The Other Half of a Sociopath

by MisterMarch

Summary:

Don't ya hate it when your own sister causes a massive school shooting, is the trigger for Nazi rallies, and disrupts the entire fabric of space and time by just being a sociopathic bitch? ...What the fuck do you mean you don't relate to that?

Chapter 1: Prologue

Make no mistake.

Life has real no meaning.

Man that is kinda fucked to say out loud.

I mean sure life could hold some significance for another.

But are they happy or just content with the outcome?

Maybe they like being the one assistant manager at Quiznos that has to be a total bitch to the minor employees and then later jerks off to the camera footage of them in the store, how the fuck should I know?

Anyways I think we’re getting off track here. 

Like, I’m not saying life has no meaning in like a suicidal way.

More like “oh hey thats a thing I just realized” and then continue on with my day.

Some may call me cynical. Yeah that checks out.

Others, a nihilist. I mean I wouldn’t go that far but you can totally compare that more to my sister,

Oh right, I have a sister.

Nicole.

Despite her tendency to be the one girl that gets brought up in any third session of a guy’s therapy, I still care for her weirdly enough. 

I mean our older brother tries to diddle kids, our Mom is a complete mess after eight divorces (I mean get a fucking clue already Mom), and our Dad blew his brains out leaving a note blaming both me and Nicole for it so I don’t exactly have the best options out there.

Also we’re twins so that is also kinda important, I guess?

Anyways, even though I still care for her as a brother, if you asked me if she did for me, I would say the jury is still out on that one.

I mean she might have before but ever since Dad pulled a Kurt Cobain, Nicole… changed.

I mean she was a bitch before yeah but it seemed like something inside her snapped.

The fact we had to move again after her finally getting settled with friends on top of our second Christmas turning into a red one, it seemed like her emotions just shut down.

As if she stopped caring about anything.

From the way I sound right now, I bet you might be thinking I am the same way too.

Well, you’d be wrong. My emotions are still there, I’m just good at hiding them.

I loved my Dad and Nicole did too despite never admitting it out loud.

We could have gone with him when the divorce happened but it’s the early 2000s so custody still likes to fuck men in the ass.

So now we’re in a new state, new district, new school, and in new bullshit. 

I thought that maybe if we can actually get through these last two years of High School, me and Nicole can go back to being friendish.

But remember how I talked about discovering that life currently has no meaning?

Well, there is a bit of a crazy story behind that.

My story.

My name is Alex and I am…

The Other Half of a Sociopath.

Chapter 2: Chapter 1

“Wake up, dipshit.”

I open my eyes to see Nicole staring at me slightly annoyed. I groan and try to turn over until I feel her give me a small kick. I finally manage to get up as I rub my eyes to adjust them. “Fuck you want?”

“Mom told me to wake your ass up. I rather not but Mom said if we missed our first day, she was gonna get the hose again.” I shudder at that thought. Yeah because hosing down your kids after 3 glasses of wine is totally not at all abusive. “Alright, alright. I’m up.” 

I stare at my room. Same as always. I notice my PC in the corner, along with my bookshelf filled with comics I really haven’t touched in a long while. Guess Batman isn’t as relatable when only one of your parents dies from a gunshot. My poster of Fall Out Boy was hung up on the wall, I remember how I got Nicole into them despite her never really mentioning it to anyone in public she listens to them. I can understand where she’s coming from though. She got me into Avril Lavigne and there is no way in hell I’m revealing that to anyone. 

By the time I was ready to face Nicole, she had already left the room. Realizing that, I checked the time on my alarm clock. 6:30am. School didn’t start for another hour. So I take a shower, get dressed in my jeans and yin yang t-shirt and head downstairs and grab a poptart as a light breakfast. I turn around and see my older brother who seemed to have finally come out of that dungeon you’d call a basement. I looked up at him slightly annoyed.

“What do you want, Gabe?”

“You gonna finish that?”

“You mean the brown sugar cinnamon pop tart that I have only taken a single bite out of? Yeah I was.” 

“Damn. Well whatever. I’ll just cook up a box of bacon.” He says brushing past me. Why can’t it be just a few strips? It’s gotta be a whole box you absolute fat fuck?

Whatever. I see Nicole on the couch watching whatever on her Sidekick phone. I got bored so I decided to also sit down on the couch and pulled out my own Sidekick and decided to watch youtube videos of guys getting their balls crushed. Just then our mom walked in and saw us being lazy on the couch. 

“Sweeties. You two are going to be late for school. You have to get going now.”

Nicole just rolled her eyes and slowly got up. I did the same and grabbed my backpack. Before we could walk out the door, Mom stopped us for a moment.

“Before you two leave I just wanted to say that I know these past few months have been tough on all of us but I promise you that things will get better and I hope you both will be able to make lots of new friends and get along with each other.” Mom said, smiling.

Nicole however just rolled her eyes again and I could hear her mutter a “Yeah, we’ll see about that.” before she went out the door. I gave mom a weak smile knowing she was trying to be better but also that she can still be pretty awful in her own way. Then I walked out the door and slowly caught up to Nicole as we walked to school together.

As we were walking, Nicole decided to surprisingly break the silence. “Don’t expect us to get super chummy while we’re at school. Don’t even be surprised if I end up just pretending I don’t even know who you are.”

I raise my eyebrows at this. “Okay…why?” I asked. She had no problem with us talking at our old school. Whenever she wasn’t pretending to be nice to her dumb bimbo “friends”, we would sneak off and get high on whatever the guy who was always behind the school was selling at the time. So what exactly was so wrong now?

“Look, we're the new kids and the second we enter that school, pretty much everyone in there is gonna try to either size us up or be aggressively friendly so we hang out with them. I’m thin and pretty though so I’m not exactly worried there. But the less people know about me the better. The only thing people need to know is what my name is and that I’m a girl. Not that I have some cheap clone knockoff.”

I rolled my eyes at that last comment. “If I’m the cheap knockoff that just means you’re some product that no one wants to get for simplicity sake.” 

“And yet the real deal will still always look better than the knockoff by comparison.” Damn. She got me there. I can never really win with her when it comes to dishing out clever comebacks. 

“Whatever. I’m not gonna go out of my way to lie about being related to you just so it’s easier for ya. I won’t exactly say anything but if it gets brought up or if I’m asked about it I ain’t gonna hide it.” I say shrugging my shoulders.

Nicole looked at me for a quick moment before staring ahead as we were beginning to see our new school come up into view. “Whatever.” she stated plainly as we walked the rest of the way there in silence. 

Right as we entered the building we saw a bundle of students walk around the entrance hall and talking to one another. 

“Hey so for our senior prank this year, what if we like, parked our cars where we don’t usually park them!”

“Oh my god that is SO funny.” 

“Heh yeah math class with Mr. Burleday huh yeah like FUCK Mr. Burleday dude hahahaha!”

“God they are never funny. It’s like the girls just laugh to avoid sexual assault.” I hear Nicole mutter to herself. 

All of a sudden a boy with brown hair walked up to the two of us with a derpy smile on his face. “Hey yo you two new to this educational prison?” 

“Hahahaha wow yeah that was funny.” Nicole said sarcastically. 

“Yeah I’m getting into like humor and stuff.” The kid says clearly, missing the sarcastic tone in Nicole’s voice. “Anyway you know anyone around here? Know where your classes are? 

I looked at this kid clearly starting to get annoyed by his chumminess and starting to understand what Nicole was getting at when we were on our way over here. “Yeah I mean, I think we can figure it out. We kinda have these sheets with the classroom numbers on them.” I say dismissively hoping he would take the hint and go away. 

“No no no no no I could show you around. Like a school tour. You wanna do that? You up for that?” 

Nicole and I stared at each other. There was no way in hell we were letting this loser show us around. “I’m gonna be honest, you seem like the most boring piece of shit I’ve ever met.” Nicole said flatly.

“Huh?” the kid says confused. 

“Well wait, most I’ve ever met would mean you stand out in some way. You’re a very run of the mill waste of time.” Nicole continued. 

“I don’t get it, what’d I do?” he asks, confused.

“You have time for the whole list?” I ask.

“I guess…” he says.

“First you wear classic rock T-shirts from Walmart. Girls don’t compliment how you dress so you settled for old people hi-fiving you for being retro.” Nicole started. 

“Nah people think I’m cool-”

“I’m gonna stop you right there.” I cut him off. “Let’s make a rapid fire of assumptions here. Tell us if we get any wrong. You call your bicycle a BMX.” I begin. 

“You like energy drinks.” Nicole continued.

“You take pictures of your skateboard wounds.” I go on.

“You mention to anyone that they can’t get addicted to marijuana.” Nicole adds.

“And you own a guitar pick necklace.” Nicole and I finish in unison . Yikes there's that twin thing again. I could tell Nicole was a bit annoyed we acted like The Shining twins for a second there with the quick side eye she made, but luckily the kid we were talking to was too fucking stupid to put two and two together.

“Well… alright. I’ll see you later then…” the kid walked off dejected. 

“So that happened.” I said simply.

“God talking to him just took all of my energy out for the day. Fuck this I’m skipping. You can do whatever you want.” Nicole says to me before walking off to one of the halls.

I sighed and looked over at my schedule. Looks like I had chemistry with a teacher named Mr. Burleday first. A part of me wanted to join in on Nicole skipping but I figured she wasn’t really in the mood for any company so I might as well just head to class. 

As soon as I walked inside the classroom I was greeted by who I assumed was Mr. Burleday. “Oh you must be new. Yes, please take a seat next to Jeffrey.” he instructed. 

I sat next to the kid who was apparently Jeffrey. He had a bowl cut with a thick pair of glasses to the point you couldn’t really even see his eyes. “Hey. So uh… I guess… I guess we’re lab partners huh?” He greeted me. 

I shrug my shoulders. “I guess.”

“Not a big talker are ya?” Jeffrey asks. 

“I literally just met you and it’s not even 8:00 in the morning yet. Are you this super chummy with everyone you meet?” I ask him.

“Not everyone. But if they look the type to like anime then may as well, right?”

I raise an eyebrow. “How…exactly do I give the impression that I like anime?” 

“Well… just an overall feeling is all.”

“Sure…” 

“So do ya?”

“Do I…what?”

“Like anime.”

“Uhhh I’ve seen a few but I wouldn’t call myself a fan.” Actually, that was a lie. I’m a closet fan to the point that not even Nicole knows about it. But there’s no way in fuck my reputation is gonna begin with the kid who obviously makes anime his entire personality. I mean I enjoy One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach but he gives me the vibes that he likes the weird ones and I ain’t gonna be compared to THAT mess.

All of a sudden Jeffrey seemed to get all entitled because I didn’t call myself a fan. “Hmph! You obviously have low quality taste in things if you ridicule the masterpieces made by the Japanese.”

“....you get beat up a lot don’t you?”

“How did you know?” 

“Just an overall feeling is all.” 

This is going to be a long fucking two years.

Chapter 3: Chapter 2

So Chemistry made me want me to kill myself. I could barely hear what the teacher was talking about because of Jeffrey’s own lecture of telling me why everyone should be watching anime. Anyways, I had Math class for second period but that was pretty uneventful but I could use it after the science partner I had to deal with. At least lunch was here. 

I got down to the cafeteria and scanned the room. Doesn’t look like Nicole is here. Either she’s still skipping or we just have different lunch blocks. I didn’t really know anyone here so I had to make the choice to either sit alone like a loser and hope someone walks up to me or try to be sociable and sit with someone. Decided to go for the latter because judging from the people I’ve met so far, I feel like I’m surprisingly one of the more sociable ones here. 

So after I grab my single slice of cheese pizza, I notice some kid with black hair sitting by himself and decide to walk up to him. “Yo, is anyone sitting here?” I ask him. The kid looks up to me before replying “Nah, you can sit here if you want.” I sit down across from him and begin to eat. “So uh are ya new here?” he asks. 

“Yeah. The name’s Alex.” I say between bites. 

“Oh cool, I’m Hunter.” the kid now known as Hunter says.

“So sorry if this is rude but should I be worried that you’re some weirdo because I’ve already had to deal with a few since I got here.”

“Huh? Oh uh… no, I don’t think so?”

“Cool shit. You don’t seem like one so that’s a plus.”

“Right… So did you move here from another town?”

“More like another state. My family moves around a lot. It kinda just happens when your mom has had more divorces than continents in the world.”

“Damn. Sorry to hear that dude.”

“Eh. It just happens. Anywho, what's your deal?”

Hunter shrugs. “Not much to say. I like to listen to Arctic Monkeys, I’m into Call of Duty, and I go to church on the weekends.”

“Oh, so your parents make ya do Church on Sunday?”

“Huh? No, I like to go on both Saturday and Sunday.”

“Oh. Okay. So you’re like… really into it huh?”

“There’s nothing wrong with being really into our lord and savior.”

“Wasn’t he crucified BECAUSE people were really into him?”

“Uh… well I mean, it’s 2007 so people don’t really do that anymore.”

Okay he’s kind of an idiot too but at least he seems harmless.

“Anyways… Do you usually sit by yourself at lunch or were ya waiting for someone?”

“Oh I usually sit with my girlfriend Megan but she had to skip lunch because she sometimes likes to organize her notes during any free time she has.”

“...it’s the first day of school.”

“Well, ya know, she doesn’t like to waste any time I guess.”

“Right. Right. Anywho, I don't really know anyone else here and I’m kinda mentally exhausted from talking to two dipshits earlier so we might as well be friends.”

“Oh uh… alright sure. You seem cool Alex.” 

“Yeah, I know.”

After lunch had ended, me and Hunter exchanged numbers and said our goodbyes as I headed to my next class which was English with Ms. Ames. I walked in the class and sat in one of the seats in the back.  

Ms. Ames greeted the class. “Good afternoon class. For those of you who don’t know, I am Ms. Ames. I see a few familiar faces here and a few new ones, so it’s nice to meet you and see you all again.”

Ms. Ames then began by telling us what we would be going over in the semester. She was telling us how the first book we would cover as a class would be “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and told us we would each be partnered up for the semester as our “reading buddy” She then took names out of a bowl to tell us who our partner was. 

I just stared and watched as each name was being drawn in boredom and waited for my name to be called. “Alex,” Ms Ames began. “You will be paired with…” Ms. Ames takes another slip out of the bowl and reads it out loud. “...Ari.” 

I looked over and saw a girl with red hair look over to me when that name was called. I’m guessing that’s Ari. At this point when she was finished partnering people up, Ms. Ames told us to change seats so we would be next to our partner for every class. So begrudgingly I moved seats to where Ari was sitting and sat down. “Hey I’m Alex.” I greeted her. “I’m Ari, hi.” She greeted me. We talked for a bit about the class and school and other dumb shit. Like Hunter she didn’t seem too bad so that’s 2-2 so far when it comes to the people I’ve met here. Anyways the majority of the class was introductions so as soon as that was over it was time for my last period. 

I walked through the halls and made my way towards History who I had with Mr. Katz. I sat down at a desk in the middle row right between a guy with brown hair and a girl with black hair and glasses. I saw Jeffrey was in this class too but I didn’t even bother acknowledging that since I already had enough of him from first period. Mr. Katz greeted us and began the lesson. Five minutes after class began I saw the door open and I was surprised to see Nicole walk through it. Looks like we have last period together. Mr. Katz looked like he wanted to say something about her coming in late but I guess he figured it was only the first day so he kept his mouth shut. Nicole found herself sitting between a girl with long brown hair and a girl with long blonde hair. 

The lesson went on for what felt like forever and finally the last bell rang signifying the first day of school had ended. Thank God. I see Nicole walk out of the classroom and decide to follow her out. I manage to catch up to her and walk out the school doors next to her. She notices me but doesn’t say anything as we walk our way back home. 

“So…” I begin being the one to break the silence this time. “...how was your first day?” 

“Are we really doing this right now?”

“I mean something had to have happened when you decided to skip.”

“All that happened is that I ran into this one athletic kid who shared with me some of his percocet. We got busted by a teacher but I was able to pin it on him so I got off scott free.”

“Oh damn for real? Wait, did you save me any?”

“Fuck no, I took the last one before going into Mr. Katz’s. I was kinda just zoned out that entire class.” 

“God you’re such a fucking bitch.”

“You’re just finding this out now?”

“Good point. Well whatever, did you at least find someone to talk to that's not related to you?”

“I’m not actively trying to talk to you, but anyways, yeah I did. I met her at lunch. She seems cool but I’ve only met her for a day so who knows.” 

I gave her a nod and faced forward as we kept our walk towards home. Doesn’t seem like she wanted to know how my day was so I didn’t really bother bringing it up and we continued the rest of the walk home in silence. 

We managed to make it back to the house and stepped inside to see our mother watching General Hospital on the couch. She looks over to us and smiles. “Hey sweeties! How was your first day of school?” 

“Fine.” Me and Nicole said to her and didn’t say no more than that.

Mom looked like she wanted to say more but due to our dismissive tone she assumed we were in a bad mood and didn’t feel like poking that beehive. I mean I wouldn’t say we were in a bad mood but more like just tired of the bullshit of having to talk to really stupid people. Okay so I GUESS we were in a bit of a bad mood.

So me and Nicole each went into our separate rooms until dinner was ready. We both came down and ate with Mom along with Gabe who decided to come out of the basement. The dinner was a quiet one before we all finished up and me and Nicole both went up again to our own rooms.

I laid down in my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I thought about how my first day went. It was mediocre at best. My thoughts then drifted onto things like how I missed my old friends back at our old school. Dimitri, Joey, and Corey were my buds back at the school me and Nicole attended for our first two years of High School. We still have each other’s numbers but we haven’t really talked since I moved. Guess that’s just life. A fucked up life but a life nonetheless. 

Speaking of fucked up lives, I wonder how Nicole was taking all of this. I know I probably shouldn’t care but I can’t really help it. As cheesy as it sounds we are twins and it honestly sucks to see how much she’s changed since Dad died.

...

I just don’t fucking get it. Why did he kill himself AND blame me and Nicole for it? Did he always feel that way about us? He seemed like he really loved me and Nicole, so what was it about us that drove him to suicide? We really looked up to him. Nicole especially. He was the one who got me into reading comic books by lending me his issues that were from the 80s, he would take us out to fun places when we visited on the weekends, and he even taught Nicole how to play the guitar. Speaking of, she hasn’t played it at all since Dad died but I know for a fact she still keeps his guitar in her closet. 

Did Dad… really hate us that much?

I decided not to think much more into it and slowly closed my eyes as I drifted off to sleep. Hopefully the second day would be a lot better than the first.

Little did I know at the time…

Tomorrow would be the “trigger” that would lead me on a path that I never asked for. A path that would change my entire viewpoint on the world as I knew it.

Chapter 4: Chapter 3

Me and Nicole were once again on our way to school, ready to take on the second day. Or at least I was. Nicole just kept mumbling something and the only words I could make out were “noose”, “razors” and “pill bottle” so I don’t think that’s a great sign. 

We make it to the front of the school and as soon as we’re there a girl I have never seen before walks over to us. She had long blonde hair with a section in the back tied in a messy mini bun, amber eyes, and slightly pale skin. 

“Nicole!” She greets my sister with a smile. “You ready for day two?”

“Is someone gonna kill me on day two? If so, absolutely.” 

Before she could ask my sister what happened, she seemed to finally notice me standing next to Nicole. “Um, can I help you?” she asks me.

Nicole looks to her side and I see her jump a little as she had seemingly forgotten I was walking with her the entire time. “Oh right. He’s uh… fuck it I’m way too tired to think of a lie on the spot, he’s my twin brother. But he’s not as cool as me so he’s really not worth talking to much.” I rolled my eyes at this but didn’t feel like arguing about it. Like she said it was too early in the morning to be giving a fuck about anything.

The blonde looked surprised at this. “Oh wow. I don’t think I’ve ever met twins in real life before. Is it true that twins have ESP or some weird shit?”

“If ESP can tell you when your sibling is about to be a total bitch then absolutely.” I answer dryly. Nicole just rolled her eyes and flipped me off at that little comment. The girl however laughed a bit at both my joke and Nicole’s reaction.

“Well, at least you two seem close.” she says. 

Nicole and I looked at each other for a brief moment before turning back to the girl.

“Not by choice. It’s more the fact I was stuck inside some worn out pussy for nine months with him and he just won’t leave me alone now.” Nicole answers with a straight face. Jesus Nicole…

“Oh uh right.” The girl says a little caught off guard with that comment. She then turns to face me. “I’m Jecka by the way.” 

“Alex. So uh… is that name like on your birth certificate or…?”

Jecka rolled her eyes. “It’s short for Jessica obvi. But Jessica is a name that just screams “married at 20” so I only go by Jecka.”

“Yeah that sounds valid.” I replied back.

“You seem alright. Just not as cool as your sister. Sorry not sorry.”

“Preach it.” Nicole comments with a smirk. 

Jecka then turns back to Nicole. “Anyways let’s gossip more at lunch, I gotta get to class.” 

“Dude fuck class just skip with me.” Nicole says. 

“I told you yesterday, if I skip any more my Mom’s gonna start giving me disciplinary tattoos.” 

“How does that even work? What does she write on you?” 

“It’d be some weird shit like “I LOVE SCHOOL” on my fingers.” 

My eyes widened a bit at this. “Isn’t that like… abusive?” I ask Jecka. 

“She’s the only Mom I’ve ever had, how the fuck should I know?”

Huh. I honestly have no response I can think of to that. 

“So where are you two headed?” Jecka asks. 

“I got gym.” Nicole says. 

“And I got photography.” I tell her. 

Jecka nods at this and the three of us each go our separate ways. I’m a little late but I didn’t really give much of a fuck about it. It’s photography. Like being tardy for an elective class is really gonna stop me from graduating. I make it to class right in the middle of the teacher who, from what I saw from the class schedule, is named Mr. White, talking to the rest of the class. As he begins to finish he finally notices me walk in. 

“So nice of you to join us, young man.” 

This guy sounds way too happy to be actually happy.

Mr. White goes on. “To make up for your tardiness perhaps you could help me out in the dark room? I need the chemicals cleansed for tomorrow’s class.” 

Man fuck this I’m skipping. No way in hell am I doing manual labor because I was five minutes late.

“Yeah… sure. But uh I have to go use the bathroom first so uh yeah.” I say exiting the classroom not even waiting for Mr. White to give a response. 

I ended up walking down the halls for a bit until I managed to somehow find the door that led to the roof. I went up the stairs, opened the door and was greeted by a cool fall breeze as the sun was still shining down with a bit of warmth to it. As I stepped outside I saw a familiar figure smoking a cigarette. 

“Jecka?” I called out to her. 

Jecka jumps a bit startled when she hears me call her name and turns around and relaxes when she realizes it’s only me. “Alex? Fuck, I thought you were a teacher.”

“Sorry. What are you even doing up here?” I ask her as she lets out a puff of smoke.

“I just couldn’t deal with the bullshit of class anymore so I left.” 

“And what happened with the whole “I can’t skip or my mom is gonna give me weird tattoos” thing?” 

“Yeah well, that was like 7:30am Jecka talking. Now you’re speaking with 8:00am Jecka.”

“Fair. Who did you have anyway?”

“Mr. Katz…” Jecka grumbled.

“The history teacher? I thought history courses were only taught on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays?”

“Not when you’re in AP History…” 

My head jerks to her direction for a second as I almost had to ask her to repeat what she had just said. “Uhhh… okay now don’t take this the wrong way but… how the fuck does someone who unironically asked a pair of twins if ESP is real, take AP History?”

“Bitch I get straight A’s believe it or not. Plus I have to take them because my Dad is on my ass about getting into a good college.” She then holds her carton of cigarettes at me silently asking me if I wanted one. I accepted it and she lit it for me. 

“Thanks.” I say letting the smoke fill my lungs. 

“So Nicole didn’t really give me a straight answer yesterday but why did you guys move here?” Jecka asked me as we went from standing to sitting down and leaning against the parapet wall. 

“Well it really had to do with our older brother getting us evicted cause he pirated breakbeat mixtapes. It’s not even good fucking music.” 

“Breakbeat mixtapes? Ew. Is he young and likes really loud and violent video games?”

“Close. He’s 26 and likes really loud and violent video games.”

“And he still lives at home?”

“Yeah his fat ass kinda just freeloads off our Mom.” 

“Gross. I mean we’re 16 so it’s cool when we do it but for someone ten years older…”

“It means they’re a fucking loser.” I finished her sentence. 

“Exactly.” Jecka says, finishing her cigarette as she stomps it out.

We talked a little more about different kinds of things as I finished my own cigarette. It was nice to have someone I could have a genuine conversation with again. Although Hunter was cool to talk to as well so I’m not gonna leave him outta the picture. Maybe I’ll see if he has any plans this week. By the time we had finished talking, we realized we had already missed both first and second period completely and lunch was almost over. 

“Maybe we should see if there's anything left to eat that’s edible. I kinda don’t feel like continuing the day on an empty stomach.” I say as I begin to sit up. Jecka nods and follows me out the rooftop and we make our way towards the cafeteria. 

Once we had gotten there we saw Nicole talking to…Jeffrey? What the fuck?

Nicole sees us and manages to excuse herself from Jeffrey and walks over to us. “Please tell me you two weren’t fucking.” I rolled my eyes. Oh brother. 

“Please tell US you weren’t fucking the anime kid.” I shot back before Jecka could make any comment that might hurt my self esteem. 

“Ew fuck no. I was fucking WITH him if anything. I pretended to be nice to him and got him to admit some super embarrassing shit.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” asked Jecka. 

“He just gave me a rundown of his fetishes. Like get this, he wants to fuck women who are 50ft tall, wants to get literally stepped on by feet, and wants to fuck girls with cat ears and a tail.”

“Holy fuck…” Jecka replied. I was even stunned. This kid was FUCKED up. 

“Yeah I know. Now if you excuse me I’m gonna go spread this around.” Nicole stated as she walked out the cafeteria. 

…Why do I have the feeling something really bad is about to go down?

Chapter 5: Chapter 4

Well it didn’t take long for all the kids to start bullying Jeffrey after Nicole spread everything he told her around. The next day, pretty much everyone surrounded Jeffrey and mocked him until he ran from school. I didn’t join in on it though. Back in our old school, I got bullied a lot for being too “emo” or just the fact I wasn’t as sociable as everyone else. Luckily the bullying went away after lots of kids realized it didn’t look good to bully the brother of the girl they were constantly trying to ask out. So I kinda owe Nicole for that in a way? But not really. 

Anywho, a few weeks went by since that day and I was actually starting to get used to this place. Me and Nicole still aren’t exactly friends again but we can make conversation now without getting annoyed so that’s a start. I hang out with Hunter pretty regularly. Just last weekend, me and him snuck in to go watch Superbad in theaters. 

I’ve also been getting along with my “reading partner” Ari, despite not hanging out anywhere outside of class. I was actually interested in her for a few days and tried asking her out but she told me I wasn’t her type. She was pretty nice about it though and was still up for being friends which I was completely fine with. That small crush has long passed now. 

Most of the time in school I’ve been hanging out with Nicole and Jecka. Nicole got annoyed at first and kept telling to fuck off and go hang with the other guys at school, but I managed to get on her good side by saying that I rather hang out with someone who coud kill themselves tomorrow than with a guy who will end up fucking kids in ten years. 

It was currently last period with Mr. Katz. For some reason though Principal Lynn was subbing in for him since he called out sick. Are we short on substitute teachers or something?

“So again, while I find the notes flattering, the boys need to quit writing “bad bitch” on my office door. I’ll start tracking who left them if it continues.” Ms. Lynn stated.

“Well it definitely wasn’t Jeffrey.” I heard Kyle mutter to himself next to me. 

“Oh?” Ms. Lynn looked up at Kyle. 

“Fuck, you heard that?” said Kyle. 

“Why is it definitely not Jeffrey?” asked Ms. Lynn. 

“Cause you’re not a cat!” Emily answered with a laugh, which in turn made the whole class laugh. 

Ms. Lynn gave everyone a stern look. “Settle down now, I’ve heard the rumors going around about him and you should all be ashamed of yourselves!”

Jeffrey had a look of relief on his face hearing this. “Thank you, I was really-”

“Just because he prefers alternative forms of sexual intercourse does not mean he should be ridiculed.” The class laughed at Ms. Lynn’s statement.

“Ugh…” groaned Jeffrey in embarrassment. 

“Sorry I’m a little out of the loop. What do you mean by alternative?” Emily asked knowing full well she was just asking to get Ms. Lynn to speak more on it. 

“Oh god…” Jeffrey moaned. 

“Jeffrey here prefers to be stepped on by women who look like cats as opposed to standard intercourse with a human woman.” Ms. Lynn explained to which the whole class bursted out in laughter. 

“Will this stop?” Jeffrey said, looking like he was on the verge of tears. Before any more comments could be made the bell rang signifying the end of the day. 

“Class dismissed!” stated Principal Lynn before walking out the door. I followed loosely behind Emily, Kyle, and Megan as they exited the room. After walking a couple feet, I noticed that Nicole hadn’t left the classroom back. I turn to go back inside but immediately stop when I overhear Nicole and Jeffrey talking. Against my better judgement, I decide to listen in. 

“You did this…” Jeffrey said angrily. 

“Did what?” Nicole asked confused. 

“Told everyone my darkest secrets… that was in confidence.” 

“Guess I did, sorry.” 

“You ruined my life… I haven’t touched my manga in forever. Not even cartoons entertain me anymore.”

“Relatable.”

“Do you even care? Do the results of your actions mean anything to you?” 

“Yeah, when they affect me, sure.” 

“...no one in the realm of the living ever liked me anyway. Maybe things would make sense if I was dead.”

“Maybe.” 

“I’ve had to start taking medication since you betrayed me. I also waited for everyone to leave just so you’d be the only one to hear this. Tonight when Mom’s out with her new boyfriend, I’m gonna take the entire bottle. I’m going to kill myself.”

Ohhhhh fuck. 

“What?” Nicole’s eyes widened at this. 

“You chose to start this… but I won’t give you a choice in stopping it.”

Okay, maybe Nicole could try talking him out of th-

“I’m sorry, did you think I have any form of emotional attachment to you?” Nicole snapped at him. 

Never mind.

“Why else would you have talked to me in the first place? Why would you have lunch with someone you don’t like?” Jeffrey asked, the tone of his voice having no emotion in it whatsoever.

“It… It was funny? I knew you’d say some embarrassing shit?” Nicole answered simply.

“So you used me… You were a new student trying to look cool, so you just used me.” 

“No shit. In what world does a girl like me take interest in you? If you’re that fucking stupid maybe you SHOULD kill yourself!” 

Jesus Nicole.

“Fine… I’ll give you your satisfaction, but not before getting mine first… You’re the only girl I ever loved, even if it wasn’t real.”

“You knew me for two days, bye.” and with that Nicole walked out of the classroom. Luckily she didn’t see me as she walked out. I took one last peak in the classroom and saw Jeffrey staring at the floor, clenching his fists, and his entire body shaking in absolute rage. I figured I’d seen enough for the day, and got out of that shitshow right then and there.

I didn’t end up telling Nicole I was eavesdropping. Nor did I try to comfort Jeffrey. I mean was it really any of my business? I could have done something for sure but what was the point? The little shit was probably bluffing anyway. Guess we’ll see if he’s in school tomorrow. 

The next day came around and me, Nicole, and Jecka were sitting with each other at lunch. Normally I would be sitting with Hunter but this was one of the days Megan came to sit with him. No offense to Hunter or anything but Megan is kind of a total bitch. I tried my best to be friendly with her but she was so entitled in her attitude, her ego could be just as big as Jeffrey’s when he defends his manga books. 

Speaking of Jeffrey, I actually did see him earlier, so I guess he didn’t end up going through with it. Not surprisingly to be honest. Although even though I saw him in the halls, I don’t think he showed up at all for class. Why do I suddenly feel uneasy about that?

“Hey Alex, are you listening?” Jecka asks me, breaking me out of thought.

“Huh? Oh what’s up?” I ask her. 

“Me and Nicole are having a debate and we need you to be the tiebreaker. Nicole says she would rather be in a revived Hitler’s body for one day, and I said I would rather be in O.J. Simpson’s body for one day. Which would you pick?”

“Hmmm… I gotta go with O.J. to be honest.” I answer.

“Yes!” Jecka says as she pumps her arm up in victory.

“What the fuck? How come?” Nicole asks me.

“Well, if I was in OJ’s body, I would send all his money into my bank account and then make a public announcement confessing I was in fact guilty of those murders and then let the chaos commence.” I answer simply. 

“Fuck, I didn’t even think of that.” said Nicole.

“What… exactly was your argument for going with Hitler?” I ask Nicole.

“I just thought going with an asshole who didn’t get away with killing would be better than an asshole who did.” Nicole shrugged.

Huh…

All of a sudden I noticed Jeffrey approach our table. With every step he took, I felt my heart rate grow quicker. Why…do I feel anxious so suddenly? What is he coming over here for? Why am I telling myself to grab both Nicole and Jecka’s arms and run like hell in the back of my mind? What’s… what’s going on…?

“Nicole…” Jeffrey said behind her in a tone I never heard him speak with before. Malice. That is all I could have described the tone as. 

Nicole turned around and looked annoyed at who was talking to her. “What the fuck do you wa-” and that is all she was able to get out of her mouth before a bullet was fired right into her head. Blood splattered everywhere getting it both on me and Jecka as Nicole’s lifeless body fell limp onto the cafeteria floor from her seat. 

What…?

No.

No. No. No.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

I couldn’t even register what had just happened to Nicole when all of a sudden multiple bullets were fired into Jecka after she gave an ear piercing terrified scream after looking at what had happened to Nicole. I don’t know what came over me but my adrenaline was through the roof and fight or flight kicked in at the last second. I chose fight. 

I pretty much lunged myself at him, but I didn’t even get a single chance to land a single hit as he mowed me down with his gun, feeling multiple hot piercing pieces of metal make its way into my body with pure incredible pain with every shot. The last thing I could hear before everything faded to black were the screams of fellow students and the parade of gunshots that followed along with it.

 

…

 

……

 

………………….

………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Wake up, dipshit.”

I open my eyes and sit up in an impressive jolt. I’m… at home? I’m… in my bed? I’m… alive…? Was it all a dream? I turn my head to see Nicole staring at me slightly annoyed and a little startled that I had woken up so quickly. 

“Mom told me to wake your ass up. I rather not but Mom said if we missed our first day, she was gonna get the hose again.” 

 

I stare at Nicole. My eyes widened in shock as I heard that familiar sentence. 

First… day…?

Huh…?

 

What the fuck?

Chapter 6: Chapter 5

“Sorry, I’m kind of fucked up at the moment but can you repeat what you just said?” I asked Nicole, trying my best not to freak out over the current situation.

“I just said mom wants us up for the first day of school. What the fuck is up with you?” 

“Oh uh ya know? I kinda took a shit ton of Mom’s valium before going to bed last night so, I guess I forgot what today even was.” 

“Damn, you got into the cabinets? I thought she changed the locks.” 

“Uh yeah, I was able to snag them when she left it unlocked to go use the bathroom. I’m sure it’s locked up now though.” 

“Huh. Well, I’m heading downstairs. I’m sure Mom is gonna be a total fucking bitch if you aren’t down there in a half hour so just get up.” And with that, Nicole left my room, leaving me to finally take in my current predicament. 

WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

Okay. Just breathe in and breathe out. This isn’t real. This can’t be real. Shit like this doesn’t happen in real life. This kind of shit only happens in books or video games, or movies, like in Back to the Future. Wait. Did Back to the Future have a plot with time loops? Fuck, I haven’t seen that movie in years. The plot itself was confusing anyway. No wonder Marty Mcfly’s brain is all fucked up now. …Is that joke in poor taste? Eh, fuck it.

I ended up doing exactly what I did the first time. I took a shower, got dressed, grabbed a poptart, and left the house with Nicole. The entire morning seemed to go exactly as it did before. And if I’m right, Nicole is about to say…

“Don’t expect us to get super chummy while we’re at school. Don’t even be surprised if I end up just pretending I don’t even know who you are.”

Bingo.

“Yeah okay, whatever, sure.” I say dismissively. I wasn’t really in the mood to go through this again anyway.

Nicole just stared blankly at me for a second before focusing again on the walk to school. “Glad we understand each other.” she said with no emotion whatsoever in her voice. 

The walk to the school much like before was in complete silence. Once we got in, I could hear Kylar talking about this year’s senior prank again like last time and Ari laughing at that idea. We aren’t even seniors yet Kylar you fucking dumbass.

 

“God they are never funny. It’s like the girls just laugh to avoid sexual assault.” I hear Nicole mutter to herself. It’s kinda scary hearing the same exact lines being said again. 

All of a sudden, Crispin walked up to the two of us with a derpy smile on his face. “Hey yo you two new to this educational prison?” 

FUCK! I forgot Crispin was the first person we met when we first came here. 

“Hahahaha wow yeah that was funny.” Nicole said sarcastically. 

“Yeah I’m getting into like humor and stuff. Anyway you know anyone around here? Know where your classes are?” Crispin asked us. 

“I think we’ll be fine.” I say to him trying to get him to fuck off. 

“No no no no no I could show you around. Like a school tour. You wanna do that? You up for that?” 

Well whatever. Here comes the part where me and Nicole tell him to scram. 

“I guess.” Nicole says.

Excuse me?

“Ah, cool! Awesome! Well, follow me!” Crispin says as he turns around with Nicole slowly following behind. 

What the hell? This didn’t happen last time. What’s going on here?

I followed along as my brain racked up reasons for Nicole’s sudden change in behavior, getting a tour of most of the school in the process. By the time I finally had broken out of my thoughts, Crispin had led us to the school courtyard and was in the middle of a conversation with Nicole. 

“Yeah so then my friend got the DLC, that’s downloadable content, it’s like 10 dollars like dude kinda not worth it for the gun.” Crispin went on. 

“Why are you talking to me about video games?” Nicole asked. 

“Just something y’know… uh… what you don’t like play video games or something?”

“I’m a thin girl. Do I fucking look like I play video games? I’d rather play dead at a necrophilia convention.” 

“Oh… well… yeah y’know…” 

“I know what?”

“Did… did you hear about how Mountain Dew makes guys sterile?”

“Yeah, from you and every other guy who reads the internet to try to be interesting.” Nicole said flatly.

Then all of a sudden the three of us heard a voice in the distance. “Ha nice rollie backpack you fuckin four eyed double dick suckin bitch!” That sounded like Trody and sure enough it was. But when I saw who Trody was talking to, my heart stopped for a brief second.

“Hey stop kicking it, this backpack holds priceless reading materials!” exclaimed Jeffrey. 

Jeffrey…

JEFFREY…

JEFFREY…

I don’t know what happened but in that moment, time seemed to freeze and all I could see was red. My mind sort of… blacked out for a few minutes… and by the time I had come to my senses, I was covered in blood. Deep crimson blood. I looked down to see Jeffrey on the ground, his face was barely recognizable. The only thing you could make out of his newly deformed face was his mouth that was spewing out blood and spit as he was barely breathing. I looked up to see Trody and Crispin with such shocked expressions. Jeffrey has been the school’s punching bag sure, but they have never seen anyone take it to such extremes before. Then I looked over at Nicole.

Never once in my entire life had I ever seen the expression that she wore on her face. Her eyes were wider than anything, with her hand covering her mouth. You’d probably be thinking her sociopathic self wouldn’t be feeling anything over what had just happened. But I think it was more of the shock of that I was the one who did it and just how out of nowhere it was, that got to her. Before I could even make out a single word to her or anyone, I had been completely tackled to the ground by school security. A crowd of students began to form all over the courtyard and screams were let out by a multiple number of students.

“JESUS CHRIST!”

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT!”

“IS THAT JEFFREY?!”

“WHAT THE FUCK?! IS THE NEW KID A PSYCHOPATH?!”

“SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE!”

“Hey that’s funny as fuck, someone should go teabag him.” said Kylar somewhere in the middle of the crowd. 

“Are you out of your mind, young man?!” one of school security asked me as they kept me pinned to the ground.

I wish I had an answer for you. 

So long story short, I ended up getting expelled AND arrested all in the same “first” day of school. Mom was mortified when she found out and pretty much disowned me right there on the spot so that was something. Right now they have me locked up in a room with just a bed and a tiny window at the police station until they figure out what to do with me. I sigh as I sit on the bed and stare at the concrete ceiling. 

I really just don’t get it. What is going on?

“Wow. Who could have guessed this is what you would do on your first reset. Interesting…” a voice from nowhere filled the room.

What the fuck?

“Okay. I know I said I stole from Mom’s valium stash but I was clearly lying so who the fuck is talking right now?” I asked out loud now standing up from my jail bed. 

All of a sudden there was a great big flash of white coming from the middle of the room. I stood back a little and once the flash had faded away, there stood a girl with white hair and a white dress. If I had to completely describe her look I would say she looked a lot like angels that kids christian channels like to romanticize on TV so children aren’t horrified by what a biblically accurate angel actually looks like. So yeah she looked like an angel, except you know, without wings. 

“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” I exclaimed out loud in shock and to be honest a little bit of fear. 

“My name is Chrona. I’m a goddess of time. And I know exactly who you are, Mr. Alex Yu.” she says addressing me by my full name with a smile.

I stare at her in full disbelief. I would normally tell her she is some fucking crackpot that needs to go throw themselves in front of a train but after waking up a full on month into the past after getting murdered in a school shooting by the anime kid, I was really willing to believe anything at this point. 

“Please don’t tell me you’re here to send me to another world to fight a demon king like in some bullshit isekai? Because I really rather just be in prison for the rest of my life.” I groan in annoyance. 

The woman now known as Chrona, chuckled at this. “No. Nothing of the sort. I am here for an entirely different reason. I’ve come here to make a deal with you.” 

“A… deal?” I ask cautiously. 

Chrona nods with a smirk. “You say you would rather be stuck here for the rest of your life but we both know you only say that in jest. What I am offering you could not only get you out of your current predicament but make your life a better one.”

“Go on…” I say as my eyes squint with suspicion. 

“As I just said, I am a goddess of time. So I have the ability to rewind or reset time as one would call it, at any point. Here is the deal. I will reset time again to when you woke up for the first day of school AGAIN, if you can do one teensy tiny thing.

“And that would be…?” 

“Make your sister into a better person. Actually, not JUST a better person, but a GOOD person.”

“Excuse me?” 

“You see, your sister is tangled to multiple webs of fate. Those webs can lead to different outcomes. Sometimes good, but most of the time, bad. Your sister is such a bad person, that she completely upsets the order of time itself. I mean how FUCKED is that? I mean we have had people like Hitler, Stalin, and even Jared from Subway, and SHE is the only human being to be evil enough to break literal time. And well, as a goddess of time, you should know I can’t let that slide. Now, in rare cases such as this one, I would normally just erase her from existence entirely, but that’s kinda boring. I want to liven things up for a change! Make something exciting out of it! And that’s where YOU come in!” Chrona exclaims as she taps me on the nose with her finger to put emphasis on that “YOU”. 

I stare at her, still in disbelief of what was happening, but speak up nonetheless. “Okay so I just have to somehow turn Nicole from being a sociopath to a genuine good person? Do you know how insanely impossible that sounds? What if I just fuck up and she causes a school shooting again?” I ask her. 

“That’s the best part! I am willing to give you UNLIMITED chances! Every time you die or if Nicole is on a path that is truly beyond salvation, you will be reset to the first day of school, just like you were when you were killed by that kid whose face you smashed in with your fists!” Chrona chuckles. 

I stared at her as the info she had given me began to sink in. Unlimited chances huh? I guess if I really try then it MIGHT be possible? This was just all so really hard to take in at once.

“Of course you ARE free to end these resets at any time, but once you’ve decided you’ve had enough then our deal will be off and I will completely erase Nicole’s existence like originally planned!” Chrona shouts in a demonical excited laugh. 

For someone claiming to be a goddess, she sure doesn’t really act like one…

“OH! One more thing before I forget! If you manage to succeed in your end of the deal, I will grant you one wish. It could be anything your little heart desires. Money? A girlfriend? Cosmic power? Eternal life? A bigger dick?” she says elbowing me in the side with a wink on her face. I wasn’t at all amused. She then extends an open hand towards me. 

“So… Do we have a deal?” Chrona asks me with a grin. 

I stare at her hand hesitantly. 

Should I…? I mean, I don’t want Nicole to be erased from existence. She is and always will be my sister. My twin sister. My… other half. I… I don’t want her to disappear. She could insult me or hate me forever but I will still love her as a brother. 

I’m going to save her. Not just from being erased… but from herself. Dad dying was what turned her over the edge. When we were little kids we were the best of friends. I can’t just… NOT forget about that. 

But on the other hand… I don’t want to go through something as terrible as that school shooting ever again. But… what Chrona said about different outcomes and tangled webs of time… it seems like those kinds of situations are unavoidable. I think… I think I know my answer.

I shake her hand. “You have a deal.” I say with a newly founded conviction.

“Perfect.” Chrona says with a smile on her face. “Oh, one final thing before I reset time again. Whenever you need to talk to me, whether it’s just to ask a question or when you finally decide to give up, just shout my name and I’ll freeze time to speak with you at any given moment! Or… if you just need me to handle “other” things.” she says with a flirtatious smile and a wink as she pulled down her dress a little to expose a generous amount of cleavage. 

I almost stumble and fall over at this sight as I try my best to look away with a beet red face. I mean I know I’m pretty cynical when it comes to most stuff but I’m still a guy!

“BAHAHAHA! You humans are way too cute to mess with! Man, I’m in FUCKING TEARS!” she shouts in fits of laughter as she holds her stomach on her knees. Once again I was not amused. 

“Okay! Okay…” Chrona says finally putting herself together. “You ready?” she asks me with a smirk.

“I guess so…” I shrug.

“Alright! Talk to ya soon and try not to fuck up TOO quickly!” and with that she snaps her fingers and all I see surrounding me is a bright white flash and then everything goes dark. Then after a few seconds, my eyes begin to open and I find myself once again, in my room, on my bed, with Nicole staring at me. 

“Wake up, dipshit. Mom told me to wake your ass up. I rather not but Mom said if we missed our first day, she was gonna get the hose again.” and with that, Nicole left my room. Seems like she left a lot quicker this time compared to the other two times. With her gone, I stare up at the ceiling in my room. 

Alright. Let’s fucking do this. 

Chapter 7: Chapter 6

So, from what I am able to gather, these different timelines have some pretty major changes. At first I thought it would be completely dependent on Nicole’s choices, but I am now not 100% sure if that is the case anymore. This time, when I woke up for the second “reset”, my class schedule was completely different. As was Nicole’s. Instead of me having Mr. Burleday, first period, Nicole had him instead, meaning she would most likely end up as Jeffrey’s lab partner, instead of me. 

Part of me was happy that was the case. Even though I got most of the hate out of my system when I beat Jeffrey half to death after my first reset, I still despised the kid. I don’t think anything will be able to change that, so the less I have to interact with him, the better. I still had Mr. Burleday, but I have him second period now, while I now have Math class first period. I guess one positive thing I can say about these resets is that since I experienced a month’s worth of class material, my grade’s will most likely get way better than before. In fact, my math teacher was surprised I knew so much whenever he asked the class any questions. 

Better grades aside, Day 1 wasn’t super eventful as everything was pretty much the same. But when it came to day 2, besides the greeting with Jecka, things began to take a slightly different turn than it did before. 

“So where are you two headed?” Jecka asks. 

“I got photography.” Nicole says. 

“And I got gym.” I tell her. 

Once again, our schedules are different. Weird, but I guess I’m rolling with it.

Jecka’s head perked up and looked at me. “Oh cool, I have gym too. At least I won’t have to be forced to do physical fitness alone.” Jecka said before sighing. 

Huh. Looks like it’s not just me and Nicole’s schedule that changed with the new timeline. Is it because of how close she is with Nicole, that the change affects her too? I’ll have to remember to ask Chrona about this at some point. 

“Well, have fun with guys trying to look down your shirt when you do push ups. I’m sure Alex is already looking forward to it.” Nicole says breaking me out of thought when I hear her mention my name.

I glare at Nicole’s little comment. “I know you truly believe the whole “all men are rapists” shtick, but does your own brother have to be included in there?” 

“You're really asking me that when Gabe exists?”

“Fuck. I honestly can’t even defend that.”

“Knew it.” Nicole said with a smirk, causing me to roll my eyes. 

“I’m more worried about the coach than the guys looking down my shirt…” I heard Jecka mutter under her breath, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

Now, what the hell does THAT mean? I mean I have a good idea but Christ. I don’t know how I never noticed if the coach really is a pedophile. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t make it super obvious around the guys? Guess that’s another person I’ll have to watch out for. 

Well with that, Nicole headed off to photography, while Jecka and I headed to gym class. On our way there, we pretty much had the same conversation as the one we had on the rooftop when we first met. Only difference was that she mentioned she had AP History for last period instead of first period. 

When we made it to class, it seemed to have already filled with students talking with each other about who knows what, as they waited for Coach Colby to give them instructions. Sure enough, Coach Colby arrived about 2 minutes after me and Jecka did. 

“Alright everyone listen up! I’m Coach Colby and I will be your instructor for gym this year.” Coach Colby began. “I’m sure you all expect this to be just some easy class with no worry about failing, and thinking all you’ll be doing is goofing off is that right?” he asked, earning a few chuckles from some of the class to which Coach Colby gave them a glare.

“Look it’s the first day so no funny guys! No comedians! No bringers of the ha ha, okay? This year’s gym class isn’t last year’s gym class. We’re gonna really buckle down on physical fitness, alright?” Coach Colby asked as most of the class silently nodded to just get things moving along. 

Coach Colby looked satisfied with that and pointed in the direction of the locker rooms. “Good! Now everybody better dress out every class, if you don’t it’s a zero. Hit the locker rooms, I’ll see ya back here in 10.” 

And with that we all headed to our locker rooms to get changed. I got changed into the school’s gym uniform and walked out back into the gym. By the time I was back, I saw Jecka standing near the bleachers in her gym uniform. I walked over to her with my hands in my gym shorts pockets. 

“Any idea what he’s gonna make us do?” I ask Jecka as I approach her.

“No clue, but I know it will be fucking bullshit. I’m already fit enough to put those anorexic cheerleading whores to shame. I should be given an A by just sitting around and looking cute.”

“From how I heard you describe the coach, I feel like that’s gonna be a major factor for how all the girl’s in this class will be graded.” I say earning a chuckle from her. 

By that point, everyone else had gotten changed and Coach Colby had reentered the gym. Was I seeing things or did he just reenter the gym from the girl’s locker room?

“Alright everyone, since it’s the first day, I figure we can do something fun so I can see who needs the most work here.” Coach Colby said as he looked at his clipboard.

“ARE WE GOING TO PLAY LACROSSE!?” asked Kylar who seemed excited at that idea.

“No Kylar. Today we’re gonna-”

“Man that’s such fucking bullshit! THAT MAKES ME WANT TO THROW MY GRANDMOTHER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC!” shouted Kylar. 

“Kylar! That’s enough!” yelled Coach Colby. “We’re playing dodgeball.”

That seemed to brighten Kylar up. “Fuck yeah! That’s almost as good as lacrosse! Hope you pussy ass bitches are ready to get pounded by some balls!” Kylar says as he looks over to the class. 

“Hey dude, at least buy us dinner first!” I say with a smirk, earning a laugh from Jecka as well as the entirety of the class. Kylar however did not share the same sense of humor as he walked over to me clearly fuming over what I had just said. 

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Kylar asked me with an angry look. 

Ahhh fuck. I did not want to start any beef with our resident steroid rapist. I should have kept my mouth shut. Well, I can’t back out now or else the whole class will think I’m some pussy.

“I was standing like three feet in front of you. What, did all that screaming like a retard make you go temporarily deaf?” I ask him, trying to keep the same energy up.

  “Just you wait until we start playing. You are fucking dead.” he says as he walked away. 

“Damn, I’ve never seen anyone talk to Kylar like that. That was cool as shit. Too bad he’s probably gonna kick your ass now.” said Jecka. 

“Gee, thanks for having faith in me.” I say sarcastically. 

“Dude, he literally once broke someone’s ribs with a Spider-Man lunch box just because they spilled his bottle of Gatorade.” 

“And… and he just still goes here…?” I ask with wide eyes. 

“Yeah, I don’t get it either. Let’s just hope for your sake that the balls are made of a material that won’t break your neck when he chucks them at your head.”

Well, with that, the teams were made. On one team it was Kylar, Braxton, Jeffrey, and a few other kids who I didn’t really know. On the other was me, Jecka, Ari, and more kids I didn’t really know. 

The game had begun and even though I was dreading having to deal with Kylar, I was actually having fun. I was actually a pretty good dodgeball player at my old school, and even though Kylar could throw the ball pretty hard, his aim was total shit so they were pretty easy dodges.

Jeffrey was the first one out of the game to literally no one’s surprise. I’m not sure if he was just really shit at anything physical related or if he lost on purpose so he wouldn’t have to participate anymore. Could honestly be either one. Well whatever. Fuck Jeffrey. I hope he actually ends up killing himself at some point. 

Even though Kylar was shit at aim, he was still managing to get a lot of team members out. Braxton couldn't throw as hard as Kylar, but he definitely had better aim so he was also good at picking our numbers off. Braxton managed to hit Ari in the shoulder, sending her out of the game. 

I was getting a few random kids out of the game fairly well. I figured it would be easy to pick them out and go for the two heavy hitters last. There were only a few members on my team left including me and Jecka. Jecka wasn’t really participating much. She was kinda just off to the side a bit, trying her best not to get hit by any ball whatsoever. While Kylar and Braxton were more focused on picking the rest of my team off, I decided to go over to Jecka.

“Y’know you’re going to be hit by a ball eventually even if you try to avoid playing?”

“Ugh, don’t you think I know that? I’m just trying to delay the inevitable as long as I can and hope you can somehow beat those assholes without me getting personally involved.”

“Amazing strategy.” “I respond sarcastically. “Look, you want this game to be over without you getting hit right?” I asked her and she nodded.

“Okay, so I need you to listen to what I’m about to say. You’re gonna think it’s fucking stupid but if you go along with it, I promise you’re gonna enjoy it.” I told her.

“...Fine, what is it?” she asks begrudgingly. I then whisper in her ear. 

About 2 minutes later it was pretty much down to just a 2v2 of me and Jecka vs Kylar and Braxton. I have a ball in my hand and so does Jecka. Kylar also had a ball in his hand but Braxton was empty handed. Time to put my plan into action.

“Fucking suck it Braxton!” I exclaim, gaining Braxton’s attention as he looks ready to dodge my throw, but instead of throwing it straight at him, I throw the ball high up into the air above. 

Braxton just looked up in confusion watching the ball I threw high up in the air. “What kind of fucking throw was th-” Braxton was cut off as a ball had managed to hit him in the chest when he let his guard down after being distracted from my confusing throw. 

Braxton looked over to see who threw the ball at him, and to his surprise, it was Jecka, who looked just as equally as surprised she actually managed to hit someone with the ball. 

“Aw man, what the fuck?” Braxton grumbled before going off to sit on the bleachers. 

“I… I did it? I actually fucking did it! Alex, did you see me get his bitch ass eliminated!?” Jecka asked me excitedly, bouncing around like a little kid whose parents had just told them they were going to Disney World. 

Heh…

….

……

Cute…

….

……

Wait…

 Where the hell did THAT thought come from? 

I’m just gonna… pretend that didn’t happen.

Jecka’s cheers were short lived however as she took a ball right to the gut knocking the wind out of her. I looked over and saw Kylar laughing his ass off. 

“HA! That’s what you get, you dumb blonde bimbo bitch!” Kylar shouted out. 

Okay. Now THAT pissed me off. I led Jecka over to the bleachers as she clutched her stomach in total pain and had her lay down. I then walked over back to the court. It was now just me and Kylar left. I threw balls at him. He dodged. He threw balls at me. I dodged. This went on for a good few minutes, until finally I had two balls in my hand and threw the first one which Kylar dodged easily but wasn’t quick enough to dodge the second one that ended up getting thrown straight into his nuts. Whoops.

“AW FUCK!” is all Kylar could let out as he threw up all over the gym floor whilst clutching his crotch in pure pain. Coach Colby ended up ending the game with my team as the winners and ended class early as he took Kylar himself to the nurse’s office. 

I walked over to Jecka who smiled when I approached her as she was slowly recovering from the hit to the stomach. 

“Not gonna lie, that was pretty awesome. Not only did you make it so Kylar can never ever have children, but you even got us out of class early. I take back what I said. You MIGHT be just as cool as your sister.” she tells me.

“Thanks. Maybe next time you’ll have a little more faith in me?” I ask with a smirk.

“Eh, don’t push it. For all I know, you could have just gone all “pro dodgeball” on me just so you can try to get me to have sex with you.” she said with a laugh. 

“Yeah, because being “pro dodgeball” is how I got laid ALL the time.” I said sarcastically with a chuckle. I extended a hand to Jecka to give her a little help with getting up as her stomach was still recovering. She graciously accepted and we began to walk out the gym doors together.

“Come on, I have a bag filled with Xanax on me. Let’s go take some on the roof and get fucked up before our next period starts.” I say as we walk the halls.

“...you sure you aren’t trying to fuck me?” she asks as we head to the roof.

“...you have a bit of an ego don’t ya?” 

“If you looked like me you would too.”

“...Fair enough.”

I know I have a mission to save Nicole and everything but right now, in this moment, where no bullshit is happening, I’m… I’m starting to actually enjoy myself. 

MEANWHILE WITH NICOLE

 

“Then it’s settled. This weekend a nice bright shoot should really cleanse our minds of the muddied culture surrounding us, don’t you think?”

“Whatever you say, dude. I’ll be at home Googling expensive restaurants.”

Chapter 8: Chapter 7

It’s been pretty uneventful these past few days. I’ve been taking note of things Nicole has been doing and nothing has really stood out to me. On Saturday she told me and my mom she was doing extra credit for Photography class to get some community service hours in, which I thought was great. That means she’s becoming a good person right? …Right? I mean, it didn’t seem like anything bad came of it when she came home so I didn’t really bat an eye to it.

It was lunch time right now and I was sitting with Nicole and Jecka once again. It looks like Hunter has a different lunch block than he did in the first timeline so I haven’t had the chance to be friends with him yet, but right now my main focus should be on Nicole. Lunch was pretty quiet for the most part which was strange. I think it was because Nicole is usually the one who starts up the conversation but she’s been pretty quiet since we sat down. Me and Jecka looked at each other and then at Nicole, and it looked like she was having the same thoughts as me. 

“The tuna is pretty good today.” Jecka said as she took a bite out of her sandwich, trying to finally break the silence and start a conversation. 

“...So I’m pretty sure the photography teacher’s a white nationalist.” Nicole said finally speaking, which made me almost choke on the Dr. Pepper that I was drinking.

EXCUSE THE FUCK ME?

“...I said “the tuna’s good today” and you just replied with that.” Jecka deadpanned.

“Remember how I told you I did that photoshoot with him?” Nicole asked Jecka. 

“Yes, please brag again.” Jecka said, rolling her eyes. 

“No, it’s not that, just the whole time he was saying this weird shit about whiteness and being white.” 

“I guess it fits, Mr. White’s a white supremacist.” 

“White nationalist.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?” 

“White supremacists assume white culture is the correct culture. White nationalists politicize that.” Nicole explains to both me and Jecka.

“So… he’s?”

“Mr. White is a white nationalist. Pretty much everyone who goes here is a white supremacist.” 

“Oh, that makes sense.” Jecka said despite not being totally sure. 

“Does it?” I ask Jecka. 

“...Am I racist if I say no?” Jecka asked whilst cringing a bit. 

“Honestly I don’t give a shit, that’s just what Google told me last night.” Nicole answered her. 

“Well if we have some KKK guy at our school shouldn’t we do something?” Jecka asked the two of us.

“Like what? Even if we told someone they won’t do anything. If being racist got you fired like no one would have a job.” Nicole said simply shrugging her shoulders.

“She kinda has a point.” I tell Jecka. 

“Well I’m kinda curious now. I think I’ll go up and see what he’s all about. Maybe catch him on something else. You coming with me? He knows you right?” Jecka asks Nicole.

“Dude I really don’t wanna get involved. You’re smart enough you can handle it.” Nicole told her.

“Are you saying that cause you really mean it or just cause you don’t wanna go?”

“Can it be both?” 

“You’re such a bitch.” 

“How? Cause I don’t wanna see a white nationalist more than I already have to?” 

“You got me all worked up over this and you won’t even dig into it with me. What kinda friend are you?”

“I’ve known you for like a week.” 

“We’re the only 2 pretty girls in this lunch block, we're gonna end up best friends anyway.”

“And that right there is why your loyalty check isn’t working.” 

“Whatever fine.” Jecka said, sighing. Then she turned to me. “You’re gonna come with me then Alex.”

“Huh? I am? Why?” I asked her.

“Because you owe me for making me get hit in the stomach from one of Kylar’s roid rage throws.”

“Not my fault you couldn’t put the dodge in dodgeball.”

“Don’t give me that shit. You’re coming with me. Deal with it.” 

“Ugh. Fine. I guess non racists gotta stick together.”

Besides, it probably wouldn’t do any good if we had a super racist here that could potentially influence Nicole. I mean I don’t think she could turn racist but ya know better safe than sorry. I gotta SOMEHOW make Nicole a better person after all.

“Yeah well, you two have fun on your Klan member hunt. I actually have some counselor meeting for new student integration.” Nicole told the two of us.

“Oh, that's right. I actually had mine during second period.” I told Nicole. 

“Yeah? How was it?” Nicole asked me. 

“Went alright. Kinda boring but it was whatever.” I answered her. 

“Well I’m not surprised it went fine for you but…” Jecka said to me then turned to Nicole. “...yeah, good luck with that Nicole.”

“Why are you saying it like that? Why would it go fine for Alex but not potentially for me?” Nicole asked Jecka.

“The counselor is… well you’ll see.” 

“Okay…?” Nicole said before getting up and walking out the cafeteria. 

“Come on Alex, let’s go get that racist fuck.” Jecka said to me getting up from her seat as well.

“Alright. Alright.” I said getting up from my own seat and leaving the cafeteria with Jecka. 

“So what exactly did ya mean by the counselor earlier?” I asked Jecka as we made our way to Mr. White’s classroom.

“Oh, he just defends pedophilia.”

“You… you said that so casually, I almost didn’t process it enough to question it.” 

“Yeah, well, you kinda just go numb to everything when you go to this school. Don’t worry, after two years here, you’ll feel the same way.”

Somehow, I feel like I’ll be spending a little more than just two years here now with these goddamn time loops.

We finally made it to Mr. White’s room. We saw it was empty when we first walked in but before we decided to turn back, we noticed he was in the dark room, so we headed in there to confront him. When he saw the two of us approach him, Mr. White looked at us with an innocent looking smile on his face.

“What a lovely surprise. You’re Nicole’s brother if I’m not mistaken. And if it isn’t one of our top students, Jessica. Did Nicole tell you two to come to me so you both can be fellow loyal whites and join our cause?” Mr. White asked us with the same innocent look. 

“Oh my god it is true. We didn’t even work it out of him or anything.” Jecka whispered to me. 

“Really puts the proud in white pride.” I whispered back. 

Unfortunately for us, Mr. White heard both of us and now had a frown on his face. “Judging by your tones, I’m starting to think neither of you are down for the purification of this nation.”

“Yeah, no shit.” I told him.

“Is that why you’re teaching here? To convert quirky art girls into Klan members?” Jecka interrogated him. 

“Well when you put it that way it sounds too easy. The art school girls are absolutely terrified of black people, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Please just try to see this my way. The White Pride Party’s understood the errors of their ways in the 20th century. Since then it’s evolved from arson and lynchings. We simply wish to promote pride in our own heritage, just like the colored communities do.” Mr. White answered her.

“Colored communities?” I ask him.

“Oh, I’m sorry, people of color.” Mr. White corrected himself. 

“How is that better?” Jecka asked him. 

“So there’s black pride, that’s fine. How is white pride any different?” Mr. White asked the two of us. 

Jecka looked like she genuinely didn’t have an answer for him, so I had to cut in and say something before she would somehow start to think he was making sense. “Proud about what? You already own everything, it’s just a victory lap.” I answered him, starting to get irritated. 

“If you don’t cut this shit out we’re gonna stop it.” Jecka told him with a stern look. 

“You’re just two young teenagers. You have no power over me or my people.” Mr. White said with a smug look on his face. 

“Maybe not, but the principal does! Let’s go!” And with that Jecka grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of that room and into the hallways as it looked like we were both headed for Principal Lynn’s office.

“Woah, hey Jecka, relax!” I say to her, gaining her attention as she realized she was still pulling my arm. 

“Oh, shit, sorry.” Jecka says letting go of me. 

“Nah, it’s alright. You’re pretty fired up about this huh?”

“You bet your ass I am! Now c'mon! We got a second coming of Hitler to stop!” exclaimed Jecka as we both finally reached Principal Lynn’s office door and opened it.

“If you looked like me you’d cheat on your husband too.” was the first thing I heard when we opened the door as we saw Ms. Lynn sitting in her chair on the phone.

Well, alright then. 

“Miss Lynn! Sorry but this is kind of important!” Jecka yelled as soon as she entered the room.

Ms. Lynn looked over at me and Jecka and quickly spun her chair around so the back of her chair was facing us. “Hey, yeah, I’ll call you back. You’ll get the number for lip injections after, kay bye.” Ms. Lynn said and then hung up the phone and spun her chair back so she could face us again.

“You do illegal plastic surgery out of your basement or something?” I ask her flatly.

“No, my friend does. How can I help both of you?” Ms. Lynn asks us.

“It’s about Mr. White in Photography. He’s kinda--” Jecka starts off but Ms. Lynn cuts her right off. “Stop, stop. I get this conversation once a year.”

“You’ve known about this?” I ask her, surprised. 

“Unfortunately.”

“And so… you’re kinda just okay with it?” 

“Absolutely not but his defenses have my hands tied I’m afraid.” 

“But it’s sick!” exclaimed Jecka. 

“I’d be inclined to agree. Another level of twisted, but he’s made very strong cases for covering himself in peanut butter to pose for the students so I’d rather not push the issue further.” said Ms. Lynn. 

…

….

……….

What.

The.

Fuck.

“...I’m sorry but what the fuck are you talking about?” I ask her, still trying to process what she had just told us. 

“Oh. This isn’t about that?” Ms. Lynn asks us in surprise. 

“We’re here to report he’s trying to recruit his students for white nationalism rallies?” Jecka told her while also still trying to process what Ms. Lynn just told us. 

“Okay this I didn’t know about.” said Ms. Lynn, even more surprised. 

“Yeah, we kinda just talked to him in the dark room and he was outwardly trying to sell us on white pride.” Jecka continued. 

“Oh man, uh. Well that is cause for concern… Were any racial slurs used?” Ms. Lynn asked us. 

“I mean, not really, but it was more of like the overall content--” I start to explain but this time Ms. Lynn cuts me off. “I’m afraid I can’t help you then.”

“What!?” me and Jecka both shout in surprise. 

“For a claim like that you’d need pretty hard evidence to get him removed from the faculty entirely… Also he may or may not have rather compromising photographs of me so I’d rather not get involved.” Ms. Lynn told us. 

“He may or may not have pictures of you in Neo Nazi shirts? Cause my sister may or may not have been there.” I told her flatly.

“Actually, I may or may not have been covered in baby oil.” Ms. Lynn admitted. 

Okay as hot as that sounds, I’m kinda pissed that she isn’t being more helpful about this.

“Ugh… well I guess racism wins.” I grumble while rolling my eyes.

“...Can we see the pictures?” Jecka asks. 

Actually GOOD fucking question Jecka!

“Get out of my office.”

Damn…

“Well, that was a fucking bust.” Jecka sighed as we walked down the hall from the principal’s office. 

“Well, hold on a second. Maybe she just gave us an idea.” I say to Jecka.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Jecka asks me confused.

“She said we would need pretty hard evidence to get him removed from the faculty entirely right?” I asked Jecka to which she nodded. “Then that’s exactly what we do. We get hard evidence on the fucker and get him not just kicked out of school but in prison.” 

“Okay, yeah, I see where you’re going with this. But how do we do that?”

“I remember when Nicole came back from her photoshoot on Saturday, she mentioned how Mr. White always does a photoshoot with a girl every weekend, and how it wasn’t just a one time thing with him. All we have to do is take photos of him doing these photoshoots and maybe catch him doing other heinous shit and then BOOM! His ass is fucking grass.” I said with a firm grin starting to form.

“Alright, I like it! This is awesome, it’s like we’re a Detective Duo! I’m the hot one and you’re the boring one that does all the leg work.” Jecka said, starting to get excited.

“If that’s how you wanna put it.” I chuckle.

“Fuck yes, that’s how I’m putting it! I’ve seen enough Law & Order to know we’re gonna kick ass and take this nazi teacher down!” Jecka said with a wide smile. She then proceeded to once again pull my arm and lead me down the hall in a speed walk. “C’mon we’re skipping class to go to the roof to plan out how we’re gonna catch this fucker red handed!” Jecka shouts with an excited look that matched how she was when we played dodgeball together. 

Heh…

….

…….

…………..

Cute…

…

….

……

…Fuck.

I have a crush don’t I?

Chapter 9: Chapter 8

It was Saturday morning and I was knocking on the door of a nice and expensive looking house. Jecka’s house to be exact. Since Monday, we’ve been planning on how we were going to catch Mr. White in his racial extermination ways. We’ve actually been getting along pretty well. She has probably been my closest friend in this reset since I never got to make friends with Hunter in this one. 

It was a 20 minute walk to Jecka’s house from mine which wasn’t so bad. Me and Nicole have wanted a car for a while now but with how often we seem to move, it seems like we never have the chance to get one. Maybe I can guilt trip Mom into getting us one for Christmas by implying how Dad would have gotten us one if he were still alive… and well ya know… didn’t blame us for blowing his brains out. 

Speaking of Nicole, it seemed like she was going to spend this Saturday morning sleeping in, which was pretty much the norm for her on a weekend. If she’s lucky, she won’t be up until noon. I thought about letting her in on me and Jecka’s plan but it occurred to me that she didn’t seem to want to get involved in the first place when me and Jecka first confronted Mr. White, and also, I think it’s best if I can keep Nicole away from people that can potentially influence her as much as possible so she doesn’t end up on a path that is truly “beyond salvation” as the way Chrona put it. 

It was only a few seconds I had to wait after knocking, before the door opened to reveal Jecka standing in front of me with a smile on her face. She ushered me to come inside and I stepped in and was greeted by a very nice looking living room with a flat screen tv installed on the wall, an expensive looking white couch and a glass coffee table in front of it. This place definitely screamed “rich white girl” all over it. 

“I’d give you the classic “nice place you got here” phrase, but I feel like you get that a lot .” I said chuckling.

“Yeah, like every time I invite a friend over it’s always “OMG your house is like SOOOO fucking nice”, and I’m like yeah bitch I fucking know that already, now are we going to watch She’s the Man or not?” Jecka rambles. 

“Hey, I remember watching that movie before. It was pretty good.” I told her.

“YOU watch romcoms?” Jecka asks me, her head perking up in surprise. 

“Well, Nicole thinks they’re fucking stupid, but I’ve always found a bit of comfort in watching them.” I say shrugging my shoulders. 

“Oh shit, well in that case, we definitely have to watch one once we get Mr. White arrested, to celebrate of course.” she says with a smile. 

“Sounds like a plan” I say with a laugh.

That isn’t a date we just planned right? Fuck, this is why I hate getting crushes. I always overthink this shit. I really shouldn’t even be focusing on a relationship right now anyway. I kinda have to make sure my sister doesn’t fuck up the fabric of reality right now sooooo.

“Oh? Jessica, who is this?” a new voice breaks me out of thought. An older woman with blonde hair, who seemed to be wearing an expensive looking suit came down the stairs and stood in front of the two of us. 

“No one mom, fuck off.” Jecka told her mother.

“Well, when my daughter brings a boy to her home, it’s only natural that I would like to know more about them.” 

“He is literally just a friend from school mom, fucking Christ.” Jecka said, getting annoyed.

“Well, can I at least know his name?” Jecka’s mom asked.

“It’s Alex.” I told her. 

“Well, Alex, it’s nice to meet you. You seem like a nice young man.”

“Mom, don’t you have like a work meeting or something?” Jecka asked her Mom. 

“Oh, that’s right sweetie, I should get going now. It was nice meeting you Alex. I certainly hope you can be a good influence for my… FUCKING DISAPPOINTMENT OF A DRUGGIE FOR A DAUGHTER!!!” Jecka’s mother screamed, her entire mood changing as if someone flipped a switch.

“GO FUCK YOURSELF MOM, IT’S 10:00AM I’M SURPRISED YOU DIDN’T COME DOWNSTAIRS DRUNK YOU ALCOHOLIC FUCKING CUNT!!!” Jecka yelled back.

“DON’T YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT YOU FUCKING WASTE OF BREATHING AIR!!!”

“I’LL STOP TALKING LIKE THAT WHEN YOU STOP FUCKING YOUR 19 YEAR OLD INTERN BEHIND DAD’S BACK YOU FUCKING WHORE!!!”

“COKED UP BITCH!”

“CUM DUMPSTER SLUT!”

“Okay honey, I’m heading out now! Love you! Bye!” Jecka’s mom says, her entire personality changing once again.

“Okay, mom! Drive safe! Love you too! Byeeee!” Jecka says with a smile, as her mom walks out the door.

I… Wh… Um… Er… Wha…

Jecka seemed to notice my dumbfounded expression and laughed. “Yeah, we have a complicated relationship.” Jecka simply said. “Alright, you ready to head to White Wheat Farms?”

I nodded dumbly as I clearly still hadn’t fully processed what had just occurred. We left Jecka’s house and got into her car with me in the passenger seat and Jecka in the driver seat, as we drove off to White Wheat Farms. 

The drive was supposedly going to be a half hour long. I checked the backseat and saw the cameras the two of us had purchased a few days ago. I then looked over to Jecka who was focusing on driving. 

“So… your mom seemed…. Interesting.” I said, trying to find the best word to use.

“Yeah, she’s a total bitch but she’s also THAT bitch so it’s whatever sometimes.” Jecka said, keeping her eyes on the road. 

I laughed at that and we spent the rest of the car ride just talking about whatever came to our minds. I found out her favorite show is Smallville and she loves to watch Drake & Josh .

We finally got to White Wheat Farms and we managed to park somewhere, where we were sure Mr. White wouldn’t notice. It didn’t seem like Mr. White had arrived yet, which was good. It meant we had time to prepare. We walked along the field where I remember hearing from Nicole, is where he had taken photos of her at. 

As the two of us continued walking we saw a figure standing around who seemed to be busy texting on their phone. On a closer look it seemed to be that of a pale, slender teenage girl with blue eyes and shaggy layered long blonde hair. A girl who me and Jecka had recognized immediately once we had gotten a good look at her. 

“Emily?” Jecka asked in surprise.

Emily looked up from her phone and saw me and Jecka walk up over to her. “Huh? What are you guys doing here?” Emily asked us, confused.

“That’s our line. Did Mr. White tell you to come here for a photoshoot?” Jecka asked Emily.

“Yeah he did. But how did you know that?”

“Well Emily… I’m not sure how to break this to you but… you’re basically here to be on the front cover of Jim Crow Monthly Magazine.” I told Emily straight up. 

“Yeah, Mr. White is like a super mega racist and only wants you to pose for him because of how white your skin is.” Jecka added. 

“Ohhhhhh okay. Is that it?” Emily asked us nonchalantly, taking both me and Jecka by surprise. 

“What the fuck Emily? You mean you’re just okay with being the poster girl for hating black people?” Jecka asked angrily. 

“Bitch, I’m just in it for the money. Mr. White gave me $300 to take pictures of me plus bring him a few supplies.”

“Holy shit, $300? Nicole only did it for a free meal.” Jecka muttered. 

“Wait, hold on back up for a second. What supplies?” I ask Emily.

“Like, chlorine and a bunch of other weird chemical shit. I handed it to him after we finished with the photoshoot.”

“Wait, you guys already did the photoshoot?” Jecka asked in surprise.

“Yeah, Mr. White said we had to start earlier than originally planned because he had something big planned for later.” Emily said, shrugging. 

Wait a second. Supplies including chlorine and other chemicals… Something big planned for later… OHHHHHHH FUUUUUUCCCCKKKK!

“EMILY!” I shouted, surprising both Emily and Jecka. “Where did Mr. White say he was going after you guys finished with the photoshoot!?” I ask Emily frantically.

“Uhhh… Something about heading over to the community center. I think there’s a Puerto Rican rights bingo night going on pretty soon. Why do ya ask?” Emily responded.

I quickly turned to Jecka. “Jecka, we need to go NOW!” I shouted, pulling her along as we headed to her car. 

Emily watched as we headed off back to where we parked Jecka’s car, and watched as we drove off. 

“How am I racist? I’ve fucked plenty of black dudes…” Emily muttered to herself.

As soon as me and Jecka drove off, I explained to her my theory that Mr. White plans to detonate a chlorine bomb at the Puerto Rican rights bingo night. This was enough information for Jecka to start driving a little faster. Unfortunately we were about an hour away from the community center and we were stuck in afternoon traffic for hours. By the time we had finally arrived at the community center it was 6:00pm and the bingo night had already started. I got out of the car, and before Jecka could too, I stopped her.

“Wait, you stay here, and call the police. I’m gonna try and find Mr. White.” I told her. 

“What the fuck? I thought we were a team, remember?” Jecka reminded me.

“We are. We’re the “Detective Duo” like you said. You’re the hot one and I’m the boring one that does all the leg work, remember?” I remind her back with a smile. 

Jecka’s cheek slightly tinged with a shade of red in embarrassment, surprised that I remembered how she described us as a “Detective Duo”.

“Just… be careful in there, alright?” Jecka looked at me with a worried expression that I honestly don’t think I’ve seen her have before. 

“Of course. After all, we’re watching a romcom to celebrate right?” I smile at her.

“Right…” Jecka replies still worried but perks right back up. “Your ass better be ready because we’re watching Legally Blonde !” Jecka shouted.

“Looking forward to it!” I shouted back before turning to enter the community center’s front entrance.

Once I had arrived inside, I ran through the hall trying to find the room that the bingo night was taking place in. It took a few minutes but eventually I found it. Once I opened the door, I saw Mr. White was already there. He was holding the already finished chlorine bomb in his hand. I started to panic and made a dash for Mr. White and tackled him to the ground.

“AH!” Mr. White shouted clearly not expecting someone to tackle him from behind like that, but still kept a strong grip onto the makeshift bomb he was holding. Once Mr. White had realized it was me who was trying to stop him, he gave me an evil smile and began to laugh manically. 

“YOU CAN’T STOP ME ALEX! GLORY TO THE CREATION OF THE WHITE MAN!” Mr. White shouted at the top of his lungs before detonating the chlorine bomb. 

BOOM!

A big bright yellow light was the last thing I remember seeing before all that was left was the bone chilling sight of darkness. After what felt like a long time, I slowly began to open my eyes to stare at a ceiling that was only all too familiar with me. 

“Wake up, dipshit.”

God fucking dammit… 

Chapter 10: Chapter 9

I can’t say I’m completely surprised that I wasn’t able to “save” Nicole in one go. A few fails are bound to happen or else that would be too easy. But it still would have been NICE if I didn’t die from a racist’s DIY bomb and could have watched a movie with a girl who is insanely out of my league. But what do I know, I guess? If there was any bright side to this, it’s that compared to last time with Jeffrey, I died pretty much instantly, meaning I felt no pain whatsoever.

So here I am again. New reset. It doesn’t seem like Mr. White is going to try anything extreme any time soon from how this reset seems to be. The current reset I’m on seems to be similar to how things were the first time around. Meaning I was friends with Hunter again, and I was in photography class, which meant Nicole was in gym class. Let me also just say that it’s really weird to have to sit in a class being taught different kinds of camera lighting and exposure by the same guy who killed you in a suicide bombing in a different timeline. Bet that’s a sentence you’ve never heard in the history of fucking EVER.

During this reset, I decided the best thing I could do is think of different ways I could convince Nicole to try and be a better person. She’s not exactly the easiest person to just straight up have a serious conversation with, so I think my best course of action is to either bide my time and wait for a scenario where she seems emotionally vulnerable enough to talk with (which actually seems almost impossible), or see where this next timeline goes in hopes an event occurs that can potentially put Nicole on the wrong path and interfere with it before another reset can occur. 

