Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nicole let out a long sigh, her hand lethargically moving to the screen to tap a few buttons, all while the customer stood there angrily. 

"Christ, Nicole, can you move any slower?!" Alexis asked, scanning the items feverishly, her dark black hair whipping around in a ponytail as she moved. 

"Who gives a fuck, this is an FYE, not a Forever 21. Some of these freaks are just here to look at our tits and say, 'you're too pretty to work here'!" Nicole spat angrily, ignoring the side-eye she earned from the woman standing on the other side of the counter.

Christmas was coming soon, and with it, a rush of customers who didn't know what the fuck they were doing. Dads buying edgy CDs for their unclean, emo daughter filled the store, unable to navigate it with their old-ass bones. Not only that, but all the weirdo freaks who didn't even have girlfriends, were buying tons of shit for themselves and saving tons with the holiday deals.

Alexis sighed, her dollar store lip gloss shining in the asylum-like FYE lights, "OK? It's still your job." 

"You're the one who shows up to work with body glitter," Nicole said. Alexis's dark skin shimmered with the baby blue body glitter.

"It's for the presentation!"

"Yeah, and who takes an FYE cashier seriously."

"People who want to succeed? You're on your last warning, y'know," Alexis hissed, and in between talking to Nicole, she hurriedly said the customer's total. "Weren't you, like, eighty-dollars short on your register the other night?"

"I needed to get some Percocet- maybe a boring bitch like you wouldn't get it, but I need shit to get through the day."

"What 'day'? You sit at home all day and then come in to work at night. No school, no nothing."

Nicole rolled her eyes, "Jealous that I don't have to play some fuckass scan-tron memory game?"

"At least I have a future," Alexis shrugged, wearing a thin-lipped smirk. "You'll just be some worn-out ho working at an FYE."

Alexis was a member of the class of 2010, who would be graduating in six months. She worked at FYE part-time as a manager, working alongside Kelly who went to a community college, and during the day, attended most of her classes. Alexis used to be down for shit in her earlier years, but she eventually buckled down for college. In other words, a boring bitch.

To Nicole, Alexis was like a shittier Jecka: same shitty aspirations, but a lot less fun.

That's where Emily came in. She was Nicole's ride-or-die, and although she was crazy as shit, she had good shit on her. Plus, whenever Nicole needed a rush serotonin, Emily was available whenever, since she barely showed up to her job.

Cause who needed a future when you had a bad bitch with drugs?

-----------------------------------------------------

Nicole practically ran into the break room, sliding into one of the hard, plastic chairs in the corner. 

"Fuck my lifeeeee," Nicole drawled, setting her bag down before taking out her phone and putting in her earbuds. "Weird-ass Alexis bitch."

Despite not wanting to work at an FYE of all places, it was the only place besides Hot Topic that would hire her, and she'd rather kill herself than work with Trody and see Crispin every day when he came in to talk about random shitty cover bands. Then again, she felt like killing herself everyday.

Her mom forced her to have a job, saying that since the alimony check ran out, Nicole had to either get the fuck out, or get a job. With most of her friends gone, and Emily's parents emphatically shutting the door on Nicole whenever she showed up, Nicole chose the former. Her piece-of-shit Gamer Brother did the same, opting to work at a Gamestop where he probably masturbated to anime games all day long.

So yeah, her life was pretty shitty than. Every day, she either walked around listlessly and did drugs, or get fucked up after work. Sometimes, she did a little cutting, but when in the warm bathtub, the hot water seeping into her cold and aching bones, she opted for a nap instead, until her shitty mom yelled at her from the other side of the door.

Just then, the other manager entered into the room. An older man, with less gray hairs on his head than the states in America and a goatee that just screamed: "I love marijuana!" He sent a side-ways glance at Nicole, who pretended not to notice him as she skipped to the next song. She pretended to ignore the hungry expression in his eyes as they lingered on her for a moment too long, before he moved over to the wall, hanging the new schedule up on the wall with a single red thumbtack.

For a moment, nothing happened, as her manager Jerome stood by the cork board, watching her expectantly.

