Chapter 4: Confrontation

Jessica's POV

Bianca avoided calling Casey and I over the weekend. I assumed it was because she wanted to avoid further questions, or maybe she was with Wesley. On Monday, I found out I was dead wrong.

Bianca walked into class wearing a pair of sunglasses. She hadn't worn those since Casey bought them last summer.

"Hey, Bianca." I greeted.

"Hi, Jess." Bianca avoided eye contact.

"Ms. Piper, glasses off." The teacher said before turning back to the board.

Bianca slowly reached for her sunglasses and pulled them off. She had a black eye and a scratch on the left side of her face.

"Jesus Christ!" I exclaimed. "What the fuck-"

Bianca put a hand over my mouth before I could finish my sentence.

The teacher turned around—probably because I didn't swear a lot—and paled when he saw Bianca's face. "Ms. Piper, what happened?"

Everyone in the room seemed to be staring at Bianca.

Bianca blushed. "I got in a fight. I didn't win."

The teacher just stared, not knowing what to say.

"Can I please put my sunglasses back on?" Bianca asked.

The teacher nodded numbly and turned around. There were probably a million theories going through his head. They were going through mine too. Bianca put her sunglasses back on.

"Was it a girl?" I asked.

"No." Bianca answered.

"Your mom?" I gasped.

"Didn't we just rule out girls?" Bianca sighed.

"Was it a random guy?"

"No."

"Was it Wesley?"

"God, no!"

"You're dad?"

Bianca hesitated. "No."

"You hesitated." I gasped. "It was you're dad!"

"No, it was my cousin Charlie." Bianca lied.

"Don't make up lies about Charlie! It was your dad!" I whispered vehemently. "Why?"

Bianca abruptly turned to face me and had venom in her voice as she said, "Fuck off, Jessica."

I was stunned. I knew Bianca could be pissy but... she'd never told me to fuck off. Especially not like that. I remained quiet for the rest of our classes together. At lunch, Bianca just played with her food.

"B, you're finally wearing the sunglasses!" Casey exclaimed.

Bianca ignored her and continued playing with her food. Before Casey could say anything else, a figure loomed over us behind Bianca. It was Wesley.

"What do you want, Rush?" Bianca sighed.

"I want to talk to you for a minute." Wesley looked... solemn. Nothing like the playful jackass we knew.

Bianca sighed and stood to follow Wesley. Casey and I followed them together this time. They ended up in the same closet as before, but I didn't here sex noises this time.

"Bianca... I know you didn't want me to see that yesterday, but I won't apologize for hitting your dad. Not after all the horrible things he said and the way he hit you. I may be a jackass, but I'm a jackass who doesn't hit girls." Wesley said.

Bianca sounded like she was crying. "He... he's never done that before..."

"Bianca, your dad was drunk. You need to get him into rehab, or AA, or whatever the hell they do now. He's a mean, bitter drunk. You can't live with yourself in that environment." Wesley said sternly.

"And what good will that do? He'll think I've left him too, and I'll have to live with my mom. She's constantly on the road, which means I'd have to leave everyone I've ever known behind. What kind of life is that?" Bianca sobbed.

"And what kind of life will you have if you end up dead or in the hospital because your dad's drunken anger went too far?" Wesley countered. "Bianca... I understand you not wanting to leave, okay? But that's not worth putting yourself at risk."

"What am I going to do?" Bianca sniffled.

Wesley was quiet for a long moment before speaking again. "Remember when I said my parents are never home? Maybe... maybe you could stay at my house."

"You... you're offering to let me live with you?" Bianca asked.

Casey and I's jaws dropped.

"If you don't want to, you could try living with Casey or Jessica." Wesley sounded flustered. "But... I mean..."

Wesley was cut off and I could've sworn I heard the sounds of kissing.

Bianca sounded out of breath as she said, "Wesley, I think that's the nicest thing you've said or done for me. But how would it work? Aside from legal stuff, Casey and Jessica are the only ones who know about you and me. How do you think people will react if they find out I'm living with you?"

"Get your mom's permission to live with me. And... I don't really care what people think. You're safety is more important than my reputation." Wesley said.

More kissing sounds.

"Thank you, Wesley..." Bianca said.

Casey and I ran back to the lunchroom.

"Oh my God! He just... he just..." Casey couldn't find the words to explain.

