Chapter 1

a/n – I'm not really sure where I'm taking this story, but I really like Lydia/Isaac as a paring and I thought that if Jackson noticed Isaac was being beaten up then it would make sense if Lydia had as well.

- Lydia POV -

Lydia Martin was significantly smarter than most people gave her credit for; unfortunately the same could not be said for her boyfriend Jackson Whittemore was not. True Jackson was gorgeous, with sea green eyes, a perfect jawline, and he was totally ripped from all of the hours he spent practicing lacrosse. He was captain of their high school's lacrosse team, which was an oddly popular sport in Beacon Hill where they lived. Lydia and Jackson were by far the most popular couple at Beacon Hills High School which was exactly how Lydia liked things, however this meant that sometimes their relationship felt more strategic than romantic. And she often contemplated if it was really worth it to have to put up with Jackson, he could be kind of a douche sometimes.

Today he was bitching about Scott McCall, a fellow sophomore on the lacrosse team who had gone from second sting to a serious competition seeming overnight. Jackson was convinced Scott had gotten his new abilities though the use of steroids.

"There is no way you get that good so quickly without juice," Jackson declared for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, "For fuck sake I swear the kid used to have asthma!"

Lydia rolled her eyes but Jackson was too caught up in his ranting to even notice. She was aware this was mostly her fault which made everything worse. She had egged on Jackson already massive competitive streak all throughout the week, telling him she only dated the best. But she was through hearing about it, she decided to make her exit. She had planned on spending the night when she had come over, but she no longer felt like it. She had a chem test the next day and although she certainly didn't need to study for a simple high school chem test she would rather go home and get a good night's rest than continue listening to Jackson. Besides it wasn't like they would be having any sex when he was like this and that was really the only reason she had come over.

"Well despite thoroughly enjoying this pity party," she interrupted Jackson sarcastically, "I think I'm going to head home, we have a chem test tomorrow and I'm bored of your bitching." Lydia was nothing if not blunt

Jackson face looked surprised for a split second before his expression turned even surlier than before. She smiled sweetly before giving him a kiss on the cheek; she secretly thought his pouty face was adorable. Then she quickly made her exit before he had the opportunity to pick fight. Normally she would have bullied him into walking her out to her car like a dutiful boyfriend, but at the moment she just wanted to escape.

She was inadequately dressed for a cold California night so she was rushing to get to her car which she had parked across the street. So of course when she reached her car she dropped her keys on the ground. She was bending to retrieve them when she snapped back up at the distinctive sound of glass shattering followed shortly by angry shouting. Lydia looked at the single story brick house in front of her where the shouting was clearly coming from. She stood stalk still listening out of habit. She had become an expert in shouting matches during her parent's messy divorce. This fight seemed to be one sided, she couldn't tell what was being said exactly, but she could tell it was a man and his tone made it clear he was pissed as hell. The sound of another shattering class sparked her back into action.

Not any of my business, she thought as she quickly retrieved her keys and got in her car. She had no room to judge a family for their messy altercations, during her parents' divorce the police had been called no less than three times for domestic disturbances.

She sent the incident to the back of her mind as she speed home, cranking up her stereo and feeling relieved to have a break from Jackson

She was reminded of the incident the following day at school when she saw the kid who lived in the house across from Jackson's place. She couldn't remember his name, but she had seen him coming and going while she was at Jackson plenty of times and was sure it was his house. Normally she didn't spare him a thought, he was inconsequential at Beacon Hills High, but the gnarly black eye he was sporting caught her attention. She saw him while walking to her locker before class and paused for a second when she noticed the state of his face. He was walking hunched over, avoiding eye contact, wearing a baggy black sweatshirt and clearly trying to go unnoticed. However it wasn't very effective since he was over 6 feet tall.

His left eye was swollen partially shut and was a dark purple color which clearly looked fresh. Her mind returned to what she had witnessed the previous night and the whole incident took on a darker connotation.

It sure does look like someone got punched, she thought, but by whom? She was naturally a pretty nosey person and her mind flicked through the possible candidates. Jealous boyfriends, a parent, or he could have been mugged. The kid was fairly built and very, it would have been hard to get the jump on him.

I'm letting my mind get away from, it totally could have been an accident and I am being way dramatic right now, she thought as she continued to her locker. She tried to forget about the whole thing again as she went about her day. But really she was much too clever and curios to let it go that easily.