all of the pictures
The rumors were already being spread like butter in liberty high halls, some said it was Clay who burned the field, others pointed to Tyler and some even dared to say Mia's name. It was no news that this type of comment and action would be associated with her, after all she was seen lately talking badly with Bryce, and after what he did yesterday to her in the hallway, it was just a possibility.
However, it was not the truth, Mia was actually in her brother's car, with her best friend Justin, planning what to do about the clubhouse, or at least what they suspected to be the clubhouse, no proves yet to known that for sure.
Sat along side with Sheri on the booth was Mia, Justin and Clay. Mia sat in front of Justin and Sheri in front of Clay, the tan girl was now being informed about the plan the three figured last night.
"Look, we need to get in there. We've got a plan" Clay started telling Sheri, the tan girl nooded waiting for him to proceede "What's the plan?" she asked after the burnette boy just got queit.
They wait for Justin to grab the piece of plan by his side, placing it on the table, huge wire cutting scissors are placed on Monet's table. "Boom" Justin points at the object on the table, while Sheri looks at the guys with wilded eyes "Seriouly? That's the plan? Put those away" she said looking around making sure no one saw them.
Mia kicks Justin under the table, the boy looks at her hurted "Outch" he commented, she smiled at him "I told you it was a bad plan" she said. The dirty blond raised his eyebrows at the smaller girl "Well, it was better than the one you came up with" he spat, Mia looked at him confused "I didn't came up with one" he once again raised his eye brows in a sassy way he said "Exactly".
"Anyways, we gotta do it without tipping them off that we were there" Mia looked at Sheri, just like the two boys. Clay is the first to ask "And how do we do that?"Sheri let out a sigh, grabbing her stuff to leave "Let me handle this, Mia I might need your help." The blond got up from her seat following Sheri "I'll text you" and with that the two girls left.
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Sheri and Mia walk together through the Liberty High hallway, the plan already agreed on the way to school had everything to work out, or so they hoped. Sheri looks at Mia next to her, her blonde curls falling perfectly on her back "Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to ask Monty? After all, he is your boyfriend" Mia looks at her friend, she was taken by surprise, Mia wasn't expecting to discuss this subject again "And he's also Bryce's best friend and I honestly don't want to find out which side he would take, so we continue with the original plan" she points out, with no room for discussion.
"Okay" the brunette says in a tone of someone who still wants to continue the conversation, which is obviously noticed by Mia "What happened?" she asks, upset because the subject will continue "Nothing" Sheri jokes, she likes to see her friend get all irritated, because she knows it's all very temporary "Now talk, come on. Don't get on my nerves" the blonde asks, trying not to lose her temper .
Sheri crosses and discrosses her arms while asking the question, "Don't you think this is an authentic red flag, I mean you don't even know what side your boyfriend would have in this situation. Mia, I think you should start valuing yourself more, Motgomery doesn't deserve you and I think you know that, you just don't want to admit it because you've been with him for so long." Mia didn't really know what to say to her, yes it's really bad that Monty caused her this insecurity, but it doesn't mean anything bad.
It's just that Monty and Bryce are very close, just like Mia is very close to Justin. Although she would never consider him or Montgomery. However she doesn't admit this to Sheri, she simply clears her throat and says "Don't you understand, that's not the point, I trust Monty and he trusts me, we are the perfect match. But friendships also mean a lot to him, especially Bryce's, you know he's done a lot for Monty, that's just the point. But no Sheri, you're wrong, Monty isn't the wrong person for me, he's the opposite of that. Montgomery is my person, there isn't a way for me to separate from him when he makes me so happy. Relationships are not meant to be easy, they are complicated but he is a person worth going through hell and back for."
The brunette couldn't consider such a feeling healthy, much less their relationship itself. But it wasn't as if that mattered to the other girl, from afar, she always had her ideas quite clearly defined and no one could change them "But what do you see in him anyway?" asks the brunette. An instant smile grows on Mia's pink lips "Everything you don't see" she says, finally the conversation ends as soon as the girls arrive next to Scoot.
