Thank you for beta'ing, A Star in My Universe! Warning: flashback contains abuse. Happy birthday, Selenis Leyva!

"Where's our food? Hurry up!"

They stiffen when they hear Piscatella's demanding voice, and Daya stops texting Maria. "Go, we'll handle this motherfucker," Red whispers shakily to the girls and Diane. Norma and Claudette get in front of Red, Gloria, and Aleida protectively as soon as he appears.

Alex's mother ushers them out of the cafeteria's backroom. "You're supposed to be dead!" Piscatella snarls at Blanca as they're passing him.

"Por lo que son," she hisses, but doesn't spare him a glance. Gloria's eyes widen in fear, it looks like, and Aleida smirks. Flaca and Maritza push Blanca even further ahead of them, away from the monster who had hurt her.
So are you

"Espero que no te oiga," Flaca whispers.

I hope he didn't hear you

When they're in the clear, Maritza adds, "Yeah, 'cause you don't wanna entice him!"

"I know, that's why I said it under my breath," Blanca tells them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't understand," Alex mutters.

"Well, you know what he said, and she responded with something like, you too," Daya informs them, and Blanca nods.

"Oh, that makes sense!" Lorna exclaims.

"Ay dios mio, ¿que mierda? Was it that Stanky again?" Maria asks, referring to the time Kasey Sankey and her fellow Nazi sympathizer, Jennifer, threw Blanca down a set of stairs last year as a twisted seniors get to do whatever they want thing. Amazingly, Kasey was still able to graduate and get into a nice college. Actually, it wasn't that surprising, because people could literally get away with murder in this fucked up place. The only positive result that came out of this was Maria starting a trend where all the decent students started calling Kasey 'Stanky'. Maria wraps her arm around Blanca and rubs her shoulder up and down comfortingly. "Don't worry, we gonna take care of that bitch-"

Oh my god, what the fuck?

"No, it was Piscatella," Blanca explains as she puts on her sunglasses with trembling hands. She repeats the same story she told everyone else, and Maria hugs her best friend even tighter than before, her facial expression changing from anger to sadness.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry..."

"I'm okay, we were dumb...I'm just really worried about Diablo..."

"I can understand, I hope he's okay!"

"Yeah, same. Feliz cumpleaños, by the way."

Happy birthday

"Gracias. Y'all are invited to my quinceañera this Saturday!" Maria exclaims, gesturing to the girls. "I know it's a bit last minute, but I'd love for you to be there! Of course, Blanca's going!"

"Sure, that would be fun!" Nicky says excitedly. "Uh, so I've never heard of it...what do you wear?"

"It's a tradition for Latinas when they turn fifteen, like a sweet sixteen...formal attire!"

"I love dressing up!" Lorna squeals.

"Us, too!" Flaca and Maritza chime in at the same time.

"Can I bring Sylvie?" Alex wonders out loud.

"Go ahead!" Maria allows.

"Awesome!"

"Make sure your guests don't get so drunk that they fall on the cake and set their clothes on fire!" Daya warns her. "That's what happened to my mom at mine last December."

"Oh, I will!"

"I wore a long red halter dress with my hair down and I had this tall, white cake adorned with pink roses on a white tablecloth with red bows on the side under a silver and red balloon arch. I think it was the only time in my life where Aleida went all out for something besides herself."

"That sounds pretty!"

"Uh...y'all have mini twins standing next to you..." Daya starts feeling nauseous all of a sudden, and she hiccups sharply while grasping at her stomach with one hand and clapping the other over her mouth. She runs to a trash can and throws up violently while latching onto the sides of the bin, as she's afraid to stumble and trip over her own two feet. She senses someone pulling her hair back from her face and two other people holding her by her arms.

"Oh god, I don't know what the fuck just happened to me, but it felt like I got kicked in the guts," she groans. Daya takes off her jacket and ties it around her waist. "That's better." She falls back into Diane's arms and Alex's mother keeps her upright. Lorna and Flaca let go of her arms.

"Is it?" Diane asks with concern written all over her face. She removes Daya's sweaty bangs off her forehead. "I could take you to the restroom to clean up and wash your mouth out. You look like you could also use a cold washcloth. Flaca can come too, since you're both in the same homeroom."

