Dysphoria

Chapter Thirty Two

Fez drove me over to his place, I told him everything that happened at the party.

"Cassie Howard?" Fez asked me in disbelief.

"Yep. She's the cause of all this. She went behind all our backs." I grumble holding my sore hand, my knuckles ached a bit.

"You think they're really in love?" Fez asked focusing on the road.

"I think Nate doesn't know what being in love is, and I think Cassie would fall in love with a fucking recycling bin if it told her it liked her a few times." I sigh, dragging my tired body up the stairs into the apartment.

"Well I think you did the right thing.  Some times people need to get they feelings hurt to wake up to how much they're hurtin others." He said unlocking the metal door.

"You were fighting? Again?" Ash asked seeing my busted lip when I walked in.

"I was defending your brothers honor actually." I heard Fez laugh behind me as he closed the door and locked it behind us.

"And yes, I beat the shit out of someone in the process." I said flopping onto the couch in exhaustion. Ash just rolled his eyes at me and went to go get the first aid kit.

"It's true. She had that bitch pinned on her back. You dragged her ass like a dog." Fez chuckled to himself lighting up a blunt to pass to me.

I lay there as Ash dabbed disinfectant on my lip. It stung like so badly my eyes watered but I didn't complain.

"She deserves worse." I mutter, wincing at the sting in my lip. "And don't be surprised if Rue shows up here, I think she's on the run. Her mom was trying to bring her to the hospital, she was in really rough shape."

"This'll only make me sleepy." I said accepting the freshly rolled joint from Fez as he lifted my head up to rest on his lap. He was wearing a grey tshirt and burgundy seat pants, I had one of his hoody's and a pair of sweat pants on too, we were both relaxed and comfortable.

"You look like you need a nap before your next cage match Champ." He said rubbing my head affectionately, lounging back against the couch.

He was right I admitted to myself as I inhaled the tangy weed flavor allowing my eyes to close a little longer. The past 24 hours had been fucking surreal and exhausting, physically and emotionally. It started to rain heavily outside and the rhythmic tapping on the window, the comfort of being held by him made my eyes drift closed.

Fez pretended to be watching the tv but in reality he was keenly aware of the dark haired beauty with her head in his lap, softly sleeping. He found it hard to take his eyes off her, marveling at how someone so gentle and sweet to him could be so tough. How quick she was to defend him, how she put herself on the line for those she loved. He recalled Ash telling him how she had stood up to her own mother, who was holding a knife to protect him. She had principles, and that meant a lot to him. He felt guilty for not telling her about Custer's visit and what it could mean. He was happy just sitting here holding her while she slept that he could remember feeling for a long time and he didn't want any thing to spoil it.

When I woke up a few hours must have passed by because it was darker out, still raining. Fez had lifted my head up off his lap to go answer whoever was banging on the metal door.

"Who the fuck is that?" Fez asked. Me and Ash had no idea. He got up to answer the door. Ash went back to smoking and eating his Doritos.

"Sup kid? You look like shit." He said letting Rue into the house.

"Yeah I fucking feel like shit." She said walking past him. "I'm going through withdrawals and I need something."

"I can't help you I dont have nothin here." He told her.