aster's pov
in the beginning i mentioned how nate was the rose that maddy held. she held him and got cut by the thorns. that's still true. except i never would've thought nate would go as far as actually physically hurt her. that was my last straw.
i met maddy in elementary school. i lived in east highland for as long as i could remember. she was the first friend i made back in kindergarten because we had a lot in common even at a young age.
but i knew she was going to be permanent in my life when one time in 2nd grade i was wearing a pink skirt with a matching pink crop top. the top exposed my stomach a bit and the teacher tried telling me to go to the office for it. yes i'm aware that i'm eight years old and wearing a crop top but i was ahead of my time. anyways, i gained an attitude just like my father and talked back to the teacher.
8 year old aster said "it's not my fault you don't understand fashion trends."
and maddy who sat two desks away said "yeah perv." we both exchanged looks of approval. that was when i found my best friend. the one girl i'd kill for. it's hard to find loyal people in this world, especially when blood can turn on you. maddy was the one person that gave me hope. the way you'd kill for ash and he'd kill for you was equivalent to the things i'd do for maddy.
the thing is love,
love is fucking powerful especially when it's for a person who loves the power.
as much as i loved maddy and wanted to protect her from the rose, she was going to find a way to hold it regardless. because she loved that stupid ass rose named nate jacobs.
~
next day
Today i made it a goal to show little Nate Jacobs a lesson. I know Maddy told me not to do anything stupid, but i told her i couldn't guarantee anything. That is because i truly couldn't. Nate Jacobs wants to fight girls? I'll give him something to fight about.
I pushed past the double door and scanned the hallway for him. I was turning and walking down multiple hallways. until i finally spotted him. He was standing tall and bitchy as he walked down the hall. Like he was some saint.
Am i a fighter? No not really, usually Maddy would fight my battles for me and i'll step in if they out number her. Like one time in the third grade some girl called me a bitch and pushed me, so maddy stepped up and smacked her into the hard blacktop. The girl who called me a bitch broke her nose and it healed crooked. I'm not the best fighter in the game, but hurting my best friend doesn't go unnoticed.
I walked towards him and when he noticed me he waved. "Hey Aster, wha-" I cut him off mid sentence and swung right at his face. My right hand connecting with his cheek. Did my first hurt? Yes, but that's besides the point. I watched as he stumbled backwards a bit and his hands held his face in pain.
"What the fuck!" he shouted. But i wasn't done, i lunged at him and kept throwing blows at his face. He kept trying to block them with his hands but that was only fueling my anger even more. By now there was a whole audience of people just watching us.
I gripped him by the shirt to force him to look at me. "You wanna hit girls? Hit me." i narrowed my eyes at him. I could see a tiny drop of blood seep out of his cheek. I purposely wore rings on my right hands in hopes it'd help. It did.
"You're crazy." he pushed his hands off me.
"Just as crazy as you like when you hit Maddy?" i questioned the boy as he pushed past me and walked off.
Everyone was stunned and completely caught off guard by what just happened. Nate was in for a rude awakening.
I fixed my backpack and continued my walk to my locker as if nothing happened.
I went on with my day and went to first period. Then i went on to second period. That's when things got a little crazy.
"So why did you hit Nate?" someone leaned over to talk to me as we waited for the teacher to set up the projector. I swear to god people are nosy as fuck.
"Aster Adams." we heard the classroom door open and the principal standing at the door.
"Can i see you in my office please?" he stood at the entrance, causing everyone in the class to look at me and at him.
I collected my things and walked with him out of the classroom.
"What's this about?" i questioned him as i put my backpack on. It was silent for a second then he replied telling me he'll discuss it when we reach his office.
i followed him to his office and took a seat at the chair across from him.
"I just have a few questions about your friends Maddy Perez and Nate Jacobs."
"Do you know why Nate and Maddy were fighting?" he pulled out a notepad.
I hesitated on saying anything, but i was curious on how they knew.
"Is Maddy okay?" i questioned him.
"She will be. She's messed up pretty bad." he admitted.
Usually i'm not a snitch but when it comes to abuse, i'll snitch all day and night.
"Nate and Maddy fight a lot."
"Okay and do you know the reason they fought last night?" Principal Hayes questioned me while jotting down notes.
"He was upset about her outfit choice because she was supposed to meet his parents at the chili cook-off event. She got upset with him and later that night went back to cause a scene. That was when Nate got angry and grabbed her by the arm and dragged her somewhere so he could hurt her."
He nodded and took down some notes. Then he asked if i'd want to report this to the police. He said that Maddy's mother was pressing charges and this would probably help. I obviously said yes just in case Nate tried to deny this. I was going to do everything to back up Maddy.
—
A few days later
"Can you restock the chips?" Ash handed me a box of chips. I was currently sitting on the cash register counter smoking a joint.
