| third person pov |
pj, josie, and hazel were currently walking down the school's hallway as multiple people greeted them on their way. for example, mr. g, svylie, and annie gestured a hello at them.
they were just passing where y/n, stella, isabel, brittany, and a few other cheerleaders were standing near a bulletin board. the four girls turned their eyes to greet josie, pj, and hazel. josie and pj smiled sheepishly, but also cheekily as they realized their plan was actually working. hazel waved softly towards y/n as y/n smiled widely and waved back to her before continuing her conversation with stella once hazel had left her view.
as the three girls turned the corner, josie spoke up,
" hey, little bitch, it's actually working."
" i told youuu." pj replied in a singsongy tone, continuing to greet people.
" i know, i feel like if we keep it up, we can actually take on huntington, you guys," hazel smiled, swinging her right arm back and forth as they walked. pj looked back at hazel in disappointment.
" no, if we keep it up, we can put our fingers inside each other. grow up."
" all right."
hazel shook her head slightly before she clapped back at pj.
" you know, pj, i feel like people are actually liking more than just the hitting and the tackling part of the club."
" yeah, i know. we're empowering them, duh !" pj rolled her eyes at hazel's comment, obviously not caring all that much about what she was trying to say.
" no, i mean, seriously, to have a safe space like this, it means a lot to people, and i think that if we took some time to spend a meeting and actually get to know these girls, like, it would be really important instead of just like sweating on them." hazel had gotten the attention of the two girls finally seeing as they turned around to face her. they both seemed to nod slowly at the idea seeming to agree with it.
" hazel, that is a genuinely brilliant idea," josie remarked with a genuine tone, pj next to her agreeing with a yeah. " i love talking about my trauma."
" i literally jack off after every single therapy session," pj started which cause hazel to look at her mildly concerned and josie to turn to her with a " what ?". pj continued with, " it just makes girls weirdly horny."
josie then tried to deny that statement by saying it was just pj but tim, one of jeff's lackeys, came up behind the two before greeting them with a " bonjour" to announce his arrival. the two girls turned to look at him though josie seemed less enthusiastic considering she groaned before turning around.
" i just wanted to say i'm loving what i'm hearing about the club. it seems so supportive of women, especially the hot ones."
" yeah, well, all women are hot to me," pj snarkly replied clearing not interested with what tim had to say.
" listen, it's really cute and everything, but we're getting a little close to the game now, and um i'm just a bit concerned that it might be taking away attention from our team."
" i think that's like literally impossible to do," josie held up a flyer with jeff on the front obviously promoting the football team and the upcoming game.
" okay." tim said before finally walking away.
it was another day at the fight club but hazel had mentioned to you that this time around it would be a little different though when you asked how, she simply replied back,
" well i guess you're gonna have to go to find out."
so you did, and now you sat in a circle with all the girls, including mr. g as well, as opposed to the regular standing circle. you sat next to hazel on her left with her hand in your lap, playing with the various rings she had placed on that day.
" so we know that the club has been a place where we can feel empowered physically, but we also thought it could be a safe space and a place where we can open up, and talk about our feelings." josie started off with you nodding to what she was saying.
" okay, so who's been raped ?," pj started off as all of you looked around each other seeing if anyone would raise their hand. you were mildly shocked that this was the first question that was being put down, but you recounted that this club was about female solidarity so it seemed mildly appropriate..... sorta. " just, you know, raise your hand. gray area stuff counts too."
after that last comment, most, if not all, the girls raised their hands a few of you all looking around each other to see that it was, unfortunately, a common thing you all seemed to share.
" everybody knows the situation with my stepdad," sylvie started off, you mentally saying that you actually didn't and were slightly worried where this would go. a small pause happened. "he's just obsessed with friday movie nights. i mean, god, i get it. you're my new stepdad, but fuck whatever, you know ?"
" every time i call the police about my stalker, they tell me to fill out an online form, and then the form tells me to call, so i call, and then they say they can't get involved until he tries to kill me, and he keeps saying he's going to. but that doesn't count, so it's just like annoying." you frowned in sadness at stella's situation, obviously frustrated that the police has yet to do jack-shit about her stalker who needed a restraining order at the very least. you honestly admired her that she still continued to be upbeat and kind despite her scary situation.
" been there. we've all been there." pj nodded before turning to see if anyone else would speak up.
" well i've been assaulted like a million times, but i'm more annoyed that everyone knows me for being beautiful and popular, and no one knows that i'm actually smart and driven. like i literally own a jewelry business, and no one talks about it except n/n." brittany shared, you nodded along holding up your wrist with hazel's showing off the friendship bracelets you asked for from brittany. though everyone else was silent and turned around in shame for not knowing about brittany's jewelry business.
" see !"
you felt hazel squeeze your hand before she sat up straighter after brittany finished, which you assumed she was going to speak up so you allowed your hand to go limp in case she wanted to pull away at any moment. which just caused her to hold your hand a bit more tight before playing with the charm bracelet you had on.
