CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:
SHE MAKES YOU HAPPY

ELAINE HAD WALKED OUT of her brother's room for the second time that night with a smile on her face. He had split his brand new dress pants, and now their mom was having to sew it. Now, Elaine stood in her own room, her dress covering her body along with leather navy blue heels that she had found that matched the dress perfectly. The heels had a thin buckle surrounding the ankle and they didn't hurt her feet, so she thought they were pretty secure and it didn't take a second for her to convince Lydia to but them.

Elaine did a navy blue smokey eye on both eyes, a winged eyeliner, and mascara to make her eye lashes pop, but not enough to the point it looked stupid. She had a clear gloss that covered her lips before she was quick to curl her hair before looking at herself and sighing, deciding she would walk to her brother's room and see what he and her mother thoughts. She walked down the hall, the sound of heels clicking grabbing Melissa and Scott's attention.

"I know, it's not much. Or, maybe it's too much. I don't know. But, I think I did okay? I did my own make-up, which I haven't done that often. Usually Lydia does it for me." Elaine rambled, her eyes focused on her dress and not on her brother and mom as they looked at the girl with their jaws slightly ajar. She looked up at them and frowned. "Oh god, it's too much. I knew it."

"No, no, no." Scott quickly told her, shaking his head.

"Elaine, you look gorgeous." Melissa told her daughter, standing up and walking over to her. "Whoever your date is, they're one lucky guy."

"I'm actually going alone." Elaine mumbled, biting the inside of the cheek.

"How do you plan on getting there? Because you aren't walking all the way to that school in heels." Melissa sternly told her.

"I'll figure something out." Elaine told her mother, offering her a small smile. Melissa looked at her daughter before nodding and giving her a kiss on the top of the head.

"You look beautiful." Melissa assured her before walking out of the room. Elaine smiled before turning towards her brother who had just finished putting his pants back on.

"You really do look amazing, Ellie." Scott told her, standing up and moving so that he was in front of her.

"Thanks, Scotty." Elaine smiled. The girl then furrowed her eyebrows when her mother called up to her.

"Elaine, it's for you!"

Elaine looked at Scott who was shrugging his shoulders before the two made it down the steps, turning the corner to see Stiles standing at the door. When the boy saw Elaine walk down the steps, his heart seemed to pound roughly his chest. His throat ran dry and his palms became sweaty. She looked absolutely gorgeous. He tried to look up at Scott, but he couldn't remove his gaze from the girl. The girl that was usually found in the jean jacket Stiles had bought for her two years prior. The girl that was never found with a dress on her body unless it was for a dance or a special occasion. The girl who his heart longed for without him even realizing it did. The girl who he has always been in love with, even though he had yet to realize.

"Stiles?" Elaine asked, snapping the boy from his trance. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the dance with Lydia." Neither noticed the look that was exchanged between Scott and Melissa as the two silently watched, trying to hide the smile on both of their faces.

As Stiles pulled up to the school, he was about to get out and go around to get Lydia out of the car, but the girl stopped him from moving, making him furrow his eyebrows as he looked at her.

"Thank you for bringing me Stiles, truly." Lydia told the boy. "But don't get out of the car. When I get out, go and get Elaine. Pick her up. Be her date. Because whether she realizes it or not, she deserves to be happy too."

"What do you―︎?" The boy asked, utterly confused.

Lydia sighed, rolling her eyes. "Just trust me on this, alright?" She offered the boy the smallest of smiles before unbuckling and getting out of the car, a smile falling on her lips as she watched the boy drive away.

"Lydia told you to come? And you listened?" Elaine questioned, cocking an eyebrow at the boy. "Are you stupid?"

"I don't think so." Stiles shook his head. "Elaine McCall, will you be my date to the dance?"

Elaine looked at the boy for a moment before glancing towards her mother and Scott who both sent her a look, making her look back towards the boy as a smile fell on her lips. She nodded her head. "Yeah. Yes, of course."

"Great!" The boy smiled before holding out his hand to which the girl quickly grabbed, glancing towards her mother and brother as she walked out the door, a wide smile falling on her face.

━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎

When Stiles and Elaine arrived, the two danced together before a slow song came on. Elaine placed her head on Stiles' shoulder as the two danced to the slow song, the feeling of comfort forming within her as she stayed held within Stiles' grasp. Though, she knew he'd much rather be dancing with someone else. She moved her head off his shoulder, placing his arms around his neck, causing him to look down at her.

"You didn't have to listen to her, you know?" Elaine softly spoke, looking up to meet the boys eyes. "I know that this was your one chance to be with the girl you actually liked for a night. So after this dance, if you want to convince Lydia to get off her ass, I totally don't mind."

"You don't?" Stiles asked.

"Of course not." Elaine gently smiled, thought a crack seemed to form at the question. "She makes you happy, Stiles."

"Yeah, I guess so." The boy mumbled, having watched the hurt flash quickly through her eyes before it disappeared and she smiled at him again. She was always so selfless. And he hated her for it. The song changed to a more up beat one and Elaine smile before removing herself from the boy.

