SUBURBAN LEGENDS CHAPTER ZERO

the beginning ...

           The dance was supposed to make her feel better. Jackie Lahey stood under the blinking lights with her arms crossed over her chest and a bored look on her face. The teenage girl was suddenly feeling regretful; she had begged her Dad and almost got slapped for it so she could go. Now, all she could think about was Scott taking Alison and Stiles taking Lydia. Scott and Stiles were her friends or used to be, she wasn't sure anymore. Jackie believed that making a best friend promise in third grade would count as something, but Scott and Stiles had their own lives and it didn't include Jackie anymore. She should feel happy, especially since Stiles has had a crush on Lydia Martin since forever, but all she felt was envy and anger. Seething rage even. Jackie Lahey went to the dance alone.

     The girl didn't know where it went wrong. The start of the school year looked great for the trio until Scott started acting weird and Stiles knew something that Jackie didn't. The two boys didn't even seem like they cared; Scott started dating Alison and Alison's cousin, Arabella Argent, seemed to be Jackie's new replacement. Whatever. Jackie wasn't going to waste her tears on them, she had far bigger issues than her ex-friends. There was her abusive Dad, her lack of sibling bond with Isaac, and her home life in general. See, Jackie didn't need to waste her tears on Stiles Stilinski and Scott McCall, she would cry about something bigger and better than them.

"Hey."

Think of the Devil and he shall appear.

Jackie glared at Stiles and didn't respond. He didn't deserve to hear her voice. Plus, Jackie has years of experience with the silent treatment, it was one of her specialties.

Stiles let out a sigh and ran a hand through his buzz cut. He was anxious. Jackie knew he was, she always knew when he was anxious or stressed, or sad. It was another one of her specialties; emotions. The teenage girl could read people like a book, it was the only way she survived her Dad, she knew when it was going to be a bad day or a good day just from his face or the way he walked.

"Let's go dance."

Jackie gave him an unimpressed look.

     "I'm serious, let's go," He stated, holding out his hand with an intense look in his eye. "Come on, Jack," He added with a small smile.

     Jack. Jack-Jack. Stiles' favorite nicknames for Jackie. The teenager let out a huff as she begrudgingly grabbed Stiles' hand and let him drag her out onto the dance floor. The boy put his hands on her sides as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Jackie looked everywhere but at Stiles.

     "I'm sorry — we're sorry," He stated. "Me and Scott are sorry," He corrected. 

     Jackie didn't say anything, she just frowned.

     Stiles let out a sigh. "I— I really wish I could tell you what's been happening or something, but it's so much and it's too much even for me," He explained. "You can't pull the silent treatment routine on me," He added. "I'll keep talking and rambling until you have to say something," He stated. "How about Star Wars—"

     "Oh, yes, let's talk about Star Wars," Jackie spat. "You know, the movie marathon we were supposed to have until you left me stranded with no text message or call," She stated.

     Stiles winced. "Okay, wrong topic," He responded. "The full moon—"

     Jackie scoffed. "Are you really talking about full moons to me?" She asked. "Do you even care that you left me in the dust for—for Arabella Argent? Or whoever..." She ranted. "It really hurt me," She added. "You and Scott are the only people in my life who have stuck around or, at least, you were."

She hadn't even realized she was crying until she felt a couple of drops down her neck.

"I hate it when you cry," Stiles mumbled. "I wish I could tell you everything that's been going on, but I need to wait for Scott to explain it all or you won't believe me," He said. "And Arabella doesn't particularly like me or Scott," He added. "It's a long story that connects to why we haven't been able to hang out."

     Jackie didn't even know why she brought Arabella into the conversation. Arabella Argent had come to Beacon Hills a couple of weeks after her cousin, Alison Argent had shown up. She seemed like a nice girl and was the only girl who joined the lacrosse team so she was brave too.

     Stiles kept darting his head around like he was looking for someone. "I, uh, Jackie, I have to—"

     Jackie let go of him and stepped back. "Yeah, didn't you come here with Lydia?" She questioned. "Better go find her," She muttered, sourly. "You have a brand new dream squad, thanks for inviting me into it," She added, crossing her arms back over her chest.

Stiles didn't even respond.

The girl watched him run off and she shook her head. "No, no, I am not going to allow him to run off and not talk to me for another three months," She mumbled to herself and started to follow after him. "I'm going to call him out and then I'll find Scott and do the same thing," She added.

Jacqueline Lahey didn't know what grave mistake she was about to make.

Jackie knew she saw Stiles run up to the lacrosse field, she just didn't know why. He was screaming for Lydia like an idiot, but the concern in his voice made Jackie's stomach twist with nerves. What if something was really wrong? She wondered to herself as she treaded up to the field.