" well, ever since my parents' divorce, my mom has been doing this, like, midlife crisis. i don't know how that's really sitting with me, you know ? it's been really, really dark. this has just been really meaningful to me to, like, get to know some more new people, who actually want to, like, get to know me." you smiled over at hazel in support for her opening up considering she never really did, so you were more than happy that this club helped her to open up a bit.
" i just wanted to bring back to brittany for one second.."
" what the hell pj ! you could have at least waited for hazel to finish," you whisper-shouted to pj who only rolled her eyes at you before you both were cut off by josie who offered to go up next. hazel tugged your hand smiling to you softly, whispering to you that it was okay. you looked at hazel with soft eyes, obviously not agreeing with pj being a total ass and trying to score brownie points with her crush. you eventually gave up considering josie was starting to talk.
" i don't really like talking about juvie, and everything that happened this summer. umm you know, obviously, we get a lot of props or whatever, cause people think it's so badass, but it really wasn't. i mean. unless you considered getting hazed horrifically like every single night, like, badass. i mean, umm obviously, you know, we had to survive the tributes, and, you know, i did have to, like, fight people basically like every single night. people were betting on us, and we were given, like, shivs and rusty pocket knifes and splintered wood and um pipes as well, and um we had to just, like, fight people, sometimes to the death. and um i still hear their screams at night, and that um guilt probably will, like, shackle me forever."
you honestly had to applaud josie, she was one hell of a storyteller she obviously had isabel wrapped up in her what is supposed to be her sob story about juvie. you had to hide from making any facial expressions from slipping out as you started to wonder if she was just recounting the plot of the hunger games as it was started to sound a little too familiar especially with her little tributes comment. if hazel hadn't told you that they hadn't gone to juvie, you probably would have been totally convinced and also wrapped up in her story.
" i realize now that i don't have to be that person anymore. like, i-i don't have to just let things happen to me cause of you guys. and, um i am, like, super grateful for what the club has become, and um just especially, you know, from where we started. and uhh yeah, sorry. i feel like i kinda of killed the vibe. i've never really, i guess, said that to anyone before. sorry, if people wanna wrap up or something."
" hey josie, don't apologize. i mean i think we're all really grateful as well and feel the same way you do about this club regardless of the reasons we originally came here for. right pj ?" you smiled innocently before directing the question to pj starting to get a underlying sense of why she started this club in the first place. she just nodded stiffly back at you and smiled almost forcefully. hazel looked between the two of you in concern.
" i'm going through a divorce. whoo ! that shit felt good to say," mr. g remarked obviously getting in on the opening up talk within the circle, and managing to stop the stiff tension forming after you and pj started to slightly glare at each other from across the room. "whoo, i tell y'all, men need therapy."
you found it hard to not smile at mr. g in that moment although you never really paid much attention during his class, you grew to like the teacher and that he felt comfortable to talk about his feelings to his students whether or not it was appropriate for him to say considering you guys were still technically on school grounds. you saw hazel smile at him too, obviously proud as well at his confession.
" i think that's a good place to maybe wrap up," josie stated as everyone stood up to collect their things.
you saw isabel walk over to where josie was packing up her bag, you smiled softly. you hoped that the whole juvie rumor didn't spiral too far out of hand, well more than it already had because you could genuinely see isabel starting to show interest in josie. you thought they would genuinely look cute together, so you were more than happy to see if it would work out especially if it meant that one of your dear friends would leave her asshole of a boyfriend.
you moved over to pack your things, seeing hazel comfort mr. g who had started to get into his feelings about his divorce. you stared for awhile, realizing once again how warm-hearted hazel truly was, it honestly inspired you as well to be more forthcoming and warmer to others. well everyone expect pj, who currently was glaring at you, you looked around to make sure no one else was looking before flipping her off with a sweet smile. she shook her head in disbelief before focusing back on brittany who was leaving with stella. you don't know if you could forgive pj for the stunt she pulled earlier especially now considering your suspicions about the club origins were getting slightly confirmed with how she acted.
hazel finally made her way over to you as you threw your bag over your shoulder, playing with your lanyard keys.
" so, haz, are we still up for studying at your place for the women murdered in history test today ?" hazel looked panicked at your question before slowly nodding, gulping anxiously praying that today was one for the few days her mom didn't bring some guy over to have sex with.
" are you sure ?" you dragged out the e, starting to walk towards the exit doors. hazel followed after you, patting her sweaty palms against her pants before answering you.
" yeah, of course. we should be in the clear." hazel stated, causing you to turn in confusion.
" in the clear for what ?"
author's note : girl talk complete ! be mentally prepared for next chapter where you get scarred from you know what. we're almost halfway through the movie, so i hope you all have been enjoying this book so far. i think i might do some extra chapters for fun that don't exactly align with the plot of the movie, just so you have more interactions with the various characters. if you have ideas or suggestions, for the extra chapters just let me know in the comments.