"What?" Nicole finally asked. "Just 'cause there aren't cameras in here doesn't mean I won't scream if you try and touch me." Even though there were supposed to be cameras, Nicole couldn't find any in the break room, since Jerome likely removed them for his own sick purposes.

"No, never, Nicole!" Jerome said, giving a toothy-grin that made Nicole feel sick. "I'm just curious as to why you're not looking at the schedule! I spent so much time making it."

"Ok." Nicole replied bluntly. "I'll look later."

"Why not now? Show some initiative, right?" 

The brunette rolled her eyes, "If I look, will you piss off?"

Jerome nodded, still smiling, "I just want to encourage you, Nicole! You have great promise at FYE. You could be an assistant, or maybe even a head-manager!"

"You literally told me yesterday that I would be fired if I told Jeffery he was ugly."

"Just how the book says it," Jerome shrugged, taking a step forward. "You're too special for the book..."

"Are you calling me special needs?"

"No, no! Just...different," Jerome said, pretending to ponder what he meant. It was obvious, however, he meant her looks.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Nicole said, waving her hand dismissively as she lifted up the paper. 

Under her name, she had twenty hours, less than what she normally had.

"Yo, dude, what's with the hours?" Nicole asked, interrupting Jerome as he tried to leave the room.

He turned around, still smiling, and said, "Well, Nicole. A lot of our part-timers who went off to college are coming back for winter break! Some of them are even your classmates- like Kelly, and Ari!"

The name hit her like a truck, striking a chord in her numbed heart.

"Ari? What's that bitch doing here?" Nicole spat, checking the schedule in disbelief. There, on the sheet with forty five hours, was Ari. 

Her high school ex-girlfriend.

Since she had double what Nicole had, it was guaranteed they would work together and much to Nicole's chagrin, every shift was with Ari.

"Don't call her a bitch! She's one of our best workers, and I'm sure you'd be happy to catch up with her!" Jerome said happily.

"She's a ho- a crazy, manipulative bitch! Can you just fire that ho?"

Jerome shook his head, frowning, "Now, Nicole, that's no way to talk about your coworker! Is there a problem between the two of you? I'd be happy to meditate." He said, positively delighted to watch the two get into an argument. 

Nicole scowled, "Man, fuck off. I'm not dealing with this shit."

Her break was over by now, and she stormed out of the break room. Alexis gave her an odd expression as the two traded places.

----------------------------------------------

As Alexis slammed the shutter down onto the floor of the mall, the empty building was filled with a loud bang that caused Nicole to flinch.

"Why do you have to be so loud with it?"

"Uh, cause it needs to be shut?" Alexis replied. "Seriously, Nicole, you're so fucking weird."

"Get a fucking hobby, high school whore," Nicole replied.

"I'm not a whore!"

"Say that to Mr. Katz after you wore those booty shorts to his class!" Nicole said.

"Don't hate the player, hate the game!"

The brunette rolled her eyes, "I hate the player AND the game."

Alexis sighed, her green eyes filled with annoyance, "What does that even mean? You hate yourself?"

"Like yeah, I'm gonna go home and cut."

"Might as well do it now, so I can be done with you sooner," Alexis said, already storming off to the entrance. The two never got along, not after Alexis decided to start paying more attention to school. Nicole trailed after her, absently staring at her back.

"Ari..." She thought to herself. So much had happened in the months since they had last seen each other. Well, Nicole assumed as much. Life wasn't interesting in Lake Braddock, but Nicole could only assume Ari went off to do some crazy shit at college. After all, the only appeal to Nicole was the increased amount of shit flowing through the frats.

So long as you don't wake up with your thighs buttered, that is.

Then again, Ari didn't seem like the type though. She seemed like she would join clubs or some shit like most basic white bitches do. Hell, maybe even a GSA or whatever they're called, Nicole thought.

Alexis and Nicole crossed through the doors of the mall, the security guard closing it behind them. They were greeted by the cold and fluttering snowflakes. They stuck to the ground, threatening to cover the area. Alexis climbed into her shitty SUV, and peeled out of the parking lot, honking as she passed Nicole. 