"You girls ready?" the jock asked, Mia simply smiled nodding her head. The dark-haired but slightly short boy opens the gate, behind it, it's a garden that leads to a small house. Scoot goes in front, in the middle of the two girls and behind her another athlete.
Sheri is the first to break silence, looking around "How do you guys even find this place?" Mia, that was by her side, knocks the girl slitly on the side, making her look at the code that Scoot is puting to open the padlock "Find? Oh no, you don't find the clubhouse. You are invited" he said.
Mia hated the way those words made her feel, what the fuck did he meant by that "Oh shit, I just realized. I have a test today, fourth period and I-" the girl excuse is cut of by a very familiar voice.
"Sheri fucking Hollan and Mia fucking Jensen"he started approaching the two girls "Never thought I would see you girls here".
"She came bearing gifts" Scoot spoke, Mia opens her shoulder bag revealing a small plastic bag with weed inside "Oh shit" Bryce cursed "Watch out Mia, you might get back to junvie with this behavior" the taller blond jokes.
The hatred for Bryce was growing, how come she never realized what a big idiot he is? The blonde's uncomfortable smile falls on her again before asking "Does Monty know you're here?" the cheerleader, in order not to ruin the plan, simply starts with a shrug of the shoulders "I won't say it if you don't " the smile turns into a disgusting smirk. The boy doesn't say anything, he simply passes his fingers over his lips as if he was closing them, he moves them as if he was locking them with a key "All right, ladies first" he says walking inside the clubhouse.
Once inside the little house, Sheri is sitting on the small sofa, as so are Scoot and the other athlete, Bryce is sitting on the other side, in a single chair for one person. Mia, who despite not having a place to sit, was't planning in doing it either way, keeps her arms crossed, standing and observing the place "I even feel bad seeing you standing there Miazita"
"No need, I'm fine" she responds immediately, trying not to give rise to stupid thoughts "Oh come on, you can sit on my lap. Don't stay there like that" the blonde insists, Mia shakes her head several times "No need, I'm fine Bryce." Mia feels a look above her, as she looks in that direction Scoot watches her with a worried look, but her attention is drawn back to Bryce who insists on the subject again "Montgomery doesn't need to know if that's what It's bothering you so much" he makes fun of the situation, slapping his thigh for the blonde to sit down. With the air of someone who isn't enjoying the game, Mia once again refuses the request "I told you Walker, I'm alright here", her strong and harsh tone of voice conveyed the message to the athlete.
"You wanna break her in?" Bryce asked, changing the subject. She followed his gaze that landen on Sheri, the tan girl look up at Mia "It's a new pipe. Do you want to do the honors?" he asked noticing the girl confused face "Oh yeah, but we have papers" she said, trying to relax in that environment. The boy in question mumbles "Oh come on. Hit that shit girl" he passes the pipe into Sheri's hands, again the girl quickly looks at Mia. Bryce approaches, lighting the end of the pipe with the black lighter.
Sheri takes a very small raisin of the weed, without even making any smoke, Bryce immediately complains "What the fuck is that? Really?" he rises "You call that a hit? Come one. Hit it hard" he insists, passing the lighter into Sheri's hands so she can light the pipe.Sheri accepts the lighter and brings it to the pipe where she takes a big hit "Atta girl" he says, looking at her with satisfaction on her face. Mia remains in the corner watching the scene unfold, Sheri is followed by a series of coughs after having smoked "I think you still have a little to learn here with Mia" Walker mentions, turning to look at the cheerleader, he shakes the pipe in front of his eyes with a raised eyebrow he asks "Do you want it too?" with a provocative tone.
"No, I'm going to perform tonight" the girl tells him, a small look of hatred falls on her "Me too, pitching I mean" he says. Sheri tries to pass the pipe to Scoot, but Bryce is faster and takes it out of his hands "And these two idiots are playing too."