When Nicole said she was going out to a friend’s house last night, I had a feeling she was lying. Part of me wanted to follow her and see what she was up to but I really rather not get accused of stalking my own sister. She came back just fine though so I guess nothing too dramatic happened. It wasn’t until lunch today that Nicole decided to tell both me and Jecka whose house she decided to go over last night. And to the shock of both of us, it was Kylar. 

“...Him?” Jecka asked unsure if she heard my sister wrong. 

“Yeah what’s wr-- I’m just kidding, I know what’s wrong with him.” Nicole said flatly.

“But like, you went over to his house. He’s a total jock, you know what jocks do.” Jecka told her.

“...Get molested by their coach?” Nicole guessed. 

“Yeah! And then they take it out on you. When he got you a drink did you watch him pour it?” Jecka asked. 

“He never got me a drink.” 

“Wha-- No drink? Did he offer a drink?”

“Did not offer a drink.” 

“What a fucking asshole, see they’re all like this too.” 

“At least I didn’t get drugged.” 

“I’d rather get drugged than not offered a drink!” Jecka shouted.

“Good to know where your priorities stand Jecka.” I say in sarcasm to which Jecka just flipped me off in response.

It’s weird not being super close with Jecka again. Ah well. I can’t focus on some dumb crush right now. I need to keep my eyes on the prize here! Stupid fucking teenage hormones! 

“So anything else from last night?” Jecka asked, returning to her conversation with Nicole.

“Yeah he really wants me to be his girlfriend but y’know.” Nicole answered, shrugging her shoulders.

“He has a temper problem, right? How’d you turn him down gently?”

“I didn’t turn him down, I… challenged him to win me over, under the assumption there’s some chance I could like him.”

“But in reality there’s no chance?”

“None.”

“Well good luck with that. Do you want my number in case he revenge-kidnaps you?” 

“I think I already have your number.”

And with that lunch was finished and we all headed to our next classes. I heard Coach Colby had finally gotten arrested. Not sure if that was Nicole’s doing but if it was then props to her. Maybe this was the first step on her path to whatever redemption she is supposed to be on. 

Right now I was outside the school munching on a homemade cookie. Today was the school’s bake sale. The cookie was shit but for $2 I wasn’t expecting anything amazing anyway. That’s when I happened to notice the counselor in handcuffs being dragged out by the same security officer that pinned me down when I beat Jeffrey half to death. Walking behind them were Principal Lynn and Nicole. 

Hoo boy. What happened now?

“Bring the car around front.” I heard the officer speak to his communicator.

“What’s happening!? Why’s the counselor in handcuffs!?” Megan shouted next to me.

“What the fuck is everyone out here for!?” The counselor screamed. 

“Today was the school bake sale. Apparently you picked the worst day to ask a student out.” said Ms. Lynn, glaring angrily at the counselor.

“Oh my god, another pedophile!” Megan exclaimed. 

“Tell me about it.” said Nicole. 

“Hey! Nicole!” a voice from above shouted gathering everyone’s attention.

We looked up and what we saw made me drop my $2 oatmeal and raisin cookie. It was Kylar standing on the ledge of the school’s roof. Whatever was about to happen could NOT be good.

“Impressed now!?” Kylar shouted.

“Kylar, get down from there!” Ms. Lynn shouted.

“Oh I will, I’m gonna jump! For you Nicole!”

IS KYLAR ACTUALLY RETARDED!?

“Are you serious right now?” Nicole asked Kylar. 

“You said you wanted someone not boring, so I’m gonna stick the ultimate landing!” Kylar answered. 

“You told him to do this?” Ms. Lynn asked Nicole. 

“Well first I told him to fuck off but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.” Nicole said.

“One girl isn’t worth the rest of your life, don’t kill yourself!” Ms. Lynn shouted to Kylar. 

“I’m not! If I stick the landing I won’t be hurt at all! Saw it on MySpace!” shouted back Kylar. 

“Oh my god, stop him, Nicole!” Ms. Lynn told my sister.

“Why!? He’s got it figured out.” Nicole argued.

“I can’t have 2 pedophile arrests and a student attempting suicide in one week! Really need to keep this job.” Ms. Lynn grumbled. 

I didn’t wait to hear what Nicole was going to say after that because by that point I made a dash into the school. I’ve gone to the roof multiple times to hang out with Jecka in past loops before, so I pretty much knew the direction there by heart, so I was confident I could get there quick enough to stop Kylar.

I finally managed to make it to the roof in time. Kylar hadn’t noticed me yet so I was carefully creeping my way behind him so I could grab him before he made any sudden movements. By the time I was halfway over to him, I heard Nicole shout something from below that I really wish she hadn’t.

“If you jump… I’ll be your girlfriend for sure! I never thought you were serious about this!” 

“I am! I love you more than lacrosse!”

“And if we’re still together in two years, I’ll marry you after graduation!”

GOD FUCKING DAMMNIT NICOLE!!!

“Aw sick! Here goes nothing!” Kylar shouted, but right before he could jump I managed to pull him from behind with the back of his shirt and toss him onto the floor of the roof.

“OW! What the fuck!?” Kylar shouted and then saw me. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?”

“Saving you from killing yourself, you dumbfuck!” I shouted at him. 

“Dude you are like totally cockblocking me right now!” Kylar shouted back.

“Nicole doesn’t even fucking like you! She is only messing with you in hopes you will actually jump!” 

“You’re just jealous she wants to fuck a stud like me!”

“SHE’S MY SISTER, YOU FUCKING MORON!”

“THAT’S IT! I’M GOING TO KICK YOUR FUCKING ASS, YOU PUSSY ASS BITCH!” And with that, Kylar pounced himself on me as we began to fight on the school roof.

Big problem was that Kylar was definitely a lot stronger than me, so Jecka was definitely right about him being able to kick my ass because I was only able to get a few solid hits in before he completely overwhelmed me and repeatedly punched me in the stomach and face. My nose was a bloody mess and I was pretty sure it was broken but I was still able to move away but that only made things worse because as soon as I was able to get him off of me, he lunged at me again, but this time it caused both me and him to trip over the ledge of the roof. As we were falling, I saw Nicole’s eyes widen as she clearly wasn’t expecting me to be on the roof along with Kylar. That’s when the both of us hit the ground with a thud.

 

SNAP

…

…..

…….

“Wake up, dipshit.”

I sigh as I hear those words. I was starting to get sick of hearing them at this point. But nonetheless I still kept the charade of pretending to wake up “normally” and watched as Nicole left my room and shut the door behind her. Once I was sure she was out of hearing range, I pretty much screamed into my pillow to get all the frustration out. Once I had collected myself, I thought it was time I got the answers to some things. 

“CHRONA!” I called out aloud. 

At that moment, time pretty much froze like last time. All of a sudden Chrona appeared in front of me with a mischievous smile on her face.

“It’s about time you finally called for me! Now how could I be of service? Giving up? Need a question answered? Need your dick sucked?” she asked, sticking her tongue out at that last option. 

“No, I don’t need my dick sucked! For fucks sake!” I yelled with a blush of embarrassment on my face. 

“You sure? What if I changed my appearance to that preppy blonde girl you’re into?” and with that Chrona instantly transformed herself into an exact look alike as Jecka. 

“THAT DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER! I NEED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION!” I screamed, my face now a completely crimson color.

“Fine. Fine. Geez, with that kind of attitude maybe you DO need your dick sucked. But alright, have it your way.” And with that, Chrona changed back into her original look. “So, what’s your question?” Chrona asked.

“This is something that I’ve been meaning to ask for a while. Does… my body age at all during these resets? Like let’s say these resets go on for the equivalent of a year, do I physically age a year older than I should be?” I asked Chrona. 

Chrona shook her head. “No, you remain the same age you are when you wake up in your room. Since time is being reset, anything involving time, including your age, gets reset along with it.” Chrona explains.

“Okay then. But this is when things get complicated with this next question. Actually, I think it’s better if I show you what I mean.” I then begin to take my shirt off in front of Chrona to which she lets out a dramatic gasp covering her mouth. 

“Oh! I see what you mean! You don’t JUST want your dick sucked! You wanna go all the way!” she said with a grin.

“No, you dumbass.” I say sighing. I then point towards all over my body. “This is what I mean.”

I point out to Chrona that there are scars all over my body. Multiple bullet wound scars across my stomach, chest, and abdomen. I also pointed to a slightly larger scar around my stomach, and then finally pointed to a newly formed bruise around my neck. 

“This is what I mean, if my physical body is supposed to reset, then why do I have all these scars from my past deaths?” I ask Chrona in confusion.

“Woah, hey there. I never said your entire physical body resets. The only “physical” part of your body that gets reset is your age. Everything else is fair game. I actually made it that way purposefully in order to make that an advantage for you.” Chrona answered. 

“An advantage? How exactly?” I ask her.

“Well, think about it. You were too weak to stop the Japanese nerd from turning you and your sister into swiss cheese, too weak to stop the racist teacher from suicide bombing, and just now, you were too weak to win that fight against the steroid addicted lacrosse freak.” Chrona put it simply.

“So… You’re saying I should be taking advantage of these resets to try and get stronger…?” I summarized.

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying! No fucking duh dude! Build up your muscles! Get a fucking six pack! Just stop being a scrawny little emo bitch! God! You think people want some TWINK for a main character!? Actually I’m sure there’s a few basement dwelling losers who do, but that’s besides the point!” Chrona yells at me. 

I take a look at my body. I know I’m not the most in shape person in the world but at least I wasn’t fat! But Chrona did have a point. I couldn’t physically stop Kylar. I couldn’t physically stop Mr. White. I couldn’t even fucking physically stop Jeffrey! I mean I know he had a literal gun on him but still! If I was going to do the impossible and beat the odds of time itself, I needed to get stronger. Mentally AND physically. 

“I see… Alright. I know what I have to do now. Thank you Chrona.” I say sincerely with a smile forming on my face. 

“Hmph! About time you started showing me some appreciation for once! Even when I offered to give you the most heavenly divine head of your entire existence! …But still… You’re welcome.” And with that Chrona snapped her fingers, making herself disappear while also unfreezing time. 

With Chrona now gone, I began to stare ahead from where she once stood with a newly determined look on my face. 

I’m going to do it. I’m going to get stronger.

 

Chapter 11: Chapter 10

Having optimism is a double edged sword. It’s enough of a boost to get you motivated, sure, but can also possibly lead you into a pummeling free fall of madness, despair, and emptiness. BUT NOT ME! NOPE! I AM 100% A-O-FUCKING-KAY RIGHT NOW! 

I'm not okay

In my fourth reset, I decided to begin working out at a public gym, which I have actually been doing pretty well in. I have even been getting up early to get some cardio in before school. Mom says she is proud of me for looking out for my health and told my brother he could learn a thing or two from my example. Of course, he just responded by saying he gets enough exercise when he’s busy surfing online chat rooms for “new hotties” which I think we all know what he means by that.

I tried to be more forthcoming with Nicole by trying to have multiple conversations about herself and maybe dad, but I either get told to kill myself, or just completely ignored entirely. I also can’t sit with Nicole and Jecka, anymore since Nicole managed to convince her I am a stalker freak who possibly rapes women in dark alleys, so our relationship is worse than ever but that’s OKIE DOKIE!

I feel sick

Anyways, I was doing a few laps around the school, and I saw Nicole get into Coach Colby’s car. Probably a bad sign right? So being the GOOD OL BROTHER THAT I AM, I decided to follow them! Luckily I remember hearing how Coach Colby got arrested in the last reset, which was he was caught with a student at Dave & Busters, so that’s where I went and sure enough the two of them were there, with Nicole taking sips out of Coach Colby’s screwdriver. I decided to take photos of the two of them. 

I feel really sick

After an hour it looked like they were going to go to his house. Thankfully, Coach Colby slipped what street he lived on, so I was able to take the bus there. I found Coach Colby’s car parked in front of a house that I assumed was his. I didn’t know what was going on in there but I managed to forcibly bust down the door and saw a sickening sight. It was Coach Colby on top of a half naked dead Nicole. Coach didn’t have time to react by the time I threw myself at him. Going to the gym did help build my muscle a bit but unfortunately the coach was still 100 pounds heavier than me so he got the upper hand pretty easily and choked me to death, but that’s okay! Always next time!

I feel really really sick

Reset number five was pretty interesting! I didn’t make it in time to save Kylar from jumping off the school but oh well! But apparently Kylar gave Nicole a key to his house and decided to steal all of Kylar’s opioids and ended up getting sent to rehab causing ANOTHER RESET! But hey! Guess who didn’t die at least? WOOOOOOOOO!

I’m going to throw up

It took a while but I managed to get to RESET #10! DOUBLE DIGITS BABY! I’ve actually started to get results from working out. So I guess I’m improving both physically and mentally with my new can-do attitude! 

What’s the point of anything?

Reset #19 was an interesting one! Nicole lied about getting sexually assaulted by Mr. White and she ended up being the key witness at his own trial! Silly Nicole! Mr. White’s a racist not a pedophile! It’s a shame we lost our house and all of our money when Nicole finally cracked and confessed she was lying, meaning me and Nicole were homeless and everything reset, but it is what it is! Funny how some slimeball lawyer could make Nicole be honest and tell the truth but her own twin brother can’t! Man, isn’t that a laugh?

Nothing matters. 

Reset #36 was a new one! Apparently Jeffrey took a photo of Nicole in the locker room. Me and Nicole kinda took two different approaches to this. Nicole got caught destroying the dark room so the photos couldn’t be developed and got expelled, while I beat the ever living shit out of Jeffrey, sending him into the hospital for a good 3 months, and also got expelled! So me and Nicole worked at Burger King for a few days before I ended up getting shot by a guy who complained there was too much mayo on his Bacon King. Oh well! What’s another reset!?

Maybe she should be erased. 

 

Reset #52! Working out for the equivalent of two years has pretty much made me look like a different person to the point where Nicole and Mom almost choked on their breakfast when I came downstairs on a new first day of school. Nicole accused me of taking some newly developed super steroid while Mom was considering making a phone call to one of her ex husbands who was a scientist thinking she had just discovered a new natural phenomenon! But enough about me! Crispin thought it would super cool of him to send a dick pic to my sister! Thanks to all that working out at the gym, I kicked his ass pretty easily. Same with a few of his friends that came to defend him. That was neat! Mom found out and tried to sue the school when Crispin didn’t get expelled. For some reason we couldn’t afford a lawyer for this case but we could when Nicole falsely accused Mr. White. Timelines, amirite!? 

WHY WON’T SHE FUCKING CHANGE?

We did it boys. We made it to reset #69. Since reset #54, I have pretty much stopped working out and kinda just stopped doing anything. I lost a good bit of muscle but still have that six pack that Chrona told me to get! I mean I still have SOME muscle left but it’s at least not super noticeable to the point when I come downstairs for breakfast and my mom and sister almost choke on their Cap'n Crunch thinking I’m an intruder. Since #54 I kinda just stopped caring about Nicole and what she did in the resets. 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

In this specific reset, I didn’t try to stop Mr. White from infecting the school. I didn’t go with Jecka to confront him so Jecka got brainwashed. She pretty much became the Red Skull to Mr. White’s Hitler if we wanna talk in Captain America terms. I don’t even think I personally have met Jecka in the past like ten resets. I miss Jecka. I miss being friends with her… OH WELL! THESE THINGS JUST HAPPEN! 

End my suffering.

So the entire school was brainwashed by Mr. White. Nicole got a video of all the students doing a racist chant and sent it to the N.O.I. forums. Didn’t bother trying to stop her. Fuck those nazis! Who cares if a full scale arson assault was ordered on the entire school! Who cares if I saw Hunter’s corpse on fire. Who cares if I saw Ari’s burning carcass? Who cares if I saw Jecka’s ashy remains in the center of the fire!? WHO CARES IF I GOT SO DEPRESSED I BLEW MY BRAINS OUT WITH A 38 CALIBER IN THE MIDDLE OF A FAMILY DINNER AT APPLEBEES!? NOT FUCKING ME!

HELPMEHELPMEHELPMEHELPMEHELPMEHELPMEHELPMEHELPMEHELPME

….

…..

………..

……………….

“Wake up, dipshit.”

I opened my eyes to those words that have pretty much come second nature. I said the morning greeting that I have done many times now. Nicole leaves my room, and I just stare at the wall. And then I cried. I cried harder than in my entire life. What reset am I on now? Ah, right. Reset #73. I just… I just don’t know anymore. 

“Chrona…” I say out loud. And just like that, time froze and she appeared before me with a wild grin and eyes closed .

“How’s my favorite mortal doing today! I gotta say I love your new sexy bod-” and Chrona stopped mid sentence as soon as she opened her eyes and  got a real look at me. Her smile dropped and her expression grew both serious and concerned when she saw the expression in my own eyes. They were filled with nothing. Absolute emptiness. Not even depression anymore. Just empty. “Hey… you good?”

“No. I’m not.” is all I can say back. 

“I see.” 

“Chrona…”

“Yes?”

“I give up.”

“I see. You DO know what that means, correct?”

“I do. I just… I don’t know what I can do with Nicole anymore. I spent so many resets trying to talk to her. Trying for her to be the good person she is supposed to be. But I just… I can’t do it. No wonder a goddess had to get involved. She literally is impossible to change…” I say with a chuckle and then my facial expression changes to an emotionless one. “Maybe the world… would be… better off… if she wasn’t…”

“STOP!”

I looked up and saw Chrona staring at me with a look that I honestly couldn’t tell what it was. Was it disappointment? Pity? Sadness? I just didn’t know. 

“I know I said you had the option to give up. I know I said that. But is this really what you want to do? You want your own twin sister erased from existence?” Chrona asked me.

“I know. I know! I FUCKING KNOW THAT OKAY?” I screamed, causing Chrona to jump. 

“Let me ask you something. Have you ever been shot 57 times? Have you ever been stabbed with a knife 17 times? Have you ever been choked to death 13 times? HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN RUN OVER BY A CHURCH CHOIR BUS TWICE!? Because somehow, whenever Nicole makes a choice, it always leads to a terrible outcome. No matter how many times I try to have her change her ways of thinking, she just plots some crazy scheme that only benefits her and makes it so she can enjoy the misery of others, because she IS FUCKING EVIL!” I shout, getting all the anger and frustration out of my system. I then collapse to my knees on my bedroom floor.

“I just don’t know what to do…” I say quietly. 

Chrona stares at my completely defeated self. I know how pathetic I looked but I didn’t care. The Alex that she first met is not the same one that is now standing before her. Finally I hear her speak up.

“Take my hand.”

My head perks up and I stare at Chrona extending her hands to me. “What…?”  

“Take my hand. I’m going to get a lot of shit for doing what I’m about to do, but take it.”

I slowly and hesitantly take Chrona’s hand. I don’t know exactly what she plans to do, but I was in the state of mind where I didn’t really care anymore. Like I said in the beginning. Life has no meaning. Once I had taken Chrona’s hand, everything went to black. 

….

…….

………….

When I opened my eyes, I didn’t wake up in my bedroom. I woke up in a completely different bedroom. Somehow it was familiar. Too familiar. That’s when I heard a knock coming from the door, and when that door opened, I froze. 

“Wake up you little dumbass. I only get you on weekends before your bitch of a mother takes ya back. Now come on. Your sister is already up. We’re going out to the movies. Even if Nicole doesn’t care, I know you’ve been excited to go see Revenge of the Sith , so let's hop to it!”

…

…..

……

………………

…Dad?

Chapter 12: Chapter 11

“....Dad?” I called out to him in disbelief that somehow he came back to life and almost believing the idea that I straight up died for real this time and was currently in Heaven. Wait… doesn’t the Bible say all suiciders burn in Hell? Actually, what the fuck am I even TALKING about? I’ve been hanging around Hunter too much…

“Yeah, it’s me dipshit. Now c'mon. Get up before I decide to throw out your movie ticket.” And with that, Dad had left my “room”. 

I decided to take a good look into the mirror in my bedroom and sure enough, I was staring at the body of my 14 year old self. 

“What the fuck are you trying to tell me by showing this to me, Chrona?” I mutter to myself. I quickly shook that train of thought away. Whatever is happening, I am going to roll with it. I probably won’t have lots of time in this body or time, so I am gonna make the most of this time to spend with Dad again. Maybe I can even… Maybe I can even show him that… that…

Nicole and I aren’t something to kill yourself over…

I got up, got dressed and headed downstairs to see Nicole and Dad sitting on the couch. This really was Dad’s house I was in. I had almost forgotten what the living room even looked like. I also saw on the wall clock that it was 2:30pm. I loved it when Dad let us sleep in until a ridiculous time. Dad then notices me having finally come down the stairs.

“There you are. Alright, put your coats on. We’re heading to the car.” Dad says as he grabs his wallet and keys.

“This is gonna fucking suck. Star Wars is for men who couldn’t get a date for Prom so opted for swinging around a toy light up sword instead.” Nicole complained.

“Big talk for someone who dressed as Leia with their twin brother as Luke for Halloween one year.” Dad shot back with a teasing smirk.

This caused Nicole’s face to burn red in embarrassment. “W-W-We were fucking SIX! I didn’t know how lame the costume I was wearing was back then. At that age I could have been dressed up in blackface and wouldn’t know why the majority of white home owners would answer the door holding a baseball bat.” Nicole said flatly, while looking down at her shoes.

Jesus Christ. That racist joke aside, I almost forgot what Nicole looked like with… actual emotions.

The ride to the movie theater was a pretty quiet one but it was only a 5 minute drive so there wasn’t much to talk about. We got there and got one bucket of popcorn for the three of us to share. Then Dad showed our tickets to the guy at the stand and let us through to sit in the theater. 

Luckily the movie theater employee didn’t notice the bags of candy and cans of soda stuffed inside Dad’s coat pockets. Dad always snuck snacks into the theater and one time when I asked him why he said and I quote: “Because movie theaters are a bigger scam than your mother when she said she would be a good wife and that she would make me the happiest man alive.” 

Dad was a pretty cool guy. 

I already saw this movie three times but it didn’t hurt seeing it again. I know people shit on the prequels, and even though they deserved to be shit on, I honestly think Revenge of the Sith was the best of the prequel trilogy. On the bright side, at least nothing in the future could possibly have a trilogy that’s WORSE than the prequels.

As one might have guessed, Nicole was bored throughout most of the movie. The part where she actually began to show a bit of interest is when Order 66 was carried out, and all the Jedi were getting murdered. Then she REALLY got interested when Anakin decided to teach the younglings about what happens when you have nightmares of your Natalie Portman looking wife dying before your eyes. 

Hey, just because she has emotions here doesn’t mean she wasn’t always a little fucked up!

I looked over at Dad and saw him smiling. He seemed genuinely happy getting to watch this with us. I even noticed him taking glances at me and Nicole to see our reaction when a cool scene happened. 

If you were so happy, why did you leave us the way you did?

The movie ended and we got up from our seats and headed out into the theater lobby. “Alright kids, what did ya think?” Dad had asked us as we headed outside towards the car. 

“I enjoyed it. I think it was the best out of the prequels. Honestly, I would also become a genocidal warlord if my wife was that hot and I thought she was dying.” I say with a smile.

“It wasn’t all bad. It was cool to see that chick get force choked out by her husband after he just slaughtered some kids and then later when she died giving birth to his kids. I wouldn’t mind going out like that.” Nicole said with a bit of a smirk. 

“Yep. You two are my kids alright.” Dad says in a dramatic sniffle as he wipes a fake tear from his eye.

It was almost 6:00 and despite us having eaten all the popcorn and candy during the previews of the movie before the movie actually started, the three of us were getting hungry.

“...McDonalds?” Dad asked with a slow smile forming. 

“McDonalds.” Nicole and I answered at the same time with a grin on both of our faces. 

And just like that, Dad got us McDonalds. We went through the drive thru, got our bags of deliciously smelling but completely obese shaping food and headed home to eat. We ate together and the three of us talked about all sorts of things. What our first year of High School is like so far, if we’ve made any new friends, any new hobbies we were into, what Mom’s credit card number was for whatever reason. Just random stuff like that. It felt nice. It felt like… like we were a family. A real family. 

Dinner was over and we each cleaned up. That’s when Dad brought out his own and Nicole’s guitar that he had gotten her one Christmas ago. The three of us sat down on the couch and I just watched as Dad was teaching Nicole how to play Good Riddance by Green Day. The smile Nicole had on her face was something you wouldn’t have even pictured existed if you were to meet her two years from now. 

She was happy. I was happy. We… both used to be happy. 

After that guitar lesson went on for a while, Dad was getting tired and started to yawn. “Alright kids, I’m getting pretty tired and I do have work in the morning. Your mother is gonna be here early to pick you two up so I would get to sleep if I were you, or else you’ll have to deal with her bitchiness all day.” Dad then started to make his way upstairs but not before stopping midway and looked at the two of us. 

“You… You two know I love you right?” Dad asked us.

“No, I'm pretty sure the movies and McDonalds meant you hate us.” Nicole rolled her eyes in sarcasm. “We know you love us Dad.” Nicole finished with a smile. 

“Yeah… we know you love us.” I add. 

Liar.

“Good. Have a good night kids.” With that, Dad headed upstairs.

If you really loved us, you wouldn’t have done what you did. 

Once Dad went upstairs, I noticed it was just me and Nicole. I wasn’t exactly sure what to say since it feels like I haven’t spoken to this version of Nicole in a really long time. It kinda just felt awkward. Thankfully, Nicole spoke up first.

“You alright dude?” Nicole asked me.

“Huh? Oh yeah, I’m fine. I’m just a bit tired is all.” I reply meekly.

“Nah that’s not it. You’ve looked like something has been up your ass since you woke up this morning. What’s going on man?” Nicole asked me in a genuine curiosity and concerned tone that felt both off and nostalgic at the same time. 

“I’ve just had a lot on my mind is all. I have this… new friend at school. He’s kinda going through something in his home life. He has this brother that isn’t who he used to be. His brother has become emotionless and only does things that only benefit himself. Basically a sociopath. He keeps trying to change him to how he used to be. Trying to change him into a good person but nothing has worked. He just doesn’t know what to do anymore and has pretty much given up.”

Nicole stared at me as she listened to the made up scenario I made about her. She mulled over what I told her and seemed to be deep in thought. 

Once again. It’s super weird seeing her give a fuck about me again. 

“Well, I’m heading for bed. You should get going too. You know how Mom is gonna get if she gets here and neither of us are up.” I say as I stand up and make my way towards the stairs, but before I could even take a single step up, I hear this:

“What if he can’t be changed?”

“...What?” I ask as I turn around to see Nicole standing up and staring at me.

“Like… What if your friend can’t change his brother into something he no longer is? Isn’t it kinda selfish to try and change someone who doesn’t want to be changed? I mean, whatever caused his brother to change, can’t be on him right? Shouldn’t he try to accept who his brother is now, instead of clinging to the past like some old war guy who has a heart attack every time he sees some half White-half Asian dude like Dad?”

“Are you seriously saying he should just not do anything when his brother becomes a fucking sociopath and causes misery for the fun of it?” I ask Nicole, starting to get irritated.

“No, you dumb fuck. I’m saying he should be trying to adapt to him.”

“Adapt…?”

“Yeah. Like instead of completely trying to change him into someone who does shit he doesn’t fuck with like donating to charity, maybe he should just roll with what actions he makes but still try to make him be more humane. Like maybe instead of him just fucking some random person over for fun, maybe your friend can convince his brother to fuck over some person who actually deserves it. Ya know?”

“Huh…” I say out loud. “I… honestly never thought about it like that…”

“Yeah, well this hypothetical or whatever your friend is going through therapy shit was dumb as fuck anyway, so I’m heading up too.” Nicole said as she walked past me and began heading upstairs. Nicole then turned around and looked at me with a small smile. “Night dude.” Then she made her way to her room and shut the door behind her. 

I thought over what Nicole said in my head as I continued my way upstairs and entered my bedroom. 

Maybe I shouldn’t be trying to change Nicole back to who she was. I think I just gotta accept that Nicole isn’t that same person anymore. If she is going to be a shitty person to  people, I can at least try to use that motivation to channel some sort of good? 

I then hopped into bed and slowly began to close my eyes. Letting sleep begin to overtake me.

This entire time, when Chrona told me to make Nicole into a good person, I thought she wanted me to turn her back into how she was. But… What I really have needed to do all along is instead take who she is now and adapt so even if she doesn’t change how she acts, she will still have emotions again. And those emotions can potentially make her into a good person. Maybe not the same good person she once was. But as a good person that is defined by who she is now.

…….

……….

…………….

………………..

“Wake up Alex.”

I open my eyes and see nothing but white surrounding me. I’m not even laying down anymore. I’m standing up. I look at my body and see I’m back in my new and improved 16 year old body. I then look ahead to see Chrona staring at me with a smile. 

“Is this why you brought me back there? So I can figure out what I really need to do?” I ask Chrona who nods her head.

“Yes. You were losing so much of your sanity that you had lost sight of the true goal of your mission. I knew from the beginning that this would be too much for you to take on mentally, and for that, I am deeply sorry.” Chrona apologizes and follows that with an uncharacteristic bow. 

“It’s okay. No need to apologize. In fact, I think I should thank you for what you did just now. It was… It was nice. Thank you.” I say with a sad smile on my face. 

Chrona looks shocked over the fact I was able to forgive her so quickly. And even thank her for one. That shocked expression is then replaced with a smiling one. “I knew you were special…”

“Well I AM pretty amazing, aren't I?” I say with a jokingly smug look on my face to which me and Chrona both laugh after. “Hey, where exactly are we anyway?” I ask Chrona now getting another look at my current surroundings. 

“That’s… a difficult question to answer. For now, let’s just say you are currently in my realm and leave it at that.” Chrona answered as she scratched the back of her neck.

“Well… alright then. So are you going to send me back to reset #73 now or what?” I ask the white haired goddess. 

“Yes. Yes. Of course. But before that… There is still one final thing I need to show you.” Chrona looks at me with a serious expression. 

“Oh… okay? What’s that?” I ask her while raising an eyebrow.

“Just… try not to freak out okay?” And with that Chrona had disappeared before my eyes leaving me desperately and utterly confused. Once Chrona was gone, I noticed a faraway figure walking closer and closer to me from a distance. And with each step, it became pretty apparent who this figure was. Finally, they stopped walking and stared at me with a sad smile on their face.

“Dad…” is all I managed to say. 

“Hey kid! Been a while huh? Look at you! Finally got fed up with being a weak little bitch eh? I bet all the girls are over ya now! Just try not to accidentally knock a girl up and let her smoke while she’s pregnant. Or else you’ll just end up with Gabe.” Dad joked trying to brighten up the mood of the… space I guess you could call it?

It became pretty apparent that this wasn’t the same Dad who me and Nicole just watched Star Wars with. This wasn’t the same Dad who bought us McDonalds for dinner. And this sure as hell wasn’t the same Dad who was teaching Nicole how to play songs by Green Day.

This was the selfish piece of shit that decided to blow his brains out and stick his suicide note to the fridge with a cookie monster magnet which only contained one sentence. 

“ALEX & NICOLE’S FAULT.”

So I did what any reasonable 16 year old with hormones would do when angry.

…..

……..

I punched my Dad in the face.

“OW! FUCK!” Dad shouted out in pain, holding his face to try and keep the now building swelling down. “Okay. Okay. I guess I deserved that.” Dad said flatly. With that, I grabbed Dad by his shirt. 

“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!? HOW COULD YOU FUCKING KILL YOURSELF AND BLAME ME AND NICOLE FOR IT YOU ABSOLUTE FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!!! WHAT THE FUCK DID WE EVER DO TO MAKE YOU HATE US SO MUCH THAT YOU BLEW YOUR FUCKING BRAINS OUT!?!? DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU FUCKING DID TO ME!?!? HOW YOU MADE ME FUCKING FEEL!?!?!? WHAT ABOUT NICOLE!?!?!? DO YOU EVEN FUCKING KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO HER!?!?!? SHE IS A FUCKING SOCIOPATH NOW BECAUSE OF YOU!!! SHE FUCKING LOVED YOU!!! WE BOTH FUCKING DID!!! YOU MADE US FEEL FUCKING WORTHLESS WITH WHAT YOU DID!!! YOU MADE US FEEL LIKE WE WERE NOTHING!!! SO WHAT IN THE ABSOLUTE FUCK DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A FATHER!?!?!?”

………

…………….

…………………….

 

Never in all of my life, had I ever been so angry nor have I ever screamed as loud as I did. All that pent up frustration and anger over what had happened with Dad and the timeloops all just exploded into one. Hot tears ran down my face with each insult as Dad looked hurt with each sentence. I let go of Dad’s shirt and had to stop and catch my breath from all the screaming. Finally, after what felt like hours, Dad spoke up.

“You have every right to be angry with me. Fuck, you have every right to hate me. Truthfully, I never really expected to be able to talk to you again like this. That hot chick in white pretty much filled me in on what is exactly going on. There is just one thing I want you to understand. What I wrote in that suicide note… I have a reason for why I wrote it. I won’t expect you to understand the reason and I don’t expect you to forgive me. But will you at least do me the honor of hearing out my explanation?” Dad asked me sincerely with pleading eyes.

I glared but then closed my eyes and took some deep breaths. “Fine…”

Dad sighed and began to tell me his story. 

“It all started… right after your mother and I divorced. Don’t get me wrong, we pretty much hated each other by that point but we still loved you kids. Even Gabe. Although, Gabe always preferred your mother over me which is why he always chose not to visit along with you two on the weekends. Anyway, when we got divorced, both your mother and I filed for life insurance so that in case something happened to either one of us, you and your sister would be able to take care of yourselves for a good long while with the life insurance payout. A year after the divorce, I was… I was diagnosed with late stage terminal cancer. You need to understand that when I was diagnosed, I was scared. Not just scared of dying, but scared of seeing my own children mourn me as I slowly decayed away. So I never told any of you. The only person I told was your mother, who agreed to keep it a secret from you kids. Until the end, I never wanted you kids to know I was dying, so when I was only one month away from the date I was diagnosed to die, I… I shot myself, and left a fake suicide note that blamed the two of you. I wanted you two to hate and try to forget about me, rather than mourn and be guilt stricken over something neither of you could have controlled. For that… I am deeply from the bottom of my heart, sorry.” Dad finished. 

I stared at Dad, trying to take everything he told me in. He was right about one thing. I didn’t understand his explanation and I don’t forgive him.

“I don’t care how scared you were. What you did was fucking selfish. You would rather traumatize your kids for life by blaming them for you wanting to die, rather than face your death head on with your family by your side, ALL BECAUSE YOU WERE A FUCKING COWARD!!!” I shouted at him.

Dad looked down in shame. He didn’t argue with what I said. Actually, it was more like he couldn’t argue with what I said. He knew I was completely in the right, whether he wanted to admit it or not. 

“I know this probably won’t help but… you should know that due to the life insurance payout that your mother took out on me, there is a frozen bank account with $200,000 for you and Nicole to access once you both turn 18. Your mother cannot legally touch any of the money either. It’s for both you and your sister.”

“....How the fuck does that help with the fact you lied about your suicide?”

“It doesn’t…”

“You’re goddamn right it doesn’t.”

“Before you… go back. I have one final thing to tell you.”

“....What is it?”

“I wrote a real suicide note. I gave it to your mother, the last time I visited your old house and told her to give it to the two of you when you both were 18. She doesn’t know the contents of the letter. To be perfectly honest, I don’t even know if she opened it for herself or not. Either way, this is very important Alex. When the time is right… Give the real suicide note to Nicole.”

“....How the fuck am I supposed to know WHEN the time will be right!? How will I even know where the suicide note is!? I doubt Mom will just hand it over to me if I ask her!”

“Look, the only thing I know is what that white haired chick told me. She just said when the time is right, you will know.”

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll make sure to give Nicole the real note. Whenever that fucking “right” time is…” I mutter. 

“Thank you. Hey…. Alex?” Dad asks for me. 

“What is-” before I could finish my sentence I was cut off by Dad giving me a hug.

“I know you hate me. You have every right to. But I want you to know. No, I NEED you to know, I love you and Nicole so very much and I am and always will be, proud of the two of you. No matter how you two will end up in life. I will always love you.” Dad finished. 

I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to tell him that I hate him, I wanted to tell him that no matter how many times he apologized or said he loved me or Nicole, that I would never forgive him for what he did. But in that single moment. When there was nothing but me and him and nothing else out there around us, I hugged him back.

…..

……….

……………

It just felt really good to be able to hug my Dad again.

Chapter 13: Chapter 12

I haven’t given up. I don’t ever plan on being that pathetic ever again. I still haven’t forgiven Dad for what he did. I don’t think I ever will. What he did was inexcusable. Regardless, here I am again. Reset #73. So far, this has been my most successful route yet. I should probably explain what I mean by that. 

This reset has so far played out almost exactly like my second reset. The one where I was killed with Mr. White’s chlorine bomb. Meaning so far, I had the same exact gym class with Jecka, me and Jecka both confronted Mr. White together, and the two of us made a plan to get Mr. White arrested. However, this time, things played out a bit differently.

Since I knew what Mr. White was planning to do with the chlorine bomb, instead of driving to White Wheat Farms, we headed straight to the community center and waited for Mr. White to show up. I had to lie to Jecka about how I figured out he was coming here. I just told her that I did some sneaking around Mr. White’s office and that’s how I found out he was planning to come here to detonate a chlorine bomb. 

Anyways, when the time came close for Mr. White to arrive, I placed a call to the police department about what Mr. White was planning. And sure enough, once Mr. White had gotten to the community center for the Puerto Rican rights bingo night, multiple police officers showed up, searched Mr. White, found the bomb he was carrying, and arrested him. This time, mine and Jecka's mission was a success. And as a bonus, the two of us actually managed to watch Legally Blonde together at her house to celebrate like we originally planned. It wasn’t anything romantic mind you. But… It was nice. 

Me and Jecka didn’t just stop with Mr. White. We actually also managed to get Coach Colby fired and arrested together after the two of us recorded him trying to talk to Ari in the girls locker room. It felt kinda gross watching him flirt with Ari like that, but we still got a decent amount of footage that will most likely put him in prison for a long time. Sucks that he made bail though. Ah well. I’m sure he will end up being found guilty regardless.

Then word got around that me and Jecka were the ones who were solely responsible for getting both Mr. White AND Coach Colby arrested, so now the two of us are pretty famous not just around school but also around the entire town. People have even started calling us the “Detective Duo” unironically even though that was a joke name that me and Jecka came up with. As you could imagine, the two of us were a bit embarrassed to be called that. Because honestly, saying it out loud like that just sounds corny as fuck. 

Now when it comes to Nicole, she has actually been doing not that bad. Lately it seems like she has been trying to be nice and getting along with everyone in school. I can tell she doesn’t exactly enjoy talking to them, but at least she isn’t being horrible to anyone. In the past I would have seen this as a good thing, but I recently had the epiphany that I should be more accepting of who Nicole is now and just focus on her emotions coming back. Because as of right now, she is only faking having emotions. Luckily it doesn’t seem like anything bad is coming from that right now so I think I have some time to sort out some sort of plan for Nicole. 

Now here is the best part about this reset so far. You see before I knew it, it was winter, then it became spring, then it somehow became fucking summer, and that’s when I realized that I had finally done it. I had finally fucking gone through Junior year of High School. FUCKING FINALLY! It feels like I’ve been stuck in Junior year for more than two years, which if you wanna take in all the months I’ve gone through in these resets, I’m pretty sure I’ve actually been a Junior in High School for about 3 years.

Tomorrow is officially my first day of senior year of High School. I think if I can get Nicole through graduation with her emotions back, then these resets will finally end. Another cool thing about senior year is that I am now an Honors student and take AP classes with Jecka now. I guess repeating a single school year 73 times can make you super smart and have you memorize the answers to every single test or exam. So that’s a pretty neat thing. But to be honest…I am a bit nervous. Senior year is new territory for me. I have no idea what to expect starting tomorrow. I can only hope nothing too crazy will happen so soon…

….

……..

………….

“Wake up honey. It’s time for school.”

I open my eyes and the first thing I see is Mom smiling at me as I begin to wake myself up by sitting up from my bed. “Morning…” I say to Mom tiredly.

“You need to get ready for school. Nicole is already up and dressed. Try not to upset your sister too much today… she seems to be in a very bad mood this morning.”

Oh yeah. I think I heard Nicole and Mom arguing about something before I fell asleep. It’s pretty common so I wasn’t exactly surprised and thought nothing of it. Regardless, when Mom left my room, I got up, brushed my teeth, took a shower, and put on a pair of ripped jeans, black sneakers, and a dark purple hoodie with a white skull on it. I went downstairs, and once I did, me and Nicole were pretty much out the door. I didn’t speak with Nicole on the way to school, taking Mom’s advice to not try and say anything that could potentially piss her off. 

When we finally managed to arrive at school, the first person we saw was Jecka who seemed to be outside hanging a little far off from the school’s main doors while smoking a cigarette. She saw the both of us approach her and she smiled. 

She really has such a pretty smile…

So uh yeah. If it wasn’t obvious enough, my small crush on Jecka kinda grew into me really liking her a lot. To be fair though, because of this reset, we’ve spent a lot of time together so I guess it’s only natural. I thought this would have been a small crush that would go away after a few days like it did with Ari but it just never happened. I think I really started liking her when we had that movie night. Watching her actually genuinely laugh at something that wasn’t her making fun of someone just seemed… really nice…

“Hey you’re on time.” Jecka said to the two of us.

“I’m already so fuckin over this.” Nicole grumbled. 

Welp I guess Mom was right. Looks like anything will set off Nicole today.

“All I said was “hi”.” Jecka grimaced. 

“I wish I was high-- Do you think I’m here this early by choice?”

“What is it this time?”

“I’m still awake from last night cause my Mom accidentally took one of my brother’s Adderall.” 

“Instead of what?” 

‘I don’t know, like oxy or morphine or something. They give old people heroin pills to mellow out over gas prices.” 

“Do those pills even look the same?”

“No. No they don’t” I answered Jecka with a sigh.

“Anyway!” Nicole continued on. “So she won’t shut the fuck up over how many days I missed last year and I just tell her that if I can’t go to sleep right now then I’m gonna miss the first day of school.”

“Well wasn’t she right? You’re here early for the first time in forever.” Jecka pointed out.

“Oh my god it’s like I’m talking to a guy. Can’t you just agree with me and say “yeah she’s a bitch”?” Nicole groaned. 

“Okay sorry Nicole, your Mom is a bitch… fucking… whore.” Jecka hesitated.

“See now I feel better. This is why we have friends.” Nicole smirked. 

“We’re really white…” Jecka sighed. 

“That we are…” I sighed back and then looked towards the school doors. “I guess we should head inside now.”

“I guess…” Nicole said in annoyance and the three of us headed inside.

One good thing about this new school year means no Mr. White and no Coach Colby. So no photography class and no gym class are being held this year as electives since I guess they couldn’t find any new teachers for those classes? God this school fucking sucks. For electives this year, me and Jecka are taking art class while Nicole is taking theater.

The first day of school was pretty uneventful to be honest. It wasn’t until the last class of the day, which was Health class, that things started to take a turn. Amongst the number of people there were me, Jecka, Hunter, Emily, Jeffrey, and for some reason, Principal Lynn was here and not the school’s regular Health teacher. 

“As you might have noticed, I’ll be filling in for your usual health teacher this year, and to begin the semester, we will start on the subject of bullying.” Ms. Lynn began. 

“Aw finally.” I heard Jeffrey say with a breath of relief. 

“Taxes pay for this…” Jecka deadpanned. 

I raise my hand to which Ms. Lynn points to prompting me to ask my question. “Uh, Ms. Lynn? What happened to the school’s health teacher?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but over the summer there was this incident to which she may or may not have overdosed on ketamine.”

“Oh… Well alright then carry on.” I say nonchalantly. I was pretty much used to how fucked this school was at this point. 

“Man, how fucking ironic is it that the health teacher died from an overdose? What, she couldn’t follow her own fucking teaching advice?” I heard Jecka mutter under her breath.

“Now you might not see it as all that serious but there’s been a steep uptick in bullying over the last 10 years.” Ms. Lynn continued. 

“How do you count that?” Emily asked.

“Yeah has it actually gone up or do you just report it more after Columbine?” Jecka asked. 

“No way, it’s definitely gone up.” Jeffrey interjected. 

“That’s really cool that you think that.” Emily replied sarcastically, which made me and a few others chuckle. 

“See? That right there is why it’s a problem!” Ms. Lynn yelled angrily. 

“What??” Emily asked defensively.

“Passive aggressive remarks like that are the bullying that led to the Columbine shooting.” Ms. Lynn pointed out.

“Are you comparing Jeffrey to the Columbine shooters?” Hunter asked, confused.

“Jeffrey’s bullying is no different from any other student in America.” Ms. Lynn corrected herself.

“It’s literally Jeffrey, who cares? Like we’d bully the Columbine shooters.” Jecka said.

Yeah you say that, but Jeffrey ended up causing the Columbine massacre 2.0 before even my first reset so just this once I’m gonna have to disagree with ya Jecka.

“Yeah, I’d fuck the shit out of the Columbine shooters.” Emily added.

Not helping, Emily.

“Excuse me?” Ms. Lynn asked disgustedly. 

“They killed people, that’s cool. All Jeffrey does is bring toys to lunch.” Emily stated. 

“They’re not toys! It’s Magic The Gathering cards!” Jeffrey argued. 

“How bout you magically gather some friends, bitch.” Emily snapped back, which honestly made me snort and started laughing with the other students. 

Okay that one was pretty funny.

“That’s exactly what I mean! Would anyone like to take a guess of how many bullying incidents occur in America per day??” Ms. Lynn asked us. 

“Like five?” Hunter guessed.

“3,600!” Ms. Lynn answered. 

“...Is Jeffrey like half of those?” I asked which made Jecka and the rest of the class laugh.

Okay so I guess I couldn’t help myself.

“I don’t think you get it. You’re only here for 7 hours a day, can you do the math?” Ms. Lynn asked us while sending me a glare for my question. 

“I thought this was health.” Hunter said.

Sometimes I wonder about you Hunter. 

“It means every 7 seconds, a K through 12 student is bullied.” Ms. Lynn explained. 

“Huh… Hey Jeffrey?” Hunter asked, getting Jeffrey’s attention. 

“Yeah?” Jeffrey asked.

“Fuck you. It’s been 7 seconds.” Hunter quipped, making me and the rest of the class burst out laughing.

Okay Hunter, you can be pretty fucking stupid sometimes but that one was clever…

“Damn true.” Emily said in between laughs.

“Emily shut your ho ass up.” Jecka shot at her. 

“What?? You wanna fight!?” Emily asked, pissed off. 

“No, it’s been 7 seconds.” Jecka chuckled. 

“Oh damn now I’m gonna shoot up the school.” Emily said dramatically.

“Hey! That isn’t funny!” Ms. Lynn shouted.

I actually agree with her. I still have nightmares about that time when Jeffrey killed me, Nicole, and Jecka.

“Then why did I laugh?” asked Hunter. 

“That’s it! Just unbelievable!” Ms. Lynn yelled and stormed out of the classroom.’

“...She didn’t really punish us. Should we just keep bullying people?” Jecka asked.

“Yeah they can’t expel all of us.” Emily answered. 

“Cool-Yeah you should fucking die, Jeffrey.” Jecka told Jeffrey.

“Family tree ends with you, Harry Potter watcher.” Emily quickly added but for some reason I noticed that Jecka slightly flinched when Emily mentioned Harry Potter.

Weird.

“Hey, that was a lot sooner than 7 seconds!” Jeffrey complained.

“No, I’m pretty sure we just actually mean that you four eyed fucking bitch.” I told him. 

Okay, yeah. I probably sound like a hypocrite but FUCK this kid! He fucking killed me just because he got outed for wanting to fuck anime cat girls! Besides it’s not like Nicole triggered a school shooter scenario by revealing his fetishes to everyone, so things should be fine…right?

A couple days went by after that. Yesterday, Jecka was talking to Nicole about the bullshit bullying class that me and her were in, and talked about how pretty much everyone was bullying Jeffrey even harder lately because of it. Jecka also mentioned that Emily even fake flirted with him only to just kick him in the nuts right after. That’s when Nicole mentioned that even though she was fake being nice to everyone, including Jeffrey, that there would be nothing on earth that could make her flirt with him. Ari just so happened to overhear that conversation and decided to make a bet with Nicole and Jecka. She bet if she could steal something expensive from the school’s kitchen, then they would have to flirt with Jeffrey for a whole class. Nicole and Jecka accepted, thinking there was no way that Ari wouldn’t get caught but somehow she miraculously stole the school’s hotdog roller without anyone knowing. So that led to Jecka and Nicole flirting with Jeffrey for all of Physics class. 

Today, me, Nicole, and Jecka were sitting at our usual spot in the cafeteria. This wasn’t during lunch though. We just felt like skipping today. Nicole and Jecka still weren’t over the fact they had to flirt with Jeffrey yesterday so they were in a pretty depressed mood.

“Is this what camgirls feel like?” Jecka asked out loud. 

“I think camgirls do a LITTLE more than we did.” Nicole said flatly.

“But at least they get PAID. We had to flirt with that weirdo for free.” Jecka complained. 

“No. We lost a bet. That’s not free, it’s just Ho and Pro Bono.”

“Why did you have to agree to the “flirting with Jeffrey” thing in the first place?”

“Oh so you actually THOUGHT she could steal that hotdog roller?” 

“NO! But…ugh. It’s just that whole class yesterday… “Wow Jeffrey! Your Naruto drawings are sooo good!” EW!” Jecka mimicked what she said yesterday while flailing her arms around. 

“That wasn’t even the worst part. People had to watch us do that.” Nicole cringed. 

“Plus, he probably won’t leave me alone for like a month now. He’s gonna go home to his video games and make created characters of us.” Jecka sighed.

“Yeah, he’ll kill us in Grand Theft Auto .” Nicole said, shrugging her shoulders.

“You can make characters in Grand Theft Auto ?” Jecka asked. 

“Do I LOOK like a bitch who would know?” Nicole huffed. 

Jecka then looked over to me to see if I could answer her question and I just silently nodded which managed to make Jecka look even worse than she did before.

“Ugh… whatever. God, I need a Xanax…” Jecka said and began rummaging through her bra to try and find one. I was trying my absolute best to look away from what she was doing while against my better judgement, stole a few glances, which Nicole caught me doing and then gave me a knowing smirk.

Fuck.

“Wait… where did I put it-” Jecka then looked over and saw Nicole with her mouth open, showing the pill was already lying on her tongue. “Bitch! That was my last Xan! How’d you take that!?” Jecka asked her in confusion.

“Quick hands.” Nicole simply answered after swallowing the pill. “Titty and Xanax. What a combo.” 

“Goes together like peanut butter and Percocet.” Jecka tried joking despite her depressed look. 

“ This is true! ” Nicole said, mimicking what Jeffrey was saying in class.

“Oh yeah! He kept doing that. “This is true!”

“Like he’s too good to say “Yeah.” He has to be a scientist about it.”

“Oh! And what about… Ummm… Okayyy? ” Jecka mocked.

“I HATE it when they do that! Like they gotta sound like the gay comic relief cat in every Disney movie.” Nicole complained. 

“This is true!” Jecka said.

“This is true!” Nicole said back.

“Yes in fact!” I added, joining in on the fun.

“ Quite the interesting outfit!” Nicole told Jecka in the same funny sounding voice.

“Stop screaming, we’re having sex!” Jecka said back in the same voice. 

“What are you doing?” a voice asked us, making the three of us jump a little in surprise and turned to see Emily walking up to us while holding a carton of McDonalds fries. 

“Sounds like you had a class with Jeffrey.” Emily said as she finished walking over to our table. 

“She has McDonalds!” Nicole exclaimed to me and Jecka before turning back to Emily. “Emily, where'd you get McDonalds?” Nicole asked the crazy alt girl.

“...McDonalds?” Emily answered like it was the most obvious question in the world.

“Bitch give me a fry.” Nicole asked, holding her hand out.

“Is that how you ask?” Emily said annoyed. 

“Bitch PLEASE give me a fry.” Nicole corrected herself, which seemed to satisfy Emily enough to feed Nicole a french fry. 

“And yeah we had a class with Jeffrey.” Jecka said, crossing her arms.

“Me too! I could tell. He was drawing pictures of you guys the whole class.” Emily told Nicole and Jecka.

“No way!” Jecka cringed.

“What were we doing in the pictures?” Nicole asked while chewing on the fry Emily gave her. 

“Like… being cute? Making kissy faces with hearts around it.” Emily answered. 

“Nicole, we’re gonna get murdered! We’re gonna get murdered by a guy who can’t even tie his fucking shoes!” Jecka yelled, slamming her fist on the table. 

“Well, at least he won't torture us. Can’t tie a rope either.” Nicole said dryly. 

“Oh yeah! He also did a drawing of you Alex.” Emily said, looking at me.

“He… did? Aw fuck please don’t tell me he swings both ways now?” I asked in fear.

“No. No. Nothing like that. He actually drew himself with big muscles and you were on the ground beat up in front of him.” Emily told me. 

“.......I have no words.” was all I could say back. 

“Don’t worry about it though. I ripped all those drawings up and threw them in the trash. Then I told that ho ass bitch Jeffrey to watch it.” Emily told me reassuringly. 

“You’re the best Emily.” Jecka said with a smile.

“I know. Okay, I gotta go sell the janitor, Adderall, I’ll see you guys later.” and with that, Emily walked out the cafeteria. 

“She’s like the hottest bitch ever.” Nicole said as she watched Emily leave.

“And I love her hair.” Jecka added. 

“What’s gayer? Dating a girl? Or wanting a girl to have sex with your dead body?” Nicole asked us.

“Uh… I guess dating a girl?” I answered for her. 

“Still straight…” Nicole muttered.

Well, alright then.

“What were we talking about… Oh yeah! So, what are we doing for Marketing?” Jecka asked my sister and I. 

“It’s the movie casting thing right?” I asked Jecka.

“Yeah. Yeah. So I was thinking-” Jecka was then cut off with a loud noise coming from outside the cafeteria that sounded almost like a big bang of something.

“I think the AC exploded.” guessed Nicole.

I really hope that’s what that was… I thought to myself, beginning to seem a little nervous.

“That scared me… but yeah. Anyways, the challenge should be a cast of bald guys who DON’T look like they say the N word.” Jecka told us. 

“How is that a challenge?” Nicole asked. 

“Name one.” 

“Vin Diesel-no wait. Bruce Willis-wow this IS challenging.”

Then all of a sudden, a few more loud bangs came from outside the cafeteria, surprising the three of us. 

“Damn that’s a lot of AC units…” Jecka muttered. 

Then all of a sudden, a message from Principal Lynn came from the school’s intercom, and what was said made my entire body freeze in place.

“ATTENTION STUDENTS AND FACULTY: WE ARE IN EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN. PLEASE FOLLOW PROCEDURES AT THIS TIME.”

“What the fuck was that about?” asked Jecka.

Then the three of us jumped as more of those loud noises came out. Only this time, they sounded for sure like gunshots. Then we heard the sound of people screaming in terror as Jeffrey was shouting. 

“Is that…?” Nicole asked as she began to realize what was happening. 

“JEFFREY SNAPPED! WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE!” Jecka shouted in absolute fear. 

“Huh…” is all that Nicole could say. Meanwhile, I was too busy being frozen in fear.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Not again…

Not again…

“What are you two doing!? Let’s go!” Jecka said frantically, causing me to break out of my inner panic. 

“We flirted with him yesterday. We’re the last people he’d kill. Just chill out.” Nicole told Jecka.

“That’s easy for you to say! You did my last Xanax!” Jecka shouted before making a beeline for the EXIT door in the cafeteria. Only to slowly walk back over here in defeat.

“I thought you were running for it?” Nicole asked her. 

“Security locked the doors…” Jecka said before taking her seat back.

BANG

“Damn that was a big one.” Nicole muttered.

BANG BANG

“He won’t be in Rush Hour 3…” Jecka muttered.

BANG BANG BANG

“Okay guys, how about we actually try to get the FUCK out of here!?” I say standing up from my seat.

“Just because his drawing of you was of him beating the shit outta you, doesn’t mean you’re his main target.” Nicole told me. 

“NICOLE! WE ARE FUCKING LEAVING! NOW!” I screamed at her causing both Nicole and Jecka to jump.

I’m not sure if me being forceful for the first time with Nicole is what got her to listen but I wasn’t going to think about it. Me, Nicole, and Jecka were tiptoeing through the halls, careful not to make any noise that could potentially alert Jeffrey. 

We saw… a lot of bodies. I saw Hunter, Megan, and Braxton shot and killed on the floor. Jecka was hyperventilating and was subconsciously gripping my shirt as we passed even more dead bodies of Karen, Kelly, and Kyle. Despite all of Nicole’s big talk from earlier, I noticed even she was slightly shaking at all of this bloodshed.

“I think our best bet is to grab the keys from Principal Lynn’s office and get to Jecka’s car and drive the fuck out of here.” I told the three of them. Nicole nodded but Jecka was still gripping my shirt and staring at the floor shaking in fear. 

“Jecka?” I asked her calmly. 

“We’re gonna die here… We’re gonna fucking die here… I don’t wanna die. I don’t wanna die. I don’t wanna die.” Jecka said and began to once again hyperventilate.

“Oh yeah, talk louder so Jeffrey can kill us faster.” Nicole hissed quietly.

“Sh-shut the fuck up Nicole. We can’t all be…emotionally fucking shut down like you are.” Jecka sobbed quietly to which Nicole just rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

“Jecka. Listen to me.” I have her look me in the eyes. “We are not going to die. Okay? Just please stay calm and this will all be over soon. Okay? I’m not going to let Jeffrey get even close to hurting you or Nicole. Okay?” I ask her to which she slowly nods.

“Okay…” is all Jecka lets out as she begins to calm herself down. 

With that, we ended up passing the janitor’s closet to which we saw both the janitor and Emily killed with a bottle of Adderall spilled on the ground. 

I guess her deal got interrupted…

We finally managed to make it to the Principal’s office, and slumped near the door was Ari’s body. I then noticed that Ari was holding a pocket knife in her hand and took it from her. We then opened Ms. Lynn’s office to find our principal had been shot once in the forehead as it seemed she was shot in her chair, with her body slumped on her desk. I rummaged through Ms. Lynn’s pockets and found the keys that opened all the doors in the school. And with that, the three of us left her office. 

The three of us had finally managed to make it to the main doors without getting caught by Jeffrey. I pulled out the keys that I kept in my pocket and began to unlock the door. That’s when a voice called out behind us. 

“Now, where do you three think you’re going?”  

The three of us turned around and saw Jeffrey staring at us with his gun in hand. For the first time in my life I saw Nicole actually looked scared. I instinctively put myself in front of the two girls and stared at Jeffrey with a glare.

“Why the fuck are you doing this Jeffrey?” I ask him, hoping to stall for time, as I handed Nicole the keys to the doors from behind my back. She took them quickly, and while I had Jeffrey’s attention, she began to slowly unlock the doors, careful not to make Jeffrey notice. 

“I’m doing this because you and everyone else just wouldn’t stop making fun of me. Now you are all going to see what it’s like when you push someone too far.” Jeffrey says as he points his gun at me and begins to move closer to me. 

“So you’re just gonna kill me and then what? You’re going to spend the rest of your life in prison. Fuck, you might even get executed. Is this all worth it to you!?” I ask him in anger. 

“For what you all put me through. It’s MORE than worth it. But I’m not going to kill you right now. That would be too easy. When you’re as lonely as me, you start to notice things. Things like how people look at others. So before I kill you, I’m gonna have you watch while I kill both your own sister, and the girl you love!” Jeffrey then shoves me to the side and has his gun pointed at Jecka.

“I… I… I…” Jecka stutters in fear as she watches Jeffrey put his finger on the trigger, getting ready to squeeze it. 

“NO!” I get in front of Jeffrey’s gun and take multiple shots of lead to my chest. Each shot reminded me of the pain I felt before when this happened the first time. 

No.

I’m not going to die like this.

Nicole is gonna die…

Jecka will die…

I’M GOING TO TAKE THIS FUCKER WITH ME!

I don’t know where I got it from, but I ignored the multiple holes in my chest and with all my strength and adrenaline, I pulled out the knife I got from Ari’s corpse and stabbed Jeffrey in the throat with it. Then I collapsed to the floor. I saw Jeffrey drop the gun and hold his throat to alleviate the pain. Jeffrey then dropped to his knees, fell to the floor, and never moved again.

I smiled. Take that you fucker. But that didn’t stop me from being in incredible pain, and I began to feel myself get weaker and weaker and was slowly beginning to close my eyes.

“NO! NO! NO! FUCK! ALEX! DON’T YOU DARE FUCKING DIE RIGHT NOW!” I heard Jecka shout, and I managed to keep my eyes open long enough to see Jecka crouched down, staring at me with hot tears running down her face. Nicole was standing behind her. Her eyes were wider than anything. I could see she was making fists with her hands and she was shaking a bit. Whether it was in anger or fear, I couldn’t say.

At least Nicole seems a BIT disturbed that I'm dying…

“It’s okay… It’s okay…” I tell Jecka. 

It doesn’t matter. I’ll just reset again. I’m just happy I managed to save the two of you in this timeline.

“IT’S NOT FUCKING OKAY! DID YOU THINK YOU FUCKING LOOKED COOL TAKING A FEW BULLETS FOR ME!? IT DIDN’T! IT LOOKED FUCKING RETARDED! SO PLEASE STOP SAYING SHIT LIKE YOU’RE FUCKING DYING!” Jecka shouted at me, tears continuing to run down her face.

“Sorry… Couldn’t… Help it…” I weakly say out loud, my vision slowly fading.

“ALEX! PLEASE FUCKING STAY ALIVE! THIS IS SUCH FUCKING BULLSHIT!” Jecka cries out. 

“Sorry…” is all I could let out before my vision faded completely. The last thing I saw before the familiar darkness overtook me was Jecka’s tearful expression, as well as Nicole looking down at me one last time. It looked as if she was about to say something but whatever it was, I didn’t end up catching it, due to everything going black.

…….

………..

………………..

…………………………..

“Wake up honey. It’s time for school.”

I opened my eyes once again. But this time, I opened them in confusion. 

What the fuck? Usually, Nicole is the one who is in my room waking me up when I reset. Why is Mom here?

“You need to get ready for school. Nicole is already up and dressed. Try not to upset your sister too much today… she seems to be in a very bad mood this morning.”

Wait… this is what Mom told me on the first day of senior year. Are you telling me…?

After Mom had left my room, I noticed time seemed to freeze, and I was greeted once again by Chrona who was smiling at me. I stared at Chrona in confusion, wondering what was going on. That’s when Chrona finally spoke up. 

“Congratulations on getting through an entire year, Alex Yu. For this achievement, I have decided to award you with a checkpoint.” Chrona said with a grin.

“A…checkpoint?” I ask. 

“Yes. I hope you can appreciate…”

….

…..

………

….this little Re-Up.” 

Chapter 14: Chapter 13

You honestly will not believe how loud the sigh of relief I made when I figured out that I wouldn’t be resetting on the first day of Junior year anymore. Maybe because of this, Reset #74 could be the one. But I don’t wanna jinx it so I won’t put my hopes up too high. One thing I’m really grateful for is the fact that after spending a full year with no resets, I’ve pretty much gained my sanity back in full. I won’t lie to you. I was in a dark place for a good while if that wasn’t already obvious enough. But if I just lost my emotions like Nicole, then what would have been the point of all of this? I’m not going to fall apart ever again.

One thing I am pissed about is the fact that I was in such deep thought about my new checkpoint, I wasn’t able to urge Nicole and Jecka to class on the morning of day one of Senior year, and CRISPIN of all people decided to walk right up to us.

God fucking dammit. I was in such a good mood and now Crispin is here. 

“Oh guys what’s up? Did I tell you I got an iPhone for my birthday?” Crispin asked us in his usual annoyingly friendly mood.

“That’s uh, that’s cool…” Jecka muttered, also annoyed that Crispin was here.

I noticed that Nicole didn’t say anything back. Then I remembered she was pretending to be nice to everyone for an entire year and felt like she couldn’t backtrack anymore. I could tell she was holding in what she REALLY wanted to say to Crispin. So being the good brother that I am, I decided to lay into him for her. 

“Dude, we talk to you like once a month. I don’t even know when the fuck your birthday even IS!” I tell him bluntly. 

“Oh…well yeah it’s crazy cause like I didn’t even know iPhones could do this much, bro.” Crispin went on, clearly not either caring or noticing that I insulted him.

“Will it kill an Asian child? Or is that just when it’s being made?” I asked him.

“That’s uh nah but like there’s all these cool apps. Like I know there’s Youtube and stuff but there’s apps where you can like shoot guns and pop bubbles and stuff.”

“You mean games?” Jecka asked.

“It’s not even like games, it’s just apps. Like there’s an app for this, there’s an app for that.” 

“Is there an app that’ll make you fuck off and kill yourself?” I asked Crispin, groaning about how he wont shut the fuck up.

“Um, is that like a joke or are we?” 

“Just go!” Jecka shouted. 

“Haha… you guys are crazy…” Crispin muttered as he slowly walked away from us.

Once Crispin had left, Nicole finally began to speak. “That alone was way too much in the morning. There's no way I’m getting through these classes.” she groaned. 

“Are you gonna skip again?” Jecka asked her. 

“What choice did he just leave me? I can’t see anyone like him for the rest of the day while pretending to be nice to them or I’m gonna go insane. C’mon let’s go somewhere.” 

“Ugh, fine. So where are the three of us going?”

“Oh, Alex is coming with us?”

“Why can’t he?” 

“Just because the both of you got two obviously fucked up teachers fired and arrested, doesn’t mean you two are joined at the hip. What, have you two been fucking behind my back?”

“N-No! You’ve both just kinda been my best friends since you got here so why is it so weird I wanna hang with both of them together.”

“Ugh, fine.” Nicole gives in but then turns to me. “Just don’t do anything stupid to get us in fucking trouble or whatever.” Nicole warns me to which I just roll my eyes but nod nonetheless. Nicole then prompts me and Jecka to follow her and leads us into the now empty school cafeteria, where we just sit down in boredom.

“This is probably your worst idea yet.” Jecka said flatly.

“What’s easier than sitting in the cafeteria?” Nicole asked.

“Skipping in school is worse than just actually going to class. There’s no TV or alcohol or anything here.”

“Yeah but is there an ice cream vending machine at home?”

“That shit doesn’t even fucking work!”

“No, I think it’s working this week.”

“Okay even if it is, we cut school and eat ice cream all day. What are we six? I need drugs, Nicole!” 

“Ditto.” I add, because honestly I didn’t think I could handle sitting here bored out of my mind any longer.

“What so now if you’re six you can’t do drugs anymore?” Nicole asks Jecka. 

“I could be in Math right now staring at the pregnant girl two rows down from me, that would be more entertaining than this.” Jecka complained. 

“Our school has a pregnant girl? Do I know her?” Nicole asked surprised. 

“Well if you haven’t seen a kid walking around looking seven months pregnant then I’m guessing no.”

“Does she have a camera crew for one of those reality shows?”

“No. I don’t even think she speaks English, she's like a Salvadorian transfer kid.”

“It’s gotta be so weird to be pregnant in school.” 

“Oh all the guys are so mean about it too. They call her Juno to her face, like can’t you just fuck off and stare at her like a normal person?” 

“See? This is gossip, we’re having fun.”

“I guess.”

All of a sudden, Mr. Burleday entered the cafeteria and walked over to us. “And what exactly are the Yu twins and Ms. Winters doing in the school cafeteria at this time? You kids are on your way to class, right?”

“Fuck!” Jecka curses under her breath.

“Yeah! We sure are! We just uh we were getting water for the plants in AP ecosystems. I mean, is that so weird for two of the top students in school to go above and beyond for an AP class?” I ask him nervously.

Mr. Burleday looks at me suspiciously, squinting his eyes behind those glasses he always wears. “Then why is your sister with you? I highly doubt she is in any AP class whatsoever.” he asked.

“Oh, go suck a-” Nicole starts but I cut her off.

“I just asked her to help me and Jecka with getting them all ready for our class! Twins are kinda inseparable when it comes to helping each other out ya know?” I scratch the back of my neck nervously. 

“Hmmm well alright. But I’m going to circle back around in a few minutes and I hope you’ll be off to class by the time I get back.” Mr. Burleday concedes. 

“Yeah of course, no problem.” Jecka said, grateful that I was able to come up with a good excuse and was happy that Mr. Burleday was finally leaving.

“Pedophile…” Nicole muttered under her breath.

“What was that??” Mr. Burleday turned around, clearly hearing what Nicole had just called him.

“Why the fuck?” Jecka hissed at Nicole, pissed off that she ruined everything.

“Oh no pedophile, it’s a new slang term. I know it sounds like the other thing but when we say it it means "cool teacher”.” Nicole said, quickly thinking on her feet. 

“Huh… If that’s the case, being strict is a part of the job but… it is good to be a pedophile every now and then.” Mr. Burleday said with a smile, clearly falling for Nicole’s gigantic lie. 

“Oh my god yeah.” Jecka nods her head frantically, completely shocked that he believed her. 

“Yeah, uh, you got it! You crazy pedophile!” I say giving him a thumbs up, also in shock that he believed my sister. 

“Dude totally!” Nicole said, almost as surprised as me and Jecka were.

“I love being a pedophile!” Mr. Burleday says as he exits the cafeteria.

As soon as Mr. Burleday left, me, Jecka, and Nicole, left quickly to the main foyer of the school, aimlessly walking around. 

“There’s no way he actually fell for that.” Jecka said, referring to Mr. Burleday.

“Honestly, with the shit that goes on at this school, can we even be surprised if he did?” I ask Jecka.

“Good point…” Jecka realized.

“Maybe he actually IS a pedophile and felt like saying it to get it off his chest?” Nicole guessed, shrugging her shoulders. “Maybe you two should go after him next.” Nicole adds, looking at me and Jecka. 

“No, I’m pretty sure he is just fucking stupid.” I replied. 

Truthfully, I really don’t think Mr. Burleday is a pedophile. That rant about his wife killing herself aside, I would argue Mr. Burleday is probably the most “normal” of the teachers here. Even though the bar for that is really really low. 

“Besides, why urge us to try and catch another teacher? What, are we the Scooby Doo gang but instead of catching pedos in costumes it's just pedos with a really bad weekly paycheck?” I ask Nicole. 

“Well if you are then I would say Jecka is the hot bitch Daphne and you’re just the dog who speaks like a fucking retard.” Nicole shot at me. 

Jecka snorted at that and tried to cover her face with her hand, stifling a laugh. I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help but have my lip curling slightly upward, unable to make a straight face at what she just said.

“Whatever. If you MUST know, me and Jecka have talked about trying to get rid of the counselor. Only problem is, the counselor is a bit smarter than Coach Colby so he’s trickier to get rid of. Besides, after getting both Mr. White and Coach Colby arrested, he pretty much has tried his best to avoid talking to us at all times.” I informed Nicole.

“That’s because his bitch ass is scared we’re gonna make him our third victim. As he should be.” Jecka adds. 

If we’re lucky then maybe Nicole could somehow get him arrested again like she did in that one timeline.

“What’re you three doing??” The voice of Principal Lynn broke me out of thought as the three of us saw her from the end of a hallway. 

“Shit, run.” Nicole said, and the three of us made a dash for it. 

We ran for a good bit to make sure that Principal Lynn was off our tail. In the end, we found ourselves in the Dark Room of the Photography classroom.

“I think we’re safe.” Nicole said out of breath.

“Yeah. Ever since Mr. White was arrested, no one comes in here that often except students working on something for another art class and the Photography Club even though I don’t know how they even still exist without Mr. White as the sponsor.” Jecka said also out of breath. 

“Guess we’ll be okay for now.” I say completely fine unlike the other two. 

“How the hell are you not out of breath? We sprinted here all the way from the complete opposite side of the school.” Nicole asked, her breath finally beginning to catch up with her. 

“Because I’ve been working out ever since the beginning of Junior year?” I informed her. 

I mean it’s technically not a lie.

“I literally have never seen you once pick up a weight.” Nicole said flatly.

“You couldn’t see a seven month old pregnant girl at our school so I don’t think you’re exactly in any position to be a credible eyewitness account.” I pointed out to her. 

“Whatever.” Nicole says, rolling her eyes. 

All of a sudden, the door opens and the three of us turn around almost expecting to see a teacher but instead are greeted by Karen.

“Hey… what’re you guys doing in here?” Karen asks us.

“Uh oh.” Jecka said as she flinched a bit when she noticed it was Karen who opened the door.

Weird. I’ve noticed this before in previous timelines but… whenever Karen is around Jecka or whenever she gets brought up in conversation, Jecka always looks… uncomfortable. What’s up with that?

“We were just um… developing pictures.” Nicole says, giving a shitty excuse. 

“But Mr. White was arrested and they haven’t found a substitute for him yet. Plus, neither of you are in the Photography Club.” Karen pointed out, knowing full well that Nicole was full of shit.

“Okay well… I lied, I don’t know what you wanna hear, dude. Nicole said, shrugging her shoulders.

“You’re not using the darkroom to skip, are you? Some of us actually use this place for academics.” Karen said accusingly. 

“Academics. You think a black and white picture of you holding a leaf is gonna wow Georgetown?”

“Extracurricular activities make you look really good on college applications!”

“Do you see how you dress? You wouldn’t look good on anything.”

Aren’t you supposed to be pretending to be nice to everyone Nicole? Guess doing all that running got to her.

“I’m not putting up with this! I’m gonna get the principal and you guys are gonna be expelled for good!” Karen shouts. 

“Oh shit…” Jecka mutters. 

“N-no, come on wait!” Nicole said, now remembering that she’s supposed to be fake nice to people.

“Why should I?” Karen asks. 

“Cause we… wanted to talk about Twilight ?”

“What about Twilight ?”

“What’s your opinion on… how to read it…”

“Okay where’s the principal--” Karen says beginning to turn around but Jecka then cuts her off. “No Karen! What she meant to ask was if you like your favorite Twilight character more than Ron.”

Huh. This might be the first time I’ve seen Jecka talk to Karen like ever. 

“Uh… Well Ron from the Potter books will always be my favorite, but Edward is a pretty close second.” Karen answered who seemed surprised that Jecka was actually talking to her.

“And you’re gonna see the Twilight movie when it comes out?” Jecka asks her. 

“Well yeah I read all the books.”

“At the place in Centerville, right? Cause there’s less people.” Jecka smiled, having an almost nostalgic look on her face.

Huh?

“Yeah, I know it’s run down but I’d rather the movie be empty so I can watch it in peace.” Karen answered, her guard beginning to go down.  

“Will the ticket stub go on your wall?” Jecka asked, almost as if she already knew the answer was yes. 

“For sure, it’s such a big movie. I actually took some of the ticket stubs down for a collage I’m working on right now.” 

“Do you need any help? Me, Nicole, and Alex could help.” 

“Help you fuck off--” I hear Nicole begin to mutter under her breath but is cut off by Jecka who shushes her.

“Uh, yeah the glue can be tricky. I have it on a table out here.” Karen says as she leaves the dark room to go grab it. 

“Cool yeah we’ll be right there in a sec.” Jecka tells her as she leaves. 

“...How the fuck did you know all that?” Nicole asks Jecka in confusion. And to be perfectly honest, I was pretty curious too. 

“We were friends in like 6th grade.” Jecka answered, rubbing the back of her neck with a look that seemed to be a mix of guilt and pity. 

“Ohhh socially obsolete. You made the upgrade and left her ass in the dust.” Nicole summarized. 

“It’s not like I was trying to.” Jecka said, holding her arm with the other as she looked down at the floor for a brief moment. 

“Well, what’s the story?” I ask Jecka. 

“I tried bringing her to lunch in middle school and… She brought up Harry Potter while we’re talking about the Paris Hilton sextape.” Jecka answered.

“Oh that’s a bad awkward. And she directs it at you cause she doesn’t know anyone else?” Nicole asked.

“Yeah, so I looked like a fucking baby in front of the 8th graders.” Jecka grimaced.

“Wow, traded loyalty in for the acceptance of 8th graders.”

“Fuck the acceptance, they were gonna let me try their cigarettes if they thought I was cool.” 

“So she nerded you out of free cigarettes? Yeah, I’d hate her too, honestly.”

“I don’t hate her, it's just like, what do you do with her?” 

“Why not just ask to hang out with her?” I ask Jecka. 

“No I can't, it's weird now. You walk in the cafeteria and see her reading at lunch alone, she’s like a hallucination reminding me how much of a bitch I am. I only said all that shit so she’d forget about the principal.” Jecka answered feeling absolutely guilty over the whole situation. 

I can’t say I’m super surprised at this coming from Jecka. She’s pretty much the walking stereotype of the “popular girl” you see in movies or TV shows. At least she’s self aware that she was horrible. If only Nicole could be like that…

“Wow so you manipulated that poor book-reader with her own childhood. She was your bestie and you sold her up the river, you cold heartless bitch.” Nicole said, clearly trying to guilt trip her. 

“Fuck off Nicole, you and Alex move every two years you don’t have to deal with this shit! I’m just gonna graduate, go to college, smoke a shit ton of salvia, and forget about her.” Jecka tried to rationalize. 

“Hey, was there a slowdown? What’s the problem?” Karen asks, walking back in to check in on us since we didn’t show up to help her yet. 

“Too many to list…” Nicole mutters and we finally follow Karen back into the photography classroom. 

The four of us take a seat at one of the empty desks and Karen pulls out her unfinished collage and the mass amount of ticket stubs, and she begins to sort through them.

“Sorry just sorting out the ticket stubs.” Karen apologizes.

“You said you only save them for the special movies, right?” Nicole asked. 

“Yeah.” answered Karen.

“Why do you have the ticket stub for Balls Of Fury ?” Nicole questioned. 

“Is that the ping pong movie with the fat guy from Lost ?” Jecka asked. 

“I guess. Here put it next to the Star Wars one, they’re basically the same movie.” Nicole said. 

“You’ve seen Star Wars ?” Jecka and Karen both ask in surprise to which Nicole curses under her breath that she let that little tidbit slip out. I decided to answer for her.

“Yeah, our Dad was a fan and he had us watch every single one with him. He even took us to see every prequel in theaters when they came out. I liked them but Nicole was never a huge fan herself.” I told them. 

“I guess Revenge of the Sith wasn’t so bad…” Nicole quietly muttered under her breath, with me being the only one who heard her. I gave a quick smile at this. 

The last movie we saw with Dad huh Nicole?

“Well anyways, thanks again for the help.” Karen says. 

“Yeah no problem.” Jecka says still feeling a bit guilty.

“So anyway, did you hear about what happened with Kelly last week?” Nicole began to gossip as the four of us started to work on Karen’s collage. 

“No.” said Jecka. 

“She was at a party and somebody walked in on her right as a guy skeeted on her face.” Nicole said. 

Gross.

“What the hell? Why wouldn’t she lock the door?” Jecka asked in surprise. 

“I think she wants to get caught.” Nicole guessed, shrugging her shoulders.

“Uh, what do you think, Karen?” Jecka asked her, trying to get her to join on the conversation. 

“What does “skeeted” mean?” Karen asked in confusion. 

“Huh?” Jecka asks in surprise.

“Huh…” Nicole muttered.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone getting “skeeted on”, what does it mean?” Karen asks again.

“Um… so it’s like when a boy--” Jecka began to explain but was cut off by Nicole.

“Dude it's not that hard, it just means to compliment something.” Nicole says with a smirk.

“Uh, what?” I ask Nicole. 

“Excuse me?” Jecka asks, also wondering where Nicole was going with this. 

“Well why don’t you just say compliment?” Karen asks, still confused. 

‘It’s just slang. Skeet, skeeting, skeeted on…” Nicole says. 

Are you fucking kidding me Nicole?

“Like how Jecka skeeted on my collage?” Karen asks unsure if she was using the term correctly. 

“Oh my god…” Jecka mutters in disgust.

“Exactly, I’m skeeting all over your collage right now, it’s awesome.” Nicole grins.

“Thanks, yeah it took so long to put together.” Karen smiles. 

