They broke up a year or two ago, and yet he was always somehow still around and involved in her life. She didn't mind, they were friends and still trying to handle supernatural tasks with the rest of the pack. When everyone would gather for their late movie nights it was fun! They would laugh and enjoy the stupidest of movies until the early morning, when they couldn't keep their eyes open. It wasn't until one night that something was changed.
They had all gathered at Allison's for the movie night and everyone was getting settled to start the first Harry Potter film, when Jackson plopped down right next to her. She didn't think anything of it but normally Allison or Kira would be by her side.
Once they turned the lights off and the movie began, Lydia threw a fuzzy blanket over her small body and she got comfortable. Allison and Scott were cuddled on the love seat, Stiles was sprawled out on the carpet, and Jackson and herself on the couch. They were enjoying the movie, when she felt Jackson shift and his fingertips brushed against hers. She flinched but only for a split second, she didn't want to overreact or anything and he probably did it on accident.
As a few minutes went by after, she felt his fingers brush against hers again but this time they didn't leave. They grabbed a hold of hers and began intertwining them together. Lydia tried to hide the surprise she felt when he so courageously took her hand, but she didn't pull away. She didn't know why he had exactly done it, but she didn't mind it at all. She held his hand back not knowing what it meant.
It began with the little things, hand holding or slight touches and cuddles here and there. Nothing big but Lydia took it as subtle hints. Maybe he really had changed and was trying to give their relationship a go again? Maybe this was the fresh start they needed? They had grown up so much since the last time and the both of them knew what they wanted. She began to have hope build inside of her, because this time it was him making all the moves. She didn't have to ask him to go hang out or go to dinner like in their previous relationship, it seemed like he wanted whatever was happening. This gave Lydia butterflies, she was excited but didn't want to overthink. She just wanted everything to go good for once, and it finally seemed like it. Or so she thought.
One evening when Allison, Kira, and herself were sitting watching the boys lacrosse practice an idea popped into her head. It was something she wasn't very comfortable with doing but she wanted to know how Jackson felt about everything that was happening. And what better way to do that then ask him to a movie or maybe dinner? She couldn't decide yet, but she wanted to ask to get confirmation to what she had been feeling the past couple of weeks.
After practice was over she made her way to where Jackson stood with a couple of the boys, "Hey Jackson". She smiled at him as she approached, and Jackson smiled back.
"Whats up?" Jackson inquired while his friends stood by.
"So look I was uh wondering if you want to go see a movie Friday?" She didn't even really think before she said it but it just came out. She almost winced at herself as soon as she said it, this was definitely out of her comfort zone. But before she could even think anymore she noticed Jackson's expression change. He looked confused at first but then it turned to amusement in a way.
"Are you asking me on a date Lydia?" This certainly got her to blush but she couldn't back down now.
Lydia replied hesitantly but with confidence at the same time, "Uh yes". She was smiling now, she hoped his expression meant that he was happy she was here asking him but that's when everything went wrong.
He laughed. "Lydia why are you asking me on a date?"
She was so confused, was it not Jackson that she had been holding hands with? Was it not Jackson that had been especially nice and sweet to her recently? So she explained how she thought that since he had been so physically affectionate that she thought he was giving her signals or trying to tell her that he had feelings again, but that wasn't the case at all.
It didn't mean anything, sorry...
That's all he said to her, when she realized she had once again been so stupid. He had been playing her, for what? She had no idea, but she didn't know that someone could be so cruel. What was the point in holding her hand? What was the point in getting her hopes up? What was the point in anything at all if it didn't mean anything to him? Was she some toy that everyone took turns messing with her emotions?
This had happened so many times before, where she always got hurt and she never knew why it had to happen to her. On the outside she may have seemed like such a popular and put together girl who was happy, and she genuinely is happy but she sometimes struggles. She forgives too easily, and sees the best in people even when they have done so much to hurt her. But that was just how Lydia was.
She couldn't even hold the tears back when she heard those harsh words come out of her mouth, and before she knew it she was running to her car and jumping inside. She was sobbing, and shaking and just falling apart. Why do things like this have to happen to her? She knew that maybe she could have been smarter about the situation but her emotions and feelings got in the way.
Her heart hurt so much.
She sat there crying in her car, until she heard a familiar voice.
"Lydia?"
It was Stiles, the goofy best friend of hers that she loved dearly. "Lydia? Wha- oh my gosh are you okay?" Lydia could hear the worry laced in his voice.
She knew before she was even going to say it that he would see right through it but she still said it anyways, "I'm fine".
Stiles knew right then and there that she was hurting badly and he needed to be there for her, he needed to try and help her somehow. "Lydia can you please open up?"
Nothing.
"Lydia please?" Stiles pleaded again before he watched her click the button that unlocked the car and he scrambled his way over to the passenger side. Not wasting anytime he hopped in and immediately lifted her face to look at his. He saw her bloodshot eyes, the mascara that was smeared, but most importantly the tears running down her soft cheeks.
"Why me Stiles?" He began to wipe her tears away gently with his thumb, and letting her continue. "Why do I care so much about people but then they just screw me over and don't care about me at all? I'm just so tired you know?"
He cupped her cheek and moved a piece of her strawberry blonde hair out of her face, "I know, I know". He shushed her trying to let her sobs settle down again. He moved in closer to pull her into his chest and just hold her. He hated seeing one of his best friends, someone who deserved the world be like this.
"I care." He paused and looked down at her and met her eyes. "I can also guarantee that Scott, Allison, Kira, Melissa and well I can keep going if you want me to but you get the point. There are lots of people that care for you Lydia, and we definitely see how much you care about us. We are your family. Anyone who doesn't treat you the way you deserve to be treated, doesn't deserve to have you in their life. Lydia Martin you deserve the world."
Lydia moved and shuffled closer to Stiles if that was even possible and held on tighter. She needed to hear what he had told her, and she couldn't even express how much he meant to her at the moment but she grasped onto him to let him know.
"Thank you". Stiles smiled and leaned down to place a small kiss against her forehead, and they sat in her car closer then ever before.
In each others arms.