The athletes end up complaining slightly to Bryce but it doesn't matter to the tall boy, he goes back to put away his pipe and takes a camera out of a box. From where Mia was, she could clearly see that in the same metal box were many more photos stored. Sheri immediately gets up to try to escape the photo, but the two athletes on her side grab her "I look like shit" she comments. Bryce pulls back slightly, this time making him really rush through the athletes. "Come on, it's tradition. No one leaves without taking a photo first" he informs. His uncomfortable gaze falls on Mia who remains very silent "Come on Mimi, you have to be too. It's not like you can say you're not good looking." the girl throws him a furious look, he used the nickname that only Jeff called him, but no one had that right "Don't call me that, you're not Jeff" she warns him, approaching Scoot, as she trusted him more in him than in any other.
One of the boys rested his head on Sheri's shoulder while holding her close, Scoot put his arm around Mia's waist, where he held on tight. "Yeah, okay. Get closer" Bryce ordered, trying to capture everyone in the same shot . Mia tried to move away from him but his large hand was pressed into her skin, making it impossible for her to move away."There it is. Smile bitches"
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As soon as they left the clubhouse, Mia and Sheri, at the blonde's request, went straight to the bathroom. As soon as they entered, the squad captain told all the other girls to leave so she could feel comfortable. So, once she was there alone, with just Sheri by her side, Mia went into one of the cabins and leaned over one of the toilets. A few seconds later, vomiting came up, the whole situation shook her. Boys she once trusted so much were turning out to be genuine monsters.
"You are okay?" asks the brunette as soon as Mia leaves the cabin, she washes her mouth with water and then takes a sip of mouthwash, thank God she has everything in her cheer bag. Mia turns to look at Sheri who looks at her with a small smile "I already trusted Bryce so much, how can he be this monster?" Not even Sheri, who has always been a girl with many words, knew what to say, it was really an extremely complicated and devastating situation.
But as soon as they came out of the bathroom it was as if nothing had happened moments ago, Mia was holding her head high with so much confidence. Her hips moved from side to side with such sensuality, there was no way not to envy her, Mia is a very powerful girl, in control of herself. But only Montgomery De La Cruz really saw her for who she is.
Already sitting with Justin and Clay, the girls begin to tell what happened, everything they saw and plan what they are going to do next. Clay points out in the notes on his cell phone the code to be able to access Clubhouse "They put our picture in this box with, like, a hunderd others" Sheri began to say.
Mia's brother looks up from his phone to the group "Like, like trophies?" Mia shruggers, already to tired to understand anything that goes in their messed up minds.
"Insurance. What happens in the clubhouse, stays in the clubhouse" Justin spoke, Mia shaked her head trying to shake away all those touches, he places a hand above hers in comfort, her lips curl up in a smile, at least he is there with her "We have to get those pictures. We'll go during the game" Clay says, Sheri and Mia share a look. The tan girl already shaking her head-no.
"You'll go, I'm out" Mia understood perfectly Sheri not wanting to go, that place with forever be engraved in their memory. But Mia needed to do this, for Hannah "Wait, why?" Clay asked after Sheri announce.
"I can't go back there" she said, her voice low, Justin looked at Clay then back at Sheri telling her he understands.
"I have to be there for Monty, so it has to be a quick thing" Mia tells the group, the three that were going decide to let her know when was time to leave. They would show up at the gate making a sign for her to leave the bleachers.
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When the day started to come to an end would mean the start of the baseball game. In order not to break the tradition that the couple ended up creating over the years, Mia walked to the men's lockeroom, as she knew that was where the Montgomery De La Cruz was located.
However, on the way there Mia meets a friend, who she hasn't seen or spent much time with in recent days. The cheerleaders ended up walking away for no specific reason, but it wasn't like they didn't care about each other anymore, nothing like that. The connection between the two could not be broken so easily, they just ended up following different paths, but they both knew that in the end both paths would meet.
