WARNING: Some scenes, actions, and comments made by the characters may be sick and disturbing. In no way do I say that I agree with what has been done. You know the saying, "The author is not responsible for what their characters say and do." That applies here. I'm one of those writers who let my characters speak to me, I listen to their voices and take note of their personalities. Although I'm satisfied with the fact that Finn is sent to jail, I can't get rid of Oz's thought that it's not enough. In no way do I say that I agree with his thinking. But excluding his thoughts and denying what he thinks should be done would make me feel like a failure as a writer, because that would mean that I couldn't accept that somewhere in this world, there are people who really are as cruel as him.
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"Hey, did you see the news?"
"No, why?"
"Someone we know got raped!"
"What? For real?"
"Yeah, it's all over facebook!"
"Who?"
"Finn McKinley!"
"No way!"
"But he's in jail, right?"
"Exactly."
"Holy crap!"
I almost snorted.
There was a lotta crap, alright.
I kept my face straight as I left the jet line and headed to the crew's usual table. A few girls tried to block my path but I managed to dodge their claws.
Damn. Word must've come out that Halo and I took a break because all kinds of bang bunnies have been coming up to me lately. Pain in the ass.
I nodded to my friends as I took a seat beside Connie, who appeared nonchalant as she ate her food. My eyes narrowed. She was too stiff. I glanced across from me to Alfie and his girl of the day (who wore too much red lipstick, by the way), and all was clear.
Huh. He was back to that.
Shaking my head, I chowed down my food.
"You look like shit," my best friend told me oh-so-kindly. "Is that in style now?"
"You're banging bunnies again. Who are you to judge?"
The girl beside him huffed at me. I ignored her.
"Some things just aren't meant to be changed." Alfie shrugged like it was no biggie but I caught him glance at Connie for the briefest moment. "I'm not one to force destiny."
Kurt snorted from Alfie's other side. "Yeah, right."
"Or girls, for that matter," added Alfie. "Sometimes, you gotta let them come to you."
My eyes traveled to a black-haired girl in the cafeteria, spotting her immediately in a room as chaotic as this. I watched as she bit into her burger, before smiling for the tiniest bit at something Milo said. Even though it was a small smile, at least it there was something.
I was glad.
"Is it true?" asked Frisco, before sitting down on the other side of Connie. She helped him put his crutches on the ground.
"What?" said Kurt, his voice muffled form the pizza he was munching on. I only then noticed that Gina was beside him.
I fought the urge to shake my head at these guys. Old habits sure dies hard.
"That thing that happened to McKinley in jail," finished Frisco.
Suddenly, I felt all eyes on me. Of course, they knew that I had something to do with it. I swallowed my food, then nodded at them.
"Yeah, it's true."
I could tell from their faces that they wanted to ask more but there was a stranger with us – and Gina. I wasn't gonna say shit in front of Alfie's one-time-thing.
Connie obviously read my mind because she rolled her eyes and faced the bang bunny that was currently clinging to my jackass best friend.
She sighed and told her, "Can you suck his face later? People are trying to eat here."
The girl smirked. "Jealous?"
"Of what?" Connie's head cocked to the side. "You saggy tits or loose vagina?"
Red Lips scoffed. "You're one to talk."
"Heather, no," warned Gina in a low voice.
Gina's cool. Even though she could be such an annoying bitch sometimes, she was a smart bitch. But Red Lips didn't listen. Goes to show she didn't have a lot to offer in the brain department.
"Hanging out with lots of guys," Red Lips continued, as if she wasn't interrupted. "You're not fooling anyone."
"Shut up, Heather," said Gina, through gritted teeth.
Red Lips was really asking for it, though.
"You're just a slut as the rest of us."
Gina shook her head and faced Kurt, who only grinned and waited for the show. I took my soda off the table, taking it away from the danger zone just in case.
As calmly as she could, Connie said, "Get the fuck out of my face right now, or else."
"Or else what, pull my hair out? We're not in middle school –"
My childhood friend reached an arm across the table and grabbed Heather's shirt until she was practically on our end. Half of her body was on the table while her hands held on to the edge, her eyes looked like they were about to pop out from their sockets.
Connie, on the other hand, kept her face stoic.