On the far side of the parking lot, parked under an orange streetlight, was Emily. Wearing her black leather jacket, she leaned up against the side of her Saturn, a cigarette between her fingers. A single trail of smoke billowed up, mixing into the falling snow.

"Yo, Emily, didja really have to park this far?!" Nicole asked, walking across the parking lot. Emily was her ride home usually, since nobody else was willing to.

The blonde sighed as Nicole approached, getting one last puff before dropping it to the ground and grinding it under her boot, "I wouuuuld, but that fuckass security guard almost shot me one time when I was smoking out here. He thought I was a bear or something."

"Oh yeah, fuck that dude," Nicole sighed, getting into the already warmed-up car, pressing her hands against the heater. "He came into the store and tried to shoot some chick cause she didn't 'respect the badge'."

"Sounds like he's gonna kill his wife," Emily replied, reaching into her glove department. "Do you want something? I got Lexapro in here or something..." She said, rummaging through the glove box. 

"Nah, I already got some Percocet-"

"Ugh, you did some without me?!" Emily turned to Nicole angrily.

"Yeah, in the bathroom at a mall," Nicole supplied. "Why're you so upset about it anyway?"

"Cause I've got nothing to do allll dayyy! Like if yer gonna do something, call me up at least," Emily scoffed, beginning to reverse from her spot.

Nicole shrugged, "whatever, whatever. Anyway, did you hear that some of our classmates are coming back for break?"

"Fuck, even Megan?" Megan had went to a religious college, and Nicole predicted Megan would return, as pious as ever to call Nicole and Emily sluts and whores.

"Especially that bitch- the fuck is she gonna do other than come home?" Nicole asked. "Not like she has friends."

"Yeah, all those born-again virgins get into fights all the time," Emily agreed. "Y'know, Secret lives of Christian women would go pretty hard, don't you think?"

"For my Mom I guess, sounds like something to watch with some wine and Vicodin," Nicole sighed, her eyes on the streets passing them by rapidly as Emily sped down the road.

After a beat of silence, Emily looked over at Nicole, "Babe, what's wrong? Yer so distracted."

"Babe?" Nicole asked, suddenly spinning towards Emily.

The blonde raised an eyebrow at that, "Gee, you never act all weird when I usually say it. What's your deal?"

Nicole felt unfamiliar words on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them, not sure if she wanted to spill her guts about Ari right here and now. Unfamiliar emotions were building up inside of her, and she had no idea how to describe them other than some sort of odd guilt- even though Nicole didn't even do anything wrong!

"That Ari bitch is coming back to FYE for Christmas break," Nicole finally mumbled.

Emily cocked her head to the side, her eyes still off the road as she spoke, "Ari? You two dated, right? But then you broke it off?"

"She broke it off," Nicole thought. That incident was a heavy blow to her pride. She always imagined she would break things off, not the other way around. It felt demeaning- pathetic. Ever since then, Jecka was always different around Nicole; always watching her like she was a ticking time bomb. Nicole shifted uncomfortably as Emily continued staring.

"Emily, can you watch the fucking road?" Nicole finally said, her arms crossed over her chest.

Emily rolled her eyes, and looked back to the road, "So...Ari broke things off with you?" The girl guessed.

The brunette nodded slowly, "How'd you guess?"

"I'm good at reading people," Emily supplied. "Always have been."

"Oh."

Once again, the car fell into silence. With the breakneck speed Emily was driving at, they had already arrived at Nicole's house. The lights were off, meaning her mother hadn't stayed up for her that night. She usually didn't.

Nicole stepped out of the car, into the freezing winter night, and said, "See ya, Emily."

"Are you not gonna say 'love you'?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, yeah, love you."

"Love you too, mwah!" Emily said, before yelling. "Close the damn door!"

Nicole obliged, and walked up to her porch, hearing Emily speed off into the night behind her. Nicole slipped into the house, and made her way to the bathroom. She took out a razor, set the water on at a high temperature, and sat for a moment.

"Man...fuck Ari," Nicole finally said.