“Yeah you’re pretty cool. Hang out with me and Jecka more and guys are gonna be skeeting all over you.” Nicole says. 

“You really think guys would wanna skeet on me?” Karen asks hopefully.

“Yeah with your glasses on and everything.” Nicole assures her.

“You’re unbelievable…” Jecka mutters. 

“What’s wrong, Jecka?” Karen asks in confusion. 

Okay, this isn’t fucking cool Nicole. She doesn’t deserve to get bullied like this. Especially after hearing what went down with her and Jecka. Jecka, please do the right thing and tell her what Nicole is up to.

“Oh! Um nothing just… nothing.” Jecka says, looking away.

What…? Jecka… are you serious right now?

“Okay. No. I’m putting a stop to this.” I say standing up, surprising all three girls, with Nicole giving me a glare that told me to keep my mouth shut.

“Huh…? What is it Alex?” Karen asked me. 

“Karen, “Skeeted on” means getting cummed on. Meaning a guy came all over Kelly’s face at that party. Nicole was just trying to fuck with you, so you could try saying that to guys and embarrass yourself.” I told her bluntly, shocking Karen. 

“Dude, what the fuck!? Why would you tell her that!?” Nicole asked me, pissed off.

“Wh-what?” Karen looked mortified and began to shake a little.

“Because it’s fucked up to do to someone who was clearly being nice to us!” I argued with Nicole.

“Dude, fuck her! She was going to report us to the principal!” Nicole argued back. 

Karen meanwhile had a look of absolute hurt on her face. But that look wasn’t pointed at me or Nicole. It was at Jecka.

“Jecka… I thought… I thought you were trying to be friends again…” Karen said, tears starting to form in her eyes.

“Karen… I…” Jecka said, feeling like shit and looking at Karen with overwhelming guilt on her face. 

“I… I… I can’t believe this!” Karen shouted and began to cry, rushing out of the classroom in a trail of sobs. 

“This is why I didn’t want you fucking hanging with us! I knew you would pull some fucking bullshit! You’re such a fucking asshole!” Nicole yelled at me.

I give Nicole a harsh glare. “...I’m not surprised you tried to pull something like this. Honestly this is something I should be used to. But you Jecka…” I then turn to the blonde in question. “...I’m really disappointed in you.”

“H-huh?” Jecka asks, beginning to feel hurt. 

“You fucked up with Karen before, sure. You were in the 6th grade. It’s understandable that you did something really fucking stupid when you were younger. I won’t hold that against you. But… you couldn’t at least stick up for her when Nicole was trying to bully her? I know you’re best friends with Nicole and don’t wanna seem lame with her but you were really just going to let her get away with that? With all the shit that me and you have gone through the past year with Mr. White and Coach Colby, I just thought… I thought you were better than that.” I finish and then turn around and walk out the door with my hands in my jean pockets. 

Nicole and Jecka both watch me leave the room in silence. Each had a different look on their face. Nicole had a look of frustration and anger, while Jecka had a look of hurt and guilt.

“I fucking told you that he shouldn’t be hanging with us. He’s just an annoying fucking prick, thinking he’s the better man because he got two assholes arrested that probably would have been caught eventually anyway.” Nicole grumbled.

Jecka however didn’t respond to what Nicole was saying. She just stared at the door I exited from with a rushing flow of emotions going through her all at once. A feeling she hadn’t felt since she cut Karen off in middle school. Except this time, it felt a hundred times worse. Only a single thought plagued Jecka’s mind that hurt her inside completely.

….

………

…………..

“Did I just make myself lose… another best friend?”

Chapter 15: Chapter 14

I walked through the halls, pissed off beyond belief. I really thought Jecka was better than that. I mean sure, she wasn’t the one who was trying to pull something on Karen, but the fact that she didn’t say anything when she knew that Nicole was messing with her is still kinda fucked up. I stopped walking and sighed.

Was I too harsh on her? I mean, I meant every word I said but she really did look like she felt bad…

I shook those thoughts away. I’m not going to take back what I said. I know I was in the right there. I’m pissed now but I’m sure it will pass. I’m just gonna avoid Nicole and Jecka for a bit. Resets be damned. 

My thoughts were then broken at the sound of crying. I turned my head and sure enough, the crying was coming from the girls bathroom. And I had a pretty good feeling who was in there.

I better not get called a pervert for this…

I knocked on the girls bathroom door. “Karen…?” I called out.

A few seconds went by before I finally heard a response “...Alex?” 

“Yeah, it’s me. Look, I’m sorry about what happened back there. Do ya wanna talk?” I ask her from the other side of the door.

“I…I don’t know…” her voice meekly replied. 

“Well, I ain’t gonna force ya. If you need to be alone then that's fine. I’ll leave ya be.” And with that, I began to walk away from the bathroom door.

“W-Wait!” I heard Karen shout and stopped where I was. I heard the sound of a sink running, and paper towels being taken out of a dispenser. The door then swings open and Karen steps out seemingly put back together. 

“This might sound really fucking stupid but… you okay?” I ask Karen.

“...No. I’m not…” Karen says looking down.

“Come on, let’s go somewhere and talk.” I tell her, and the two of us walk over to the school’s courtyard that seemed empty at the time. The two of us then sat down on an empty bench.

“I’m really sorry about Nicole. That’s just how she is. Trust me, I’ve been working on trying to fix that.” I tell Karen.

“The truth is… that’s not even the part that I’m really upset with. I’ve dealt with people messing with me for a while now. I’m used to it. The thing I’m really upset about is… with Jecka…” Karen says, beginning to look upset again.

I nod my head at this. “Yeah, Jecka kinda told me and Nicole the whole story of what happened between the two of you…” I inform Karen.

“I just thought… I thought she was trying to get close to me again. I mean… part of me knew she was just being nice so I wouldn’t go to the principal but…” Karen trailed off and I continued to listen intently. 

“I FUCKING MISS HER OKAY!? I MISS US READING BOOKS TOGETHER! I MISS US GOING TO SEE A NEW HARRY POTTER MOVIE IN THEATERS! I MISS US HAVING SLEEPOVERS AND TALKING UNTIL THE SUN CAME UP! I JUST… miss her so bad…” Karen ranted and ended up beginning to cry in her arms.

I looked at Karen with a sorrowful expression. I put a hand on her shoulder in comfort and watched as she let it all out. Karen finally began to collect herself, using her arms to rub the tears from her eyes behind her glasses. I never thought of carrying tissues around in my backpack before but maybe that’s something I should start doing in case something like this happens again.

“How come you never tried talking to her before?” I asked Karen, taking my hand off of her shoulder. 

“What’s the point? She clearly has never tried talking to me before. She has lots of friends now. Why would she even try to spend time with me again? Why would ANYONE want to spend time with me? I can’t even talk to boys…” Karen mumbled that last part under her breath.

“Come on Karen, don’t say that. You seem like an awesome person to be around. There’s nothing wrong with having some nerdy interests. I have a shelf filled with Batman comics in my room. I know for a fact that any guy would be lucky to spend some time with you.” I finish giving her a reassuring smile. 

Karen looked surprised at my kind words. She looked at me, staring at my face for a few seconds and then all of a sudden she began to blush. 

Uh oh.

“Y-You really mean that…?” Karen asked me, still blushing.

“W-Well yeah! I’m sure there’s a guy out there for you, if you look hard enough.” I tell her, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. 

“T-T-Then… Would you… L-Like to go out sometime… On a…Date?” Karen asked me, blushing a deep color red.

Hooooooooo boy. I was not expecting this. Now what? I did say all that but I still don’t really know Karen that well enough to just go on a date with her. Besides… I’m still a little pissed from earlier but I still have feelings for… Maybe this is just what Karen needs to break out of her shell a little. It’s just one date right? 

“A-Alright. Sure Karen. Let’s go out on a date.” I accept with a nervous smile on my face. 

“R-Really!? O-Okay great!” Karen exclaims excitedly. 

“I should warn you though. I don’t have a car…” I say scratching the back of my head. 

“Oh! That’s okay! I have one we can drive!” Karen assures me.

“Oh, alright cool…” I tell her trying to seem excited about this date idea.

“I kinda have something to do this weekend, so how does next Friday sound?” Karen asks me.

“Yeah, next Friday should work.” I tell Karen. 

“Alright! Awesome! I should get going to class! Hold on…” Karen says as she rummages through her backpack and pulls out a scrap of paper. She then takes out her pen and writes a set of numbers on it and hands it to me.

“Here’s my phone number. Text me!” She tells me as she stands up.

“G-Got it.” I say as I take the piece of paper.

“Okay! Gotta Go! Bye!” Karen quickly says and right as I think she is about to turn around and leave, she inches over to me closely and kisses me on the cheek before running away in a stumble, surprised at herself for being so bold.

I stare blankly at the door she exits from as I feel the part of my cheek where her lips touched. I sigh and look up at the sky. 

I really hope I didn’t make a big mistake there.

…

……

Classes went by normally for a few days after that. I basically spent those days avoiding both Nicole and Jecka at school and just straight up avoided talking to Nicole at home. Eventually, school had finally ended for the day today and I was hesitant to walk my usual way home. Nicole hasn’t exactly talked to me either since what happened with Karen so I didn’t really feel like seeing her so soon after school. Plus I was still pissed with her. I then pulled out my phone and texted Hunter.

 

Alex: yo u still at school?

Hunter: nah I just got home whats up?

Alex: not much u down to hang?

Hunter: sure i got nothin goin on

Alex: cool lets hang at ur place

Hunter: ok ill see ya there

 

With that, I walked from school to Hunter’s house. Took about a half hour but I didn’t mind. The walk was nice and it gave me the chance to really think about everything that had happened a few days ago. Finally, I arrived at Hunter’s and knocked on his door. 

….

…….

MEANWHILE WITH NICOLE & JECKA

 

“Thanks for coming, I know it was super short notice.” Nicole says to Jecka who walks in the door.

“Yeah so what do you need all this shit for?” Jecka asks whilst holding the supplies Nicole had asked her to bring earlier that day.

“Okay don’t freak out.” Nicole says as she goes over to the other side of the room and pulls out a wrapped package with “MS-13” written on it and drops it on the table.

“You found it??” Jecka asks, holding her hands up in surprise.

“Was this yours or something?” Nicole asks.

“No-- there’s a rumor going around that some gang kid lost a huge thing of coke at our school.”

“That Braxton kid just ditched it in front of me while running from school security.” 

“And you didn’t think “oh that’s a lot of illegal drugs, maybe more trouble than they’re worth”.”

“Since when are we afraid of the law?”

“I’m not talking about the law, I’m talking about MS-13’s name on the side of the fucking bag! They’re gonna kill you if they find out.” 

“How do you know who MS-13 is?” 

“One of my friend’s cousins was in MS-13”

“I guess everyone’s friend’s cousin’s in MS-13 now-- and no way it’s MS-13, why would a gang put their name on their drugs?”

“What if it was supposed to be delivered to them?” 

“What shitty ass drug dealer would keep their customer’s names in writing?”

“A really fucking stupid one, as in stupid enough to bring this to a public SCHOOL??”

“Alright don’t worry about it, they won't even know we had it when we’re finished.”

“Finished with what?”

“You brought the supplies, right?”

“Yeah for… You brought me here to COOK CRACK!?”

“Yeah what else is baking soda for?”

“I don’t know, BAKING!?”

“Dude why are you freaking out? We’ve had drugs before.”

“Yeah, percs and robo not go-to-jail drugs!”

“Okay just lemme borrow your stuff, I need the community service hours.”

“What does making crack do for the community?”

“Nothing. Selling crack’s another story.”

“We live in cul-de-sacs, who’s gonna buy this?”

“I’m not selling it here.”

“Oh my god… This is gonna ruin my parents’ serving spoon.”

“Just buy another one.”

“It’s from Tiffany.” 

“Why would you bring a Tiffany serving spoon to make crack?”

“You never told me what it was for!”

“Look calm down, this’ll take like an hour at most.” 

And with that, Nicole and Jecka began making crack like Walter White and Jesse Pinkman did on a regular Tuesday afternoon. An hour had passed and it looked like they were about done. 

“I think we’re getting the hang of this. We filled so many baggies.” Nicole said, her face leaning on the palm of her hand.

“But how do we know if it’s good?” Jecka asked.

“The guy on the internet said if you break one of the little shards it should give a really nice snap.” Nicole explained. 

After being told that, Jecka decided to give that a try and took one of the shards of crack and bent it but it didn’t snap. 

“That was bad.” Jecka commentated. 

“Try another one.” Nicole told her.

Jecka did just that and sure enough, the next one she bent gave a really nice snapping sound. 

“Oh it worked.” Jecka noticed.

“So it’s good enough.” Nicole concluded. 

“God my gums are still numb from rubbing this shit.” Jecka said as she touched her gums with her finger.

“It’s good, right?” Nicole asked.

“Oh my god yeah.” 

“I wanna try coke for real but I feel like I’d kill someone on it.”

“Oh… I just don’t wanna OD but good to know your potential.”

“Alright the whole room smells like burnt plastic so I think we made enough today.”

“My parents are gonna be so mad when they see this spoon.” Jecka muttered dejectedly, staring at the now ruined spoon.

“Just leave it here, it’s better lost than ruined.” Nicole shrugged.

“That’s true…Hey uh Nicole? Can I ask you something?”

“No, I don’t think you could pull off being a redhead. You’d look like if the Wendy’s mascot suddenly became hot and then decided to fuck Ronald McDonald.”

“No, not that. Has uh, Alex talked to you about the whole Karen thing?”

“His ass hasn’t talked to me, period. Not that I would even listen. He should literally go fuck off and die for being a little snitch.” Nicole muttered angrily.

“Come on… You don’t mean that right? Isn’t he your twin brother?”

“My dad shot himself, My mom is addicted to wine and pills, and my older brother is asking 13 year olds to send him ass pics so why shouldn’t I put another family member down on the “Fuck You” list?” 

“He… He isn’t like them though…”

“Dude why are you even defending him? I know you two had your whole little crime busting thing going on for a bit but that was a while ago. Wait… Do you…?”

“N-No! I-It’s just that… you two are like the only people who I think are really cool so it would just suck to not hang out with one of them anymore…”

“I mean, I’m still cool with you. What, am I suddenly not enough anymore?”

“No! That’s not it! Just… nevermind. Forget it…” Jecka sighs as she looks down at the table.

“Whatever…” Nicole says, rolling her eyes. “Anyways, I gotta go to PG county now. Can you give me a ride?” Nicole asks Jecka.

“I’m not driving to PG county, Nicole! What if my car gets stolen?”

“Oh so you’ll freebase crack but not drive through a black neighborhood? What’re you Ronald Reagan?” 

“I helped you with your community service project, you won’t guilt me into anything.”

“Plus, you basically complained to my face that you lost your chance at fucking my brother.” 

“TH-THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID BITCH!” Jecka stammered with her face getting red out of embarrassment and anger. 

“Fine, whatever. Just drive me to the Franconia station, I’ll take the metro.” Nicole huffed, rolling her eyes at Jecka’s little outburst.

“Fine! But I’m not driving you back.” Jecka huffed, recovered from Nicole’s little comment.

“No problem, I’ll have plenty for a cab when I’m done.” Nicole said confidently. 

….

………

……………

A FEW DAYS LATER

 

A new drug dealer is said to be on the rise around town that the police have been searching for. No one really knows anything about them except for their codename. “White Roxie”. I didn’t really care though. I had bigger things to worry about. My date with Karen is tonight. Even though this is just me trying to help her be more confident, I still decided to dress up for the night, wearing a pair of black jeans and a nice collared shirt. Karen texted me saying she was on her way to pick me up, and we were going to Olive Garden. Not exactly super romantic but trust me I didn’t mind at ALL.

I was currently sitting down on the couch, watching YouTube videos on my phone until I heard a knock on my door. I got up and walked over to open the door, and when I opened it, I was greeted by Karen wearing a white blouse and blue jeans, smiling at me. I noticed she was wearing makeup too. To be honest, she did look really pretty. 

“Hey there Alex! Are you ready?” Karen asks me excitedly. 

“Sure am. Let’s get going.” I smiled back and with that the two of us got into her car and drove off for our date.

Welp. Here goes nothing.

Chapter 16: Chapter 15

It wasn’t a long drive to get to Olive Garden. Once we got there we went inside and the hostess seated us at a booth right away. I’m surprised we didn’t need a reservation but then again who the fuck calls in advance to reserve a table for OLIVE GARDEN of all places. Anyways, our waitress came to serve us and the two of us both ordered water and we began to look at the menu.

“So…any thoughts on what you’re gonna get?” Karen asked nervously.

“Huh? Oh uh maybe the fettuccine alfredo? That sounds pretty good.” I tell Karen.

“Oh, nice! I was thinking of the chicken parmesan.” Karen said with a smile.

“That sounds pretty good too.” I smiled back and then a silence filled the air.

Man, why is it awkward right now? I’ve been on plenty of dates before. Maybe it's because I don’t like her in a romantic sense? Come on Alex, you’re being an ass. I’ll just make some small talk with her.

“So how are classes going? I know we’re in a few of the same classes this year but how are ya doing overall?”

“Oh, I’m doing great! I assume you are doing great too considering we’re both Honors students.” Karen said with a smile.

Yeah you heard her right. I mentioned this before but in case you forgot, I’m an Honors student now. Like I said before, doing multiple resets of a school year can really make ya do insanely well on tests and shit. I don’t really even bother studying anymore but I guess I’ll have to get back into the habit of studying again since it’s a new year and I can’t have every answer memorized like I did during my Junior year. Our school only has six Honors students recognized by the district. Me, Karen, Jeffrey, Megan, Ari, and Jecka. You’re probably surprised that Jecka is one of those five but from what she tells me her dad is constantly on her case about doing well in school so she gets into a good College. I don’t know what he tells her to keep her motivated but I guess it works?

“Yeah, classes have been going well. AP physics has been a bit of a challenge though.” I answer honestly.

“Oh! Well if you want… I can come over and help you study?” Karen blushes and tries to hide her face with the menu.

“Oh uh maybe. I’m sure we can plan something like that.” I say scratching the back of my head.

After that, our server came back with our drinks and we both ordered our food. We talked for a bit about various things. The Twilight movie that was gonna be out in November, the Harry Potter books and films, even Karen’s favorite episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Eventually our food had arrived and we began to eat. The fettuccine alfredo was pretty damn good but these unlimited breadsticks were the fucking BOMB. They had nothing on Red Lobster’s cheddar biscuits though. It seemed that Karen was enjoying her meal too which was good. She then looked at me with a smile.

“I’m having a great time.” Karen said and as she said that her hand hesitantly went over to be placed on top of mine which made me flinch. Karen unfortunately noticed this.

“Is… Is everything okay? Am… Am I being too forward? I’m so sorry, It’s just that I think you’re really c-cute and I don’t really do dates and--” Karen stammered on like this for a good minute before I had finally interrupted her rambling. 

“Look, Karen… You are really great. You ARE. But the thing is…” I begin to be honest with her but I am interrupted by the loud sound of the entrance doors of the restaurant being kicked open. Me and Karen both turned to see lots of guys with lots of guns.

What. The. FUCK?

“¡Está bien, que nadie se mueva!” yelled one of the men before opening fire on his assault rifle onto the ceiling of the establishment.

Unfortunately, most people who were eating here didn't speak Spanish so there was lots of panic and lots of people tried running from their seats which led to lots of people getting shot. Tables were flipped over, blood was splattered, and screams filled the air. Now here is the even crazier part. The chefs of the restaurant came out fully loaded with guns too and started firing at the guys who broke in which incited a firearm war in the middle of the restaurant. Me and Karen were hiding behind one of the flipped tables. Karen was hyperventilating next to me while I was taking glances at the fight between the intruders and the Olive Garden employees.

“We’re gonna die. We’re gonna die. We’re gonna die.” Karen said repeatedly, shaking like a leaf.

“The fuck are you guys doing here?” A new voice let out that caused me and Karen to both turn our heads to unexpectedly see a person we both knew that had just suddenly appeared in hiding with us from behind the table.

“The FUCK are you doing here Emily!?” I asked the psycho scene girl.

“That’s what I just asked you guys. Are you guys on a date?” Emily asked us nonchalantly.

“S-So what if we are? Why are you here anyway??” Karen asked Emily, almost seemingly forgetting our current situation.

“Oh, well ya know that new drug dealer “White Roxie” from PG county that everyone’s been talking about lately? Well, one of my boyfriends who is in MS-13 said that there's a rumor that they have been in cahoots with the Italian Mafia so they decided to hit up one of their secret bases.” Emily explained, shrugging her shoulders.

“...Okay so you just said a LOT there so let me try to break this down. So first of all why the FUCK do you have a boyfriend who is in MS-13? And second, are you fucking telling me that one of the Italian Mafia’s fronts is for the Italian restaurant equivalent of a Chilis?” I ask her, my left eye twitching at the ridiculous explanation given to me.

“Well, my boyfriend gets me a lot of drugs for free so like how the fuck do you expect me to turn that shit down? And why wouldn’t the Italian Mafia be hidden at Olive Garden? It’s called hiding in plain sight. Duh.” Emily said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Why can’t this town EVER be fucking normal?

“Ugh, my boyfriend got blood all over my new top, what the fuck.” Emily complained angrily. “I am SO going to break up with him. Hey… Alex you’re not that bad looking. Wanna be his replacement?” Emily asked as she tried to wipe the blood off her shirt.

Before I can even think of trying to come up with a response to THAT, Karen spoke up first.

“B-Back off!” Karen said which apparently to her seemed to be an appropriate time to want to defend your date.

“What the FUCK did this four eyed bitch just say to me?” Emily asked, pissed off. “Hey Rico! Come kill this bi-” I had to cover Emily’s mouth before she could say anymore. Thankfully the sounds of gunfire were so loud that no one heard her.

“Fine, sure, I’ll be your boyfriend if you get us out of here without getting shot.” I say quickly in hopes she does just that.

“That’s what I thought.” Emily said with a smirk. 

Luckily, Karen didn’t say anything more and Emily helped lead the two of us to one of the back exits of the restaurant without getting caught up in whatever gang war was going on.  We made it to the parking lot and had managed to get into Karen’s car. Karen was still shaken up so I had to be the one to drive. We drove Emily home and dropped her off. Before we left her driveway, Emily looked like she wanted to talk so I rolled down the window. 

“Hey, so where are you taking me out for our first date?” Emily asked.

“Yeah, about that…” I then hit the car into reverse, backed out fast as fuck, and then proceeded to drive away as fast as humanly possible with Emily watching us with a blank look.

“Huh. Maybe his sister would be down to fuck instead.” Emily said to herself.

…..

………

…………

Me and Karen finally made it back to my house. Karen looked like she had recovered from earlier so she told me she would be able to drive herself home just fine. The two of us got out of her car so she could get back into the driver's seat but before she could re enter her car, I decided to talk with her.

“Hey… so, sorry about your first date ending with a gang war at Olive Garden.” I tell her whilst rubbing the back of my neck.

“Well, I didn’t exactly… expect that to happen but uh there’s actually something else I want to talk to you about. Alex… you don’t actually like me in that way… do you?” Karen asked me.

“Huh? Oh uh if this is about that whole me agreeing to be Emily’s boyfriend thing I was just saying that to-” I start to explain but Karen cuts me off. 

“No, it’s not that. It’s okay Alex. I had a feeling of what you were trying to do. You felt bad for me right?” Karen said looking dejectedly. 

“What? Karen, no. I just thought if we went on a date then maybe you could come out of your shell a little and be more confident with guys.” I try to explain to her.

“R-Really?” Karen asked.

“Yeah, and I think it worked a little. You made some pretty bold moves. You kissed me on the cheek, held my hand at the dinner table, you initiated conversation. You did great. Just maybe in the future, try to tone it down a little. Some guys might be into it but others might be turned off when someone is too forward.” I tell Karen.

“Wow… thanks Alex. But if you don’t mind me asking, is there any specific reason you aren’t interested in me?” Karen asked, tilting her head a bit.

“Oh uh well…” I tried to think of a good answer but Karen chuckled a little.

“It’s okay Alex. I know. You like her don’t you?” Karen asked me with a knowing look and a sad smile.

“...Yeah I do. A lot actually.” I say in full honesty.

“I had a feeling. You kept taking glances at her when you guys helped me with my collage. To be honest… I’m not that upset. I think you would be good for her. I think she needs someone like you.” Karen tells me with a sincere smile. 

I smiled back at Karen. I knew on the inside she must have been hurting. But I just have to be honest with myself. I’ve had a few relationships before, whether they were romantical or just physical and each time I was in one, I didn’t try to pursue anyone else because that just didn’t feel right to me. Normally this reasoning wouldn’t be applied to crushes but… this time… it’s a special case. 

“It’s getting pretty late. I should get going now.” Karen told me as she opened the driver's door of her car. 

“Yeah. You’re right. Drive home safely.” I say to her with a smile.

“I will. Oh and Alex? Good luck.” Karen tells me and with that she gets into her car and drives off. I watch her until I no longer see her car on our street. I then turn around and open my front door.

“I’m home!” I called out. Mom was probably home now. I think she got a job working at some kosher deli. Sure enough she was and it looked like…she was crying?

“Mom, what's wrong?” I ask her in confusion.

Mom turns her head and sees me walk in through the door. “Oh Alex…” Mom whimpers. “It’s your sister… She’s… She’s been arrested for selling crack!” Mom sobs as she downs a glass of red wine. 

…Yeah that WOULD be how tonight ended.

……….

………………

……………………….

It’s been about two weeks since Nicole was found guilty of manufacturing and selling drugs. Turns out Nicole was “White Roxie” all along. Don’t know how I didn’t see THAT coming but nothing I can do about that now. It’s only a matter of time before another reset occurs. I mean sure, I can just kill myself to help speed things along but sometimes killing yourself ACTUALLY hurts. Weird right? So I think I’ll just wait this one out. Should be any time now. Jecka had shown up at my house and told me she was going to visit Nicole today so I went with her. We haven’t really talked in a while so the car ride was pretty awkward. Finally, we made it to the penitentiary that Nicole was in. We arrived at the visitors room and Jecka told me she was gonna see her first which I was fine with. I waited a good 10 minutes before Jecka came back in an almost annoyed expression. I didn’t say anything and just walked in to be greeted by a pissed off looking Nicole.

“Oh, look who it is. I bet you fucking tipped Bitch Lynn off on what I was doing didn’t you?” Nicole said accusingly. All I did was sigh and close my eyes.

“...Remember when Dad would teach you how to play the guitar?” I asked her.

Nicole looked surprised at this question, staring at me like I had recently just lost my mind.

“What…the actual fuck does that have ANYTHING to do with what I just said?” Nicole asked bewilderedly. 

I smiled and ignored Nicole’s question completely. “I loved watching you guys play together. I think that’s when you were the most happy. Like I mean REALLY happy. Not the fake happy you try to sell everyone at school. Or did anyway. It made me think that maybe you could be famous from how good you were getting. But shit happened. Now you’re here. From selling crack. But that’s okay. I’m not gonna blame you or myself anymore. I can only blame the way things turned out and accept them from now on. Like how I can now accept you for who you are now. I hope when the next reset happens, I can show that a little more.” I finished looking at her with a sad smile.

Nicole stared at me like I was genuinely insane. She had absolutely no idea where all this was coming from or what exactly I was talking about.

“Wh-What the fuck…? What the fuck are you talking about? Reset? Wh-Are you high right now? Did you sneak me some? Please fucking tell me you did because I can not spend another night sober in here.” Nicole pleaded.

“...I’ll see ya soon Nicole.” and with that I left, hearing Nicole’s shouts for me to turn around and come back and a few insults too as I exited back into the waiting room for visitors. Jecka was sitting in one of the chairs and stood up as soon as I walked back in. 

“How… was it?” Jecka asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Went about as I expected. First she blamed me for her being locked up and then she asked if I had smuggled any drugs for her.” I said casually. 

“Oh…”

“...Hey Jecka I-”

“I’m sorry.” Jecka said, quickly cutting me off.

“...Huh?” I asked in confusion.

“I’m sorry that I was such a bitch before. I should have said something when Nicole was fucking around with Karen but I didn’t. To be perfectly honest…I do miss Karen a lot. She was pretty much my childhood and I cut her off. You were right to be pissed off. I’m a big fucking disappointment.” Jecka finished leaving me with a shocked expression all over my face.

That shocked expression quickly faded as I stared at Jecka with a look of sympathy. “You’re not a disappointment Jecka. You’re anything but that. Yeah, you fucked up before. Who hasn’t? It’s what you do now and later that matters the most. You’ve changed a bit since a year ago. I don’t think I could have ever imagined you apologizing like this.” I say to Jecka.

“Well, don’t get used to it, I’m already super fucking embarrassed I had to say all of that shit…” Jecka grumbled to which I laughed.

“Baby steps I guess.” I say chuckling. “I do mean what I said though. You are not a disappointment Jecka. Don’t ever think that.” I tell her earnestly. 

Jecka had remained quiet for a bit. As if her mind is trying to put together what she really wanted to say. She had thought for a while now about how to apologize and what she really wanted to say after that. She hesitated for a good 30 seconds, whether it was out of fear or anxiety, she wasn’t sure. She internally wished she had taken a Xanax before doing this but managed to tough it out. It took a while to find the right words for what she was going to say next, and she just hoped that the response would be in a positive light. 

“Alex… I…” 

……..

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“Wake up honey. It’s time for school.”

I sigh and open my eyes to see the familiar sight of the ceiling in my room as I wondered what Jecka was going to say next.

And so another “first day” begins…

 

Chapter 17: Chapter 16

The first day of Senior year began once again. It started out the same way at first as it always does. For some reason Crispin interrupted our conversation a lot sooner than last time but I wasn’t all that surprised. Tiny little shifts like this happened often. But of course since Crispin was joining in on the conversation, that meant Nicole is going to plan on skipping again and sure enough that’s exactly what happened. Only this time, instead of hanging around the school, Nicole decided for us to just go back home with Jecka while Mom was out. So there we were just sitting on the couch in our living room trying to figure out what to do next.

“...You wanna watch MythBusters?” Nicole asked. 

“This is like a really bad date.” Jecka deadpanned. 

“At least we’re not in school.” Nicole shrugged.

“That’s a horrible comeback for that. What are you gonna do when you’re 25 and working at Outback Steakhouse? “Well at least we’re not in school”.” Jecka mocked which made me chuckle.

“I would never fucking work at Steak Back Outhouse.” Nicole argued, completely butchering the name of the restaurant. 

“As long as you don’t end up working at Olive Garden…” I mutter under my breath.

“What’s wrong with Olive Garden?” Nicole asked me, confused. 

“Oh, uh, it’s just that place is basically an Italian version of Red Lobster except their breadsticks ain’t as good as the cheddar biscuits that Red Lobster has.” I said quickly.

“Shit, you right.” Nicole nodded. 

“Whatever, this still doesn’t change the fact that we’re stuck here, without gas money, and your Mom only pays for the basic cable package.” Jecka complained. 

“...So you don’t wanna watch MythBusters?” I concluded.

“We literally just left school to avoid men who go “this is true”-- Why the fuck would I watch a show about them?” Jecka asked, annoyed.

“I heard every other episode they accidentally show you a new way to make crystal meth.” Nicole defended.

…I’m just gonna pray THAT doesn’t lead to another “White Roxie” incident…

“Did they ever do one on cigarettes causing cancer?” Jecka asked.

“If cigarettes were in Star Wars then maybe?” Nicole asked unsure. 

“Can I smoke in here?” Jecka asked the two of us.

“You can, I don’t know if you should cause our Mom might get mad.” I told Jecka.

“Okay well the two of you aren’t exactly close with your mom, and you both hate your brother so like just let me smoke in here.” Jecka pleaded.

“Holy shit calm down. You’ve only been smoking for like a year, how are you addicted?” Nicole asked. 

“Have an alternative?” Jecka asked.

Nicole and I looked at each other. We could try to break into Mom’s medicine cabinet but she reinforced the locks so we can’t even make a dent in it anymore. So we decided to just let Jecka smoke in here but not before having her give us one too. Pretty soon the entirety of the living room was filled with smoke.

“Why’s smoking indoors so bad anyway?” Nicole asked out loud.

“Cause it makes the carpet smell like cigarettes.” Jecka answered.

“But it smells good, cigarettes are like air fresheners.” Nicole replies whilst letting the smoke fill her lungs before puffing it out.

“They make you look cool too. I feel like a doctor in an 80’s movie.” Jecka said.

“Yeah take a fatass drug before you tell a mother of 3 she has cancer.” I joked.

“Like sorry bitch I’m just livin over here.” Jecka finished my joke with a grin.

All of a sudden, Gabe came up from the basement and ended up having a coughing fit with all the smoke in the room.

“What the hell are you guys doing in here??” Gabe asks.

“Oh shit.” Jecka says and the three of us quickly threw the cigarettes on the floor and stomped them out.

“Uh doing what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nicole said, pretending to be innocent. 

“You see all the smoke in here, Mom said you can’t smoke in the house!” Gabe yelled at us.

“Mom also said “move the fuck out, you’re 27 “ but I guess that didn’t register either.” I shot back at him which made Nicole slightly chuckle.

“As if, like I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” Gabe scoffed.

“Oh, shut the fuck up. You just came up here to bother us because we have a hot girl down here with us.” Nicole said with a smirk.

“No!” Gabe yelled defensively.

“It’s the cigarettes, they make me look hot.” Jecka grinned.

I’m not exactly arguing with that…

Nicole then looks over to me and Jecka and grins as if an idea came to her mind on how to fuck with our older brother even more.

“Not like you could have even had a chance in the first place considering Alex already beat you and every other guy to the punch.” Nicole smirked.

“Wh-What?” Jecka and I both asked in confusion.

“Yeah, weren’t the two of you about to go up to Alex’s room for a bit?” Nicole asked us with a coy grin. That’s when me and Jecka noticed how jealous Gabe looked at that moment and we realized where Nicole was going with this.

“O-Oh yeah, right. Alex was just about to take me upstairs and show me around his bed.” Jecka said in a flirtatious voice. 

“Y-Yeah. I made sure to bring a shit ton of protection too.” I said in the same flirtatious tone as Jecka whilst my cheeks began to burn a bit.

“O-Oh, good! Th-That way we can go lots of rounds.” Jecka said with her cheeks beginning to turn red too.

Her cheeks only turned red out of embarrassment….right?

What we said seemed to work because Gabe looked pissed off beyond belief with a slight look of jealousy in the mix. 

I know I gave Nicole a lot of shit in the last reset for messing with people but I’m not exactly complaining about it this time…

“WH-WHATEVER! All I came down here for was to grab some lunch cause I was starving but now my appetite’s ruined because of how bad it smells in here now! So you two can go upstairs and fuck if you want cause I’m snitching hard to Mom, bro!” Gabe yelled. 

“Yeah, complain to your Mom that your little brother got to have sex with a girl who’s too young for you, see how that works out…” Jecka muttered under her breath but Nicole shushed her.

“Come on, can’t you just go back in the basement and play with your toys?” Nicole asked Gabe.

“Video games are not toys! That’s it, I’m calling Mom!” Gabe declared and began to turn around.

“Okay okay wait!” Nicole said, stopping Gabe. 

“This better be good.” Gabe said, turning back around.

“Wh-what about lunch?” Nicole asked.

“What about lunch?” Gabe repeated.

“Don’t call Mom we could just go get you a pizza and like don’t even worry about it.” Nicole offered.

“Yeah you can’t miss lunch you’re gonna be sooo hungry.” Jecka added.

“Aw say it like that again, that’s hot.” Gabe creepily smirked and I had to fight off the urge to kick his ass right then and there.

“God dammit.” Jecka grumbled.

“Dude we’ll look the other way on your minor fetish and get you a pizza, okay?” Nicole asked.

“Does he have a major fetish?” Jecka asked, confused.

“No, his major fetish is a minor fetish.” Nicole explained.

“So what’s the fetish?” Jecka asked again, still confused.

“I told you, a minor fetish.” Nicole said again.

“I know it’s a minor fetish, what’s the fetish for?” Jecka asked once again clearly not getting the picture.

“Minors.” I told Jecka, hoping she understood now.

“Like guys that dig coal?” Jecka asked, tilting her head to the side.

I fell for an airhead didn’t I?

“Not those minors.” I say to Jecka.

“So shitty baseball players?” Jecka asked.

“What? No!” 

“Then what’s the fetish?” 

“Um… He’s into girls under the age of 18.”

“Oh that’s not good… Why are we getting him pizza?”

“Are you guys actually gonna get me food?” Gabe asked us impatiently, breaking us out of our dispute.

“Yeah, sure, we’ll pick it up somewhere. Let’s go.” Nicole told me and Jecka.

“Wait, I didn't even tell you what I wanted on the pizza!” Gabe shouted.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“Okay uh… Pepperoni, ham, bacon, meatballs, sausage, and sliced sausage too so like the crumbled American sausage with the more Italian sliced sausage, chicken, buffalo chicken, extra cheese…” Gabe went on and continued to list every topping he could think of.

“Is this a pizza or a grocery list?” Jecka asked in bewilderment.

“So you got all that?” Gabe asked us.

“Uh yeah, could we borrow a 20?” I asked him.

“Aw yeah here ya go, Mom left me extra pizza money today anyway.” Gabe says as he hands me a $20 bill which I just stuff into my pocket.

“At 27…” Jecka muttered.

“Okay we’ll be right back.” Nicole said, and with that, the three of us left the house to hop into Jecka’s car and drove off to Domino’s.

We arrived in the Domino’s parking lot and as soon as we did, Nicole and Jecka both looked over at me. 

“Go order the pizza. Me and Jecka are gonna smoke while we wait.” Nicole told me.

“Why do I have to get the pizza?” I asked her.

“Because you’re lucky enough I agreed for you to skip with us in the first place so make yourself useful and go do it.” Nicole told me as she began to light a cigarette.

I grumbled but complied regardless. I left the car and went inside Dominos. As soon as I entered, I went straight to the front counter to give the order that Gabe told me, and to my surprise the person at the counter was someone I didn’t expect to see.

“Ari?” I asked in surprise.

Ari looked just as surprised to see me. “Alex? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at school?” Ari asked me.

“That should be my line. I get that you work here but why are you working during school hours?” I asked, confused.

“Well, I kinda decided to skip school so I can pick up an extra shift. Money is actually kind of tight for my family right now…” Ari looked down a bit as she rubbed her arm.

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that.” I tell her, starting to feel bad. “Well, me, Nicole, and Jecka are skipping too but we kinda have to buy our fatass brother a pizza right now and it’s kind of a long story to have to explain why, soooo…” I droned on. 

“Oh! Right, sorry! What would you like to order?” Ari asked me, switching right into work mode.

I told Ari the exact order that Gabe had given me and she went on and put that into the register.

“Okay… with all those extra toppings, your total comes to $62.57.” Ari finishes.

My left eye twitches as I hear the price total. I know he gave me $20 but I have to spend an extra $40 because this fat fuck wants everything on his goddamn pizza?

Ari seemed to notice that I was visibly upset over the price of the pizza so she decided to make me a deal. “Tell ya what? I’ll pay for the pizza but in exchange you need to do me a huge favor.” Ari whispered to me. 

I raised an eyebrow at this wondering what this supposed “favor” could be. “Okay… what’s the favor?” I asked.

“I can’t really get into it here. I’ll tell you as soon as I get the chance but it’s nothing too bad I promise.” Ari tells me. 

I mull it over for a few seconds before sighing and agreeing. I really didn’t want to spend that much money over a pizza anyway and whatever Ari needed me to do couldn’t be that outrageous. She is pretty chill compared to a lot of the other girl’s at this school ( cough cough Emily cough cough) . 

Eventually I was handed the pizza and I said my goodbyes to Ari before exiting Domino’s and rejoining Jecka and Nicole in the car.

“Alright, I got the pizza. Let’s head back.” I told the two girls. They both nodded and we drove back to our house.

“Alright Gabe, here’s your pizza.” I say as the three of us enter the house.

“Aw sweet. Just what the doctor ordered.” Gabe said, smacking his lips.

“Bet that doctor wasn’t Dr. Oz…” I muttered under my breath.

“Can you leave us alone now?” Nicole asked him.

“Fine, whatever. I’m about to go hit up some online bitches anyhow.” Gabe said.

“Oh my god, is our house gonna end up on Dateline again?” Nicole groaned.

“Dateline? Oh yeah that's right, you’re into teenage girls huh?” Jecka asked.

“Uh… When you say “teenage”, how old are we talking here?” Gabe asked nervously.

“That was way more words than no…” Jecka cringed.

“Why is everyone a god damn ageist!?” Gabe yelled.

“Dude, nobody cares, just go in your basement with your pizza and prey on children.” Nicole told him.

“Fine, dumb bitch. And they’re not children, they’re overdeveloped middle schoolers.” Gabe grumbled as he took his pizza with him back into the basement.

“That’s… That’s swell.” Jecka said flatly.

“Finally, he’s fucking gone. Dealing with him just made me wish I was back at school being depressed. Hey, actually, you know what would really cure my depression? Marilyn Manson’s gonna be in town.” Nicole told Jecka.

“At MCI?” Jecka asked.

“Next Friday.” Nicole told her. 

“I thought you wanted to see Marilyn Manson?” Jecka asked, confused.

“I do.” Nicole said.

“Then why’d you bring up the Ice Cube movie?” Jecka asked even more confused, once again tilting her head to the side.

Yeah, I definitely fell for an airhead…

“No- Not Next Friday the movie, next Friday the time.” Nicole explained.

“Oh got you, yeah let’s do it.” Jecka agreed excitedly. 

“Cool, and I know a guy who can get us ecstasy so it’s gonna be an extra good concert.” Nicole said with a grin.

“What does that do? Is it like PCP?” Jecka asked.

“No it’s not like fucking PCP. That’s for like the saddest drug addicts.”

“So is ecstasy for the happiest drug addicts?”

“Literally yes.” 

“Oh cool I’m down.” 

“Oh, Alex, you’re not invited. This is a girls only night so fuck off.” Nicole told me.

“I honestly don’t care.” I said bluntly.

“Good.” Nicole said.

All of a sudden our front door got busted down by a police officer, making the three of us jump in response.

“This is the county police, we have a warrant to search this residence!” The police officer told us.

“Oh yeah, what you’re looking for is in the basement.” Nicole told the officer.

“But I haven’t made you aware of the charges.” The police officer says in confusion.

“Oh we’re aware.” Jecka says.

“Just a moment.” The police officer tells us as he heads downstairs to the basement.

“I guess he finally got caught.” I say in surprise.

“Oh yeah, we made an anonymous tip to the police while you were in Domino’s.” Nicole told me.

“Yeah, we had to teach him a lesson for making us have to go get his fat fucking self a pizza.” Jecka added.

“Fucking awesome.” is all I say and we can hear the police officer grab Gabe and bring him upstairs in handcuffs as he struggled.

“I-I didn’t do anything wrong!!” Gabe shouted.

“Tell it to the judge! That girl barely looked 12! You’re under arrest for 3 counts of digital misconduct with a minor and 2 counts of child pornography!” The police officer shouted as he tried to drag Gabe out of the house.

“No, that was an 18 year old midget in my “hot kids” folder!” Gabe tried to explain with a shitty excuse.

“Tell it to the judge!” The police officer repeated.

“It was an 18 year old midget!!!” Gabe repeated himself as well.

“You’re gonna have to tell it to the judge, let's go!” The police officer shouted and with that, he finally dragged Gabe out of the house, put him in the back of his police cruiser, and drove off.

As soon as they had left, the three of us just stared blankly at the busted down door before soon enough, Nicole and Jecka returned to their conversation.

“So next Friday?” 

“Yeah next Friday, not the Ice Cube movie.”

….

…….

………….

Today was a pretty good skip day.

Chapter 18: Chapter 17

So it’s been a good couple days since that skip day and a LOT has happened since then. To sum it up, Nicole and Jecka ended up going to that Marilyn Manson concert, Jecka failed AP History for the year (for some reason she wouldn’t tell me how she even failed in the first place but I didn’t wanna pry), her Dad made her go and get a job so she got one at Hot Topic but the condition was that she had to look more “emo” so she dyed her hair black. Now don’t get me wrong. I completely prefer Jecka with blonde hair but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find her new dyed look kinda hot. …It’s the emo in me isn’t it?

Today I decided to go visit Jecka at work. I’ve felt pretty bad about what happened with her so whenever I can, I've been buying food to bring to her on her lunch breaks which she’s been pretty grateful for. When I entered Hot Topic I saw Jecka with a customer and that customer just so happened to be Ari.

“Wow so you really dyed your hair and everything.” Ari said, surprised.

“Are you gonna buy something?” Jecka asked, annoyed.

“Well I do need to feel different today.”

“Basically what we’re here for.”

“Is that a Hello Kitty stud belt?”

“That belt that 5 other people bought today? Yeah.”

“This gets me so well, I’m gonna go to the ATM.” Ari said excitedly and began to exit the store but not before accidentally bumping into me on her way out.

“Ow! Oh, shit. Sorry Alex.” Ari apologized.

“No worries. Didn’t even feel it.” I assured her.

“Wow, thanks for reminding me of how fragile I am.” Ari said, rolling her eyes.

“Wh-What? No I didn’t mean-” I began to apologize but Ari laughed.

“I’m just kidding.” Ari smiled.

“Oh, right.” I scratch my head in embarrassment. 

“What are you doing here anyway?” Ari asked me.

“Oh, sometimes I bring Jecka food on her lunch break.” I say, holding up a bag of fast food. 

“Aw that's sweet. You’re a really good boyfriend.” Ari smiled.

That comment caused me to blush. “O-Oh! Uh, I’m not- We’re not uh dating actually…” I say rubbing my neck, avoiding direct eye contact from Ari.

Apparently this surprised Ari. “Oh, really? I’m sorry it’s just you guys spent a lot of time together, and the whole thing with the news labeling you guys as a “Detective Duo” when you busted Mr. White and Coach Colby, I thought it was like a power couple nickname…” Ari rubbed her arm in embarrassment over the assumption she just made.

 

My face grew even more red at all the things she described. We really did sound like a couple now that I thought about it. I’ve… I’ve really thought about it before. Actually asking her out. But two things are stopping me from doing that. One: The possibility of her rejecting me and I get put on the bad side of guys she knows. And trust me. You do NOT want to be on Jecka’s bad side as a guy. You should see how she treats Crispin. Rightfully deserved though. But I really do not want her to think of me as another possible creep she wants nothing to do with. Two: How can I try to have ANY relationship with a girl if the next day, everything could potentially reset. I decided that if I ever DO ask Jecka out, it will be AFTER I fix everything and end these resets once and for all.

Ari seemed to have noticed my beet red face and grew a knowing smile. “Ahhh I get it. You do like her don’t you?” Ari asked me.

“...I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t say anything.” I told Ari with a serious expression.

“I won’t. That would be pretty messed up if I did. Don’t worry about it. Hey! That actually reminds me. Remember that favor you owe me for the pizza?” Ari reminded me.

“Oh, I almost forgot about that. You finally cashing that favor in?”

“That’s right.” Ari said.

“Alright, so what’s the favor?” I asked her, even more curious now.

“Well…You know how Kelly is having a party next Friday?” Ari asked me.

“Oh, yeah. I think I heard Nicole and Jecka talking about that.” I said.

“Well… I really want to go to it but I have a shift that night…” Ari went on.

“Okay… and?” I asked, unsure of where she was going with this.

“Here’s where the favor comes in. I need you to… cover my shift that night.”

“What!?” I ask, shocked.

“Just for this one night! Remember, you owe me!” Ari pleaded.

“But I don’t even work at Dominos!” I exclaimed.

“Oh, my manager doesn’t really give much of a fuck. He just wants someone to get the job done. I’ll still be getting paid but you’ll just be doing all the work for me.” Ari explained. “...So can you do it?” Ari asked me.

I sighed and scratched my head. I do owe her for the pizza and she agreed to keep my crush a secret. I would be a massive asshole if I said no. It would just be for one night. What’s the worst that could happen? (I would later regret asking that)

“Yeah, I’ll do it.” I accepted.

“Awesome, thanks!” Ari said, appreciatively.

“No problem.” I smiled.

“Alright, well I’m heading to the ATM now so I can buy that cute belt. Meet me at Dominos after school on Friday okay?” Ari told me and I nodded. 

With that Ari left the store and I walked up to Jecka just in time to watch her tell Crispin to fuck off as he left the store looking dejected. Jecka finally noticed me and smiled.

“I’m so glad you’re here. If I didn’t know you were coming I would have tried to just get out early. Dealing with Crispin just makes me want to fucking kill myself every day when he comes in here.”

“Good thing Popeyes fixes all suicidal thoughts.” I grin handing her the bag of fried chicken.

“God, you’re literally the fucking best. One time when I asked Nicole if she could buy me a soda from the school’s vending machine, she just told me “bitches don’t get free shit unless they’re ready to suck and fuck for it or make guys think they’re ready to suck and fuck for it but since I’m a girl, I can just say that I don’t want to.” like fine bitch, just say you’re broke next time.” Jecka rambled.

“I get how you feel. It will be the day Walt Disney gets unfrozen and goes back to making anti semitic cartoons before Nicole buys someone a Dr. Pepper.” I said bluntly.

“Was Walt Disney really against Jewish people?” Jecka asked.

“Yeah but he’s also the reason why it feels acceptable for adult men to be excited about going to theme parks that’s not related to pedophilia so I guess it evens itself out.”

“Literally FUCK anything Disney related right now. Do you know how many Nightmare Before Christmas hoodies I’ve had to sell in one week?”

“Enough to notice a trend that any white woman who buys one is most likely really fat.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that. What’s up with that?”

“They probably think that if Jack Skellington can love something that looks like a zombie sex doll, then there's hope for them yet.”

“Huh. Well I’m gonna go eat in the break room. Wanna join me?”

“Yeah, I got nothing else going on.” 

“Alright cool.”

Me and Jecka then headed to the break room to chill out and talk as she ate her lunch. She asked me to go with her to Kylar’s party tonight so I can be her designated driver. I agreed because I didn’t really want her to go to Kylar’s by herself. Nicole had to tell Kylar she was sick so he wouldn’t invite her when in truth she despises Kylar. Even now, she is still keeping up with the facade of being nice to everyone. Eventually, Jecka’s lunch break had ended and I left the store with Jecka telling me that she would pick me up around 7:00 for the party.

….

…………

…………………

The time for the party had finally arrived and Jecka came to pick me up. We drove to Kylar’s house and got settled in with everyone else and just hung around as the party went on for a few hours. Jecka was drinking a lot. Normally I wouldn’t have cared but I noticed she had been drinking a lot more than usual since she started working and it was starting to worry me. Good thing I was her designated driver tonight and was still very much sober.

Crispin came up to us to try and hit on Jecka because she was shitfaced but I pretty much got him to fuck off quickly by threatening to break his arms so he wouldn’t try to sexually assault anyone. Unfortunately right after that, the next person who came to try and hit on her was Kylar.

“What’s up you hot bitch?” Kylar asked, grinning.

“That’s meeee.” Jecka slurred. 

“Yo that’s good whiskey, so you down to fuck?” Kylar asked.

Yeah, that was kinda my limit. I pretty much stood up from the couch we were sitting on and sucker punched Kylar in the face making him fall unconscious on the floor. Thankfully everyone was too drunk to notice so I ended up just dragging his knocked out self behind the couch and sat right back with Jecka.

“Alex… that was soooo fucking cooool.” Jecka said drunkenly.

“Jecka, I think you’ve had enough. Here have some water.” I say to her, handing her an unopened bottle of water.

“Noooooo I wanna be myself right now. And myself really wants to get blacked out drunk over my bullshit job.” Jecka whined.

“I really think I should take you home now.” I told Jecka but in response, Jecka started playing with my hair.

“Aleeex…Have I ever told you how fucking hottt you are to meeee?” Jecka giggled.

You’d probably think I’d start getting flustered over that comment. But in truth I was more worried over how intoxicated she was. Regardless, the compliment was nice even if she didn’t mean it considering how drunk she was.

“Alright come on. I’ll stop at a drive thru somewhere if you leave now.” I say to Jecka as I manage to pull her up and have her lean on me so she could walk.

“I want McDonalds…” Jecka muttered.

“Then we’ll go to McDonalds.” I tell her as we leave Kylar’s house.

“Yayyyy.” Jecka cheered half coherently. 

I managed to get Jecka into her passenger seat, and drove her home but not before buying her some chicken mcnuggets. Thankfully, her house key was in the same key ring as her car keys so I was able to unlock the door to her house without any trouble and entered her home with Jecka leaning on my shoulder once again for support.

“Is McDonalds an Irish restaurant?” I heard Jecka mutter to herself.

“What are you doing home so late?? And who are you??” a man who I assumed to be Jecka’s father asked me.

“Oh god!” Jecka shouted and flinched.

“My name is Alex. I’m a friend of Jecka’s. I was just driving her back home from a party. Sorry to disturb you.” I tell him, trying to be as polite as possible so I wouldn’t upset him.

“Ah yes, my wife told me about you. Said you were a bright young man. I do recognize you now. You appeared on the news with Jecka a year ago when those two teachers of yours were arrested.” Jecka’s Dad said.

I nodded at this. “Yeah, I couldn’t just leave her in the state she was in so I had to bring her home.” I told him.

“Well Alex, I thank you for doing the right thing. I can take over from here. Do you need a ride home?” Jecka’s Dad asked me.

“No sir. I can manage just fine. Thank you though.” I tell him and Jecka’s Dad nods.

“I see. Well in that case, have a good night and thank you again for looking after my daughter.” Jecka’s Dad tells me. 

“Of course sir. Good night.” I then turned my head towards Jecka who seemed to be slumped over on her living room couch. “Make sure to drink lots of water and get some sleep, Jecka. Good night.” I tell Jecka as I head for the front door.

“Okie dokie…nighttttt…” I heard Jecka mutter quietly.

With that I left Jecka’s house and began my walk home. I’m not sure why Jecka didn’t like talking about her Dad. He seemed pretty normal from how things just went. Unless I’m only seeing the side he wants me to see? Eh, I’m probably just overthinking shit. I finally made it home, and thankfully it seemed that everyone was asleep so I didn’t have to worry about an interrogation about where I just was from Mom. So I quietly made my way upstairs, entered my room, got into bed, and quickly fell asleep.

“Aleeex…Have I ever told you how fucking hottt you are to meeee?”

……..

………………

………………………..

…Maybe one day I can hear her say that to me when she’s sober.

Chapter 19: Chapter 18

A week had passed since Kylar’s party and it was finally the day I had to take over for Ari at her job. So like we planned, I made my way to Dominos after school and saw Ari leaning on the side of the building in the parking lot. I walked over to her. 

“Well, here I am.” I say, now facing Ari.

“Awesome. Thanks for doing this again.” Ari told me, appreciatively. 

“Well it’s like you said. I owe ya one.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Here, catch.” Ari says as she tosses me a Dominos uniform. 

I stare at the uniform and sigh. I guess I didn’t think I would have to wear a uniform if I was delivering pizzas but I guess to others it would seem strange if I wasn’t. I quickly headed inside to go change in the bathroom then I rejoined Ari outside with the Dominos shirt on. 

“There ya go. Now you’re looking the part.” Ari says.

“So what time does this shift end?” I ask Ari.

“I think it's like 11:00?” Ari says.

“Jesus, you do 8 hour shifts?” I ask her, surprisingly.

“I told you, money is tight right now. I gotta take as many hours as I can.” Ari explains.

“Alright. Alright. So you’re going to Kelly’s party tonight then?” I ask her.

“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. Feels like I haven’t had a fun night in a while.” Ari sighed.

“Well if you’re gonna be there, can you make sure Jecka doesn’t get into any trouble? I mean Nicole will be there with her but Nicole is sometimes… Nicole . So it would mean a lot if you just checked in on her once in a while at the party.” I plead.

“Yeah I can do that, no problem. You’re super considerate with Jecka huh? You must really love her.” Ari smiled.

I kinda froze at that word a bit. Love . That is a pretty strong word to use right there. I mean sure, I’ve had a major crush on her for a while now to the point where I genuinely like her and am interested in her, but love? I think back at all the things I’ve done for her, our conversations, how funny she can be, how smart she is (sometimes), how despite the fact she puts on a front as kind of a bitch, she can be really sweet deep down (sometimes). But do I actually love her? I always thought that word was super fucking corny. That it was just a word that commercials use so people can be extra horny on Valentines Day. But to think that bullshit word would actually apply to me? That’s something…something I’ll have to think about later. For now, it’s pizza time.

“Uh, so all I do is drive around, delivering orders to people?” I ask, basically ignoring what Ari had just said.

Ari frowned at my avoidance on the subject of “love” but thankfully didn’t add on to it. Instead she nodded and told me to make sure to bring back the delivery car to the Dominos parking lot before I clocked out for her. With that she said her goodbyes and drove off home so she could get ready for the party. 

With that, my night as a pizza delivery guy had officially begun. I delivered to a few houses and even got some tips. I know Ari is getting paid by the hour but she didn’t say I couldn’t keep the tips for myself. I had been delivering pizzas for about 2 hours now and was starting to get the hang of it. The time was now 5:30 and I was just told to deliver a really big order. 10 large pizzas to some really big house. So I drove it to the address I was given, got out of the car, and rang the doorbell. When I saw who answered the door, the large order began to make a lot more sense.

“Huh? Alex? I didn’t know you worked at Dominos.” Kelly said in surprise.

“Oh, I don’t. I just owed someone a favor and I’m covering for them.” I said, whilst holding up the very large stack of pizza boxes. 

“Aw, that’s pretty nice of you. Here, come in. You can place the pizzas on the dining room table.” Kelly told me, ushering me to come inside.

I nodded and stepped inside her house. As soon as I walked inside, my jaw dropped. I thought Jecka had a nice house but this place was CRAZY. It felt like something you’d see out of a movie. A grand staircase, a grand piano, a crystal chandelier, the biggest TV I had ever seen, and there was even two fucking suits of armor. 

“...What the fuck do your parents even do?” I ask Kelly as I put the stack of pizza boxes down on the dining room table.

“Oh they told me that they’re just some office workers I guess.” Kelly answered nonchalantly. 

…Okay that has GOT to be some fucking bullshit. Office workers my ASS. 

I quickly decided not to think about that any longer. I had to be back soon before Dominos would be on my ass and then Ari would be on my ass because Dominos would also be on HER ass. 

“Alright, your total was $150.43.” I tell Kelly whilst holding out my hand.

Kelly took a wad of cash out of her pocket and handed it to me. I counted the money and it was all there, plus a $50 tip.

Rich people fucking rule sometimes.

“Well, I should get going now. Hope you have a fun party.” I tell Kelly as I stuff the cash into my pocket and head for the door. But for some reason, Kelly locks the front door and looks at me with a devious smile as I stood there confused.

“Ya know… I usually tip much better than just $50…” Kelly says as she slowly walks over to me. 

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

I slowly backed away as she got closer until my back had hit a wall. Kelly took this chance to basically have her large chest push up against mine as she gave me a flirtatious look. 

“Ya know…Having you here, delivering pizzas to me …kinda hot~ ” Kelly said, biting her lip. “My guests won’t be here for another hour so how about we have some “fun” before then?” Kelly asked as her fingers trailed from the top of my chest all the way to my crotch as she began to rub it. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. Every single thought in my mind was telling me “FUCK NO!” but my body was telling a different story since a very large tent was beginning to form in my jeans. 

FUCK YOU TEENAGE HORMONES!

“Oooh~ What have we got here?” Kelly asks as she rubbed the outside of my pants some more. “So big~” Kelly purred.

Now, as hot as it was to hear Kelly talk all sexy like that and while I couldn’t say that I really hated all the touching, I knew this had to stop. I made a promise with myself that I wasn’t going to pursue anyone new whether romantically or physically while I still had feelings for Jecka. It just didn’t seem right to me. Plus, I was almost positive that Kelly had every STD known to man and maybe even ones that modern scientists hadn’t even discovered yet. So I did the most mature thing I could think of in order to get out of this situation.

I pushed her off of me and screamed.

“AHHHHHH!!! I DO NOT CONSENT! I DO NOT CONSENT! I NEED AN ADULT!!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, flailing my arms around, and unlocked the front door and sprinted back to the car and drove as fast as humanly possible while Kelly watched the entire thing with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

Yeah. I think I handled that well.

Kelly continued to stare down the road I was driving off from with the most bewildered look on her face as she fully absorbed what had just happened to her.

“...Well fuck. I was sure this would play out differently like in that one RedTube video…” Kelly muttered to herself.

….

………

………….

A couple of hours went by after that. I’m sure it was the middle of the party by now. I hoped Ari was checking in on Nicole and Jecka, but knowing them, they would probably tell her to fuck off. Especially if Nicole is there. It was 10:30 and I had one final delivery to make for the night. I picked up the large pizza and container of chicken tenders and drove to the address that was given to me. I recognized the address immediately. It was Hunter’s house. I drove into Hunter’s driveway, got out of the car, and rang his doorbell. When the door opened, it wasn’t Hunter who answered it. It was Megan.

“Alex? I didn’t know you worked at Dominos.” Megan said.

“Oh, I’m just covering for someone.” I tell her as I hand over the pizza and tenders.

“Ah, alright. That’s cool of you.” Megan says. 

“Yeah…Anyways that will be $24.53.” I tell Megan.

“Okay, sure.” She says as she hands me a $20 and a $5.

No tip? Bitch.

“Actually, Alex? There’s something I could use your help with.” She says as she pretty much drags me by the arm inside without even waiting for my response. She brings me to the living room and I see Hunter sitting on the couch. He stood up as soon as he saw me.

“Alex? You work at Dominos?” Hunter asked me.

“No, I’m just covering for someone.” I repeat myself again.

“I thought Alex here could be our judge.” Megan told Hunter.

“Uh… Judge for what exactly?” I ask Megan, confused.

“Oh, well you see, me and Hunter are both in Drama, and we were rehearsing our lines for the Romeo & Juliet tryouts for this year’s play. So I thought we could use an unbiased opinion.” Megan explained. 

I definitely thought about screaming exactly what I said to Kelly earlier and running out of that door, but I decided to begrudgingly agree. Hunter was my friend and if this is what he wanted, then I guess it wouldn’t hurt.

“Uh, alright. But can we make it quick? I have to be back at Dominos in like half an hour.” I told Megan who nodded.

So I sat on the couch and watched them reenact the iconic terrace scene where Romeo sneaks off to visit Juliet. Now as much as I didn’t like Megan, she was a pretty good actress. Hunter wasn’t doing too bad either. I wouldn’t call it professionally good though. Once they had finished with the scene, they both turned to me.

“So, how did we do?” Megan asked.

“I think you guys did great. I’m sure you’ll get the parts.” I told Megan sincerely.

“Isn’t that great honey? I knew we could do it.” Megan said to Hunter excitedly.

“Haha…Yeah…” Hunter said and I could tell right away that he did not want to be here tonight.

“Hey, so how come you guys aren’t at Kelly’s party tonight? It seemed like everyone was going there.” I asked the two of them.

“Oh, we decided it would be best if we didn’t go to any parties until the play ends because we cannot miss any opportunity to rehearse our lines. Isn’t that right Hunter?” Megan asked her boyfriend in question.

“Oh uh… Yeah.” Hunter said quickly, avoiding eye contact. 

I felt bad for Hunter. It looked like he really wanted to go to Kelly’s party. Too bad his girlfriend is such a stuck up bitch. But I guess it's his choice to date her. Nothing that I can do about it. 

“Well, I should get going now. This was…fun. You guys have a good night.” I tell the two of them.

“Okay. Good night and thanks again.” Megan told me.

“Yeah, good night Alex.” Hunter waved.

I nodded and left Hunter’s and headed towards the car. I backed out of Hunter’s driveway and began to drive my way back to Domino’s, ready for this night to end.

What a night… I thought to myself as I drove through the dark streets. I couldn’t wait to just finish this so I can head home and go to bed. I was driving for about ten minutes when I noticed in the distance that a car was swerving a bit as it was driving.

Is that…Jecka’s car? 

It was at that moment that Jecka’s car had completely swerved to the other side of the road and was on a direct path towards the car that I was driving.

OH FUCKING SH-

CRASH

 

……

…………

……………………..

“Wake up honey. It’s time for school.”

…

……..

………….

………………

…………………………….

…Remember kids. Don’t drink and drive.

Chapter 20: Chapter 19

So, we have a bit of a problem. This is a rare occurrence but reset #76 has pretty much started out the exact same as the last reset except for two differences. One which doesn’t really matter much is that instead of going to Dominos to get the pizza, we went to Dave & Busters so I never had that interaction with Ari and never agreed to cover her shift. But the biggest difference is the second one. When Nicole made plans with Jecka to go to the Marilyn Manson concert, Jecka actually refused and so they kinda got into a huge fight with each other. I’m not sure how exactly this correlates with her not failing AP History in this reset but I decided not to question it. 

Anyways, Nicole has been in kind of a depressive funk since her fight with Jecka. She hasn’t even been mean to anyone at home so that’s when I KNEW something was off. At the moment I was watching TV on the couch in the living room. Nicole was on the couch too but she was on her phone instead. That’s when Mom came up to the two of us to talk to Nicole since she had even noticed Nicole’s sudden change in behavior.

“Nicole?” Mom asked.

“I’m trying to make a depression playlist on iTunes, what is it?” Nicole asked, annoyed.

“Well nothing really, I’m just wondering why you’ve been so exhausted lately?” Mom asked in concern.

“People, Mom.” Nicole groaned.

“You’re being nice right? Trying to get along?”

“Yeah, and I’m pretty sure that’s my problem. Never putting up a fight. Never telling men I’m not their emotional wheelchair.” 

“Well sweetie, I’m not sure if being confrontational is the key to happiness. You’re a beautiful girl, don’t have an ugly personality, towards anyone.” 

“So I should like spread myself thin so anyone can have a place in my life?”

“Don’t put it so negatively, all I’m saying is; be inclusive. Give people a chance.”

“What if they’re bad people?” 

“I don’t believe in anyone being inherently bad.”

“Yeah I guess the pedophiles trying to abduct me on MySpace are just misunderstood.”

“Always a negative spin--Just promise you’ll try. Try to be nice and make time for people. The connections you start early come in handy later on. Don’t screw up here.”

“Ugh fine.”

“Thank you. I promise it’ll pay off.” Mom says looking appreciative before going upstairs.

“...I’ll be your enabling little princess.” Nicole mutters to herself.

“...Hey Nicole?” I ask, finally speaking up.

“...What?” Nicole asks.

“These hangouts you’ve been on…You being nice to people… I don’t think this is healthy.” I tell her honestly.

“What, are you the fucking counselor now? Are you gonna go to the local middle school so you can find out which student takes the most grabbable walk home?” Nicole scoffs.

I decided to ignore that little insinuation of me as a pedophile and try to have a serious talk with Nicole. “Nicole, I’m being serious. This isn’t you. You should just tell them to fuck off. I know you and Jecka fought but you don’t have to hang out with all these guys that you hate.” I told her.

“Like I told you before, I am in way too fucking deep to say no to them. If I ignore them now then I’ll just get stalked.” Nicole explains to me.

“Nicole, if anyone tries to stalk you I’ll just kick their ass.”

“...Why do you even care?” 

“Because I’m your brother? Isn’t that reason enough?” 

Nicole stayed quiet at that. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking but at least I think she sees that I do care about her. Then all of a sudden she stood up.

“...I’m…I’m going to bed.” Nicole muttered, and without another word she quietly walked upstairs and went into her room, shutting the door behind her.

I sighed as I heard her door shut. It felt like I was starting to finally get to her. Well, baby steps I suppose. At least I was finally getting somewhere after what felt like fucking forever. I then went upstairs myself, entered my room, got into bed, and quickly fell asleep.

………

………………

……………………

A couple days later, I was walking through the halls when I heard crying. It sounded like it was coming from behind the school stairs. As I walked over to get closer to see who was crying I heard a voice mutter out in between sobs.

“Jesus Christ what the fuck is wrong with me? She’ll probably never talk to me again, who the fuck am I supposed to cope with right now?” 

“Jecka?” I asked in concern as I finally approached behind the school stairs and sure enough Jecka was there, sitting on the floor, hugging her knees. Her mascara was running and fresh tears were dripping down her face.

“A-Alex?” Jecka gasped in surprise.

I sat down next to her as I gave her a solemn look. Seeing her cry like that, as corny as it sounds to say out loud, legitimately broke my heart. So I needed to know what was wrong and why she has been distant these past few days.

“Jecka…Something has been up with you these past few days. Do you think you can tell me what’s been going on? Please? You are my best friend and if something has been bothering you this much…I need to know what it is…” I told Jecka with pleading eyes.

Jecka hesitated for a few seconds before opening her mouth. She was shaking after each attempt to make a sound. “I…I…I…I CAN’T FUCKING DO THIS ANYMORE!” Jecka screamed before bawling her eyes out and threw herself at me, crying into my shirt. 

I stood there in silence as I watched her let everything out. I hesitated for a bit before wrapping her into a hug to which she gratefully accepted and returned as she continued to cry further into my shirt. As she continued to cry, she went on to explain exactly what was happening to her. 

She told me everything. About how she had been dating Mr. Katz so he wouldn’t fail her in AP History. About how Mr. Katz had basically begun to abuse her in this relationship. About how she is entirely afraid that if she doesn’t keep this up, then she won’t be able to get into a good school and her future will be ruined. And also about how she is terrified about what her father would do to her because she had just revealed to me that he beats her often. 

I didn’t let it show on my face but on the inside I was beyond mad. I wanted to beat the ever living shit out of both Mr. Katz and her father. But I restrained myself because I knew that wouldn’t solve everything. If I went over right now and attacked Mr. Katz, that could be reflected back onto Jecka and get her into even worse shit than she is right now. 

But that didn’t mean I was going to do nothing. But for right now, the only thing that matters is wait until Jecka has calmed down enough so we can think of something together. I know it’s a long shot but maybe Nicole can help. I know she and Jecka fought but even if Nicole doesn’t say it, I know she misses her best friend and still cares about her. Maybe it’s not too late to fix things between them. 

After what seemed like a few minutes had passed, Jecka began to collect herself again. I remembered that since the whole incident with Karen, I started carrying a travel sized package of tissues in my backpack. I took some out and handed them to Jecka who accepted them so she could wipe her tears off. It finally seemed like she was ready to talk again.

“I…I don’t want to be here right now…” Jecka murmured. 

“Okay. How about we take your car and skip somewhere for the rest of the day?” I ask her with a smile.

“...There have been a cute pair of shoes I’ve had my eyes on at the mall…” Jecka muttered.

I rolled my eyes but smiled nonetheless. She’s still Jecka. The two of us got up from the floor and began to walk on our way to exit the school building. As the two of us silently walked through the hallways, a voice called out from behind us.

“Jecka?” Ms. Ames called out. 

As soon as me and Jecka turned around, Jecka grimaced. “Oh god you again!”

“No need to get upset, I just wanted to see how you were doing.” Ms. Ames said calmly.

“Bitch you are not helping as much as you think you are.” Jecka told Ms. Ames off.

“It’s in your best interest to come back and finish our talk, you shouldn’t leave like that.” Ms. Ames said.

Oh yeah, I remember that Ms. Ames volunteered to be the school’s therapist for this year. From what I’ve heard, she’s been doing a better job than the counselor. I guess Jecka heard about this and went to go see her regarding Mr. Katz.

“Why so you can trick me into spilling my life more? I’m not some dumbass Ellen-watching bitch like you!” Jecka shouted.

I suddenly felt a large squeeze in my hand. I looked down to see Jecka who seemed to have unconsciously grabbed my hand tightly as she began to hyperventilate. 

“Let’s not bring Ellen into this, you didn’t do or say anything wrong.” Ms. Ames said, trying to calm Jecka down.

“...Really?” Jecka said, her breathing returning to normal but still held on to my hand.

“Yes really, now will you come with me?” Ms. Ames asked.

“I… I can’t. I would rather be with my friend right now.” Jecka said as I felt her thumb circling the back of my hand.

“Well… I suppose that’s fine. But before that, there’s someone I need you to speak with.” Ms. Ames said.

“What??” Jecka asked, feeling nervous. 

Then all of a sudden a police officer appeared from the corner of the hallway. Almost as if he was waiting for Ms. Ames to signal him before making himself present.

“Is this her?” The police officer asked Ms. Ames.

“What the fuck you told someone!?” Jecka shouted, now panicking again.

“You’re not in trouble, the officer just has to file a report--” Ms. Ames began to explain but Jecka cut her off.

“NO! NO, THIS RUINS EVERYTHING!!” Jecka screamed as she let go of my hand and began to hold her head with both hands, gripping her blonde hair. 

“We need to talk about Mr. Katz.” The police officer said calmly.

“YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T TELL ANYBODY!” Jecka yelled at Ms. Ames.

“I had to.” Ms. Ames said.

“YEAH I GUESS YOU HAD TO FUCK MY FUTURE UP TOO! NOW I’M NEVER PASSING THAT CLASS!” Jecka screamed. 

“Why don’t you just come with us back into the counseling room?” The police officer suggested. 

“I’M NOT TELLING YOU SHIT!” Jecka continued to scream as she made a run for it. I ran after her the second she bolted from the hallways, leaving the police officer and Ms. Ames to themselves. 

“Jecka! Alex!” I heard Ms. Ames tried to call us back but I ignored her as I followed Jecka all the way to the parking lot as she began to unlock her car, but was fumbling with her car keys in her trembling hands. 

“I’M FUCKED! I’M FUCKED! I’M SO FUCKING FUCKED!” Jecka shouted out loud as she shakingly unlocked her car door. 

“Jecka…” I called out behind her.

“WHAT!?” Jecka shouted as she turned around and saw who she just yelled at. Jecka’s expression then softened as she realized it was me. “...Sorry…” Jecka apologized as she looked down on the ground.

“It’s okay…” I said as I looked at Jecka with a sad expression.

“I…I don’t know what to do… Mr. Katz will be arrested, meaning I’m going to fail that class and never get into a good college…I’m sure my parents have probably already gotten a phone call about what happened, meaning as soon as I see them, my dad is going to fucking beat me senseless… I just… fuck… I just don’t know what to fucking do…” Jecka said as she banged her forehead lightly on her car door. 

I continued to stare at Jecka, unsure of how to deal with this situation. To be perfectly blunt, she was very screwed here. Since Jecka has fucked up here and not Nicole, I doubt a reset will occur anytime soon. That’s when I suddenly had an idea. A very stupid and out of nowhere idea. Maybe it’s even something that can fix everything with Nicole too. Only one way to find out.

“...What if we just left?” I asked.

“...Huh? Wasn’t that the plan?” Jecka asked me confused.

“No, I don’t mean just skip school for the day. What if we just left? Left this shitty town and don’t look back? We can bring Nicole and just drive and drive until we find a place for ourselves. Away from our fucked up lives. We would never have to worry about anything again.” I said honestly.

“You’re…You’re actually being serious about this? Where the hell would we even go Alex!? We’re three broke as fuck 17 year old's!” Jecka exclaimed.

“...I haven’t told Nicole about this but…before our Dad shot himself, our Mom took out a life insurance policy on him after they divorced. The money is in a frozen bank account that only me and Nicole can access once we turn 18. It’s $200,000. That’s only a few months away. We can leave now and I am positive we can survive on our own for a few months until we can touch that money. But I need to know your answer now Jecka. If you say no, we can just forget about everything I just said and continue our lives and think of something else. But once you say yes… then there’s no going back.” I finished.

Jecka looked shocked at everything I had just told her. She thought long and hard about everything I told her, until she finally looked at me with a determined expression.

“O-Okay! Fuck it! Fuck this shitty ass school, fuck this shitty ass town, and fuck my shitty ass parents! Let’s take Nicole and run. Run so fucking far, we get a documentary made about us once we die at the age of 23! Let’s just fucking go!” Jecka proclaimed. 

I nodded at this. There was no going back now. We were doing this. Actually doing this. We were gonna leave and not look back on this fucking bullshit town where nothing has gone right since we moved. 

“Is Nicole still at school?” Jecka asked me.

“No. I think I saw her skip a little before I found you near the stairs. I can imagine she might be home by now.” I told Jecka.

“Oh…” Jecka said, rubbing her arm.

“What is it?” I asked Jecka.

“Before you found me on the stairs…me and Nicole got into another fight. Because I tried hanging out with her but I got blown off because of all these hangouts she has to do… I basically gave her an ultimatum. Me or them… fuck, I’m such a bitch for doing that. First thing I do once we get her is apologize.” Jecka stated.

“I think Nicole would like that.” I smile at Jecka.

“Before we go to your house to get Nicole, I should stop at my house so I can pack my things. I don’t think my parents are home yet so now would be the best chance to go.” Jecka said. 

“Alright, let's go.” I nodded and with that, Jecka and I got into her car and drove to her house so Jecka could pack her things.

We arrived to Jecka’s house as Jecka slowly opened the door to see if any of her parents were home. It looked like the close was clear so far, so Jecka entered the house with me following along behind her. I quickly shut the door behind us as Jecka let out a sigh of relief. 

“Thank god they’re not home.” Jecka said.

“Alright, let’s head upstairs and pack your things quickly before they do end up coming home.” I tell Jecka who quickly nods her head as we begin to make our way upstairs but before we can make a single step, a booming loud voice makes us freeze in place. 

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE!?” Jecka’s father shouts behind us.

“Oh, Dad! Why’re you home so early?” Jecka asks, beginning to sweat.

“THE UNBELIEVABLE PHONE CALL I JUST GOT!” Jecka’s father shouted.

“U-Unbelievable is right, these rumors they start at school--” Jecka tried to excuse but was quickly cut off.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP! I SHOULD’VE KNOWN YOU WEREN'T ACTUALLY WORKING HARDER!”

“YEAH I WAS!”

“YOUR PRINCIPAL SAID YOU FUCKED YOUR HISTORY TEACHER!”

“WH-WHAT!?”

“IS THIS TRUE!?”

“...I DIDN’T FUCK HIM FUCK HIM!”

I internally gagged at that thought. She didn’t have sex with him but the thought of the other things she probably did instead made me want to vomit.

“OH MY GOD YOU’RE A WHORE!! I’M GONNA BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU! WHERE’S THE FIRE POKER!?” Jecka’s father screamed as he turned around to grab the fire poker near the fireplace, his face growing red from rage.

“JECKA! GO UPSTAIRS QUICKLY AND GET YOUR SHIT PACKED! I’LL TAKE CARE OF THIS FUCKER!” I screamed, both surprising Jecka and her father.

“A-Alex?” Jecka looked at me in surprise. 

“JUST GO!” I yelled, and while Jecka hesitated at first, she nodded quickly and ran upstairs immediately, leaving just me and her father alone together downstairs.

“WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU’RE TAKING MY DAUGHTER!?” Jecka’s father screamed at me, fire poker ready in his hand.

“AWAY FROM YOU, YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!” I screamed back at him.

“YOU ARE TRESPASSING IN MY OWN HOME! I CAN LEGALLY FUCKING KILL YOU SO I SUGGEST YOU GET THE FUCK OUT NOW BEFORE I DRIVE THIS FIRE POKER DOWN YOUR FUCKING THROAT!” Jecka’s father roared.

“GO AHEAD AND TRY BECAUSE IF YOU WANNA GET TO HER, YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH ME FIRST YOU OLD FUCK!” 

“THAT’S IT! YOU ARE FUCKING DEAD!!!”

Jecka’s father charged at me with the fire poker but I quickly dodged out of the way. This was the entire reason why I decided to get stronger in the first place. This wont turn out the same way it did with Jeffrey, Mr. White, Kylar, or Coach Colby. I was going to take this fucker down. 

After I dodged, I took this opportunity to punch Jecka’s Dad in the face as he was unguarded from being caught off by my sudden dodge. He stumbled for a bit before getting back up on his feet, wiping the blood off of his mouth. He then charged at me again but unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to dodge as he stabbed me in the left shoulder with the fire poker.

“FUCK!” I screamed out in pain but I held onto the fire poker as it was stabbed into my shoulder. I kicked Jecka’s father in the stomach, making him let his grip go off the fire poker as he stumbled backwards falling on the ground. 