The blond cheer caption watches the interaction between Jessica and her new friend, Nina if Mia wasn't mistaken. She couldonly hear the last part of the conversation, they way the new girl spoke towards Jessica, leaving right after the girl alone. Jessica scoffs watching her leave, then in the corner of her eyes she sees Mia, her cheerbag on her shoulder as she slighty smiles at the tan girl.
Both girls start walking in each others direction "Hey, is everything okay?" she asked, Mia didn't want to sound nosy but she also couldn't just ignore what she overheard. Jessica shrugered her shoulders, as if she didn't really cared"Just people disapointing" she said as they started to walk towards the school building.
"Yeah, tell me about it"Jessica looked away from the path at Mia, the little cheerleader had a small, weak smile on her face. How they got to this point, without knowing practically anything about each other, months or even weeks ago they knew even the most ridiculous dreams, those that you normally don't tell anyone for fear of being judged"Mia are we good?" the tan cheerleader asked, afraid that maybe the distance between the two would have caused bigger damage in their friendship.
Without understanding where that question came from Mia stopped in her tracks to get a better look at Jessica, with a comforting smile she said "Of course we are, why wouldn't we be?" she started "Just beacuse you became friends with other people besides our fucked up group?" Jessica scratched the side of her neck like she normally did, when anxious "You really thought that would cause damage in our friendship?" Mia asked, her eyebrows frowend "Well, yes" Jessica made a quick pause to think her words through "Mia, we are so different now, I thought that maybe me being friends with other people would mean you forget about us".
After Jessica's outburst, there was no way for Mia not to consider how her friendships had always been very fleeting, especially when they were girls. Was that how everyone else in her group of friends thought? That she quickly forgot about her friendships and her family as if they were nothing?
"Is that what you think of me? That I gforget about friendships that easy? That I don't care about ohers?" Jessica's eyes wilden, that wasn't what she meant to say "No, that's not it" Jessica began to explain "It just that we are so diferent now Mia, you still hang out with Bryce even knowing everything he did. And I am not jugding, I'm tired of that. But don't expect me to understand why you do it or how you can even, because I won't".
"Nobody told you too" Mia responded to the others comment "Oh wow, so it doesn't affect you, Bryce's actions?" Mia crossed her arms abive her chest "Of coure it does, he used to be one of my best friends. He was there when those guys started to touch me in that party. All I am sying is that maybe things aren't exactly like what they look" she couldn't tell her all about the clubhouse, nor even that her along side with her brothers and best friends were working on a way to make Bryce fall.
"I just want you to be carefull" Mia nodded, approaching Jessica she opened her arms for a hug "I know and I am" she said with her chin on Jessica's shoulder.
Steping inside those four walls, Mia turned to her friend once again "So,you going to the game?" Jessica made a disgusted face "Maybe not" Mia bitted her lower lip understanfing Jessica not wanting to go "Well, this is me" she chuckel at the sign of Jessica confused face, they were in front of the boys lockeroom "I don't think it is" she said, pointing to the little drawing of boys on the locker room door "I'm seeing Monty, I will see you later" Jessica nodding remmebering the little tradition the two always did.
"Am I interrupting something?" the girl walked in, her pon-pons in front of her face trying to avaoid seeing something she would be traumatized by, but when the shouts of happiness invaded her ears she knew it was clear for her to take them off "Just my awesome speech" Bryce said, trying to put an arm around her neck. She quickly moved away, staying by Monty's side. Bryce's action didn't go unnoticed by Montgomery, who shoot a death glare to the boy, but not only him but also Zach, that stayed on his corner watching everyone in silence.