Chapter Text

Every place has a unique smell, which is something Ari guessed you only notice when you've been away for so long. Lake Braddock, as opposed to the college she went to, smelled like a mixture of kitchen grease, cigarettes, and pine. It was almost like the smell of Emily's car, which Ari remembers being crammed into one time with her ex.

Ah right, her stoner ex. She was probably still around, getting high and drunk every night. That was what the sorority girls and frat boys did every night, so Ari could only imagine her ex would be livid at being compared to guys in Kylar's league. She always did seem to hate being compared to anybody who wasn't rich or famous, now that Ari thought about it. As if everybody else were beneath her.

The red-haired girl stepped off the bus, the freshly-fallen snow crackling beneath her boots as she took another deep breath of the Lake Braddock air.

Kitchen grease, cigarettes, and pine. Just like she remembered, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Ari slung the backpack she had over her shoulder, and marched down her familiar street, her eyes landing on every house, every decoration, and every car on the street. All the sights that she had grown bored of when she lived in Lake Braddock were now the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Ever since arriving at school, she had been incredibly homesick.

She went to school in New York, and by pure coincidence, her gay cousin from West Virginia also attended. The two were friendly, but due to the different classes, they rarely interacted. 

Ari's roommate was a total bitch, who slept around every night with new guys from her frat who always ended up hitting on Ari the next morning, and upon rejection, calling her a whore and having to be removed by security.

Most people in her class were either homophobic, or too weird for even Ari to stomach. And so, she was alone, and outside of the occasional frat parties her roommate invited her to, completely unknown. Just the random, probably emo girl, at the back of the class.

So when it was finally time to return home, Ari was practically ecstatic. All of her old friends, her family, and even her old job were back. Back to as it was before.

------------------------------------------

After doing the normal visits with family, Ari's first destination was the mall. Not exactly a glamorous place, nor would it usually be her first pick, but she needed to see her schedule for work. Jerome despised the idea of sending emails, and the only other option was by phone numbers, which Ari adamantly refused to give, however, he managed to find it eventually.

At least he didn't have any excuse to text her.

The girl navigated through the crowded mall, dodging past families with stacks of boxes and bags in their hands. Christmas was coming up, so it was like a rave whenever Ari was at the mall. Filled to the brim in a suffocating mix of winter coats, screaming children, and a poorly decorated display of Christmas lights.

Her eyes landed on the FYE, and she slipped in. The store was packed, with items flying off the shelves. If Ari were shopping here, she would consider just leaving going to Hot Topic, which was somehow quieter than the FYE right now, probably because all the parents were too ashamed to go shopping there during the day.

In the break room, there was already somebody checking the schedule when Ari entered, the familiar smell of mold hitting her in the face.

"Oh my god, Ari?!" Kelly shouted, dropping what she was holding and running over to embrace Ari, with the latter giving her a less than enthusiastic response. The blonde girl, who once preached about her body being a temple, now wore a tattoo proudly on her chest, which poked out over the white shirt she wore. It was of a bird, though Ari couldn't see much of it.

"How have you been?" Kelly asked, finally letting Ari go.

She shrugged, "Fine, fine. Nothing to complain about." Christ, did she always sound like a suburban dad, Ari thought. Around Kelly, she was awkward. They almost had hooked up once in the middle of the hallway, but the Counselor interrupted and invited them to "explore their urges" in his room. In other words, a total mood killer. Ever since, Kelly was always friendly, but Ari felt awkward.

"Tooootally," Kelly drawled. "Anyway, are you here to check out your schedule?"

"I wouldn't be here for Jerome, that's for sure," Ari chuckled. Her schedule was for forty five hours- eight hours over a six day period.

Ari sighed, "This schedule is so ass. Like, this is Heroes ass."

"Uh, didn't you used to like Heroes?" Kelly asked.

"I guess, but it's never really the same when I'm watching it and I hear my roommate moaning the alphabet through the walls."

"Oh..." Kelly said, trailing off. 

As Ari's eyes looked over the schedule, her eyes landed on a specific name: her ex. Twenty hours, and she worked the same days as Ari. So there truly would be no avoiding her.

"Something wrong?" Kelly asked suddenly.