"Go get her." Elaine smiled, gently pushing the boy towards the direction of the redhead. She stood there, moving to the beat, having grabbed another of her classmates hands and dancing with the girl. She watched with a smile as Stiles and Lydia joined the dance floor.

"I see you McCall!" Coach suddenly shouted, making attention turn towards the boy. Elaine spotted her brother run off the bleachers and onto the ground, Coach quick to follow after him. Coach quickly yelled for the boy when suddenly the music stopped and all attention turned towards Coach who was looking at Scott, who had his arms around Danny's neck as if the two had been dancing. The girl smirked in amusement. "What the hell are you―︎What the hell are you doing?"

"Yes, Coach?" Scott carefully questioned.

"Okay, ho-ho-ho, ha-ha. Hold on, you―︎I was just saying he's not supposed to―︎I mean, I wasn't saying that he shouldn't―︎You guys don't think―︎You don't―︎I-I was―︎" Elaine had to stifle back her laughs of amusement, watching the judgmental eyes fall on Coach as he stuttered his words. "Just dance, everybody! Just dance! Dance! It's a party!" That's when the music started again and Elaine went into a fit of laughter, not realizing she had joined Lydia and Stiles' side.

"I'm gonna go find Jackson." Lydia quickly excused. As she walked past Elaine, she whispered in the girls ear, "I'll kill you if you manage to somehow screw this up for yourself." With that, the girl walked away.

"That hurt, ya know." Stiles gently told the girl, another slow song coming on.

"What did?" Elaine frowned.

"That you thought you weren't bringing me happiness." Stiles answered the girl. "I know that you want everyone around you to be happy, Laney. But what about your own happiness?"

"My own happiness isn't it important―︎"

"Isn't it?" Stiles softly asked the girl.

"All I want is for you to be happy and content with who you're with." Elaine told him, ignoring the tears that seemed to build up. "And if risking my own happiness so that you can get that. . . that's all I've ever wanted, Stiles." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Stiles opened his mouth to say something, but Elaine cut him off. "I'm going to go check on Lydia, make sure she found Jackson alright." With that the girl walked away in search for her friend.

Eventually, Elaine found Lydia on the lacrosse field, and the girl let out a sigh as she ran up to her. "I hate to break it to you, Lyds. But I don't think you're going to find Jackson out here."

"I've looked everywhere. I can't find him." Lydia frowned. Elaine offered her friend a small smile, placing a hand on her shoulder. The two girls turned at the sight of a shadow figure. "Jackson?" Lydia questioned. But the more the person stepped into the light, the more Elaine realized it was Peter Hale.

"Lydia, El, RUN!" Stiles yelled, racing across the field.

"Lydia, go―︎" Elaine was quickly grabbed by Peter, the man violently throwing her aside and right into the metal bleachers. Elaine let out a gasp as her head slammed roughly against the metal, the sound of her rib cracking could be heard as she landed on the metal in a very awkward position. Elaine forced herself up before she watched Peter talk with Stiles, hovering over Lydia.

"Ictus!" Elaine shouted the word, throwing her hand out and watching as Peter Hale was sent flying back. Stiles' eyes widened, his head snapping towards the girl as she stood up, seemingly just as surprised as he was. She got up, quickly moving to stand in front of Lydia. Peter scrambled up, looking at the girl before showing her his teeth and going to lunge. "Imperium Monstrum!" The girl held up her hands, watching as Peter slammed into the boundary spell, making him go backwards. She didn't understand how she was doing this. Hell, she didn't even know what spells it was that she was using, but all she knew was that she was angry, and her best friend was lying on the ground with blood covering her, and that she had magic flowing in her veins, ready to be used on anyone or anything.

"Come closer, I dare you." Elaine growled.

"I only wanna know one thing."

"What?" Stiles quickly said, not wanting Elaine to be in any more danger than she was currently already in.

"Tell me how to find Derek Hale."

"I don't know that. How would I know that?" Stiles quickly urged, grabbing Elaine's arm and pulling her down so that she was beside of him. Immediately all of her attention turned toward Lydia. She wished she knew of a way to heal the girl. She didn't want Lydia to turn into what Scott was.

"Because you're the clever one, aren't you? And because deception has a particularly acrid scent, Stiles." Peter stated.

"Tell me the truth. . . or I will rip her apart." Peter spoke, his eyes looking at Elaine. Immediately Stiles' heart rate pounded.

"Try it." Elaine snapped.

"Look-look, I don't know, okay? I sw-swear to God, I have no idea." Stiles stuttered.

"Tell me!" Peter yelled.

"Okay, okay, okay, look. . . I-I think he knew―︎"

"Knew what?" Peter snapped.

"Derek, I think he. . . I think he knew he was gonna be caught." Stiles explained.

"By the Argents?" Peter questioned.

"Yeah." Stiles nodded.

"And?" The man growled.

"When they were shot, he and Scott―︎I think he took Scott's phone."

"Why?" Peter asked.

"They all have GPS now. So, if he still has it, and if it's still on. . . you can find him."