"Yeah, and sure, thanks! I think all this heat is overwhelming...I'm clammy and gross. Ugh!"

"Well, there's a nasty flu that's going around, maybe you caught it?" Blanca wonders out loud. "Germs spread at school."

"That could be it."

Daya spends five minutes bent over the toilet, waiting for more retching she may have to do. When nothing more comes, she gets up and inhales and exhales slowly. She leaves the stall. "How are you feeling, honey?" Diane asks. "You're pale."

"A bit woozy, but I'm sure it'll disappear within a few seconds. I'll take some Advil...I don't have my thing yet, but maybe it's early cramps. I'm fine, I promise."

"Okay, then, I'm glad." Diane walks both Flaca and Daya to the nurse's office, and Daya twists the cap off her water bottle and swallows three pills with the liquid. They go to English class, with Daya between them as they keep her from collapsing. Flaca leads her to her seat and she blinks a few times rapidly as she practically sinks into her chair, relieved to finally rest her legs. She sighs deeply, folds her arms on the desk, and lays the side of her face down on it, enjoying the coolness of the wood.

"Hey, if you don't feel good, you should go home," Maria recommends.

"Yeah, they can't have sick people at school," Blanca puts in.

"I'm just tired," Daya rasps out. "Maybe I ate something bad last night...I dunno."

"You gonna get in trouble if you sleep during class," Flaca tells her. "You'd go straight to Caputo."

"I'm not drifting off or anything, I simply need to rest," Daya insists. "Can y'all just...shh for a second, please?" She puts her index finger to her lips with her eyes still closed. She jumps when her phone buzzes. "What the fuck?" She can faintly see the unread message.

Look up. I bet you'll wanna blow this joint now! xo, P

Daya tosses her phone into her bag and brushes her hair out of her eyes. "John..." she says without thinking, and every one of her fellow students give her questioning glances and some of the girls, including Flaca, Maria, and Blanca, giggle. "Hello, Mr. Bennett," she corrects herself.

"Miss Diaz," he says robotically. "I expect you to be awake. This is sophomore English class, not nap time in kindergarten," he scolds her.

"Sorry...just came down with a bug, like fifteen minutes ago-"

"Let us begin with the next chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird," he interrupts her.


After the girls go to their respective classrooms for first period and she's sure that Daya is okay, Diane heads to Caputo's office. Even though she knows the principal is useless, the women need to buy time for their plan in killing this giant facist. She's hoping Piscatella will get fired, or if not, suspended, at the very least. She knocks on the door and he waves at her to come in, so she does. He's just finishing up a call as she sits down.

"Diane, hello."

"Hi, Joe...I need to report a crime that happened early this morning at school. Mr. Piscatella savagely beat up a couple of students who were hanging out in the pool...I know that's not allowed, but you have to admit that he took his punishment too far."

Caputo rolls his eyes up to the ceiling and strokes his beard a few times. "Jesus...how bad?"

"Enough that one had to get taken to the emergency room and the other has to wear sunglasses to cover the black eye. He almost killed them...that was his intention. You should maybe get him arrested so he's no longer a danger around here."

"Remember who you're talking to, Diane. I'm your boss...you don't get to call the shots. I do. I'll decide the appropriate action to take."

"He's fuckin' lethal!" she shouts, but then realizes she could jeopardize her job by swearing and getting angry at Caputo. "Sorry," she mutters.

"Yeah, don't allow that to happen again. I'll get him in here. Thanks for letting me know."

"My daughter and her friends have him for homeroom...is there a chance you could do something now?"

"It just so happens that I have some free time at the moment. I'll ring him up and have a talk with him. Meanwhile, the bell is going to go off soon, so start your English lesson."

"Okay...I appreciate it."

"No problem."

She fakes a grin at him and then leaves.


"You are suspended for a week without pay. You're lucky this girl is alive! Who the fuck knows how that boy is doing!" Lorna overhears Caputo telling Piscatella in a firm tone as she walks up to CO Ford, who's waiting in another room.

"Hi, uh...Mr. Caputo said you wanted to see me?"

