chapter one: body.


Lydia Martin's life could be described in one word: ordinary.

She was a normal seventeen-year-old junior, aside from being one of the only redheads in the town of Beacon Hills. She was a genius, though she didn't like to flaunt about it. She had her best friend named Allison who she had known ever since she moved to her town in ninth grade.

Everything was ordinary – but what happened today, was everything but ordinary.

"Did you hear?" Allison asked eagerly as she grabbed Lydia in the hall.

"Hear what?" Lydia replied, moving out of the way before she was shoved by her ever so kind classmates.

Allison couldn't stop grinning. "They found a body in the woods today."

"A body?" Lydia's eyes widened and she lowered her voice. "Wow, nothing like that ever happens here. Do you know who it was?"

Allison shook her head. "I heard it was female. The sheriff and his team and going out tonight."

"If they already found the body, why are they going out again?"

Allison's grin widened, if that was even possible. "That's the best part. They only found half the body."

"Oh no," Lydia replied, watching her best friend's face. "I know that look. I don't like it."

"We're going out to find the other half of the body!"

Lydia groaned. "Ugh, I knew it. Did you even think I would agree?"

She felt a pair of hands shake her shoulders from behind. "She knew you wouldn't agree, so that's why I'm here as reinforcement."

Lydia turned around to see Isaac, her childhood friend. It also helps that he's her next-door neighbor. But what he's forgetting to mention is that he's in love with Allison, so Lydia sincerely doubts that convincing her to come out tonight is the only reason he's here.

"Sure, reinforcement," Lydia muttered, shooting Isaac a look that left Allison oblivious.

"So, you are going," he said sternly and watched as she stomped her foot like a three-year-old. "The guys are going too, it'll be fun!"

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Oh great, even better."

"You and Stiles can get along for an hour or two," Allison chuckled.

"Of course, we can," Lydia nodded, "as long as he gets his head out of his ass and isn't his usual cocky self."

"And who is this you so fondly speak of, Red?"

Lydia closed her eyes to avoid seeing both her friends snickering faces and whirled around to see none other than Scott and Stiles, resident co-captains of the lacrosse team, king jocks of this high school and also Isaac's best friends. She's also known them since pre-school, but was never very close. She had no issues with Scott, he was a total sweetheart, but for some reason, she's never gotten along with Stiles.

"You," Lydia replied bluntly.

"I would hope you could be a little bit subtler but what was I thinking?

Lydia grinned. "Oh, that's the thing, you and thinking is a little bit dangerous so you don't do it often."

"Well then," Scott interrupted before Stiles could retaliate, because he knew his best friend well enough to know he always had something witty on the tip of his tongue. "Are we all in agreement for tonight? I'm dying to do something normal for a change."

Allison furrowed her eyebrows. "Something normal?"

Scott's face panicked for just a second before Isaac spoke up. "Figure of speech! You know, with school and everything, this is just really exciting."

"Oh, right, of course," Allison replied, once again, completely oblivious. "So, we'll meet at the entry of the woods at 10?"

"Sounds great!" Isaac smiled at her, "we'll see you there. And you, Red," he narrowed his eyes at Lydia before tagging along with Dumb and Dumber (Lydia secretly still loves Scott). Also, she becomes very irritated at the nickname "Red" because it's what Stiles has called her ever since they decided not to become friends and bicker all the time instead.

Lydia's eyes glared at Allison until she finally dragged her eyes away from Isaac. "You'll be fine," the brunette reprimanded, "plus, we'll have some big, strong guys with us."

"I rather be doing homework," Lydia grumbled but followed Allison to class nonetheless.

...

"I don't think I wore enough layers," Lydia muttered as soon as she stepped out of Allison's car. She unhappily dressed for the occasion in all black but obviously it wasn't enough considering she could already see her breath.

Allison smiled at her, fixing Lydia's beanie on her head. "We won't be out here for long."

"Have any of you thought about what happens if we actually find the body?" Lydia raised her voice so the boys exiting Stiles's car could listen. "Because how the hell are we supposed to explain that?"

"That's easy, Red," Stiles replied nonchalantly. He was pulling a thin jacket over his flannel shirt and Lydia smirked because she knew he'd be freezing later. "I call my dad."

Scott flinched. "Oh, he's gonna be so pissed."

"But not surprised," Stiles quipped, "I'm the reason he has blood pressure issues."

