Candy Store, Nate Jacobs & Maddy Perez

iv. bonnie & clyde

"it didn't hurt." I said, showing off my new tattoo.

"I love you rue but there's no fucking way I'm doing that." She ended up getting the tattoo for me. and afterward we laughed about how badass we were.

I didn't know what happened the night Jules met Tyler. I knew it wasn't good but I was afraid to pry. And selfishly, things had been going really well. Granted things got really fucking weird.

Officers met Nate's parents in front of the school fully intent on arresting their son.

"Thank you for coming."

"Let's talk when we get inside."

Cal Jacobs went straight to the bathroom and threw up.

Now what had happened was that morning Maddy went to school and met up with Kat.

"What are you, the unabomber?"

"What are you? A dominatrix?" Maddy retorted.

"no." Kat said.

"I didn't mean forreal bitch."

"Obviously."

"I'm just on my period. Have you seen Vee?"

"Not since the chili cookoff."

Maddy's first class was intro to calc on the upper west corner. Which was known for its lack of air conditioning.

"Is the air conditioner not working?"

"It's broken. You could always take off your hoodie.

Now if it was a normal day, Maddy would have just taken off her hoodie but since Nate choked her, she woke up three hours early, applied more concealer than burn victim, and tried her best to cover up. She got depressed and therefore hadn't had anything to eat or drink the entire weekend.

To compound the problem, she also suffered from the drop in serotonin, from the Molly she took at the carnival. Plus, she really was on her period.

"Why is everyone, like, so dramatic." Maddy asked the principal. "I'm fine."

"Obviously, you've been through a lot this weekend. But my real concern is the bruising on your neck."

"There is no bruising on my neck."

"The paramedics saw it."

"they're lying."

"Madeleine. Look. I understand that you may be afraid to talk about how you got hurt but I want you to know that it's not your fault."

"I'm trying to find a respectful way to say this but this doesn't concern you."

"It does concern me madeleine. You're 17. If I suspect abuse, I'm mandated by law to report it. Was it someone you know? Was it Nate Jacobs?"

You're probably wondering how exactly the principal came to that conclusion. It was simple. Rumors at our school spread like wildfire.

"All I know is she knocked over a pot of chili and called his mother the C word

"I mean... He did grab her by the arm."

"Straight up the chick is crazy."

=

"I want a lawyer."

"You aren't being charged with anything."

"Look, Nate's gay."

"I'm being serious, Barbara."

"No, I'm telling you, Nate's actually gay. That's why Maddy was upset."

"Idk about the carnival. But I do know she smashed some dude in the pool at McKay's."

"Smashed?"

"That's why he attacked the new girl."

"What new girl?"

"The one who cut herself."

All roads lead back to Jules who denied her involvement in everything. "Idk what you're talking about."

They pulled Nate out of class. "Mr. Jacobs, can you please come with me?"

"Wanna tell me what this is about?" Nate played up the confused act.

"Don't worry. We will." The officer said, cuffing both of his wrists. He wasn't sure if it was Veronica or Maddy but he suspected that it was both. Veronica shouldn't even be in the equation considering Jules and I took pieces from my closet to specifically cover her neck and wrists.

Nate and the officers passed by Cassie and Lexi gossiping at the former's locker.

"Probably 'cuz Nate tried to kill maddy."

"After she found all that gay porn on his phone."

"Okay, Lexi, who told you that?"

"You did."

"Lexi, never repeat that because literally none of it's true."

=

Maddy had spent the better half of an hour trying to convince her parents that, "It wasn't Nate."

"Maddy, stop lying." Of course they didn't believe her. They weren't stupid.

"I'm not lying."

"He needs to know that there are consequences."