Ari shook her head, putting the schedule back, "No, no. I'm just surprised she's still here." From multiple sessions shit-talking Ari's ex during the school year, Kelly immediately understood who she meant.

"Ugh, yeah, I saw. Jerome told me he would fire her before I left!" Kelly whined.

"I really wish he did. I bet she still doesn't even try."

"I was talking to Alexis, and apparently she called her a bitch for trying to throw away a water bottle," Kelly supplied.

Ari scoffed, "Maybe it's for her coke or something."

"Does she do that?"

The red-haired girl shrugged, "Wouldn't doubt it. Hell, maybe she took it off a homeless man." From Ari and Kelly's words, you would assume Ari's ex was pure evil. Each insult and whisper was filled with anger and hatred.

Suddenly, Ari's phone rang. She took it from her pocket, preemptively feeling anxiety before she even read the name. As she read it, her heart dropped. 

"Fuck, I forgot to call him."

"Sorry, I gotta take this," Ari said quickly, brushing past Kelly without another word.

Kelly's eyes watched Ari as she left the break room, not catching whatever she said to the person on the other line.

"See ya, Ari!" The interaction ended so suddenly, Kelly couldn't help but question was calling Ari, and why she seemed so nervous picking up the call.

Shrugging, Kelly exited soon after to avoid running into Jerome.

Chapter Text

"Nicole, can you ring on the second register please?" Kelly asked, jamming her thumb in that direction without even looking at Nicole. The energy between the two was awkward, since after Ari broke up with Nicole rumors flew about the abuse Ari was subjected to by Nicole. Kelly spread these rumors, as well as sometimes throwing insults you would find on a random blog created by an incel.

Wordlessly, Nicole walked away, opening the register and beginning to handle the slew of customers. By the time she was thirty minutes into her shift, Nicole felt antsy. She tapped her foot, repeatedly fixed her hair, and twiddled her thumbs in between customers.

Nicole needed a cigarette.

"Yo, Kelly!" Nicole yelled across the store.

"Yeah?"

"Can I go on break?"

"Bitch, you just got here!" Kelly replied angrily, her brow furrowed.

"Uh, can I at least go to the bathroom?" Nicole asked, scrambling for excuses.

Her excuse was flimsy, and Kelly saw through it easily. As a manager, she sometimes couldn't even trust her coworkers, so even a manipulator like Nicole wouldn't be able to control her, Kelly thought.

The blonde shook her head with a smirk, "No way, Nicole. Have fun!" She said mockingly while waving over her shoulder, all while Nicole glared daggers into her back.

"Fucking bitch..." She mumbled.

-------------------------------------------------

After multiple long hours, Nicole was finally released to her break. She felt angry, and her body shook as she stormed out of the mall, into the cold winter day.

"What the fuck is her problem?" Nicole murmured. She slammed her eyes shut as she took out a cigarette, lit it, and took in a breath. Despite the chaos around her, she felt pretty "zen" as she puffed a trail of that white smoke. Nicole heard every sound: boots crunching on snow, car horns off in the distance, and the wind whistling through the tall, leafless trees that grew at the side of the mall.

Was this the life she wanted, Nicole suddenly thought. To go to an FYE, have a smoke break, and then go home or hang out with Emily? She was cool and all, but eventually even she turned into a needy housewife begging for Nicole's attention. Nicole was a free spirit- she wasn't one to accept being chained down.

So this life she had, working at FYE, was the opposite of what she wanted. Nicole didn't want to die as a nameless fat bitch at an FYE, but rather, a troubled teen philosopher who would stand as her own movement: Nicoleism.

Sometimes, Nicole couldn't help but laugh at herself. Nicoleism- it sounded like the type of thing a divorced dad would say to try and make his kids laugh so they wouldn't drop him for their mom.

At the same time, it gave her some sort of hope to cling to: the belief that she wasn't just a normal girl working at an FYE. What used to be her Dad's encouragement that reminded Nicole she was different, now morphed into her own independence. After he died, leaving that one note, Nicole no longer trusted his words. They were nothing but trash to manipulate her into loving him.