"So, you guys are already leaving to the field?" She bats her eyelashes a few times, practically begging Montgomery not to go just yet. He smiles mischievously "I think I still have some time to kill" Mia smiles, standing up on her tip toes so she can kiss the boy next to her. At that moment, Bryce clears his throat, indicating the rest of the team to leave "Let's leave them alone, some of us celebrate even before we win something. Not all of us are that lucky" he jokes, biting his lip before closing at the bathhouse door, admiring Mia for the last time before leaving.
"So ma lady, what was all that for?" Mia frowens her eybrows not understanding what he meant, nothing that they did was out of normal "What do you mean?" Monty sat himself on the bench that stayed in the midle of the locker room, pushing her with him, his hands rested on the back of her butt"You know, usually you wait for me outside the locker room, and then we come in" she lowly laughed at his realization, shrugerring her shoulders Mia bends down just slightly whispering in his ear "I didn't want to waste any of our time" she said bitting down his ear lobe "Mia" the boy grunts.
She grabs his chin turning his face to her, hushing the taller muscular boy she said "Shh. I know you have to save your energy, so I'm not gonna make you sweat baby, I promise" Monty nooded his head as he watched Mia getting on her knees. She wets her lips by passing her tongue over them, Monty cursses under his breath watching the smaller girl unzip his pants. With his hands on the bench Montgomery lifts part of his lower body to help Mia slid his pants down his legs. Her eyes moved from his hardness to his eyes, a shy smirk is formed in the corner of her lips "Can we try something different, something new?"
Montgomery De La Cruz had had many experiences before Mia, even though they started dating at a young age, Monty was slitly older, therefore he started envolving himself with other girls before Mia. However, none of those other girls had made Montgomery lose his posture, Mia Jensen challenged him, she made him feel things he never expected to be possible. The little mask she putted on of the shy girl everytime she wanted was nothing but an act, Mia felted more open and free than ever when she is by Monty's side. She lnows there's nothing she could do that he would jugde, the same goes for Montgomery.
"What would that be?" he asked, a mischievous smirk formed in the corner of his lip as he watched the smaller girl in front of him in her knees"Do you want to fuck me in my mouth?" he was taken unnoticed, he wasn't expecting Mia to say such a thing, once again her shy girl mask deceived him. But he couldn't deny the flame that took over their body, where suddenly everything seemed to be scalding hot, the blonde bites her lower lip in fear of having gone too far. But her boyfriend, who was sitting on the bench in the locker room, simply shook his head, then pulled her towards him so he could plant a big kiss on her full lips "You sure you want that?" he whispered in her ear, both his hands holding onto her face, so close to his "I do" she simply said.
Once again she got on her knees, she looked up at him "You will be in control" she started explaining "You move my head in the rythem you want, but in case you notice me slapping your thigh, then you have to stop" putting boundaries was something Mia and Monty have been doing since the very beginning. Mia weted her lips and slowly pushed down Montgomery's boxers down. Montgomery grabbed her hair as Mia opened her mouth, her lips wrap themselves around his hard memberm With her hands on his knees Montgomery started a slow rythem for the blond to get used.
Very quickly, Mia's hips began to move in accordance with the rhythm set by Montgomery, giving him the indication that he could increase. The environment around them both had already become humid, causing the girl to sweat, as they were both dressed. They didn't have much time, to be undressing would be a big risk of being seen. But with Montgomery's increasingly faster pace, the moans that came from the back of his throat, it was impossible not to notice the vision that Mia Jensen had.
Saliva began to slip from the corner of the blonde's mouth, Montgomery let out a big groan as he saw the drop of saliva slide down Mia's body, stopping right in the middle of her breasts, the neckline of the shirt provoking Montgomery in the right way.