I quickly took the fire poker out of my shoulder, gritting my teeth in pain as blood dripped onto the floor. I threw the fire poker to the side and threw myself on top of Jecka’s Dad before he had the chance to get up again. I then began to repeatedly punch Jecka’s dad in the face as he tried to hold his hands up in defense to block my punches but it became effortless as I was clearly stronger than him. His mouth was pouring out blood and his face was becoming swollen. Eventually he couldn’t take it anymore and succumbed to unconsciousness. I stopped punching him and began to breathe heavily, as I slowly got myself off him and began to grip my shoulder wound in pain as I stared at the now unconscious body of Mr. Winters. 

“Holy shit…” Jecka’s voice muttered out and I turned to see her standing at the bottom of the stairwell, one hand covering her mouth with wide eyes while the other was holding a bag filled with clothes, makeup, and other necessities. Peeking out of the overly packed bag was a pink stuffed rabbit. I smiled a bit seeing that, acknowledging Jecka’s cute side despite it not really being the time to think about something like that.

“A-Alex! Oh my god are you okay!?” Jecka shouted in concern as she noticed the stab wound in my shoulder.

“Y-Yeah. I’ll live…” I mutter, despite being in constant pain. 

“I-I think we have a first aid kit in our bathroom in the medicine cabinet.” Jecka tells me, a little shaken from the sight in front of her.

I nod at this and quickly go into the bathroom. I took my shirt off and saw the open wound and it looked pretty bad. Luckily, I don’t think the stab was deep enough to require any stitching. I opened the medicine cabinet and took out the small first aid kit that was in there. I took out some bandages and wrapped it around my shoulder to stop the bleeding. I probably needed to go to the hospital but maybe I should save that for after we pick up Nicole. I finished with what I thought looked like a decent job at bandaging and put my shirt back on and rejoined Jecka in the living room. 

“Alright, I’m all set. You ready?” I ask Jecka who slowly nods her head.

“Y-Yeah. Let’s go.” Jecka said, still a little shaken up over what had just occurred.

With that the two of us put Jecka’s bag into her trunk and the two of us drove off to my house so we could pick up Nicole. I think Mom had a date today so I don’t think she is home right now. Which was good for us.

We arrived at my house and the two of us got out of the car and opened the front door. It seemed all the lights were shut off, which seemed odd to me. Nicole was home…right? No. She had to be. Where else could she have gone? 

“Hello!?” Jecka shouted out loud, hoping that Nicole heard her, but no response came. “Maybe her headphones are really loud.” Jecka theorized as the two of us began to walk upstairs.

This was it. We were gonna do it.

One step.

We were gonna say goodbye to this shitty ass town.

Three steps.

Leaving all of our fucked up problems behind. 

Five steps.

Jecka won’t have to deal with her abusive father anymore!

Seven steps.

Nicole can start over and be who she really wants to be!

Nine steps.

I can finally put an end to all of these resets and live a normal life again!

Eleven steps.

WE CAN FINALLY BE HAPPY! REALLY REALLY HAPPY!

One final step.

THIS WAS IT! THIS WAS REALLY REALLY IT! GOODBYE TO OUR SHITTY PRESENT AND HELLO TO A HOPEFUL FUTURE!

Nicole’s door opens.

IT’S FINALLY TIME TO-

……..

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…………………

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………………………………………….

And just before everything reset again, I was shown a nauseating sight before my eyes as I fell to my knees and Jecka’s ear piercing scream filled the cold and soulless room.

……………

……………………

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…………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………

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People are books, puzzles and pawns.

In that order.

First they’re read, then they’re figured out,

then they’re persuaded.

Some would call that wrongly manipulative,

but what’s the alternative?

Basically any advice my Mom’s ever given me.

“Don’t be mean, don’t judge, be open.”

And yeah sure but, that only works when

men don’t wanna have sex with you.

Be tolerant of guys who who get off by choking you,

no way that goes south.

What’s wrong with a pizza delivery-boy with

no career goals?

When’s the last time you asked your pizza man

if he’s a rapist?

They’re called warning signs, but ignoring them

makes you a nice person.

And one day if you’re a nice enough girl

you’ll end up just like me!

…And just like my dad.

If you’re reading this…

…I’m DEAD.

-Nicole Yu.

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……………………………………………………

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NEW MESSAGE!

sorry. 

love ya bro.

 

Chapter 21: Chapter 20

They say the number 77 represents spiritual awakening and development. If that’s the case, then I could really use some of that right now, considering that I am now on reset #77. Seventy seven fucking resets. It’s unbelievable that I’ve relived so many of the same days so many fucking times. And what happened in the last reset… I… I almost spiraled back into losing my sanity again. If Nicole continues to try and be nice to people like this… It won’t matter what I do. It will just end like last reset where she… no. I’m not going to think about that right now.

You guys know the drill by now. Crispin once again came to bother us in the morning meaning the three of us ended up skipping again due to Nicole not being mentally prepared to take on the day. At least this time, instead of skipping in school or going home, we went to the mall. 

Since we came so early in the day, the mall wasn’t as busy as it usually was. We walked through the mall aimlessly, passing by multiple stores as none of us were even positive on what we were gonna do here. Jecka was finally starting to get impatient. 

“Why did we come here if we don’t even know what we wanna buy?” Jecka grumbled.

“Dude we’re literally in the mall, just figure it out.” Nicole told Jecka.

“Even if I do want something it’s just torture, I have like no money.” Jecka stated.

“Who said we’re buying anything? Just steal the shit.” Nicole shrugged.

Well it’s not like me and Nicole haven’t stolen before. I would be a fucking hypocrite if I tried stopping her.

“Oh okay. You think they have MSI stuff here?” Jecka asked.

“The band?” Nicole asked.

“Yeah they’re all in my shuffle and they might be in town this Saturday.”

“Oh.”

“Is there a problem?”

“No I’m just surprised you like MSI cause you’re so… normal.”

But I like MSI…

“Bitch I could cut myself just as much as you do, I just have better shit to do, okay?”

“Trying to bid on Ryan Sheckler's stolen sperm off eBay is NOT something better to do.”

Wut.

“No, remember, I got outbid by some bitch from Connecticut.”

“Oh yeah, I always forget that’s even a real state to begin with. Anyways, what MSI shit do you even want?”

“I want a CD…and a shirt if they have one!”

“It’s one or the other.”

“Why can’t we steal both?”

“You don’t steal twice in the same trip! The only people here are us and some dad buying Sketchers, who do you think the security guy’s gonna have more fun gawking at?”

“He wouldn’t look at us, we’re like children skipping school. What, you think he’ll be like “Oh those children are so hot” or some shit?”

“How many men do you need to see outed as sex offenders before you start seeing there’s a trend? I mean you and Alex literally got Coach Colby arrested last year.”

“You know what? Pick for me, Nicole. Lead the way.”

“Fine, I guess let’s go steal a CD in 2008.” 

With that, the three of us headed to F.Y.E. and went to the music section of the store. Jecka was looking for an MSI CD but was currently having zero luck. I was just browsing through the section as I picked up a Fall Out Boy CD. A part of me thought about stealing a copy for myself but I then remembered that I think I already got this specific album last year and then put it away back in the CD rack.

“I always wonder if the big gaudy security tags are for show.” Nicole wondered.

“They don’t even reorganize the CD’s, how am I supposed to find this?” Jecka asked, annoyed as she rummaged through the various CD’s.

“You’re at F.Y.E. what the fuck do you expect?” Nicole asked.

“Acknowledgment of the alphabet?” Jecka quipped.

“Don’t you have the songs on your iTouch, what do you even want a CD for?”

“Collection. You put ‘em on a shelf somewhere-- “look at my CD’s” y’know?”

“Who’s gonna wanna look at your CD collection other than you?”

“Ale-- A LOT of guys who want me bad!” Jecka stammered, her face growing a bit red, almost as if she was about to say something else.

Me and Nicole raised an eyebrow at this and looked at each other but just shrugged. 

“A-Anyways! Why’s Flaming Lips in the M section? Wait, what is Flaming Lips?” Jecka asked, quickly turning around to look at the CD rack she was rummaging through.

“Shitty.” Me and Nicole both answered at the same time. 

“Okay I’ll give it a try.” Jecka shrugged.

“Can you hurry up? I feel like we’re 20 seconds away from a guy in a Spitfire shirt asking us what bands we like.” Nicole said, getting impatient.

Finally after what felt like forever, Jecka found a MSI CD. “Oh just found it! So how do we sneak it out?” Jecka asked us.

“Say that again but just as loud so everyone in the store can hear.” I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

“I don’t do this all the time, Alex.” Jecka hissed at me.

“College should have a major in shoplifting. Quick, come on!” Nicole ushered me and Jecka out of the store with Jecka hiding the MSI CD under her shirt.

The three of us quickly rushed through the store and we stopped once we were a good ways away from F.YE.

“Oh my god that was such a rush.” Jecka said excitedly.

“Yeah, spending money is for posers.” Nicole grinned.

“Aw it’ll sound so good on my dad’s stereo too!” Jecka grinned back.

I flinched at the mention of Jecka’s dad. My hand instinctively rubbed the part of my shoulder where Jecka’s father stabbed it in the last reset. In case anyone was wondering, yes, I now have a scar there too.

“I don’t think I’ve heard a single person say stereo without “dad” in front of it.” Nicole said flatly.

“Well yeah stereos are for old people without iPods.” Jecka stated.

“Do you think we’ll ever end up old people with iPods?”

“Ew I don’t wanna think about being old.”

“Yeah I’d probably kill myself before that happens anyway.” 

“If you do, can you like leave a note on how you killed yourself? In case I wanna do it too.”

“Dude yeah, what are friends for?”

“Yeah cause my Mom was telling me about the Zodiac killer and I don’t think anyone’s gonna go out that cool again.”

“Oh, is he the guy with the symbol notes??”

“Oh my god-- yeah!”

“It would be cool to go out like that. Think about it, some infamous shadowy figure kills you and then writes to the news in code about how hot it was when you died.”

“He’d probably say that about every girl he kills.” 

“Yeah no that’s true. If he doesn’t specifically say I’m his hottest victim then fuck off, he can kill someone else.”

“I get that… Do you think we’re crazy for wanting that?” 

“No we’re just hot, these are hot girl problems.”

“Totally… Should we leave before we get caught or?”

“Yeah, let's go to the chrome diner.” Nicole said, beginning to turn around  and open the mall entrance doors and as soon as she did, these massive alarms rang out through the mall, shocking the three of us.

“Oh god!” Jecka shouted.

“Fuck!” I shouted as well.

“Since when are the scanners here!?” Nicole exclaimed.

“Looks like the jig is up!” a mall cop said to the three of us as he walked over.

“God dammit.” Nicole grumbled.

“Caught over stealing a $12.99 CD, I hope it was worth it. What band did you like so much, huh?” The mall cop asks us as he shuts off the alarm.

“He’s not wearing a spitfire shirt.” Jecka turns to the two of us in confusion.

“Dude, not the time.” I deadpanned looking at Jecka.

“Dude, the CD was hers. She brought it from home to trade in.” Nicole smoothly made up an excuse.

“With the price label and security tag still on it?” The mall cop asked skeptically.

Well, shit.

“She collects! Right?” Nicole asked, turning to Jecka.

“Yeah they lose collector’s value if you take those off.” Jecka tried to explain.

“Yeah, man. That’s how CD’s stay so vintage.” I try to add onto Nicole and Jecka’s bullshit.

“You three are gonna need a better story than that.” The mall cop states, clearly not believing us.

Okay, now what? Maybe I can try to convince the guy to let us off easy if I say I was the one at fault? Or maybe if we just give him the CD, he’ll let us off with a warning? Or maybe-

My thoughts were interrupted by Nicole deciding to make a run for it through the mall doors as she bolted towards the parking lot. “Come on!!” I heard Nicole shout.

You couldn’t think of ANYTHING FUCKING ELSE NICOLE!?

“What!? But--” Jecka began to protest this idea but the mall cop then passed Jecka, running after Nicole.

“We have a runner! Freeze!!” The mall cop shouted as he ran to the parking lot. The next thing we heard were five loud gunshots.

Oh fuck. 

Oh fuck.

OH FUCK!

“AHHHH WHAT THE FUCK!!!” Jecka screamed.

“Ugh- Ahh! GOD DAMMIT!” We heard Nicole shout.

“Oh my god, oh my god, no!” Jecka shouted, as the two of us ran out to the parking lot to find Nicole on the ground, alive thankfully, with her leg bleeding.

“He actually fucking shot me! What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Nicole screamed at the mall cop.

“Maybe now you’ll think twice about breaking the law.” The mall cop said calmly

I was shaking in anger. IF THAT ASSHOLE WASN’T CARRYING A GUN, I WOULD FUCKING KILL HIM!!!

“You shot five bullets so she’ll think twice next time!?” Jecka shouted at the mall cop.

“Yeah it could’ve been less but I fired with my eyes closed. Little inside-challenge down at the precinct.” The mall cop shrugged.

“What!?” I shouted in confusion.

“Are you actually fucking insane!?” Jecka screamed.

“Y’know you remind me of my wife a bit.” The mall cop said, looking at Jecka. “I WANNA FUCKING KILL MY WIFE!!!” The mall cop roared, taking his gun out of his holster again.

“Oh my god--what!?” Jecka panicked.

“SHUT YOUR MOUTH BEFORE I BLOW YOUR FUCKING BRAINS OUT ON THE TILED FLOOR!!!” The mall cop screamed, his gun pointed at Jecka’s head.

“NO! NO! PLEASE DON’T! I’M SORRY!” Jecka screamed, crying and shaking, fully convinced she was going to die at that moment.

For a split second, the mall cop’s finger looked as if it was about to squeeze onto the trigger of the gun. Before his gun could be fired, I managed to catch the mall cop by surprise and grab his gun whilst tackling the mall cop. Me and the mall cop struggled a bit and then his gun had fired during said struggle. And where did the bullet go? Well, unfortunately, right into my left arm.

“FUCK!” I screamed out in pain, holding my arm as the mall cop managed to get off of me and stand on his feet again. 

“A-ALEX!! NO!!!” Jecka screamed in fear and tried to run over to me but not before being stopped by the mall cop’s gun once again being pointed at her.

It seemed out of anger from being attacked, he was going to continue to shoot Jecka out of spite. But when he pulled the trigger, nothing came out. It seemed his last bullet had been fired into my arm.

“Huh. Guess that was my last bullet.” The mall cop said, scratching his head. “I guess I’ll call the two of you an ambulance, one sec.” The mall cop shrugged as he pulled out his communicator. 

However, I wasn’t able to see what was going to happen next, as I began to succumb to unconsciousness due to blood loss from the gunshot.

…Fuck, not another reset again… Not this soon…

……….

…………………………

………………………………………….

“Mr. Yu? Are you awake?” an unfamiliar voice called out to me.

I slowly began to open my eyes and was greeted by some very bright lights. As my eyes began to adjust, it became very apparent that I was in a hospital room.

Oh thank god. I didn’t die. I didn’t reset again…

“Mr. Yu?” a voice calls again and I turn to see a man who I can only assume was a doctor.

“Oh, yeah. Hey…” I say to him, feeling very groggy and very thirsty. It seemed the doctor knew how I was feeling because he handed me a glass of water. I was going to reach for it with my left hand, that’s when I noticed that It was in a cast. I then took the glass of water with my right hand and began to gulp it down.

“It seems you’ve been asleep for over a week.” The doctor informed me which made me spit out my water.

“A-A week!?” I choked.

The doctor nodded. “Yes, normally a single gunshot to your arm wouldn’t have resulted in such a long period of slumber. It’s almost as if your body had amounted to a mass culmination of physical stress with that bullet being the final breaking point, thus resulting in your short term coma.” 

I stared at my arm and thought back to all the different times I had died and gotten hurt.

Was this all taking a more serious toll on my body than I had originally thought?

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you receive all those scars that are scattered throughout your body? Are…Do you feel “safe” at home?” The doctor asked me.

“If you're asking if I’m getting beat at home then the answer is no. My Mom could try if she was drunk but her aim is total shit.” I shrug my shoulders.

“W-Well alright then. I suppose I’ll let you get some rest. We will have someone check in on you to see if you can be discharged. As for that cast, I’m afraid you will need to keep that on for another two weeks.” The doctor told me as he exited the room, seemingly forgetting to question me further on my scars due to my response having caught him off guard.

“Oh, one more thing.” The doctor quickly poked his head back in. “Your sister is fine too. She was actually discharged a couple days ago.” And with that, the doctor had finally left my room.

I sighed in relief at the thought of Nicole being okay. I then thought back to everything that happened at the mall. Gripping the sheets of my hospital bed as a fear stricken Jecka came into my mind. I really hoped she was doing okay too. That’s when I began to realize something. I was scared of Nicole dying when she was shot. I was scared I was gonna die again when I was shot, despite dying multiple times before. But…I was terrified of even the slightest possibility of Jecka dying, even though she wasn’t shot or even injured. That’s when I remembered Ari’s words from reset #75.

“You’re super considerate with Jecka huh? You must really love her.”

It felt dumb and corny to really think about that. To even consider it in words. But… I had to be completely honest with myself. The truth was in every sense, clear as anything… The truth is…

……………..

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…I’m in love with Jecka.

Chapter 22: Chapter 21

It’s been a few days since I was discharged from the hospital, meaning it's been two weeks since me and Nicole were both shot by that mall cop. I was still wearing the cast but I started to get used to it. I remember Mom, Nicole, and Gabe came to visit me once I had finally woken up and Mom cried her eyes out over how worried she was over both me and Nicole. Mostly me though since I was the one who fell into a small coma. Nicole tried not to show it but I was actually able to tell she was at least slightly worried about me. Gabe on the other hand was too busy eating food from the hospital cafeteria and then got thrown out when he tried to sneak into the room that had all the terminally ill preteens in it. 

Nicole could have gone back to school a week ago but I guess she didn’t feel like going and Mom gave her a pass this time since she DID get shot after all. But I was more than ready to get back to school as soon as I could. So today was me and Nicole’s first day back since the incident. We entered the school and the first thing we saw was Megan walking away from a conversation with Jecka. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about but as Megan walked away the only thing I could hear was Jecka muttering “what a fucking bitch” under her breath which seemed pretty reasonable if she was talking to Megan.

“Hey.” Nicole simply said as we walked up to Jecka.

“Oh my god, you two are out?” Jecka asked in shock, finally noticing us.

“Yeah they cleared me last week but I didn’t feel like going to school.” Nicole shrugged her shoulders. 

“I was discharged two days ago.” I said simply.

“Neither of you were answering my texts! I thought you were both dying!” Jecka exclaimed.

“Well yeah I was emotionally. I’m always dying emotionally.” Nicole said.

“W-Well what about you Alex? I thought at least you would have texted me...” Jecka said looking a bit mad and hurt. 

“Well I was apparently in a coma for over a week. Plus when me and that mall cop fought, I ended up breaking my phone. I need to get a new one.” I answered honestly.

“A coma? Holy shit…” Jecka said in surprise.

“What about you Jecka? How… are you doing?” I asked.

“Well… I’m in therapy twice a day now… but nevermind about that shit. What happened with you two with your arm and your leg? I see that you’re in a cast Alex but Nicole seems to be walking around just fine.” Jecka observed.

“Oh yeah so they said the bullet went deep into my thigh and almost hit an artery. They ended up getting it out though.” Nicole answered.

“The bullet went clean through my arm but it damaged some bone on the way out which is why I’m in this cast.” I said, slowly holding up my injured arm.

“God…” Jecka cringed.

“By the way do you know what happened with that cop?” Nicole asked Jecka, and to be perfectly honest, I was curious too since I hadn’t heard anything about him from the doctors or Mom. 

“My dad heard they gave the cop paid leave or something?” Jecka remembered.

Yeah. Because of course they fucking did. America man…

“What the fuck, being a cop has to be the most cathartic job in the world.” Nicole said, pissed.

“Really?” Jecka asked.

“Think about it. You’re some loser with a gun and your wife doesn’t wanna fuck you so you go out, shoot two teenagers, and get a paid trip to Bermuda.”

“That sounds kinda good actually.”

“You gonna join the academy?” 

“Why would I? I’ll never be in a situation where my spouse doesn’t wanna fuck me cause I’m a perfect 10 with a high libido.” Jecka stated confidently. 

(Note: Alex’s horny ass was unfortunately too busy being lost in thought over those words Jecka had just said to notice she was looking directly at him in a hinting way when she said that. This is what happens when you create a main character that turns into a fucking retard the second a bad bitch wants his dick. -Author )

“...How many times a day you say you go to therapy?” Nicole asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Hello you three, are we staying out of trouble here?” A somewhat familiar voice called out and when we turned to see who it was, my blood ran cold.

“Whoa!” Nicole and Jecka exclaimed as they quickly backed up out of fear at the sight of the mall cop. I just stood there frozen.

Why is he here…?

WHY THE FUCK IS HE HERE??

WHY THE ACTUAL FUCK IS HE HERE!?

“What are you doing here!?” Nicole asked, confused.

“After our little skirmish at the mall the country reassigned me to patrol this school to pay my debt to the youth. So let’s stay in school this time, huh?” The mall cop said.

“Y-Yes, sir…” Jecka stuttered in fear.

“Okay bye, dude.” Nicole said, unfazed.

“...” I remained silent, trying to hold myself from grabbing his baton from his hands and sticking it so far up his ass it would create a new sex position called “reverse deep-throating”.

“Sure but one more thing. If either one of you get in any trouble… I will not hesitate to fucking murder you.” The mall cop threatened, walking towards Jecka in particular, making her flinch. That’s when I got in between them and stared at the mall cop with murderous intent.

 

 

“T̷̢͖̩͔̱̱̯͕̼̭͕̠̏̅̉̉̅̊̋̀̏́͜͝͝H̸̘̻̥͍̣̉̊͋̓̕͜͝R̵̨̩͓̮̬͙̱̫̬̳̾̒̃͋̈́͆͑E̷̜̟͂Ả̴̗̹̮̗͉̣̲̻̫͌̓̋́͆͂̇͑͊̒̈̂͜T̵̨̰̜̳̪̖̪̣̼̘͓̥̗̘̾̽͌̑̕͝E̸͔̟͐N̷̙͊ ̸̢̞̦͉̮̪̪̑̅̊̾̀͋̓̄̈́̽Ţ̵̧̛̗͎̼̩̣̠̞͂̂̓̇̉͘͜Ḧ̸̳͈͎̱̩̈́̎͘̕Ȇ̶̛̜̪̰̄̏̎̿͒͊̏͂̋͊̚M̴̧̤̹͙̭̯̝͙̜̑̏̓̄̑͋̐̀̂͑͂̂̈̇͠ ̶̝̼̩̱͖͍͚͖̘̠͓͙͂͋̆̀͊̈̅̕̕͘͝ͅͅÄ̶͚͉́͆G̸̯̪͔̹̺̍̔́̍̓̓͌͌͑̽́̅͝A̵̤̎̆̐̄̉̔̃͆̋̓̎̏͝Ï̴̠̳͉̩͓̖̼̟̪̳̎͠Ń̶̢̨̙͖̥̺̦̌̒͆̾̈́̾̊̾̕͠͝͝.̴̨̲̺̞͍̦̱͚̺̰͗͒͗̓̈́͆͠ ̸̨̛̛̤͎̳̪̩̖͖͎̠̮̦͚̦̟̔̾͂̍̀̆̈̐͋I̷̡̨̟̙̯̮̞̯̍̅̈̂̓͗̊̂̋͂̕͠͝ͅ ̵̨͉̯̠̩̦̫͖̳̺͍̹̣̬̑̔̀̓̉͘F̴̧̡̹͕̹̯̺͔̭͇̤̱͍͎̎͊͐̌̅̊͆Ų̶̧̻̱̜͔̪̘̜̾̀̑͑̏̈́́͑͆̀̈́̈́́͝͝C̷͓͕̰̭͍̰̹͉͓̼̮̠̈́̋̀͜K̸̟͎͊́̓͝͠I̶̥̲̖̫̾̅͑̑̂N̵̛̪̦̻͖̱̗̦͈͉̮͓̑̒̈G̶͇͎͈̭̖̘̅̀͗̀̂̋́̋̓͐́̓͘͝͠ ̶̢͇̩͔̱̠̤͕̯͗̓͊̏͗͛̔̒͜D̶̡̬͙͎̖͓̳́̑̒̈́̈́̂̇͋̑̀͌̍̆̕͠Ḁ̷̧̳̯̺̬̞͖̩̹̞̾̀̑́͆̃̓̿͌͗R̴̨̤̣̺̣͖͇͖͈͍̺͙̜̓̒̀̂̈́̕͜͝͝͝͠͝͝È̸̛̙͍͇̀͆̅̆͠͝ ̵͙̤̙̲͍̙̙̺̪̯̬̐̂̈́̚Y̶̢̪̘͌͛͆͐̏͜Ő̵̢̥̩̭̻̮̝̬̟͚̞̼̮̪͐̄͒͝U̵̢̡̱̙̼͚͉̥̭̣̜̜̟͗̓̏̀͌̏̽̾̑̓͝͝.”

 

My mind was getting foggy for some reason. Almost as if I wasn’t fully in control of myself. I knew that I was in control but at the same time I felt sick. Maybe I was in more pain than I thought?

“I… uh… Well… Okay…” The mall cop seemed freaked out and slowly backed away before beginning to speed-walk out of there. I somehow managed to intimidate him right then and there. Almost as if he saw something that I didn’t even see myself.

“Damn, for someone who just threatened to kill three teenagers in a school, he was pretty pussy just now.” Nicole commentated, a little stunned that I actually got rid of him.

Jecka remained quiet. Still shaken from what just occurred. She thought to herself that she was probably going to have to start doing therapy 3 times a day now after this. Jecka also mentally took note that this was the second time that I had basically saved her life. 

As for me, my head began to hurt again and I began to collapse to my knees and threw up blood all over the floor. The last thing I heard before fading into unconsciousness was a “what the fuck!?’ from Nicole and a regular scream from Jecka.

……..

…………..

……………………

“Alex?” a voice called out.

“I opened my eyes and I was in a place I recognized immediately. This was where I was when Dad appeared and told me the truth about his suicide. A space with nothing but the color white as far as the eye can see. Standing in front of me in that space of nothingness was Chrona.

“Chrona?” I asked.

“Alex, w-why are you here?” Chrona asked me, confused.

“Wh-What? Didn’t you just call me here?” I asked and Chrona shook her head.

“No! I didn’t call you! This shouldn’t be happening!” Chrona began to panic.

“What!? If you didn’t bring me here then who did!?” I asked frantically.

“I-I don’t know!” Chrona honestly said.

“B-But you’re a fucking goddess! How do you not fucking know!? Aren’t you supposed to be all knowing or some shit!?” I shouted.

“Okay. Okay. Look. Let’s both take a deep breath here and you explain to me what exactly happened before you wound up here.” Chrona said, beginning to calm herself.

I took a breath myself and then began to explain to her exactly what had happened from the incident at the mall to me passing out and appearing here before her. Chrona listened and mulled over everything I had told her. Finally after what seemed like forever, Chrona spoke up.

“I see. If everything you’ve told me is the truth then I know what’s happening here. First things first. I know who brought you here.” Chrona told me.

“Who did…?” I asked.

“You did Alex.”

“...Come again?”

“These resets… they are affecting your body. It seems they have been slowly destroying your body from the inside for a while now. I can’t say how it happened but your mind has somehow linked with time itself much like my powers do. Only difference is you are doing it unconsciously. When you felt your body being broken apart from the inside, you subconsciously brought yourself to this space. How you gained this power, I have no clue.” Chrona finished.

I did my best to absorb everything that Chrona told me but was nevertheless dumbfounded. 

“O-Okay… I guess that explains why I’m here… But… that still doesn’t explain why these resets are hurting me from the inside!” I exclaim.

“...I’m afraid that is a separate matter entirely. You see, it seems an “outside force” is interfering with the transitioning of your resets.” Chrona explains.

“An… outside force? You mean I have some kind of enemy?” I ask.

“No… I wouldn’t call them an enemy per say… it’s more like they find they have no choice but to interfere since resetting causes massive instability within the space time continuum. To them, they are replacing these tears throughout space time with your physical being. A necessary evil they would probably describe it as.” Chrona explained. 

“But who is “they”? Is there a name you can give me or something?” I ask Chrona.

“I…can’t tell you. I’m sorry. It would be a breach of trust between “them” and the gods and goddesses.” 

“Wait…You’re working with these people!?”

“No! It’s more like… an agreement if anything. They leave us alone and we leave them alone. They scratch our back, we scratch theirs.”

“I don’t understand though. You are the goddess of TIME! Shouldn’t YOU be the boss of literally everything that is going on and even like the whole universe?” 

“Look. Just because I am the goddess of time, doesn’t mean I am omnipotent. Sorry to ruin your mental view of what a goddess is but even we have rules to follow. If anything, I am simply someone who oversees everything regarding time. I still have to follow orders like everyone else.” Chrona said, starting to get annoyed. “And besides… Did you forget what I told you in the beginning? In cases such as these, we get rid of the “problem” by erasing them completely. I went out of my way to give you a chance to make things right just so I wouldn’t have to get my hands dirty. And you are still at it after 77 fucking resets. I mean Jesus fucking Christ dude.” Chrona scorned me.

“Hey, fuck you! I’m not a god or some mythical being! I am a 17 year old human for fucks sake!” I yelled, getting pissed off myself.

“Yeah, well you’ve been twiddling your thumbs a lot with these resets instead of actually doing what you have to do! Instead of trying to help Nicole you have been, going on dates to a secret mafia runned Olive Garden, became a pizza delivery boy in some fucking porno like scenario, and too busy hanging out with some DUMB BLONDE BIMBO WHO ENDED UP SUCKING OFF HER HISTORY TEACHER!!!” Chrona screamed. 

Yeah that did it. I pretty much launched myself at Chrona. We began to wrestle each other in whatever floating space we were in with her punching me and me punching her back. After what went on for a few minutes, we were floating on our backs across from each other, both of us out of breath from fighting. 

“...I’m sorry.” Chrona let out.

“...Me too. I have been goofing off too much instead of focusing more on Nicole… You were right…” I panted.

“No…you were right. I’ve seen multiple resets where you tried talking to Nicole normally but were shot down each time. Nicole just isn’t someone you can talk to easily. If this was something that could have been just resolved by talking out feelings, you wouldn’t have to be going through all this…”

“Why…Why did you really pick me to do this anyway?”

“...When I found out Nicole was the one who was causing ruptures throughout time, I was going to just erase her without a second thought. But for once… I don’t know if it was just some silly whim… I decided to take a look at her life. I saw… lots of sickening things and then… I saw you. I saw that despite going through the same things your sister had gone through… you were just… different from her. I couldn’t even fathom why this was the case. So… I wanted to see what would happen if I took that person who seemed to grow up differently, and give them a chance to make things right with their other half. Call it… an experiment if you want to use that term. A simple curiosity. Even now… I still haven’t figured out why.” Chrona finished.

“...To be honest…I don’t know if I am that different from Nicole.” I responded truthfully.

“...What?”

“I mean, my first thought was to shut all my emotions down… So I wouldn’t feel anything anymore. So I wouldn’t have to feel the hurt of betrayal I felt when I read Dad’s fake suicide note… I wanted to cut myself… I wanted to take all the drugs I could find just so I didn’t have to think about how fucked up everything in my life was.”

“...So why didn’t you?”

“Because… because I saw what all of that was doing to my sister. I was scared… terrified even of what she was doing to herself… It was almost as if someone flipped a switch off inside her and then cut the cable so it couldn’t be turned back on. The Nicole that I knew… The Nicole who was my best friend and my closest confidant… was gone just like that. So I thought to myself if I could show her that I was still there on the inside then maybe the Nicole that I knew could come back. Even if I had to fake it to do it…” I finished.

“...I see.” Chrona responded.

“But when you brought me back to when I was 14 when Dad was still alive, I had a talk with Nicole that made me realize something. The Nicole that I knew wasn’t coming back and it was selfish of me to try and force a change that wasn’t meant to happen.”

“...That’s true.”

“...Chrona?” 

“...Yes?”

“I’m going to save her.”

“...I know.”

“Take me back.” I demand, floating back upright once more staring at Chrona with a determined look on my face.

“I will. But you should know something. If you reset again… your body won’t be able to take it any longer and you will die for good. So even though I said you had infinite chances… I’m afraid reset #77 will be your last shot to make things right.” Chrona informed me, floating back upright as well.

“They say the number 77 represents spiritual awakening and development.”

“I understand.” I tell Chrona.

“Very well. Good luck Alex.” Chrona flashed me one last smile before snapping her fingers and everything went dark.

…………

……………………

“Alex…? Your brain fucking die or something?” Nicole’s voice called out.

I quickly opened my eyes to find myself exactly where I was standing before I appeared in Chrona’s space. It seems I was sent back right after I scared the mall cop off but just before I began to fall to my knees and vomit blood. I then looked behind me to see Nicole and Jecka staring at me. To them, I probably spaced out for a few seconds.

“Are you… feeling alright Alex?” Jecka asked me, concerned.

In response I flashed a smile. Thankful for the fact that I still had a chance to fix things. Even if it is my last one.

“...Never better.”

Chapter 23: Chapter 22

This is it. My last chance. I can’t afford to screw up here. I don’t exactly have a plan at the very moment but I know what my number one priority is right now. End Nicole’s hostage friendships with all these guys. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I somehow need them to start being afraid and cautious of Nicole again. How am I going to do that? I have no fucking clue.

Me and Jecka were currently sitting in the cafeteria, waiting for Nicole to show up. We just got out of English together where we had this massive bitch of a substitute because Ms. Ames was too busy with her new therapy side job to teach us. If I remember correctly, Nicole has Theater right before lunch but it’s taking her a bit longer than usual to get here. Maybe she got held back by the teacher for some stupid shit? Since we were alone it seemed like Jecka wanted to take this opportunity to talk about the mall incident and what happened this morning.

“Hey so… about earlier.” Jecka started.

“Yeah?” I asked.

“Just… thanks. For like saving my life y’know…twice.” Jecka’s eyes darted to the side.

I smiled. “Yeah dude of course. I mean, you can’t just kill off half of the “Detective Duo” like that.” I joked, referencing our nickname from last year.

Jecka laughed a bit at that but then her face got a little serious. “Weren’t you like scared though? Of like dying?” Jecka asked me.

At this fucking point, “death” is like ripping off a bandage to me but I guess since I can’t reset anymore, I actually WILL have to start worrying about dying for real now.

“To be honest, at the time I didn’t really think of it. I mean I was already panicking when I saw Nicole was shot, same as you, and then when I saw that cop point his gun at you… I guess I was more afraid for the both of you than myself. I was pretty much running on pure adrenaline back then. Same deal with what happened this morning. When he threatened the two of you I kinda just got PTSD off it and wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to pull the same shit twice. Honestly, if I wasn’t in this fucking cast I would have grabbed his gun and shot his dick off so that way at least him and his wife could finally get some common ground.” I finished.

Jecka looked both stunned and touched over what I had just said. It almost seemed out of character for her to act this way but I guess that’s what happens when you go through something as traumatic as that.

“Alex… I… I was really fucking scared. Like really really fucking scared… and you just… thank you Alex.” Jecka thanked me once more which once again seemed super out of character but I wasn’t going to complain over being thanked.

“Of course.” I repeated with a smile.

Jecka then looked over to the side, her mouth leaning on top of her hand. “I take back what I said last year, you are cooler than your sister…” Jecka mumbled under her breath.

“Huh? What did you say?” I asked confused, unable to hear a word she said.

“Oh, uh, I was just wondering what was taking your sister so long.” Jecka quickly said.

“Oh, well I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” I shrugged.

“Right… hey Alex… there’s this new Emma Roberts movie that’s out and I was wondering if-”

“Oh, there you two are.” Nicole finally approached our signature table.

“Jesus Christ finally. Where the hell were you dude?” I asked her.

“Ugh, dealing with some insane fucking bullshit that you wouldn’t believe. What were you two talking about?” 

“Just about the whole mall cop thing.” I shrugged.

“Y-Yeah! What he said…” Jecka quickly added looking a bit disappointed for some reason.

Nicole then sat down with us and the three of us talked about what exactly had happened in our classes right before lunch.

“So then she won’t shut the fuck up over how special color TVs were.” Jecka complained.

“Who was this again?” Nicole asked.

“Our English sub today. She was just really fucking old and super talkative.” I answered.

“At least you can go on your phone, right?” Nicole asked the two of us.

“That was the worst part, she’d stop her boring story to yell at anyone with their phone out.” Jecka continued to complain.

“A sub that won’t let you screw around… What a ripoff.” 

“I don’t know how someone manages to be more boring than the regular shit.” 

“Weird, yeah I had a sub today too.”

“How’d that go?” I asked Nicole.

“The drama teacher nominated a student to teach the class while she’s out of school.” Nicole informed us.

“What the fuck.” Jecka said, surprised.

“I know, why would she pick a student, right?”

“No-- Why are you in drama?”

“It’s a gimmie class. Don’t worry, I have no intention of being an actor.”

“Good, the drama kids are so fucking annoying. They’re all ugly yet somehow think they’re gonna be in a movie one day.” 

“Yeah that’s pretty much the student-teacher, who’s a massive bitch by the way.” 

“Do we know her?” 

“Do you two know Megan?”

Megan? She was the massive bitch student-teacher? …Yeah that checks out.

“Oh that girl is a super mega bitch. What did she do this time?” Jecka asked.

“So I’m just doing whatever, not really caring, and then she stops me outside after class and gets super in my face about it.” Nicole told us.

“Why? Cause you weren’t acting good enough?” I asked.

“I guess, but she’s like “I’m gonna fuckin’ write you up, get you suspended” like all this shit and I’m just standing there.” Nicole recapped.

“Yeah that makes a lot of sense considering.” Jecka replied.

“Considering what?” I asked her.

“She was a tantrum kid in second grade. Every week was a freakout.” Jecka explained. 

“Once a tantrum kid, always a tantrum kid.” Nicole concluded.

“Yeah control freak for real. So are you gonna drop the class?” Jecka asked.

“Nah I’m good. I’m gonna drop her ass though.” Nicole cracked her knuckles.

“Aren’t you a little old for revenge?”

“Oh so now you’re taking her side?” 

“No, no! I support you, I'm just not getting involved.” Jecka put her hands up defensively.

“Cause you have such a future, right?” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“Apparently more than you.” Jecka shot back.

“Future or no future, revenge is a dish best served cold… Like pizza.” Nicole stated.

Aw fuck not THIS shit again.

“Wha-- …Do you seriously eat pizza cold?” Jecka cringed.

“Yeah what’s wrong with that?” asked a confused Nicole.

“Now I know you’re out of your fucking mind.” Jecka said.

“Hot pizza’s just grease!” Nicole argued.

“There’s grease in cold pizza, it’s just solidified, schizo!” Jecka yelled.

“THANK YOU!” I shouted out loud.

“Bitch I thought you liked cold pizza.” Nicole glared at me.

“That was you and Dad. I always heated leftover pizza in the microwave like a sane person.” I corrected her.

“Well, whatever. Can we talk about this in the courtyard?” Nicole asked the two of us.

“What for?” Jecka asked.

“I’d prefer to be told I’m crazy outside where it’s warm. Not in the mental ward-like cafeteria with freezing cold AC vents.” Nicole said as she stood up from her seat.

“Just hold your pizza up to one, you’ll like it more.” Jecka muttered under her breath as the two of us stood up as well and followed Nicole outside.

The three of us entered the courtyard and as soon as we did we saw both Megan and Hunter on one of the benches. They hadn’t seemed to notice us yet so we began to listen in on their conversation.

“And you got the tickets, right?” Megan asked Hunter.

“Uh, tickets for what?” Hunter asked, confused.

“Oh my god you really forgot again. The dinner theatre??” Megan scoffed.

“Oh yeah, I can like order those tonight still.” Hunter scratched the back of his head.

“Don’t bother, I’ll do it myself.” Megan rolled her eyes.

“Sorry yeah okay.” Hunter said, looking a bit down.

“If you were actually sorry you wouldn’t have fucked it up the first time.” Megan scolded Hunter, jabbing him in the chest with her pointer finger.

“Yeah I’ll try better next time.” Hunter apologized again, still looking down on the ground.

“Stressed out enough teaching this class.” Megan grumbled, completely aggravated as she stormed out of the courtyard with Hunter following loosely behind her, the two of them still not noticing the three of us as they left.

“Does this bitch just yell at all her students?” Nicole asked as soon as they were gone.

“He’s her student too?” Jecka asked in surprise.

“What do you mean “student too”?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“They’re dating.” I answered Nicole.

“Really? That actually checks out. I was wondering why he was the only one in class not making fun of her.” Nicole recalled.

“I know for a fact he wants out of it too. He’s flirted with like three of my friends so far.” Jecka told the two of us.

“You have friends besides the two of us?” I joked to which Jecka playfully slugged me in my non casted arm. 

Nicole raised an eyebrow at this but didn’t comment on it. “Not surprising he flirted. A bitch like her? I’d cheat on her too.” 

“She’s in that weird category of just barely pretty enough to be super demanding.” Jecka commented. 

“God, the sex with her must be so bad.” Nicole cringed.

“Since I’m friends with Hunter I can tell you for sure he’s not getting any of that. Megan was raised on the whole sex after marriage bullshit.” I told Nicole.

“If that's the case… I think I might have just found my in.” Nicole smirked.

“In for what?” Jecka asked, confused.

“Megan’s life. A boyfriend she isn’t fucking is the perfect weakness for me to exploit.” Nicole stated as her smirk grew into an evil grin.

“This is starting to sound like a RedTube video.” Jecka said, cringing.

“Ew I’m not gonna fuck him!” Nicole exclaimed whilst gagging.

“Okay just checking, cause every video on there sounds exactly like that.” 

“Like what?”

“Like… “Oh you killed my parents. I’ll show you with the most suffocating blowjob ever captured on video”.” Jecka mimicked.

“Dude how much RedTube do you watch?” Nicole asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry about it.” Jecka said nonchalantly.

…Well okay then.

“Fine but anyway, me and Hunter share a science class next period.” Nicole told us.

“That’s convenient, what are you gonna do?” Jecka asked.

“Let’s just say I’m gonna… order a hot pizza.” Nicole smirked.

“And wait for it to get cold?” Jecka finished with a grin.

“You know me so well.” Nicole grinned back.

I gave some thought into Nicole’s plan on using Hunter to fuck over Megan. At first I thought about interfering. Then I realized something. Megan is a total bitch that 100% deserves this. Maybe breaking them up is exactly what’s best for both Nicole and Hunter. Hunter so he can be free from his toxic ass relationship. And Nicole since she will actually be fucking someone over for good for a change. This should also make people more cautious of Nicole again so she doesn’t get roped into these “hostage friendships” anymore. As long as Hunter doesn’t get fucked over in any way, this could be the opportunity I’ve been waiting for since all these resets began. 

“Well let me know if you need help with this pizza.” I smirked, surprising both Nicole and Jecka.

“Why do you wanna get involved? Aren’t you and Hunter friends?” Nicole asked me, confused.

“I agree that Megan is a bitch that absolutely deserves what you got planned for her. She treats Hunter like absolute garbage so as his friend I’d be glad to help. Even if you don’t give a shit about Hunter, we both want the same thing. As long as you don’t plan to fuck Hunter over in any way besides ruining his relationship then I am definitely in.” I explained.

“Huh. I guess I can work with that.” Nicole said, agreeing to compromise. 

“Besides, it’s not like it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done.” I reminded Nicole

FLASHBACK

It was October 14th 2003 when one of Mom’s ex-husbands named Steve Barton, took 12 year old me and Nicole to a Cubs baseball game. It was the middle of a game when suddenly me and Nicole saw a foul ball was coming right for us. 

“Ooh! Steve! It’s coming right at us! Grab it!” I told Steve as I tugged on his arm.

“I don’t wanna get in the way…” Steve said nervously. 

“It’s a foul ball! What harm could it do?” I asked.

Steve grinned and decided to reach out for the ball. The good news was that he caught the ball. Bad news was Moisés Alou was actually right about to catch it until Steve interfered. Nicole and I stared blankly as the baseball player fell onto the ground.

Whoops.

END OF FLASHBACK

“Well have fun fucking over that Hermione Granger lookin bitch. I gotta get to class.” Jecka said.

“Yeah me too. Huh. This might be the first time I’ve actually been looking forward to class.” Nicole smirked.

“Yeah, revenge is a pretty awesome motivator.” I chuckled and with that, the three of us parted ways to go to our respected classes. 

And so Operation Mega(n)Bitch has begun…

Chapter 24: Chapter 23

Nicole has been flirting with Hunter for a good couple of days now. And sure as hell, it’s been having an effect for sure. Normally I would think a friend trying to fuck my sister is fucking disgusting and make me want to kick his ass but I’m willing to make an exception this time since it’s for the greater good. Besides, it’s not like Nicole is ever gonna even let him try to get that far anyway. Hunter even tried asking me the day after Nicole began flirting with him if it was okay for someone I knew to date my sister (yeah REAL subtle Hunter). Since I had to keep the charade going all I said in return was “As long as I thought of them as a friend then it’s okay with me” and that pretty much gave him the green light to constantly text my sister.

Me, Nicole, and Jecka who we invited over after school, were currently sitting on the couch. Me and Jecka were watching Family Guy while Nicole was too busy texting someone who I can only assume was Hunter. 

“You know WorldStarHipHop?” Jecka asked Nicole as soon as a commercial break started.

“No, what's that?” Nicole asked, not taking her eyes off her phone.

“It’s this video site with nothing but Waffle House fights and butt implants gone wrong.” Jecka explained.

“Butt implants?” Nicole asked, slightly looking up from her phone.

“Yeah I don’t get it either but when they screw it up it just slides around in their leg.”

“Ew gross!” 

“Do you wanna see it?”

“Yeah but later, I’m texting someone right now.” Nicole said as she went back to looking at her phone.

“You’ve been on the phone like all day, who are you talking to?” Jecka asked.

I guess Jecka forgot about what me and Nicole are up to.

“Little Caesar’s Cold ‘N Ready.” Nicole quipped, reusing the pizza analogy from a couple days ago.

“Oh I almost forgot, yeah how’s it going with Megan’s boyfriend?” 

“I’m making some pretty good progress. And so far I have gotten ten--Eleven pictures of his dick so far.” Nicole corrected herself mid sentence as she had just received another photo.

Jesus fucking Christ Hunter. 

“God damn he’s desperate.” Jecka commented.

“Yeah but I’m trying to get one with his face in it too so I can prove it’s him.” Nicole replied.

“Yeah or else that could be anyone’s dick. But what if he’s just tricking you with a picture of someone else?” 

“Why would a guy carry around eleven angles of someone else’s erection?”

“He could be gay.”

“He’s definitely not gay. No gay guy would skeet in his mom’s jewelry box for me.”

“I’m sorry but what the actual fuck did you just say?” I asked Nicole, unsure if I actually heard her correctly.

“Yeah, just full on blasted all over his mom’s jewelry and everything.” Nicole confirmed.

“Uh, why… Would he do that… In his mom’s jewelry box?” Jecka asked in as much disbelief as me. 

“I told him it would really turn me on and within 90 seconds he sent a picture of it. You wanna see?” Nicole asked.

“Ugh… Yes.” Jecka answered, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“Yeah, I think I’ll fucking pass on that.” I tell Nicole as I turn around.

“Look at this.” Nicole said as she held her phone up so Jecka could see but just enough so I thankfully wouldn’t be able to.

“Jesus Christ it’s like filled up!” Jecka exclaimed as she looked at the photo.

“Pearl necklace on a pearl necklace.” Nicole commented. 

…I’m trying so hard not to picture that fucking image.

“What’s that thing in the bottom corner?” Jecka asked.

“That’s the head.” Nicole answered.

“EW UNCIRCUMCISED!! THAT’S DISGUSTING! GET IT AWAY!” Jecka screamed, scooting far back onto the couch, accidentally bumping into me. 

“You thought he’d send eleven pics of a photogenic dick?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“I’M GONNA THROW UP, UNCIRCUMCISED MEN SHOULD FUCKING KILL THEMSELVES!” Jecka shouted, gagging. 

…I am now forever grateful that I’m circumcised. 

“Maybe that’s why he won’t include his face.” Nicole guessed.

“Well you better figure something out quick before he breaks up with her to go for you.” Jecka warned Nicole, recovering from the obscene penis she was just shown.

“Shit you’re right, then it wouldn’t be cheating anymore, meaning it wouldn’t hurt Megan anymore.” Nicole realized, her eyes widening. 

“Meaning you flirted with this guy for literally nothing. As it stands now, you’re technically into him.” 

“I CANNOT let that happen.”

“Yeah, Hunter has actually been texting me about having second thoughts about being with Megan so I would act fast sis.” I informed Nicole.

“Fuck. Alright, I’ll think of something…” Nicole groaned.

An hour after that, Jecka said she had to go home so she left our house and drove off. I was still on the couch with Nicole, watching TV. Nicole was still trying her luck on getting the picture she was aiming for from Hunter.

“No I don’t wanna talk about the fucking script, just send the shit.” Nicole muttered under her breath.

“What’s going on?” Gabe asked the two of us as he came upstairs from the basement. 

“Nothing!” Nicole exclaimed, surprised by Gabe’s sudden appearance. 

“Aw dude that does not sound like “nothing”. Who ya texting?” Gabe asked.

“A guy.” Nicole said simply.

“Whoa a guy? Is it getting serious?” Gabe asked, curiously. 

“Ew I’m not having this conversation with you!” Nicole cringed.

“Is he asking for ass pics or something?” Gabe asked, bluntly.

“Can you like fuck off Gabe? Is it really any of your business?” I ask him.

“Dude, I'm just trying to help. I can give her the ass pics trump card if she wants to know it, just so she can see it coming if he tries using it.” Gabe answered, smugly.

“What fucking trump card?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“Oh it’s really simple. If any girl’s holding out on me, I just make it about trust and how I’ll kill myself if she doesn’t trust me.” Gabe explained. 

“Wha-- there’s no way that works.” Nicole scoffed.

“No like it works every-- well not every time but like ten percent of the time.” 

“What girl would respond emotionally enough to a suicidal guy begging to jack off to her?” 

“Well you’re a sociopath you don’t respond emotionally to anything, you wouldn’t get it.”

“Get the fuck outta here.” Nicole told Gabe off.

“Okay, suit yourself. But in case you fall for it, the light’s really good in the bathroom.” Gabe informed her.

…He did NOT just fucking say that.

“You’re my brother.” Nicole flatly said.

“Yeah?” Gabe asked, confused.

“Why would you care about the quality of my ass pics?” Nicole asked, baffled.

“Gabe she is our fucking sister man. I may still be in a cast but if you don’t leave right now, I will kick your ass so bad that BOTH of your arms will be casted so you can’t jack it to Selena Gomez anymore.” I threatened my older brother.

“Uh no it’s uh, I gotta go!” Gabe stammered in embarrassment before sprinting back into the basement.

“They had to teach us about ancient Greece in school…” Nicole muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, Nicole had gotten a new text that read “Are you still there” as she read it out loud. “Yeah I’m still here, it's been 45 seconds, asshole.” Nicole mumbled but then suddenly an idea came to her.

“Haven’t gotten anywhere on this full body pic… But let’s try the idiot's way.” Nicole said as she began to text Hunter back.

“Do you not trust me? I just wanna see you all in one picture because it would be really really fucking sexy…” Nicole muttered her text back out loud.

“Okay Nicole. There is actually no way in hell that will ever fucking wor-” 

“FUCKING BINGO!” Nicole shouts as she stands up from the couch, cutting me off.

You have got to be fucking kidding me…

……………

…………………………..

…………………………………………….

The next day, me and Nicole were walking to school and as soon as we arrived, we saw Jecka leaning on the outside wall, waiting for us as usual. Nicole rushed over to Jecka as soon as she saw her, excited to tell her about her success last night.

“I got ‘em!” Nicole said, excitedly.

“Got what?” Jecka asked, confused.

“You know what!”

“Blink tickets?”

“They’re not even together anymore! The pictures??” 

“Oh yeah for the revenge you’re still plotting, how’s that going?”

“Let’s just say I have the key ingredient.” 

“He really sent you a picture with just everything in it?”

“He sent a lot of pictures with everything in it. After the first one the floodgates just open.”

“Why would he send that many pictures of the same thing over and over?”

“Oh I had him write different things on himself and send pictures of it. Stuff like “loser”, “Nicole’s bitch”, “Megan’s a whore” just cool shit.”

Okay THIS I didn’t know about.

“So that’s why you weren’t picking up yesterday. Busy with the worst shit imaginable.” Jecka concluded.

“I don’t know, last night was the closest I got to any sexual gratification in this whole plan.” Nicole smirked.

“Okay fucking gross. I’m right here.” I glared at Nicole.

“No, not in THAT way. It was just the raw control that felt really awesome.” Nicole explained.

“Nicole, that's what rapists say just so you know.” Jecka bluntly said.

“I mean I guess but like, I’m a girl what am I gonna do? Guys will fly off the handle for barely anything.” Nicole shrugged.

“Yeah guys will not get a Lego set when they’re 5 and 30 years later molest kids over it.” Jecka added.

“Exactly, now onto the next step.” Nicole grinned.

“Nicole, remember. Don’t post it online for everyone to see. We already agreed on what we’re gonna do with the pictures.” I reminded Nicole.

“Yeah, yeah I know. Calm down.” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“And what exactly did you two agree on doing with them?” Jecka asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh you’ll see. Everyone is going to see…” Nicole grinned evilly to which I just rolled my eyes.

…………

…………………

………………………………

A week went by and it was finally time for the school’s big play. I remember that when I was delivering pizzas for Ari in that one reset, Megan forced me to watch her and Hunter rehearse so they could try and get the lead roles. In this timeline it seemed that Hunter did manage to get the role of Romeo but since Megan was the new director of the play, that meant she couldn’t play any role whatsoever. So Nicole somehow managed to get the role of Juliet. Currently me and Jecka were seated together in the school’s theater room, waiting for the play to start when I suddenly got a text from Nicole.

Nicole: get ready >:)

Alex: I was born fucking ready

Nicole: show is about to start sending the photos to her now

Alex: I think her reaction will be more genuine than any acting she has ever attempted at

Nicole: LOL

The lights began to dim, signifying the start of the show. I quickly put my brand new phone away and watched as the curtains began to open showing only Hunter on stage. The play had officially begun and Hunter started by reciting his first few lines as Romeo. The play went on for only two minutes until we heard an earth shattering scream coming from the backstage that made everyone in the room go silent.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

Out came Megan as she ran towards Hunter and fell onto her knees in front of him and began to have a full on meltdown, screaming and crying her eyes out.

‘HOW FUCKING COULD YOU!? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!? OH MY GOD OH MY GOD I’M GONNA THROW UP PLEASE DON’T DO THIS TO ME PLEASE GOD NO PLEASE!!! HUNTER PLEASE WHY WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THIS TO ME HUNTER PLEASE WHY FUCK WHY FUCK!!!!” Megan was hyperventilating as she kept slamming her fists on the floor of the stage.

The entire audience was witnessing this entire thing going on. I looked over at Jecka and saw that her jaw was slightly open, not believing what she was currently witnessing. I then looked over at other members of the audience. I saw some people were taking videos. Others were laughing. I turned my attention back to the stage and saw that Megan had suddenly collapsed.

Whoops.

………

……………………

………………………………

Well it’s been about 10 minutes since Megan collapsed and had to be sent to the ER for a panic attack. The play was, as you could imagine, canceled. Everyone had left the theater by that point except for me and Jecka who were waiting for Nicole to regroup with us. A few seconds passed before Nicole finally walked over to us after changing out of her Juliet costume. 

“So… tell me why again you went through rehearsing for an entire play when you knew it would end like this?” Jecka asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well I had to commit to it. Otherwise Megan would have seen what was up. If I sent the pictures as soon as I got them then she’d have time to resolve everything before the play anyway. There wasn’t going to be any satisfaction in that. Besides, it was Alex’s idea anyway to wait until the night of the play.” Nicole answered, pointing at me.

“It was?” Jecka asked in surprise, turning her head towards me.

“Well I thought about when it would hurt Megan the most so I decided on opening night of the play.” I answered, shrugging my shoulders.

“Fucking genius amiright? I mean, you see these movies where people kill someone for revenge but it’s like… You’re gonna let ‘em off THAT easy?? We didn’t break a single law and this was like 10x the payoff. She’s gonna be mentally fucked for the rest of her life over this and I just feel good about it. Now Megan’s gonna end up a cat lady cause any guy she dates will just remind her of ME! Remind her what any girl is capable of… If you push her far enough.” Nicole evilly smirked. 

“Jesus Christ, sometimes I forget that the two of you ARE actually twins.” Jecka said both equally surprised and impressed. 

“Well… great minds do think alike.” I grinned as I held my fist up to Nicole to which she grinned back and fist bumped me. 

……….

……………..

………………………..

…I think me and Nicole are actually starting to become friends again.

Chapter 25: Chapter 24

A few days have passed since the school play incident. I’m finally out of that fucking cast so I’m doing pretty okay right now. Can’t say the same for Megan though. Megan ended up being fine physically but now has to go to counseling three times a week because of how fucked mentally she became. I didn’t think that me and Nicole’s plan would work THIS well but I’m not exactly complaining over it. 

Speaking of Nicole, after everyone found out what she did to Megan, her “hostage friendships” have all pretty much stopped trying to hang out with her out of fear that they would be sent to the psych ward if they kept being around her. So another mission was accomplished there.

It also turns out that Hunter wasn’t that upset over Nicole sending all those pictures to Megan. I think he was more upset over the fact that Nicole didn’t actually like him than me and Nicole betraying his trust to fuck over his relationship. Hunter told me that God works in mysterious ways and that me and Nicole are forgiven. Now, I know in a way I can appreciate Hunter’s whole Jesus philosophy but if this God of his is anything like Chrona, then Hunter may be in trouble.

Anyways, in addition to the school play being cancelled, the entire theater department was shut down for the entire year and not just because the student-teacher was busy trying to unsee “MEGAN IS A WHORE” in writing on Hunter’s naked body. It was because apparently while Ms. Teagan (the ACTUAL drama teacher) was working on her own professional stage production; she died from a cocaine overdose. I guess it’s just a common trait for any person involved in show business. 

So with no more drama class, Nicole had to switch electives for the remainder of the year so she switched to art class which me and Jecka were already in. Speaking of which, the three of us were currently sitting in art class together. Kylar and Jeffrey were also among the students in class with us but I couldn’t really give less of a shit.

“For this week’s assignment let’s really open the floor of creativity. In the medium of newsprint and charcoal pencil we’re gonna draw a few characters.” Mr. Lorre instructed.

“We’re gonna draw on newspaper?” Kylar asked.

“It’s like newspaper, without the ink.” Mr. Lorre explained.

“What the fuck did my Mom pay a $50 supply fee for if we’re drawing on newspaper?” Kylar asked, earning a few laughs from the class.

“Yeah isn’t that cheaper than printer paper?” Jecka added.

“It’s not cheaper, it's just specialized. Art classes are here to remind you you’re special.” Mr. Lorre defended.

“So are homeless people special when they eat out of the garbage?” Nicole asked, also earning a few laughs from the class.

“Your minds are special.” Mr. Lorre corrected.

“Is he calling us special ed?” Jecka whispered to me.

“I guess we are since we decided to take art as an elective.” I whispered back, shrugging.

“And with the medium of newsprint and charcoal pencils we’ll be drawing characters, any characters you’d like. These characters could tell a story, show how you feel, portray a social cause, anything you feel is worth the time to draw.” Mr. Lorre continued.

“Can my characters murder bitches?” Kylar asked, once again earning a few laughs.

“Be mindful that anything we do in this class must be school appropriate.” Mr. Lorre warned, giving Kylar the side eye. “It’s your first assignment, just play it safe. Any other questions?” Mr. Lorre asked us. 

“Are we allowed to just draw people hanging out?” Jecka asked.

“Of course, though it might not be the strongest test of your creativity. Think why are they hanging out? What purpose brought them all together to hang out?” Mr. Lorre explained.

“Heh bitches and shit.” Kylar commented to which Mr. Lorre just rolled his eyes.

“If there are no further questions I’ll hand you your papers and we can begin!” Mr. Lorre announced as he began to turn around to grab the sheets of newsprint but not before Nicole had suddenly interrupted him.

“Bitch you do that shit.” Nicole said, irritated, making the whole class laugh.

“Excuse me??” Mr. Lorre glared.

“Dude we’re seniors, I’m not drawing during one of my sleeping classes.” Nicole argued.

“I’m sorry but you’re in art, not a sleeping class.”

“Is this an elective?”

“Well yes.”

“So what are you gonna do about it?”

“Fail you for your lack of participation.”

“Oh yeah in the elective that doesn’t stop me from graduating, that’ll really show me.”

“Yeah actually why the hell are any of us drawing?” Kylar realized.

“For the easy GPA.” Jecka answered.

“What fuckin’ college would care if you drew some bullshit picture about your feelings?” Kylar asked.

“They’d rather see an A in an easy class than a B in a hard class.” Jecka shrugged.

“I don’t wanna be in fuckin’ any class. We had to do twelve years of this shit you’re gonna volunteer for more of it?” Nicole asked Jecka.

“I mean yeah? We kinda wanna get a decent job and not stuck at a fuckin’ 7-Eleven like Kylar will be.” I told Nicole.

“Heh. Jokes on you. 7-Eleven is the fuckin’ shit. They got those good ass slushie machines that are the fucking bomb.” Kylar defended.

“You have a real attitude problem, you know that, Nicole?” Mr. Lorre asked, ignoring Kylar’s future dream career. 

“You have a “teaching a real class problem”. Go work at Starbucks with your little apron.” Nicole shot back, making the entire class erupt with laughter.

“Let’s see how the principal deals with your abundance of comebacks.” Mr. Lorre says, pointing at the door.

“Whatever.” Nicole grumbles as she exits the room to go to Principal Lynn’s. 

……..

…………….

…………………………….

Nicole met up back with the two of us at lunch and she explained that Ms. Lynn had threatened to send her to remedial classes if she had continued to act out. But apparently Nicole wants that to happen so she tried to bully Jeffrey in physics class but that somehow ended up being unsuccessful.

“Hold on you told him “kill yourself while your mom watches”?” Jecka asks, recapping what Nicole told Jeffrey in physics.

“Yeah.” Nicole nodded.

“Damn that’s a pretty fucking good one.” I complimented. 

“I know, right?” Nicole grinned.

“And that didn’t get you written up?” Jecka asked.

“Yeah the teacher wasn’t there when I said it so the response was lukewarm.” Nicole explained.

“Why are you trying so hard to get into these remedial classes anyway? They’re for major fuck ups. I don’t think you wanna be there everyday.” I told Nicole.

“What major fuck ups? You mean just stupid kids?” Nicole asked.

“No, kids who’re gonna go to jail straight after graduation. It’s like the worst of the worst, everyday is Saturday school but more eventful.” Jecka explained.

“I know it’s gonna be rougher but I’m just tired of these lame ass teachers who won’t leave me alone about anything.” Nicole complained.

“So you think the other teachers will just let you do what you want?” I asked Nicole with a raised eyebrow.

“If I just wanna sleep in class then by default yes. A collection of the worst kids in school means distractions from me.” Nicole said, crossing her arms.

“But you still can’t find your way there. Tragic.” Jecka responded, dramatically.

“Actually… maybe not.” Nicole said, her head perking up a bit.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“I think I have an idea.” Nicole grinned.

“Last time you had an idea, a girl got sent to the ER.” Jecka said, flatly.

“I mean yeah but she deserved it.” Nicole shrugged.

“Yeah true. So what’s this idea of yours?” Jecka asked.

“Oh, you’ll see…” Nicole smirked.

…………..

……………………

……………………………..

The next day we were back in art class. It was the deadline for our character drawings and Mr. Lorre was planning to go around and collect them at the end of class. I kinda waited until today to actually draw it so with the hour I had, I decided to make a quick sketch. I didn’t really know what I was gonna draw so I let my mind wander a bit while I just sketched whatever came to my head.

“Why do guys say “we” when they talk about football teams?” Jecka wondered.

“Hold on.” Nicole said, busy putting the finishing touches on her drawing.

“What are you drawing? Can I see?” Jecka asked, trying to peer over Nicole’s shoulder.

“No no, not yet. Surprise.” Nicole said, covering her paper so Jecka couldn’t see.

“I don’t know what you’re drawing for this class but it better be really good if you care this much.” Jecka commented. 

“We’re graded on effort.” Nicole reminded Jecka.

“I wonder if art studios hire based on effort.” Jecka thought out loud.

“Aw just finished my drawing!” Kylar announced.

What’d you draw?” Jecka asked.

“Bitches getting killed. Women dying is cool.” Kylar answered.

“You should move when you graduate.” Jecka deadpanned.

And just like that, class was about to end, meaning Mr. Lorre came to our desks to collect our papers. I wasn’t paying attention though since I was still pretty zoned out while I was drawing.

“Unfortunately the deadline for your character drawings has come. I will now walk around to provide feedback and collect your artwork.” Mr. Lorre announced and then walked over to Jecka. “Jecka?” Mr. Lorre called the blonde out to show him what she drew.

“Oh here.” Jecka said as she showed off her drawing to everyone. I still wasn’t paying attention to what was going on and was still drawing. 

“Care to explain the piece to me?” Mr. Lorre asked.

“It’s me and Ryan Sheckler at the Warped Tour.” Jecka grinned. 

“Ryan Sheckler?” Kylar asked.

“Yeah bitch, he’s sexy.” Jecka defended her celebrity crush.

“That’s an unlockable character in Tony Hawk, he’s not even real.” Kylar said.

“You are really fuckin’ stupid.” Nicole deadpanned.

“Jecka I must ask, who is the other person you are with in this drawing?” Mr. Lorre asks. 

“Huh…?” Jecka asks as she takes a quick look at her drawing again and her eyes grow wide. “Oh i-it’s just some random guy. Th-That’s all.” Jecka stammered, her cheeks growing a faint reddish color. 

Nicole narrowed her eyes as she took another look at Jecka’s drawing. “Hey why does he kinda look like Ale-”

“-ALEX! WHAT DID YOU DRAW!?” Jecka cut Nicole off and shouted at me, making me finally break out of thought and stop drawing.

“Actually, I would also like to know what you drew Alex.” Mr. Lorre said as he walked over to me.

I looked down at my sheet of paper. I was so out of it that I didn’t even realize what I ended up drawing. Last fucking time I take a Xanax before drawing anything. When I saw what I drew my eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. 

I DREW A FUCKING SKETCH OF JECKA!? WHAT THE FUCK THAT’S EMBARASSING AS SHIT!!!

I began to panic as Mr. Lorre grew ever so close to my table to see my artwork. I had to think fast. I had to think of a plan. And at the last second, I did. 

……………

………………………..

………………………………..

I ripped the drawing up into tiny shredded pieces. 

Nicole, Jecka, and Mr. Lorre looked pretty baffled at what I just did.

“Wh-Why did you just do that?” Mr. Lorre asked.

“Uhhhh because I am just another fleeting artist in this world whose measure can’t be grounded to simple pencil and paper?” I quickly said, thinking of an excuse at random.

Mr. Lorre narrowed his eyes at me for a few seconds before surprisingly smiling.

“Excellent use of metaphor in the art world, Mr. Yu! I’ll give you a pass!” Mr. Lorre exclaimed as he walked away. 

WHAT!?

“But since you technically didn’t hand me a drawing, I’ll just give you a C.” Mr. Lorre added.

…I MEAN I’LL FUCKING TAKE IT BUT STILL, WHAT!?

“What the fuck!? How is that fucking fair!?” Nicole shouted at Mr. Lorre. 

“Watch the language Nicole.” Mr. Lorre scolded.

“Fuck sorry-- I mean shit sorry-- I mean… whatever.” Nicole muttered.

“Now I’m very interested to see yours.” Mr. Lorre said as he walked over to Nicole. 

“Are you sure?” Nicole asked.

“You worked hard on it, let’s share it with the class.” Mr. Lorre said as he patiently waited for Nicole to hand him her drawing.

“If you say so…” Nicole mumbles as she hands her drawing to Mr. Lorre.

Nicole’s drawing was basically of a dead Mr. Lorre who had just hung himself while a bunch of people were pointing and laughing at his dead body. This of course angered Mr. Lorre.

“Wh-What is this!?” Mr. Lorre shouted.

“I call this drawing: “Peace in the Art World”.” Nicole grinned.

“Nicole! This is unacceptable!!” Mr. Lorre shouted, furious.

“What? I thought all the great artists killed themselves? If anything, you should take this as a compliment.” Nicole smirked.

“That’s it! Principal Lynn’s office! NOW!!” Mr. Lorre shouted, pointing to the door.

“Fucking finally…” Nicole muttered with a satisfied look on her face as she headed to Ms. Lynn’s office. 

…….

……………….

…………………………

Well it looks like Nicole’s plan worked as she was immediately put into remedial classes after her little stunt in art class. Safe to say that when me and her got home and she told Mom who had just gotten home from her first day working at that kosher deli, Mom was not pleased.

“WHAT!?” Mom screamed.

“I know, took ‘em long enough.” Nicole said, nonchalantly. 

“No- what the fuck is the matter with you!?” Mom asked, angrily. 

“I need remediation, my grades and behavior are apparently not cutting it.” Nicole explained.

“Your grades? You go to school everyday, don’t you get a C just by showing up??”

“Mom it’s not the 70s anymore where you just show up and get a C! You actually have to do shit now, it sucks!” 

“Excuses, excuses! Why can’t you be more like Alex!? He’s a fucking HONORS student!”

“Oh come on! He’s just doing it so he can fuck my best friend!”

“Why exactly am I being thrown under the bus here?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“Dude I don’t know, I’m just tired of Mom getting in my face about shit.” Nicole sighed.

“I would stop getting into your face if you took school more seriously!” Mom yelled again before beginning to collect herself. “Ugh, I’m gonna go up to my room and read up on how to fold pastrami. You better find a way out of those remedial classes.” Mom sternly told her before heading upstairs.

“You better find a real fuckin’ job, bitch.” Nicole grumbled under her breath.

……………..

…………………………

……………………………………..

It’s been about a week since Nicole started taking remedial classes. She hasn’t really had any complaints since all she does is mostly sleep in class. She’s also been getting along more with Emily lately since she’s literally the only other girl that’s in those classes. There have also been some changes lately. One change is that Nicole no longer sits at lunch with me and Jecka anymore since the remedial kids have a completely different lunch block. Another change is that since Nicole doesn’t sit with us anymore, Kelly has pretty much taken her place and sits with us at lunch. Today was no different as she came to sit with us and we were in the middle of a conversation.

“Are you gonna see Nick & Nora ?” Kelly asked Jecka.

“Wait- see who?” Jecka asked.

“It’s the new like romance movie with the guy from Superbad .” Kelly explained.

“They put McLovin in a romance movie?” Jecka asked.

“No the other one.”

“Who would watch a romance with that fat piece of shit?” 

“No the other other one.”

“Oh wait! Yeah no I saw a preview for that.”

“Yeah… So are you gonna see it?”

“No, why would they make a romance starring ugly people?”

“It’s like different and free spirited.”

“Literally fuck that shit. If the main character in it isn’t beautiful then how the fuck am I supposed to be able to relate to it??” 

Gotta disagree with ya there Jecka. Kat Dennings IS pretty fuckin hot.

“Whatever… Oh hey! I just remembered something. I was supposed to hand these out to you two.” Kelly says as she reaches into her bag and pulls out two envelopes and hands one to each of us.

“What are these?” I ask as I begin to open the envelope.

“Invitations to my pool party in two weeks.” Kelly answered.

Oh yeah I almost forgot. There have been lots of timelines where Kelly throws a pool party. It even led to a reset once when Jeffrey took a photo of Nicole in the gym locker room. Luckily, since gym is no longer a class anymore, everything should be fine. 

I always found it weird that every time Kelly would throw a pool party, it would never be during the same time as the last reset. One was thrown in October, another in January, and another even in April. I guess she’s throwing one in November this time. Another weird thing is that I think this is the first time I have ever been formally invited by Kelly to one of her parties. Wonder why she wants to invite me now of all times?

“I especially want you to come Alex~” Kelly winked at me.

Ah, never mind. I get it now.

“Bitch he is NOT interested.” Jecka glared at Kelly.

“Uh, last time I checked, Alex was single. What, are you jealous?” Kelly glared back.

“N-No! I just don’t wanna see my best friend get HIV from the walking cum dumpster!” Jecka shot back.

“I do NOT have HIV!” Kelly defended.

...but you’re not arguing against the cum dumpster thing?

“Look, do you WANT to go to my party or not?” Kelly asked Jecka, starting to get pissed.

“...I do.” Jecka grumbled and kept quiet. “You’re lucky as fuck that you have a really nice pool…” Jecka muttered under her breath.

“Sup?” a new voice rang out and the three of us turned around and to our surprise it was Nicole.

“Nicole? What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Nothing right now, you got any good shit on you?” Nicole asked me and I just shook my head.

“Alex and Jecka said you’re in remedial classes?” Kelly asked my sister.

“Yeah what of it?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t you have a different lunch from the rest of us? Are you skipping remedial?” Kelly asked.

“Snitch and I’ll drown you in your dad’s swimming pool that you want everyone to go to.” Nicole threatened.

“What the hell? Bitch, that just cost you an invite to my party! C’mon Alex let’s go.” Kelly says to me. 

“Uhhh I think I’m going to stick with them. Thanks though.” I tell Kelly.

“Damn shit hurts.” Nicole commented, snickering.

“Fine. I guess I can be patient. See you at the party~” Kelly tells me in a flirtatious tone whilst giving me another wink. Kelly then gets up from her seat and leaves the cafeteria.

“How have you two handled a week of Kelly?” Nicole asks us as she sits down to where Kelly was just sitting.

“No, she's pretty entertaining.” Jecka defended.

“Entertaining like Britney Spears in 1999 or like Britney Spears now?” Nicole asks.

“Oh Britney Spears now for sure. All of her stories start with her and a guy who graduated three years ago.”

“How do they end?”

“Last weekend she told us she went down on a guy during High School Musical 3.” Jecka told Nicole.

“And then right after that, she asked me if I wanted to go see High School Musical 4 with her if they ever make one.” I added.

“Damn. What did you say?” Nicole asked me.

“I said yes because I guess she was too busy getting fucked to notice that the movie ended with everyone graduating.” I shrugged.

“Why are you here anyway?” Jecka asked Nicole, changing the subject. 

“I need a little help with a paper.” Nicole told us and we looked at her like she was crazy.

“Since when, the fuck, do you care about turning in a good paper?” Jecka asked my sister, baffled.

“Since I got an idea to fuck over a teacher with it. Ms. Ames wants us to do a paper on modern poetry and hates rap music.” Nicole explained.

“So… you think she’s racist? I don’t follow.” Jecka said, confused.

“I KNOW she’s racist and I wanna write something where she shows her whole ass over it.” Nicole smirks.

“Nicole if you write about rap music being good you’re just gonna get an F which won’t prove shit cause all your other papers get F’s.” Jecka told her. 

“No no no no, I’m gonna write a paper that agrees with her. And if she agrees with it back it’s gonna get her fired.” Nicole explains.

“Yeah but you’re gonna write the racist paper she agrees with.” I pointed out to Nicole.

“I’m a kid, what do I know?” Nicole shrugged.

“Why exactly do you want our help anyway?” Jecka asked.

“Well I mean you two got Mr. White fired for being racist last year. I thought maybe you’d want to go after a new target.” Nicole answered.

Jecka and I looked at each other. It had been a while since we got both Mr. White and Coach Colby fired. We tried going after the counselor next but he was a lot smarter than we gave him credit for so we put that whole thing on pause for now. I honestly never expected that Ms. Ames was racist but I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. Nothing at this school is ever normal. I guess it looks like the Detective Duo is coming out of retirement. 

“Alright I’m in. How do you want us to help?” Jecka grinned, beginning to get excited like she had when me and her first teamed up to take down Mr. White.

“Well since you two read books and shit, is there like a really racist book I could just plagiarize?” Nicole asked us.

“I mean, I have the English version of Mein Kampf if you wanna borrow it.” I told Nicole as I began rummaging through my backpack trying to find said book.

“Why do you have the Hitler book in your backpack?” Nicole asked me with a raised eyebrow.

“They assign parts of it for AP History.” I answered Nicole as I finally found the book and handed it to her.

“I keep forgetting you two are in AP History.” Nicole says as she takes the book.

“Yeah well I need to beat the dumb blonde hoe stereotype somehow.” Jecka shrugged.

“Yeah I guess you would be the first smart blonde hoe in history.” Nicole agreed.

“By the time I graduate I’ll know three different languages which will be sure to impress anyone.” Jecka said, confidently.

“You only take French, giving head isn’t a third language.” Nicole flatly said.

“It is if you’re good at it!” Jecka argued.

…Just gonna...take note of that...for later...

……………

…………………………

……………………………………..

So a week has passed and Nicole ended up getting an A on that paper. I guess Ms. Ames really WAS racist. Who woulda fucking known? Ms. Ames was so impressed with Nicole’s “paper” that she wanted to read it aloud to the members of the school board that Ms. Lynn was bringing in with hopes to demonstrate why the remedial program is still worth funding. And that day was today. 

Nicole asked me and Jecka if I wanted to come and watch the train wreck. Jecka said she couldn’t make it because she got lunch detention for telling some kid in French class that he had a “Rugrats fetish”. 

So with that, I headed to the cafeteria and saw Nicole and Emily sitting at one of the tables and quickly joined them so I could be there to watch the shitshow.

“Why would they pick the cafeteria for this? It’s freezing.” Emily complained.

“Yeah how many people could possibly be on the school board?” Nicole wondered.

“What’s the school board do anyway?” Emily asked.

“Dumb shit like making lunch healthy and covering up sex scandals.” I answered.

“Well at least with a scandal, someone gets to enjoy themself. Why did they have to fuck up chicken nugget Friday? No one wins in that scenario.” Emily huffed.

“If only we lived in California where the schools have food courts…” Nicole grumbled.

“Yeah then it’d be too far for your Mom to wander in” Emily commented. 

“Wait, what?” Me and Nicole asked at the same time.

“I saw your Mom in the hall like 20 minutes ago. Is she picking you two up early today?” 

“Uh no? I don’t think so…” I say, scratching my head.

“Did you actually see our fucking Mom here??” Nicole asked.

“I’m pretty sure it was your Mom, she was with a bunch of people too.” Emily answered.

“What is wrong with her?? Why?? Are you sure you’re not just hallucinating off your meds?” 

“No Seroquel doesn’t make you hallucinate… During the day that is.”

“I’m gonna kill myself.”

“Nicole!” a voice called out, and we turned around to see that it was in fact Mom that Emily had seen. 

“No-- Mom get the fuck out of here right now!” Nicole winced, both not wanting her at school in general and also because she didn’t want her to be here when Ms. Ames read her essay.

“What? I can’t see my son and daughter when we get called to their school?” Mom asked us.

“Called by who??” Nicole asked.

“Your principal called us at Rossler’s Kosher Deli to cater your little remedial presentation. I was so proud to hear a paper you did would be the main event. I’ve been excited to hear this all week.” Mom explained.

“You knew about this for a week and didn’t tell me?” Nicole asked, sounding pissed.

“I thought it’d be a fun surprise.” Mom shrugged.

“Why would they cater this…?” Emily wondered out loud.

Ya know what Emily? That’s a fair question.

“So instead of telling me so I could blackmail you to call in sick you just wanna swoop in and socially ruin me!” Nicole yelled.

“Oh you’re so dramatic. I’m sure Emily wouldn’t mind if her mother was here.” Mom said.

“I would actually choke her.” Emily quickly responded.

Just then, Principal Lynn came in with Ms. Ames and a bunch of other people who I assumed were members of the school board.

“Right this way, here’s our star students.” Ms. Lynn said, leading everyone into the cafeteria.

“Ay yo we need ya with the sandwich trays!” one of the deli workers called for Mom.

“Looks like my boss needs me to set up. Good luck, sweetie.” Mom told her as she went to go help with her job. 

“School board members if you could just line around over there for our presentation.” Ms. Ames instructed the board members as she stood next to me, Nicole, and Emily.

“Yes, before we get to the catering we wanted to present just one of the works produced by this remedial program.” Ms. Lynn stated, also coming over to join us.