I'm a troubled teen philosopher working at an FYE, and I don't need validation from some weird ass bitch, Nicole thought to herself bitterly. She wasn't the type of philosopher to waste her time looking at readings from Emmanual Cunt or whoever the fuck, but instead based it on the modern day, ignoring the past.

Suddenly, Nicole felt a brush of wind and heard the crunching of snow as someone walked quickly past Nicole, the familiar scent of birthday cake wafting into Nicole's nostrils. Her eyes widened for a moment, and she looked after the figure:

Black hair with red stripes, a black shirt paired with blue jeans, and an FYE badge dangling loosely from her jean pocket. The girl was looking down at something in their hands, probably a phone, and didn't even acknowledge Nicole as she stood behind her.

Despite not seeing this person's face, Nicole felt as if she knew this person very closely, and without thinking, she called out:

"Hey!" She shouted. The simple words caused the person to stop, but they didn't look back. As Nicole stared at the back of this girl, she knew it for a fact in her heart- the one she thought had died long ago, that this was Ari.

Nicole wasn't sure what to say. It had been so long since the last time they talked, and they hadn't ended off well at all. Maybe Ari didn't even care that Nicole was there.

"Can I help you?" Ari finally asked coldly, her words as sharp and cold as an icicle. Indifference- a feeling Nicole wasn't used to hearing in regard to herself. Everyone used to turn their head when she walked by. She was hot, cold, threatening, and manipulative: a hot bitch for guys to look at and for girls to wish they were. And now? Nothing. As if she were garbage.

Awkwardly, Nicole shook her head before quickly realizing this person wasn't even looking at her, and said, "No, sorry. Thought you were somebody else." If Ari was going to pretend she didn't remember Nicole, then she would do the same. Nicole made her straight after all, so there's no way Ari wouldn't remember her.

"Ok..." Ari said, muttering another thing to herself before walking off in the direction to the mall.

------------------------------------------------

"Wow, somebody decided to take a longer break," Kelly hissed. "I-"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," Nicole dismissed, scanning the store until she could see Ari at a register. "Can you not put me near that bitch Ari?"

Kelly rolled her eyes, "Is the abuser afraid of her past victim? You should be, you know. With Ari around, she could report you and get your ass fired!"

"For a bitch whose only aspiration is fucking guys for a Panera gift card, you can be really judgy."

"Says you! I'm your manager, so you don't talk to me like that!"

"Assistant," Nicole reminded. "When Jerome's around, I bet he'll prefer a girl like me who isn't a dirty whore who fucks on the first date."

"I do not!"

Nicole smirked, "Really? I bet you $20 your period will be late this month."

"Huh? What's your problem, stoner bitch?!" Kelly asked angrily. "I'm actually writing you up, fuck off!"

"Oh shit," Nicole quickly said, before continuing. "Sorry, Kelly, I didn't mean it."

"You seriously crossed the line this time. Go ring on register two, and I'm gonna write your ass up!"

"No, come on-"

"Go!" Kelly shouted, drawing more attention from the customers. Nicole sighed, swearing under her breath as she moved to the register. It sat besides Ari, who was hastily scanning items.

Nicole didn't say anything to the customers or Ari as she scanned, and for the next few hours, Nicole occasionally caught herself looking at Ari.

The girl's short hair swayed gently in the air whenever she turned, moving like a waterfall. Her hands, supple and smooth, gently grabbed a shirt and her slim fingers deftly removed the security tag. As she spoke, her glossy pink lips attracted Nicole's eyes, even in the bright FYE.

She felt like a weirdo, like Jeffery almost. Attracted to a pretty girl who wasn't even giving her the time of day.

Just as Nicole got lost looking at Ari, a phone rang suddenly. Not the store phone, but rather the one in Ari's pocket. 

"Oh shit," Ari mumbled quickly, snatching the phone quickly from her pocket. Before Ari could shut off her phone, Kelly, who had been stocking a shelf, was already at the register, like a moth to a flame.

"Ari, what the fuck was that?" She asked angrily. Before Ari could answer, she continued, "This is the busiest time of the year, so why the fuck are you on your phone?!"