"Careful, skank. I can do a lot worse. In case you haven't heard, I mastered the art of bitchery. I won't tolerate any of your shit. So get lost before I claw your eyes out."
A little smile reached my lips. Classic Connie.
"Without that pretty face," she began softly, "what would be left of you?" She released her hold on Heather's shirt and shoved her away.
"Alfie," called Red Lips, clutching her heaving chest.
"Well, I mean . . ." Alfie shrugged. "She did tell you to get out of her face."
She scoffed. "Asshole!"
With that, she shot to her feet and left the table. Gina sighed and shook her head, but still followed after her friend.
"What d'you do?"
I returned my eyes to the rest of the group and saw Connie staring me down, making me rub my eyes and sigh in exasperation.
"I asked Clyde to use his connections and let it slip with the inmates that the fucker was a molester. You know what happens when criminals like that go to jail." I shrugged as I placed my soda back on the table. "They get a taste of their own medicine. And he did – multiple times."
Frisco and Connie's mouths dropped open in shock. Alfie blinked. While Kurt's eyes widened as he muttered, "Holy shit."
It made news, too.
Just when I knew which jail he was sent to, he was transferred because of the incident.
It didn't matter, though. A fitting retribution had been done.
"That's brutal," whispered Frisco, picking on his food. But I didn't hear him say that I shouldn't have done it.
"He fucking deserves it," grumbled Kurt, with a glare.
"Hell yeah, he does!" exclaimed Alfie, slamming a fist on the table and earning a few looks. "That dickwad has caused enough shit. It's his turn to get some."
"Karma's a bitch," said Connie, leaning back on her chair with her arms crossed.
Ain't that the truth?
"Gotta say, Oz," started Alfie, turning to me. "It sounds too tame for you. I expected something more, like chasing him down with gang bangs wherever he goes."
I considered that at first. But then, I thought I didn't want anything to do with him anymore. I just wanted him to pay for what he did and be done with it.
"I don't wanna spend another second thinking about that lowlife," I replied. "What's done is done."
"So it's all over now, right?" asked Frisco, looking expectantly at everyone. All of us looked at him. "No more revenge? No more seeking justice? It's all behind us?"
The five of us exchanged glances. And from that look alone, I knew – I could see from their faces that they were just as tired of this mess as I was.
We just wanted to enjoy the remaining months of our high school years the best way possible, you know? Together and all that mushy shit.
I hoped to God it wasn't too late for us to start over.
It wasn't like we'd be all goody-goodies now. We just wouldn't have that much drama following us around like before. We'd be free as a bird.
Alfie raised his forefinger. "Actually, it's all behind McKinley." He flashed us a wicked grin, wiggling his eyebrows. "Get it?"
We stared at him incredulously, quiet for a couple of moments. Until Kurt broke the silence and spoke for the rest of us.
"Dude, what the fuck?"
Frisco shook his head and muttered, "It's not funny."
"Whatever." Alfie huffed. "High school is almost over, but your humor is already dead."
I met Connie's eyes. Our faces broke into small smiles.
In that moment, I realized that Halo also did me a favor. By pulling herself away from me to heal on her own, I ended up doing the same as well.
Being emotionally dependent on each other isn't healthy. I know that now.
I guess I'm getting better in my own way, too – with friends who are always with me every step of the way, who got my back no matter what, and who know me inside-out.
I miss Halo. But I need this.
I needed to heal on my own. So that when the time came that she was ready to accept me again, I wouldn't be broken.
I'd be whole.
. . .
"Are we ever gonna talk about how y'all don't speak no more?"
Kurt pointed his fork at Alfie and Connie.
"I ain't stupid. I know something's up."
I picked up my can of Coke casually, keeping my face indifferent.
This is gonna be good.
Alfie only shrugged, pretending to be innocent.
"Yeah," nodded Frisco. "I noticed it, too."
I watched Connie. She kept her face neutral.
"Don't know what you're talking about," she said so nonchalantly that even I almost believed her.
Kurt wasn't stupid, though.
"Okay," he challenged. "Where were y'all that night we tied Parker to a tree?"
"Pft, easy," said Alfie. "I was rocking some lucky girl's world."
Connie rolled her eyes, but kept her focus on the untouched carrots on her plate.
"Con?" urged Kurt.