“Right and as I’ve come to understand the remedial classes are up for renewal at the end of this school year. A lot of talk has gone around asking “what’s the point of helping these troublemaker students?”” Ms. Ames asked rhetorically.

“And after hearing this paper, we think you’ll see the progress that can still be made here. Nicole, would you like to read the paper to the board?” Ms. Lynn asked Nicole.

“That is OKAY!” Nicole said, putting her hands up. 

“Well I’d love to read it for you.” Ms. Ames said, as she pulled out Nicole’s paper.

“Go ahead.” Nicole told her, a slight smirk beginning to form.

“Right, so this is Nicole’s paper I’ll be reading for all of you. When Nicole first came to us she had a 1.1 GPA, several truancy violations, and even more in-school suspensions.” Ms. Ames began. 

“I’m all too familiar.” Ms. Lynn added, which caused the school board to laugh.

“Look at all these sexless marriages…” Nicole muttered under her breath.

“At first she didn’t want anything to do with language arts but after we exposed her to the right literature again and again, she was inspired to write this incredibly biting piece on contemporary music and poetry.” Ms. Ames continued.

“This better not take forever, I got temple at three o’ clock.” one of the deli workers interrupted.

“Oh, yes of course. Ahem…” and with that Ms. Ames had begun reading Nicole’s paper.

“As a teen I’ve come to be disappointed with the ignorance of the broad masses about the inner nature of rappers. The lack of instinct and narrow-mindedness of our upper classes make the people an easy victim for Hip-hop’s campaign of lies. Little Wayne’s domination in the state seems so assured that now not only can he call himself a rapper, but he ruthlessly admits his ultimate national and political designs. 

“Huh…” Ms. Lynn said as she began to vaguely see the familiarity of this paper.

“A section of his genre owns itself to be a foreign people, yet even here they lie. For a while the Zionists try to make the rest of the world believe that--”

“What is this again?” asked the deli owner himself. 

“Uh oh.” Nicole said in a whistling tone.

“Catering, please don’t interrupt.” Ms. Ames said and then continued on to read from Nicole’s paper.

“--the Zionists try to make the rest of the world believe that the national consciousness of the rapper finds its satisfaction in the creation of MTV. The rappers again slyly dupe the dumb…”

By that point, myself, Nicole, Emily, and even Ms. Lynn had slowly begun to back away from Ms. Ames as it seemed that the kosher deli owner had finally begun to catch on to what this essay was parodying. And then before we knew it… all hell began to break loose.

…………….

………………………….

……………………………………..

So the owner of the kosher deli ended up calling the ADL and everyone involved had to go to court. Even Nicole. When Nicole took the stand she tried to go with the excuse she told me and Jecka and said “I’m a kid what do I know?” and it didn’t end up working like she had hoped. But fortunately what ended up getting her in the clear was her saying on the stand that uncircumcised men are disgusting and calling the McDonald’s hashbrowns “latkes” (because why not right?).

So after Nicole was in the clear, the court went through all of Ms. Ames past and this bitch was wayyyyyyyy more fucked up that any of us had thought. In college her thesis paper was about how interracial relationships were misogynistic against white women. So not only did Ms. Ames get fired but she is also losing her teaching license too. So I guess Ms. Ames has joined the ranks of Mr. White and Coach Colby on the “getting kicked out of our school club”. 

So now that we have three teachers canned from our school, Ms. Lynn now has mountains of paperwork. I wouldn’t even be surprised if this school ends up getting shut down before we graduate. Well at least Nicole definitely seems satisfied about how everything went down. 

In a way Nicole did actually do what Mom wanted and got out of those remedial classes so she’s back in her regular classes and even back in art class with me and Jecka. Mr. Lorre has pretty much given up on trying to get through to Nicole so he doesn’t even care that she sleeps in the middle of class now. So I guess that’s a double win for Nicole there.

……………

………………….

…………………………..

…Man, why DID the school cater this thing anyway?

Chapter 26: Chapter 25

Nightmares. That’s all I can describe them as. The past couple of nights I have been waking up in a dripping sweat after experiencing some horrific dreams. The thing is though… These dreams feel too real. And the scariest part is… these dreams seem to be the aftermaths of my past deaths…

 

NIGHTMARE #1

A giant explosion erupts at the local community center, the building bursting into flames. Local police and firefighters arrived but the only sign of life they found was that of a blonde teenage girl who fell to her knees as she watched the building being ignited ablaze.

“N-No… Alex… what the fuck…” the girl muttered under her breath.

ALL YOUR FAULT

 

NIGHTMARE #2

“HOLY SHIT! THAT ALEX KID JUST FELL DOWN WITH KYLAR!!! SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!” a student shouted out. 

“Damn it! Now that’s one pedophile arrest and two students dead all in the same day! I am so fired…” a older woman with glasses muttered in grimace.

“Wa-Wait… I didn’t mean for you to fall too…” A dark brown haired girl in a ponytail, muttered under her breath as she began to look as white as a ghost. 

 

ALL YOUR FAULT

 

NIGHTMARE #3

“...and may Alex’s soul rest in peace forever for his heroic bravery in defending both his sister and a dear friend from an individual who was mentally unwell. Amen.” a church pastor finished. 

A funeral service was being held. Everyone was wearing black. Two individuals in particular seemed to have been the most disturbed out of everyone there. A girl with brown hair who usually wore a ponytail in her hair, decided to keep her hair down today. Bags were under her eyes from what seemed to be from lack of sleep. 

Standing next to her grieving mother, the girl just stood there and stared at the casket where a young boy with messy dark brown hair who looked just like her, was lying peacefully. She was emotionless. She tried to cry. She really did. She couldn’t even fake it. She just felt nothing. She was forever broken and one of the last things that she thought she still had, that she still gave a slight shit about, was now gone.

The blonde girl next to her seemed to look even worse. She was sobbing uncontrollably as her face was buried into her hands. The loss she was experiencing was indescribable to her. 

“Wh-Why the fuck did he do that… why did he have to fucking get shot for me…” The blonde girl muffled out in between sobs. 

 

ALL YOUR FAULT

 

But the nightmare I had tonight was probably the worst one of all so far…

TONIGHT’S NIGHTMARE

“No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. WHAT THE FUCK WHY!?” a girl with dyed black hair screamed out as her and her friend had gotten out of the car and saw the corpse of the driver she had just hit in a drunk driving accident. 

“Ho-Holy shit…” muttered the friend next to her as she stared at the body with wide eyes.

“FUCK FUCK FUCK NO!!! NO FUCK WHAT THE FUCK!!! ALEX PLEASE GOD NO!!!” the black haired girl screamed.

“Je-Jecka… just calm down.” her friend told her as she had begun to shake from the identity of the person they hit.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN “CALM DOWN” NICOLE!? I JUST FUCKING KILLED ALEX!? FUCK FUCK NO!!!” Jecka screamed as she began to hyperventilate, tears were running down her face. 

“Look, ju-just chill out, okay!?” Nicole tried to reason with Jecka.

“EVERYTHING IS “CHILL OUT” WITH YOU NICOLE! FIRST IT’S “CHILL OUT” WHEN YOU MAKE ME CHOOSE BETWEEN MY FUTURE AND SOME FUCKING CONCERT! NOW I’VE LOST MY CHANCE TO GET INTO COLLEGE, I’M FORCED TO GET A JOB I HATE SO MY DAD DOESN’T BEAT ME EVERY NIGHT AND NOW YOU’RE ASKING ME TO “CHILL OUT” AFTER WE JUST FUCKING HIT YOUR OWN BROTHER!? FUCK YOU NICOLE JUST FUCK YOU!!!” Jecka screams at Nicole who looks too shocked at Jecka’s outburst to reply anything back.

………

……………..

…………………………..

“We the jury find the defendant, Jessica Winters… Guilty on the charge of involuntary manslaughter while intoxicated.” the foreperson at the jury announces to the court.

Jecka felt nothing when the verdict was reached. She felt nothing in general. She wondered if this was how Nicole felt all the time. Just empty. Like nothing no longer mattered. Heavy bags were visible under her eyelids from both the lack of sleep and from the constant crying. Her lawyer Ms. Fey was doing all she could do to comfort the poor girl.

“Miss Winters… Normally a convicted charge such as this one warrants extensive jail time. However, since you are still a minor and the family of the victim has decided to forgive you, bless their hearts, you will be sentenced with a year of probation and your license will be revoked immediately.” The judge sternly told the grieving and guilt stricken 17 year old girl as he banged his gavel, thus ending the trial.

………

………………..

………………………………

…………………………………………………………

Is this perspective?

Is my future really determined by the choices we make?

Or are we just sitting idly by waiting for them to be made for us?

I mean sure, it was my choice in the end to flirt with a teacher,

agree to go on a date with him,

and then ditch him to see Marilyn Manson.

At least if Marilyn Manson tried to grope me 

it would be a cool story to tell.

It was also my choice to drink so much 

because of my bullshit fucking job.

But would you rather be hit by your dad while sober 

or be hit while wasted so you can’t remember how painful it was the next day?

These are the real questions here that people 

don’t take into account when you’re drunk driving.

So yeah, I did make all those choices at the time. 

But I really had no regrets with each one…

At least not until it affected someone special to me…

So I guess I really WAS in the wrong at the end.

I was extremely wrong.

I was a WRONG STUPID DUMB FUCKING BITCH.

So laugh at me all you want…

Forget about me all you want…

But at least I’ll be GORGEOUS FOREVER.

-Jecka Winters.

...

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

...

“AHHHHHH!!! FUCK!” I screamed as I jolted awake. Sweat dripped all over my face as it soaked my bed sheets. I breathed heavily as I began to take my surroundings in again. I was back home and in my bed. I sighed in relief. 

Another fucking nightmare… This shit is getting ridiculous…

I looked over at my alarm clock. It read 3:00am. I sighed. I knew I had to get back to sleep or I was going to be fucked mentally for the rest of the day. At least today was Saturday. I laid back down and slowly closed my eyes, hoping I wouldn’t have any more nightmares tonight.

……….

…………………..

……………………………..

I ended up waking back up again around 11:00am. A little later than how I usually got up but it was a Saturday so I figured I could give myself a break. I got out of bed, brushed my teeth, showered, got dressed and headed downstairs. I saw Nicole was on the couch watching MythBusters and just joined her without saying a word. 

“Oh hey.” Nicole said to me as she noticed I just joined her on the couch.

“Hey.” I say back, still looking a little tired from last night.

“What the hell were you screaming about last night? Scared the shit out of me.” Nicole asked me.

Shit. I guess she ended up hearing me. Well our rooms ARE right next to each other after all…

“It was nothing… Just a nightmare.” I answered simply.

“Oh…” is all Nicole replied with.

That was surprising. I was sure she would make a crack at me by making fun of the fact I was 17 years old and still having nightmares. But it almost looked like she was giving me a look of… understanding?

Is… Is Nicole having nightmares too?

“Oh yeah, what time is Jecka picking you up?” Nicole asks me, breaking me out of thought.

That’s when I remembered that today was Kelly’s pool party and Jecka was probably gonna be here in an hour or two to pick me up so we can go there together. Since Nicole threatened Kelly a few weeks ago, she basically lost any chance at getting invited so it was just going to be me and Jecka. 

“Uh I think in like an hour or two.” I told Nicole.

“Well, have fun trying to avoid Kelly from getting into your pants.” Nicole shrugged as she began to flip through channels with the TV remote. 

I rolled my eyes at this. “Yeah yeah whatever. I’m surprised you don’t plan on crashing the party since you didn’t get invited.”

“Yeah well I thought about doing that and doing it in a way that would really stick it to that rich slut but… I ended up making plans with someone tonight.”

“Really? Who? Is it Emily? I know you two have been hanging out more since you were both in remedial.”

“Emily? No, it’s actually--”

“Nicole? Alex? Can I talk to the two of you for a moment?” Mom’s voice calls out as she walks over to the two of us.

“Yeah, what’s up Mom?” I asked.

“Well, it’s been a little over a year since we moved so I wanted to ask how everything was going with you two.” Mom answered.

Really? She’s checking up on us now? She really needs to put away those child psychology books.

“Like everything going academically… or socially?” Nicole asked.

“Everything, anything.” Mom answered, taking a seat on the couch to try and bond with us.

“Honestly, it’s going pretty good.” Nicole answered.

“Yeah, no complaints really.” I answered too.

“Oh that’s great to hear, I know moving schools can be hard.” Mom says relieved.

“And if I cared, it absolutely would be. But Mom, I figured out that if you just don’t engage with other people’s emotions or desires, nothing’s a burden.” Nicole said.

“Excuse me?” Mom asked.

“Like if I put it like this: Anytime a guy asks for my company, asks me out, asks for anything… and I make decisions entirely for myself not concerned with their feelings, there’s no stress.” 

“Honey that sounds a little mean-spirited, don’t you think?”

“I mean ever since the school play, I don’t feel forced anymore to be some guy’s walking attention giver. I finally feel like I can be who I want to be. And besides, what the fuck is the alternative? Being used to do shit? People, especially men, are the perfect pawns when you don’t give a fuck about them or whatever they want.”

“Ugh I won’t argue… I’ll just hope you learn how to interact like a human being once you graduate.” 

“So you’re telling me it’s a requirement for women to be pushovers? Or we’re sociopathic? What the fuck happened to feminism, Mom?”

“Nicole, I don’t know any woman who actively considers feminism. We vote and work, it’s just a fun thing to say.” 

“Okay well fuck feminism, I’m starting Nicoleism!”

Nicoleism… Not gonna lie, it rolls off the tongue pretty well.

“Nicoleism?” Mom repeated with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, the main concept is girls removing all emotional attachment from anyone.” Nicole explained, crossing her arms together.

“Oh I’m sure you’ll meet a nice boy soon and you’ll be all over this.” Mom said, rolling her eyes.

Nicole for some reason seemed to instinctively flinch at the words “meet a nice boy”. I raised an eyebrow at this. 

I know she hates men so that reaction isn’t exactly surprising but it feels like… there was something more to it than that and I can’t really explain what.

“How can I meet a “nice boy” when all men are just rapists and pedophiles? Is fucking kids nice, Mom? Besides, newsflash! I’m-” Nicole then stopped herself and stared off to the side. Nicole had an unreadable expression on her face just then. Almost as if she was about to reveal something that neither me or Mom knew about.

“You’re… what?” Mom asked with a raised eyebrow.

“...Nothing.” Nicole said as she quickly got up from the couch and walked upstairs to her room.

…What was that about just now?

“Honestly… that girl. I just can’t understand her.” Mom grumbled.

“I think you should give her a break Mom. She doesn’t show it but it’s been tough for her since Dad…” I told Mom, hoping she can begin to take it a little easier on Nicole.

“...If you say so honey. By the way, how are things going with you Alex?” Mom asks, turning to me.

“Uh, well like I said I have no complaints Mom, really. In fact I’m going to a party today.” I answered Mom. 

“I’m glad to hear that sweetie. I know I can trust you to behave yourself but please be careful.” Mom told me.

“Yeah Mom, of course. Jecka will be here soon to pick me up.” I tell Mom with a reassuring smile.

“I’m glad to hear that. I’m so happy to hear how good of a friend Jecka has been to you and Nicole since we moved here. Although sweetie I can’t help but wonder… Are you and Jecka dating?” Mom asked me, pretty bluntly.

“N-No! We’re just friends Mom. Just friends.” I waved my hands dismissively, my face tinged slightly with red. 

“I think you should ask her out honey. As a mother, I can certainly tell she’s a keeper.” Mom smiled at me.

“Mom, I am NOT talking about this with you right now, for fucks sake.” I grumble as I sink further into the couch and turn up the volume on the television in order to drown out her dating advice. 

“Alright, alright. Just try to remember what I said.” Mom simply said and with that, she went into the other room. 

I sighed in relief when Mom left. I then flipped through more channels and stopped until I saw that Family Guy was on so I decided to kill some time until Jecka got here and just spend the next hour or so watching TV.

……..

……………….

………………………

A little over two hours later, I got a text from Jecka telling me she was parked in our driveway and she was waiting for me. So I got up from the couch, went upstairs real quick to grab my bathing suit and towel, went back down and opened the door and saw Jecka’s car in the driveway. I got into the passenger side and Jecka grinned as soon as she saw me.

“You ready?” Jecka asked me excitedly.

“You bet your ass I’m ready. The only thing better than a pool party is a pool party at a rich person’s house.” I grin and Jecka laughs.

“I know right? You got your bathing suit?” Jecka asks me.

“Yep, right here.” I say holding it up. “Where’s yours?”

“Oh, I’m wearing my bikini underneath my clothes so I don’t have to change when I get there.” Jecka tells me.

“Damn, I should have thought of that. Oh well.” I say, and with that the two of us drove to Kelly’s house.

…….

……………

……………………..

We got to Kelly’s house and it was just as big as I remembered it. We got out of Jecka’s car and walked to the front of the door where we rang the doorbell. A few seconds passed and the door opened to reveal Kelly who seemed to be wearing a VERY skimpy looking bikini. Me and Jecka both twitched our eyes at this but we kept quiet so we wouldn’t get kicked out before we even made it inside the house. 

“Hey, guys! Glad you could make it! Especially you Alex~” Kelly winked at me.

“Are you gonna invite us in or not?” Jecka asked, beginning to sound irritated.

“Yeah, yeah, of course. Come on in.” Kelly told us as she ushered us inside.

This is only my second time being inside Kelly’s house but it was still just as impressive as I remembered it being. I was even more excited to see the swimming pool area as we followed Kelly there. Once we got there, my jaw dropped. The pool was surrounded by a completely glassed in room so you could see their beautiful looking backyard. It was absolutely breathtaking and I couldn’t even believe I had to use a lame ass word like that but that’s all I could describe it as.

Once we got there, it became apparent that we were not the first ones to arrive. I saw that a lot of kids from school were already here. Karen was swimming in the pool, seeming relaxed from the refreshing heated pool. Emily was sitting on the ledge of the pool, having only her feet and legs dipped in. I saw that Trody and Braxton were shooting each other with water guns. I also saw Kyle and Hunter sitting on the lounge chairs, having a fun conversation about the new Call of Duty game that came out.

I only saw five people that weren’t here that I really knew by name from school. Kylar, Megan, Crispin, Ari, and Jeffrey. Jeffrey didn’t get invited for obvious reasons. Ari wasn’t here because I assume she had a shift to work at Dominos. Crispin didn’t get an invite because apparently he creeps Kelly out (rightfully so). Megan didn’t come because Hunter got invited and wasn’t mentally prepared to face her ex boyfriend again. And as for Kylar… Well it just seems that in every timeline, Kylar never gets an invite to Kelly’s pool party. Let’s just hope he doesn’t crash it out of rage and hormones. And honestly? That seems like a pretty possible scenario to me.

Me and Jecka put our things on two of the lounge chairs and that’s when I remembered I still needed to get changed into my bathing suit. 

“Hey, I’m gonna go to the bathroom real quick to get changed. I’ll be right back.” I tell Jecka.

“Okay, cool. I’ll be here waiting for you.” Jecka smiled.

I smiled back and then walked over to Kelly to ask her where the bathroom was. She told me that there was one that was down the hall from here and the third door on the left. I took those directions and walked down one of the long hallways of the house, looking around and really taking in the rich atmosphere of this place. 

What did she say her parents do again? Office workers? I just honestly can’t fathom how they could make this much as office workers unless they worked for some company like fucking Disney or Microsoft or some shit.

I was so lost in thought that I ended up walking into the wrong room. This room seemed to be that of a study. Maybe an office room for her parents? I wasn’t really sure at the time. By instinct I began to walk in and looked at the vast amount of books shelved among the bookcase. A lot of them were on the subject of mythical creatures and cryptids and other anomalies. Whoever’s room this belonged to must have a really odd interest. 

“Excuse me? Can I help you?” a voice from behind me asked.

I instinctively dropped my bathing suit to the ground out of surprise and turned to see a man wearing a suit who seemed to be in his 40s with short black hair. 

“Oh, uh, sorry sir. I was just looking for the bathroom and I guess I took a wrong turn.” I apologized to the older man. “Are you Kelly’s father?” I asked him.

The man stared at me for a bit before smiling. “Yes, that’s correct. My name is George but you can call me Mr. Anderson if you’d like. I assume you’re one of my daughter’s friends who she invited for her little party.”

I silently nodded at this and Kelly’s father continued talking.

“I’m so happy to hear she’s made such great friends at her time going to Lake Braddock Secondary School. Kelly was always a bit shy and innocent so I was afraid she wouldn’t ever make any friends… but I’m happy to see that I was wrong.”

SHY!? INNOCENT!? Oh man… this poor dude…

“Uh yeah. Sorry again for barging in here.” I apologize again.

“No need. Everyone makes mistakes. I just came back home because I forgot to take something with me to the office. Now I have to head back soon or my wife is gonna give me an earful. Working the same job as your wife is both a blessing and a curse as they say.” Kelly’s father smiled sincerely. 

“Y-Yeah. Well, I should be getting out of your hair now. Sorry once more for trespassing on your study.” I say as I begin to walk past Mr. Anderson and head out the door. And the second I took one foot out of the study, Mr. Anderson said something to me from behind that almost made my heart stop and blood run cold.

……….

…………………..

………………………..

“Please give my regards to Chrona, will you, Alex Yu?”

Chapter 27: Chapter 26

My eyes seemed to have grown wider and wider with every second as I tried to digest that little request that came from Kelly’s father. My breathing was growing rapidly to the point where it had reached near hyperventilating. The thought that someone knew… that someone KNEW what was happening to me… that instilled a deep fear inside me for some reason I couldn’t rightly explain. It took a lot of willpower to try and turn around so I could confront Mr. Anderson in what he just said to me.

“Wh-What the FUCK DID YOU JUST S-”

And just like that he was gone.

Poof.

Like he was never there to begin with.

My legs were feeling numb and I collapsed to the ground as I just sat on the floor staring at where Kelly’s father just was with deep breaths and widened eyes. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“CHRONA!” I screamed and then time froze still again and Chrona had just appeared in front of me. But instead of her usual cheeky self was that of nothing but an empty gaze that was found on her face. Almost as if she knew exactly why I called for her. 

“Tell me… Tell me WHAT THE FUCK THAT JUST WAS!!!!” I screamed at Chrona. 

“...He really shouldn’t have done that.” is all Chrona replied with. 

“Is… Is he one of those people you told me about? Are… Are Kelly’s parents part of the group you have a deal with? Is… Is Kelly part of this too? IS SHE HERE TO SPY ON ME!?”

“...Before you jump to any conclusions, I should at least tell you this. Your friend Kelly has zero clue what her parents really do for work. So whatever her parents are part of, she is not part of it. I’m sorry Alex, but that is all I can tell you. Goodbye.” Chrona finishes and with that she is gone and time resumes.

WHAT THE FUCK!? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS ALL THAT!? GOD THIS FRUSTRATING! I gotta… I gotta find Kelly… maybe Chrona WAS telling the truth about Kelly not knowing what her parents do but maybe she knows SOMETHING!

I quickly turned around and ran through the halls of the house to find Kelly but the next thing I knew I accidentally ran into the very person who I was looking for. 

“Ow shit!” Kelly says as she rubs her head after having fallen on the ground.

“Oh, fuck, Kelly are you okay? Sorry about that.” I offer my hand to Kelly and she takes it graciously.

“It’s fine. Why were you running anyway? I thought you were going to get changed?” Kelly asks me as she gets back on her feet.

“I was actually looking for you. I need to talk to you in private if you don’t mind.” I tell Kelly with a straight face.

“O-Okay…” Kelly’s eyes widen and her face begins to flush a bit. “Follow me…” Kelly says as she takes me by the hand and I follow her into what appears to be her bedroom. Kelly goes over to sit on her bed as I turn around to shut her door.

“Kelly, there's something really really important I need to talk about with you.” I say, still facing the shut door. I then turn around to face Kelly again. “Here’s the thing, I-”

I was immediately cut off by the very next thing I saw. It was a completely naked Kelly as she stared at me with a flirty look with one hand on her naked hip and another hand fondling one of her large breasts as she had her tongue sticking out. Her bathing suit was thrown across the room. 

“Come on Alex~ I think we both know why you wanted to see me privately~” Kelly purred.

I just gave her a completely blank look as I was doing my best to keep my brain from exploding over one of the most popular girls in school stripping for me.

…Yeah. She probably really doesn’t know anything huh? Damn, those are some FUCKED UP looking nipples. How could a girl as rich as her get a piercing done THAT cheaply made???

“Uhhhh ya know what Kelly? I would love to have sex with you right now, I really WOULD, but uh…. I didn’t bring any condoms with me. Darn…” I say as I fumble with the doorknob to open it.

“Oh that’s okay, I hate condoms. I want you to fill me up~” Kelly grins as she begins to move her fingers downward and begins to rub her… well I’m sure you could imagine what she was rubbing. 

“HEY! LOOK AT THAT MADE UP DISTRACTION BEHIND YOU!” I point behind Kelly where she turns around, allowing me to open her bedroom door and make a break for it. I ran until I found a random room and thankfully it was a bathroom. I quickly locked the door and began to catch my breath as my face was beet red. I then looked down at my pants.

Yeah… maybe I should stay in here for a few minutes and “calm down” before changing and returning to the pool…

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I finally got changed into my bathing suit and returned to the others. I saw Jecka was talking to Emily and when I saw Jecka, my jaw dropped. 

Jecka was wearing a pink bikini that reflected perfectly on her figure, her golden blonde hair that was usually done in a messy bun was let down. At that moment, it really made me reconsider if Chrona was actually a goddess at all because I was staring at someone who clearly fitted that title more. 

If Kelly thought her getting naked in front of me had an effect on me, then she would have given up then and there if she saw how I looked staring at Jecka only in a bathing suit. Even my horny ass couldn’t help but notice how much bigger and better Jecka’s cleavage looked compared to Kelly having them all out in the open. 

I then realized I was staring a bit too long and began to walk over to Jecka. It looked like she didn’t notice I was back yet so I walked up to her from behind and lightly tapped on her shoulder. 

“Hey, sorry I’m a little late. I kinda got held up with something.” I said. 

“Oh, Alex, you’re back.” Jecka then turned around to face me. “What took ya so lo-” and for some reason Jecka stopped herself mid sentence and stared at me. She seemingly was lost in thought all of a sudden.

“Was… Was Alex always built like that? When the fuck did he get all those muscles and abs…? And what’s with those scars all over his body?? Fuck… that’s actually really really hot…” Jecka thought to herself as she bit her bottom lip.

“Jecka?” I waved in front of her face, hoping for her to snap out of it.

“O-Oh! Y-Yeah!?” Jecka quickly asked, snapping out of her thoughts right before they turned into something X rated. 

Shit. She’s probably freaked out over all the scars on my body. I had a feeling she would react like this…

“Y-Yeah… I know. The scars are a lot but they’re also kinda hard to explain.” I say as I scratch the back of my head.

“I think they’re cool as shit. They don’t bother me at all.” Jecka grinned.

“Damn. Well, alright. Cool.” I say in surprise. 

“Come on, are we just gonna stand around or have some fucking fun!?.” Jecka says as she grabs my hand to pull me along into the pool. But unfortunately for the both of us, she pulled on me too hard and I ended up falling directly into the pool.

My head popped out of the water as I caught my breath, not expecting to have dived into the pool so soon. I looked up to see Jecka staring at me from the pool’s ledge and I could tell she was trying her best not to laugh. 

“Sh-shit. Are you okay?” Jecka asked me, in between a fit of laughs. That’s when an evil idea came to my mind.

“I will be in a second…” I mutter as I jump up and grab Jecka by the waist and pull her into the pool with me.

“OH FUCK!” Jecka screams as the two of us both go underwater. We immediately resurface with me still grabbing onto her as Jecka laughs harder than I have ever seen her. 

“AL-ALEX! FUCKING LET GO! YOU’RE…YOU’RE FUCKING TICKLING ME!” Jecka laughs as she tries to pry my fingers away from her stomach. 

I eventually let go and she splashes me out of payback for pulling her into the water with me. I splash her back and we end up acting like 10 year olds in a pool with a splash fight. But I didn’t mind. I was having a lot of fun. 

Our arms eventually got tired of splashing and we were out of breath. We both looked at each other and we both noticed just how close our faces were towards each other.

She’s really close… What if I… I began to lean in.

“God… he’s really fucking close to me right now… Maybe I could…” Jecka thought to herself as she began to lean in herself.

“CANNONBALL!!!” shouted out Trody as he jumped up and landed right next to me and Jecka, causing us to be pushed away from each other in the giant splash. 

Me and Jecka were too busy coughing up pool water that had gotten into our mouths and noses to really lay into Trody. Meanwhile Trody was laughing his ass off as he turned to give a thumbs up to Braxton.

“HOW WAS THAT ONE BRO!?” Trody shouted.

“AW DUDE THAT WAS A FUCKING NICE ONE!!!” Braxton complimented his twin brother. 

“YOU FUCKING KNOW IT MAN!!! IF THERE ARE ANY BITCHES WHO WANNA GET WITH A MASTER CANNONBALL JUMPER IT’S ME!” Trody shouts as he points to himself with his thumb.

Me and Jecka just glared at the annoying set of twins before us. I was pissed because Trody basically ruined my chance at making a move. I’m not sure what Jecka was so pissed about but I imagine it was over getting splashed out of nowhere.

Maybe this is a sign that I shouldn’t make a move on Jecka…

I shook myself out of that thought. Maybe it was for the best. I should focus my attention on dealing with Nicole anyway. I know that’s hypocritical to say when I’m at a party away from Nicole, but I figured I deserved a break after all the shit I’ve been through. Me and Jecka stared at each other for a second before we both agreed we should get out of the pool for a bit. It was still the beginning of the party, so I’m sure there was a lot more fun to come.

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Today was probably one of the most fun days I have had in a long time. Me and Jecka pretty much hung around the entire party. We went swimming, relaxed, drank a LOT, and had some pizza that Kelly ended up ordering. I was having so much fun, I had even almost forgotten about the whole conversation I had with Kelly’s father. Almost. We were there for about six hours and I was beginning to sober up. I figured maybe wait one more hour before deciding to go home. 

At the moment, Jekca was taking a nap on one of the lounge chairs after drinking so much. I was sitting next to her and kept an eye on her in case maybe Trody, Braxton, or Kyle tried to hit on her. Kyle especially since I’m pretty sure he is a little obsessed over Jecka. It was at that moment I saw Hunter walk over to me and sat down in one of the lounge chairs that was across from me.

“What’s up dude?” Hunter asked me.

“Not much man. How’s the party so far?” I ask him.

“Not bad. I’ve honestly just been trying to move on from Megan. I tried hitting on a few of the girls here already but they kinda told me to fuck off.” Hunter said as he rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment. 

“I think the problem is that you’re hitting on all these girls who probably aren’t even a good match for you. Tell me, what was it that made you first like Megan?” I ask him.

“Uhhh well…” Hunter tried to think of an answer but couldn’t seem to find one. 

“Was it because she was the first person to say yes when you asked her out?” I guessed.

“Uh... well when you put it like that…” Hunter scratched the back of his head.

I sighed and scanned the pool area. I then saw one individual in particular and I had an idea. An idea that to anyone else who heard it might say it was crazy but maybe… maybe it just might work.

“Hey, why don’t you go over and talk to Karen?” I pointed to Karen who seemed to be relaxing on one of the lounge chairs on the other side of the pool. 

“Karen? Isn’t she ya know? Kinda nerdy?” Hunter asked me and I rolled my eyes.

“Hunter, just because she wears glasses and has a few “nerdy” interests doesn’t mean it automatically makes her one. If anyone is a nerd at this school, it’s Jeffrey. That shrimp dick fucktard. Also you were dating Megan and she was probably the biggest fucking theater nerd I have ever seen. Karen is a super sweet girl who would treat you better than Megan ever did.” I tell Hunter in full honesty.

“Huh… yeah okay. I’ll go over and talk with her.” Hunter said as he got up and began to walk over to her. 

I couldn’t hear what was going on but it seemed to look like Karen was smiling when Hunter walked over to talk with her and it also seemed they were having a pretty nice conversation.

I then looked over to see the still sleeping Jecka on the lounge chair. I couldn’t help but smile at her as I moved a few strands of her hair that was stuck in front of her face.

God… I’m really fucking crazy about her aren’t I? 

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Jecka had woken up about an hour later. It was almost 8:00pm and some people were heading out already. Usually Kelly’s party went on much later than this but I guess since it started so early in the day that everyone was just too tired to keep hanging around. I was sober enough to drive so I ended up having Jecka lean against me. She was beginning to sober up too but she was still pretty tired.

“Alright Jeck, are you ready to go?” I ask Jecka.

“Jeck… I like that…” Jecka mumbled to herself, approving of the little nickname I gave her.

“I guess I’ll drive ya to your house and then I’ll walk back home from there?” I say as we begin to walk out of the pool area.

“N-No… Wanna… sleep over… with you… tonight.” Jecka mumbled as she grew even more tired.

My face turned slightly red. But immediately shook certain thoughts out of my head.

She probably just doesn’t wanna go home to her Dad…

“A-Alright. You can stay the night.” I tell Jecka as I lift her up and carry her on my back. With Jecka’s arms wrapped around my neck from behind, I began to leave Kelly’s pool area but not before taking one last look at the room. I then noticed something I didn’t expect to see. I saw Hunter and Karen making out on one of the lounge chairs.

Woah. Now THAT was fast…

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I said my goodbyes to everyone. Kelly looked a little pissed at me for ditching her while she was naked but she didn’t seem like she would hold a grudge over it. I carefully put Jecka in her passenger seat as she was basically knocked out again and sleeping soundly. I then started up Jecka’s car and drove us back to my house. 

I opened the door as soon as I got home with Jecka once again being carried on my back. The first thing I saw when I opened the door was Nicole watching TV on the couch. Nicole seemed surprised that I came in with a sleeping Jecka on my back.

“Damn, how fucking much did she drink?” Nicole asked me.

“Not too much. I think she’s just more tired from swimming around all day than anything.” I answered.

“Huh. Well is she crashing here for the night?” Nicole asked. 

“Yeah. Can she sleep with you?” I asked Nicole.

“Dude, fuck no. That bitch snores in her sleep. I’ve seen it happen multiple times when she falls asleep in class. No way in HELL am I dealing with that all night.” Nicole crosses her arms.

I sigh at Nicole’s refusal. I looked over at the couch. I didn’t really want her to leave her on the couch though since it wasn’t exactly the most comfortable place to sleep on. That’s when I came up with an idea. Still carrying Jecka, I walked upstairs with her and entered my room. I carefully placed her on my bed and put her in the covers. I then turned around and left my room, shutting the door behind me.

Guess I’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.

I went back downstairs and opened the fridge, I grabbed a bottle of water and joined Nicole on the couch. 

“I put Jecka in my bed. I’m sleeping down here tonight.” I informed Nicole as I took a sip of water.

“Prince fucking Charming huh?” Nicole said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. 

“Yeah yeah whatever.” I say, rolling my own eyes in return but with a chuckle.

“So how was the party?” Nicole asked me.

“Honestly? Pretty fun. You were right about Kelly trying to fuck me by the way.”

“I knew it. What did she do?”

“She basically got us alone together and got completely naked right in front of me.”

“No fucking way. So what did you do?”

“I pretty much bolted from that scene. She was definitely taking advantage of the pool party to get even bolder with me.” 

“Shit dude. Makes me glad I didn’t end up going.”

“Oh yeah, that reminds me. You said you were hanging out with someone tonight. How did that go?”

“Honestly… It was… really great.” Nicole admitted as I noticed she had an actual genuine smile beginning to form on her face.

“Who was it you were with anyway?” I asked Nicole, beginning to take another sip from my water bottle. Then, the next line that came out of Nicole’s mouth ended up making me choke on even more water than when Trody cannonballed earlier that day.

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“Oh… I was just hanging out with my girlfriend.” 

Chapter 28: Chapter 27 (Hunter Side Story)

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! I just wanted to let you guys know that these next few chapters are gonna be side stories with each one focusing on a different character. These will be done so I can prepare myself to begin writing the final act of this story. So please bear with me in hopes I can reach a satisfying conclusion for Alex and Nicole! 

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Hunter woke up just like any other day. Except today he was a bit happier than usual. He basically had a new girlfriend. Well at least he was sure he did. He and Karen really hit it off the other night at Kelly’s pool party. They even made out! Which is something he didn’t get to do often when he was dating Megan. 

Megan… He honestly didn’t even want to think of her right now. They had been dating since the end of sophomore year and every day since then had felt like emotional torture. There was also the whole deal of him not even getting to have sex with her. I mean sure, he can be patient with a girl but at the time he had NO idea that she was saving herself until after marriage. Fucking bogus man…

He was a man of God himself, sure. But he thought even God would forgive him if he wanted to get his dick wet every once in a while! That reminds him. On Saturday, the church is having their annual festival coming up. Maybe he can bring his new girlfriend as his date! Wait… Karen WAS his girlfriend right?? I mean all they did was make out while they were drunk and that was that… And he doesn’t think he has talked to her since then… Shit, maybe she wasn’t his girlfriend yet…

Hunter decided to call his buddy Alex over so he could get some good advice from him. I mean it was thanks to him that he even began to take an interest in Karen in the first place. Maybe he could help him out again. It took about an hour since he called but Alex had finally arrived at his door. He let Alex in and the two of them began playing video games together. They played Call of Duty for about two hours until Hunter decided to finally ask Alex for advice. 

“Hey so uh I need some help with something Alex.” Hunter said, his eyes staying glued to the screen.

“Yeah? What’s up man?” Alex asked, his eyes also not being taken off from the TV screen. 

“So… when you first asked Jecka out, how did you do it?” Hunter asked, which made Alex almost let go of his grip on Hunter’s Xbox controller. Alex then paused the game and stared at Hunter with a red face. 

“HUH!?” Alex asked Hunter in confusion.

“Uh… what?? Aren’t the two of you dating?” Hunter asked, confused.

“No! Me and Jecka are just friends! Best friends even!” Alex shook his head frantically and waved his hands dismissively. 

“Oh… but aren’t you into her?”

“Well… I mean yeah but… Why are you asking me about this right now?”

“Well ya see… remember how me and Karen made out at Kelly’s pool party that night?” 

“Yeah, I remember. Somehow that wasn’t even the most surprising revelation of that night…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Oh! Uh… Nothing, never mind.”

“But yeah, so I haven’t exactly talked to Karen since that night. And my church is having a festival… and I wanted to ask her to go with me. What do you think?”

“I say go for it man. How about you ask her out tomorrow at school?”

“But… how do you think I should ask her?”

“Dude you don’t need some extravagant plan to ask a girl out. Just ask her and don’t be a fucking idiot about it.” 

“Huh… Well alright if you say so dude.”

“Just don’t overthink it and you’ll be fine.” Alex says as he begins to get up from Hunter’s couch. 

“Yeah, thanks Alex.” Hunter says appreciatively.

“No sweat man. I’m heading back. Let me know how it all goes.” Alex says as he walks out Hunter’s front door.

Hunter watched as Alex left, shutting the door behind him and then sighed. Maybe Alex was right. Will Karen just say yes if he casually asks her? Guess he won’t know until tomorrow…

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The next day came around and Hunter drove to school as he did like every other day. Today was the day he would ask Karen on a date. He kept Alex’s advice in mind and decided to play it casual. 

Classes went by normally and finally lunch came around. He heard from Alex that Karen usually sits at lunch alone reading a book. So he wasn’t surprised that he was able to find her so quickly. He walked up to Karen and tapped on her shoulder since she seemed too engrossed with her book.

“Uh, hey Karen.” Hunter said.

Karen looked up from her book to see who was trying to get her attention. She saw who it was and immediately blushed, remembering the night they shared at Kelly’s party.

“O-Oh! H-Hey, Hunter…” Karen stammered. 

“Hey uh… what book are you reading?” 

“Oh! I’m just rereading Twilight since the movie is coming out in two weeks!”

“ Twilight huh… is that the book about the vampire dude?”

“Yeah! Except it’s not just about a vampire dude, it’s about a complicated love story between a girl who is a human and a guy who is a vampire.” 

“Oh, I see… hey so uh Karen… about Kelly’s party…”

“I-I’m really sorry I got like that! I just don’t drink that often and I think you’re really cute and…”

“Oh uh that’s cool er uh I mean great! That’s actually why I wanted to see you, ya see I wanted to ask if you wanted to go with me to my church’s festival on Saturday… like on a date.”

“A… A date… with me?”

“Well I mean, if you don’t want to then…”

“No! No, I do want to! It’s just… No one has ever asked me out on a date before.” Karen said, mildly embarrassed.

“Oh, really? I didn’t know that. I’m surprised since you’re pretty hot and all.” Hunter said bluntly.

“Y-You think I’m… “hot”?” Karen asked, her face turning beet red.

“W-Well I mean yeah. I wouldn’t have made out with you if I didn’t think that…” Hunter said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“W-Wow… Thanks Hunter.” Karen couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

“N-No prob. So uh, this Saturday?”

“This Saturday yep! I’m really looking forward to this!”

“Awesome! I’ll pick you up around 3:00. Sound good?” 

“Yeah! I can’t wait!” 

“Me too. So uh I have to get going now… Oh! Right, here ya go.” Hunter says as he pulls out a slip of paper with his cell phone number written on it and hands it to Karen.

“Thanks! I’ll give you a text!” Karen says as she pockets the number slip.

“Alright Karen, I’ll be seeing ya.” Hunter waves away to Karen.

“I’ll see ya later Hunter!” Karen smiles and waves him away back.

“Huh. I guess going about it casually actually works…” Hunter thought to himself as he walked away from Karen’s lunch table, excited more than ever for the weekend.

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Saturday came like a flash and Hunter was excited to have his first date with Karen today. He drove off from his house to pick up Karen so they could go to the church together. Once he had picked her up, he saw just how beautiful Karen seemed to look with makeup on. To him, she looked 1000x prettier than… than… What was her name again? Hunter was too distracted from seeing an angel to remember the name of that one girl. Mandy…? Mary…? May…? He didn’t really care. All that was on his mind at that moment in time was Karen. 

They drove to the church together and parked in the parking lot. Hunter and Karen got out and it seemed like the festival had already begun. There were stands filled with fun games and activities, as well as lots of food and candy for sale. There were even tons of carnival rides for the younger kids. Not to mention there was a giant Ferris Wheel in the very center of the festival. 

Hunter and Karen both walked around the festival for a good two hours, their hands intertwined with each other’s. Hunter honestly felt like he was having more fun on this one date with Karen than he had for his entire relationship with… he wanted to say maybe Molly? Ah well, it doesn’t really matter anymore. 

Eventually the two of them decided to finish the night off with a ride on the Ferris Wheel. They got on the ride and with the power of cliche fanfiction writing, the ride stopped for them while they were at the very top. 

“Wow… this view is really pretty.” Karen said, breathlessly. 

“Y-Yeah! I bet it was like this for Harry when he played Quidditch for the first time against Slytherin.” Hunter told Karen.

Karen then looked at Hunter in shock. “Y-You read the Harry Potter books!?’

“Well… no. But I kinda watched the first movie a few days ago to prepare for our date because someone told me you were a fan of it.” Hunter said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. 

“Wow… that’s so sweet of you.” Karen said in awe.

“Y-You think so?” Hunter asked. 

“Definitely.” Karen said as she leaned in and kissed Hunter softly on his lips.’

Hunter was a little surprised but kissed her back regardless, his tongue managing to make his way into her mouth as their kiss deepened. Eventually the two teens broke apart to catch their breath.

“W-Wow… Th-That was even better than at Kelly’s party…” Karen said, out of breath.

“Y-Yeah, I think so too…” Hunter said.

A few seconds later, the ride started back up and Hunter and Karen arrived back on solid ground again. They both exited the ride and began to walk back to Hunter’s car. 

“You know, I had a really great time tonight.” Karen said.

“Yeah, I did too. Might have been the most fun date I’ve ever had.” Hunter said honestly. 

“Ya know… the night is still young. Do you wanna go back to your place and we can watch Chamber of Secrets together?” Karen asked, her face growing red. 

“Uh, Chamber of Secrets ?” Hunter asked, confused.

“Oh, the second Harry Potter movie I mean.” Karen explained. 

“Oh! Uh, sure.” Hunter said, his face also growing red at the thought of having a movie night together back to his place. 

“Great! Let’s go!” Karen replied, excitedly. 

The two of them then made their way to Hunter’s car. As the two of them began to drive off, Hunter thought about how really happy he felt at this moment. He would have to put in a prayer for both Alex and his sister tomorrow because if it wasn’t for them, he would probably still be chained to that manipulative bitch named… Maddie? Eh, it will come to him someday. Hunter then remembered Nicole’s words to him about his ex when she was still fake flirting with him. 

“Okay don’t tell her I told you this, but just based on her personality I can tell she gives amazing head. Am I right?”

Hunter wasn’t sure why he remembered those specific words at that moment but later in the night it was pretty clear why he remembered such a random and trivial thing. Call it an act of God if you would.

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Later that night, Hunter received the best head of his entire life. 

Chapter 29: Chapter 28 (Karen Side Story)

Karen had been over the moon lately. She recently had finally gotten a boyfriend and the first film adaptation for one of her favorite novel series is coming out this weekend! She’s been feeling a lot more confident with herself lately too. Because of this, she’s had a lot of time to think. To think about rekindling an old friendship that she thought wasn’t salvageable. But maybe… Just maybe… she can really try to be friends with Jecka again. She remembers their time together quite fondly after all…

 

FLASHBACK (SIX YEARS AGO)

“Jecka! Wait up!” an 11 year old girl Karen shouts, as she chases after an 11 year old Jecka as they race inside the Centerville Cinema. Karen’s mother was following loosely behind them with a smile on her face. 

“C’mon Karen! We gotta get the best seats!” the young blonde giggles with excitement. 

Karen quickly caught up to Jecka, eager to get good seats too. Karen’s mother had bought them a large popcorn for them to share and each of them a soda. They each gave their movie tickets to the usher as they were let into one of the theater rooms. They managed to snag great seats that weren’t too close to the back but not too close to the front either. At the moment only previews were playing, meaning Karen and Jecka still had some time to talk before the movie began.

“I’m so excited for this.” Karen whispered next to Jecka.

“Me too. Do you think they’ll adapt the scene with Tom Riddle’s diary well?” Jecka whispered back. 

“I hope so. I’m also excited to see the scene with Aragog.” Karen smiled.

“Hey, after this, we should get a bunch of snacks for our sleepover and just pig the fuck out.” Jecka grinned.

“Je-Jecka. You can’t say that… my mom could hear you…” Karen winced at Jecka’s foul language as she looked next to her mom who seemed too distracted from the movie trailers.

“You’re such a baby sometimes.” Jecka said, playfully rolling her eyes. 

“Wh-Whatever…” Karen looked away, embarrassed. “Pringles sound nice…” Karen muttered.

“Now you’re talking.” Jecka laughed and before either of them knew it, the room began to darken and the movie had begun. The title for the movie was in full view for everyone to see. 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

 

END OF FLASHBACK

Karen missed those days. She really did. Maybe she couldn’t go back to exactly how things used to be, but maybe the least she could do is reconcile with the only friend she ever really had growing up. Tomorrow she will talk to Jecka at school. Whether or not she will even want to talk to her, she’ll have to just see.

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Well here it goes. It was lunch time at school and Karen walked over to where Jecka, Alex, and his sister Nicole usually sat for lunch. Except surprisingly it wasn’t just them sitting as it looked like Ari had joined them too which was odd since it’s always been the three of them together and no one else. As Karen walked over to them, it seemed they were in the middle of a conversation with each other.

“I mean it makes sense if you think about it. If he’s a guy who got that fucked up in war and refused to be sent back home because he rather stay with a bunch of sweaty dudes instead of being with his wife and kids, then maybe McCain really is super fucking gay.” Alex said to the three girls, shrugging.

“What… What conversation did I just randomly stumble onto…?” Karen wondered to herself.

Karen immediately shook this thought out as she needed to remind herself why she was here. She got closer to their table to the point the four of them had finally noticed her presence.

“Hey… Jecka?” Karen asked, nervously. 

“Oh! Uh… Hi Karen.” Jecka said, awkwardly. 

“Can we talk for a second? Like privately? I swear it won’t be for long.” Karen said, her confidence slowly coming back to her.

“Bitch, does it look like she wants to ta-” Nicole began to say to her but Jecka quickly cut her off. 

“Y-Yeah. Sure, Karen.” Jecka said as she got up from the table, to Nicole’s surprise. “I’ll be right back.” Jecka tells her friends as Karen leads her out the cafeteria and into the courtyard.

“Sorry for dragging you out of nowhere like that.” Karen apologized to Jecka. 

“It’s… okay, I guess.” Jecka said while rubbing her arm. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Jecka, I’ll be completely honest. I miss you.” Karen said with a straight face. 

Jecka looked surprised at this. But that surprise quickly turned into shame and guilt. “K-Karen… I… I don’t think…” Jecka began but Karen quickly cut her off. 

“I have a boyfriend now, you know.” Karen quickly said.

“You… You do?” Jecka asked in surprise. 

“Yeah, you know Hunter right?” Karen says. 

“You mean Alex’s friend? Megan’s ex?” Jecka asked in double surprise. 

“Yeah, that’s the one. Ya know… Alex was the one who actually got us together.” Karen stated.

“He…He did?” Jecka asked in triple surprise this time. 

“He did. And ever since I’ve been with Hunter, I’ve just felt… better with myself. Like just more confident ya know? I then thought back to us and how… how it all ended…”

Jecka listened in and then looked down at hearing Karen mention how they stopped being friends. Guilt and anguish filled Jecka as she recalled how much of a bitch she was to let go of her childhood friend like that. Jecka stayed silent and let Karen continue. 

“...I’m sorry.” Karen said which surprised Jecka for the fourth time today.

“Wh…What?” Jecka asked, unsure if she heard her correctly or not.

“I’m sorry that I fucked up your chances at smoking with the 8th graders. I was too busy being some nerd and it made you look uncool being next to me. It hurt when you left me… It really really did but… I put you in a weird position back then and I’m sorry…” Karen finished.

Jecka didn’t know what to say. She was too stunned for words. When Karen asked her to speak with her, a million different scenarios went through Jecka’s head on how this conversation would go. Karen apologizing to her was NOT one of them.

“N-No… Karen… You shouldn’t be the one apologizing…” Jecka thought to herself.

“Karen… I-”

“COME SEE TWILIGHT WITH ME!” Karen cut her off.

“Wh-What?” Jecka asked, confused.

“I… I want to go to the movies with you… like old times… please?” Karen asked.

Jecka stayed silent. Unsure of how to respond. If this was her a year ago, she would have bluntly told Karen no and to fuck off, despite that not being her true feelings.

 “Maybe he’s rubbing off on me…” Jecka thought to herself. 

“I’ll… I’ll think about it. Okay?” Jecka replied. 

“That’s okay with me.” Karen said, smiling. “I have to go now, Jecka. You still have my number right? Text me if you decide to go.”

“Y-Yeah. I’ll do that… See ya Karen.” Jecka said, a small smile beginning to form on the corner of her lips.

Karen smiled and waved as she left the courtyard. As she left, she played back the conversation she had just had in her head. 

“I hope… I hope she says yes.” Karen thought to herself. 

……….

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Karen was sitting at home. She was working on a new collage at the moment when she heard her phone go off. Karen quickly grabbed her phone, turned it on, and read the text that came with it.

Jecka: Lets do it

Karen smiled. Happy to see that deep down, Jecka was still her friend. She texted her back what time to meet each other at Centerville Cinema and with that, a plan was set in motion for this upcoming weekend. 

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Karen arrived at the cinema a good 20 minutes before the movie started. Once she had gotten inside, she immediately spotted Jecka in the lobby. She smiled, happy to see that she actually came through and showed up.

“Oh, hey, there you are.” Jecka smiled as she looked up from her phone and saw Karen walking over to her.

“Hey! I’m really glad you decided to do this.” Karen smiled back.

“Well… I won’t lie… I did think for a second about declining. But… someone convinced me that I should do this.” Jecka said, rubbing the back of her neck.

“I have a sneaking suspicion that “someone” was Alex.” Karen thought to herself.

“Well, regardless of how it happened, I’m just happy you were able to make it.” Karen said, gratefully. 

“Yeah, I am too. Really. So… you wanna get popcorn and junk?” Jecka said, pointing towards the concession stand.

“Yeah! You still like those cherry gummy worms they sell here right?” Karen asked with a knowing grin.

“They still sell those here!? Those were literally better than sex, like a literal orgasm in my mouth.” Jecka exclaimed, not caring who was around to listen to her. 

If this was six years ago, Karen would have stammered in embarrassment over Jecka’s dirty mouth but now that they were nearly adults, she couldn’t help but laugh at how funny her childhood friend could be. 

The two then headed to the concession stand and purchased a large popcorn, two sodas, and two bags of cherry gummy worms. They then headed to the usher, handed their two tickets, entered the theater, and sat down in their seats. 

“I can’t wait for this!” Karen exclaimed as they sat down and the movie trailers were playing. 

“Yeah, I’m really glad I decided to do this.” Jecka said back. 

“...It was Alex who convinced you to come, wasn’t it?” Karen asked.

“How did you know??” Jecka asked in surprise.

“Just a feeling. He’s a really great guy huh?” 

“Well I don’t exactly have a history with any decent guys so… yeah. I’d say he’s the best guy that I know.” 

“Hey, I was thinking… Maybe you and I can go on a double date sometime.” Karen suggested. 

“Huh? What do you mean by “double date”?” Jecka asked in confusion, tilting her head slightly. 

“Well I mean, me and Hunter and you and Alex.” Karen explained. 

“Wa-Wait… WHAT!?” Jecka yelled out accidentally, causing people in the theater to shush her. 

“Huh? Aren’t you two dating?” Karen asked, confused.

“N-No! We’re just friends! Best friends even!” Jecka loudly whispered, her head and hands shaking dismissively. 

“But… Don't you have a crush on him?” Karen asked. 

“Well… I… Hey look! The movie is starting.” Jecka whispered as the lights darkened and the movie began to play. 

“Thank god…” Jecka thought to herself. 

“Oh! You’re right. Okay, let’s be quiet.” Karen said and the two of them sat in silence as the movie played.

……….

………………….

………………………………

Karen and Jecka were leaving the theater and were back in the lobby. Jecka was smiling over just how giddy Karen looked from just finishing the movie. 

“Ahhh~ Robert Pattinson was even better as Edward than I thought he’d be~” Karen said, dreamily.

“Yeah, I gotta admit, the movie was surprisingly better than the book.” Jecka said, following behind Karen. 

“I think so too! …Thanks for doing this again Jecka. I had a great time tonight. It really made me feel like we were in middle school again.” Karen admitted. 

“I had a great time too.” Jecka said as they both left the cinema and were now walking in the parking lot. “...Hey Karen?”

“Yeah? What’s up Je-”

“I’m sorry.”

“...Huh?”

“I’m sorry… for everything. I pushed you away and left you alone. I was such a bitch because I thought you would make me look lame in front of others… I’m so fucking sorry Karen. You shouldn’t have even apologized, I was the one who should have… I’m just… I’m just so fucking sorry…” Jecka began to break down. Small tears were forming in her eyes. 

Karen was shocked at Jecka’s apology. She honestly never thought that Jecka would ever apologize for something. She really has changed from how she used to be. Karen then wondered if this was because of a certain blue eyed boy with dark brown hair. Before Jecka had the chance to say or do anything else, Karen ran to her and hugged Jecka tightly. Jecka was surprised by this but hugged back regardless. 

“I forgive you Jecka. Of course I do. I just missed you so much.” Karen smiled, a few tears rolling down from her own eyes. 

“...I missed you too.” Jecka hugged her tighter as all the shame and guilt she had been carrying for six years finally disappeared. 

Two friends who were once broken, finally reconciled after a long period of time. A bond is never truly broken. It can just be put back together at any point in time. But it’s up to those who were once apart to make the decision to fix things again.

………………

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…………………………………………..

That night, Karen and Jecka had a sleepover for the first time ever since the sixth grade and they pigged the fuck out with pringles and other junk food. 

Chapter 30: Chapter 29 (Kelly Side Story)

WARNING: This chapter contains very explicit sexual content so if you wanna complain and be a snowflake then I will just reply to you with a snowflake emoji in the comments. BEWARE OF SNOWFLAKES ❄️

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Twas the night before school, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring. …Well, except for Kelly who was currently getting her back blown out. 

“A-Ah!” Kelly groaned as she was on her bed, on all fours while a classmate behind her was fucking her doggystyle. 

Kelly was originally trying to get Alex to fuck her like this but no matter how hard she tried, he always managed to deny her advances. So she thought about fucking Alex’s friend Hunter for the next best thing but then Karen’s four eyed ass swooped in and stole him last minute. Fucking bitch. So what did Kelly do next? Well, she just grabbed on to one of Hunter’s friends as the NEXT next best thing. And that friend just so happened to be Kyle. 

“Y-You like that?” Kyle moaned as he slapped Kelly’s ass as he thrust himself into her. 

“ “You like that?” Seriously? This guy’s dirty talk fucking SUCKS. Also his dick isn’t even that great…” Kelly thought to herself, mumbling as she let out a few fake moans just so he would cum quicker.

Kyle continued to pound her from behind, his hands squeezing Kelly’s ass while gritting his teeth as he felt his balls begin to tighten, signaling that he was reaching his limit.

“I-I’m gonna CUM!” Kyle yelled as he began to pull out of Kelly’s pussy.

“Ugh, it’s only been ten fucking minutes and I’m not even close to cumming… Fuck it, whatever.” Kelly thought in annoyance but put on the horniest expression she could manage.

“I-I’m cumming too!” Kelly lied. 

“JE-JECKA!!” Kyle yelled as he pulled out in time and came all over Kelly’s ass with his eyes shut tight. 

“WHAT DID THIS ASSHOLE JUST CALL ME!?” Kelly thought in anger. 

Kelly turned around at Kyle and glared right at him. Kyle was in euphoria for a few dozen seconds before snapping out of it and noticing Kelly’s glare. He looked confused but then just realized what it was he exactly yelled out as he was cumming. 

“O-Oh shit, I mean-” Kyle began to try and explain but Kelly cut him off.

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN “JECKA”!? ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!? I GIVE YOU THE GREATEST HONOR OF LETTING YOU FUCK ME AND YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OTHER BITCH!?” Kelly yelled at Kyle. 

“I-I’m sorry… it’s just I’ve had a crush on Jecka since freshman year and I guess I just wanted to at least pretend I got to do her once and-”

“GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! JUST GET OUT! AND BY THE WAY, JECKA WOULDN’T WANNA GET WITH A 4 INCH DICK PRICK LIKE YOU ANYWAY!”  

“O-Okay…” Kyle muttered as he quickly got dressed and stumbled his way out of Kelly’s bedroom door and left her house in a hurry. 

“Fucking asshole.” Kelly muttered under her breath as she wiped the cum off of her ass with a few tissues. 

Great. She was still horny. Guess she’ll just have to finish the job herself with good ol Mister Dildo and Miss Vibrator. She took out both objects from her drawer and began to pleasure herself all on her own. 

“Fu-Fuck!” Kelly moaned as she slowly pushed the dildo inside herself, gasping at the sensation. She felt full and stretched, but the vibrator against her clit was making it feel even better. She began to move the dildo in and out, her breath coming in short gasps.

“God… if only Alex was here instead…” Kelly dreamt. 

Kelly’s body was trembling with pleasure. The dual sensations of the dildo and the vibrator were overwhelming her, and she was finding it hard to focus on anything but the intense feeling building inside her.

“Fuck… He looked so hot at my party… All those scars… God I want his cock inside me so fucking bad~” Kelly moaned at the thought of Alex on top of her. 

Kelly’s moans grew louder as she picked up the pace, her hips bucking against the dildo and vibrator. She was completely lost in the sensations, her mind hazy with lust. She could feel herself getting closer and closer to the edge, her body tensing up in anticipation of her release.

“CU-CUMMING!” With a final cry, Kelly’s entire being became undone, her body shaking as the orgasm washed over her. She collapsed back onto the bed, the dildo and vibrator still in place, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Her face was flushed and her eyes were glazed over with pleasure. 

“God… that was way better than that shrimp dicked fucker.” Kelly thought as that wave of pleasure she had just felt was replaced with a wave of exhaustion. Kelly slowly closed her eyes as she let sleep overtake her and succumbed to the darkness of unconsciousness.

……….

……………..

……………………….

Kelly woke up in a drenched sweat. She looked at the time on her alarm clock. She still had a good two hours before school started. She decided to get up so she could take a shower because good lord did she need one after last night. She took a nice long and hot shower and then got out and wrapped herself in a towel. She went back to her room and saw her toys were still out on her bed. She quickly put them back in her bottom drawer and got dressed. 

Kelly came downstairs and just as she expected, no one was there to greet her or say good morning to her. She sighed. She was used to it at this point. Her parents never being here when she got up in the morning. She feels like she barely ever gets to see them anymore. Always busy at the “office” they say. And if she knew her parents then… yep there it was. A note taped to the fridge as clear as day. She grabbed the note and began to read it. 

“Hey Pumpkin! Just wanted you to know that we’ll be a little late coming home tonight so just order some takeout from any of your favorite places! We had the chef make you a delicious lunch to take with you to school! Also don’t forget to eat an apple or orange for breakfast! It’s brain food! We love you!

-Your super duper cool parents that let you be an independent individual.😙

 

Kelly playfully rolled her eyes at that note. Especially the last part. She… loved her parents. She really did. They were actually pretty awesome most of the time. But… she just hated how she never really gets to spend any time with them. 

She understood that whatever work they did was important. Even though they’re always super vague about what exactly they even do for work. She also had to admit that the work they did was worth it because well, just look at her house. The other kids at her school would kill for the type of lifestyle she got to live. 

Still… It wouldn’t hurt for them to have a night as a family again. Maybe if her parents actually gave her attention then she wouldn’t have to spread her legs for the next Mike or John or fucking KYLE that caught her eye. 

Oh well. It was time she started heading to school. She grabbed an orange from the fridge and stepped into the house’s large garage. She entered her brand new 2008 black Honda Civic and drove out of the garage and out onto the road, heading to the school.

……….

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Classes went by pretty normally. Kelly was never the best student but she didn’t get bad grades either. Her test scores were pretty average but she wasn't worried about getting into a bad college. Her dad apparently had connections to some people who could get her into any top school she wanted. It’s also not like she would have any trouble paying for college too.

Kelly was walking down the hallways, heading to her next class when she saw someone walking in front of her with hands in their pockets as they were mumbling something under their breath. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw who it was. It was Alex.

“God fucking dammit Nicole… You’re going way too far this time…” Alex grumbled to himself as he seemingly hadn’t noticed Kelly beginning to walk up to him. 

“Huh? I wonder what his sister had done THIS time. Ah well, not any of my business. Still, I’m not going to waste this chance to have some alone time with Alex~” Kelly thought to herself as Alex had finally noticed her presence.

“Oh, Kelly.” Alex said as he noticed who was standing in front of him. 

“Heyyyy Alex! I see you’re all by yourself so I thought you’d want some comp-”

“Look Kelly, I don’t really have the time to entertain you right now. I kinda have something important going on right now. I’ll see you later.” Alex began to walk past her, shocking the bleached haired girl. 

“Wa-Wait!” Kelly shouted at him, making him turn around and face her again with an annoyed look. 

“...What?” Alex demanded, seemingly not in the mood for his time to be wasted.

“Looks like he’s in a bad mood… Uh… think think. What can I say to keep him interested in talking to me??” Kelly wondered to herself. Then she thought of something.

“What… What were you trying to ask me back at my party?” Kelly asked Alex.

Alex blinked in surprise at this question. His annoyed look from before quickly fading away.  It took him a few seconds to put what he wanted to ask into words but eventually, he opened his mouth. 

“I wanted to ask you… what your parents are like.” Alex finished.

Kelly wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She certainly wasn’t expecting that to be the question he was going to ask her at the party before she stripped butt naked in front of him. For some reason though, that question annoyed the absolute shit out of her.

“Why… Why do you want to know that?” Kelly asked, her fists beginning to tighten. 

“Just… curious is all.” Alex responded.

“Ha… Funny… I’ve been curious about that all my life… Maybe you’d have better luck asking them yourself if you can even try.” Kelly chuckled darkly as she looked down at the floor. 

“What the hell are you even talking about? You’re their daughter, I just want to know-”

“YEAH WELL JUST BECAUSE I’M THEIR DAUGHTER DOESN’T MEAN WE FUCKING TALK ALL THE TIME!” Kelly screamed, thankful no one else was around to see this side of her. 

“I…I’m…sorry?” Alex looked stunned at Kelly’s outburst as he took a few steps back. It didn’t take him long for him to put two and two together and figure out that Kelly and her parents might not be as super close as he originally thought. 

“I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM! EVERYDAY WHEN I WAKE UP I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM SAY “GOOD MORNING KELLY” OR WHEN I COME HOME FROM SCHOOL, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM SAY “HOW WAS YOUR DAY?” BUT NO! THEY RATHER JUST SIT IN THE OFFICE OF WHATEVER BULLSHIT FUCKING COMPANY THEY WORK AT THAN ACKNOWLDGE ME IN ANY WAY THAT DOESN’T INVOLVE A PEN AND PAPER!!!” Kelly had finished her rant as she began to catch her breath. She had finally let out years and years of built up frustration. She just didn’t think she would end up dumping all that on the guy she was trying to bang.

Alex stayed quiet for a few seconds, making sure that Kelly got out all she needed to say. Alex never expected this kind of thing from Kelly. Most of the time she was pretty cool headed except when someone was picking a fight with her. To him she was just the average school slut except way more optimistic than the average person. You could say she’s pretty “gung hoe”! …Okay terrible puns aside, it was safe to say for Alex that a lot more people at this school had inner demons to deal with than he figured.

“...I’m sorry Kelly.” Alex apologized, guilty for having asked in the first place.

Kelly stared at Alex for a few seconds before closing her eyes and calming herself down. She then reopened them and looked at Alex with a sad expression.

“No… I’m sorry for shouting like that. It’s just… look. I love my parents but… they are hardly around anymore. They usually were always able to make time for me but in recent years… they’ve just become way too busy with work. I’m sorry I can’t help you more than that.” Kelly finished.

“...No, it’s okay really.” Alex said as he looked at Karen with a sorrowful expression. 

“...Why are you curious about my parents anyway?” Kelly asked.

“Haha… Would you believe me if I said I’ve been reliving the past two years of high school over and over again?” Alex chuckled a little.

Kelly sighed at this response. “Alright, alright. Weird excuse but you don’t have to tell me. I get it.” 

Kelly then began to turn around to head to the class she was late for. As she walked back she did one last turn around to Alex. 

“Sorry for ya know… throwing myself at you that one time.” Kelly scratched the back of her neck.

“It’s fine. Look Kelly, I like sex as much as the next guy but I’m just not really interested in doing random hookups right now.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. …But that still won’t stop me from trying.” Kelly playfully winked at Alex before heading out the hallway, but instead of going to class, she decided to just skip school and go home for the rest of the day so no one would see her heartbreak from the rejection she had gotten from her most recently lustful attraction turned to newly founded crush. 

………..

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Kelly had gotten home and she was surprised to see her house wasn’t empty. Her parents were right there, staring at a bunch of papers scattered across the kitchen table. She wasn’t able to make out what the papers said but she was only able to notice one thing in large bolded letters. 

 

O.D.D.

 

Kelly wasn’t sure what even O.D.D. was. Was it where her parents worked? Her thoughts were interrupted by her parents suddenly noticing that Kelly was home as they quickly gathered the scattered papers and covered them up.

“K-Kelly! What are you doing home so early, Pumpkin?” her mother asked her, frantically. 

“Did the school have a half day today?” Her father asked.

Kelly shook her head as she remained silent, still surprised to see her parents were even home in the first place.

“Sweetie… You’re not skipping are you?” her mother asked with skepticism. 

“I… I…” Kelly’s emotions began to swell up inside her, her outburst from earlier with Alex seemed to have wanted to come back for an encore. Only this time it was in the form of sadness and not anger.

“I’M… I’M SORRY! IT’S JUST YOU GUYS ARE NEVER HERE… AND THE BOY I LIKED… AND I’M JUST SO FUCKING LONELY!!!” Kelly’s knees gave out as she broke down in front of her parents, crying on the kitchen floor. 

Both of her parents looked shocked at Kelly’s sudden outburst and quickly ran to her and hugged her to try and console their only daughter. 

Kelly seemed surprised at this but quickly returned the hug as she cried into her mother’s shoulder. Her father gave her some tissues which she graciously accepted. After she had calmed herself down, Kelly explained her true feelings to her parents. How she felt that they were never around and always at work. How lonely she felt and how much she missed them. After Kelly was done explaining, her parents then spoke up.

“Kelly… We had no idea how much you were hurting.” Kelly’s mother said. 

“Pumpkin, we love you. If you want us to be here more often then we will. Truthfully we thought you enjoyed the independence you had.” Kelly’s father admitted. 

“I did… at first. But after a while I just felt lonely whenever I woke up to an empty house or how quiet the house was when I came home from school.” Kelly said in full honesty.

“Well in that case, we promise that your mother and I will start spending more time with you sweetie.” Kelly’s father assured her. 

“...Really?” Kelly asked.

“Of course we will. We love you Kelly. Don’t ever forget that.” Kelly’s mother reassured her as she pulled Kelly into yet another hug which Kelly returned. 

Kelly was smiling from ear to ear. Her parents were finally going to start being there for her again. But don’t get her wrong. Just because her parents would be home more often didn’t mean she wanted to stop getting her fuck on. …Jesus Christ, just listen to herself.

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“Maybe I should join the school’s sex rehab program…”

Chapter 31: Chapter 30 (Emily Side Story)

It was a day like any other day for Emily. She got up early in the morning to do what every teenage girl did when they woke up. She went down to the local middle school and sold cough medicine to the students and told them it was heroin. 

Then she had to split the scene when one of the 8th graders told her that the sign of a real drug dealer was to lift their shirt up like a secret signal when making the exchange. Those little fuckers! No way was she going to fall for that! …again. 

Emily checked her phone for the time and saw that school was about to begin. She was going to head there but decided to skip first period so she could head over to the mall to see if that guy from Waldenbooks wanted any more of her “Percocet” to buy. 

At first she was worried that he would be able to catch on that the pills she sold were just a scattered mix of who the fuck knew, but judging by yesterday’s interaction, it didn’t seem like he would.

FLASHBACK (YESTERDAY)

 

“Come on! Everybody needs Percocet!” Emily said as she held her bottle up to the store worker.

“Well, I do manage a Waldenbooks…” The worker said, thoughtfully.

“Exactly! You’re not fucking anytime soon!” 

“Okay, deal! But only cause you’re really pretty!”

“Yeah… I know… So twenty bucks then?” Emily asked as she held out the bottle in front of him again, but then all of a sudden, Jeffrey of all fucking people had to walk in the store and interrupt her deal. 

“Do you have any Japanese Pokémon cards?” Jeffrey asked the store worker. 

“Uh, kid? I’m kinda in the middle of something.” The worker told Jeffrey, hoping he would fuck off. 

“So… no Japanese Pokémon cards?” Jeffrey asked again. 

“...You want your V card in Japanese too?” Emily asked Jeffrey. 

“Huh…? What do you mean?” Jeffrey asked. 

“Like why do you want everything in fucking Japanese? What’s even so great about them?”

“The Japanese have made great contributions to the world like anime, and manga, and lots of cool video games, and a bunch of other stuff!” 

“Ohhhh so THEY’RE the reason why you’re like this…”

“We-Well I mean if you put it like that then I suppose so.”

“In that case, I hope those fucking Japs get nuked again just so they stop manufacturing dickless nerds like you!” Emily shouted at him. 

Jeffrey was so taken aback by what Emily had just said that he began to shake in fear and was on the verge of tears. “WAHHHHH!!! YOU’LL BE SORRY WHEN ANIME BECOMES MAINSTREAM!” Jeffrey screams as he leaves the bookstore, crying.

Emily and the worker watch as Jeffrey left looking like a total fucking crybaby. The store worker then turns to Emily.

“That was pretty hot of you. You wanna get out of here when my shift is over?” The worker asks. 

“Nah but you can buy pills off me. It will be just like a date except I give you Percocet and you give me money.” Emily said, twirling her blonde hair.

“Deal!” the worker said as he took out his wallet.

END OF FLASHBACK

 

Emily walked into the mall, ready to see if that guy was down to buy more of her shit. She walked inside the Waldenbooks and sure enough he was there at the counter again.

“Oh! You’re back.” The worker said as he saw her walk in.

“Yeah. Just checking in to see if you wanted to buy some more of what I got.” Emily said as she walked up to the counter while straightening her hair. 

“Hey… uh… you made sure that Percocet you sold me was good, right?” The worker asked nervously. 

Emily looked at the store worker, unsure of what he meant by that. “Like… what do you mean… “good”?” Emily asked.

“Like… Wa-Was that actually what it was?” The store worker asked, beginning to look skeptic.

“Ah shit.” Emily thought to herself. 

“Uh, yeah! I tested it myself!” Emily nervously lied as she waved her hands. 

“Oh! Okay. So… Is a side effect of that, taking a meat mallet and beating the shit out of your daughter for watching Glee ?” The store worker asked.

Emily thought about that for a moment as she scratched the back of her head. “Ummm… I don’t have a daughter, I wouldn’t know.” 

“Oh… so do you watch Glee ?”

“ …Maybe I should just go to school.”

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By the time Emily arrived at school, it was halfway into second period. She figured she would just go and chill out in the courtyard until third period started. Once she arrived at the courtyard it was apparent that she wasn’t the only one skipping. Looks like Kylar was here too. 

“Yo what’s good? What’re you doing here?” Kylar asked her as he walked over.

“I just got here. Gonna keep skipping until the bell rings.” Emily shrugged. “What’re you doing here?” She asked back. 

“Oh I’m using my PSP to look at porn on the school’s WIFI.”

“Oh… Couldn’t you have just waited until you got home?”

“Nah, I’m just doing it to say I did it ya know? And you can’t even talk, you always get fucked up in the middle of class. That could wait ‘till you’re home.” Kylar argued.

“Bitch do you feel like getting stabbed today?” Emily asked, getting pissed.

“Try it whore! I eat bitches like you for breakfast. But without any milk cause milk is for fucking BABIES!” Kylar states confidentiality. 

“YOU DO NOT WANNA FUCK WITH ME TODAY! I ALREADY COULDN’T SELL ANY SHIT THIS MORNING AND THE LAST THING I NEED IS YOUR SHORT BUS LOOKIN ASS TO GET UP IN MY FACE!!” Emily screamed.

“Woah wait hold up. You mean you still got shit on you?” Kylar asked, unfazed by Emily’s outburst. 

“Yeah, I do, why? You wanna buy?” Emily asked, her demeanor completely switching up to a more calm state. 

“Yeah dude, I ran out of oxy this morning and I just need something to take the edge off. If you give me a good deal I’ll even let you have the courtyard to yourself.” Kylar bargained. 

“Fine, I got some Adderall. $12 for a pill?” Emily asked as she took out her bottle. 

“Sounds fair to me.” Kylar agreed stupidly as he handed her the money.

“Here. Now get the fuck outta my face.” Emily told Kylar off as she handed him an addy.

“Fine bitch, I’m gonna go listen to Coldplay on my iPod. And Coldplay isn’t gay either.” Kylar says as he walks out of the courtyard, leaving Emily finally to herself. 

Emily hung around for a good half hour in the courtyard before the bell rang. She sighed and decided to head to whatever class she was supposed to be in for third period. She walked down the hallways but suddenly she was stopped by Principal Lynn.

“Emily?” Ms. Lynn asked.

“Uhhh yeah?” Emily responded.

“We have a bit of an emergency going on right now and we have reason to believe you are involved.”

“What the fuck? Why?”

“One of the students is having a seizure and we just called for an ambulance. They had an allergy to something and now they are currently having a fatal reaction on the floor!”

“Okay… what the fuck does that have to do with me?”

“Because this student who just so happened to be Kylar, took an unprescribed medication. He said it was Adderall and that someone gave it to him. But before he could tell us who it was, he passed out.”

“AW FUCK!” Emily began to internally panic.

“So why the hell do you think I gave it to him!?” Emily asked.

“Well, your reputation at this school makes you the most likely suspect.” Ms. Lynn pointed out. 

“Well newsflash! I was busy and hadn’t even seen Kylar all day!” Emily lied through her teeth.

“Oh? And what were you doing exactly?” Ms. Lynn asked, preparing to call out Emily on her bullshit. 

Before Emily could even begin to think of an excuse, a voice called out to her which made both her and Ms. Lynn turn their heads to see who the owner of that voice belonged to.

“Hey, Emily.” Alex waved as he walked over to both her and Ms. Lynn. “You ready to get back?” Alex asked with a smile. 

“Huh?” Emily wondered to herself.

“Excuse me?” Ms. Lynn asked Alex.

“Sorry to bother you Ms. Lynn. I was just grabbing Emily. You see she asked me to help her study during my free period so we have been kinda doing that for the past hour. She just recently got up to get a drink from the water fountain but it seemed like she was taking a while so I came over to check on her.” Alex explained to Ms. Lynn.

“Oh, uh… Yeah. Alex was giving me a hand with history. We were just talking about… the part where America nuked Japan…” Emily added on to Alex’s bullshit.

Ms. Lynn looked suspicious but since she trusted Alex as he was one of the school’s top students, she decided to believe them.

“Emily was… studying? If that’s the case then I am sorry for accusing you like that Emily.” Ms. Lynn apologized.

“You better be sorry you bi-” Emily began to tell her off but Alex intervened.

“She forgives you Ms. Lynn! Well, if you must excuse us we gotta get back to it. See ya!” Alex says to Ms. Lynn as he drags Emily away by the arm until they were out of Ms. Lynn’s sight.

“Uhhh… Not that I don’t appreciate it but… why exactly did you help me just now?” Emily asked Alex in confusion.

“To be honest? I needed to talk to you about something.” Alex said.

“Okay, sure. But before that can we just make one quick stop first? I wanna scope out the ambulance that just picked up Kylar outside.” Emily said. 

“Sure, alright.” Alex shrugged and with that, the two of them went outside the front entrance to find an EMT standing outside of an ambulance with Kylar inside it. 

“Aw hold on guys, I forgot my Big Gulp jug.” the EMT worker said to his colleagues as he was about to walk off before getting stopped by Alex and Emily.

“Hey, do you know how Kylar passed out?” Emily asked the EMT guy.

“Is he a friend of yours?” The EMT guy asked.

“Um, he's like my boyfriend.” Emily lied. 

“Sorry, but we can only divulge medical information with family members.” The EMT worker told Emily. 

“Family… he’s my brother.” Emily lied again. 

“You said he was your boyfriend.”

“Can he not be both?”

“He shouldn’t be both.” 

“Will you stop judging her Swedish heritage and just tell us?” Alex asked.

“So essentially his body’s shut down to the point where his lungs are barely functioning. If we didn’t get him sooner he could’ve lost a lot of brain cells.” The EMT worker explained.

“I didn’t know five was a lot.” Alex quipped. 

“But like… do you know exactly what caused it?” Emily asked.

“We won’t know anything until we get him to the hospital for a toxicology report. Since you’re family would you like to ride along in the ambulance with us? This must be very hard for you.” The EMT worker said to Emily.

“Nah it’s okay I don’t care that much.” Emily shrugged.

“Um… Okay so if that’s it, I have very pressing matters to tend to. Where is my big gulp jug?” The EMT worker muttered that question to himself as he walked past Alex and Emily.

“So… are they just gonna wait for him to get that? Because I can still see Kylar in the back there and they’re not driving off.” Alex raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, Alex? You don’t think like… they can stomach pump the pills I gave him and find fingerprints on them, do you?” Emily asked.

“Nah, at least I don’t think they can.” Alex guessed.

“Cool, yeah I don’t care if he dies I just don’t wanna be held responsible.” Emily shrugged as the two of them began to walk back inside the school.

“Normally I would question those priorities but since it’s Kylar we’re talking about, I don’t really give much of a fuck.” Alex said, honestly.

“Oh yeah, what did you want to talk to me about?” Emily asked. 

“Oh, right. So… Emily. You’re a… fucked up person right?” Alex asked.