She stopped dead in her tracks. The stadium lights were on almost blinding her for a moment, but she saw something that made her blood run cold. Lydia was lying on the field, bleeding while a man with blood running down his mouth kept a hold of her limp arm. Stiles was also there, pleading with the man, and Jackie held her breath.

"... I think Derek knew he was going to be captured."

Derek Hale? The man who was a supposed murderer?

"Does our guest know anything?" The man asked in a mocking tone as he tilted his head towards Jackie.

     Jackie's eyes widened as she slowly started to walk away, but Stiles turned and saw her. He had fear in his eyes and it almost seemed as if he was about to start crying. "No, no! She doesn't know anything, we've kept her away from all of this!" He exclaimed. "Please, I think Derek took Scott's cellphone," He added, pleadingly.

     "What does that have to do with anything?"

     "All phones have GPS on them, if Derek has that phone and it's on then we can find him," The boy explained.

     Jackie could feel her heart pounding. "W—What is happening?" She asked, mainly to herself. All she could think about was how Lydia was bleeding out on the field.

     "Peter!" A voice yelled out.

     Jackie turned and saw Arabella Argent marching up towards them. She had a hunting knife in her hand and fury in her eyes.

     "Let Stiles and Jacqueline leave and let Lydia get help," She stated. "I think I know where my Mother is keeping Derek," She added. "I will take you straight to him just let them go."

     The man— Peter just smirked. "Oh, I think isn't going to cut it, sweetheart," He stated. "I want you and him to come with me," He ordered. "The one that's about to fall into a panic attack can take sweet Lydia and get her the medical attention she needs," He said with a sickeningly sweet smile.

     Stiles quickly walked over to Jackie. "Hey, hey, call Jackson and tell him where you two are," He ordered. "I promise you I will explain everything."

     Jackie nodded her head. "O—Okay," She stuttered out.

     She watched as the three of them walked off into the darkness.

✧∘* ೃ ⋆｡˚.

Jackie paced around the hospital floor as she watched Lydia's chest go up and down. Her hands were still shaking as she thought of everything that happened. It was past her curfew and she knew her Dad was going to do something dramatic, but she didn't care, she couldn't even think of him. She was allowed to ride in the ambulance with Lydia because the paramedics wanted to check her out too, so she got there before Jackson. Jackson Whittemore wasn't Jackie's favorite person, he was an asshole and his name was too similar to hers, but she could see that he was worried about Lydia.

"Jackie," The familiar voice of Sheriff Stilinski called out. "What happened to that girl tonight?" He questioned. He was anxious and worried about Lydia.

"I— I'm not entirely sure," She stuttered.

Jackson, who had gotten to the hospital as the Sheriff was talking to Jackie, was asking about Lydia. The Sheriff went over and pushed him up against the hospital wall causing Jackie to flinch. She couldn't even hear the words Noah was asking Jackson. The world was in slow motion.

"I— I need to get home," She whispered and stumbled out of the hospital before anyone could say anything. She wasn't entirely sure Noah or Jackson even noticed she left.

     Somehow Jackie Lahey walked from the hospital to her house without kneeling over and dying from exhaustion. She was pretty sure she had thrown her heels off a mile into the walk, but it didn't matter, all that mattered was what was going to happen when she walked into her house. Maybe she would get lucky and her Dad had already drunk himself into a coma for the night, but she knew he was up and waiting for her.

     The air was thick inside.

     "It's an hour after curfew."

     Couldn't he see that she was disheveled and out of breath? Couldn't he see the blood stain on her dress that had come from Lydia? Why didn't he ask her if she was okay?

Jackie caught her breath. "I—I was at the hospital," She stuttered. God, why couldn't she stop stuttering? "My friend, Lydia, she was attacked and, um, is in a coma I think," She tried to explain. "You can call the hospital or the Sheriff—"

     The slap echoed.

     Jackie held her cheek as she felt blood run down her lip. Like the blood on Peter's mouth after he hurt Lydia. "It doesn't matter, you are still an hour late after I specifically told you not to miss curfew," He stated. "You also look a mess imagine if someone saw you walking from the hospital like this," He said with disapproval. "Imagine what they would think of you and how I raised you," He clicked his tongue. "I won't send you downstairs this time, but I will have to lock up the refrigerator and pantry until you learn your lesson."

Jackie nodded. "I understand," She said, numb. Her cheek and lip didn't hurt anymore. "I'll do better next time," She added. After a pause, he sat back down in his recliner and Jackie made her way to her bedroom.

It all had to be a dream, right? No, no it wasn't a dream, it was real life. Jackie practically ripped her dress off and crawled under her covers. She was going to sleep and wake up early so she could go to the hospital to make sure Lydia would be okay.

Then she was going to get some goddamn answers.

authors note:

and it's begun...

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