Chapter Twenty-Three: Caught
Stiles and Cora kissed on Friday. Lydia found out on Sunday, a week later. On Monday, Stiles and Lydia were no longer Stiles and Lydia. On Wednesday, Stiles stopped talking to Isaac. And on Thursday, he stopped talking to Scott.
On Monday, Stiles had stayed home. He didn't go to work. But Lydia had. On Tuesday, Stiles had gone to the bar with Liam and got hammered. Lydia had gone home and finally cried the last of her tears to Allison. On Wednesday, Stiles had woken up alone in his apartment with a pounding headache and raging guilt. Lydia had woken up to Elias asking her to help him with his homework. On Thursday, Stiles had decided that it was time to go back to his life before Lydia Martin. Lydia had gone back to spray painting all over town. By Friday, it was as if nothing had ever happened. Except for one thing. Lydia no longer spray painted pictures of her fuck up of a father. No, she had begun to spray about someone new.
"Did he kick you out of his life too?" Isaac asked as soon as he got into Scott's car. Scott looked over and nodded.
"He doesn't mean it you know," Scott told him. "He's just upset right now. Hell, I would be too."
"I took Lydia away from him when he was trying to apologize," Isaac muttered and rubbed his face. "He's never going to forget that."
"He will," Scott said confidently.
"Whatever you say, Scott," Isaac sarcastically said, "Because you know everything, right Scotty?"
"I get that everyone's in a pissy mood," Scott said and pointed a finger at him. "But I haven't done anything to you. So, d'ya mind holding off for a bit?"
"I'm sorry," Isaac sighed.
Scott nodded. "Well I'm leaving to go pick Ally up. So..." He trailed off, thinking that Isaac would get the message to get out.
Isaac glanced behind him. "Oh it's okay," He said with a smile. "There's room for her in the back."
—
Lydia stepped back from her painting. She wiped her forehead from the sweat that the bright sun had caused.
She looked at her work and smiled sadly. It was of a man and a woman kissing. The man had two red X's over his eyes. And on his chest was Lydia's tag, a heart with a dagger prominent where his heart should be. The woman was untouched, unimportant.
"Damn," Someone said from behind her. "Who broke your heart?"
Lydia spun on her heel, noticing Kira and Malia behind her. Kira was sucking on her straw that was in her starbucks coffee. Malia had one arm slung over the smaller girl's shoulder and her other hand holding her backpack.
"You guys scared the shit out of me," Lydia said with a chuckle. She began to put her spray cans away. "And uh, it's nothing. Just a paint, that's all."
Kira raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "Mhmm," She said. Malia smirked and looked over her shoulder.
"Fuck!" She hissed and took out her skate board. "It's the cops!"
Lydia looked up, noticing a cop car speeding their way. "It's fine," Lydia said. "It's just Isaac—"
But the lights on the car went on and the sirens were activated. Lydia's eyes widened and she grabbed her own skateboard.
"Let's go!" Kira yelled. "I know a short cut to get out of here!" She ditched her coffee, throwing it into the bushes near them. She began sprinting and Malia rode next to her down the sidewalk as fast as she could. Lydia followed them.
The sirens grew louder and the lights lit up the alley they were now running in, even though it wasn't dark. Malia and Lydia eventually ditched the boards and ran with them in their hands.
"We're gonna have to climb a fence," Kira warned them, "So get ready to chuck your shit over and jump!"
"Do you two do this on a daily basis?" Lydia asked, noticing how they ran with confidence and defiance. They weren't panicking anymore. The two girls were full of adrenaline.
"A few times a week, maybe," Malia answered and Lydia saw the metal fence in front of them.
Kira, who now had their backpack, threw it over. Malia chucked her board even though she was still running. Lydia squinted her eyes, expecting a loud bang and a snap, but it landed on the grass on the other side. The small asian girl jumped onto the fence and quickly climbed up and over. Malia followed suit.
Lydia threw her duffle bag, which didn't land as gracefully as the other two's things did. Her bag hit the ground with a loud clang and Lydia knew some of her spray paints were either dented or now broken.
As she climbed, her left foot got caught in the fence. She looked behind her and noticed that the cop car was now parked and a woman was getting out. Lydia looked back at the two girls in front of her as she tried her best to maneuver her foot out of the hole in the fence. "Go, I'll catch up," She told them.
"Lydia...." Malia said and Kira gave Lydia a sympathetic look.
"I'll be right there," Lydia promised. The two girls sighed, grabbed their stuff (including Lydia's) and kept running.
"Thank you," Lydia muttered and looked behind her again. The woman was only a few feet away from her.
"Lydia Martin," The woman said. "Pretty name." Lydia's eyes widened and she kicked the fence with her other foot. Her trapped foot popped out with a few scratch marks on her boots. She was free.
"You can run," The woman said, "But I already know your name. Not to mention, your address and your family. It'd be easier for you if you came with me now."
Lydia looked forwards, ready to jump. But...she didn't. Lydia sighed and jumped down on the same side of the fence she was already on.
Lydia looked at the woman with daggers in her eyes. She had never seen her before. The woman was slender with straight brown hair. She didn't have the usual New York deputy uniform on. It was different somehow, like she wasn't part of the NYPD Squad.
"I'm Cora Hale," The woman said, "And you have the right to remain silent. Everything you say now can and will be held against you." She grabbed Lydia's hands and cuffed them together.
—
It was dark and the moon was hidden behind the trees. Outside was silent and inside the trailer was loud with excitement.
"HA!" Elias yelled and bumped Jacob's game piece out of the way. Jacob groaned loudly and Danny laughed.
The front door opened and Allison walked in. She set her bag down on Lydia's bed and walked over to the three boys.
"Allison!" Elias said. "Wanna play? We're playing Sorry! Danny brought it over! It's really really REALLY fun!"
Allison smiled and sat down next to him at the table. "Sure," She said. Her smile faulted as she looked around. "Is Lydia playing too?"
"Lydia's not home," Jacob said and picked up a card. "Awe sorry Daniel but I'm afraid that I need that square! Hahaha!"
Allison furrowed her eyebrows. "She's not home? What do you mean she's not home? Where else could she be?"
"With Stiles?" Jacob suggested. "I don't know, Allison."
"No, that can't be because they broke up," Allison told him. "She didn't tell you?"
Jacob shook his head confusedly and Danny started to stand up.
"Maybe she's with Isaac?" He said.
"Isaac's with Scott," Allison replied.
"Weren't you just with Scott?"
"It's a long story," Allison muttered.
There was a knock on the front door and Elias jumped in his seat. He looked up at the young adults with soft eyes. Allison rubbed his head as Danny walked over to the front door.
"Can I help you?" He asked, noticing the two girls outside.
"Is this were Lydia lives?" The smaller of the two asked. Allison got out of her seat and stood next to Danny.
Danny nodded and told them, "Yeah, why?"
The taller one threw a duffle bag onto the ground in front of them. "Because she's in trouble."
—