“Oh, yeah definitely.” Emily said, bluntly.

“...Wow okay, just kinda agreed full on with that one… Anyways! Since you’re fucked up I can assume you’ve attempted suicide before right?” 

“Like we counting this year alone or like… the grand total?”

“...Okay, I’m just gonna get straight to the point here. How exactly… can you tell if a person is on the brink of suicide?” 

“Uhhh well with some experience I can say they will usually just stop talking to anyone or stop trying to do anything like I’m talking full blown depression here. So that’s usually a big sign. Stopping taking care of themselves is also a thing. Like their hair or clothes or just like not eating anything y’know?” Emily finished explaining. 

Alex thought over Emily’s insight on spotting the average suicider. She wasn’t sure what was up but she could tell by Alex’s pale face that something serious must be going on.

“Why are you asking me about all this anyway?” Emily questioned. 

Alex looked down and sighed. “Well… between you and me… let’s just say that I think Nicole has finally discovered what exactly are the consequences of her actions…” 

“So… like what? You afraid she’s gonna like off herself?” Emily guessed.

“...Let’s just say for now I need to start being watchful of Nicole right now and leave it at that alright?” Alex asked in hopes that she would drop the conversation topic.

Emily stared at Alex for a few seconds before just shrugging. “Whatever you say. …Hey you wanna get fucked up with me?” Emily asked, holding out her pill bottle in front of Alex. 

“...You know what? Sure. I think I need this right now…” Alex admitted. 

“Awesome. Your ass better be grateful too. Usually I would charge you but since you helped me out with Bitch Lynn, I’m making an exception just this once. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Good. Now let’s see which pill will get us fucked up the most.” Emily said as she poured the contents of her bottle in her hand while the two of them walked off to get high on the school roof. 

…….

………….

………………….

“Hey Emily? 

“Yeah?”

“Is that… a Skittles mixed in with those pills?”

“...Maybe.”

Chapter 32: Chapter 31 (Ari Side Story)

The past few weeks have not been so great for Ari. She recently got fired from Dominos. But luckily she was able to quickly find a new job over at Hot Topic, but working there is like 100x worse than Dominos. All the fucking weirdos who shop there really get on her fucking nerves.

But that's not all. Her grades have been slipping lately because of all the times she has had to skip classes to go pick up an extra shift at her new job. Now she’s afraid she will end up losing her Honors student status. But she can’t help it! She needs to help her parents pay the bills! Especially since her dad just recently got laid off…

Ari was currently in the cafeteria, sulking to herself. She had a project that was due in Physics and she hadn’t even started it yet! At this point she didn’t even care about her grades tanking. She just didn’t want Mr. Burleday to have to yell at her in front of the whole class. It was such fucking bullshit. 

“Ugh… I’m so dead… I can’t, what do I do?...” Ari mumbled to herself. 

“Okay Ari, what is it?” an annoyed voice broke her out of her thoughts. 

Ari quickly turned her head to see Nicole giving her an annoyed look. Was she… there the whole time?

“Wait what? I didn’t--” Ari began but Nicole quickly cut her off. 

“Bitch do not play this game with me.” Nicole said, annoyed.

“What game? I was just sitting here talking to--”

“Shut the fuck up- what is it?”

“Okay well, I’m supposed to be in physics right now but there’s this project due and I have literally nothing.”

“Yeah so… Wait, this doesn’t make sense.”

“What doesn’t?”

“If you cared about the class this much wouldn’t you have done at least some of it?” 

“I just… never got the time to do it. You wouldn’t get it…”

“Try me.”

Ari wasn’t sure why she was going to open up to Nicole like this. She had just called her a bitch like 10 seconds ago. Maybe it’s because… she just felt like she had to tell SOMEONE! And she wasn’t sure why… but she felt like Nicole would just give her the full blunt truth without any filter, even if it ended up hurting her feelings. And for some reason… She liked the thought of that.

“Well… If you really wanna know…”

Ari then went on to tell Nicole everything that was going on with her life. Her job, her and her parents’ financial troubles, and just how she hasn’t been able to concentrate at school as a whole. After she had finished, Nicole gave her an unreadable expression that Ari just couldn’t place. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Nicole spoke up.

“Damn dude your life kinda sucks dick right now.”

Yep. She figured she would hear that kind of response from Nicole. At the very least she actually listened to her which was more surprising than anything. 

“Yeah well that kind of input of yours doesn’t exactly help solve my problem. I’ve been here for the last ten minutes and I can’t think of any good excuse.” Ari sighed.

“Is it like a 2 day project or a 3 week project?” Nicole asked.

“Closer to 3 weeks.”

“Huh what’s a problem that lasts more than 3 weeks… Could you pass for pregnant?”

“I hope not.”

“What works for me usually is saying I have depression but you can’t use that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I use that? If too many kids start saying it, it won't work anymore.”

“Alright I’m just gonna go to class and get yelled at, this sucks.” Ari looked down and sighed to herself. 

“Or you could drop out and live in a methadone clinic.” Nicole said as she walked out of the cafeteria. 

As Nicole left the cafeteria, Ari thought more about the excuse that Nicole said she used to get out of assignments. 

“Depression, huh?” Ari thought to herself as she began to leave the cafeteria herself and walk to class.

It made sense the more she thought about it. She hasn’t really felt happy in a long time. In fact, she hasn’t really felt… anything in a while either. Maybe… Could it be? Did she really have… depression?

She walked into physics class and once she had she noticed that Mr. Burleday was staring at her with his arms crossed. Looking at her with disappointment. 

“Ari, you’re late.” Mr. Burleday informed her.

“I know… I’m sorry.” Ari muttered.

“Today is the due date for our motion machine assignment. I assume you have your project done?”

“No… I… didn’t do it.”

“Ari, are you telling me you didn’t even attempt to do a project you had 2 and a half weeks to work on!? Why didn’t you do it!?” Mr. Burleday asked.

“Because… Because… I… have… depression.” Ari finished, holding her arm.

“Wh-What?” Mr. Burleday asked in shock.

“Yeah… I just… don’t find the meaning in doing anything anymore… I don’t know what to do…” Ari said in full honesty, looking down on the ground.

“O-Okay Ari, why don’t you go see the counselor and don’t worry about the project, we can discuss that later, alright?” Mr. Burleday suggested.

“Okay…” Ari mumbled as she left the classroom to go see the counselor. 

Ari arrived at the counselor’s office and once she had the counselor gave her a quick smile as he prompted her to have a seat. Ari did just that and the counselor began to speak.

“Why hello Ari. Your physics teacher informed me you would be on your way here. I’m sorry to hear what you are dealing with.” 

“It’s fine…” Ari said, looking down at her shoes.

“If you don’t mind waiting, we have another student coming to join us who seems to be dealing with the same problem.”

Ari’s head perked up at this. “Really?”

“Yes, any second now, Nicole should be walking right through that door and we can get started together.”

“Oh.” Ari thought to herself. Nicole must have ended up using depression as an excuse again when she headed back to her own class. 

“I hope she doesn’t think I stole her “excuse”, because I’m starting to think I really DO have depression…” Ari pleaded in her mind. 

That’s when the door swung open, causing Ari to turn around and sure enough, Nicole was there. And as Ari thought, Nicole was both surprised and confused seeing Ari in the counselor’s room with her.

“Oh Nicole come in, your civics teacher told me you’d be visiting. Have a seat.” The counselor greeted. 

“Sure but I thought these were 1 on 1 sessions, what’s she doing here?” Nicole asked as she took a seat next to Ari.

“Normally they are, however I thought I’d try something different given you’re both here for the same reason.” The counselor explained. 

“What reason?” Nicole asked, suspiciously.

“Depression…” Ari answered, nervously. 

“You bitch.” Nicole called Ari.

“Nicole I understand you’re going through a lot right now but that’s no excuse for lashing out at Ari.” The counselor said.

“Sorry won’t happen again. Not like she did anything to deserve it, right?” Nicole said glaring at Ari. 

“Ari, using an “I” statement, please tell Nicole how that made you feel.” The counselor told her.

“This’ll be good.” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“Um, I feel like you might not be considering my own situation too. I mean, remember everything I told you in the cafeteria?” Ari reminded Nicole.

“That’s very good, thank you. Now Nicole, please respond using your own “I feel” statement. Go ahead.” The counselor told Nicole.

“Ari… despite everything you told me earlier… I FEEL like you’re a conniving fucking bitch. How’s that?” Nicole asked as she continued to glare at Ari.

“This is going to be a long session.” The counselor sighed.

…….

…………..

…………………….

The session had gone just as you would have expected it to go. There wasn’t really much to say considering Nicole spent the majority of it, harshly glaring at Ari for “stealing” her depression excuse. Once the session had concluded, Nicole left the room in a haste with Ari quickly trying to catch up to her.

“Nicole, wait…” Ari called out to her, making Nicole stop and turn around to face her.

“What? Need another excuse to steal?” Nicole glared.

“No- Well no it’s just… what if I wasn’t making it up?” Ari admitted as she walked closer to Nicole.

“Making what up? Nicole asked. 

“When you told me about your depression excuse, I really thought about how I’ve been acting the past couple of weeks, and I’m starting to think that there’s a lot that I am actually depressed about… having to work a job… having financial troubles… my grades slipping… and one more thing…” Ari said, stopping herself from spilling her deepest and darkest secret. 

“One more thing?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“It’s just… something about me. Something I really can’t let him know or he’ll tell my parents.” Ari said, darting her eyes to the side and squeezing her arm.

“What’re you gay?” Nicole asked, shocking Ari.

“Wha--” Ari stuttered.

“H-How the fuck did she…?” Ari was shaking.

“...How did you know? I’ve never told anyone that.” Ari looked down at the floor, refusing to make eye contact with Nicole.

“Dude look at your hair dye, you’re either gay or color blind.” Nicole pointed out.

“...Okay she has me there.” Ari thought to herself, beginning to make eye contact with Nicole again.

“But are you… okay with that?” Ari asked, nervously.

“I mean, I wouldn’t use that color but do what you want.” Nicole shrugged.

“Not that, I meant… the other thing?”

“Are we in Nebraska now? No one cares if you’re gay anymore.”

“Are you sure?”

“This is the most 80’s conversation I’ve ever had.”

“But my cousin in West Virginia is gay, and he says it’s horrible.”

“It’s West Virginia, what the fuck isn’t horrible there?”

“So around here… You really think no one will care if I’m gay?”

“Maybe like a weirdo or two but everybody’s gonna be like “look at that asshole”. We’re in a white-ass high school ten minutes from the capital, this is such a non-issue now.”

“But gay marriage isn’t legal here.”

“Were you looking to get married?”

“I don’t know if I’d ever wanna get married.”

“So why do you care? And by the time you do it’ll probably be legal anyway.”

“I’m not that optimistic when it comes to our government.”

“Ari, you’re white, you could be triple gay and the government’s still gonna worry about you.”

“You really think so?” Ari asked, starting to become a bit hopeful about her situation when all of a sudden, Crispin walked over to the two of them.

“Oh hey Nicole you still hanging around out here? Did I tell you that’s a cool shirt by the way?” Crispin said to Nicole.

“Look- Hey Crispin you wanna hear something about Ari?” Nicole asked, turning to Crispin.

“Oh my god don’t--” Ari began to internally panic.

“Ari’s gay.” Nicole said, bluntly.

“ No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.” Ari felt her chest tighten.

“She’s gay?” Crispin asked.

“Yeah, like lesbian gay.” Nicole confirmed. 

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Ari began to hyperventilate.

“Oh that’s cool… Is there like another part to the story or?” Crispin asked, confused.

“...Huh?” Ari’s heavy breathing stopped.

“Go down to the cafeteria, you’ll find it there.” Nicole told the school’s resident poser.

“Oh it’s like a mystery, that’s pretty cool you’re so creative inside.” Crispin said as he walked away from the two girls.

“All this time I thought this would be the end of my life.” Ari said with widened eyes.

“If you lived in Texas it would be, but this is civilization, dude.” Nicole shrugged.

“Well I’ll see you around somewhere… And thanks a lot, Nicole. I feel kinda… free for once.” Ari smiled. 

For some reason that Nicole couldn’t explain, she felt… weird when Ari smiled. She honestly for the life of her couldn’t fully describe it. It was like her body felt warm. Not warm as in sick but warm as in like… comfortable? Wait… was she… was she blushing? What the fuck?

“Fu-Fuck off bitch! You still stole my excuse! Now I have to think of a new one!” Nicole said, speed walking away, trying her best to stay angry at the bitch who stole her homework excuse.

Ari sighed. It seemed like Nicole wasn’t going to let that go anytime soon. Well regardless of that, for the first time in a while she felt… she felt…

“I feel… happy.” 

……

…………..

……………………….

When she got home that day, Ari had a talk with her parents that was a long time coming. She told them how she had been feeling for a while now and about how… she was gay. They… accepted her. They really really accepted her. She cried that night harder than she ever had in her life. Crying in the warm embrace of her mother and father that accepted her for who she was. She then went to sleep more peacefully than she had in a long time. 

At least she did until she had woken up from suddenly dreaming about a certain dark brunette with a ponytail. 

“AHH!” Ari jumped awake. She quickly thought about what or in this case, who she was dreaming about. Her pretty and flawless pale skin… Her beautiful blue eyes…

 

BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP!

 

“N-No way… Do I…?” Ari thought to herself, blushing. 

Ari then decided to go back to sleep and think more about these sudden feelings in the morning. 

……….

……………….

……………………….

Two weeks have gone by since Ari and Nicole’s first session with the counselor. And just as Ari suspected, since her first group session with Nicole, her new found feelings only got stronger. She fell for Nicole. And she fell hard. 

Ari and Nicole were currently at their latest session with the counselor. Ari tried her best not to stare at Nicole for the entire session but… it was too damn hard! She just looked… so perfect to her. She stared at Nicole’s pink lips, wondering how soft they would feel against her own. That’s when the counselor spoke to her, breaking Ari immediately out of her thoughts before an entirely different scenario could begin inside her head.

“And I wanted to say, Ari, how proud I am that you’ve been able to come to terms with your sexual orientation and openly share it with the rest of your peers.” The counselor praised her.

“Thanks, it’s just kinda liberating to tell someone I’m gay, y’know?” Ari smiled.

“Truthfully you are so brave.”

“Everyone’s been so supportive, I can’t believe there was a time when being gay was so hated.”

“Yes, yes, times have certainly changed. Although we still have a long way to go in terms of sexual identity and acceptance.” 

“What’s left to accept?”

“Transsexuals for one, but also the rather silly notion of controlling other petty qualities of our partners beyond gender. Financial background, race, religion, and even age.”

“Here we fuckin’ go.” Nicole mumbled in annoyance. 

“Age? Why would someone have a problem with age if they’re legal?” Ari asked, confused.

“But isn’t that the problem? Letting legality control love. The state law says you can’t marry another girl, but does that mean it’s wrong for you to love her?” The counselor asked Ari.

“No but… I-I’m pretty sure age is one we… y’know.” Ari said, beginning to seem uncomfortable.

“Society creates laws, but laws didn’t create society. I hope both of you girls realize we should never be critical of anyone’s preference regardless of what your parents or TV says. Like gender, age is just another thing on your driver’s license.” The counselor explains.

“Um… how do you feel about that, Nicole? Do you have an “I feel” statement?” Ari asked, hoping Nicole could help derail where this conversation was starting to turn.

“I feel like he wants to fuck children.” Nicole said, bluntly.

“Yeah, but that’s not true, right Counselor? Like you wouldn’t date a 15 year old, right?” Ari asked, hoping this was all just a big misunderstanding.

“Would you date a 15 year old?” The counselor asked back.

“M-Maybe but I’m only 17 so it’s not… illegal?”

“I just said, going by legality means you’d be in the wrong too.”

“Did you say “in the wrong too”?? As in you would date a 15 year old?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“I never said that, I’m merely open-minded enough not to doubt the romantic value of anyone of any age.” The counselor defended.

“You’re trying to sell a teenage girl on pedophilia using her own gayness as leverage-- What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Nicole shouted, starting to get angry for Ari’s sake which was… odd now that Nicole thought about it. Why did she care so much what the counselor was doing to Ari? She stole her depression excuse! But still… she just had this sudden urge to want to defend her. What the fuck was going on with her?

“Oh my god…” Ari said, starting to look horrified at the counselor but also was in shock over how much Nicole was standing up for her.

“Fuck your therapy, tennis pedophile love-15 lookin’ bitch.” Nicole said to the counselor as she stormed out of his office. 

Ari was about to follow Nicole until the counselor spoke up. “Let her go, Ari. She’s just having a personal moment and needs her space.” The counselor said.

“Uh okay…” Ari said, nervously.

“By the way I didn’t wanna make Nicole jealous but your hair looks absolutely beautiful today--” The counselor began to compliment her as he walked closer to her but was cut off quickly by Ari.

“Actually I’m gonna go check on her to make sure she doesn’t kill herself!” Ari quickly said as she left the office as well in a hurry to catch up to Nicole.

“Nicole, wait!” Ari said to Nicole who she assumed was already on the move in the hallway. 

“Wasn’t walking.” Nicole said with a straight face.

“Huh? She… wasn’t walking away from the office when she left? Why was she just standing near the door? Was she… Was she waiting for me?” Ari thought to herself.

“That wasn’t like, a normal thing was it?” Ari asked Nicole.

“No, him campaigning for that is a pretty normal thing around here, you didn’t know?” Nicole asked.

“Not that, I meant… you sticking up for someone like that? I never really seen you do that.” 

“Sticking up for who?”

“Me.”

“Okay?”

“I… I really appreciate it.”

“Uh huh?” 

“This is um… --oh my god this is so fucking stupid.”

“Kinda is.”

“Nicole I’ve um… Since we started doing this group counseling together I’ve actually kinda been… Thinking a lot about you.”

“But not in a weird way, right?” 

“No it’s, it’s in a weird way.”

“Oh…”

“I really really like you, I’m sorry, it’s just you were the first person I came out to, and what you said in there, and your whole look, and I think I’m in love with you.”

“Huh…”

“You’re not like all sketched out now, are you?”

“I mean it’s not like you’re a man saying this.”

“How is it different with a man?”

“Men kinda have a tendency to rape and murder, not sure if you’ve seen a TV show in the last forever.”

“Oh god that reminds me, I never even asked you.”

“Asked me what?”

“You um… Do you like girls too?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“How badly?”

“Extremely… No pressure but I might cut if you say no.”

“Where do you cut?”

“On my upper thigh so my parents don’t see.”

“Damn that’s actually kinda hot.”

“I-It is?”

“Yeah cause you look too normal to cut so it’s like a fun surprise.”

“Are you messing with me?”

“No seriously, it’s like a cheerleader with a nipple piercing-- “ooh wild side”.”

“Really? Do you cut too?”

“Duh but it’s not hot when I do it. It’s like “look at that trashy hoe I bet she cuts herself”.” 

“I don’t think you’re trashy.”

“I don’t think I should have ever had an F in gym when it was still taught, shit happens though.”

“So if you think I’m hot, would you wanna… start dating?”

“Uh, yeah I guess I’ll try it.”

“Really??”

“It’d be really funny if I said no right now.”

“Please don’t do that to me!”

“No, okay I’ll do it. You have a car to take us out?”

“Yeah my Mom’s old Camry, and only 3 of the windows are broken!”

“Does it have power seats?”

“No, they're just manual.”

“Ugh…”

“Oh- but I could borrow my Dad’s Lexus if it makes a difference.”

“It makes a difference.”

“Okay I’ll see you after school, I love you!” 

“Uh… yeah… bye…” Nicole said as she walked away from Ari, confused why her heart was beginning to race when Ari said those three specific words.

Ari looked dreamily at Nicole as she walked away. She couldn’t wait until school was over.

…….

………….

………………….

After school, Ari took Nicole to the local bookstore. As they walked around, browsing the different selections, Nicole spoke up.

“Why’d you take me to a bookstore?” asked Nicole.

“It’s like the library but all the books are new.” Ari said.

“Do I look like a bitch who reads?”

“N-not even Harry Potter ? It’s like coming of age, relatable and stuff.”

“There’s no Percocet in Harry Potter , how’s it relatable? Nicole asked, and then out of nowhere, Jeffrey appeared behind them.

“Hey Nicole, didn’t know you read here too.” Jeffrey greeted.

“We had to stop in the graphic novel section.” Nicole muttered.

“Do you know him?” Ari asked Nicole.

“Not really but I’ll take care of it.” Nicole assured her.

“So are you reading some manga with your friend there?” Jeffrey asked.

“Oh she’s not my friend, she’s my girlfriend.” Nicole told Jeffrey.

“She… She called me her girlfriend…” Ari blushed a color as deep red as her hair.

“Girlfriend? But you’re-- hold on!” Jeffrey said in confusion.

“Do you have a problem with two lesbians going to a bookstore as opposed to literally anything else?” Nicole asked, crossing her arms.

“N-No it’s good to be yourself. You guys are just a little different, like me.” Jeffrey said.

“We are nothing like you.” Nicole glared.

“And why’s that?”

“Cause while you’re beating off to your little anime book, we’re gonna go on a date, get fucked up on whip-its, and make out.”

“Hey, that was completely uncalled for!”

“Whoa, don’t freak out when someone makes up a joke about you, it’ll make people think it’s real.” Ari said.

“But I have done that to my manga, she shouldn’t act like it’s wrong though.” Jeffrey creepily informed the two.

“Oh god!” Ari exclaimed, creeped out.

“Shouldn’t have helped him.” Nicole told Ari.

“I’ve seen him around before, I didn’t know he was fucked up like that.” Ari said in shock.

“By the way I started a YouTube channel, you guys wanna see it?” Jeffrey asked them, completely unaware of how much of a fucking little creep he was being.

“Nah we gotta go plan our date.” Nicole said as she dragged Ari’s arm out of the bookstore.

Once they were out of the bookstore, Ari and Nicole headed back to the car. As they drove off, Ari decided to ask Nicole something.

“Hey… Nicole?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we… actually gonna go on a date?”

“We’re dating aren’t we?”

“O-Oh yeah, I guess you’re right… So what do you wanna do?”

“Well, my twin brother is going to Kelly’s pool party tomorrow, and my Mom will be at work once he’s gone. Only person who will be home is my older brother but he’ll be too busy messaging 12 year old's on his Xbox to come up from the basement, so you just wanna come over and watch a movie or something?”

“Okay, that sounds great! What should we watch?” 

“I dunno, something shitty. But not TOO shitty.” 

“So… like… White Chicks ?” 

“...Yeah that sounds about right.”

……

…………

………………..

Just like Ari and Nicole had planned, Ari came over Nicole’s house after Alex left with Jecka to Kelly’s party and after her Mom had left for work. They took a shit ton of whip-its while they watched White Chicks in Nicole’s living room. Once the movie was over, they were still a little high but were beginning to sober up a bit. 

“Well that movie went just about how you would expect it would go.” Nicole said, flatly.

“I wonder who the target audience for this was.” Ari pondered.

“This might be the only movie that both black people and racists could agree on liking.”

“You think that’s who they were aiming for?”

“It’s Hollywood, what do they do that doesn’t involve racism in some way?”

“I guess…”

“By the way… I’m not totally hating this date.”

“Y-You’re not?”

“Nope. I’d even go as far as to say that I’m having fun.”

“I-I’m glad to hear that! Cause well… uh…” Ari stammered as she moved closer and closer to Nicole’s face but hesitating after every inch forward.

“Are you trying to kiss me?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“W-Well I mean… I… Uh… Well…” Ari stammered with a red face.

“Oh for fucks sake.” Nicole rolled her eyes and suddenly grabbed Ari’s face and kissed her deeply. 

Ari was shocked that Nicole decided to make the first move but went with it as she returned the kiss. Ari wrapped her arms around Nicole’s neck as the kiss intensified, the two of them falling onto the couch with Nicole on her back and Ari on top of her.

Their make out session lasted for a good hour with them only stopping in between to catch their breath before continuing as Nicole ran her fingers through Ari’s red dyed hair as she let out a few moans that traveled into Ari’s mouth sending a vibrating sensation onto her tongue. 

The kiss got so intense between them that eventually both Nicole and Ari were getting horny. During the kiss, Nicole was fumbling with Ari’s jeans trying to unbutton them. She almost had gotten them undone until the two of them began to hear the front door unlock from outside which made them immediately get off each other, the two girls blushing as Nicole fumbled the remote in her hands to turn the TV back on like nothing ever happened.

“Nicole? Sweetie? I’m home!” A woman with blonde hair walked in who Ari could only have assumed was Nicole’s mother. 

“Oh, uh, hey Mom. What’s up?” Nicole asked, looking straight at the TV, a bead of sweat dripping off her forehead. 

“Nothing much. Just got home from work and-oh? Nicole, who is this?” Nicole’s Mom asked, looking at Ari. 

“Oh this is Ari, my uhh… friend… from school.” Nicole said, giving Ari an awkward look as Ari looked back at her with a look of understanding, knowing that Nicole wasn’t exactly ready to tell her Mom about them just yet.

“Oh my that’s wonderful! First Jecka, then that girl Emily, and now Ari! I’m so proud of you that you’re expanding your friend circle sweetie. It’s very nice to meet you, Ari.” Nicole’s mother smiled.

“It’s nice to meet you too ma’am.” Ari smiled back.

“Is Alex back yet Nicole?” Nicole’s mother asked and Nicole shook her head in response.

“No, not yet. He did send me a text saying he would be back in an hour though.” Nicole informed her mother.

“Well, I’m exhausted from working such a long shift. I’ll be heading up to bed now. Ari, do you plan on staying the night? It’s still the weekend after all.” Nicole’s Mom said. 

“N-No that’s okay Ms. Yu. I was about to get going anyway.” Ari said awkwardly as she stood up from the couch.

“Well alright then. Drive safe. Oh, and you can call me Angela or Ms. Peterson if you prefer. Yu was the last name of my first husband. Nicole and Alex just prefer to keep it as their last name.” Nicole’s mother informed Ari.

“O-Okay Ms. Peterson.” Ari said.

Nicole’s mother then wished both of the girls a good night before heading upstairs for bed. Ari then walked over to the front door with Nicole following her.

“I had… a really great time tonight Nicole.” Ari said, looking sweetly at Nicole.

“...Me too.” Nicole said earnestly which not only shocked Ari but Nicole herself. 

“...I’m glad. Goodnight Nicole.” Ari said, and then proceeded to give Nicole a kiss goodbye on the cheek before heading to her car and driving off. 

When Ari got back home, she headed straight for bed so she could start having more dreams about the girl who was now her girlfriend. Her girlfriend who could be cold. Her girlfriend who was beautiful. And her girlfriend who she loved very much. And as she dozed off, she no longer would have to wonder about how soft Nicole’s lips felt.

………

……………..

…………………….

Because now she knew.

A/N: Alright guys I hope you enjoyed these little side stories. Next chapter we shift our focus back to Alex and the main plot of the story! I do have three more side stories that I plan to do in the future but I think it’s safe to say it’s time we turn back to the actual story for now. All of your support means the world to me and I am excited to share with you how these next couple of chapters go! Stay tuned!

Chapter 33: Chapter 32

So my sister is gay. Not gonna lie, I didn’t see that one coming. But in hindsight, it made a lot of sense. Nicole has always been pretty open with how much she hates men. I mean she’s had male celebrity crushes before, sure. But I honestly can’t think back to a single moment where Nicole has ever flirted with a guy because she actually liked them and not because of some ulterior motive. 

But don’t get me wrong. This changes absolutely nothing on how I view Nicole. I couldn’t care less if she was straight, bi, gay, trans, or something else entirely. She’s still Nicole. And she is still my sister. 

I was also just as surprised when Nicole revealed to me that Ari was also gay and that she was the girl she was dating. Nicole told me it was pretty obvious to anyone with a brain that Ari was gay and I gotta admit, there were a few signs that I feel like I should have picked up on at the time. I guess I now know what Ari meant when she told me I wasn’t her type when I first asked her out during my first month at this school.

But to be perfectly honest, I think Ari might be exactly what Nicole needs. From my experience, Ari is a sweet and caring person. Maybe she could potentially rub off on my sister (poor choice of words I know).

Nicole and Ari have been dating for a good couple of weeks now. Today me, Jecka, Nicole, and now joining us, Ari, were sitting at our signature table at the cafeteria during lunch. Ari was in the middle of telling us a story about one of her and Nicole’s group therapy sessions together.

“And then the counselor got so weird he called my mom and told her I might have schizophrenia if I ever mentioned he was a pedophile.” Ari went on, her fingers intertwined with my sister’s as they held hands.

“And what’d your mom say?” Jecka asked.

“She believed him! We had like an hour long fight over it, right honey?” Ari asked, turning to Nicole as she lightly squeezed her hand. 

Me and Jecka tried our best to hold in our laughs when Ari called Nicole “honey”. It wasn’t that we were making fun of Ari, it was more of the thought of anyone calling Nicole any lovey dovey pet name in general is pretty funny.

“Right honey?” Jecka mimicked as she stifled a laugh with her hand. 

“Dude I said don’t call me that in public.” Nicole sighed with an annoyed look. 

“Oh! Sorry sorry sorry! I’m still getting used to your boundaries and everything.” Ari apologized as she rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.

“Boundaries? I didn’t know you’re dating a marriage counselor.” Jecka teased.

“What’s up, queers?” a new voice called out that made the four of us turn our heads and I’ll give you one gue-ah fuck it you already know it’s Kylar.

“Nicole…” Ari looked at Nicole with puppy dog eyes in hopes she could help scare Kylar away from them.

“Dude he’s not gonna do anything.” Nicole assured her girlfriend.

“Heard you guys were dating now, what’re you special or something?” Kylar asked.

“Why do you care?” asked Nicole.

“Tired of hoes like you always looking for attention.” Kylar huffed.

“Find one other person in this room who cares.” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“No one’s falling for this bullshit like you think they are. Ay Hunter!” Kylar called out to Hunter who had just entered the cafeteria.

“What’s up?” Hunter asked as he walked over to our table.

“They’re saying they’re gay now, that’s fuckin’ dumb, right?” Kylar asked Hunter.

Hunter looked at our table and saw the expressions on our faces. Jecka’s was pretty neutral but Nicole looked annoyed and Ari looked pretty uncomfortable. I was looking at Hunter in a way that told him not to say anything fucking stupid. Thankfully he didn’t.

“Uh Obama might be president soon, who’s worried about being gay anymore?” Hunter shrugged.

“Dude fuck Obama he’s a bitch, my dad’s voting for McCain.” Kylar stated.

“Why would he vote for McCain?” Hunter asked.

“Cause he’s a fuckin’ war hero. Maybe then we’ll nut up and nuke the middle east.” Kylar argued.

“Oh… well sorry dude but your dad sounds really fucking gay voting for McCain.” Hunter said as he walked off and exited the cafeteria. 

Good fucking shit Hunter! Maybe dating Karen made you grow some fuckin’ balls.

“What?? No-- You’re gay!” Kylar yelled as he followed Hunter out of the cafeteria. 

“Well that was eventful. By the way, do you think it’s gay to vote for McCain because he sucks or because he secretly IS gay?” Jecka asked.

“Probably just cause he fucking sucks but I wouldn’t be surprised if he is gay. All politicians are secretly gay.” Nicole stated. 

“Really? You think so?” Jecka asked.

“I mean it makes sense if you think about it. If he’s a guy who got that fucked up in war and refused to be sent back home because he rather stay with a bunch of sweaty dudes instead of being with his wife and kids, then maybe McCain really is super fucking gay.” I said to the three girls, shrugging.

All of a sudden another person had decided to walk up to our table and it wasn’t anyone I really expected to walk over to us out of the blue like that. 

“Hey… Jecka?” Karen asked, nervously. 

Karen? What’s she doing here?

“Oh! Uh… Hi Karen.” Jecka said, awkwardly. 

“Can we talk for a second? Like privately? I swear it won’t be for long.” Karen asked, who surprisingly to me seemed confident for once. 

Ohhhh. I think I have an idea of what’s happening here.

“Bitch, does it look like she wants to ta-” Nicole began to say to her but Jecka quickly cut her off. 

“Y-Yeah. Sure, Karen.” Jecka said as she got up from the table, to Nicole’s surprise. “I’ll be right back.” Jecka tells us as Karen leads her out of the cafeteria.

“Fuck was that about?” Nicole asked in confusion. 

“Who knows? I’m sure she’ll tell us later.” I lie as I shrug my shoulders. 

“Well whatever. Hey, Ari? Could you go to the longest pizza line and get me four slices?” Nicole asked.

“Yeah sure, anything.” Ari smiled as she got up from her seat and stood there almost as if she was waiting for something.

“...Okay, why aren’t you going?” Nicole asked, confused.

“You won’t kiss me on the cheek first?” Ari pouted.

“Oh my god…” Nicole rolled her eyes but got up and planted a quick kiss on Ari’s cheek regardless. 

“Okay I’ll be right back.” Ari said as she turned around to get into the pizza line.

Nicole stared at Ari as she walked away to get into the pizza line. Nicole had an expression on her face that I couldn't really place. It did seem she was lost in thought though.

“Sooooo… how’s it going with Ari?” I asked Nicole in a whistling tone. 

“We seriously doing this?” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“Come on dude I’m just curious.” I say defensively. 

Nicole sighed and turned to face me. “It’s… not bad, I guess.” 

“You guess?”

“I don’t know dude, this shit is new for me.”

“What’s new exactly? Being into girls?”

“Well, I guess that, but also…”

“Also?”

“I don’t know, like… giving a shit about a relationship I guess?” 

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Nicole was actually… being open with me about shit? This has been something I’ve been waiting for for seventy seven fucking resets. I just had to make sure I didn’t mess this chance up.

“So you actually do like her then? No scheme? No overly complicated revenge plan? No bullshit?” I ask.

“...I don’t know, shit is just confusing.” Nicole’s eyes darted to the side.

“Confusing? You guys are together, how is that confusing?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Look, I don’t know how to fucking explain it, okay!?” Nicole’s voice began to rise as she rubbed her forehead in annoyance as if she was starting to get a headache. 

“Alright, alright.” I say as I put my hands up defensively, not wanting to push further and make things worse. It was at that moment that Jecka returned to our table and sat down with us.

“There you are. So what did Miss Twilight want with you?” asked Nicole.

“Nothing important.” Jecka said, dismissively as she pulled out her phone and began texting.

Nicole looked like she was about to grill Jecka for more info than that but before she could, Ari came back with the slices of pizza for Nicole. Ari smiled at her but all Nicole replied with was a quick thumbs up with no expression on her face.

It feels like Nicole does actually like Ari but for some reason she keeps putting her at an arm's length… Is Nicole… afraid?

A quick vibration coming from my pocket interrupted me from my thoughts. I took out my phone and checked the text I just got which made me raise an eyebrow. 

Jecka: meet me at my place 2nite.

I quickly took a glance at Jecka who seemed to be staring at her lunch tray while deep in thought about something. 

Does this have anything to do with that talk she just had with Karen?

Regardless, I quickly texted back my response. 

Alex: ok

…..

……..

……………..

I made it to Jecka’s house and knocked on the door. I really hoped her dad wasn’t home. Just seeing him makes the scar on my shoulder start to itch. Thankfully when the door opened, it was Jecka who answered it.

“Hey, thanks for coming.” Jecka smiled.

“Yeah no prob. It’s rare for you to invite me to yours though. Usually me or Nicole will just invite you over to our place.” I say as I step inside. 

“Yeah well, I needed your advice on something. Plus I also wanted to see if you wanted to watch the newest Smallville episode with me.” Jecka answered as she shut the front door.

“Oh yeah, I actually got into watching it. I ended up watching every episode, so I’m all caught up.” I said.

Jecka blinked in surprise at this. “Y-You did?”

“Well, you seemed really excited when you talked about it being one of your favorite shows so I figured I would give it a try.” I shrugged.

And I had all the time in the world to watch it thanks to all those resets…

“Wow… I’m just surprised that you actually gave it a try all just because I told you it was one of my favorites.” Jecka looked touched.

“Dude of course I did. You have pretty awesome taste in TV.” I grinned. 

Jecka blushed a bit at my compliment. A part of me hoped it was because maybe she actually did like me but in reality I knew it was because she probably wasn’t used to getting complimented on something that wasn’t related to a guy trying to hit on her. 

“W-Well anyway, come on let’s watch it already. It’s gonna be starting soon.” Jecka stammered before sitting on the couch and turning the TV on.

“Shouldn’t your parents be home?” I asked as I sat down on the couch next to her. 

“They should be but Dad is trying to win over Mom with a date tonight because they got into another bad fight.” Jecka answered nonchalantly as she flipped through the channels, trying to put on The CW Network. 

So we’re alone… 

I quickly shook those thoughts out of my head before they turned into anything that they shouldn’t. Thankfully the new Smallville episode started and I was finally gonna be able to distract myself from thinking of anything stupid. 

The episode went by pretty quickly. The episode was about Jimmy and Chloe's wedding day which led to Clark having to fight Doomsday. After the episode ended, commercials began to play and I turned my head towards Jecka.

“That was a pretty good episode.” I smile.

“Sucks that it won’t return until January now.” Jecka sighed. 

“Yeah. Say Jeck?” I ask, using my new nickname for her.

“Y-Yeah?” Jecka asked, a bit flustered from still not being used to hearing me call her that.

“You said you needed my advice earlier?”

“Oh shit, yeah I almost forgot. So uh… you know Karen right?”

I had a feeling this is what it was. 

“Yeah, she’s dating Hunter now ya know. Is this about what Karen talked to you about earlier today?”

“Yeah… I think this would make more sense if I gave you the full story…” Jecka sighed and she began to retell me the story of how things went down with Karen, not knowing that I already knew all of this when she told me in a previous timeline. I pretended I was hearing this for the first time though regardless. After all, how would I explain to her how I knew this story already without sounding like some weird stalker?

Jecka then went on into detail in telling me about her conversation with Karen. I won’t lie, I was pretty surprised to hear that Karen was actually taking the initiative to try and rekindle her childhood friendship with Jecka. But why is she doing it now of all times? I don’t think Karen has ever tried to attempt anything like this in any other timeline. Was it because she was dating Hunter? That’s really the only difference I can think of when it comes to this reset in comparison with others.

“So… what do you think?” Jecka asked me.

“I won’t lie to ya Jecka. What you did was pretty messed up…” I told her and she looked down in disappointment. “...but you’re not a bad person.” I finish and Jecka perks her head up in surprise.

“I’m… not?” Jecka asked, confused.

I shake my head. “Of course not. The fact that you feel bad about what you did back then proves you’re not. You made a mistake. Everyone does. If you were anything like Nicole and had zero regrets while showing no emotion then I would be reluctant to even come over here.” I joke. 

“But even if that’s the case, I just stood there and watched as she apologized for something that wasn’t even her fucking fault! How the hell does that not make me a total bitch!?”

“Depends. Do you want to apologize to her?”

“...I do.”

“Then that’s all it takes to not make you one. I think you know what you have to do now right?”

“...Right. I’m gonna text her now and we’re gonna go see Twilight this weekend!” Jecka exclaimed as she took out her phone and began to text Karen. 

“Glad I could help.” I laugh as I begin to get off the couch. 

“Wait… you’re leaving already?” Jecka asked in disappointment. 

“Huh? Well it’s getting pretty late and I gotta finish my homework for AP Physics. Why?” I ask Jecka in confusion.

“Well I mean… my parents won’t be back for a while… so… like…” Jecka began to blush.

…wait… huh?

“Wh-What do you me-” And before I could finish that question, my phone began to ring and I quickly picked it up.

“Yeah?” I asked in annoyance. 

“ALEX! YOU FORGOT TO DO THE FUCKING DISHES AGAIN! THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME YOU’VE DONE THIS! GET HOME THIS INSTANT OR YOU’RE GROUNDED!” Mom yelled at me through the phone.

“Alright Mom! Fucking Christ! I’m coming home now!” I yell back as I hang up. 

“Sorry Jecka. My Mom’s being a total bitch. I really gotta go though. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” I smile at her as I quickly rush out the door and shut it behind me. 

“Yeah… see ya tomorrow…” Jecka sighed as she disappointingly stared at the front door I just left out of. 

…….

…………..

…………………

The next day the four of us decided to have lunch in the courtyard for a nice change of pace. Me and Jecka were hanging around, waiting for Nicole and Ari to show up. It didn’t take long for them to arrive and when they did I immediately noticed that Ari was looking pretty down about something.

“You guys see the new Smallville ?” Jecka asked the couple that just showed up.

“Dude Smallville’s for straight people, who watches that shit?” Nicole scoffed.

“You were straight 3 weeks ago.” Jecka argued.

‘Yeah and I didn’t watch it then either. Guess it’s just universally bad.” Nicole rolled her eyes. 

“I saw a couple episodes once, it was okay.” Ari defended.

“Was anyone asking you?” Nicole glared.

“Um… No.” Ari looked down in shame.

“Just checking.” Nicole said coldly.

What the fuck?

“A-Anyway, I was gonna buy lunch today but the lines are like so long.” Jecka complained, looking a bit caught off guard by Nicole’s sudden attitude. 

“It’s probably spicy chicken sandwich day.” Nicole guessed.

“Oooh I want one!” Jecka grinned.

“Me too, Ari, get us the chicken sandwiches, I’ll pay you back.” Nicole told her girlfriend. 

“But the line’s gonna take forever, can we just--” Ari began to complain but Nicole cut her off.

“Don’t you love me?” Nicole asked, feigning heartbreak.

“...Okay, I’ll go.” Ari sighed as she looked down.

“Cool, yeah and get me two if they have enough.” Jecka said.

“They’re big, you’re gonna eat two?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“One for now, one for when I’m depressed.” Jecka answered.

“Alright you got all that?” Nicole asked Ari.

“Be right back.” Ari began to turn around before Nicole stopped her.

“You’re forgetting something.” Nicole said.

“Oh right sorry…” Ari turned back around and gave Nicole a kiss on the cheek.

“Good girl, don’t make me ask again.” Nicole sternly told the red head.

“I know, I love you.” Ari said as she walked away to the cafeteria.

“That’s nice.” Nicole said dismissively.

Okay, ACTUALLY what the fuck?

“...What the fuck.” Jecka commented almost as if she was reading my mind. 

“I know. What’s her problem, right?” 

“No Nicole, what the fuck did you do to Ari? Why is she acting like that? And why the hell are you treating her like shit?” I asked Nicole, starting to get annoyed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nicole said, feigning ignorance. 

“Are you serious Nicole? I thought you actually liked Ari? Are you saying it was all bullshit?” 

“What if it was? What if all I do is just enjoy the power trip I get from calling her a bitch and her just apologizing and kissing me on the cheek after?” Nicole asked me, with a glare.

“Nicole, that sounds like abuse…” Jecka cringed.

“Well if it is then I guess abuse feels fucking awesome. Don’t know what to tell ya.” Nicole said dismissively. 

Where the fuck is this all coming from? Why is she doing this??

“No offense but you’re like an evil fucking bitch right now Nicole.” Jecka told her.

“Oh yeah? Well if you two wanna act all high and mighty then why don’t you two tell her how you feel about our relationship and see what SHE has to say?” Nicole asked.

“I don’t know her like that-- awkward, ew.” Jecka cringed.

“Nicole, we’re not gonna tell YOUR girlfriend that you’re being such a fuck up with her.” I glared at Nicole.

“Excuse me?” asked Nicole.

“Nicole, you can put on the tough fuckin act all you want but I know you actually like Ari. So I don’t know where all this shit is coming from but if you don’t cut it out, you’re gonna end up regretting it.” I told her, starting to get pissed.

“Are you threatening me? What, are you a late bloomer and your woman hitting man genes finally kicked in?” Nicole spat. 

“No. I’m not the one you should be worried about. I’m sure you’ll see that eventually once you stop being a fucking bitch like you’ve always been.” I said coldly as I walked away from both Nicole and Jecka and back into the school.

…..

…….

……………

I ended up skipping my next class. I was too pissed off to go. When the bell rang, I grumbled and decided I had calmed down enough to head to my next class. I was still very much annoyed but at least stable enough to focus in class. I began to walk through the hallways deep in thought.

Un-fucking-believable. I thought I was finally making progress with her. What caused such a jump and made her act like this? I remember seeing the looks she would make when she texted Ari on the couch. Those were smiles. Not smirks but actual genuine smiles. A smile I hadn’t seen on Nicole since before Dad died. What the fuck does she think she’s doing?

“God fucking dammit Nicole… You’re going way too far this time…” I grumbled to myself and then all of a sudden my thoughts were broken as I noticed a girl with blonde hair and black roots was standing right in front of me. 

“Oh, Kelly.” 

“Heyyyy Alex! I see you’re all by yourself so I thought you’d want some comp-”

“Look Kelly, I don’t really have the time to entertain you right now. I kinda have something important going on right now. I’ll see you later.” I began to walk past her, shocking the bleached haired girl. 

“Wa-Wait!” Kelly shouted at me, making me turn around and face her again with an annoyed look.

“...What?” I demanded, not in the mood for my time to be wasted.

“What… What were you trying to ask me back at my party?” Kelly asked to which I blinked in surprise at this question.

Now where the hell did THIS come from?? This is so… so random to bring up now of all times. Well… I shouldn’t exactly waste this opportunity. Now I just gotta be careful how I word this… Alright let’s go with this.

“I wanted to ask you… what your parents are like.” I said.

“Why… Why do you want to know that?” Kelly asked, her fists beginning to tighten. 

“Just… curious is all.” I responded.

“Ha… Funny… I’ve been curious about that all my life… Maybe you’d have better luck asking them yourself if you can even try.” Kelly chuckled darkly as she looked down at the floor. 

“What the hell are you even talking about? You’re their daughter, I just want to know-”

“YEAH WELL JUST BECAUSE I’M THEIR DAUGHTER DOESN’T MEAN WE FUCKING TALK ALL THE TIME!” Kelly screamed.

“I…I’m…sorry?” I looked stunned at Kelly’s outburst as I took a few steps back. It didn’t take me long to put two and two together and figure out that Kelly and her parents might not be as super close as I had originally thought. 

“I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM! EVERYDAY WHEN I WAKE UP I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM SAY “GOOD MORNING KELLY” OR WHEN I COME HOME FROM SCHOOL, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM SAY “HOW WAS YOUR DAY?” BUT NO! THEY RATHER JUST SIT IN THE OFFICE OF WHATEVER BULLSHIT FUCKING COMPANY THEY WORK AT THAN ACKNOWLDGE ME IN ANY WAY THAT DOESN’T INVOLVE A PEN AND PAPER!!!” Kelly had finished her rant as she began to catch her breath. 

I stayed quiet for a few seconds, making sure that Kelly got out all she needed to say. I honestly had never expected this kind of thing from Kelly. Most of the time she was pretty cool headed except when someone was picking a fight with her. I guess to me  she was just the average school slut except way more optimistic than the average person. You could say she’s pretty “gung hoe”! …Okay terrible puns aside, it was safe to say that a lot more people at this school had inner demons to deal with than I figured.

“...I’m sorry Kelly.” I apologized, guilty for having asked in the first place.

Kelly stared at me for a few seconds before closing her eyes and calming herself down. She then reopened them and looked at me with a sad expression.

“No… I’m sorry for shouting like that. It’s just… look. I love my parents but… they are hardly around anymore. They usually were always able to make time for me but in recent years… they’ve just become way too busy with work. I’m sorry I can’t help you more than that.” Kelly finished.

“...No, it’s okay really.” I said as I looked at Karen with a sorrowful expression. 

“...Why are you curious about my parents anyway?” Kelly asked.

“Haha… Would you believe me if I said I’ve been reliving the past two years of high school over and over again?” I chuckled a little.

Kelly sighed at this response. “Alright, alright. Weird excuse but you don’t have to tell me. I get it.” 

Oh, if only you KNEW.

Kelly then began to turn around and walk away. As she walked she did one last turn around to me.

“Sorry for ya know… throwing myself at you that one time.” Kelly scratched the back of her neck.

“It’s fine. Look Kelly, I like sex as much as the next guy but I’m just not really interested in doing random hookups right now.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. …But that still won’t stop me from trying.” Kelly playfully winked at me before heading out the hallway.

I stared at Kelly as she walked away from me until she was no longer in sight. I sighed and put my hands in my pocket and walked away in the opposite direction. God… what a pain in the ass today has been. First Nicole and her bullshit with Ari and now whatever that just was with Kelly. What else could possibly happen today?

That question was just about to be answered as I stopped walking to the sound of two people arguing that were coming from around the corner of the hallway. I took a sneaking glance from the corner and saw it was Nicole and Ari. I know I shouldn’t be eavesdropping but I think it would probably be for the best if I knew what they were talking about. I began to listen in. 

“I just don’t get it Nicole! Why are you even dating me!?” Ari asked in a frantic voice. 

“Why am I dating you? Why am I doing anything!? I don’t fucking know!” Nicole yelled.

“Well after that session just now with the counselor, it sounds like you’re dating me just so you can fucking abuse me!” Ari snapped.

“Abuse you!? When the hell have I ever hit you or anything!?”

“Not that kind! It’s just all this emotional abuse and control!”

“You really putting weight into what the fuck HE SAYS!?”

“He’s a counselor, he knows about this stuff!”

“I’M YOUR GIRLFRIEND! I PAY FOR YOUR FIVE GUYS! HE WANTS TO PUT HIS DICK IN A CHILD! HOW THE FUCK AM I GETTING OUTCLASSED HERE!?”

“NO NICOLE! I ALWAYS HAVE TO PAY WHEN WE GO TO FIVE GUYS!”

“Well… Whatever! How do you even let our freak of a counselor put all these ideas in your head!?”

“Nicole… I’ve had these ideas for a while… All he did was give me the words to tell you…”

“...Tell me what?”

“I don’t think we should see each other anymore…”

“So I’m losing my girlfriend because of the pedophile counselor!?” 

“No! You’re losing your girlfriend because YOU DON’T TREAT HER LIKE A FUCKING HUMAN BEING!!”

“Wh-What!?”

“WHEN WE FIRST GOT TOGETHER, I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY FUCKING PERSON WHO SAW A DIFFERENT SIDE OF YOU THAT NO ONE ELSE SAW! YOU ACTUALLY LAUGHED AND SMILED WHEN YOU WERE WITH ME BUT AFTER LIKE A FEW WEEKS YOU START TREATING ME LIKE I’M WORTHLESS! WHAT COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE DONE FOR YOU TO TREAT ME LIKE THIS!? WAS I ALWAYS JUST A FUCKING JOKE YOU WERE PLAYING WITH!? IS THAT IT!?”

“I DON’T HAVE TO FUCKING EXPLAIN SHIT TO YOU! YOU’RE ALREADY BREAKING UP WITH ME SO I GUESS YOU LOST OUT ON ANY PRIVILEGES FOR AN EXPLANATION! WHY DON’T YOU GO FUCK OFF AND DYE YOUR HAIR A DIFFERENT COLOR! MAYBE THAT WAY THE NEXT GIRL YOU DECIDE TO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET TO, WON’T ALREADY KNOW YOU’RE GAY FROM HALF A MILE AWAY!!!”

“YOU KNOW WHAT NICOLE!?”

“WHAT!?”

The next words that came out of Ari’s mouth was something I don’t think Nicole would forget as long as she lived.

“NO WONDER YOUR DAD KILLED HIMSELF!!! MAYBE IT REALLY WAS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!”

Nicole froze. She couldn’t say another word. Her eyes were wider than anything. Those three words repeatedly played back into Nicole’s mind as Ari stormed off with tears flowing out of her eyes. 

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

ALL YOUR FAULT

 

ALEX & NICOLE’S FAULT

 

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

NICOLE’S FAULT

 

Nicole lost all feeling in her legs and began to slump over. Her hands sliding against a set of lockers next to her so she could try and catch her fall. She just stared at the floor as she had begun to slowly hyperventilate, as if she had just reached a breaking point inside her. 

And for the first time in Nicole’s life since Dad committed suicide…

….

……..

……………….

…Nicole’s heart broke.

Chapter 34: Chapter 33

A few days have passed since Ari broke up with Nicole and Nicole has been well… broken. She hasn’t gone to school, she hasn’t spoken to anyone, she hasn’t texted any of her friends, and she hasn’t even eaten unless me and Mom force her. Speaking of Mom, she’s been contemplating bringing Nicole to a professional therapist or some facility that could help Nicole. Nicole may have been using this as an excuse for the past few weeks but it’s for real this time. Nicole has depression.

All Nicole does is stay in bed either sleeping or staring at the ceiling in her room. I’ve tried talking to her but she never responds back. Not even to tell me to fuck off or any insult whatsoever. Mom told me that if Nicole doesn’t snap out of it within a week then we’ll have to think about sending her somewhere where she can get the help she needs. I absolutely cannot let that happen. I can’t afford to reset again. If Nicole gets shipped off somewhere then that will most likely force another reset and I’ll die for real since my body can’t handle another one. 

But what could I even do at this point? Nothing I say gets through to Nicole anymore. Not even when I try to reminisce about Dad with her. She… She might truly be a lost cause at this point.

Me and Jecka were sitting together at lunch today. Both of us seemed pretty down. But could you blame us? Our table felt so empty with both Nicole and Ari no longer there. I decided to start up a conversation in hopes we could cheer ourselves up a bit.

“So… how did the movie go with Karen last weekend?” I asked Jecka.

Jecka’s head perked up at the mention of her and Karen and she managed to smile a bit. “It was pretty good actually. We even had a sleepover like we used to.” 

“Hey, that’s awesome. So are you two friends again?”

“Maybe not like how we used to be but I think it’s a step in the right direction.”

“Well at least it’s a start.”

“Yeah… hey Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“How’s… How’s Nicole doing?”

I sighed. I knew this would get brought up eventually. I can’t exactly blame Jecka for being concerned about her best friend though. But regardless, I decided to be honest with her.

“She’s… She’s not getting any better…”

“Oh… Have you maybe tried talking to Ari?”

“Actually… I have. Every time I try to approach her, she runs away as soon as she notices me. It doesn’t look like she wants anything to do with anyone who is related to or friends with Nicole.”

“Alex… I know Nicole talks a big game about it but… do you think she actually might… kill herself?” Jecka asked in worry.

“K-Kill herself?” I repeated.

N-No… I know Nicole is upset but would she… would she really… over Ari…? 

“Like I know for a fact that Nicole already cuts on a daily basis but this is more than her whole emo schtick. She is actually fucking sick right now and I’m afraid she’s gonna do something drastic.” Jecka said, fearful.

“We… We don’t know that for sure…” I tried to convince both her and myself.

“Maybe we could ask someone for advice?” Jecka suggested.

“Like who? No way in hell am I asking the counselor for advice. Besides he still thinks we’re currently after him so he won’t want to speak to either of us. And we can’t ask Ms. Ames since Nicole got her fired.”

“Well maybe we can ask a student who knows about this stuff?” 

“I don’t really see anyone in our school gunning to be a future therapist, Jeck.”

“Well… then I don’t know, fuck.” Jecka grumbled, now out of ideas but I then thought more into Jecka’s suggestion. 

If Nicole really is showing signs of suicide then maybe instead of an expert I should ask someone who seems like they would know a thing or two about it based on experience. But who could possibly be that fucked up to-wait nevermind I got it. 

“I might have an idea. I’ll be right back.” I say getting up, surprising Jecka. 

“O-Okay?” Jecka said, curious on where I was leaving to go.

Jecka watched as I sprinted out of the cafeteria and as soon as I left, Jecka’s face had one of disappointment on it. “You could have asked me to tag along. I thought we were a team…”

……..

…………..

……………………

I ran through the hallways in a hurry to try and find the person I was searching for. It took me a few minutes before I finally had found them and it seemed like they were being chewed out by Principal Lynn for something. I got the gist of what seemed to have happened from listening in on their conversation. Finally I decided to intervene by calling out the person’s name which resulted in me getting both her and Ms. Lynn’s attention.

“Hey, Emily.” I waved as I walked over to both her and Ms. Lynn. “You ready to get back?” I asked with a smile as Emily looked at me in confusion.

“Excuse me?” Ms. Lynn asked me.

“Sorry to bother you Ms. Lynn. I was just grabbing Emily. You see she asked me to help her study during my free period so we have been kinda doing that for the past hour. She just recently got up to get a drink from the water fountain but it seemed like she was taking a while so I came over to check on her.” I explained, lying through my teeth to Ms. Lynn.

“Oh, uh… Yeah. Alex was giving me a hand with history. We were just talking about… the part where America nuked Japan…” Emily added on to my bullshit, seemingly catching on that I was trying to help her.

“Emily was… studying? If that’s the case then I am sorry for accusing you like that Emily.” Ms. Lynn apologized.

“You better be sorry you bi-” Emily began to tell her off but I intervened.

“She forgives you Ms. Lynn! Well, if you must excuse us we gotta get back to it. See ya!” I say to Ms. Lynn as I drag Emily away by the arm until we were out of Ms. Lynn’s sight.

“Uhhh… Not that I don’t appreciate it but… why exactly did you help me just now?” Emily asked me in confusion.

“To be honest? I needed to talk to you about something.” I said.

“Okay, sure. But before that can we just make one quick stop first? I wanna scope out the ambulance that just picked up Kylar outside.” Emily said. 

“Sure, alright.” I shrugged and with that, the two of us went outside the front entrance to find an EMT standing outside of an ambulance with Kylar inside it.

“Hey, do you know how Kylar passed out?” Emily asked the EMT guy as soon as we approached him.

“Is he a friend of yours?” The EMT guy asked.

“Um, he's like my boyfriend.” Emily lied. 

“Sorry, but we can only divulge medical information with family members.” The EMT worker told Emily. 

“Family… he’s my brother.” Emily lied again. 

“You said he was your boyfriend.”

“Can he not be both?”

“He shouldn’t be both.” 

“Will you stop judging her Swedish heritage and just tell us?” I asked.

“So essentially his body’s shut down to the point where his lungs are barely functioning. If we didn’t get him sooner he could’ve lost a lot of brain cells.” The EMT worker explained.

“I didn’t know five was a lot.” I quipped. 

“But like… do you know exactly what caused it?” Emily asked.

“We won’t know anything until we get him to the hospital for a toxicology report. Since you’re family would you like to ride along in the ambulance with us? This must be very hard for you.” The EMT worker said to Emily.

“Nah it’s okay I don’t care that much.” Emily shrugged.

“Um… Okay so if that’s it, I have very pressing matters to tend to. Where is my big gulp jug?” The EMT worker muttered that question to himself as he walked past me and Emily.

“So… are they just gonna wait for him to get that? Because I can still see Kylar in the back there and they’re not driving off.” I raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, Alex? You don’t think like… they can stomach pump the pills I gave him and find fingerprints on them, do you?” Emily asked.

“Nah, at least I don’t think they can.” I guessed.

“Cool, yeah I don’t care if he dies I just don’t wanna be held responsible.” Emily shrugged as the two of us began to walk back inside the school.

“Normally I would question those priorities but since it’s Kylar we’re talking about, I don’t really give much of a fuck.” I said, honestly.

“Oh yeah, what did you want to talk to me about?” Emily asked. 

“Oh, right. So… Emily. You’re a… fucked up person right?” I asked.

“Oh, yeah definitely.” Emily said, bluntly.

“...Wow okay, just kinda agreed full on with that one… Anyways! Since you’re fucked up I can assume you’ve attempted suicide before right?” 

“Like we counting this year alone or like… the grand total?”

“...Okay, I’m just gonna get straight to the point here. How exactly… can you tell if a person is on the brink of suicide?” 

“Uhhh well with some experience I can say they will usually just stop talking to anyone or stop trying to do anything like I’m talking full blown depression here. So that’s usually a big sign. Stopping taking care of themselves is also a thing. Like their hair or clothes or just like not eating anything y’know?” Emily finished explaining.

Fuck. I was afraid of this. Nicole might actually commit suicide again if we don’t do something soon… But… how the fuck do I even help someone when they don’t even want to be helped???

“Why are you asking me about all this anyway?” Emily asked, breaking me out of my thoughts to which I looked down on the ground and sighed.

“Well… between you and me… let’s just say that I think Nicole has finally discovered what exactly are the consequences of her actions…” I answered.

“So… like what? You afraid she’s gonna like off herself?” Emily guessed.

“...Let’s just say for now I need to start being watchful of Nicole right now and leave it at that alright?” I asked in hopes that she would drop the conversation topic.

Emily stared at me for a few seconds before just shrugging. “Whatever you say. …Hey you wanna get fucked up with me?” Emily asked, holding out her pill bottle in front of me.

I probably shouldn’t right now, but…

“...You know what? Sure. I think I need this right now…” I admitted. 

“Awesome. Your ass better be grateful too. Usually I would charge you but since you helped me out with Bitch Lynn, I’m making an exception just this once. Got it?”

“Got it.” I repeated, secretly rolling my eyes. 

“Good. Now let’s see which pill will get us fucked up the most.” Emily said as she poured the contents of her bottle in her hand as the two of us walked off to get high on the school roof. That’s when I noticed one of the “items” in the pill mix.

“Hey Emily? 

“Yeah?”

“Is that… a Skittles mixed in with those pills?”

“...Maybe.”

Ya know what? I think I might be having second thoughts…

….

………

……………

I only ended up taking one pill which ended up being fucking MORPHINE. After that I didn’t really wanna take a chance anymore at Emily’s “Russian Roulette” version of popping pills. 

After school had ended, instead of walking home like I usually did, I got into Jecka’s car and the two of us drove off to her house to hang out after school. We wanted to discuss together on how we were gonna try and help Nicole. We spent a good few hours hanging out and talking. As well as throwing in suggestions here and there on how to cheer up Nicole.

“I think maybe she just needs to be around people that care about her.” Jecka suggested as she sat on her bed while I was sitting on her desk chair in her room.

“So like… just you and me?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Well I would say your mom too but I don’t think Nicole likes her enough to want to be around her…. What about Emily? As much as I think she’s a fucking psycho, her and Nicole are friends right?”

“They seem more like high friends than friends friends.” 

“Okay, well I guess it is just us then.” Jecka realized.

“Yeah, you’d think that the school’s resident sociopath would have more friends to rely on in her time of need.” I said sarcastically.

“Tomorrow is Saturday so… what if we just take Nicole out for the day? Even if we gotta force her, it’s better than just letting her rot.”

“Uhhh Jeck? Me and her are siblings but I’m not exactly looking to just put my hands on her ya know?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll be the one to force her ass out of bed. Even if she kicks and screams we’re gonna take her somewhere fun!”

“Forcing a hysterical teenage girl into a vehicle… can’t see how this goes south.” I rolled my eyes. 

“Huh? I was thinking of driving like to the mall, why do you wanna drive her all the way down south?” Jecka tilted her head in confusion.

…Sometimes I wonder how I fell in love with you.

“...Nevermind. Let’s just go with your plan and just hope for the best.” I sighed as I got up from Jecka’s chair.

“You heading back?” Jecka asked.

“Yeah, it’s almost 7:30. It’s probably best not to leave Nicole home with just Mom and Gabe. At least Mom has the decency to watch over her when I’m not here.” I grumbled as I began to walk out of Jecka’s room.

“But your Mom doesn’t know Nicole might kill herself like we do so is she really keeping a close eye on her right now?” Jecka asked.

…Fuck.

“Shit, maybe I should hurry and get back then. I’ll see ya tomorrow Jeck!” I waved as I ran out of her room and out of her house. I then began to run back home as I felt the cold December breeze hit me, I looked up in the sky and saw the clouds darken. It looked like it was going to rain soon.

…..

………

…………….

It took me about 20 minutes to get back home. First thing I saw was Mom, drunk, on the couch, with a glass of wine in her hand. Because of fucking course she was drunk when she should be looking after Nicole right now. S tier parenting Mom. I quickly went upstairs and when I opened the door to Nicole’s room, my skin began to crawl and I panicked.

Nicole wasn’t there. 

“NICOLE!? NICOLE!?” I yelled in hopes that maybe she just went to use the bathroom. No response. I checked throughout the entire house and she was nowhere to be seen. I finally returned to Nicole’s room in hopes of finding a clue to where she might have gone. That’s when I noticed a note was placed on top of her desk. I picked it up and began to read it. All I had to read were the first six words before I dropped the note and almost fell to the floor. 

 

People are books, puzzles and pawns.

 

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No.

Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again.

I was hyperventilating. 

WHERE IS NICOLE!? WHERE IS SHE!? WHERE THE FUCK DID SHE GO!? I GOTTA STOP HER! I GOTTA STOP HER RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!

“NICOLE!!!” I screamed and then before I knew it, time froze.

I looked around in confusion. Wondering why this was even happening in the first place. After all, I didn’t call Chrona here. But maybe…

“CHRONA!” I shouted and before I knew it, Chrona appeared.

“Looks like you’re still doing it...” Chrona muttered as she stared at me.

“You mean… I did this? It wasn’t you who froze time just now?” I asked and Chrona shook her head. 

“No… this was all you.” Chrona answered calmly.

“Chrona… where is she?” 

“Where is wh-”

“WHERE THE FUCK IS NICOLE RIGHT NOW!?”

“...She’s on the school roof.”

“Wh-What!?”

“Time froze the moment she opened the door to the roof. I have no control right now over when time will unfreeze since this was your doing. And since you’re doing this unconsciously, there’s no telling how much longer you’ll have before time unfreezes again. If you plan to do anything I suggest you do it now.” Chrona looks at me with a serious expression.

I nod and begin to run out of Nicole’s room but before I could Chrona speaks up.

“WAIT!” Chrona shouts and I turn around to see Chrona throw me a sealed envelope.

“H-Huh?” I looked at the envelope that was marked “To Alex & Nicole”.

“Is…Is this…?” I asked as I opened the envelope and read the contents of the letter which confirmed my suspicions.

“Yes… it’s your father’s real suicide note. If any time was the “right time” then it would be now. NOW GO!” Chrona shouted and I nodded. 

I put Dad’s suicide note in my coat pocket and ran right out of Nicole’s room and out of the house. It seemed that it began to rain when I froze time. I ran through the paused rain droplets, getting more soaked the more I ran but I didn’t care. I didn’t know how much longer I had until time would unfreeze itself so I had to make each second count. I stopped for nothing and before I knew it, I began to see the school in front of me.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, Chrona was outside, floating in the air, staring as I ran through the empty streets, desperately trying to reach the school in time. A small smile began to form on Chrona’s lips.

“It seems… we are finally reaching the climax of this story…”

……

………

………………

“...Save your sister, Alex Yu.”

Chapter 35: Chapter 34

FLASHBACK (SEVEN YEARS AGO)

 

“Alex! Come on!” a ten year old girl with dark brown hair and pigtails yelled as she ran further and further into the woods of her backyard. A boy who looked just like her was doing his best to catch up with her.

“N-Nicole! Wait up!” the ten year old boy exclaimed. 

“But you’re gonna miss it! It’s super cool!” Nicole giggled as she turned around to face the boy.

“O-Okay! I’m coming!” Alex shouted as he managed to keep up with Nicole as he followed her to what seemed to be a clearing with a big hill at the center. The two children climbed up the hill and began to sit at the very top.

“So Nicole? What exactly is this?” Alex asked in confusion.

“Look up!” Nicole exclaimed as she excitedly pointed upwards.

Alex looked up and what he saw was the clear night sky as hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of stars shined bright above them. It was without a doubt a perfect view of the night fallen sky. 

“Woah…” Alex muttered as he stared deeply above, tranced by the mystical view before him. 

“I know right!?” I found this spot the other day and thought it would be really cool to watch the stars!” Nicole said excitedly. 

“It really is pretty cool…” Alex said breathlessly as he continued to stare.

They stared up at the sky for a few minutes before Nicole then began to look down with an expression of hurt as she began to change the conversation topic to something a bit more grim.

“Mom and Dad have been fighting a lot lately…” Nicole muttered in distress.

Alex looked at Nicole in surprise at the sudden conversation turn. He then began to look down in sorrow at that hurtful reminder. 

“Yeah… they have.” Alex agreed.

“I’m afraid… afraid something bad is gonna happen.” Nicole said in worry. 

“Me too but… if anything does happen… I think we’ll be okay.”

“You do?”

“Yeah! I mean we will still be together right? Nothing’s ever gonna change that! Mom and Dad still love us! Gabe is mean sometimes but I’m sure he likes us too! We’ll be okay Nicole!”

“...You promise?”

“I pinky promise!” Alex exclaimed as he held his pinky out to Nicole.

Nicole stared at Alex’s extended pinky finger before intertwining it with her own pinky finger as they giggled at each other. A shooting star flying by in the midst of the twins’ promise. 

“We should probably head back before Mom and Dad get worried. I don’t wanna cause another fight between them.” Alex said as he got up.

“Yeah… you’re right.” Nicole agreed and the two of them left to go back to their house.

It only took them 10 minutes to make it back to their house. Once they got inside it seemed both their mother, father, and their twenty year old older brother Gabriel were sitting in chairs at the kitchen table waiting for them.

“Why are you guys sitting down?” Alex asked in confusion, a bad feeling beginning to wash over him.

“Everything okay?” Nicole asked, having the same bad feeling begin to spread throughout her body.”

“Nicole… Alex…” their father began but couldn’t manage to continue. Luckily their mother decided to take over for him.

“Sweeties… we need to talk.”

 

END OF FLASHBACK

 

I ran as fast as I could. I was almost there. I finally made it to the school’s entrance. Unfortunately as soon as I entered the school (which was surprisingly unlocked I mean school security just really sucks huge dick here) I saw that the rain droplets had begun to fall onto the ground as everything began to move again. Time had unfrozen.

I knew I didn’t have much time left. I ran quickly up the stairs to the second floor and then up the stairs to the door of the school roof. My heart was beating with every step up I took, praying to everything around me that I would manage to make it in time. Finally, I reached the final step and opened the door to the school’s roof and stepped outside. 

 

FLASHBACK (TWO YEARS AGO)

 

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN WE’RE MOVING AGAIN!?” A 15 year old girl screamed as she saw her mother beginning to pack different household items into cardboard boxes. Her twin brother who was standing right next to her was too speechless to even begin to get mad.

“I’m sorry Nicole but we got evicted. On the bright side, I managed to find a cheap place that is out of state and-”

“OUT OF STATE!? BUT I JUST GOT SETTLED! YOU MEAN I HAD TO PRETEND TO BE NICE TO A BUNCH OF AIRHEAD BARBIE WANNABES FOR TWO YEARS FOR NOTHING!?” Nicole shouted in anger. 

“Honey, I understand you’re upset but there's nothing that can be done. Now how about you and Alex help me with these boxes and-”

“FUCK YOU! I’M LIVING WITH DAD!” Nicole yelled as she ran out the front door and began to make her way over to her father’s house.

“NICOLE! YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT YOUNG LADY!” her mother screamed before turning to Alex.

“Alex! Please tell your sister to come back inside right now!” their mother said.

“...I’M GOING TO LIVE WITH DAD TOO!” Alex erupted in anger as he bolted out the door to follow Nicole. 

“ALEX!” Their mother called for him but he didn’t care and ignored her as he managed to catch up to Nicole who was walking down the street in anger, heading for their father’s house that was just a neighborhood down. Nicole finally noticed Alex who was now walking alongside her. 

“What are you doing?” Nicole asked in confusion.

“I’m going too. Fuck moving away.” Alex said in a determined tone. 

Nicole looked a little surprised but smiled, glad that her brother agreed with her and was walking with her to their Dad’s. It was about a ten minute walk to his house before they finally were at the front of it. Nicole quickly knocked on the door and not even 5 seconds later they heard a sound that would forever be burned in their memory. 

 

BOOM!!!

 

A gunshot. 

“Wh-What the fuck was that!?” Nicole panicked.

“D-Dad!?” Alex exclaimed panicking as well.

Alex quickly opened the door that was surprisingly unlocked and as soon as they stepped inside, they were met with a living room that was splattered in red. The floor was covered in blood with the body of their dead father lying right in the middle. 

“D-DAD!!! FUCK!!! NO!!! NO!!! NO!!!” Nicole screamed as she covered her mouth, falling to her knees, tears flowing out of her eyes as she had begun to hyperventilate. 

“DAD!? WHAT THE FUCK!!! NO!!! FUCK!!! NO!!!” Alex screamed, as he was shaking, tears began to form in his eyes as well. He was almost on the verge of passing out. 

Alex shakingly took his cellphone out of his pocket and began to dial 911. He put the phone slowly up to his ear as he was trying to keep himself from spiraling at the sight of his dead father. 

“911, what is your emergency?” the operator asked. 

“M-My Dad just… he just…” Alex tried to say but sobs kept escaping through his mouth as tears streamed down his face. 

“Sir? Are you somewhere safe?” the operator asked calmly.

“M-My Dad sh-shot himself….” Alex finally let out.

“I’m sending a unit over immediately. Is anyone else injured?”

“N-No. My Dad lives alone. Me and my sister just came over to visit him when…”

“Sir, I advise that you and your sister exit the house immediately and wait for officers to arrive.”

“A-Alex…?” Nicole called out for her brother causing him to turn around to see his sister pointing towards the kitchen with a shaken finger.

“L-Look… at the fridge…” Nicole said, her eyes now even wider.

Alex looked in the direction that Nicole was pointing and as soon as he did, he unconsciously dropped his cell phone that was still on the line with the 911 operator. Alex fell down to his knees as he read the suicide note that was stuck to the fridge with a Cookie Monster magnet.

 

“ALEX & NICOLE’S FAULT”

 

END OF FLASHBACK

 

“NICOLE!” I shouted at my sister who was almost standing over the ledge of the roof. Nicole turned around in surprise, clearly not expecting to see me in the slightest.

“Alex…?” Nicole asked and that’s when I got a good look at Nicole. She was clearly soaked from the rain but her hair was still down and messy regardless. She was still in her pajamas and slippers at the time. 

“Nicole… Please just come to me. Please don’t do what you’re about to do.” I pleaded. 

“...Why?” Nicole asked, cold and emotionless as ever.

“Why?” I repeated.

“Why shouldn’t I do it? I mean, really. What’s really the point anymore? All I’ll ever be is the root to everyone’s suffering. I’ll always be the reason why Dad hated being alive. I’ll always be the reason why Mom is too drunk to ever give a rat’s ass about us. And I’ll always be the reason why I couldn’t reciprocate the same love that Ari had for me. What is even the fucking point in anything anymore? LIFE HAS NO FUCKING MEANING SO ISN’T IT BETTER TO PUNCH MY TICKET NOW THAN WHEN I’M 30 AND ALONE!?” Nicole screamed. 

I stared at Nicole in silence. Finally understanding how she has really felt all this time. All this time she was never truly emotionless. It was all just a front for her in the end. She was scared. Scared more than anything. And if that’s the case… I think I already know the answer to this question but I’ll ask her anyway. 

“Why did you treat Ari the way that you did at the end of your relationship?” I asked.

“...I guess I can actually be honest for once. Not like it matters anymore anyway.” Nicole then let out a deep sigh before beginning to explain herself.

“I was… scared. Scared of actually caring about someone again. I… did actually love Ari too… fucking corny to say out loud right? But I did. And I got scared. I got really really fucking scared. I was scared that if I let her get too close that I would end up being the reason for something fucked up to happen between us. Just like Dad… So I tried to keep her at an arm's length. But I ended up taking it too far. I ended up treating her like shit and I don’t know if I did it because that’s just who I am or if I just did it unconsciously to push her further away from me until she reached her breaking point. So in the end… I did expect her to end things. But what I didn’t expect were those last words she said to me…”

“NO WONDER YOUR DAD KILLED HIMSELF!!! MAYBE IT REALLY WAS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!”

“You… You actually told her about the suicide note…? I mean we told Jecka that Dad shot himself but we never even told her about the note… You mean you actually trusted Ari that much…?” I asked in bewilderment. 

“I… I did. I don’t know why but I just felt like when I was around her… I could trust her with anything. Fuck, I sound like some sappy little bitch hearing this shit out loud but it’s true. And she was also right. It’s always my fucking fault whenever shit happens. Everything would just be better for everyone, including myself, if I was just… gone.” Nicole finished as she began to take a few steps closer to the edge.

“NICOLE! WAIT!! PLEASE!!!” I pleaded to her out of panic and desperation as I moved closer and closer, careful not to make any sudden moves that might cause her to fall. 

“Sorry but… nothing will ever fucking change.” Nicole said as she looked down from the school ledge, ready to jump at any given second causing me to begin to panic.

Nicole is really about to jump. Even if I run right now I won’t be able to catch her in time. She… She really thinks she’s the reason everything in our lives is terrible? Nicole… that’s just not true… it’s not…

That’s when I realized something. All this time… Nicole has been under the impression of the wrong thing her entire life. She’s always had this false ideology put in her head because she truly couldn’t see a different answer than what she had already assumed it to be. 

It then finally dawned on me that there is one set of words that no one in her entire life ever told her. Not Mom… and not even me. Maybe if she was told this in the first place, she would never be the sociopath she is today. I then closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and then put on a small smile as I told her the words that she needed to hear all along two years ago. 

…..

……..

…………

 

“...It’s not your fault.”

Nicole froze just as she was about to take a step off the ledge. She backtracked as she began to walk away from the ledge and walk a few steps closer to me. Unsure of what she actually heard come out of my mouth. 

“What… What did you…?”

“It’s not your fault.” I repeated.

“Stop…”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Stop it…”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Shut up…”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Fucking shut up…”

“It’s not your fault.”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP RIGHT NOW!!!” Nicole screamed at me.

“Nicole… It is and never has been… your fault.” I calmly said back.

“THAT’S NOT FUCKING TRUE! YOU SAW IT!! YOU FUCKING SAW WHAT DAD WROTE IN HIS NOTE!!! HE SAID IT WAS OUR FAULT!!! OUR FUCKING FAULT THAT HE KILLED HIMSELF!!! OUR FAULT HE WAS SO FUCKING UNHAPPY!!! IT WAS… It was… my fault for being such a fucking disappointment to him…” Nicole fell to her knees as she repeatedly punched the floor, not caring that her knuckles were getting bloody. 

“THAT NOTE WAS A FAKE NICOLE!!!” I screamed, finally telling Nicole the truth about Dad. 

“Wh-What…?” Nicole looked up at me, confused more than anything.

“...I found this today in a hidden compartment in Mom’s pill safe.” I lied as I took out Dad’s real suicide note from my coat pocket. I then walked forward, bent down, and handed the envelope to Nicole who slowly accepted it from my hand. 

“Apparently Dad gave this to Mom the last time he visited and told her it was for us to open once we turned 18. I don’t think Mom ever opened it because it was completely sealed when I read it.” I calmly explained as Nicole began to open the envelope.

Nicole shakingly in her hands took the folded letter out of the envelope and slowly began to unfold it. Her heart was racing in anticipation. To know what her father was really feeling in his final moments. To know if he truly thought of her the way she had convinced herself all this time. With a deep breath, Nicole read the contents of her father’s suicide note. 

 

People are books, puzzles and pawns.

In that order.

First they’re read, then they’re figured out,

then they’re persuaded.

Except for two. 

Nicole & Alex…

If you’re reading this…

It means you two are now adults in this shit world of ours!

Congrats!

And since you’re now adults…

Maybe I can stop being such a pussy

and tell you both the truth.

A year after your mother and I divorced…

I was diagnosed with late stage brain cancer.

And… I was scared.

Scared that I was going to have to watch 

the two of you mourn me until my last breath.

I never wanted that. 

I never told the two of you.

It was a selfish decision of mine.

And I am sorry. 

In the end, I left a note that said it was both of your faults.

But that’s not true. 

I just wanted you to hate me when I was gone. 

As fucked up as that sounds.

I’m… not a good person. 

I want you two to know that. 

What that note will do to the two of you…

It will be traumatizing I know. 

From the bottom of my heart I am deeply sorry.

Sorry for all the pain you will go through 

that will be caused by me.

Alex… you remind me of your mother 

before she turned into a complete bitch that is.

You are compassionate about other people.

But you also speak your mind and defend others when pushed.

You are going to grow up to be one hell of a man!

Nicole… you’re the splitting image of me…

And I am so proud of you.

But that also scares me. 

I don’t want you…

to end up like me.

This will sound very hypocritical of me but…

When things seem hard.

When you feel like you have 

no place to belong in this world…

Live.

Just live. 

But at the same time…

I think you’ll end up better than me.

Wanna know why?
Because Alex will always be there.

No matter how you end up in life.

Alex will always be by your side. 