"If that doesn't prove to Bianca that he loves her, I don't know what the fuck will." I said.

"I'm not sure if I like it or not when you swear." Casey said. "Anyway... good God! Who knows how long Bianca has been dealing with her dad! Maybe that's why she went to Wesley even before Jake came back."

That was a thought. I had to wonder if that was all though. I didn't get too much more of a chance to think as Wesley and Bianca came back through the lunchroom, holding hands this time. People were staring at them with mixes of jealousy and surprise—most of the jealousy came from girls, including Vikki.

"Why is Bianca holding his hand? Wesley doesn't hold hands, and she said she didn't like him?" Vikki asked.

"For God's sake, he's not your boyfriend. Why should you care?" Casey said.

Wesley led Bianca over to his table with Harrison and the other girls. We headed over as well.

"What's going on?" A girl asked.

"Nothing." Wesley shrugged. "It's not unusual for a girl to sit with me."

Bianca smirked at the way he'd said that. All of the girls looked confused, but Harrison, Casey, and I understood. Bianca wasn't in class the rest of that day. We called her after school to get more details on what was going on.

"I... I called the police so they could help me get my dad into rehab. Then I finally called my mom and explained what happened. And... she said I could stay with any friend I wanted to..." Bianca said.

"And I'm guessing that friend is Wesley?" I smirked.

Bianca sounded like she was smiling shyly. "Yeah..."

"You're living with your supposed booty call. I'm pretty sure you love him." Casey said.

"Stop it." Bianca said halfheartedly.

"Can you come over? Or are you already over something?" I teased.

"Jessica!" Bianca exclaimed. "God, the way you've changed..."

"I'm not different. I'm just not pretending anymore." I countered. "Now get your ass over to my house."

"Fine, I'll be there soon." Bianca promised.

Sure enough, she was there not too long after she'd hung up and we went straight up to my room. We finally got to talk about things openly and laugh. Then it was all ruined.

"Hey, Jess..." Jake cut himself off as he saw Bianca.

He and Bianca just stared at each other in heavy silence for a moment.

"So... I hear you have a boyfriend." Jake broke the silence.

"And I hear you proposed to Tiffany." Bianca sounded like a robot, forcing her response out.

Jake looked flustered. "Bianca, I-"

Before he could finish, Bianca walked into the bathroom that was attached to my bedroom.

"Get out." I said.

Jake sighed. "Jess-"

Casey threw a pillow at him. "Get the fuck out."

Jake turned around and left, acting smart enough not to force the wrath of Casey. Casey and I walked to my bathroom door and knocked.

"Bianca?" I tried to get her attention.

"Bianca, he's gone. Come out." Casey requested.

Bianca slowly opened the bathroom door, just making sure we were telling the truth. Then she came out and sighed, "God, I sent my dad to rehab, moved in with Wesley and saw Jake all in the same day."

"Does it feel less awkward now? Or more awkward?" I asked.

"With Jake? Moderately less awkward." Bianca admitted. "With my dad... he looked so hurt and betrayed when the cops came to get him."

"I'm sure he'll understand when he stops being drunk. He'll see that what you did was good for him." Casey said.

"And he'll be proved right." Bianca sighed.

"About what?" I asked.

Bianca looked reluctant as she said, "When my dad saw Wesley and I yesterday, he called me a whore. And he said it was rubbing off on me from you guys. That's when I took the bottle out of his hands, and then he hit me. And Wesley punched him."

Casey and I's jaws dropped. It was hard enough to believe he was off the wagon, but Mr. Piper calling us whores? We weren't exactly saints, but we were nowhere near as bad as someone like Vikki.

Casey was the first to speak. "Bianca, you are not a whore. You're a tough nut to crack as it is, and Wesley is the only guy you've been with since Jake. Hell, he and Jake are the only people you've been with overall. And we're not whores either. You're dad was just drunk and jumped to conclusions when he saw you with a guy. I mean, you and Wesley weren't naked when he found you, right?"

"Of course not! We were playing Scrabble." Bianca said.

"Really? Scrabble?" I giggled.

"We heard my dad's car in the driveway before anything could happen..." Bianca blushed.

"Look, the point is that you're perfectly fine and normal." Casey said.

"And we're proud of you for all you've done today." I added.

Bianca smiled and pulled us in for a hug. "Thanks, guys. I love you both."

The rest of the day was uneventful and happy.