"Fuck Mia, you look gorgeous with my cock in your mouth"He said, in a hushed, unsteady tone. Afterwards, the girl hit Montgomery's thigh twice in a row telling him to stop. So he did, he grabbed Mia's ponytail tightly and pulled her head back.She quickly tried to find her breath again, looked Monty in the eyes, grabbed her shirt with her arms crossed and in one movement took it off. Montgomery looked at the girl in amazement, he had no words to describe her, everything about her left him in love. She threw her shirt anywhere in the locker room, De La Cruz's green eyes never left Mia's, with a shy look sent to him, Montgomery grabbed her ponytail again, while she weted her lips again with the saliva that had remained spread across her lips.
Montgomery's pace was becoming sloppy, losing his rhythm each time, and he laid his head back to feel the last moments of pleasure that Mia was able to give him. She held the back of Montgomery's thighs as more and more liquid fell onto her body. Montgomery pressed her head harder, finally letting himself cum where he painted the walls of Mia's throat with cum.The girl drank the contents until the last drop that remained in her mouth, Montgomery fell back on the bench, his hands over his chest as he tried to catch his breath. Mia gets up and goes to the shower area to try to wash herself as best as possible.
On the way back Mia meets a smiling Montgomery, he grabs her as soon as she approaches him, with a series of kisses Monty loves every corner of her face "I hope you know that this is really true and it's not just what we ended up with to do" Montgomery says, Mia raises her eyebrows in question "I love you so, so much, you can't even imagine" If this had been the first time the three words had been spoken, Mia might have felt used, but no. Montgomery often said them and went out of his way to show Mia that she was worthy and loved.
"I know" she kissed his forehead" And I love you" he grabbed her hips, placing her on his lap. Mia wrapped her arms around his neck as the two just stayed there looking at each other in love. Catching the two by suprise Bryce Walker walked inside the locker room, in his hand was Mia's shirt that she had thrown away.
"Yo, coach is calling you man" The blond boy said. Montgomery quickly tried his best to hid Mia's body from his vison "Fuck off Bryce. I will be out in a minute" Monty said. From the door Bryce threw Mia's shirt at the couple "There, I think you will need this" he walked away laughing.
Mia's look said it all, she was uncomfortable with Bryce, his presence, the look and the jokes all made the blonde's body become rock hard with fear of what could happen. Montgomery, held Mia's chin, turning her towards him, a sad look fell on him, it was Mia's look. "Sorry, he's an idiot" Montgomery said, placing a strand of hair behind Mia's ear. She tried to smile and nod in agreement, but she couldn't pretend anymore. "Why do you still hang out with him?" she asks, but as expected Montgomery looks away and takes a deep breath "Let's not have this conversation again, especially here" But Mia grabs his face pulling him to look at her "Why? Monty tell me why?"
He tries to shake his head again, remaining silent. She looks at him with a devastated look, quickly gets off Montgomery's lap, picks up the sweater that was on the floor and puts it in the bag she was carrying, taking the inside of it from another wash.Which coincidentally was one of Montgomery's, a gray t-shirt, which on Mia was three times her size, but when worn inside her pants she disguised it."Honestly, I'm fed up, I don't even know why I'm asking you. You only see Bryce, you're going to defend him no matter what shit he does. And why?" Montgomery with his hands on his head looks at the ground, Mia looks back at him when he doesn't answer her "What the hell does he have in you that you can't tell me? What did you do Monty that he knows and I don't?" When Mia's voice of despair enters Monty's ears, he stands up in a repetitive movement. Mia remains in her place, watching the tall, muscular boy walk towards her.
He shakes his head in denial, biting his lower lip a tear falls down his face, Motgomery looks down meeting Mia's gaze "I'm sorry" he says, nothing more, nothing less. Just apologize and then went to the game that will start in a few minutes.
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She walked to the field where the baseball game was taking place. The crowd of Liberty High students were already there, shouting loudly for both the athletes and their passion for sports. Unsurprisingly, Mia had her seat reserved in the front row, where there were always the athletes' girlfriends, more popular girls and others, who in a way were all from the same group of friends. However, this time, when Mia arrived at the bench, she thought twice about whether she should sit there. Two minutes ago Montgomery left her side without any justification, and even worse, he admitted he wasn't telling her something. Or at least implied such a thing.