Alex & Nicole…

I love you.

-Dad

 

Nicole reread the letter so many times over. The rain made light smudges to the ink as it landed on the paper repeatedly. She finally dropped the letter in her hands. She looked down at the floor, unsure of how to feel. Until finally… she found her voice.

“All this time… that asshole made me think I was the reason why he killed himself… WHAT THE FUCK WAS WRONG WITH HIM!?” Nicole shouted in anger. 

“Nicole…” I said quietly.

“I MEAN WHO THE FUCK DOES HE THINK HE IS!? DOES HE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH HE MADE ME FUCKING HATE MYSELF!? HOW MUCH I WAS REMINDED EVERYTIME I LOOKED IN A FUCKING MIRROR WHERE IT SHOWED ME THE FACE OF A GIRL THAT MADE HER FATHER WANT TO END EVERYTHING!?”

“Nicole…”

“BUT EVEN DESPITE THAT… DESPITE EVERYTHING HE’S DONE… why can’t I say I fucking hate him…?” Nicole asked as she looked down on the ground. 

Then all of a sudden, Nicole looked up at me. I stared at her with a look of sympathy as Nicole remembered one specific part from Dad’s note. 

“No matter how you end up in life.

Alex will always be by your side.”

“Alex…” Nicole’s voice began to break and that’s when I saw a sight that I’ve never seen once in my entire life. 

Nicole was crying. 

“...help me.” Nicole sobbed.

I slowly walked over to Nicole in silence. She was too busy crying harder than I’ve ever seen anyone cry before. Too busy letting out two years worth of frustration and sorrow all at once. It wasn’t until I extended a hand to her that she finally looked up at me. She slowly accepted it, allowing me to help her stand up from the floor and then to Nicole’s surprise, I hugged her tightly.

Nicole just stood there, taking the hug in. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do but she ended up returning the hug and buried her face into my shoulder as she cried even harder. 

We stood there on the school roof, the rain beginning to let up as if it signified a new beginning. Locked into each other’s arms not wanting to let go of one another, we shared a moment of peace as I began to cry as well. Crying over the fact that I managed to save Nicole in time. Crying over the fact that all those resets in time have led to this moment. Crying over the fact that tomorrow would be a new day where me and Nicole could truly call ourselves brother and sister again. Finally, for what seemed like forever, the rain had stopped.

……

………..

………………

And the night sky shined brightly above us once more.

Chapter 36: Chapter 35

Nicole and I walked back home in silence. I couldn’t tell how Nicole was exactly feeling on our whole way back. Was she relieved? Afraid? Something in between? I couldn’t say for sure. Regardless, once we opened the front door, the first thing we saw was Mom with her arms crossed, seemingly no longer passed out drunk from how I last saw her as she seemed very much sober. As well as very not happy. 

“You want to explain to me what the fuck the two of you were out doing this late at night? On a SCHOOL night at that!?” Mom asked us angrily.

Nicole looked down on the ground, clearly not in any mood to argue at the moment after the emotional rollercoaster she just went through earlier. Luckily for her, I decided to speak for both of us. 

“I’m sorry Mom. It was my fault. I tried to take Nicole out somewhere to cheer her up. Just don’t… don’t blame her, okay?” I lied. I honestly didn’t think Mom needed to know what happened on the school roof. It should just be something that stays between me and Nicole. 

Mom looked as if she wanted to argue with me but surprisingly she just let out a deep sigh. I wasn’t sure if she was just tired of getting angry or understood my reasoning considering Nicole’s state of mind for the past few days.

“Fine… As long as you’re both home safe I don’t care. But Nicole? Honey? I’ve been giving a lot of thought into this but maybe we should send you somewhere where people can-”

“I want to start seeing a therapist.” Nicole cut Mom off, shocking both her and me as we stared at Nicole. 

“Y-You do?” Mom asked in surprise.

“I… I do.” Nicole nodded slowly.

“Th-That’s great honey! I’ll go call the school and-”

“Not from the school. An actual therapist.” Nicole cut Mom off again. 

“But Nicole, the school offers counseling for free and a therapist costs-”

“Mom, please.” Nicole cut her off again, this time showing a rare occurrence of vulnerability. 

“...Okay sweetie.” Mom agreed as her face softened, taken off guard that Nicole asked for something with such sincerity for the first time since she was a little girl.

Nicole silently then headed upstairs and went to her room, shutting the door behind her. Mom then looked over to me with a look of confusion on her face.

“Alex, what did you even say to Nicole to make her have such a drastic change of heart?” Mom asked me.

“I… I just told her something I should have from the beginning. That’s all.” I said, and headed upstairs myself and entered my room.

As soon as I entered my room, I shut the door behind me and collapsed on my bed, both physically and emotionally exhausted. That’s when I remembered the plan I made with Jecka tomorrow. I texted Jecka and told her that tomorrow’s plan for Nicole was canceled and I would explain everything to her when we see her on Monday at school. I then put my phone away, got into my covers, and fell asleep, wondering what the future with Nicole will bring.

…….

……………

…………………………

The weekend consisted of Mom trying to find a good therapist nearby in town. Finally they found one and Nicole had her first session on Sunday. Nicole actually opened up and told me how it went which I was really surprised by. She hasn’t been this comfortable around me since before Dad died. But I guess ever since the whole thing at the school roof, she trusts me again. 

It was finally Monday and me and Nicole were on our way to school. It’s been about a week since Nicole has been to school but the principal and teachers were already informed that she was sick so it’s not like she’ll get scolded for anything once she shows up to class. As we were walking, Nicole spoke up.

“Hey… can we like not tell anyone what happened Friday night? Not even Jecka?” Nicole asked me. 

I smile and nod. “Of course. That’s gonna stay between you and me.” 

“Thanks…” Nicole muttered as she rubbed the back of her neck. 

We finally arrived at school and just like always, Jecka was waiting for us at the usual spot, leaning behind the brick wall in front of the school’s entrance. Jecka waved and smiled as soon as she saw me and began to walk over but then almost fell back in surprise once she saw that Nicole was following behind me.

“N-Nicole!?” Jecka exclaimed.

“Yeah.” Nicole said simply with her hands in her pockets. 

“Ho-How are you feeling? Are you okay?” Jecka asked frantically with wide eyes.

“I mean I showed up here of all places so I’m only dying on the inside.” Nicole said bluntly, trying her best to be herself again. 

“Yeah but after the whole thing with Ari…” Jecka muttered.

“Look I’m not really in the best mood to talk about that just yet so how about we drop it for right now? Nicole huffed. 

“Okay, you’re right. Sorry.” Jecka apologized to her best friend.

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get today over with.” Nicole said as she headed inside the school with me and Jecka following loosely behind her.

“Alex, what the hell did you say to her to get her to snap out of it like this?” Jecka whispered to me as we walked behind Nicole. 

“We just talked about some things that were a long time coming. Stuff about our Dad and everything and how Nicole is gonna start doing better.” I whispered back.

It’s not technically a lie. 

“Better?” Jecka asked.

“She’s going to a therapist now. Her first session was yesterday.” I told her.

“Oh shit, seriously?” Jecka said in surprise and I nodded.

“Yeah. Just don’t expect Nicole to turn a complete 180 though. She’s still gonna be the same Nicole that you know. Just more… empathetic I guess?” I shrugged. 

“Well I’m not exactly complaining about that…” Jecka muttered and the three of us each walked to our classes in silence. 

………

……………

…………………………

Lunch came by in a flash and the three of us were once again sitting at our usual table. It honestly seemed like things were finally getting back to normal. Me, Nicole, and Jecka were in the middle of some random conversation as lunch continued on. 

“Is Dust-Off the same high as whip-its?” Jecka asked us.

“I never tried Dust-Off.” Nicole said.

“Me neither.” I added.

“Really?” Jecka asked.

“Why is that surprising?” Nicole asked, her chin resting on the palm of her hand.

“You’ve tried everything else when a guy offers.” Jecka shrugged.

“Why would I flirt with a guy to get a free hit of Dust-Off? You can get the whole thing at a store for like 3 dollars.”

“Only 3 dollars?”

“Yeah, have you ever gone to a Staples?”

“Ew Staples?”

“What are you too High School Musical to walk into a Staples now?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“No, every time I go in the one near school the manager always flirts with me. He’s like “let’s find you a new computer, sweetie”.” Jecka mimicked. 

“What if he just wants to sell you a new computer?” I asked. 

“With his hand on my ass???” Jecka asked me.

“...Hey so what’s the name of the manager there?” I ask.

“I think it’s like Josh or something with a J, why?”

“...No reason.” I say calmly as I begin to plan in my mind how I’m going to send a Staples manager to the emergency room. 

Then all of a sudden, someone walked up to our table and once we saw who it was, all of our eyes turned wide. But I think Nicole was the most shocked of the three of us.

“Hey, Nicole.” Ari greeted with a neutral expression on her face.
“Hi?” Nicole asked, both nervous and confused.

“I just wanted to talk a little again, see how you were doing. You haven’t shown up to school in a while.” Ari explained.

“Yeah well… I just wasn’t feeling well… mentally I guess.” Nicole answered, her eyes trying her best not to meet Ari’s.

“You… You weren’t?” Ari asked. 

“No… I wasn’t. Can we… talk Ari? Like privately?” Nicole asked.

“Nicole… I don’t think-”

“Please?” Nicole asked, once again showing a rare sign of vulnerability. 

I smiled slightly at Nicole while Jecka and Ari looked at Nicole in shock. Ari was at a loss for words and she spent dozens of seconds thinking over Nicole’s request in her head before Ari finally nodded.

“Okay…” Ari agreed and her and Nicole walked out towards the courtyard together leaving me and Jecka alone at the table.

“You think they’re gonna get back together?” Jecka asked me.

“Honestly? I can’t say for sure. It all really depends on Ari and if she can even forgive Nicole. She was pretty awful to her.” I shrugged.

“Yeah… Can I be honest with you about something Alex?”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“What Nicole did to Ari… Honestly it was almost my breaking point with her.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well it’s just… whenever Nicole does something really fucking shitty, it’s usually to a guy and I’m always like “was that overboard?” and she’ll always say “he’ll end up a rapist or pedophile anyway.” But Ari’s a teenage girl. A gay, codependent, teenage girl, as if that wasn’t even hard enough. So… I almost ended up cutting things off with her.”

“As friends?”

“Yeah… But then I saw for the first time Nicole actually showing regret for once and it made me realize that Nicole isn’t some fucked up emotionless bitch or whatever. She’s just like us except someone who needs to start taking a fuck ton of SSRIs.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the therapist prescribes those for her in all honesty.” I chuckle.

“Bet her therapist will do a better ass job that the pedo counselor or Ms. Ames ever could.” Jecka smirked.

“Yeah… Hey Jeck?”

“What’s up?”

“Thanks for being Nicole’s friend.”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“It’s like you said. You’ve endured a lot of shit from Nicole since you’ve known her and yet you’re still her friend despite all that. Take it from experience, she’s not the easiest person to deal with so just… thanks.” I smile at Jecka sincerely.

“O-Oh. Don’t mention it…” Jecka looks to the side, her cheeks growing red from I assume to be embarrassment.

About 20 minutes passed with me and Jecka talking about random shit when Nicole finally came back to the table. Me and Jecka looked at each other and then at Nicole, hoping for her to fill us in on what just happened. Luckily we didn’t have to wait long.

“So… Ari and I are talking again I guess.” Nicole said as she sat down with us.

“So like… are you two dating again?” Jecka asked.

“Not exactly… she said she wants to be just friends for now and after enough time maybe we can try again, she’s not sure. I told her she can start sitting with us at lunch again and she liked the idea of that.” Nicole shrugged.

“Well it’s a step in the right direction I guess.” I told her. 

“I guess. So… after school do you guys wanna go to Staples and take turns kicking the manager there in the balls while I pocket the display phones so I can sell them?” Nicole asked us. 

Jecka and I looked at each other and grinned. Nicole has a long way to go in terms of self healing and learning to accept others again but that doesn’t mean she’ll stop being who she really is. You gotta take the bad with the good ya know?

…….

…………..

……………………

 

FOUR MONTHS LATER

 

It’s the beginning of April now. Not much has changed except for Nicole. She continued going to therapy and is actually smiling a lot more. She ended up coming out to Mom as bisexual and Mom accepted her for it. 

It was the middle of lunch and the four of us were sitting at our usual table. That’s right. You heard that correctly. The four of us. Ever since Nicole and Ari made up, Ari has sat with us at lunch every day which basically made her the fourth member of whatever it is we called ourselves. A friend group? We never really put a label on it. Anyway, as always, we were in the middle of some nonsensical conversation.

“You guys ever think Taylor Swift knows how annoying her fans are?” Nicole asks us. 

“What do you mean?” Jecka asks.

“So me and Ari were at the mall the other day right? She wanted to check out some CD’s so we headed over to FYE and we accidentally bumped into these two girls carrying like six or seven Taylor Swift CD’s and like I think two of them fell out of her hand and these bitches went BALLISTIC!”

“Damn, so what did they do?” I asked and Ari joined in the conversation.

“They were like “How fucking dare you. You almost broke our CDs, now apologize to us and Taylor for what you did.” shit like that.” Ari explained.

“They… wanted you to apologize to… Taylor Swift?” Jecka asked, confused.

“Yeah, they wanted us to actually apologize to the picture of her on the album cover. I almost knocked their asses on the floor but Ari held me back.” Nicole grumbled as she tightened her fist. 

“Babe, we don’t need you getting us kicked out of the mall again. It would have been like the fourth time.” Ari told Nicole as she placed her hand over Nicole’s fist, loosening it up and then intertwining it with her own. 

“Yeah, yeah…” Nicole muttered, calming down at her girlfriend’s touch. 

I smiled at the two of them. It took a long time of rebuilding trust to get to the point they were at now but I don’t think the two of them have any regrets about being together again. This is the most I’ve ever actually seen Nicole happy in a long time.

 I then looked over at Jecka who was just laughing at some stupid comment Nicole made but I was too busy staring at her to really listen. I’ve been doing some thinking for myself lately. I spent so long trying to do everything I can to help Nicole when I went through all those resets, that I almost had forgotten what I would even do once everything was better again. I think it’s time… time I start to do things for myself now…

…..

………..

……………….

Spring had never begun to look more promising. 

Chapter 37: Chapter 36 (Jecka Side Story)

Jecka woke up like any other day. Except today was special. Or at least special to her. She would have to see if her parents gave enough of a shit to remember but today was April 11th. Her birthday. 

She was finally 18. An adult. No longer would she be the young girl who’s Dad hits her with a beer bottle when he’s watching The Price is Right . Now she’s a young woman who’s Dad hits her with a vodka bottle (he upgraded) when he’s watching Wheel of Fortune (he got tired of Drew Carey’s bullshit).

Jecka rolled over to the side on her bed and opened up her flip phone. She grimaced when she looked at the time. 7:37am. 

“Ugh, how did I end up waking up this goddamn early?” Jecka asked herself.

“It’s like Percocet just makes you stronger and immune to more Percocet.” Jecka thought to herself.

“I want Adderall… and a cigarette… I want a cigarette and Adderall.” Jecka muttered to herself.

“Not counting that as my birthday wish for any birthday gods listening out there though. …Do birthday gods even exist? God I need to get high… Fuck it, might as well get up.” Jecka thought as she rolled out of bed and yawned. 

Jecka got herself undressed and took a shower, feeling the hot water on her back as she relaxed herself. She spent about 25 minutes in the shower, which was a bit longer than usual. 

To be fair though a certain dark brown haired boy with blue eyes interrupted her thoughts in the shower and she ended up picturing him at the pool party and she just couldn’t help but to- well okay, there was no real need to go into specific detail on why her shower was so long. 

Fine. She has a crush on a hot guy at her school. Sue her. Not like she hasn’t had crushes before. This one wasn’t any different. …Right? Jecka thought back to how long she’s really known him for. They’ve pretty much been friends since the day they met. Same with his sister. They both basically became her best friends since Karen. 

Oh yeah, speaking of Karen, she texted her last night that she was going to take her out to the mall today and treat her to something for her birthday. 

“ I think Karen said she was going to come pick me up at noon… Guess I’ll go downstairs and watch TV till she gets here.” Jecka decided.

With that, Jecka got herself dressed and headed downstairs to the living room. Today was Saturday so she knew her Mom had most likely already left for a business meeting and her Dad was probably getting the gun store open. She plopped herself onto the couch, turned on the TV and just sat and watched Drake & Josh until noon rolled around.

A couple hours passed by and Jecka heard her doorbell ring right at the scene where Drake and Josh run over Oprah. Jecka turned her TV off and went to open the door and just as she thought, Karen was there waiting for her with a smile on her face. Jecka smiled back and stepped outside, shutting the door behind her. 

“Ready to go Jecka?” Karen asked her excitedly.

“Yep! There’s this new top I’ve had my eye on for a while so I’m pretty excited to get going.” Jecka grinned as the two of them got into Karen’s car and drove off to the mall. 

…..

………….

……………………

The drive to the mall was uneventful but eventually the two girls made it and walked inside. They walked aimlessly for an hour, browsing different stores. Jecka bought herself a cute pair of shoes for herself with the allowance money her mom gave her the other night. 

Finally they reached dELiA*s where Jecka hoped they were still carrying that white top with the collar she’s had her eye on. And sure enough, they were as Jecka spotted it immediately on a hanger the second she stepped foot into the store It looked like it was the last one left too. Jecka darted for the shirt immediately and grabbed it. Unfortunately another hand had grabbed onto it at the same time she did. A hand that surprisingly enough, belonged to Megan.

“What. The. Fuck.” Jecka said as she glared at the brunette, carefully trying not to stretch out the shirt as she pulled it toward her with Megan still keeping a strong grip on it. 

“Hey! I was here first!” Megan glared back. 

“Bitch, why don’t you back off before you get sent to the hospital for something other than panic attacks!” Jecka yelled.

“A-Are you threatening me!?”

“Found a new boyfriend that wants to send dick pics to everyone yet!?”

“Th-That’s not going to work on me! My therapist taught me to move on and accept what happened! So… I don’t care what happened anymore with Hunter! Now give me that shirt bitch!”

Jecka and Megan then began to wrestle each other on the floor. Jecka was clearly overpowering her but Megan ended up playing dirty and spat in Jecka’s eye thus letting go of her grip on the shirt to rub her eye.

“DID YOU… DID YOU FUCKING SPIT IN MY EYE!? YOU FUCKING CUNT!” Jecka roared in disgust.

“MAYBE NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE WHEN SOMEONE CHEATS IN SOMETHING!!” Megan screamed as she slowly backed away from Jecka, holding the shirt to her chest. 

“Uhhh sir? Shouldn’t we do something?” One of the employees asked the manager of the store.

“Hold on, it’s getting good. I wanna see how this plays out.” The manager replied, stuffing his face with Sour Cream & Onion potato chips. 

Megan was just about to bring the shirt to the register to pay but before she could, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Megan quickly turned around to see who was behind her and to her confusion it was Karen. 

“Wh-What do you want?” Megan asked, confused.

“Y-Your…” Karen hesitated, nervously.

“M-My what…?” Megan asked, even more confused. 

“YOUR EX BOYFRIEND GIVES AMAZING DICK AND IT’S A FUCKING SHAME YOU NEVER GOT TO KNOW THAT CAUSE OF YOUR VIRGIN MARY ASS MENTALITY!!!” Karen screamed in Megan’s face. 

Both Megan and Jecka’s jaw dropped at Karen’s sudden outburst. Megan looked as white as a ghost as her body trembled causing her to let go of the shirt from her fingers.

“Holy shit… Way to fucking go Karen…” Jecka stared wide eyed. 

“I… I… I… AHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Megan screamed as she began to hyperventilate and began to have a panic attack, causing her to collapse onto the floor unconsciously.

About two minutes after that, store staff made a phone call and mall security appeared and said they were going to carry Megan outside to bring her out to an ambulance that they just called for. 

Jecka couldn’t help but grin as she watched mall security drag Megan’s unconscious body out of the store. Karen still looked stunned over what she herself had said and what ended up happening afterwards. She then looked over at Jecka who was staring at her with the biggest smile on her face. 

“Karen! That was fucking awesome! I didn’t know you had that shit in you!” Jecka exclaimed excitedly as she hugged her. 

“I… I didn’t either…” Karen said with a slight laugh as she hugged her back. 

Jecka then broke the hug and crouched down to pick up the shirt Megan dropped. Once she did, a look of disappointment washed over Jecka as she now saw that the shirt was completely stretched out. Jecka let out a loud sigh. 

“Great… that fucking bitch stretched it out… I hope she gets cancer or some shit while she’s in the hospital.” Jecka grumbled to herself. 

“Um excuse me miss?” A voice called out to Jecka, making her turn her head to see one of the store associates.

“Yeah?” Jecka asked.

“I’m so sorry about what occurred earlier. To make up for it, I want you to have this.” She then surprisingly handed Jecka an unstretched version of the same shirt.

“H-Huh? I thought this was the last one?” Jecka said in confusion as she held up the ruined shirt. 

“Well I kept this one in the back because I was going to buy it for myself once my shift ended but after what just happened I think you deserve it more.” The store worker smiled. 

“W-Wow! Thanks!” Jecka smiled, appreciatively. 

“You’re welcome! And if you follow me I can ring that up for you.” The store worker replied as she led Jecka to the cash register. But before Jecka could pull out her wallet, Karen gave the worker her credit card.

“It’s on me Jecka. I told you I’d get you something today right?” Karen smiled.

Jecka smiled at Karen and nodded as the worker handed Karen’s credit card back to her and handed Jecka a bag with the new shirt that was purchased. The two then walked out of the store and decided to head back to Jecka’s house.

….

……….

………………..

Karen parked herself into Jecka’s driveway as the two of them got out of the vehicle and walked to Jecka’s front door.

“Thanks for taking me out today Karen.” Jecka smiled.

“No problem. It’s only 4:00. You got any other plans tonight?” Karen asked. 

“Nah, I’ll probably call up Alex and Nicole and invite them over so we can get high and order pizza.” Jecka shrugged as she unlocked the house with her keys and stepped inside to a very dark house.

Jecka looked confused. “The fuck? Did I turn the lights off before I left or did Dad forget to pay the power bill and-”

“SURPRISE!!!” multiple voices shouted out loud as the lights turned on to reveal Alex, Nicole, Ari, Hunter, and her mom. 

“HO-HOLY SHIT!!” Jecka shouted, almost falling over but luckily Karen caught her.

“Surprise Jecka!” Karen grinned as she helped put Jecka back on her feet. 

Jecka was too stunned to say anything else as she looked at the now decorated house filled with streamers, a banner that said “HAPPY BIRTHDAY JECKA!” in bold letters, as well as presents and cake on the table. 

“You guys planned all of this… for me?” Jecka asked and then Karen whispered something in her ear that almost made her fall over again.

“Actually… it was all mostly Alex. He pretty much was the one that planned this entire thing.”

“ Alex… did all this… for me…?”

 

BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP!

 

Why was her heart racing so much? Why does it feel like that at any second her knees are going to give out with just a single glance at him? This was just another crush she had! …Right?

“Bitch, are you gonna stand there like a gaping fish or come and hang with us?” Nicole asked, crossing her arms with a smirk, breaking Jecka out of her thoughts.

“Y-Yeah! It’s just this is the first time I’ve been shocked coming home that didn’t involve me and a Captain Morgan bottle to the face.” Jecka semi-quipped with wide eyes.

“Now that I think about it, where is Dad anyway?” Jecka wondered to herself. 

“Your father called and said that he has to keep the store running a little longer but he did tell me to wish you a happy birthday from him!” Her mother explained, able to tell what was on her mind.

“Figures. “Keeping the store running a little longer” is basically code for getting drunk with his bar friends. But I’m not exactly complaining that Dad isn’t coming.” Jecka thought to herself. 

“Here. Catch.” Alex tossed her a beer bottle that she barely caught. Jecka stared at the drink in her hands and looked back up at Alex. 

“I got your Mom to give the green light since it’s your birthday.” Alex grinned with a wink which made Jecka have butterflies in her stomach. 

“Really?” Jecka asked as she looked at her mom who nodded.

“Just for tonight and you need to keep this a secret from your father. I took everyone’s car keys and I will only return them once I deem them fit to drive. You only turn 18 once sweetie. Enjoy yourself as long as… YOU DON’T END UP A FUCKING ALCHOLOLIC!!!” Jecka’s mom screamed, her personality changing like a switch. 

“MOM IF ANYONE HERE IS GOING TO END UP AN ALCOHOLIC DRUNKEN SLUT IT’S YOU!! IF THIS WAS ONE OF YOUR OFFICE PARTIES I’M SURE YOU’D BE DOING LINES OF COKE WHILE TWO OF YOUR INTERNS SUCKED ON EACH ONE OF YOUR TITTIES!!” Jecka screamed back. 

“FUTURE AA MEMBER OF A DAUGHTER!”

“FUTURE OVERDOSED CORPSE OF A MOTHER!”

“Happy Birthday Jessica sweetie! I love you!” Jecka’s mom said with a sweet smile, her personality once again changing. 

“Thanks Mom! You’re the best! Love you too!” Jecka replied back with a smile that was even sweeter as she joined her friends, taking a sip of beer. 

“So is this everybody?” Jecka asked them.

“Well I was gonna invite Emily but Alex told me not to.” Nicole huffed.

“That’s because Jecka thinks Emily is a psycho. And if we did invite her then Jecka would most likely be waking up half naked in a Denny’s parking lot.” Alex rolled his eyes. 

“Nah I’m pretty sure Emily said that she’d end only up in a Waffle House parking lot.” Nicole shrugged. 

“Well I would rather not wake up in any parking lot so that was a good call.” Jecka said in relief. 

“Whatever. Anyways, lets get FUCKED UP!” Nicole exclaimed and everyone cheered as the party had officially begun. 

……

………….

…………………….

This was probably the best birthday Jecka has ever had. The party went on for several hours and everyone got super fucking wasted and had pizza. Everyone then drunkenly sang happy birthday while Jecka attempted to blow out the candles while trying not to fall face first into her own birthday cake. 

It was then time to open everyone’s presents. In addition to the shirt Karen purchased earlier, her and Hunter both pitched in to get her seasons 1-7 of Smallville on DVD. Nicole and Ari also pitched in together to get her a $100 gift card at Abercrombie & Fitch. Her Mom gave her $500 in CASH and promised her that she would talk to her Dad about getting her a new car to take with her to college. 

As for Alex… he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and apologized, saying he was so busy planning this party that he never got around to getting her a present. Jecka was a little disappointed but she quickly got over it. If it wasn’t for him, this party would never have happened so she figured she could cut him some slack. 

Her Dad eventually came home at around 11:00 and was super drunk himself. He said something to her that she thought at least sounded like a happy birthday and then wobbled upstairs to her parent’s bedroom.

A little while after, it ended up getting pretty late. It was almost 1:00am when Jecka’s mom said it would probably be best if everyone got going. Thankfully the only two who seemed sober enough to drive were Karen and Ari. 

Once they had gotten their keys from her Mom, Karen had to support Hunter in walking to her car as he almost looked like he was about to pass out. After they left, Jecka’s mother had to assist Ari into getting both of the drunken Yu twins in her car. Eventually they succeeded and Ari drove away to bring the twins home.

After everyone had left, her mother walked up to her and hugged her and left a kiss on the top of her head and wished her a happy birthday and a good night. Jecka was still pretty buzzed so she accepted the hug pretty easily. 

Jecka’s mother told her to get to bed while she cleaned up a little from the party. Jecka nodded and yawned as she walked upstairs, ready to sleep like a log. As soon as she entered her room she went directly to her bed. She undid her covers, got in them and right before she could even think of falling asleep, she noticed that something hard was under her pillow.

Jecka turned around and lifted up her pillow to reveal a wrapped present. Confused, Jecka picked up the gift and saw that a note was attached to it. She ripped off the note and began to read it and as soon as she did, she smiled.

 

“You really thought I forgot? Happy Birthday Jeck.”

-Alex

 

With that, Jecka quickly unwrapped the present wondering what on earth Alex could have possibly gotten her. Once she opened it, her jaw dropped and she let out a scream so silent that only dogs could possibly pick it up.

In her hands was a FRAMED AND AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOGRAPH OF RYAN SHECKLER THAT SAID “To my biggest fan, Jecka -Ryan”!!!

“H-How and when the fuck did Alex even get this!?” Jecka wondered to herself.

 

FLASHBACK (SEVEN MONTHS AGO)

 

“Ugh… It’s such a pain to have to wear this goddamn cast.” Alex muttered to himself as he walked the hallways of the hospital he was staying at after getting shot by a mall cop.

“At least I get discharged tomorrow…” Alex thought to himself in relief. 

Alex decided to go down to the hospital cafeteria to get some food. He wasn’t sure why but hospital food is the fucking BOMB. If only the school could have baked mac and cheese like the hospital did. 

Once Alex had gotten his food, he sat down at one of the tables and began to eat. About five minutes later he could hear the sound of someone choking and when he turned he saw that some guy was in fact choking on a piece of food at the table next to him. Alex quickly got up and performed the Heimlich maneuver on him (which was really hard and painful to do when one of your arm’s was in a cast from a bullet wound by the way), making him spit up the food and saving his life.

“H-Holy shit dude. You saved my life.” The man he saved thanked him as he breathed heavily. He then turned around and once Alex saw who it was he almost fell back in shock.

“RYAN SHECKLER!?” Alex shouted in surprise. 

“Thanks so much for saving my life man! What’s your name?”

“A-Alex.” 

“Good to meet you Alex! I’m Ryan!” Ryan Sheckler greeted as he shook his hand.

“Y-Yeah. Good to meet you too…” Alex replied back, still surprised.

“Holy shit! I gotta call Jecka NOW! Where’s my- oh wait that’s right. My cellphone broke in the fight with that fucking cop.” Alex remembered and grimaced. 

“So… what are you doing in a hospital?” Alex asked.

“Oh, I’m just here for one of those make a wish things ya know? I just got done with it and decided to come here to grab some food cause hospital food fucking RULES!” Ryan explained. 

“I know right?” Alex agreed with a grin.

“It was really weird though because earlier some fatass got kicked out for being around all those terminally ill kids. Suer fucking creepy man.” Ryan shuddered.

“God fucking dammit Gabe…” Alex cringed.

“But yeah dude, I got a flight to catch in an hour so I need to get going. It was cool meeting you Alex and thanks again for the save man! Is there anything I can do for you real quick before I go?” Ryan asked, happily.

Alex thought over that request for a few seconds. He first thought about asking to use his phone so he could call Jecka to come over to meet him but then he realized that there wouldn’t be any time for that since Ryan had to leave really soon. That’s when he thought of another idea. 

“Ya know what? I think there is…” 

 

END OF FLASHBACK

 

Jecka continued to stare at the autograph in disbelief. She doesn’t think she has ever gotten such an amazing present in her entire life. That $500 and the possibility of a new car (while still pretty fucking sweet) couldn’t hold a candle to what was currently in her possession. 

“Why… Why is Alex just the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to me…?”

 

BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP!

 

Her heart was racing, she had butterflies in her stomach, and she felt weak in the knees. These were all clear signs of one thing. She thought back to all the moments she’s shared with Alex since she had first met him. 

 

“I’m Jecka by the way.” 

“Alex. So uh… is that name like on your birth certificate or…?”

“It’s short for Jessica obvi. But Jessica is a name that just screams “married at 20” so I only go by Jecka.”

“Yeah that sounds valid.”

“You seem alright. Just not as cool as your sister. Sorry not sorry.”

…

“I… I did it? I actually fucking did it! Alex, did you see me get his bitch ass eliminated!?” 

…

“Alright, I like it! This is awesome, it’s like we’re a Detective Duo! I’m the hot one and you’re the boring one that does all the leg work.” 

“If that’s how you wanna put it.”

“Fuck yes, that’s how I’m putting it! I’ve seen enough Law & Order to know we’re gonna kick ass and take this nazi teacher down! C’mon we’re skipping class to go to the roof to plan out how we’re gonna catch this fucker red handed!”

…

“YOU watch romcoms?” 

“Well, Nicole thinks they’re fucking stupid, but I’ve always found a bit of comfort in watching them.” 

“Oh shit, well in that case, we definitely have to watch one once we get Mr. White arrested, to celebrate of course.”

“Sounds like a plan” 

…

“Alex… I… I was really fucking scared. Like really really fucking scared… and you just… thank you Alex.”

“Of course.”

…

“Sh-shit. Are you okay?” 

“I will be in a second…”

“OH FUCK! AL-ALEX! FUCKING LET GO! YOU’RE…YOU’RE FUCKING TICKLING ME!” 

…

“Hey, thanks for coming.”

“Yeah no prob. It’s rare for you to invite me to yours though. Usually me or Nicole will just invite you over to our place.”

“Yeah well, I needed your advice on something. Plus I also wanted to see if you wanted to watch the newest Smallville episode with me.”

“Oh yeah, I actually got into watching it. I ended up watching every episode, so I’m all caught up.” 

“Y-You did?”

“Well, you seemed really excited when you talked about it being one of your favorite shows so I figured I would give it a try.”

“Wow… I’m just surprised that you actually gave it a try all just because I told you it was one of my favorites.” 

“Dude of course I did. You have pretty awesome taste in TV.” 

…

“Yeah… Hey Jeck?”

“What’s up?”

“Thanks for being Nicole’s friend.”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“It’s like you said. You’ve endured a lot of shit from Nicole since you’ve known her and yet you’re still her friend despite all that. Take it from experience, she’s not the easiest person to deal with so just… thanks.”

“O-Oh. Don’t mention it…” 

…..

 

Then Jecka remembered the note that came with the present.

 

“You really thought I forgot? Happy Birthday Jeck.”

 

Each moment she thought back to when they first met, made Jecka feel like she was on cloud nine. Every time she saw his face, her entire day was made. Every time he spoke, she felt like she was melting. Every time she was alone with him, she felt like nothing and no one else mattered in the entire world. It was clear. This wasn’t just a crush.

….

……….

………………..

Jecka was in love.

Chapter 38: Chapter 37 (Nicole Side Story)

WARNING: This chapter contains very explicit sexual content so if you can not handle toxic (well maybe not so toxic anymore) yuri sex then I suggest you avert your eyes from this chapter! If you wish to complain you shall be spammed with rainbows in the comments. BEWARE OF YURI SEX!!! 🌈

………..

…………………….

…………………………………

 

It was a beautiful Sunday in the Springtime. The best time to go on walks, have a picnic, or even just take in the fresh air. But that’s not what Nicole was doing. Instead she was at her weekly visit to her therapist. 

She had been attending every session since she started and even she had to admit that it was having a pretty positive effect on her. Well that and the fuck ton of SSRI’s she was now on. 

She thought back to that night on the school roof and it replayed many times in her head since then. She… She was really going to kill herself that night. Sure she’s said many times that she was gonna do it in the past but that was all her being fucking dramatic. And yeah she cut herself but c'mon! Who didn’t cut themselves!? Oh wait, normal people.

“Nicole? Are you listening?” a calm voice broke her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see her therapist. 

“Oh… my bad. Was lost in thought for a sec.” Nicole said. 

“It’s not a problem Nicole. You’ve made such an improvement since we first met that it’s incredible to see you so open like this with me.” Dr. Cykes smiled. 

“Well… It hasn’t been so bad I guess.” Nicole admitted. 

“I’m glad you feel that way. How are things at home? With your Mom and your brothers?”

“Well Mom is doing okay I guess… not as bad as before but she is still sometimes a bitch… as for my brothers… well Gabe will never fucking change from how much of a fucking creep he is. I dunno if I can even see him as family anymore.

“What about Alex?”

“Alex… it’s embarrassing to kind of admit out loud but we’re basically back to being best friends again. I gave him a lot of shit when Dad killed himself even though he didn’t really do anything wrong… I guess I just felt like it was easier to put more blame on him than myself for Dad’s suicide when it turned out to never even be either of our faults in the first place.” Nicole answered truthfully. 

“But now you can have a fresh start and build a healthy relationship with your twin. How are things going with Ari?” Dr. Cykes asked.

“Honestly? Pretty great. I never thought I’d be in a relationship that didn’t make me want to throw myself in front of a moving train but here we are. Ari can be pretty fucking awesome a lot of the time. Just doesn’t take shit from anybody ya know? Also she’s pretty hot so that’s a plus.” Nicole admitted. 

“Haha well I’m happy to see you happy Nicole. You’ve really come a long way.” Dr. Cykes praised. 

“Yeah… I really have, haven’t I?” Nicole muttered.

It was at that moment that their time was up. Nicole got up and walked towards the door but not before saying goodbye to Dr. Cykes. Once she left, her Mom was outside the building waiting to pick her up and the two headed home. Nicole then spent the rest of her Sunday just lazing around and doing nothing until it was time for bed. She went to bed, somewhat excited to share the surprise she had in store for her girlfriend when they go to school tomorrow. 

…….

………….

……………………

Nicole and Alex were walking together to school like they did every morning. Alex looked over at her and noticed that she wasn’t being her gloomy morning self on their walk to school. Alex raised an eyebrow at Nicole’s more chipper attitude today and decided to speak out.

“It’s rare to see you in such a good mood in the morning. Should I be worried that a classroom might explode at school today?” Alex joked.

Nicole rolled her eyes at her twin. “No jackass, didn’t I tell you? Marilyn Manson is coming to town and I got me and Ari tickets to go this weekend.”

“Oh yeah, I think I remember you mentioning that…” Alex scratched the back of his head.

“Yeah, so I’m gonna need you to go over Jecka’s or Hunter’s on Friday night.” Nicole told him.

“Huh? Why do I gotta do that?” Alex asked, confused.

“Because when me and Ari come home from the concert, I don’t want you to be there when we’re making out.” Nicole answered.

“Okay, okay, jeez. Don’t need to give me that much info. What about Mom and Gabe?”

“Mom has a late shift at work that night and I catfished Gabe into thinking he’s meeting up with a 14 year old redhead in Maryland so he’s driving out of state that night.”

“Damn, you really have this shit planned out. Alright I guess I can see if Hunter is free or… like Jecka maybe…” Alex muttered that last part and Nicole rolled her eyes.

“Dude just say you’re going to ask Jecka to hang with her first, like come on.” Nicole said dryly. 

“Wh-What?” Alex asked, confused.

“It’s fucking obvious you have a thing for her like Jesus Christ grow some fucking balls and ask her out if you’re gonna do it.” Nicole said bluntly.

“What makes you think I’m even into Jecka like that?” Alex asked with a raised eyebrow, feigning innocence. 

“Literally no guy would plan an entire birthday party for a girl that he didn’t wanna bang. I think the only person who doesn’t know you’re into her is Jecka herself cause she’s too much of a fucking airhead most of the time.” Nicole scoffed. 

“...And you just don’t care that I have a thing for your best friend?” Alex asked, skeptically.

“Jesus Christ what are we, in a Disney sitcom? No, I don’t care. Maybe if it was someone fucking lame then I would tell that hoe to not even try but she actually thinks you’re really cool so who am I to get in the way of that.” Nicole shrugged.

“...So you think she might like me back?” Alex asked.

“Oh my fucking god dude I don’t know! I’m not playing this Gossip Girl game or whatever with you so just stop being a pussy! Just don’t be home on Friday, got it?” Nicole asked, starting to get annoyed with her brother’s love drama. 

“Fine, fine.” Alex rolled his eyes as the two twins just made it to the front of the school.

……

…………

……………………

Classes were going by pretty regularly for Nicole. She hasn’t skipped classes since January and her grades were slightly improving which she can’t really complain about. It at least gets her Mom and Bitch Lynn off her back. Nicole was currently walking with Ari in the hallways as she had just surprised her with the concert tickets and she seemed just as excited as she was. 

“I can’t believe you got us concert tickets! You’re the best babe!” Ari smiled as she pecked Nicole on the cheek. 

“Yeah this is like the first thing I ever actually planned out. I’m even getting ecstasy for the concert. Just remember to pick me up at my house at 7:00. I gotta remember to walk to the gas station sometime this week.” Nicole said.

“Huh? Why would you go to the gas station when you don’t have a car?” Ari asked, confused.

“Oh yeah that’s where White Marvin sells all his shit.” Nicole answered.

“Uhhh why do you call him White Marvin?” Ari raised an eyebrow.

“Cause he’s white and named Marvin.”

“Is he actually?”

“Yeah he’s like 1 of 20 white Marvins on earth.”

“Oh. I was thinking maybe it was because he sold coke or something.”

“No he does that too. When you’re white and named Marvin there aren’t a whole lot of options for ya. Like it’s either selling drugs or fixing carnival rides.”

“Yeah that makes sense. So be at your place at 7:00 this Friday?”

“Yep.”

“Awesome, I can’t wait! I gotta get to class now. Love ya babe!” Ari pecked Nicole once more on the cheek before walking off. 

“Y-You too…” Nicole called out, hesitatingly. 

She still wasn’t used to saying those three words yet. It felt out of character for her to say even though it was how she really felt about Ari. Well maybe being on drugs for an entire night can help with a little confidence boost. 

“Maybe I should go see White Marvin after school today so I don’t forget later…” Nicole thought to herself. 

……..

……………..

……………………………….

 

FRIDAY NIGHT (AT THE CONCERT)

 

“Uh Nicole? This isn’t Marilyn Manson.” Ari said, confused as she looked at the band that was currently playing on stage.

“No, this is just the opening act.” Nicole explained.

“Oh. So should we take the ecstasy now so it kicks in when he goes on?” Ari asked.

“About that… White Marvin kinda flaked on me.” Nicole admitted, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck.

“Why? What happened?”

“He got arrested.”

“For selling drugs?”

“No, for identity theft. It turns out his name wasn’t actually Marvin.”

“Huh. Well what now?”

“Well I went to Rite Aid and got a bunch of Robitussin and Benadryl.”

“So we’re gonna robotrip at a Marilyn Manson concert??”

“That’s like asking if we need air to breathe.”

“Won’t this make it like five times scarier though?”

“That’s kinda the point. Otherwise we’re gonna be bored for two hours.”

“I guess.” Ari admits as she takes the cough medicine from Nicole and drinks it and then winces in disgust. “Ugh, it tastes so fucking nasty.”

“Yeah, every Robitussin tastes like Diet Robitussin.” Nicole joked.

Then all of a sudden someone walked over to the couple and it was someone both of them knew pretty well.

“What’re you guys doing here?” Emily asked.

“Nothing technically illegal. Just on a date.” Nicole shrugged.

“What do you want?” Ari asked.

“Since when do you guys like Marilyn Manson, you’re wasting those tickets!” Emily accused.

“Hey! I like Marilyn Manson!” Ari exclaimed, offended. 

“Name five of his songs, poser!” Emily shouted.

“I don’t have time for that. Why don’t you?” Ari argued.

“I had the time to buy all of his albums, EPs, and singles!” Emily argued back.

“Dude he’s not THAT good.” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“See I knew you were a poser!” Emily scoffed.

“No we’re not.” Nicole argued.

“Prove it!” Emily yelled.

“Uh… well we go to his concerts even when we’re deathly sick! That’s how dedicated we are as fans! Right babe!?” Ari turned to Nicole.

“Right! See all this Robitussin she needs just to even be able to stand!?” Nicole asks as she points to the cough medicine bottle in Ari’s hands.

“Ohhhh shit…” Emily said in surprise.

“Yeah so fuck off!” Ari exclaimed as she made a fake cough at the end.

“Alright fine, but I’ll be watching!” Emily says as she blends back into the crowd, giving them a “I’m watching you” gesture.

“...Hey Nicole?” Ari asked.

“Yeah?” 

“Pass me the Benadryl.”

“Got it.”

…….

……………..

…………………………..

After the concert, the two girls had to end up walking home because Ari was too afraid to drive while fucked up. It took a little over an hour but the two eventually made it back to Nicole’s house. Once they got inside they went straight upstairs and into Nicole’s room. 

“God, why did I let you talk me into doing this to myself…” Ari said, drowsy.

“Yeah… This Benadryl’s fuckin my brain missionary right now…” Nicole agreed.

“God I want you to fuck me missionary…” Ari looked at Nicole with lustful eyes.

“Dude, I don’t think that makes any sense…” Nicole muttered.

“Ahhh shit… Did I say that out loud…?” Ari asked, still out of it.

“Yeah… but fuck it, let’s try it anyway…” Nicole muttered before falling onto her bed with Ari on top of her as they kissed.

Ari moans quietly into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Nicole’s neck. Ari’s body starts to feel hot, and she can't help but deepen the kiss, pulling Nicole closer to her. Ari’s fingers tangle in Nicole’s hair and she melts into the kiss even more.

Nicole breaks the kiss momentarily, a strand of saliva still connecting from both of their lips. “I want you so fucking bad right now.” Nicole said, extremely horny.

Ari's eyes darken with desire as Nicole spoke. She looks at Nicole with a mix of lust and desperation, biting her lip. “Then fucking take me.”

With that, Nicole began to take off her shirt and unhook her bra, freeing her large breasts as Ari just stared, completely captivated. Ari’s own hands begin to follow Nicole’s lead as she starts to remove her own shirt as well, struggling to keep her composure as Nicole gets more and more exposed.

Ari shivers as she takes off her shirt, revealing her bare chest. She quickly unzips her skirt and tosses it aside, now only in her underwear. She climbs onto Nicole’s lap, straddling her. She wraps her legs around Nicole’s waist and kisses her neck, nibbling on it softly.

"I need you, Nicole..." Ari pleaded in desperation. 

“I need you too…” Nicole muttered.

“Prove it…” Ari whispers in Nicole’s ear, grinding against her.

With that, Nicole began to suck on Ari’s breasts as Ari moaned and arched her back, holding onto the headboard of the bed. Her breaths are shaky as Nicole sucks on her sensitive skin.

"Mmph... I'm so sensitive, please be gentle..." Ari moaned. 

Nicole continues, leaving Ari a mess, as she whimpers and trembles with each flick of Nicole’s tongue. Ari runs her hands down Nicole’s back, digging her nails in slightly as Nicole goes on to kiss her stomach and then moves down to her hips. Ari lets out a loud moan as she grips the bedsheets and tugs on them. 

“God, I love your mouth…” Ari praised.

“Then you’re really gonna love this…” Nicole mutters as she removes Ari’s underwear, exposing her dripping wet and clean shaved pussy. 

Ari’s legs are completely spread open, her thighs quivering. She looks at Nicole with pleading eyes, wanting her to continue. She tries to keep her voice down, embarrassed by how much she's enjoying this.

Nicole begins to plant kisses on her outer lips causing Ari to squirm and buck up her hips as she silently begged for Nicole to go further in. 

"Ugh, stop teasing and just... taste me." Ari pleaded.

Nicole finally gives in and begins to lick Ari’s clit. Ari lets out a sharp gasp, her eyes rolling back. She grips the sides of Nicole’s face and rocks against her tongue, wanting more and more stimulation.

"Mmm, oh god yes, just like that... you're so good at this..." Ari moaned. 

Ari can barely speak coherently as Nicole devours her with Ari’s juices starting to flow. She looks completely wrecked, her body covered in a sheen of sweat and her voice becoming high-pitched.

"I'm so close, Nicole... please make me cum… oh god… oh fuck… I’m… I’M GONNA CUM! I’M CUMMING!!! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!!!” Ari screams as she pulls Nicole’s hair and starts to ride her face, riding out her first orgasm. Ari screams Nicole’s name as she cums, her body convulsing with pleasure. 

“You love me? I think it’s your turn to prove that now…” Nicole says as she removes her underwear, revealing her now completely soaked pussy.

Ari looks at Nicole’s pussy and gulps, realizing what she means. Ari lays down on her stomach, ready to please Nicole.

“O-Okay… Sit on my face…” Ari mutters.

Nicole does as Ari says and begins to hover over Ari’s face as Nicole’s juices drip onto Ari’s lips. Ari grabs Nicole’s thighs and pulls her down so she’s completely sitting on her mouth. Ari then starts eating Nicole out eagerly, her tongue exploring every inch of the brunette. 

“Fuck…” Nicole moans.

Ari sucks and bites on Nicole’s clit, enjoying the way she’s reacting to her. Ari slides one hand up to Nicole’s chest, massaging it as she pushes her to grind against her face which Nicole complies as she moans some more. 

Ari then lets out a few noises of her own, enjoying the feeling of being suffocated by Nicole’s thighs and pussy lips. She tries to look up at Nicole, her mouth working faster and harder. Her other hand moves down to her own pussy, playing with it.

“Oh my god…” Nicole whimpers.

Ari hums against Nicole, signaling that she's pleased with her reactions. She starts to rub herself at the same pace as Nicole’s hips, making her moan and sending vibrations to Nicole’s clit, intensifying the experience she was having. 

“Ari… I’m close…” Nicole winces. 

Ari hums again, signaling that she's aware and wants Nicole to cum on her tongue. Nicole then shuts her eyes tightly and speeds up her grinding, edging herself even further.

“I’M… I’M CUMMING!!! I’M FUCKING CUMMING!!!” Nicole screams as she orgasms, causing her legs to shake like she was a newborn calf. 

Ari's tongue flicks over Nicole’s clit one last time as she sucks up all her juices, not wasting a single drop. 

Ari then helps Nicole to get off of her face. Both Nicole and Ari take a moment to catch their breath, then Ari speaks in a hoarse voice. 

"You taste so sweet, just like I imagined." Ari giggled. 

Nicole collapses onto her bed in response as she grabs Ari into a cuddle. Ari nuzzles into her, wrapping her arms around Nicole’s waist and burying her face in her neck. Ari and Nicole were still breathing heavily as they were trying their best to recover from a high that was even better than the robo and ben.

“...I love you.” Nicole finally admitted out loud to Ari. Ari was surprised at first but then smiled as she left a quick kiss on top of Nicole’s forehead.

“I know you do. You’ve never had to say it because I already know. And I love you too…” Ari said, lovingly. 

If Nicole wasn’t recovering from all the cough medicine, Benadryl, and the best orgasm of her life, she probably would have shedded a few tears from Ari’s sweet words, as embarrassing as it was to admit. Instead, Nicole smiled as she planted a kiss on the top of Ari’s head before the two of them succumbed to exhaustion.

…….

………….

…………………

They then fell asleep peacefully in each other’s arms and dreamed of one another.

Chapter 39: Chapter 38

It was the middle of May. Graduation is coming up in a couple weeks. I honestly never imagined I would ever get to graduate with all these fucking time resets. I guess I need to start thinking of what I actually want to do with my life. Well college is definitely on the list. I don’t know what exactly Nicole has planned but I know for sure she doesn’t plan on going to college. Maybe if I’m lucky, I can get into the same college as Jecka. 

Jecka… God, what is wrong with me? I told myself a month ago that I was going to build up the nerve to ask her out but I just can’t fucking do it. I’ve died multiple times and this is still a thousand times scarier. 

What if we never even see each other again after high school? What if she gets into a school somewhere on the other side of the country? God I really need to do something before graduation…

Me, Nicole, and Jecka were currently sitting at the Cafeteria. Ari wasn’t here since she had to pick up a shift at her new job at Hot Topic because I guess she got fired from Dominos?

 I guess she won’t get in too much trouble for skipping today since it was actually Senior Skip Day, meaning all Seniors got to get out of school early today, so the three of us were trying to figure out what to do after school. But while me and Jecka were trying to figure out what kind of fun shit we could do, Nicole was too busy trying to figure out ways to earn money for some collectible item.

“Can I wash your car?” Nicole asks Jecka.

“No.” Jecka answers, bluntly.

“Can I wash your Dad’s car?” Nicole then asked.

“No one wants you to wash their fucking car!” Jecka shouted, slamming her hands on the table, starting to get annoyed.

“No, but I need money… How do I get money?” Nicole asked in a whining tone. 

“Since when do you wanna buy a collectible? Collectibles are for men who have wallet chains.” Jecka stated.

“You think Emily would have anything guys like that want?” Nicole said, crossing her arms.

“I mean… She’s a girl with a pulse, right?” Jecka raised an eyebrow. 

“No, no, she’s got a belt!” Nicole said, waving her hands. “But not like any belt. It’s Avril Lavigne’s FUCK BELT!” Nicole informed the two of us.

“Uh, like a strap on?” Jecka asked, confused.

“No, like the buckle just says “FUCK” on it.” Nicole explained.

“That’s pretty cool. And Avril Lavigne owned it? How’d Emily get it?” Jecka wondered.

“I dunno, she like met her at a party or something.” Nicole shrugged.

“That bitch lies about everything.”

“Since when?”

“She said she hooked up with Kurt Cobain even though he killed himself when she was like 3.” 

“Or… What if Kurt Cobain was a really bad guy?” 

“Or… how about instead of imagining a dead singer having his way with a toddler, we just go ask her?” I ask, finally joining in on the conversation.

“Yeah I gotta go buy some pills anyway.” Jecka nodded.

“Yeah she’s got a picture of it on her phone.” Nicole agreed, and with that, the three of us got up from our table and walked over to Emily who seemed to have been banging on the soda machine.

“COME ON! FALL OUT ALREADY!” Emily shouted at the soda machine as she banged on it some more.

“How much money did you put in?” I asked her.

“None, I’m just seeing if I can get a free one.” Emily said nonchalantly as she turned to face the three of us. 

“Hey Emily, show them the belt.” Nicole told the scene girl.

“Oh yeah, I gotchu.” Emily said as she pulled out her phone. “Check it out.” Emily showed us a photo of what indeed appeared to be Avril Lavigne’s Fuck Belt. 

“Damn, it is real…” Jecka murmured. 

“Told you.” Nicole smirked at Jecka and then turned back to Emily. “Still a thousand bucks right?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. A guy also sent me one of Kelly’s titty pics.” Emily said as she quickly changed the photo to a selfie of Kelly with her breasts out.

I wasn’t super fazed by the photo since I pretty much saw a lot more than that back at Kelly’s pool party but I still looked slightly away regardless.

“Oh shit…” Jecka said with widened eyes as she stared at the photo.

“Her nipples are FUCKED UP!” Nicole exclaimed.

“You’d think a rich girl could pay for a better piercing job.” I deadpanned. 

“Oh yeah, before I forget, you got any Xanax I could buy?” Jecka asked Emily.

“Uh, I might have some.” Emily said as she pulled out her iconic pill bottle that contained at least one of every pill known to man and poured the contents out onto a table next to us.

“That’s all Xanax right?” Jecka asked, unsure.

“Nah I got everything in here. Adderall, Morphine, Ambien, etc.” Emily informed her.

“But… how do you know… which ones… which?” Jecka asked in confusion.

“You just eyeball it. I mostly sell to retail managers that hit on me. They don’t have a problem with it.” Emily shrugged.

“Damn, too anxious to risk it for the anti-anxiety.” Nicole quipped.

“That’s okay… I can fill the void with something else.” Jecka said as the three of us began to walk out of school and towards Jecka’s car, ready to drive to whatever place Jecka just came up with. 

…..

………….

…………………..

We ended up going to Chipotle which I didn’t really have any complaints about. They had some pretty fuckin good burritos after all. The only downside was that the line in Chipotle always takes FOREVER. But we toughed it out as we finally made it to the front, ready to give our order. 

“Burrito?” The Chipotle worker asked Nicole.

“Yeah, a burrito.” Nicole nodded.

“Black or brown beans?”

“Brown beans.”

“What kind of meat?”

“Extra chicken.”

“EXTRA CHICKEN?” The chipotle worker repeated, making sure she heard my sister correctly.

“Yeah, ex-tee-la chee-kin.” Nicole emphasized using the same accent as the employee.

“I didn’t know you spoke Spanish!” Jecka exclaimed, all giddy.

We’re really white…

Me and Jecka then gave our burrito orders to the employee. Once we made it to the cash register to pay, I pulled out my wallet.

“Don’t worry about paying guys, I got it. I can’t help pay for that dumb belt so I'll just cover lunch.” I told Nicole and Jecka.

“Oh, thanks.” Nicole said appreciatively.

“Thanks Alex!” Jecka smiled.

God I love her smile…

After I paid and we got our food, the three of us proceeded to sit down so we could eat. 

“Why do people like this place so much?” Nicole asked, taking a bite out of her burrito as she looked around and saw how crowded it was in here.

“Because it’s literally amazing?” Jecka said like it was the most obvious answer in the world as she began to unwrap her burrito. “God I’m starving…”

The three of us ate for about 20 minutes before Nicole and I were both done with our giant burritos. Jecka on the other hand…

“I’m full!” Jecka grinned as she still held the majority of the burrito in her hand.

“You only took like three bites.” I pointed out.

“So?” Jecka asked.

“You’re not even at the part where it’s a fist full of lettuce crammed to one side!” Nicole exclaimed.

“I’ll just save it for later. Come on, let’s go to the mall.” Jecka said as she got up from her seat and me and Nicole followed her. 

“Yeah whatever… I might as well go visit Ari at work anyway.” Nicole muttered.

“Awwwww…” I teased Nicole.

“Shut the fuck up or I will kick you in the testicles so hard, your dick will be on life support.” Nicole threatened with darkened eyes.

“...Yes ma’am.” I squeaked out. 

Not my testicles man… I need those!

…….

…………..

…………………….

We were walking throughout the mall until we reached Hot Topic. Once we got there, the first thing we saw was Ari at the counter who seemed to be on the store phone. We were browsing the different sets of emo t-shirts. I saw one t-shirt of Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes taking a piss on the ground. That was pretty neat. 

“You think any non-virgins shop here?” Nicole asks rhetorically. 

“I don’t know, does sex count if they’re ugly?” Jecka asked.

Before I could even think of a response to that, Ari walked up to us with a smile on her face as she kissed Nicole on the cheek. 

“Hey babe. What are you guys doing here?” Ari asks us.

“Just wanted to visit and see if my girlfriend was still alive after dealing with goth “virginpires” all day.” Nicole quipped.

“And we just had nothing better to do.” I answered, pointing to myself and Jecka.

Once I pointed to Jecka, Ari noticed that Jecka was still holding her burrito from Chipotle.

“Oh! Sorry! You can’t eat that in here.” Ari told Jecka, referring to her burrito.

“What’s gonna happen?” Jecka asked.

“I don’t know, it’s just store policy.” Ari shrugged.

“Well, what the fuck am I supposed to do with this?” Jecka asked, annoyed.

“Just finish it at Chipotle.” Ari suggested.

“You expect me to finish all this in one sitting? I’m not some fat country red bitch with built in water wings!” Jecka exclaimed.

“Okay, I didn’t say all that.” Ari said, putting her hands up defensively.

“Told ya she wouldn’t let you bring it in.” Nicole said as she began to light a cigarette.

“Uh, babe? What are you doing?” Ari asked, frantically.

“Huh? What does it look like?” Nicole asked confused.

“You can’t smoke in here either!” Ari exclaimed, putting her foot down. 

“Aw man seriously? What kind of emo plantation is this?” Nicole grumbled but listened to her girlfriend and put away her cigarette.

“Told ya she wouldn’t let you smoke.” I told Nicole as I licked an ice cream cone.

“And you can’t eat ice-wait where did you even get that??” Ari asked me, bewildered.

I carefully squinted at the ice cream cone I was currently holding. “I can’t remember…” then I continued to lick it. 

Yum. Cookie Dough.

“Look, I appreciate you guys visiting but can you guys leave before I get in trouble?” Ari sighed, pointing at the exit. 

“Fine. Let’s go guys. I’ll pick you up when your shift ends.” Nicole tells Ari. 

“Alright, see ya guys!” Ari waves as we exit Hot Topic.

The three of us were walking through the mall wondering what to do next when I saw a trash can and threw out the random ice cream cone I had. I then noticed that Jecka seemed to be deep in thought over something. 

“Jeck? You alright?” I asked her, which seemed to break her out of her thoughts and stare at me.

“H-Huh? Oh, yeah I’m fine…” Jecka looked away from me, her face seeming red for some reason. 

“Hey, I’m going to go stand in line for a pretzel.” Nicole told us as she walked to get in line, leaving me and Jecka to ourselves.

“...Alex?” Jecka called for me, for some reason not making eye contact with me.

“Yeah?” I asked, confused.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you… for like… a while now.”

“O-Okay…?” I began to blush a bit.

Is she…? Is she about to do what I think she’s about to do…?

“I was just wondering if… if… like… uh…” Jecka began to stammer.

“Y-Yeah?” I asked, my heart beginning to race.

“G-Go out…AND TO PROTEST HOT TOPIC FOR DISCRIMINATING ME AND MY BURRITO! Y-YEAH! TH-THAT!!” Jecka blurted out loud and slightly covered her mouth as if that’s not at all what she was planning to ask me.

“Protest… Hot Topic?” I ask both confused and disappointed.

“W-Well uh yeah! I mean how can we stand by and let Hot Topic force me off the premises just for having my lunch! We need to get the Detective Duo back in action to take this gothic establishment down!” Jecka said quickly.

“O-Okay…? Sure…” I agree even though I was completely thrown off from where this was coming from.

“Th-Then it’s settled! We will go back to having secret meetings and make plans and cool shit like that! We’ll start protesting tomorrow!” Jecka announced.

“Um, alright?” I agree, still bewildered. 

“Hey guys, did I miss much?” Nicole asks us back with a pretzel as she takes a bite out of it.

That’s an understatement…

…..

…………….

……………………………

The next day me and Jecka went to the Arts and Crafts store to prepare for our Hot Topic protest. Nicole decided to tag along since Ari was busy working another shift and Nicole didn’t have anything else better to do. As me and Jecka were grabbing supplies, Nicole was still spitballing ways to make money for that belt. 

“Okay, what about a gum rental business?” Nicole suggests.

“Why would you rent gum? How do you return that?” Jecka asks.

“Exactly! So you end up charging them more than if they bought their own gum!” Nicole explained. 

“Uhhh that idea might need some work Sis.” I tell Nicole. 

“Yeah? More like I need some work. How the hell does someone make a thousand dollars without committing a felony?” Nicole huffed.

“Why does every art store smell like a hospital with crayons?” Jecka wondered out loud. 

“Oh yeah wait, what if I drew caricatures for people?” Nicole suggested. 

“Bitch, you can’t even draw!” Jecka says as she picks up two poster boards and walks over to the register.

“I could learn!” Nicole argued. 

“You couldn’t even learn in Mr. Lorre’s class, how do you expect to learn now?” I asked Nicole. 

“Whatever! Drawing is only hard if you’re some fucking loser who works at a place like this.” Nicole says out loud, not caring that the cashier was right in front of her as she said that. Nicole then grabs a Reese's Peanut Buttercup and tosses it on the checkout counter. “Ring that up for me.” 

“...She has Tourette's.” Jecka tried to explain to the cashier who didn’t look amused.

…….

……………..

………………………………….

Me and Jecka were in front of Hot Topic holding signs up in protest. Jecka’s sign said “BURRITO RIGHTS” while my sign said “HOT TOPIC HATES MEXICANS” which I wasn’t even sure was true but I guess we had to go big or go home. 

“BURRITO WON’T DROP IT! FUCK HOT TOPIC! BURRITO WON’T DROP IT! FUCK HOT TOPIC!” Jecka shouted repeatedly. 

Ari who looked like she was just coming into work came rushing towards us once she saw what we were doing. 

“What the hell are you two doing!?” Ari shouted in confusion. 

“Your store should have thought twice before denying us human rights!” Jecka stated. 

“Human rights!? Because you can’t eat Chipotle in here!?” Ari asked. 

“That shit was like $7 and they just expect me to throw it out!?” Jecka argued.

Wait, but didn’t I pay for the Chipotle?

“That’s less than the posters you two made to complain about it!” Ari argued back.

She kinda makes a good point there. 

“Don’t be a bitch Ari! Go on strike and join our cause!” Jecka made a pose, pumping her fist in the air. 

“Dude, I can’t go on strike over Chipotle! I need the money!” Ari explained.

“In that case, I don’t care if you’re Nicole’s girlfriend! When you’re on the clock then you’re on our cock because you just made two huge enemies! Come on Alex, it’s time for Plan B!” Jecka exclaims as she pulls me by the arm out of Ari’s sight.

“So… what exactly is Plan B?” I ask Jecka with a raised eyebrow. 

“He is.” Jecka smirks as someone who I didn’t expect to see, appears out of a corner. 

“Jeffrey!?” I exclaim.

“Okay Jeffrey, you remember what to do?” Jecka asks him. 

“Y-Yeah.” Jeffrey stutters. 

“And you remember what you’ll get if you do?” Jecka flirted. 

“Y-Yes…” Jeffrey blushed.

“Then hop to it!” Jecka exclaimed, pointing Jeffrey in the direction of Hot Topic as he made his way over there.

“So… what exactly is happening?” I ask, confused.

“Okay so, Jeffrey is going to hold up the line for a long time and it’s going to make customers frustrated and never want to shop there again! It’s foolproof!” Jecka stated confidently, crossing her arms. 

“And what exactly did you promise him…?”

“Oh, I just said I would send him a pic of my titties.” Jecka shrugged.

“And… you are?” 

“Ew! Fuck no! I’m just gonna send him Kelly’s titty pic.” Jecka explained which honestly made me relieved. 

About an hour later, customers were leaving Hot Topic looking aggravated and annoyed so I guess Plan B seemed pretty successful. A little while after all the customers left, Jeffrey came back to us. 

“Okay, did I do good?” Jeffrey asks.

“You did awesome! Here’s your reward!” Jecka exclaims as she takes out her phone and sends Jeffrey, Kelly’s titty pic.

Jeffrey took out his phone to look at the photo Jecka sent him and began to stare at it skeptically. “...And this is definitely you?” 

“Yep! Definitely me! Now scram!” Jecka tells him and Jeffrey runs off to most likely beat off in the Starbucks restroom.

“Well I’d say that’s enough protesting for the day. Let’s go hang out at my place.” Jecka looks at me.

“Yeah, sure.” I shrug and the two of us leave the mall to go to Jecka’s house. 

………

……………….

…………………………….

Me and Jecka were currently sitting on her couch and watching TV. About an hour later, Nicole came over and invited herself to join us and complain that she still doesn’t have enough money to buy the belt. 

“...What if I sold crushed up Aspirin and called it cocaine…?” Nicole pondered.

“Wouldn’t smell the same.” Jecka answered nonchalantly. 

…I’m not even gonna ask why she knows what cocaine smells like. 

“...If I told on the counselor, how much would the settlement be?” Nicole asked us.

“BITCH GET A FUCKING JOB!” Jecka shouted as she sat up from the couch, clearly tired of Nicole’s belt dilemma. 

“Like protesting is a job! By the way, Ari called me into hoping I could convince you to lay off on her? Like normally I wouldn’t have cared much but then she threatened we wouldn’t be able to make out in her breakroom anymore so…” Nicole droned on. 

“It’s too late to back down now! Just wait until me and Alex pull off Plan C!” Jecka smirked.

“Plan C?” Nicole repeated, raising an eyebrow. 

“Let’s just say Hot Topic is gonna be in a “sticky” situation…” Jecka said with a dramatic evil laugh. 

“Oh well. I did try to stop you. I’m gonna go use the bathroom.” Nicole said as she got up and walked away from the couch. 

“So Jecka? I feel like the other half of the duo is kinda being uninformed in these “plans” of yours. What’s Plan C exactly?” I ask the blonde while Nicole is gone.

“We’re gonna unleash 200 syrup balloons inside the store! No one will ever shop there again!” Jecka stated, rubbing her hands evilly. 

“We’re gonna pelt Ari with syrup balloons? Come on Jeck, we can’t do that!”

“We’re not gonna pelt Ari! I’m not that much of a bitch. They’re just gonna be launched inside the store. We’re gonna do it when Ari goes to take her lunch break.”

“Oh… well I guess that’s fine then.” I rationalized. 

“Hot Topic won’t know what hit em’!” Jecka smirked.

Except probably when they check the security footage…

…..

……………

……………………………..

Me and Jecka were walking through the mall the next day in order to put “Plan C” into motion. Last night, Jecka and I snuck into the mall after it closed and set up the contraption filled with syrup balloons right next to Hot Topic. It was finally time to spring it. 

“Today, they’re gonna think twice about eater discrimination!” Jecka said, proudly as we walked over to our pulley system that we made. 

“Here goes nothing…” I say as I pull the rope to unleash the syrup balloons but to both of our surprises, nothing happened. 

“Wait… our syrup balloons!” Jecka exclaimed, noticing that they were all gone. 

“Where the hell did they go?” I asked, confused and all of a sudden, two mall cops came around behind us and handcuffed me and Jecka. 

“We’re going to have to escort you two off the premises.” One of the mall cops told us calmly. 

“What the fuck!? How’d you know they were there!?” Jecka asked and before either of the officers could respond, Nicole and Ari appeared from around the corner.

“Nicole!? What are you-” Jecka began to ask but then noticed that Nicole was wearing the belt she had been trying to get all weekend. 

“Sorry. Emily knew her manager and he paid me a shit load to stop your little Rube Goldberg contraption. Plus, Ari threatened no more sex so like…” Nicole explained. 

“Wait, how did you even know about the syrup balloon thing in the first place? We never told you.” I ask Nicole, confused.

“Oh, I just eavesdropped on your plan when I said I was going to the bathroom.” Nicole answered with a shrug.

“Let’s go, you two!” One of the officers told us as they began to escort us out of the mall. 

“Goddammit…” Jecka mumbled. 

Well this definitely beats getting shot in the arm…

…….

…………..

………………………

So me and Jecka are banned from the mall for the rest of the entire month which honestly didn’t seem so bad to me but for someone like Jecka who spends the weekends there, it hit her pretty hard. 

The two of us were currently standing outside the mall in the parking lot, watching the sunset which honestly looked really nice from where we were standing. I looked over at Jecka who once again seemed to be deep in thought. That’s when I decided to finally get some answers.

“So… Jeck? What exactly was the point of all this?” I asked Jecka. 

“...I dunno.” Jecka sighed.

“Did you even want to protest Hot Topic in the first place?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“Not really…” Jecka admitted. 

“So what did we spend the entire weekend coming up with crazy sitcom schemes for?” 

“I just… wanted to spend the weekend with you.” Jecka said, honestly.

“You could have just asked me to just hang out though so why go through all this trouble to-”

“Because I just missed doing super fun shit together with you, okay!?”

“Huh? But we do fun shit all the time? Like remember that time me, you, and Nicole went to-”

“NO! I mean like… just fun shit with me and you… getting weirdo teachers arrested… coming up with crazy plans… watching romcoms… I just missed all of that.” Jecka admitted. 

“Then why is it so hard to just tell me that!?” I ask Jecka, raising my voice, starting to feel more confused than ever.

Jecka seemed hesitant to answer at first but then blurted out something unexpected. 

“BECAUSE I FUCKING LIKE YOU!!!” Jecka screamed, shutting her eyes tightly.

…wut.

My brain kind of shut down for a few dozen seconds after hearing that confession. My heart rapidly beat at a speed that I didn’t know was humanly possible as my throat began to dry up. I was almost positive I was just staring at her like an idiot too. I wasn’t even sure how to respond. I tried to speak but no words could come out no matter how much I tried. But I had to do something. Something to show her I feel the same way she does.

“Look… if you’re like not into me like that then it’s whatever, just rip the fucking bandage off so I can go home and eat Ben & Jerry’s to cope with the clinical depression that comes with getting rejected and-” Jecka was cut off as she felt my hand cup the left side of her cheek.

Jecka looks up at me as I stare into her amber eyes. Her cheeks were growing bright red, as were mine. The combined rhythm of our rising heartbeats could probably be comparable to a drum solo at a concert. I was tired of acting like such a fucking moron when it came to how I felt. I was finally going to take action.

I began to lean in and closed my eyes as Jecka did the same. For what felt like eternity but was only three seconds, we inched closer to one another until finally our lips gently brushed against each other in a soft, tentative kiss.

The kiss deepened as Jecka wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer. She tasted faintly of cigarettes and strawberries which was a surprisingly addictive combination. As much as I didn’t want this to end, we eventually had to pull apart to catch our breaths. 

“...I… could go… for some… Ben & Jerry’s…” I say breathlessly, finally finding my voice.

“...Y-Yeah… I really… like the… Half Baked flavor…” Jecka replied, feeling just as out of breath as I was.

“It’s a date then.” I smile, somehow back to a reasonable state of mind. 

“Yeah. A date.” Jecka grinned back, seeming more calm as well.

The two of us stared at each other’s eyes for a good couple of seconds, completely captivated by one another, before a voice caused us to break out of our thoughts. We quickly turned around to see Jeffrey marching over to us seeming pissed off for some reason. 

“There you are! I got a bone to pick with you! That naked photo you gave me wasn’t even of you!” Jeffrey yelled.

“Was it the nipples that threw it off?” I ask him as I put my hands in my pockets, starting to feel annoyed by his sudden interruption. 

“It doesn’t matter! I demand restitution!” Jeffrey exclaimed. 

“A-Are you demanding my body!?” Jecka asked, both offended and creeped out.

“If you don’t make good, I’m gonna tell the police you-” Jeffrey’s sentence was cut off by me sucker punching him in the face, knocking him off his feet and putting him unconscious. 

“THAT’S RIGHT YOU NINTENDO LOVIN’ BITCH! THE ONLY MAN WHO GETS TO LOOK AT MY TITTIES IS MY BOYFRIEND!” Jecka shouts at Jeffrey's unmoving body as she points to me.

“...Jeck? I don’t think he can hear you.” I pointed out to my new girlfriend.

“Yeah, I know. It was more for me. Therapeutic and shit. Alright, let’s go get some fuckin’ Ben & Jerry’s.” Jecka says nonchalantly as she takes my hand.

“Best plan you’ve come up with all weekend.” I say back as we walk across the mall parking lot to Jecka’s car, leaving Jeffrey lying on the dirty ground. 

As we walked, I stared again back at the sunset and how amazing it looked. I then stared at the girl whose hand was now intertwined with mine. I smiled as I took in her beautiful blonde hair, her sweet smile, and then, her gorgeous amber eyes. Only one thought could describe how I was feeling right now.

…….

……………..

………………………….

Despite them sharing the same color, the sunset can’t even hold a candle to the shine in her eyes.

Chapter 40: Chapter 39 (Alex Side Story)

WARNING: This chapter contains very (long) explicit sexual content so if you can not handle all of that then I suggest you avert your eyes from this chapter! If you wish to complain you shall be spammed with peppers in the comments. BEWARE OF SPICY SEX!!! 🌶️

………..

…………………….

…………………………………

 

Ahhh… Prom. A time for teenagers to get wasted on the way to a chaperoned dance that usually ends with either someone puking their guts out of alcohol consumption and anorexic tendencies, or end with some whore getting knocked up while getting their dress torn in half. 

Would you believe that abortion clinics make the most money out of this time of year? Actually, I don’t even know if that’s true… But imagine if they did? Like Prom for them can be like fat guys on mopeds for McDonalds when they occasionally bring back the McRib. God I miss the McRib… But I digress! 

Now, what could our beloved main protagonist, Alex, be doing on this fateful night? Well, he is currently putting the finishing touches on his tuxedo as he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror of his house. His hair was messy but that was usually part of the charm. He put a few splashes of cologne across the underside of his neck, and looked over himself in the mirror for a few dozen more seconds until he was satisfied with his appearance. 

Prom was something that Alex didn’t really think he’d be looking forward to so much. But when your girlfriend is the hottest girl in school, it’s pretty reasonable to be excited about going to prom with her. Any minute now, Jecka would be arriving with her parents so they and his Mom could take pictures of them together before they got into their limo to head to the dance.

Alex remembered how super romantic it was when they agreed to go to prom together…

 

FLASHBACK (THREE DAYS AGO)

 

“Oh yeah, isn’t Prom on Friday?” Jecka asked her boyfriend as she was sitting on his lap, cuddling with him while they watched TV together at Alex’s house.

“Is it? I honestly pretty much forgot.” Alex shrugged as he continued to stare at the TV.

“Yeah. I guess we should have paid more closer attention to the fliers all over the hallways at school. You wanna go?” Jecka asked in a nonchalant like tone. 

“Do you wanna go?” Alex asked back.

“I feel like we would look pretty lame if we skipped out on prom so fuck it, let’s do it.” Jecka said as she ate some chips out of the bowl that Alex was holding for the two of them.

“Okay, cool.” Alex replied as he helped himself to some chips as well.

“Yum. Sour Cream & Onion.” Alex thought to himself, happily.

 

END OF FLASHBACK

 

…Okay maybe it wasn’t THAT romantic. 

Regardless, Alex was determined to show Jecka a good time. They’ve been dating for about two weeks and weirdly enough it doesn’t feel like much has changed between them. Except for when they made out a lot. Alex enjoyed that change in particular. 

One would probably think that they already hooked up as soon as their first date had ended. Well they’d be wrong. Jecka told him that for once in her life, she wanted to wait before jumping in straight into sex.

 Now a guy would probably be turned off of the idea that your girlfriend has fucked on the first date in the past but Alex had to give her the benefit of the doubt considering they were all horny as fuck teenagers. Besides he would be one hell of a hypocrite since he’s fucked on the first date many times before.

But now wasn’t the time to think about any of that. Alex had to mentally prepare himself for when Jecka arrived which could be any sec- or now since his doorbell had just rang. Alex rushed himself down the stairs and made it to the front door. He took a deep breath and then opened the front door. And what stood in front of him, almost made Alex pass out. 

Jecka stood there, smiling as she let him take in her appearance. She stepped forward, the floor-length gown swaying with her every movement. The dress, a stunning shade of deep midnight blue, shimmered faintly as if it had captured the essence of the night sky itself. 

The strapless dress hugged her figure perfectly, as she wore a silver necklace that accentuates her slender neck and dangling earrings to match. The slit on the side revealed a bit of her long legs as she walked over to Alex with a sly smile in order to give him an even better look.

Alex could tell up close now that the front of Jecka’s dress showcased a deep V-neck that revealed a generous amount of cleavage. The dress was backless as Alex noticed her smooth skin peeking out from it. The fabric was tight around her waist and hips, making her look curvy and voluptuous. Her high heels made her taller than usual but still not taller than he was. 

Alex’s brain seemed to have shut down for a few dozen seconds as he stared at his girlfriend like he was one of the fucking special ed kids that had just discovered eating crayons for the first time. Finally, it was Jecka’s voice that got him to snap out of it. 

“Yeah, I look hot as fuck right now. You don’t have to say it.” Jecka smirked, putting a hand to her hip.

Before Alex could make any coherent form of a reply, Jecka’s parents soon walked inside the house and smiled at him. Alex stiffened a bit seeing Jecka’s dad as he instinctively touched his left shoulder with a slight wince. But he quickly shook it off before anyone could notice. 

“Oh my! Just look at how handsome you are!” Jecka’s mom complimented Alex. 

“Ew Mom. Don’t flirt with my boyfriend.” Jecka cringed.

“Now honey, your mother was only giving Alex a compliment.” Jecka’s father told her daughter.

“Yeah well that’s how it starts in those videos…” Jecka muttered to herself.

“Please don’t bring up RedTube in front of your parents Jeck…” Alex grimaced.

“Oh? Alex? Is Jecka here?” a voice calls out from the other room.

“Yeah, Mom, her and her parents just got here.” Alex called back to her.

About thirty seconds later, Alex’s mother appeared to greet Jecka and her parents with a smile.

“Hello, it’s very nice to meet you two. I’m Alex’s mother, Angela.” she greeted to Jecka’s parents.

“It’s very nice to meet you Angela! We’re Jessica’s parents. My name is Joan and this is my husband Stan.” Joan greeted back with a smile. 

“Oh goodness Jecka, you look beautiful!” Angela complimented the 18 year old blonde. 

“Yeah, I know.” Jecka said nonchalantly.

“Jessica…” Stan glared at his daughter.

“I mean, thank you Ms. Peterson.” Jecka corrected herself.

“We should start taking photos now so we can get going dear. We don’t want to miss our flight.” Joan told her husband.

“Flight?” Angela asked, curiously.

“Stan surprised me with a surprise weekend getaway to Miami. It’s a shame we had to leave the same day our sweetheart was going to prom but we wanted to at least take some photos before we left!” Joan explained .

“Now isn’t that lovely? I wished any of my eight ex husbands could have shown that much compassion to me. I hope the two of you have a lovely time together!” Angela congratulated Jecka’s parents.

“So… are we taking pictures now or…?” Jecka asked, finding this conversation extremely fucking boring. 