"Wha-"

"No excuses! Put it away," Kelly commanded angrily, storming away without even allowing Ari to speak.

The girl frowned, but in the end, she put her phone back with a sad expression.

Nicole wondered who could have called Ari just now, but she ultimately forgot until:

The phone rang again, just a few seconds after Kelly had walked away. Ari scrambled for the phone, quickly silencing it. Despite her efforts, Nicole heard it, and a wicked idea came to her mind. Her shitty ex, who turned her into a social pariah for "abusing her", was now vulnerable.

"Ari, you know you're not supposed to be on your phone, right?" Nicole asked tauntingly. Ari, who avoided recognizing Nicole, jumped at her sudden words.

"What are you trying to do?" Ari asked. It was obvious Nicole was trying to get her in trouble. "Are you really that much of a petty bitch?"

"Petty? Cause I'm following the rules?"

Ari sneered, "Oh I know why. Cause I broke up with your sorry ass, right? And you're all upset about it?"

"As if I'd think about it for that long," Nicole lied, rolling her eyes. "Maybe you should dye your hair again, I liked you better when you were woke."

The squabbling between the two attracted Kelly, who walked over with her arms crossed.

She spoke angrily, "Are you two fucking middle schoolers? Who gives a shit about your lesbian relationship?"

"Huh?" Ari asked, turning to Kelly. "You said you wished Nicole didn't abuse me and you wanted us to be happy together!"

"Yeah, cause it was cool then, but right now it's real fuckin' shitty," Kelly spat.

Nicole smirked, "Uh, Kelly, Ari was on her phone just now."

"Why you-"

"Ari, what the fuck did I just tell you?!" Kelly asked. In the middle of speaking, Ari's phone rang again. The customers, who were tired of waiting through both the girls' bickering as well as the BO of Crispin, were clearly restless.

"Give me your phone," Kelly said.

"No way-"

"Give it! Or else you'll get written up!"

"Holy shit, you're on a power trip!" Ari yelled angrily, all while begrudgingly handing over the phone. Nicole was curious as she watched, however. Who could be calling Ari so relentlessly when she just got back home?

Maybe, just maybe...

As Kelly walked away, Nicole suddenly whispered, "Ari, are you a MySpace ho?"

By now, Ari was infuriated. She spun toward Nicole and yelled, her minty breath washing over Nicole's face like a violent tidal wave, "Leave me alone, you weird ass bitch!" Not giving Nicole the chance to speak, Ari turned her back and rang up the next customer, all while Nicole chuckled.

"You're not denying it."

There was no response from Ari, who fighting back the tears. She knew who was calling her, and Ari knew it wouldn't end well for her...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"Who do you think is calling her?" Nicole asked, shifting her eyes from the car window to Emily beside her. The blonde idly drove with her knees, more occupied on opening a bottle on her AC vents.

After finally opening it, accompanied by a spray of beer that hit Nicole in the face, Emily shrugged, "Prolly her dealer. Or her pimp."

"Ari's too white and gay to have a pimp."

"Didn't she date Hunter? Maybe she's bi?"

"Nah, she told me she doesn't even like him- apparently, I fucked her up enough to not like girls anymore," Nicole explained. Last time she verbally admitted that, Jecka got all pissy with her. And for what? Better she learned then than now, right?

Emily nodded, "Y'know, I get it. If you dumped me, I think I'd never love a girl again."

"For real?"

She nodded, taking a swig of beer, "You're, like, the coolest person I know Nicole. If you dumped me, it'd be clear that dating any other girl would just be going for downgrade after downgrade."

"Oh." Nicole replied. She wasn't that loyal to Emily. She was cool and all, but Nicole kind of didn't give much of a shit.

"Anyway," Nicole continued. "Any chance you could help me find out?"

"How so?" Emily asked. "I'm not gonna talk to Ari- not like I could without beating the shit out of her."

"I just need you to open up her locker in the break room, is all," Nicole explained. "I'll get her phone in there, and you just have to get it out and tell me."

"What's in it for me?"

"I could give you some of my mom's Vicodin."

Emily frowned, watching Nicole with a disappointed expression, "No thanks. Something more...romantic?"