Allison laughed and Lydia cracked a smile – it was sort of funny. They watched as another car pulled up beside them and out bounced Kira. She was also Scott's girlfriend and normally attached at the hip with Malia, Stiles's girlfriend. Unlike Malia, Kira was actually nice and liked by literally everyone. She had a bubbly, awkward personality that you just had to enjoy. Malia, on the other hand, was another person Lydia couldn't stand, though she actually tried to be polite. She wasn't all bad, just had her moments. Kira and Stiles usually kept her in check, which everyone really appreciated.

"Hey!" Scott greeted his girlfriend, placing a quick kiss on her cheek. "Malia didn't want to come?"

Kira shook her head with a smile. "No. She said, and I quote, 'I would rather stick needles in my eyes than spend my night in the forest looking for an old, dead body.'"

"Sounds like Malia," Isaac snickered. "Okay, let's get going, it's cold."

"How can you be cold with that ridiculous scarf?" Stiles rolled his eyes. "Seriously, I hate it, it's hideous."

Isaac slapped the back of his head, making his way into the lining of the forest. "You're hideous, shut up and let's go."

They all made their way into the forest, maneuvering around the branches and stumps. It was cold and they all knew it, but no one was going to admit it now. "Seriously, what are we eve doing out here?" Lydia muttered, a good ten minutes into their hike. She said this right before she was whacked in the face by a branch that Isaac let fly out of his grasp. "Shit!" She cried, clutching her eye in pain. "For fuck sakes Isaac."

"I'm sorry, Red," Isaac bit his lip, obviously trying to hold back a giggle.

"Are you seriously laughing right now? I'll kick your ass to hell and back, Curly."

Allison pulled her away to the side. "Hey, let me see it," Lydia pulled her hand away but couldn't open her eye because it hurt too much. "You're bleeding," she sighed.

"The sheriff is about to find another body and it's going to be Isaac's, I swear to god," Lydia replied angrily.

"She's so feisty," Stiles said from behind her. "I have a first aid kit in my jeep, I can take her back," Lydia's nose turned upwards. "Or you can bleed all over this damn forest," Stiles rolled his eyes.

Lydia sighed. "Okay, fine let's go."

Her vision was blurry as she tried to make her way back and the stumps sticking out of the ground weren't helping. "You can grab onto me if you want."

Lydia tried to glare at him with her eye that was available. "I can walk just fine, thanks."

"Alright," he smirked. Gladly for her, they hadn't made it very far from their cars so they were back in an instant. She leant up against his jeep and waited until he pulled out some supplies to wipe up the blood. "I think you've stopped bleeding, did you want a band aid anyway?"

Lydia was about to say no, she could feel it. But then it was as if her senses were turned off completely. She couldn't even see Stiles who was right in front of her but could hear his voice as if it was in the background. Her senses were unfocused and she found herself walking right back into the forest.

"Lydia, what the hell?" Stiles rushed to lock his jeep back up and follow her. "What are you doing?" He was astounded that she either didn't want to hear him at all, or was pretending not to. "What the hell is going on?"

Eventually, Stiles just stopped talking to her because she never replied and just kept walking. So. he followed her quietly, making sure she didn't trip and die or something. After a few minutes, she stopped.

"Finally," he muttered. "Mind telling me what that was all about?" He finally caught up to her and caught sight of what she was looking at: it was the half of the dead body they were looking for. "Holy shit Lydia, what the hell?"

And then it was as if the switch was turned back on and she snapped out of whatever fugue state she was in. Stiles literally watched the light turn on in her eyes and become clouded with confusion.

"Stiles? What are we doing here?" She made the mistake of looking in front of them and gasped, jumping away immediately. "Holy shit! How did we find this?"

Stiles stared at her slowly. "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?" She said, looking scared.

"You led us here," he replied. "You literally went into a fugue state; couldn't hear a word I was saying. You found this body, Lydia."

Lydia backed away from the body. "I don't remember," she responded quietly. Stiles could see the fear on her face.

"I'm going to call Scott."

...

"So, what happened?"

"Dude, she was literally out of it. It's like she was possessed. I don't think she even knew I was with her, it's like she was purposely trying to find the body."

"And you think she's supernatural? I don't see it."

"I didn't think you were supernatural, but here we are," Stiles replied, rolling his eyes.

"She's not a werewolf," Scott responded. "I don't know what she is."

"I don't either," Stiles said, staring at Lydia from where she was huddled with Allison and Isaac, still shaken, "but I know she's something."