She kept her eyes down for a minute or two, keeping us in fucking suspense. I faintly wondered if she was gonna admit it. But it wasn't like her to do that.
"Feeling sorry for myself," she admitted.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Thought you said Parker ain't worth it," reminded the big guy.
"He isn't."
Kurt literally fucking looked like the Jackie Chan meme that I almost laughed.
Connie shook her head. "I felt sorry for myself because . . ." Her eyes found Alfie's. I wasn't sure what she saw on his face, but something made her chin up and add, "That night, I realized I fell in love with someone I couldn't have."
I whistled. Boom. She said it.
I turned my attention to my best friend. I couldn't read him. He stared back at Connie, but his face didn't give anything away. He didn't even show any sign of surprise.
"You're shitting me," said Kurt in disbelief.
Connie snorted. "I wish."
"Why did you think you couldn't have him?" asked Alfie, his eyes on her.
"No girl has."
This is like some real life soap opera shit.
"Maybe he's waiting for the right girl."
I stared dumbfoundedly at my best friend. I couldn't believe those words were coming out of his mouth. He sounded like a cheesy motherfucker. Seriously.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one who noticed the intense exchange. Frisco's eyes traveled from Connie to Alfie, frowning in confusion. And then, understanding crossed his features. He nodded, looked away, and smiled sadly.
Poor guy.
"What if I'm not it?" asked Connie.
Man, they're still at it.
Alfie shook his head, leaning his elbows on the table to get closer to her.
"That's not up to you."
She was silent for a couple of seconds, and then she hook her head.
"Fuck, I need to go to the restroom," she blurted out, jumping up from her seat and running out of the room.
"Oh, hell no," muttered Alfie, getting to his feet. "You ain't running from me again."
He ran after her, leaving the three of us at the table. It was quiet for about a minute or two before Kurt turned to me with the most shocked face I've ever seen on him.
"What the fuck just happened?" he asked, looking lost as fuck.
I snorted, shaking my head in amusement.
"Connie and Alfie?"
"Yep," I simply said.
Kurt leaned back on his seat, and breathed out, "Fuck me."
"No, thanks," chuckled Frisco.
Kurt shook his head and stood up. "Whatever, I need to see this shit."
I groaned. "Tell me you're not gonna eavesdrop on 'em."
I was such a hypocritical ass.
"Okay, I won't tell you," shrugged Kurt, sticking his tongue out at me as he walked away. "Later, mofos!" With that, he ran to the exit.
"You okay?" I asked Frisco, when we were alone.
"Yeah." He shrugged a shoulder. "I mean, I had a hunch before. They have this weird way of treating each other. I just wasn't sure if there was something more to it than what they showed. Turned out, there was."
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"I'm pretty sure Connie's liked Alfie for years."
She would kill me for saying this but it was the truth. After catching them in the closet, I recalled all those times she was extra bitchy when it came to Alfie and his conquests.
Actually, she've always been somewhat extra bitchy to Alfie – period.
"Well," started Frisco, smiling weakly, "I can't compete with that."
I winced. "Sorry, man."
"Nah, I'll live," he sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "Hey, I survived a freaking car accident. A heartache will be a piece of cake."
Huh. Doesn't feel like a piece of cake to me. More like asthma. It's gotten harder for me to breathe ever since she left.
But the thing was, she showed me the light. I was out of the tunnel because of her. She guided me to the right path. So even if I was having a hard time breathing, I wasn't drowning anymore. Sometime in the future, I would be able to breathe properly again.
We couldn't always chase after the things we wanted. Because sometimes, we could be so focused on what was ahead that we forget to look around us.
So we have to stop for a while.
And just live.
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Btw, 2 chapters left. I'm not ready. :(
AGAIN: Some scenes, actions, and comments made by the characters may be sick and disturbing. In no way do I say that I agree with what has been done. You know the saying, "The author is not responsible for what their characters say and do." That applies here. I'm one of those writers who let my characters speak to me, I listen to their voices and take note of their personalities. Although I'm satisfied with the fact that Finn is sent to jail, I can't get rid of Oz's thought that it's not enough. In no way do I say that I agree with his thinking. But excluding his thoughts and denying what he thinks should be done would make me feel like a failure as a writer, because that would mean that I couldn't accept that somewhere in this world, there are people who really are as cruel as him.