Nicole raised her eyebrow quizzically.

"Romantic?"

"Pleaaaaaaase?" Emily whined like a toddler. "Just one kiss, please?"

"Ugh, fine," Nicole replied, obliging quickly with a quick peck on the side of Emily's cheek. Although it didn't satisfy her, it was good enough. So as Emily dropped Nicole off, she stopped and watched the girl enter her house, with the porch light turning off a moment after. Emily was left in the dark street, with only a dim street light above her.

Chapter Text

"Fuck that bitch!" Ari yelled, tearing open her locker door frantically. She snatched her phone, and began to scroll through the hundreds of missed phone calls and texts. Ari didn't even have time to read the texts, which were filled with hateful words, as she hurriedly called the number.

"Please pick up," She begged to no one in particular, pacing around in the dim break room. Her hair flew wildly, causing it to look like a rats nest when she would stop moving. Her breath hitched as she thought the phone picked up, but nothing happened.

Her boyfriend's voice came over the phone:

"Hey, this is Keith! Leave a message!" The same goofy voice that lured Ari in like a siren luring a sailor now made her feel physically ill. It hadn't always been like it was now- Keith used to be so kind and understanding with Ari. Sure, a little bit pushy whenever she was out with friends, but in Ari's mind, he cared for her! That's what any good boyfriend would do, right? 

Slowly, however, it changed. He yelled more and more. Keith sometimes ignored her if she didn't answer his messages, or he compared Ari's chastity to his ex-girlfriends.

"Bab-" Ari couldn't stop herself as a vomit of words came out all at once, "Keith, I-I'm sorry I d-didn't pick up. Please call me back? S-so we can talk about this?"

As soon as she left the message, she called again. And then again. And again. It took five more rings until a bored voice suddenly spoke.

"Ari." Keith greeted. His voice was emotionless, but Ari could sense the anger bubbling beneath his stoic facade.

"I-I'm sorry," Ari managed to get out, her choke practically constricting as she apologized profusely. Blankly, Keith interrupted her.

"Sorry for what?"

The redhead's mouth hung open like a fish struggling for air, before she stammered, "F-for not p-picking up?"

"You're sayin' it like it's a question," Keith remarked clinically. "Are you really sorry? Or are you just tryna' make me happy?"

The girl paused, mulling over his words before continuing, "I'm s-sorry, really! I-I was at work and-"

"Is that any excuse for ignoring me? I do everything for you, everything!" He snarled, his voice rising with rage. "And you repay me by treatin' me like I'm trash? You ungrateful fuckin' whore!" Keith spat, and Ari winced, even though his voice was on the other side of the phone, and he was miles away from her. Keith couldn't hurt her physically, but his words were like hot knives being slammed into Ari's chest.

"Please-"

"Do you know? How much I've done for you? All the friends you made are cause of me! Without me, you'd be alone! Nobody wants some whore with ugly fuckin' hair!" When Keith first met Ari, he complimented her hair, and when he ran his fingers through her bright red-hair, he said it was as soft as silk. But one day, he suddenly said it looked ugly, and she looked like a prostitute trying to get other men's attention.

So she dyed parts of it black to placate him. Ari loved her red hair, but Keith didn't.

"H-how can I make it up to you?" Ari pleaded through the phone, which she gripped tightly like a lifeline. If Keith hung up, she didn't know what she would do.

Keith smirked, finally getting to what he wanted.

"Send me some pics." Keith demanded. Ari's stomach dropped. She hated this part.

"Keith, please don't make-"

"Do you want me to drop yer ass? Cause I can do that any second now," Keith threatened. "There are plenty of chicks linin' up the block for me."

Ari swallowed, and released a small sigh, "I-I'll do it..." Anything to keep him around. Because if Keith broke up with her, she was nothing. And she would never be loved.

"Good. Send them within an hour, or else," Keith warned, before hanging up. Just before that, Ari could have sworn she heard a high-pitched, feminine giggle on the other end, but all she could do was sink to the floor, clutching her stomach tightly. She couldn't fight it. She could only accept this reality.

No matter how much it hurt her.