She looks at the bench that has Monty's stuff on it, reserving her that sit, then she looks back at the field. He stayes in the middle of it, he is adjusting the cap on his head, unknow that she is watching him. Then her eyes met Zach's gaze, such an intense look that he sends her, the two friends for the past weeks haven't spoken at all, they feel out of touch just like most friendships Mia has.
"Aren't you gonna sit there?" one of the athles girlfriends asked Mia, she has a hand on her hip as she looks at the blond. Mia simply looks her up and down, then her eyes find a place at the back of the bleachers "There, you can sit there" she said pointing at the back. The girl rolled her eyes at Mia's comment, but the blond had no energy in fighting anymore.
She stood there, anxious, as she bitted on her lip. She kept on wondering where Justin and Clay were and why were they taking so long. And as Zach tried to hit another ball, but failed due Bryce wanting to change their strategy, Clay apperead next to the fence, telling her to go.
And so she did. Mia walked away from the fiel, her bag in her shoulder as she went away. Montgomery noticed her walking away, along side with, Scoot, Zach and Bryce, that couldn't help but woner why, and where was she going.
They catched the sighnt of Clay in the corner of the fense, but yet, they couldn't stop the game just to see where the siblings were going.
"Where's Justin? Is he already inside?" she asked, steping inside the clubhouse with Clay. Justin walked around trying to find the metal box Mia and Sheri talked about.
"You'd think they'd know better than to just leave this shit lying around" Justin commented, Mia walked closer to the boys, placing her bag on the floor to help them find the box.
"Except then they'd know better than to take pictures in the first place" Clay said. The sound of the door opening captures the attention of the three friends, each one remained where they were, and then Zach Dempsey appears. Still sweaty from the game, which certainly wasn't over yet, which meant that Zach had just given up on it. Mia remains silent, preferring to let Clay speak.
"Shit" Clay cursed under his breath, Zach walked deeper into the house "What the fuck are you guys doing in here?" asked the taller man.
Clay spoke towards Zach that looked in between the three "We know about the clubhouse. We know everything, and we're not the only ones"
Zach was the calm, peaceful one, never getting into trouble in the group. On the contrary, he represented the opposite, he was that jock who, no matter how stupid he looked, wasn't. Dempsey was someone to trust, someone to show that love is something without pain, someone who Mia knew would never hurt her, and sometimes she wondered if he wouldn't be ideal for her. But then, he had attitudes like the one she was about to discover, cowardly attitudes and then she knew that someone like him couln't be with her. Someone who has felt pain like her couldn't be with a coward, couldn't love one. Montgomery De La Cruz could be many things, many even quite negative, but a coward was not one of them. And perhaps the love that was destined for Mia was this, painful but true.
"Oh you know everything? I don't think so" Zach states "We know enough".
"Hey, just back off Dempsey" Justin steped in, defending Clay, that had became someone very important to him. Zach looked in his direction "Or what, Justin? You're gonna come at me? I wasn't scared of you even before you fell apart"
"Shut up Zach" Mia steped in, she wasn't gonna let anyone speak with her brothers that way, let alone someone she used to be close with "You think you are a tough guy o something? Because I know you. I know what you are, and tough is not the word for you" Dempsey didn't said anything back, maybe because he was angry and didn't want to make things worst or maybe because it was Mia who spoke. And deep down he would always care very deeply for her.
"I've had the shit beat out of me once this week already. It's not gonna stop us" Dempsey takes a step closer to Clay and so does Mia in a protecting way.
"Good. Cause it's gonna keep happening, Clay. To you, too, Justin. It doesn't stop. You can't take shots at the top and not expect to get hit back. And Mia, you should really open your eyes before it's to late for you" She swallowed hard, there was nothing in her mouth other than the fear of what those words would mean.
