckled and I pulled him into a hug. "I'll see you later, thanks for taking me out.
"No problem, thank you. Want me to walk you to the door like a gentleman?"
"And have you suffer through them, hell no. Drive away fast and don't look back, even if I scream for you."
"You're so dramatic." He began curling in on himself from laughing.
"It's how I roll yo." I smirked and opened my door. "Later."
"Bye, Zak." I shut the door and waved as he pulled away. I turned and walked up the pathway to the door. I heard rustling right as I opened the door.
"So my wolfie friends, what'd you hear?" I asked as I leaned on the door.
"We don't know what you're talking about." Stiles replied with some hurt in his voice.
"Bullshit. For that, I'm not telling you anything." I pushed off the door and headed to the stairs.
"NOOOO FAIR!" The room groaned and complained.
"You can't look that cute and not tell us!" Lydia glared and folded her arms.
I chuckled, pulled a chair from the kitchen and sat on it so it was backwards. "Alright, hit me." The room erupted with each person trying to ask a question. I looked at them amused, before putting up a hand to shush them. "One at a time or I'm going to bed."
"Who'd you go out with?" Stiles asked.
"Ryder, he's in my English class. Interrogate him at all and I'll do what I threatened to do before. Next." I saw Danny's face scrunch up in confusion, but said nothing.
"What did you do?" Lydia was the next to ask.
"We went bowling with three other couples, that's why he asked me. Then we went out for ice cream. Next."
"Are you two dating?" Stiles asked completely serious.
I smirked and didn't say anything for a moment. Stiles's eyes widened until I replied, "No, we're just friends." I shared a knowing glance with Danny, but quickly averted my eyes so no one else could question it. "Anything else?"
"That wasn't very exciting." Lydia frowned. "This was your first date like ever, and nothing exciting happened."
"To be fair, I've been on a few dates before and things only get exciting when I'm with you guys. Life would get boring if my life was excitement all the time. Now that your questions have been answered, I'm going to bed. Night." I waved as I took Nix's makeshift nest and headed upstairs.