“Oh! Yes, yes, of course. Jecka, stand next to Alex over here in the living room and Alex, make sure you’re smiling and keep yourself close to her.” Angela instructed her son and his girlfriend as the two high schoolers got into position. 

Alex and Jecka stood next to each other and smiled, ready for their picture to be taken. Jecka had one hand on Alex’s back and the other on his chest while Alex had one hand around Jecka’s waist to pull her closer to him. 

Jecka’s parents and Alex’s mother then proceeded to take multiple photos of the couple. After a good dozen photos were taken, all three parents looked through the pictures. Once they were distracted, Jecka decided to tease her boyfriend by lowering his hand from her waist and onto somewhere much further down.

Alex’s eyes widened a bit at the feeling of his hand cupping Jecka’s ass. He looked over to her and saw she was giving him a sly smile before immediately taking his hand off her ass and back onto her waist, just in time as both of their parents’ looked up from looking at the pictures. 

“Welp, it’s official. Prom hasn’t even started yet and I already have blue balls.” Alex internally groaned as his pants began to tighten but not enough for anyone to really notice.

After all the picture taking was done, Alex and Jecka’s limo arrived. They both said their goodbyes and left the house in a hurry to get going. Once they got inside the limo, the two sat down, taking in how nice it looked on the inside. And before either of them knew it, they had taken off for prom. 

“Hey, so explain to me why Nicole and Ari are skipping out on prom again?” Jecka asked Alex.

“Well, Nicole said to me and I quote; “Prom is for straight people who think one night of a high school sponsored dance will be the peak of their entire life for the next ten years.”, so her and Ari are planning to order takeout and get fucked up on whatever drugs Nicole bought from the new guy who replaced White Marvin behind the gas station.” Alex explained. 

“Did she really say that prom is only for straight people?” Jecka raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’m pretty positive she knows that’s not true but since Nicole and I turn 18 in like two weeks, she’s probably going to start substituting the minor card with the gay card when it comes to excuses from now on.” Alex shrugged. 

“Huh… so you wanna make out before we get there?” Jecka asked as she changed the subject nonchalantly.

“...Yeah, I think we got time.” Alex said as Jecka threw herself on top of him, which made the limo driver begin to put up the window divider that separated himself and them as he grumbled “teenagers” under his breath.

So after about a 20 minute car ride and lots of tongue wrestling later, Alex and Jecka arrived at prom. Neither of them were even sure what place exactly the school rented out for it but once they got into the limo it quickly became apparent. Two different reactions were on each of their faces. Jecka had a wave of disappointment wash through her while Alex had a feeling of dread.

Because the school rented out fucking Olive Garden of all places for prom. 

But in Principal Lynn’s defense, the past two years have had three teachers fired with two of them being arrested, two teacher deaths from overdosing on ketamine and cocaine, and more budget cuts from the school board than she could count. She was surprised that the school could even afford prom in the first place. 

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me…” Alex and Jecka muttered to themselves at the same time but each for a different reason. 

Regardless, they stepped inside and saw that the place was decorated as much as it could be for prom. There was a DJ, some students were already dancing, and others were sitting on the tables eating and talking to one another. It was then that Alex and Jecka saw Hunter and Karen walk up to the two of them.

“Jecka! Alex! You guys made it!” Karen greeted them with a smile. 

“Hey Karen! Love your dress!” Jecka complimented Karen.

“Yours too! It’s so cute!” Karen complimented back.

“Hey.” Alex greeted Hunter.

“Hey.” Hunter greeted back.

 

🎶MEN! WE KNOW HOW TO BE FRIENDS!🎶

 

Alex and Jecka tried to make the most of the shitty venue and managed to have a good time with Hunter and Karen. A few hours had gone by with them dancing, talking, and getting drinks from the punch bowl. The four of them were currently sitting at a table, eating the dinner the Italian restaurant catered for them. That’s when a voice called out to their table making the four teenagers turn to see who it was.

“Well, well, well! Look who we have here!” Jeffrey walked over to their table in an almost cocky manner.

“...Yeah?” Jecka asked, confused.

“I bet you guys didn’t expect to see me here! Or didn’t expect me to have a date!” Jeffrey told them smugly. 

“You got a date?” Alex questioned, skeptically.

“I sure did!” Jeffrey exclaimed and a curvy looking older woman with black hair appeared next to Jeffrey. 

“There you are sweetie! Are these your friends?” The woman asked Jeffrey as she looked at the four teens sitting down. 

“They wish!” Jeffrey smirked, pushing up his glasses.

“Okay, there is absolutely no fucking way a woman like that is into you.” Jecka stared in disbelief.

“Hmph! I can’t blame all of you for being jealous! It’s not everyday you see someone so sexy and perfect!” Jeffrey crossed his arms.

“Actually I see that person all the time because she’s sitting right next to me.” Alex thought to himself.

“Now come on! Let’s ditch these losers and get some cheese and crackers!” Jeffrey told his date.

“Now Jeffrey sweetie, remember that cheese makes you very gassy when you go to bed and your bedtime is still 11:30 young man!” Jeffrey’s date informed him which then made light bulbs flash in the four teens' minds.

“Wait… is that your Mom??” Hunter asked Jeffrey.

“Wh-What? Uh… er… N-No!” Jeffrey defended, sweating. 

“Oh Jeffrey honey, it’s okay! I’m sure they don’t mind! Hi, I’m Jeffrey’s mother Lucille. It’s nice to meet you all.” Jeffrey’s mother greeted them.

“Oh my god…” Jecka muttered, trying her best not to burst out laughing.

“Wait… so you were referring to your own mother as sexy and perfect??” Karen asked while cringing in disgust.

“W-Well… I… C-Come on Mom! Let’s just go!” Jeffrey said, pulling his mother by the arm.

“Okay sweetie! It was nice to meet you all!” Lucille waved to the four teens as she left with Jeffrey.

“I wonder if Jeffrey knows that his “date” was making out with the DJ behind his booth a half hour ago…?” Alex wondered to himself. 

…..

……….

……………..

Prom went on for a few more hours and it seemed like it was going to be wrapping up soon. Alex and Jecka both took some Xanax that Jecka had secretly hidden in her chest, so they were feeling pretty nice and relaxed for a good majority of the night. It finally seemed like things were coming to an end as the DJ was going to announce the Prom King and Queen before the last dance of the night. 

“Alright everyone! It’s time to announce the Prom King and the Prom Queen!” the DJ announced and everyone suddenly got quiet as they were eager to hear the results.

“Lake Braddock! Your Prom King is… KYLAR HAWKS!” The DJ announced.

“AW FUCK YEAH! I KNEW MY UNCLE TEACHING ME HOW TO COMMIT VOTER FRAUD WOULD WORK OUT SOMEDAY!” Kylar’s voice shouted out from somewhere in the crowd. Kylar then walked up to the DJ to accept his crown which was then placed on top of his head.

After Kylar was announced Prom King, the DJ decided to move on to the next announcement. “Moving on… Ladies and gentlemen… your Prom Queen is… KELLY ANDERSON!” 

“YES! I KNEW GIVING A BLOWJOB TO ALL THE MALE VOTERS HERE WOULD WORK OUT IN THE END!” Kelly’s voice shouted out from somewhere in the crowd. Kelly then walked up to the DJ to accept her tiara which was carefully placed on top of her head.

“AND WITH THAT, THIS HAS BEEN SENIOR PROM 2009! Now let’s slow things down a bit with this last song of the night.” The DJ said as he put on “The Scientist” by Coldplay.

Kylar was trying his best to dance with Kelly while Kelly was trying her best to get away from Kylar. Hunter and Karen were slowly dancing to the music in each other’s arms, thankful that they got together in the first place. Jeffrey was looking for his mom all over the dance floor, unaware that his mom already snuck off somewhere with Trody and Braxton each grabbing one side of her ass cheeks. And as for Alex and Jecka…

They were currently on the dance floor with Alex’s hands on Jecka’s waist and Jecka’s arms wrapped around Alex’s neck as they began to move in sync with the music. They stared into each other’s eyes and wordlessly leaned into one another as they shared a deep and intimate kiss. 

“I guess prom ended up being not so bad after all…” Alex thought to himself as the kiss deepened. 

……

………….

…………………….

Alex and Jecka arrived back at Jecka’s house via limo around 1:00am. Once they got inside, Jecka changed out of her dress and into pajamas while Alex brought out a bag that had a change of clothes that he was keeping inside the limo just in case and got into a t-shirt and sweatpants. They then thought it would be fun to watch a movie before Alex walked back home. They ended up watching  Mamma Mia! on Jecka’s couch while in each other’s arms. 

When the movie ended, Jecka turned off the TV, her head still resting on Alex’s chest. Jecka then looked up at him who was looking right back at her. They were both thinking the same thing.

“You’re not going back to your place right?” Jecka asked.

“...No. I’m not.” Alex whispered and kissed Jecka deeply.

Jecka’s breath hitched as Alex’s lips crashed against hers, a moan escaping her lips as she kissed him back with equal fervor. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as she parted her lips, allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth.

“Fuck…” Alex moaned in between kisses. 

Jecka whimpered against Alex’s lips, her body arching up into his as she tried to get as close to him as possible. She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging on the strands as Alex’s kisses grew more intense and passionate. It finally seemed that Jecka was reaching her breaking point when she said these next couple of words.

“...I want you.” Jecka pleaded.

That was all Alex needed to hear. He quickly scooped Jecka off her couch as he carried her upstairs bridal style until they reached Jecka’s room and Alex placed Jecka on her bed. 

As soon as Alex shut the door he took off his shirt while Jecka immediately undressed herself, taking off her shirt as her large tits dropped and bounced as soon as they were set free. Jecka then proceeded to take off her pants, leaving her now only in a thong. 

Alex crawls onto the bed and lays himself on top of Jecka as he then places his mouth onto one of Jecka’s now bare breasts while fondling the other. Jecka’s back arched off the bed, a loud moan escaping her lips as Alex began to suck on one of her nipples. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, nails leaving crescent-shaped marks on his skin as she clung to him.

“Oh God…” Jecka gasped, her body trembling with pleasure under Alex’s touch.

Hearing Jecka’s moans from his touch, Alex then proceeded to bring his right hand lower down until he reached Jecka’s underwear and then slid his hand underneath, feeling the sensitive touch of her now wet pussy.

Jecka’s hips bucked upwards at Alex’s touch, her body instinctively seeking more of it. She was already soaking wet, her inner thighs slick with arousal as she felt his fingers brush against her sensitive skin. Alex took this as a sign to keep going as he then inserted two fingers inside of Jecka while sealing her mouth with another passionate kiss.

Jecka moaned into the kiss, her body arching upwards as Alex’s fingers slipped inside her. Her walls clenched around him, desperately trying to pull Alex deeper inside her as she writhed beneath him. 

Alex then continued to pump his two fingers in and out of her as Jecka’s moans grew louder and more desperate with each thrust of his fingers, her body trembling with need. She broke away from the kiss, burying her face in the crook of Alex’s neck as she clung to him, her breath coming out in hot pants against his skin.

“Please… more…” Jecka begged, her voice strained with desire.

In response, Alex took out his two fingers and removed Jecka’s underwear, leaving her now completely naked. Alex then lowered his face and spread Jecka’s legs wide as his mouth began to close in on her soaking wet pussy. 

Jecka’s eyes widened as she felt Alex spread her legs, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized what he was about to do. She looked down at him, her face flushed with arousal and embarrassment as she saw his face hovering over her most intimate area.

“W-wait…” Jecka stammered, a mixture of excitement and nervousness in her voice.

But whatever Jecka wanted to say next, it was too late. Alex dove his tongue deep inside her sending a shock through Jecka’s spine putting her through sheer pleasure. Jecka’s back arched off the bed as Alex’s tongue plunged deep inside her, a loud cry escaping her lips as pleasure shot through her entire body. Her hands fisted the sheets beneath her, knuckles turning white as she desperately tried to hold on to something, anything to ground herself.

“Oh God… oh God… yes…” Jecka gasped, her eyes rolling back in her head as she surrendered to the overwhelming sensation.

Jecka’s body was trembling uncontrollably now, her hips bucking up against Alex’s face as she desperately tried to match his rhythm. She was a moaning, writhing mess beneath him, completely lost in the pleasure that he was giving her.

“Don’t stop… please don’t stop…” She begged, her voice barely above a whisper as she panted heavily.

Alex listened to his girlfriend as he continued to not stop for a moment and began to completely devour her aggressively which caused Jecka’s body to be on fire as every nerve ending in her body spasmed with pleasure. She could feel the tension building deep within her, a coil winding tighter and tighter as Alex continued to eat her out.

“I-I’m close…” Jecka gasped, her words barely coherent as she teetered on the edge of ecstasy.

Alex hums in response, allowing himself to vibrate Jecka’s pussy while his tongue continues its way deep down into her. The humming sensation combined with the deep penetration of Alex’s tongue sent Jecka over the edge, her body convulsing as she finally reached her peak. 

“I’M CUMMING!!!” Jecka let out in a loud cry, her walls clenching around Alex’s tongue as waves of pleasure washed over her, her vision going white with ecstasy.

Alex took every drop of her and swallowed it before removing his mouth from her and stared up at Jecka in her lusted amber eyes. Jecka was still panting heavily, her body shaking from the intensity of her orgasm. She looked up at Alex through half-lidded eyes, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath.

Jecka watched as Alex swallowed her release, a shiver running down her spine at the sight. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of possessiveness as she saw him claim every drop of her, like he was marking her as his and only his. 

Jecka’s eyes darkened with lust as she saw the hungry look in Alex’s eyes. She knew that he wasn’t done with her yet. Not by a long shot. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him down to her and claimed his lips in a fierce, passionate kiss.

Jecka kissed Alex deeply, her tongue exploring his mouth as she tasted herself on his lips. She could feel the evidence of her arousal smeared across his face, the thought sending a fresh wave of heat through her body. Jecka wrapped her legs around Alex’s waist, pulling him closer to her as she rolled her hips against his own, silently begging for more. Jecka eventually broke the kiss, gasping for air as she pulled back to look up at Alex. Her eyes were filled with desire, her voice low and pleading.

“Please… I need you…” She whispered, her fingers digging into Alex’s shoulders as she tried to pull him even closer.

“Before that…I think it’s time you return the favor.” Alex whispered in her ear.

A shiver ran down Jecka’s spine as Alex’s voice whispered in her ear, the words sending a thrill through her body. She nodded, biting her lip as she looked up at him with a mixture of eagerness and submission.

“Okay…” Jecka whispered, her voice slightly breathless.

Alex then proceeded to lay down on his back in front of Jecka as her eyes followed his movements with her gaze fixated on Alex’s lap. She could feel her heart racing in anticipation, a mixture of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside her. Jecka shifted so that she was straddling Alex’s thighs, her hands resting on his hips as she looked down at him while her hands moved up from Alex’s thighs, her light and teasing touch sent shivers through Alex as she slowly inched closer to his crotch. She could feel the heat radiating off of him, the sight of his arousal sending a rush of desire through her. She leaned down, her breath ghosting over his skin as she spoke.

“I want to taste you…” Jecka confessed, lustfully. 

“You might need to remove my pants and boxers first.” Alex chuckled, pointing out that he was the only one between them who still had half of his clothes on.

Jecka smirked, her eyes glinting mischievously as she heard Alex’s words. She leaned back slightly, her fingers moving to the waistband of his sweatpants. 

“With pleasure…” Jecka said, slowly sliding Alex’s pants down to his legs, along with his boxers, springing out a hard thick cock that seemed to have been 9 inches in length and leaking of precum. 

Jecka’s breath hitched in her throat as she saw Alex fully exposed in front of her, her eyes drinking in the sight. She let out a soft gasp at his impressive size, her hands running up his thighs and hips as she admired his fully exposed body.

“God, you’re perfect…” Jecka whispered, her voice filled with awe and desire.

Jecka’s fingers traced the outline of Alex’s muscles and faint scars, her touch featherlight as she explored his body. She couldn’t get enough as every inch of him sent a spark of arousal through her. Jecka slowly leaned down, her face hovering just above Alex’s large member. She could feel the heat radiating off of it, and she licked her lips in anticipation.

Finally, Jecka wrapped her hand around the base of Alex’s cock, her fingers wrapping tightly around his length as she leaned in even closer. She could feel his pulse thrumming against her palm, a primal thrill coursing through her at the sensation. Without warning, she flicked her tongue out and gave a teasing lick to the tip of his head, her eyes flicking up to watch his reaction.

“Fuck!” Alex shouts, a jolt running through his body at Jecka’s touch.

Jecka smirked at her hung boyfriend’s reaction, a satisfied gleam in her eyes. She loved having this kind of power over him, the ability to make him moan and squirm with just a simple touch. She repeated the motion, this time running her tongue slowly up the underside of his length, tracing a vein with the tip of her tongue.

“Fuuuuuck…” Alex groaned, the feel of his girlfriend’s tongue driving him crazy.

Jecka chuckled softly, the sound vibrating against his skin as she continued to tease Alex with her tongue. She knew exactly what she was doing, how to draw out Alex’s pleasure and keep him on the edge. She licked a circle around the head of his dick, swirling her tongue around it before finally taking it into her mouth which caused Alex to gasp out in deep pleasure. 

Jecka hummed around Alex, the sound sending vibrations through his length as she began to move her head up and down. She took him deeper into her mouth with each bob of her head, her lips tightening around Alex as she sucked him further. 

“Oh my god…” Alex moaned, as he bucked his hips upward while he played with her hair, completely taking in the heavenly feeling he was experiencing. 

Jecka moaned softly, the taste of her boyfriend driving her wild. She loved the way Alex felt in her mouth, the weight of his cock on her tongue, the way its size filled her mouth completely. Jecka hollowed out her cheeks, increasing the suction as she worked Alex with her mouth, her head moving at a steady rhythm.

“Jesus Christ…” Alex grunted as he locked eyes with the girl who was bobbing her head up and down on his member. 

A smirk played on Jecka’s lips even as she continued to pleasure Alex. She could see the look of ecstasy on his face, and it only fueled her desire to make him come undone. She pulled back slightly, swirling her tongue around the tip of his cock before diving back down, taking his length all the way to the back of her throat.

“HOLY FUCK!” Alex screamed out as Jecka continued to deepthroat him.

Jecka moaned again, the sound muffled by Alex’s dick in her mouth. She could feel his hips bucking slightly, trying to thrust further down her throat, and she pinned them down with her hands. She held him still, her grip firm as she continued to work him with her mouth. Jecka could feel Alex getting closer to the edge, his breathing becoming more ragged and his  body tensing up.

“How…how are you so good at this..?” Alex moaned as his girlfriend continued to work her magic all over his cock.

Jecka took Alex’s cock out of her mouth for a moment with a pop sound, a string of saliva connecting her lips to his head. She smirked up at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Lots of practice.” She said, her voice slightly hoarse from taking him so deep into her throat. 

“Well I guess practice does make fucking perfect…” Alex mumbled as he didn’t exactly want to think about his girlfriend sucking off any of her ex’s but figured she wouldn’t have gotten this good if she hadn’t.

Jecka chuckled, a hint of pride in her voice at Alex’s somewhat of a compliment. She licked her lips, her eyes never leaving him as she spoke.

“Damn right it does.” Jecka then lowered her head again, this time taking one of Alex’s balls into her mouth and sucking on it gently.

“Oh my goddddd…” Alex moaned, feeling Jecka’s mouth. 

Jecka hummed softly as she continued to suck on Alex’s balls, her tongue swirling around them as she alternated between one and the other. She loved the way he reacted to her touch, the way his body trembled and his breath hitched with every movement she made.

Alex gripped the bed sheets for dear life as he was getting the best blowjob he had ever been given. Jecka could tell that Alex was struggling to hold on, the sight of him gripping the sheets and trying to keep his composure only made Jecka even more determined to make Alex lose control.

Jekca pulled back from Alex’s balls, her lips trailing a path up his inner thigh before she moved back to his cock. She licked a long stripe up the underside of it, her tongue once again tracing a vein all the way to the tip causing Alex to moan even further.

Jecka wrapped her lips around the head of Alex’s member again, her tongue swirling around it before she took him deep into her mouth once more. She bobbed her head up and down, taking Alex’s cock as far into her throat as she could with each movement, her cheeks hollowing out as she sucked hard.

“Oh my FUUUUCK!” Alex screamed in ecstasy.

Jecka could feel Alex’s body tense up even more, the signs of his impending release becoming more and more apparent. She knew he was close, and she doubled her efforts, determined to push her boyfriend over the edge. She reached up and began to massage his balls with one hand, the other gripping Alex’s hip to keep him still as Jecka took him deeper into her mouth.

“Je-Jecka wait… sl-slow down.. holy..holy fuck…” Alex pleaded, feeling completely undone from Jecka’s incredible technique. 

Jecka slowed down her pace, but only slightly. She knew Alex was trying to hold on, trying to delay his release, and she found it incredibly sexy. She pulled back until just the tip of his cock was in her mouth, swirling her tongue around it slowly as she looked up at him with a smirk.

“Why? You getting close, babe?” Jecka whispered lustfully, getting a power trip from the control she currently had over Alex.

“N-no.. I just…uh..” Alex stammered trying his best to lie and in relief that she stopped before he was taken over the edge. He just didn’t want this heavenly feeling to ever end.

Jecka chuckled, clearly not buying Alex’s bullshit denial. She knew he was right on the edge, just a few more seconds away from falling apart. She ran her tongue over the slit of the head, tasting the precum that had started to leak out from it.

“Liar. You’re right there, aren’t you? Just a little bit more and you’re going to cum in my mouth…” Jecka whispered in Alex’s ear, her voice filled with lust. 

“N-no wa-wait d-don’t…” Alex tried to stop her but was suddenly cut off by Jecka suddenly beginning to sandwich her big tits between his cock. 

Jecka begins to move her body up and down, slowly sliding her tits along the length of Alex’s cock. She spat on the head of it in order to further continue the slick and slippery sensation.

“You like that, don’t you?” she asks, her eyes locked on his as she continues to pleasure Alex with her breasts.

“Yes…” Alex moaned as her tits were completely sandwiched between his cock.

Jecka grins at Alex’s response, clearly pleased with the effect she’s having on him. She increases the pace of her movements, her tits moving faster and harder against his cock.

Jecka continues to work Alex’s cock with her breasts, her eyes never leaving his face as she watches his expressions of pleasure. She can feel the heat building between her own legs, her body responding to the sight of Alex completely surrendering to her touch.

“God, you’re so hot like this,” she murmurs, her voice low and husky. “So submissive and desperate…”

Alex put his hand on the top of her head in response prompting Jecka to suck his dick while she continued her titfuck. Jecka takes the hint, a smirk playing on her lips as she sees his hand on her head. She knows exactly what he wants, and she’s more than happy to oblige.

Jecka continues to move her breasts up and down Alex’s cock, but she also leans forward and takes the tip of his dick into her mouth. Her tongue swirls around the head, teasing and tasting him as she sucks it gently.

Jecka hums around Alex’s cock, the vibrations sending waves of pleasure through his body. She takes him deeper into her mouth, her lips stretched around his girth as she continues to give her boyfriend a titfuck and a blowjob at the same time. Her hands grip his thighs tighter, her nails digging into his skin as she works harder to please him.

“Good fucking lord…” Alex muttered, not sure of how much more he could take of this.

Jecka chuckled around Alex’s cock, the sound muffled by her mouthful. She can tell that he was being completely overwhelmed by the sensations she was giving him, and it only makes her even more eager to make him come undone.

Jecka starts to move faster, her head bobbing up and down as she takes Alex deeper into her throat. Her tits continue to slide against his length, providing a delicious friction that makes Alex’s toes curl.

“Oh my fuck I’m going crazy!” Alex shouted, clearly on the brink.

Jecka pulls her mouth off of Alex’s cock with another wet pop sound, once again a string of saliva still connecting her lips to the tip. She looks up at Alex with a sly smile, her chest heaving as she catches her breath.

“That good, huh?” Jecka teases, her voice raspy from having Alex’s huge dick in her throat.

“I…uhhhbrhhhh” Alex muttered, his brain felt like mush from pleasure at this point.

Jecka smirked at Alex’s incoherent response, knowing she had reduced him to a mess of pleasure and desire. She took pity on him, deciding to take mercy and finally give him what he wanted.

Jecka took Alex back into her mouth for a final time, bobbing her head up and down at a quick pace. Her hands moved to his thighs, holding Alex steady as she prepared to bring him over the edge once and for all.

“Errruhhahhhhhh…!” Alex said, barely forming a sentence as he was in pure ecstasy.

Jecka hummed around Alex, the vibrations sending shockwaves of pleasure through his body. She could feel him trembling under her touch, his body tensing up as his orgasm approached. She knew he was close, so she took him as deep as she could, relaxing her throat and taking him all the way to the base. She sucked hard, her tongue swirling around his length as she coaxed him towards release.

“Immmm uhhhhherrr immm g-gonnnahhh… c-cuuuuuuuummm…” Alex desperately began to say as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Jecka moaned in encouragement, her eyes locked on to Alex’s as she continued to work him with her mouth. She could feel his cock twitching, a sure sign that he reached his limit. She held his gaze, silently urging Alex to let go and give in to the pleasure she was giving him.

“FUUUUUUUUUCKKKK!!!” Alex screamed as ropes of cum bursted out of his cock, his brain going numb from the mindblowing orgasm he was having.

Jecka’s eyes widened as Alex finally came, her mouth filling with his hot release. She swallowed it down, her throat working to take every drop as she continued to bob her head up and down, prolonging his orgasm for as long as possible.

“OHHHH MY GODDDDD!” Alex screamed as he was getting ready to cum again for the second time in a row as Jecka still wouldn’t let him go. 

Jecka moaned softly, her eyes rolling back in her head as she felt a second wave of Alex’s hot cum coating her tongue. Even after that she kept going until Alex was completely spent.

Jecka finally took Alex’s now limp cock out of her mouth with a satisfied smirk once he was completely drained. She licked her lips, catching any remaining traces of his release as she looked up at him with a smug expression.

“You okay? You look like you just saw heaven…” Jecka giggled at her boyfriend’s shocked expression to which Alex had no response.

Jecka chuckled, clearly amused by Alex’s speechless state. She crawled up the bed and straddled his lap, her hands resting on his chest as she looked down at him with a smirk.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’ then…” Jecka grinned.

“I think I…. I need a second… to recover…from that..” Alex huffed, trying his best to catch his breath.

Jecka giggled, a proud smile on her face as she ran her fingers through her boyfriend’s hair. “Take all the time you need. I don’t mind waiting…” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead, her lips lingering there for a moment before she pulled back.

“Fucking… Christ…” Alex heaved, his breathing slowly coming back to him.

Jecka laughed again, clearly enjoying the fact that she had left Alex speechless and in a state of bliss. She ran her hands over his chest, her touch light and gentle as she spoke.

“I did say that head was a third language if you were good at it, remember?” Jecka reminded Alex in a teasing tone.

“That’s an understatement…” Alex said, his breathing now returned to normal.

“I’m sure I could have done better if I tried…” Jecka hinted with a wink, confidently.

“If you can then I don’t think I’d be alive after.” Alex half joked causing the two of them to laugh.

Those laughs are short lived however when Alex leans in once again and crashes his lips onto Jecka’s. Jecka moans into the kiss, her hands gripping Alex’s hips as she returns it eagerly. She opens her mouth to him, allowing his tongue to slip inside and explore as she deepens the kiss.

“Mmmm…” Alex hummed.

Jecka wraps her arms around Alex’s neck, pulling him closer as the kiss grows more passionate. She grinds her hips against his own, her body seeking more contact as she continues to kiss him hungrily. The grinding of Jecka’s ass on Alex’s cock was enough to make him completely hard again and ready for the main event.

Alex then picks Jecka up unexpectedly. Jecka gasps in surprise, her arms instinctively wrapping around Alex’s neck to hold on. She looks at him with a mixture of shock and excitement, her heart racing in her chest as she realizes the sudden shift in power dynamics.

“Are you ready?” Alex asked Jecka.

Jecka stares into Alex’s beautiful blue eyes and nodded slowly, 100% positive of what he meant when he said that. In response, Alex playfully threw Jecka on the bed letting out a small gasp from her as her body bounced slightly from the impact. Alex then proceeded to spread Jecka’s legs wide open. Jecka was completely at Alex’s mercy, her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath as she waited for his next move.

Alex grabbed his hardened cock and began to slowly rub it on Jecka’s pussy which only made her softly moan as her body arched upward. Jecka could feel the heat and hardness of Alex’s cock against her sensitive flesh, and it sent shivers of pleasure down her spine.

“Please…” Jecka whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked up at Alex with pleading eyes.

“Please what..?” Alex teased.

Jecka whimpers again, her hips bucking upwards as she tries to get more friction against Alex’s cock.

“Please put it in…” she begged, her voice trembling with need.

Alex nodded as he plunged all 9 inches at once inside her pulling Jecka into a deep hug as he entered inside her completely. Jecka let out a sharp cry, her body arching up against his as she’s filled to the brim. She clings to Alex tightly, her nails digging into his back as she tries to adjust to the sudden intrusion.

“Oh god…” Jecka gasps, her voice trembling with a mixture of pain and pleasure.

Alex then began to move his hips, thrusting in and out of Jecka’s soaked pussy. Jecka’s body trembled with each thrust, her inner walls clenching tightly around Alex’s cock as he moved in and out of her. She lets out a series of moans and gasps, her head falling back against the pillows as she surrenders to the pleasure.

“F-Faster…” Jecka begs, her hips moving in time with Alex’s as she desperately tries to match his pace.

Alex did as Jecka requested and picked up the pace, thrusting himself inside her and out, feeling the warm entrance of flesh wrapping itself around his cock over and over again. Jecka’s moans become more frantic, her body writhing beneath Alex as he continues to thrust into her. Her nails dig deeper into his back, leaving red marks as she clings to her boyfriend for dear life.

“Oh god, yes… just like that…” she gasps, her eyes squeezed shut in pleasure as she feels herself getting closer and closer to the edge.

Alex then decided to try out something he saw in a video once. He took Jecka and put her into a mating press as he picked up the speed even more. Jecka cried out in response, her legs wrapping tightly around Alex’s waist as he pounded into her with renewed vigor.

“Please…don’t stop…I’m so close…” she whimpers, Jecka’s voice cracking with desperation which only makes Alex pound her more without stopping.

Jecka’s moans and gasps turn into incoherent cries of pleasure as Alex continues to pound into her without mercy. Her body is a quivering mess, completely at the mercy of his relentless pace. Her inner walls flutter and clench around his cock, signaling that she’s about to reach her peak.

In order to take Jecka completely over the edge Alex gave her one final deep kiss as he went balls deep inside her with one last huge thrust. Jecka’s eyes rolled back in her head as Alex kissed her deeply, the sensation combined with his final deep thrust sent her spiraling over the edge. She let out a scream of pleasure into his mouth, her body shuddering as she reached her climax.

Alex felt her orgasm all over his cock but that didn’t stop him from thusting, wanting to make her feel the same desperate mess that he was in over her mouth. Jecka’s body trembled uncontrollably in response. She was overwhelmed with pleasure, her mind going completely blank as she clung to her boyfriend desperately.

“Too much…” Jecka gasps, her voice barely audible as she struggles to form words.

Alex finally takes his cock out of Jecka, letting her catch her breath for a brief moment. Jecka took a deep, shuddering breath as Alex pulled out of her, her body twitching with aftershocks. She was completely spent, her legs still trembling from the intense orgasm. She looked up at Alex through half-lidded eyes, her face flushed and her hair a complete mess. And before Jecka could even say another word, Alex flipped her over without a word so she was on her knees with her perfectly shaped ass facing him.

Jecka let out a soft gasp as Alex turned her around and put her on her knees, her face pressed into the pillows as she’s presented to him in a vulnerable position and completely exposed. In response, Alex gave her ass a hard slap, leaving a red hand imprint on it.

Jecka yelped in surprise at the sudden slap, the impact sending a jolt of pleasure and pain through her body. She buried her face in the pillows, trying to muffle her moans as she felt the sting of Alex’s hand on her skin. 

Alex then once again for the final time, inserted his cock into Jecka’s pussy, this time from behind as he pounded it enjoying the sight of Jecka’s ass bouncing on his cock. Jecka moaned loudly into the pillows as the angle she was currently in allowed Alex to hit even deeper inside her. Her body rocked back and forth with each thrust, her ass bouncing against his hips as he pounded into her.

“Fuckkkkk…” Alex moaned as he stared at Jecka’s ass, absolutely hypnotized from the way it jiggled after every thrust as Jecka arches her back, pushing her hips back against him and giving him a better view of her bouncing cheeks.

“Jesus…” Alex muttered as Jecka took control of her bouncing even more. 

Jecka grins, loving the fact that she was able to make Alex so speechless. She continued to bounce her hips back against him, moving her body in a way that drove her boyfriend absolutely wild.

“You like that, don’t you?” Jecka teased, her voice still muffled by the pillows.

“Y-Yes...” Alex gasps as he tries his best to speed up his thrusts in order to match her bouncing.

Jecka moaned at the sudden pick up in speed, completely lost in the moment, her body moving on pure instinct. “D-Deeper…I want to feel you deeper…” she begged, her voice breathless and needy.

Alex thrusts deeper inside until he reaches her womb. Jecka gasps, the sensation sending waves of pleasure through her body. She clenches around him, her inner walls gripping him tightly as she tries to keep up with Alex’s rhythm.

“Y-Yes…right there…” she moans, Jecka’s words punctuated by gasps and moans.

It was at this moment that Alex’s balls began to swell. He tried to pinch his legs just so he could hold it in with every fiber of his being but watching Jecka’s ass bounce up and down was making it almost impossible.

Jecka had a feeling from how much Alex was squirming just now that she sensed that Alex was struggling to hold back. She looked back at her now quivering boyfriend over her shoulder, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Don’t hold back…I want you to cum inside me…” Jecka whispered, her voice low and sultry.

“B-But you’ll…” Alex tried to argue in between moans.

“It’s okay… it’s a safe day today… plus I have Plan B…” Jecka said firmly, still bouncing her hips against Alex’s “I need to feel you fill me up…please…” Jecka pleaded.

Alex seemed hesitant at first but then nodded as he began to pull Jecka’s blonde hair as if it was a leash in order to gain more speed. Jecka cried out in pleasure at her hair being grabbed, the pain mixing with the pleasure in a way that made her see stars. She arched her back even further, giving Alex better access to her body as he slid in and out of her with ease.

“Fu-fuckkkkk!” Alex gasped. 

Jecka’s body tenses as she feels Alex’s grip on her hair tighten, the added stimulation pushing her closer and closer to the edge once again.

“I’m…I’m so close…” she gasps, her voice trembling.

“M-Me too!” Alex shouted, feeling just on the brink of release. 

Jecka felt Alex’s body starting to tense up, signaling that he was close to reaching his limit just as she was. She clenched around him even tighter, desperate to push both Alex and herself over the edge.

“Please…cum inside me…” Jecka begged again, her voice almost a whimper now.

“I’M-I’M CUMMING!!!” Alex screamed once again as Jecka creamed all over his dick and he pumped her with ropes of cum inside her pussy. 

Jecka’s eyes widen as she feels herself getting completely filled. Her body convulses with her own orgasm, her pussy clenching tightly around Alex’s cock as she cries out his name.

Without a word Alex pulled out. Cum was leaking out of Jecka’s pussy like a fountain but all he could do was stare before falling on his back on the bed as he stared at the ceiling with wide eyes.

Jecka collapsed as well right next to Alex, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Her body was still trembling from her orgasm, and she looked over at Alex with a mixture of shock and amazement on her face.

“That… That was pretty fucking incredible…” Jecka heaved, staring at the ceiling as well.

“Y-Yeah… I would definitely say so…” Alex muttered, still in shock over the best sex of his life. 

“Ya know… my parents are going to be gone all weekend remember?” Jecka reminded Alex as she played with his hair.

“...I know what you’re thinking and I feel like I might die from this all weekend… but fuck it, we only live once.” Alex joked. 

“Also it would be a pretty fucking awesome death compared to the other horrific times I’ve died…” Alex thought to himself.

“Exactly. Why worry about dying when you can have awesome mind blowing sex.” Jecka laughed. 

Alex laughed as well as Jecka nuzzled her face into his neck. The two were feeling exhausted after all the physical intimacy they shared. Alex gave Jecka a quick kiss on her forehead as she buried her face into his broad chest, comfortable in the cuddling position they were in.

“...I love you.” Alex whispered to her.

“...I love you too.” Jecka whispered back as she lifted her head slowly up from Alex’s chest to land a quick peck on his lips before resting her head back on his chest again.

Alex smiled and reached for the covers of Jecka’s bed and enveloped their naked bodies in it. Alex and Jecka slowly closed their eyes with nothing but the sound of their in sync heartbeat to send them off to sleep. 

……

………….

…………………….

…And so another Prom night has ended with a possible future visit to the abortion clinic.

A/N: Hey guys I hope you all enjoyed this very long chapter. I wanted to let you all know that the next chapter will be the finale followed by an epilogue and then a final author’s note. Thank you all for sticking through this story for as long as you have and I’m excited to see you all read the ending! Stay tuned!

Chapter 41: Chapter 40 (Finale)

Graduation Day. A day where high school seniors take the next step in life into becoming adults. Today was that day. June 10th. But that wasn’t the only special part about today. Today was coincidentally enough, me and Nicole’s 18th birthday. 

I never imagined I would ever be given the chance to actually graduate and make it to my 18th birthday with all those resets in time. But since I was here, I couldn’t help but look forward to summer vacation and as well as attending college in the fall. 

Yep. That’s right. I’m going to college. Me and Jecka both somehow got accepted into NYU which was honestly insane to even think about. Sure, it wasn’t Ivy League but it’s still a pretty damn hard school to even get accepted into. But honestly, getting into any college with my girlfriend was amazing in itself. The fact that it just so happened to be NYU was just the cherry on top.

With our caps and gowns on, me and Nicole were sitting down in the middle of the graduation ceremony next to our girlfriends. Principal Lynn was in the middle of giving a speech to the class about the future and hope and some other tacky bullshit. After a while, it finally seemed like her speech was wrapping up.

“And once again, I can’t even begin to describe how proud I am of each and every one of you. Representing your class with a speech, your valedictorian.” Principal Lynn finishes, signaling Jeffrey to come on stage and make a speech.

Jeffrey walks up to the podium and stands in front of the microphone as he pulls out a piece of paper of his already prepared speech. Jeffrey looks around his fellow classmates and with a deep breath while pushing up his thick, circular, glasses, he begins to speak.

“Ahem! Thank you Principal Lynn and the rest of the faculty, declaring me the valedictorian for Class of ‘09. School work was always important to me during my tenure here.” Jeffrey began. 

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Hunter screamed somewhere in the crowd, causing almost everyone to burst out laughing. 

Jeffrey was somewhat caught off guard by Hunter’s sudden outburst which made him almost not want to continue his speech anymore. That’s when Jeffrey smirked and got an evil idea to suddenly put someone under the spotlight. 

“Anyway, perhaps another among us could put it better… Nicole?” Jeffrey asks as he stares at Nicole in the crowd. 

“That’s okay.” Nicole said dismissively, a little annoyed that Jeffrey just put her on the spot like that.

“Nicole, say a few words.” Ms. Lynn ordered as she grabbed the mic. 

Nicole grumbled and reluctantly got up from her chair and walked up the stage passing Jeffrey as Jeffrey sat back down in his own seat. I raised my eyebrow at Nicole, wondering what exactly my sister was going to say as somewhat of a “goodbye” to the school we had attended for our last two years of high school. Nicole walked up to the podium, grabbed the microphone, and with a deep breath, began to speak her mind. 

“First I’d like to thank our female authority figure Miss Lynn, along with her cleavage for symbolizing how the men at this school have treated me here… Like a sex object.” Nicole stated, causing the entire crowd to gasp. 

Can’t say I didn’t see THIS coming.

“What’re you doing!?” Ms. Lynn hissed at Nicole but Nicole ignored her and continued.

“In my 2 years here, a good 20% of the staff has either asked me on a date or made some other form of sexual advance. I told their supervisors and they told me to get my grades up.” Nicole finished, causing the entire crowd in an uproar. 

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Ms. Lynn glared at my sister.

“I sent my son and daughter here!?” I heard Mom shout out from among the crowd.

“What kinda school is this!? I’m calling the news!” I heard someone else shout from among the crowd. 

It was pandemonium. Ms. Lynn took the mic from Nicole quickly as Nicole came back to sit down, hoping she could possibly still save face.

“Good fucking shit Nicole.” I grinned at my sister as I held my fist up.

“Someone had to fucking say it.” Nicole grinned back and bumped my fist with her own. 

“A-Anyways! Will the following students please come up to receive your diploma!?” Ms. Lynn stammered, frantic to get the ceremony over and done with.

Ms. Lynn then read off a list of every student’s names but there were only a couple that I only really recognized.

 

“KYLE ADAMS!”

“KELLY ANDERSON!”

KAREN BAILEY!”

“BRAXTON BARNS!”

“TRODY BARNS!”

“CRISPIN GATES!”

“KYLAR HAWKS!”

“EMILY JAY!” 

“MEGAN PETERS!”

“HUNTER SAMPSON!”

“JEFFREY STEVENS!”

“ARI WILSON!”

“JESSICA WINTERS!”

“ALEX YU!”

“NICOLE YU!”

 

One by one, we each collected our diplomas and sat back down to our seats. After every name of our graduating class was called, Ms. Lynn went along to finish the ceremony, despite different police officers and different news stations beginning to arrive.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I PRESENT TO YOU THE CLASS OF ‘09!” Ms. Lynn shouted before quickly getting off the stage to deal with the news media. 

All of us shouted and threw our graduation caps in the air. I was smiling ear to ear as I looked over to Nicole who seemed just as happy but I’m almost positive it was more because she got to send one last “fuck you” to this school than it was for graduating.

Welp. That’s that. Me and Nicole are officially high school graduates…

…….

……………

……………………..

After the ceremony was over, me, Nicole, Jecka, and Ari changed out of our robes and gowns and got into our more casual attire. Me and Nicole told our girlfriends that we would be right back because we each had a lost textbook check to drop off at the principal’s office. 

I didn’t even technically lose my own textbook though. It was the Mein Kampf book I let Nicole borrow for her plan to get Ms. Ames fired and she ended up losing it. Regardless though, I still had an obligation to bring that check in so me and Nicole headed to Principal Lynn’s office and once we entered, we saw that for some reason she was packing all of her things that were in her office into cardboard boxes.

“Oh oops. We were just dropping off our lost textbook checks… Awkward…” Nicole rubbed the back of her neck, considering what she said up on the podium earlier.

“I was on my way out, just packing.” Ms. Lynn shrugged as she continued to put many of her desk items inside one of the boxes.

“They make you clear the whole room at the end of every year?” I asked her, confused. 

“Uh no, they make you clear the whole room out after you’re fired.” Ms. Lynn explained, calmly. 

Yikes…

“Whoops.” Nicole said out loud.

“Your apathy won’t work on me, Nicole.” Ms. Lynn said, still calm.

“You’re not mad?” I asked in surprise.

“No actually, it’s been a long time coming. Surprised it didn’t happen sooner to be honest.” Ms. Lynn shrugged.

“So you knew ignoring it would come back to bite you?” Nicole raised an eyebrow, just as surprised as I was.

“When you’ve fooled around with half your staff they don’t take you very seriously. I know I might seem old to you but we’re actually not too different.” Ms. Lynn stated, staring at Nicole. 

“Using our looks to fuck around with people?” Nicole asked.

“That’s right, been doing it since I was your age. Though you really one upped me. Never letting your emotions trick you into thinking you owed them anything. Rare for a girl your age.” Ms. Lynn admitted.

“How long for you to figure that out?” I asked our ex principal.

“I still haven’t, in 39 years. 39 years old and I didn’t report teachers for asking students out because I didn’t wanna look stuck up. Sometimes all it takes is one night with someone to feel the need to be loyal.” Ms. Lynn sighed. 

“Ew! You fucked the counselor!?” Nicole cringed in disgusted realization. 

“Ugh, among others.” Ms. Lynn scoffed.

“Well… I guess it only makes sense that men impulsive enough to fuck their boss would also try to fuck kids. I thought you hosted the feminism club?” Nicole asked. 

“Politics are fashion. We picket for a sense of belonging, not change.” Ms. Lynn explained, as she gathered all of her boxes.

“Most of us anyway.” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“Maybe one day you’ll start your own movement.” Ms. Lynn said to Nicole as her final words before leaving her office with boxes in hands. 

“...I already have.” Nicole muttered.

“Nicoleism right?” I asked my sister with a smirk.

“Ya know it.” Nicole smirked back.

……

……………..

…………………………..

After we left Ms. Lynn’s office, we walked back to meet up with Jecka and Ari. And sure enough there they were, standing in the middle of one of the hallways as they were waiting for us to get back from the principal’s office. 

“Oh there you guys are.” Ari greeted us.

“Yeah, sorry it took so long. We kinda got held up with something.” Nicole explained.

“Well you guys ready to get going? We’re going back to your place for the graduation/birthday party, right?” Jecka asked the two of us. 

“Yeah, I’d say we’re about ready.” I nodded. 

“Who else is coming to this party again?” Ari asked.

“Well besides the four of us, it should be Hunter, Karen, Emily, and Kelly.” I answered.

“Why the fuck did you guys invite Kelly?” Jecka asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well to be perfectly honest, I kinda felt bad for her since she basically trauma dumped all over me a couple of months ago… Plus she said if we invited her then she would pay for the whole thing. Including the food.” I explained. 

“Damn it! She found out our only weakness… Free food…” Jecka winced, no longer objecting to inviting Kelly. 

“Gotta take free shit when you can get it.” Nicole shrugged.

“What’s the big idea, huh!?” a new voice shouted out, causing the four of us to turn around to see Jeffrey approaching us as he seemed pissed as hell. 

“I don’t know, I only have little ideas.” Jecka quipped. 

“Yeah and I got medium ideas.” I added on as me and Jecka looked at each other and laughed a little. 

“You ruined the whole graduation ceremony, I was valedictorian and everything! What did anybody do to you anyway? Everybody’s always nice to you and calls you pretty and all you wanna do is hurt them!” Jeffrey shouted as he pointed at Nicole with his finger in an accusing like manner. 

“Well shoot if they call me pretty…” Nicole muttered with a small smirk. 

“And more than that! They give you things, always help you, and then I just see you screw them over! All I see is you being mean for the sake of being mean, like it’s a game to you!” Jeffrey screamed, clearly not caring anymore since he figured he had nothing to lose since we were all graduated. 

“...You want me to tell you what you don’t see?” Nicole asked darkly, starting to sound pissed off. 

“I’ve seen enough.” Jeffrey glared.

“Have you ever seen a man three times your age ask you to fuck him?” Nicole asked, crossing her arms. 

“Wha-- Be serious!” Jeffrey shouted, angrily stomping his foot. 

“Sorry, how about 60 texts in one night all threatening you if you don’t go out with the pizza delivery man who sent them?” Nicole took a step forward to Jeffrey, now giving him a harsh glare in return. 

“How would you let some crazy guy get your number like that in the first place?” Jeffrey huffed, crossing his arms in frustration.

“I ordered pizza with my cell phone. I know your pasty white ass wouldn’t get what being in demand is like, but it’s a tough job, Jeffrey.” Nicole shrugged.

“And you don’t even get paid.” Jecka added.

“But if you do, you're a whore. Are you getting it, Jeffrey?” Nicole asked him.

“So people like you, boohoo.” Jeffrey mocked Nicole.

“They don’t just like us, they’re obsessed with us. Obsession leads to a lot of crazy shit and you give the wrong bitch enough crazy shit in her life, she just might snap on everybody.” Nicole spat. 

“Sounds like a good problem to have. I’d rather be surrounded by craziness instead of still being lonely. You don’t know what that feels like, you don’t know what life is like wanting a partner and being ignored by everyone. You’re spoiled by social attention and you don’t even know it.” Jeffrey accused. 

“Is this your manifesto?” Ari asked. 

“My what?” Jeffrey asked, confused.

“At least wait ‘till we get to college before you kill us, okay?” Nicole rolled her eyes.

“I never said I’d do that… What college you guys going to anyway?” Jeffrey asked us.

“What college ARE we going to?” Jecka asked us, playing dumb to fuck with Jeffrey.

“Could be Maryland.” Nicole shrugged with a smile.

“Or Florida.” Ari chuckled. 

“Maybe Cal State.” I grinned. 

“You’re gonna have to shoot up every school in the country at this rate.” Jecka smirked, trying to hold back a laugh.

“Ugh, every time I try having a regular conversation you just make it a joke about me. Like I said, socially spoiled.” Jeffrey glared.

“Little bit.” Jecka muttered to herself with a chuckle.

“Can someone be spoiled by not having a daily fight or flight moment?” Nicole pondered to herself.

“Wha-- Like I should be you for a day?” Jeffrey asked in confusion.

“You’re way too ugly to be her for a day.” Jecka pointed out.

“Well… she gets too much attention to know how much it hurts to be me for a day.” Jeffrey looked down on the floor.

“I guess we’ll never know.” Nicole said as she began to walk away from Jeffrey as the rest of us followed her out of the school to head back to our house for the party.

You’ll never understand Jeffrey. Never understand how much pain we have gone through to get to where we are today…

…….

………………..

……………………………..

It’s been a couple hours since we graduated and the four of us, along with everyone we invited, were busy partying back at our house. Everyone was having a really good time. It eventually came time for me and Nicole to open the presents that everyone had gotten us.

First were Hunter’s presents. Hunter got me the Resident Evil 5 for my PS3. I’ve enjoyed the other Resident Evil games so I’m sure this one won’t suck ass! As for Nicole, she just got a $25 dollar gift card to McDonalds since Hunter didn’t really know Nicole that well. 

Next were Karen’s. Karen got me DVDs for the first five Harry Potter movies in an attempt for me to have some movie night dates with Jecka which honestly sounded pretty awesome. And Karen got Nicole the first season of MythBusters on DVD.

Next up was Kelly and she got Nicole a strap on and I had to hold Nicole back from beating the shit out of Kelly with it. Then I opened her gift to me and it was a polaroid photograph of her naked and I then had to hold Jecka back from beating the shit out of Kelly with the strap on that she stole from Nicole. (Don’t ask why she took it from her).

Then we opened Emily’s presents and she got both me and Nicole something that we will cherish for as long as we can. She got us something that was very dear to our hearts and would lead us on a path to future happy memories. She got us… Drugs.

Next were Ari’s presents. Ari got me a $20 dollar gift card to GameStop which I was fine with and Ari got Nicole, sweetly enough, a brand new guitar and I honestly never saw Nicole more excited in my life. 

Then it was time for Jecka’s presents. Jecka got Nicole a t-shirt that just had Kurt Kobain’s entire suicide note printed on it which Nicole found to be pretty awesome. Then Jecka surprised me with MSI concert tickets. They are apparently coming to town in August and it looked like Jecka really splurged on them because these were some insanely good seats judging from the tickets. Jecka really is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. 

Gabe came up to the party and just gave us each $20 before heading back down to his basement (personally I was surprised he gave us anything at all) and then it was finally Mom’s turn to give us her present. She told us to go outside and what we saw when we did, made our jaws drop. It was a 2007 Lexus. Mom said it was ours to share. Well at least until Nicole got her license so for now it was just mine to use. Then Mom finally told me and Nicole about the $200,000 life insurance money that we got from Dad’s death. I had to pretend I was just as shocked as Nicole was when my Mom told us about it. 

“...We have… that much money in our bank account…?” Nicole asked with wide eyes.

“...Yes sweeties. It’s all yours. I know it’s a lot of money and since you two are both adults now, I know I can’t stop you from doing what you want with it but can I just ask that…. That you won’t move out from home just yet? I… I really don’t want to see you kids go…” Mom looked down, twiddling with her thumbs. 

Nicole and I looked at each other. I don’t know about Nicole but I was going to take advantage of the fact that I get to live somewhere for free so I was in no real hurry to move anywhere except College in the Fall. But Nicole and Mom haven’t gotten along in recent years so for all I know, Nicole could be out of here by tomorrow, taking Ari to LA with her or some shit. 

“Well… I’m not exactly looking to turn down free housing just yet…” I answered Mom, rubbing the back of my neck.

“And… you Nicole?” Mom asked her, starting to look a little nervous.

“...I’ll think about it.” Nicole answered, looking off to the side.

That answer seemed to have satisfied Mom for the time being since she immediately changed the topic to having cake. We all got together and had the delicious chocolate cake that Mom got from the local bakery. After cake, it seemed that Nicole, Ari, and Emily were setting something up. And to my surprise, Ari was setting up a set of drums in the living room and Emily had a bass in her hands. I walked over to the three of them with a curious glance.

“So… what’s happening here?” I ask my sister. 

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. So remember when me and Ari went to that Marilyn Manson concert and Emily was there being kind of a bitch?” Nicole asked me.

“Yeah I remember you telling me about that. What about it?” I asked Nicole.

“Well that’s not all that happened. So basically it was the end of the concert and…”

 

FLASHBACK (ONE MONTH AGO)

 

“Nicole… I don’t think I can drive us back…” Ari whined in the concert parking lot as she was still fucked up on the mix of cough medicine and Benadryl. 

“Fuck it… I guess we’re walking.” said Nicole, just as fucked up as her girlfriend. 

“Oh, there you guys are.” a voice called out, making the couple turn around to see the school’s resident scene girl. 

“For fucks sake Emily, we are NOT posers…” Nicole grumbled, clearly not in the mood to take any more of Emily’s shit tonight. 

“Nah, I’m over that. I just had a really crazy thought though.” Emily said. 

“...Okay?” Nicole said, confused, unsure what Emily was talking about.

“You guys ever thought about being in a band?” Emily asked, twirling her blonde hair.

“A band?” Ari asked.

“Yeah, like a “band” band.” Emily confirmed.

“I mean… not really.” Nicole shrugged.

“I heard from your brother you played guitar.” Emily told Nicole.

“When the hell did he tell you that?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“We got high together one time.” Emily shrugged. 

“Well… so what if I do?” Nicole asked, crossing her arms.

“Well I actually play the bass, so what if we started a girls band here in town? I bet we would be fucking sick.” Emily suggested. 

“Huh…” Nicole began to put some thought into what Emily was suggesting.

“What about you Ari? Do you play an instrument?” Emily asked the redhead.

“Huh? Oh well… I used to play the drums but it’s been a while…” Ari answered, rubbing her arm.

“You do?” Nicole asked Ari in surprise.

“Yeah, I guess I never mentioned it.” Ari shrugged.

“Well what do you say?” Emily asked the two.

“...We’re kinda fucked up right now so we’ll give you a loose maybe for now.” Nicole admitted.

“Good enough for me.” Emily shrugged.

“By the way… you wouldn’t happen to be able to give us a ride home?” Ari asked.

“Nah, this guy I’m fucking is taking me back to his place. Have a fun walk though!” Emily waved goodbye before getting into a very sketchy looking van.

“...Goddammit.” Nicole grumbled.

 

END OF FLASHBACK

 

After Nicole had explained how the three of them formed a band, they finished getting set up and ready to play. Everyone was watching them in anticipation for them to start. Finally after what seemed like a few minutes, Nicole took a deep breath and began to shout.

“ALRIGHT DIPSHITS! WE ARE SEX-TRIP!” Nicole screamed before they began to play a cover of “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne with Nicole on vocals.

 

He was a boy.

She was a girl.

Can I make it any more obvious?

He was a punk.

She did ballet.

What more can I say?

He wanted her.

She'd never tell.

Secretly she wanted him as well.

But all of her friends

Stuck up their nose.

They had a problem with his baggy clothes.

He was a skater boy.

She said, "See you later, boy"

He wasn't good enough for her.

She had a pretty face.

But her head was up in space.

She needed to come back down to earth.

Five years from now.

She sits at home.

Feeding the baby, she's all alone.

She turns on TV.

Guess who she sees.

Skater boy rockin' up MTV.

She calls up her friends.

They already know.

And they've all got tickets to see his show.

She tags along.

And stands in the crowd.

Looks up at the man that she turned down.

He was a skater boy.

She said, "See you later, boy"

He wasn't good enough for her.

Now he's a super star.

Slammin' on his guitar.

Does your pretty face see what he's worth?

He was a skater boy.

She said, "See you later, boy"

He wasn't good enough for her.

Now he's a super star.

Slammin' on his guitar.

Does your pretty face see what he's worth?

Sorry, girl, but you missed out.

Well, tough, luck that boy's mine now.

We are more than just good friends.

This is how the story ends.

Too bad that you couldn't see.

See the man that boy could be.

There is more that meets the eye.

I see the soul that is inside.

He's just a boy.

And I'm just a girl.

Can I make it any more obvious?

We are in love.

Haven't you heard?

How we rock each other's world.

I'm with the skater boy.

I said, "See you later, boy"

I'll be back stage after the show.

I'll be at a studio.

Singing the song we wrote.

About a girl you used to know.

I'm with the skater boy.

I said, "See you later, boy"

I'll be back stage after the show.

I'll be at a studio.

Singing the song we wrote.

About a girl you used to know.

 

DAMN! I honestly completely forgot how good of a singer Nicole is… I guess it has been a long time since I’ve seen her practice with Dad…

After they finished playing, everyone clapped and cheered. I think most were shocked that Nicole could sing in the first place so it was pretty funny seeing Jecka’s jaw drop to the floor when at the sound of Nicole’s vocals. 

“Sounds like you still got it sis.” I grinned at Nicole.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Nicole blushed a bit in embarrassment over the praise I gave her. “Thanks…” Nicole muttered, not looking me in the eye.

After “Sex-Trip” put all their instruments away, everyone went back to partying like before. After about an hour, I began to do some thinking as I stood in the living room. I was taking in everyone’s actions and looking around to all the friends I’ve made in the last two years and smiled. 

I didn’t know when I’ll see most of these people here again so I figured I would have a good conversation with each person whom I have met since moving to Virginia. I started my walk by going up to Hunter and Karen who were in the middle of a conversation. 

“Hey guys.” I smiled, as I walked over to the two of them.

“Oh, hey Alex!” Karen smiled.

“Sup man.” Hunter greeted.

“Thanks for coming and thanks for the awesome gifts.” I told the two.

“Yeah, of course dude. It’s the least we could do.” Hunter said.

“Yeah, if it wasn’t for you then me and Hunter would never have found out about this connection between us.” Karen grinned.

“Yeah and then I would probably still be miserable with that bitch Megan.” Hunter admitted.

“You don’t have to thank me for that. But I appreciate it regardless. I’m still rooting for you two!” I told them as I began to walk away from them and then turned to face Kelly who was once again giving me a flirtatious look.

“Hey Alex~” Kelly winked.

“Ya know… I would have thought you’d give up once me and Jecka started dating.” I admitted with a sigh, but still kept a smile on my face.

“Yeah well I’m pretty persistent. Besides…” Kelly then began to whisper in my ear.

“...Who’s to say the three of us can’t have fun together?”

I began to blush a bit at that thought. Now I should probably deny the very thought of accepting that offer. But…

“I’ll uh… ask Jecka about that… no promises though.” I say as I scratch my cheek with my finger, looking off to the side, trying not to think about the very hot scenario of both Jecka and Kelly naked with me in bed together. 

“I’ll take it for now.” Kelly accepted with a satisfied smirk. 

Well it IS my birthday… NO ALEX! NO! BAD!

“By the way, I’m getting along more with my parents again.” Kelly told me with a genuine smile, thankfully changing the conversation topic to something less raunchy. 

“Hey, that’s awesome Kelly!” I smiled, happy her relationship with her parents has improved since December. 

“In a way… you helped me with that… thank you Alex.” Kelly thanked me this time with a genuine look of appreciation and not a flirtatious one. 

“Of course Kelly.” I smile. 

“But don’t forget my offer!” Kelly said, back giving me her usual flirtatious wink. 

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see…” I roll my eyes playfully as I walk away from her.

Ya know… I never DID find out what the deal is with her parents and how they know about me… Ah well. I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. I thought to myself as I walked around some more and eventually walked up to Emily who was in the middle of stuffing her face with potato chips. 

“Oh, sup Alex.” Emily says, now noticing my presence.

“Hey Emily. So Nicole told me it was you who came up with the idea for a band?” I asked the scene girl.

“Sure was and it was genius! Did you hear how fucking awesome we sounded?” Emily grinned. 

“Yeah, you guys sounded great!” I complimented.

“Yeah I already know that. Just wanted to fish for compliments.” Emily laughed.

“Of course.” I playfully roll my eyes. 

“But yeah that was like our first time playing in front of other people. Our next step is getting our name out there and hopefully get some gigs.” Emily shrugged.

“Well you guys were pretty sweet so I wouldn’t worry. Also your band has a sick name.” I smiled. 

“Yeah, I came up with that too. Honestly, if all that crack I once smoked didn’t fuck up my vocal cords then I would be the lead singer.” Emily huffed, crossing her arms.

…I’m just not gonna touch that one. 

“Well, you still rock on the bass. That’s still something.” I shrugged, putting my hands in my pockets.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Emily shrugged and went back to stuffing her face.

I smiled and was going to walk somewhere else until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Ari.

“Oh, hey Ari.” I smiled, greeting my sister’s girlfriend.

“Hey Alex. I just wanted to let you know that Nicole is looking for you.” Ari told me with a smile. 

“She is? Where is she?” I raised an eyebrow as I looked around to see if I could spot Nicole anywhere.

“She’s actually on the roof of the house. She told me that from her bedroom window, you can climb up to a pretty cool spot and sit around on the roof.” Ari informed me.

Huh. I had no idea about that.

“Really? Thanks. I’ll go talk to her now.” I say as I begin to walk over to the stairs but then stop myself and turn around to face Ari again.

“Yeah?” Ari asks me, confused on why I turned back around.

“I just wanted to say thank you Ari. For being so good to Nicole.” I smile in appreciation. 

“Honestly… after what happened in December… I never would have imagined that me and her would be able to connect again but… I’m glad I decided to give her another chance.” Ari admitted with a happy blush.

“I’m glad too. Nicole has had… a rough couple of years… to say the least. Me too of course but… it was especially bad for her. So I just appreciate everything you’ve done Ari.” I smiled. 

“You sure you’re not just disappointed that I ended up going for your sister after I rejected you?” Ari teases me with a cheeky grin.

“That was like the first month of junior year, relax.” I playfully roll my eyes with a laugh. 

“Yeah, I know. Besides, I’m happy to see how well things are working out between you and Jecka.” Ari laughs.

“Yeah, me too. Well, I should go find Nicole now. I’ll catch ya later Ari.” I told her as I began to make my way to the staircase.

“See ya Alex!” I heard Ari say to me from behind as I began to walk upstairs but was stopped mid step by another tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see who it was this time and once I saw who it was I smiled. 

“Hey Jeck.” I greeted my girlfriend.

“There ya are Alex. Where you going?” Jecka asks me. 

“Oh, apparently Nicole wants to talk to me in private about something. So I’m heading upstairs.” I told her. 

“Ohhh okay. Well hurry back babe.” Jecka tells me and before I turn around again, Jecka’s face turns red. “Hey Alex…?”

“Yeah?” I asked.

“I’m glad you’re in my life.” Jecka smiles at me.

“And I’m glad you’re in mine.” I tell Jecka with a smile as well as I walk up to her and plant a quick kiss on her lips. “I love you.” I tell Jecka as I stare in her beautiful amber eyes. 

“I love you too.” Jecka says as she stares back into mine with a smile but that smile then turns to a sly grin. Oh! One more thing.” Jecka then whispers something in my ear that makes my face red. 

“Those tickets were only the first half of your present. You’ll get the second half once everyone goes home.” Jecka kisses me on the cheek and then walks away from me, making sure to sway her hips as she goes back to rejoin the party.

…I guess I can bring up Kelly’s offer on a different night.

I made my way upstairs and then entered Nicole’s bedroom and sure enough her bedroom window was wide open. But before I could even approach the window, a familiar sensation filled the room. Once I had taken a look around it became apparent what was happening and I smiled. Time was frozen.

“...Hey Chrona.” I greeted the goddess, knowing she was right behind me.

“Hey Alex.” Chrona greeted me with a smile as I turned around to face her. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Five months to be accurate.” I said, putting my hands in my pockets. 

“Maybe for you. But for me it’s only been a few minutes. One of the perks when you’re the goddess of time.” Chrona winked at me and I chuckled. 

“Can I assume for once you’re here to give me good news?” I say with a nervous grin. 

“Indeed. I wanted to congratulate you. There are no more inconsistencies within the time space continuum and it’s all thanks to you Alex. No more resets will ever happen, no matter what happens from this point forward.” Chrona told me with a grin. 

“That’s great! Chrona… I just gotta say thank you. None of this would ever have happened if it wasn’t for you. I don’t know what you consider me as but I think of you as an indispensable friend. So… thank you.” I said, fully with happiness and appreciativeness. 

“I think of you as a friend too Alex. Which is why it’s gonna be awkward for me to tell you that-”

“That wish you promised me at the beginning of all this was a lie right?” I smiled, knowingly. 

“Y-You knew?” Chrona asked me in surprise. 

“I’ve had a feeling ever since I visited your time space or whatever it’s called for the second time. And if I’m not mistaken… you went against orders didn’t you Chrona? You were ordered to take out Nicole immediately. But you went behind your “supervisors” backs and gave me the choice to save her, am I right?” I hypothesized and Chrona looked down for a minute before speaking.

“...Yes.” Chrona admitted.

“Are you… gonna be okay? With your bosses I mean?” I asked in worry.

“Psshh! Don’t go worrying about that! You can’t get rid of a goddess of literal freakin time! Honestly Alex, if I really thought I was going for good I would at least offer to give you the “time” of your life! See what I did there?” Chrona flirtatiously winked at me while exposing a bit of cleavage in her dress.

“Yeah, I think I would’ve passed.” I bluntly turned her down. 

“Figures. It’s cause you got that cute girlfriend of yours to milk your dick for ya eh? I was watching ya plow the ever living fuck outta her during your prom night or whatever you humans call it. Impressive piece by the way. Guess you didn’t need that dick size wish after all, eh Alex?” Chrona stuck her tongue out at me while she elbowed me in the side.

“...You know, maybe I won’t miss you after all.” I deadpanned.

“NOOOOOOO I was joking!!! Swearsies!!!” Chrona said as she got on her knees with dramatic tears on her face. 

“Whatever.” I playfully roll my eyes. “So… is this the last time we’ll see each other?” I ask the goddess, my voice getting a little serious.

The playful expression on Chrona’s face earlier switched over to a more serious one. 

“Afraid so. But hey! We had a good run huh? Actually… hold on a second.” Chrona said as she fished through her pockets and pulled something out of it.

“I know I lied about granting you that wish but I hope this will at least make up for it…” Chrona says as she puts something in my hand and I begin to stare at it with a curious glance. 

“A… stopwatch?” I asked in confusion. Sure enough there was an old vintage stopwatch in my hand that looked like it came from the early 1900s.

“It’s called the “Rewinder”. It has a one use ability that will allow you to reset time for only 24 hours. So I would hold on to that and save it for emergencies. You never know…” Chrona looked at me with a saddened expression, almost as if it seemed like she was going to miss me. 

I looked at the gift in my hand and smiled. “Thank you Chrona.” I told her.

“Eh, don’t mention it. Well… I guess this is it… Goodbye Al-” Chrona was cut off by me giving her a hug.

“Thank you Chrona. Again. For everything. …Goodbye.” I say to her with a smile as I squeeze her tight with closed eyes. 

Chrona looks surprised by this action but accepts the hug regardless. “You’re welcome Alex Yu. Goodbye…” Chrona whispered and just like that she was gone and time once again unfroze which meant it would be pretty embarrassing for anyone to see the current state of me as a few tears managed to escape through my eyes.

I quickly dried up the wet tears and then climbed outside from Nicole’s window and climbed onto the roof of our house and sure enough Nicole was sitting there, hugging her legs as she stared up at the clear night sky. 

“Hey.” I said to Nicole to get her attention to which she looked over to me.

“Hey.” Nicole replies back as she motions me over to come sit next to her.

“Ari told me you wanted to talk?” I asked Nicole as I sat down next to her.

“Yeah. I was just thinking about… stuff I guess.” Nicole shrugged as she stared at the sky.

“Stuff?” I repeated with a raised eyebrow. 

“Stuff like… what I’m gonna do now that I’m 18 and graduated.” Nicole sighed.

“...I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Maybe that band you started with Ari and Emily will take off?” I suggested.

“Maybe… So I guess I won’t see you or Jecka for a while starting in the Fall.” Nicole summarized. 

“Doesn’t mean we’ll never see each other. Besides, you'll still have Ari in town! That is if… you plan on staying in town I mean.” I say, remembering the money that me and Nicole now both have. 

“I plan on staying home. Not having to pay where you live is pretty sweet despite having all that money. So I’m staying… at least for the Summer. After that, maybe I’ll move in with Ari somewhere or crash at her dorm of whatever college she ends up going to. Or maybe get an apartment with both Ari and Emily if the band ends up working out, I don’t know it’s just a lot of shit I’m fucking overthinking about.” Nicole admitted, in all honesty. 

I listened in at Nicole’s rant. It felt nice for her to tell me about her problems again. It meant she trusted me and I was grateful for that.

“Well… whatever happens, just know that I’ll support you, you know that right?” I asked Nicole. 

“...Promise?” Nicole asked me, as she turned away from me out of embarrassment. I was confused at first of course. But then I remembered something from our childhood eight years ago. 

“...I pinky promise.” I smile as I extend my pinky finger out to Nicole. 

Nicole, still looking away with a beet red face of embarrassment, extends her own pinky and intertwines it with mine. And once again a shooting star fell in the exchange of that promise. 

“...You ever tell people we just did that and I will slit your fucking throat in your sleep. I’m not kidding.” Nicole harshly glared at me. 

I give a nervous chuckle but nod. “Got it. You ready to head back in?” I ask my sister.

“In a bit… let’s just… stay out here for a couple more minutes alright?” Nicole asks me with a genuine smile on her face and I smile at her back.

“...Sure thing dipshit.” 

Nicole will always be part of my life. Whether for good times or the bad times, she will be. And I couldn’t be happier about that fact. Because no matter how we are to each other she will always be my sibling. She will always be my sister. She will always be my twin. She will always be my best friend. And she will always be…

…….

……………

…………………………

…My other half.

Chapter 42: Epilogue

In an unknown location, a large group of people were holding a meeting of great importance. The following that you will be shown will be what was said during that meeting…

 

“I understand you know what we must do now?”

“It’s clear that Alex Yu can no longer be ignored. We must take action!”

“Woah! Slow your roll there dude! I think we might be jumping the gun, all things considered…”

“But we all know why Nicole Yu was able to disrupt the space time continuum in the first place. And why Alex Yu was the only one who would be able to “save” her.” 

“No wonder Chrona decided to meddle and let the kid handle it instead of following her orders.”

“What will become of Chrona anyway?”

“We just received word. She was just now apprehended and incarcerated. She now stands trial which will be held in a month.”

“And her punishment?”

“Most likely will constitute grounds for execution but you never know. The Celestials never make things easy. It’s why we have an agreement with them in the first place.”

“Any chance the Celestials will take action against us then?”

“Not necessarily. After all, we didn't go against the Astral Accords. Only Chrona did. If anything, we did everything we could to minimize the damage by storing the tears of space time in the Yu kid’s body.”

“It could have killed him…”

“Well it didn’t! Crisis averted and all that…”

“Nicole Yu isn’t nearly as much of an issue right now compared to Alex. After all, he now has had contact with the supernatural. And we’ve already seen what’s beginning to awaken within him…” 

“Any suggestions?”

“I got one.”

“Yes…?”

“...I believe we should hold off on Project Gemini.” 

“What!?”

“Are you fucking insane!?”

“After all the work we’ve put in!?”

“Now hold on. I didn’t say anything about shutting it down. I’m merely suggesting we put a pin in it for now. Ya get me?”

“In that case… you can’t possibly be suggesting…?”

“Oh but I am.”

“...George? Your thoughts?”

“I’ve met the kid. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. I think we can give him the benefit of the doubt. Isn’t that right honey?”

“Absolutely! He seems like a stand up young man!”

“...And you’re not just being biased considering he is a friend of your daughter?”

“Nope!”

“Not at all!”

“It’s clear you are… ugh whatever, fine. I’ll allow it.”

“Well then it’s settled. So… who wants to take the kid?”

“Let Leon do it.”

“...Why me?”

“I think we all know why it should be you.”

“...Fine.”

“Then we are all in agreement then. It is now official…”

“From this moment forward, Alex Yu will now be under full responsibility of the O.D.D.”

……………………………

 

THIS STORY IS NOT OVER

 

ALEX YU WILL RETURN IN

 

THE OTHER SIDE OF AN ANOMALY 

Chapter 43: Author's Note

So… surprise! If it wasn’t obvious from the epilogue then I can officially say that…

 

WE’RE DOING A SEQUEL!

 

Yes I am very excited to share with you the next part in Alex’s story but I’m afraid that you will be having to wait a while. I gotta be honest with y'all. I am BURNT OUT. Updates once every two days or so killed me but it was also very rewarding because of all the kind messages I would get from you guys every time I uploaded a new chapter. I have no regrets! 

I also want to take this opportunity to give some shoutouts. First, a shoutout to Shad0w222006 over on Wattpad for his Class of 09 fanfic “Outsider” being the biggest inspiration for this fanfic. I definitely recommend checking out his story if you haven’t! Another shoutout is to xmark12 on AO3 for his Class of 09 fanfic “This Is One Messed Up Isekai” as he was also a big inspiration for this story! I even named the older brother Gabe as a sort of nod to his story. Check out that one too if you haven’t!

But anyway, moving on, don’t expect the sequel to come out anytime soon. If I had to give you an estimate then I would say it might begin sometime in the middle of the Summer at the EARLIEST! No promises though. Updates in the sequel might also not be as frequent as they were for this fanfic. I can’t promise you anything this early in the game. 

But there IS something I can share with you! A Q&A! That’s right! You guys can ask me about anything (as long as it isn’t stupid)! The story, Alex himself, Alex’s relationship with the characters, maybe me specifically you wanna know more about, or even future plans for the sequel as long as they don’t reach super spoiler territory! Anything goes!

I am also announcing a fanart contest! If you are a talented artist or just an artist in general, submit your fanart of Alex to me for a chance to win a free month of Discord Nitro! Bonus points if you draw Alex with a Co09 character (example: Nicole). And major bonus points if it's an Alex x Jecka ship drawing!

You can submit your drawings to me via discord by dming me! My discord username is the same as my name here: mistermarch

You have two weeks from today to submit your questions and submit your fanart to me! (and hey if you end up becoming the only person who submits me fanart then you will win by default and win an easy discord nitro prize)

 

And with that, I bid you all a farewell!

 

See ya soon!

Chapter 44: Q&A

Hey everyone! Bet you’re surprised for another update but I did say I would eventually do a Q&A! I did mention a fanart contest too but no one wanted to give me free fanart I guess. Ya got me! *slaps knee* Anyways I did get lots of questions and I am very excited to answer each and every one. So let us begin!

 

Q (flesym_llik_annog_mI): Will we get more Hunter x Karen content? You’re like the only story that has this lmao

A: Regarding Hunter x Karen… I don’t have any more plans for them at the moment. I may cook something up but as of right now, they are of little relevance to where I plan to take the story to go. I am happy to see lots of you enjoyed this random ship I created. I didn’t think anyone would particularly care for it so color me surprised!

 

Q (littlebluestar190): If Alex never got with Jecka somehow, would he have accepted godly head from Chrona?

A: Yes. 

 

Q (xmark12): What were some difficulties you had while writing the fanfic? Like, coming up with ideas, if you had writer's block or not- stuff like that.

A: Some difficulties I had were trying to figure out how certain plot points would unfold. Like I knew what I wanted to write and when to do it but I did have trouble on how I would connect one chapter with the next to get on with the main story. Doing those side stories really helped a lot with thinking on how I wanted to write Alex and Nicole’s heart to heart together. 

 

Q (Changer12): What was Alex like during the early concepts of his character and what made you decide to make him Nicole‘s twin brother?

A: The early concepts for Alex were that he was originally just going to be the new kid with zero relation to any of the characters but I realized that would be super fucking boring. Like that kind of thing is pretty overdone if ya ask me. Where the “normal” kid joins the class of 09 universe and makes it better blah blah blah. I wanted something new. Something no one has ever done before. So I made Alex to be Nicole’s twin brother and basically decided to make him into a male version of Nicole except just a bit better of a person. I decided on the name Alex because funny enough, Alex is actually my middle name (short for Alexander) and my younger sister Charlotte’s middle name is actually Nicole so it all kinda just fit together. 

 

Q (Cruschkamenev) (This wasn’t really a question but more of a request but imma answer it anyway): Please have more Kelly content in the future!

A: I will tell you this. Kelly will play a MAJOR role in the sequel. What that role will be… well you’ll just have to wait and see ;)

 

Q (squirtgod48): What was the most fun chapter to write?

A: I think I had the most fun writing the chapter where Alex was taking over for Ari as a pizza delivery driver. It was really funny to write the scene with him and Kelly. I enjoyed that the most but there are lots of chapters that I enjoyed writing.

Q (squirtgod48): What was (in your opinion) the best written chapter?

A: I would have to say either the Nicole suicide chapter (as fucked as that sounds) or the heart to heart chapter between Alex and Nicole. Both were incredibly well done and I am very proud of myself for both of them. 

 

Q (squirgod48): Will all the characters see each other eventually in the sequel?

A: The characters will still interact with each other in the sequel. Some won’t appear again and some will. Keeping it vague for now.

 

Q (squirtgod38): What was your favorite scene in the games?

A: As much as people hate the flipside, my favorite scene is the hat man scene with Jecka. But the Re Up is still my favorite of the 3 games.

 

Q (squirtgod48): What do you think is your most creative scene that you wrote in the book?

A: Hmmmmm I think the entire pool party scene at Kelly’s house might be the most creative but there’s tons of other creative scenes I enjoyed writing. For example, the conversation between Alex and Jecka at Hot Topic in Chapter 17.

 

Q (isakube): When Alex is talking about how the Star Wars prequels were bad, is that joke about (to paraphrase) "there's no trilogy WORSE than the prequels" a jab at flipside?

A: It was more of a jab at the future Star Wars sequels but you can also interpret as a jab at flipside too if you must lol.

 

Q (Appah_V2): Is there anything you can say about the upcoming fic?

A: All I can say for now is that compared to The Other Half of a Sociopath, the majority of the sequel will be an entirely new story for the Class of 09 universe. New characters will make their debut and a completely crazy storyline that you will not expect will be happening to the characters of a visual novel parody game. The sequel will also potentially be more than doubled the length of this one. 

 

Q (MrSpaceMan97): Do aliens exist in this story's continuity? With all the secret shadowy government biz, time gods and the whole keeping the universe intact I'm actually curious.

A: WOW! What a question! Ermmmmm Uhhhh Well I guess I can say that…. o[uEFJPu;wefhspiausfha[f AHHH WHAT’S HAPPENING??? upiHFN9PUefj=09we They are trying to silence me! 0idj w0=e I don’t know who these people from ODD are but I can say for sure that 9-uph -f9weuH=0wes8[9ifds-] If these aliens do exist then-uohj9uefhJ=0Q9RIOJ[ADAghoststoothen0-0i=9e0UFJ9-R8AFUJDU0IQRHAJKNFSDthesupernaturalisunfolding9=0iefjw=09wjqeifmagictoo-9ikj09fEJIDI[jekd

 

THESE QUESTIONS CAN NOT BE ANSWERED AT THIS TIME.

THE AUTHOR IS SILENCED AND WILL NO LONGER BE ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE O.D.D. TAKES HOLD OF ALEX YU.

SUMMER VACATION IS THE PERFECT TIME TO STRIKE.

ALEX YU’S SUMMER WILL HAVE TO BE INTERRUPTED.

 

THE OTHER SIDE OF AN ANOMALY

 

COMING: JUNE 2025

Chapter 45: Sequel Out!

Hey guys. Just wanted to let you all know that the sequel is now officially out! GO READ IT NOW OR ELSE! >:(

 

Wattpad Link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/396637195-the-other-side-of-an-anomaly-class-of-09-sequel

 

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/66832720/chapters/172475038

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of The Other