faded. | fezco

one

for the longest time i thought my life was literally perfect.

i had the best, best friend you could ask for, a loving family, and anything i needed right at my fingertips.

then all that went to shit. it's like in a blink of an eye, my life was completely turned upside down. but not just my life, me too.

i'll be the first to admit that i've changed. the way i think, my actions, how i dress, who i talk to, all have changed.

i'm different.
practically unrecognizable from who i use to be.

our conversation stopped as we walked up, seeing fezco sitting in his usual spot across his convenience store.

"damn, well look who it is. i almost forgot you existed." the pale boy speaks, sparking his black before looking up at rue and i.

rue and i turn to each other, both simply smiling. technically he could be talking about either one of us, rue being gone all summer for rehab.

instead of explaining himself, he exhales his smoke, the smell running across our noses.

"how long you been back, rue?"

"five days." rue answers bluntly.

he nods his head to me, as he exhales from another drag. "you?"

"got in late last night."

he doesn't respond to my answer, just turns his head slightly, looking elsewhere, before looking back up to rue.

"there's this girl, she's new and and shit. i think you're gonna be friends with her."

rue glances over to me, laughing lightly, making me smile. god, have I missed that beautiful smile.

"who?" i ask him. i may have been gone for a year, but rue doesn't need a matchmaker for friends, especially me being back for good.

"shit i don't know, she came through the other day looking all sailor moon and shit, i just thought to myself, this someone rue would fuck with." he shrugs, taking another hit from his black.

he goes silent for second, peering back up to rue, clearly invested in her. "how you feeling?"

rue's arms shrug, her hands deep in her pockets. "well ever since i gave my life over to my lord and savor jesus christ, things been like really good ."

"word. that's what's up."

rue's head falls back with laughter, causing me to join in. i think fez finally realizes it's a joke, a smile forming as he beings to chuckle.

when she calms down, she hits against fez's knee lightly.

"i'm just fucking with you. but lowkey, is ashtray in the back?"

his head snaps up, his face scrunching in disbelief.

"you serious?"

"you think because i went to rehab i stayed clean? she laughs again, slightly walking towards the door of the convenience store.

"i mean ain't that the whole point?" he asks her. she doesn't answer, just completely disappears inside.

i turn on my heels to follow her, considering we came here together to buy something to celebrate both our returns.

"you good?" fez's voice calls out behind me.

my body spins back around, finding him already starring at me. i nod my head, gulping as i walk over to stand next to him, there only being one chair.

he holds out his black, waiting for me to grab it, which i do, taking my first hit.

he stands up, dusting off the chair behind him before signaling for me to sit down.

"no cap, i thought you died down there in florida. haven't heard nothing about you in a hot minute." he says, looking out into the distance as we switch spots.

i exhale my smoke, passing it back to him.

"almost did a few times. but fuck all that, i'm just glad to be away from there."

he chuckles, his hand running along his buzzed head. "and be back here? nahh, should've stayed gone while you could. this town ain't shit man."

i nod in agreement, bringing my hands up to push my hair off my shoulders.

"i see you got tatted up. couldn't stop once ya started, could you?" he says, his hand closest to me running along my left arm.

"you only have to be sixteen to get them done down there, i couldn't help myself. they all mean a lot to me though, even the stupid ones." i tell him.

his fingers trace the outline of the small oak tree on my side that's clearly visible with the crop top i'm wearing.

he smiles, looking down at me. "oak tree for oakland? that's hard, bri."

his smile rubs off on me, my eyes not leaving his face as he continues trailing my body, observing the different colored inks on my skin.

"i could give you one. i know how, i even have a handheld machine." i offer.

his eyes light up, nodding his head. "i fuck with that. just come over sometime, we could get to work."

just then the bell chimes from the door, signaling rue's return as she has her hands stuffed in her pockets once again.

"you ready?" she looks to me and i nod.

"you get mine?" i stand, handing fez's black back to him.

rue's arm swings over my shoulders as we walk off. "you know i got you, bri."