"Yeah sure." i nodded as i hopped off the counter.
"Thanks."
"Oh my god are you actually using your manners and treating me like a human?" i smiled at Ash.
"Just go restock them, disASTER." he rolled his eyes.
"Rude." I took the box and walked to the other side to restock the chips.
Fezco was currently outside talking to one of his regulars. I was bored and didn't want to be at home so i decided to come hang around the store. I had just come back from a small shift at the clothing boutique i work at. I wasn't tired because it was a short shift, thankfully.
"Hey babe?" i heard Fezco walk back inside the store.
"Yeah?" i called out.
"Your friend Maddy is here to see you."
I immediately stood up and looked over at the entranceway to see Maddy. Since the whole pressing charges situation went down i haven't seen Maddy. She didn't look so good. She was in a oversized hoodie and the bags under her eyes were noticeable.
"Hey Mads." i smiled as she gave me a small one in return.
"Can we talk?" she questioned.
"Yeah." i followed her outside the store.
Now it was just the two of us.
"So how are you doing?"
"I'm fine." she answered blankly as she crossed her arms. "I have a question."
"What is it?"
"Is it true that you punched Nate?" she asked me.
I tried to hold back a laugh. "Yeah. I did." i remember going home and telling Fezco about it. He was so proud. So was Ashtray, and that kid hates me.
"Why?" she questioned in a tone as if it was wrong to do. As if it was weird.
"Uh because he deserved it? He hit you, so i hit him back."
"You didn't have to do that you know." she seemed agitated with me.
"I know i didn't, but i wanted to."
"And what did you say to Principal Hayes?" she questioned again. "My parents are pressing charges because there are a lot of eye witnesses who came out and said Nate did it. And i heard you made a statement and now my mom believes it because the statement came from you."
"I just told him what you told me. That he got upset with you, you got upset with him. He got angry and strangled you."
"Why?" she raised her voice.
"What do you mean?" i raised a brow in concern.
"Why did you tell him that?" she seemed so furious with me. I'm sorry am i missing something here? Why the fuck am i getting yelled at?
"I'll probably never get to see Nate ever again because of you!"
"Good. Nate should never be around you ever again after what happened."
"You don't understand the connection Nate and i have with each other," she stormed off to her car and i followed her.
"Oh really? I don't? What connection Maddy? You act like i wasn't there for 75% of all your guys' stupid arguments."
"You just don't understand Aster. It wasn't your place to say anything about our business. You just ruined everything."
"I didn't ruin anything, Maddy. Nate was the one who decided to ruin it by putting his hands on you." i crossed my arms.
"Fuck you." she raised her voice. "You don't get it."
"Yeah i really don't. So why don't you explain to me?"
"I understand you got abused at home and stuff, but that's nothing like what i went through. It was a complete misunderstanding."
"Maddy why are you defending him?"
"Because what we have is real."
"No it's not." i shook my head.
"Oh so you think because you get into a relationship with some pathetic dropout drug dealer that you know the meaning of love?"
"Yeah. I do actually because Fezco actually treats me like a fucking queen. Unlike Nate who views women as fuckable objects."
"No he doesn't." she denied.
"You know what... i don't even know why i'm trying to explain myself to you. You wanna run back to Nate then go for it. If you wanna blame everybody else but him for what he did then go for it. Pretend all you want Maddy. I was just trying to help you not get in a long life situation like my mother, but since you don't give a fuck. I'm done here." i looked at her one last time before walking back to the store.
"What the fuck happened?" Fezco questioned once i entered the store again.
"Nothing." i shook my head and went back to restocking the chips.
It was silent. I was restocking and re organizing the chips, anything to just take my mind off of what happened just now. Anything to stop me from crying.
Fezco appeared next to me as he watched me reorganize chips.
"Babe?"
"Hm." i kept my eyes on the chips.
I felt his arms snake around my waist as he pulled me away from the rack. His face nuzzled into my neck as he kissed it gently.
I didn't say anything, i just let him. My eyes were focused on the nutrition facts of a chip bag to distract myself from what just happened.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah." i nodded. He knew i was lying. I mean the argument i had with Maddy was no secret. We were super loud. I didn't want to talk about it, and he respected that.
I just turned my body around to face him.
He looked down at me and his expression softened once he saw a single tear go down my face.
He pulled me closer to his chest and just whispered sweet little nothings to try and make me feel better.
—sweeteasaint
omg omg omg.
if u didn't watch ep5 stop right here cause imma rant
WHYYYY DID ASHTRAY JUST WATCH FEZ STRUGGLE TO KICK OUT RUE? 😭😭 likeeee boyyyyy fez almost became a part of the wall
alsoooooooooo
cassie's face when she told rue to take it one day at a time. she's all smiling as if rue wasn't going to tear that ass up into bits 😭😭😭😭