"We are not afraid" Zach Dempsey nodded in agreement with her words, "Good" he said turning to go to the shelf. From there he took the metal box, the same one that contained the photographs.
The three of them share a confused look, how did Zach know what they were looking for? they asked themselves that "You already have three of these" he said placing the box on top of the table "There's the rest"
Before Zach can leave, Clay calls out to him again, stopping him from leaving the clubhouse "Wait, wait. It was you? Why the big mystery? Why couldn't you just talk to me? Tell me what was going on?"And that's when Mia saw Zach for who he really is"Cause I'm a fucking coward, and you're not"
Nothing was making sense to Mia, how come Zach always knew and never said anything, how come he never spoke up. And then the question arose, what about Monty? Could it be that he knew it too and never told her anything? However, she wans't even closer to discovering that her relationship with Montgomery De La Cruz was never as honest as she thinks it.
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The four gathered together to look at the multiple photographs stored in the metal box. Mia was already sick of the things she was seeing, it seemed like some of those photos were years old, coming from generations of Liberty High players.
"These photos go back, like, years" Sheri said, passing one of the pictures to Mia, that passed her's to Clay "It's no wonder these fucking baseball guys are so fucking tight. I mean, they are all covering each other asse's for this shit"
"These poor girls" Some of the faces that appeared Mia recognized, some were girls from school, others she simply noticed were younger versions of people she saw whenever she walked the streets of Crestmont, former students from Liberty High.
"That's the thing I don't get. I mean- Why are these girls getting themselves into this situation in the first place" Clay spoke looking down at the pictures. The look was instantaneous between Mia and Sheri, of course they were going to blame the girls in these situations. In a sexist and patriarchal world, it was already more than obvious that this comment would come out of someone's mouth.
"You're serious?" Mia asked, placing down the photos on the small table to look at her brother, Sheri followed Mia with another comment "You are gonna blame the girls in this situation?"
"No, I mean- Look, this girl is laughing. Like she is having fun" A small polaroid was passed between Clay and Sheri, Mia approached the brunette to get a better look at the photo, she immediately recognized the protagonist of the photo "Wait, isn't this Jess's new friend? What's her name?" Mia verbalizes out loud. Sheri, now reconizing her, says "Nina, she's part of the track team"
"Shit, really?" he asked, grabbing the photo from Sheri. Still, not able to move on from Clay's comment Sheri decides to speak again. She waited for Mia to say anything, but she looked unconfortable, maybe old memories were coing up again "Clay, you don't know what was happening in this photo. And you don't know what happened after."
"But clearly no one's forcing her to be there" Mia, fed up with his comment said this time "Girls din't get themselves into bad situation. Guys make the situations bad. You don't know what feels like being a girl in that room, in any room, full of guys" she stoped talking before the tears ran down her face.
Although none of the three noticed, Clay saw the photo he wasn't expecting, Hannah, she had went there. He kept it under the others so the rest of the group wouldn't see it "Uh, yeah, I guess you are right"
"We are just saying it's complicated" Sheri verbalized. Justin, very frantically, moved in his place, cursin under his breath "Shit, shit. Guys, look at this" he said, passing the photo to the grup. It was a picture of an unconscious girl being abused by Bryce "Wait, that's, that's Chloe"
"He did that to his own girlfriend?" She knew Bryce was a disgusting pig, but it was so hard for her to believe the words. The image of a younger Bryce, years before high school started, always comes to mind, the time when he was really friends with her.
"This is how we take him down" Clay imiidiatly spoke, Mia was too lost in her thoughts to understand what he meant "What do you mean?" she asked her brother. Clay turned his body into her dirrection "She's unconscious in these pictures. He's fucking raping her. If we show her these, maybe we can get her to report it. Maybe we can get her to turn agianst him"
Mia shaked her head, already beliving she wouldn't do that "You think she will?" Justin asked Mia "Honestly I'm scared of what she might do"