"What happened on Saturday?" he asks Lorna, and her heart skips a beat. She takes a deep breath and thinks of her response. Her mouth feels sticky.

"I...I went to Atlantic City with my sister..."

"Christopher and Angela say that you followed them there, trashed their hotel room, and took a bath in their tub." He gives Lorna a stern look as he hands her a piece of paper. "This is a restraining order from them. If you violate this, you could face up to five years in jail, but three for good behavior. You'd serve time in juvy, and then transfer to an adult minimum security prison when you turn eighteen. Stalking is a felony, Miss Morello. It doesn't seem like you're taking this seriously...but you need to. Do not ruin your future for an unrequited crush!"

She stares at it while frowning and then huffs. "We go to school together...he's in my drama class! He would never do this, CO Ford. It's all her! She's the homewrecker, not me!"

"You have been separated from them-they are now going to attend classes in a different area of the school where you will never see them. This way, it'll be easier for you to follow the restraining order and they will feel a lot safer."

"Oh, for Christ's sake!" A lump forms in Lorna's throat and she lets out a sob. "Why would you do this to me? Keeping a person away from their special someone oughta be illegal! You should arrest that bitch instead!"

"Miss Morello, I understand you're upset-" he starts to say while putting his hands up, as if to try calming her down, but she's not in a tame mood at all.

"I really thought you were on my side! Thank you so very much!" she snaps sarcastically, her voice wavering. She stomps out of the room with tears blinding her vision, and shakily walks to History, but once she gets to her locker to retrieve her books, she openly cries while collapsing to the floor. She crumples up the piece of paper in her cold hands and grabs her heart, which is breaking. She can't breathe at the thought of never seeing her true love again, all because of Angela. That fucking cooze, I really will strangle her!

Her phone pings and she peers down at the encouraging text. How does that phrase go? Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! Fuck the restraining order, that's right. Beat that bitch into mush! Love you lots like a sister, P

Lorna grins. She's glad to have someone on her side, even if it is P.


"Yeah, he's gonna take her somewhere...like he'll tell her they're going out for a picnic under the stars, but really just the woods at night. She'll be in a nice dress, blindfolded and handcuffed, under the guise of surprising her...and I'll text her from your phone, Chris, so she thinks it's you. We're gonna haze her tonight, buddy, like sororities and fraternities do to their pledges!"

Christopher guffaws and bumps Joey's fist with his own. "Like piss and shit all over her?"

"Whatever it takes to humiliate that psycho! She needs to be knocked down a few notches! As you said, jail didn't break her, but this definitely will!"

"Oh man, I can't wait to see her face when she realizes..."

Little do they know, Nicky's standing right behind them while they discuss their evil plans to make some poor girl's life a nightmare, and she hopes it's not who she thinks it is. She doesn't know what Lorna sees in Christopher and why she was ever attracted to either of them. "Who the fuck are you talking about?"

Joey turns around and spots her. "Oh...do you want in? I mean, I know you aren't sexually interested in me, but we could be friends! We're just planning a little revenge on my crazy ex-girlfriend, who's now obsessed with Christopher here. It's disgusting, the way she acts."

There's a violent rage that rises within Nicky that she never knew she had. Sure, she's been angry before, enough to kick walls and scream out loud in frustration, but she's beyond furious. She wants to punch them both out, but she doesn't have her knife or pepper spray to defend herself when they fight back, and they're bigger and stronger than just her alone. She squeezes her eyes shut so tightly that spots appear and clenches her teeth while growling. "Fuck no, I'm not participating in your twisted shit, I'm telling Lorna everything! You just messed with the wrong bitch!" she yells, loud enough for the lunch ladies to hear, but the douchebags laugh it off while striding away from her. Nicky runs ahead of them and blocks their path. "Oh, trust me, if you hurt Lorna...even so much as her feelings, I will not hesitate to smash my fists into your smug faces!" Her fingernails are painfully digging into her palm and her knuckles are turning white as she shakes her fists at them. "I could do a lot worse than that if we weren't at school," she snarls in a low voice. "Lorna is my best friend, so leave her the fuck alone! You got that, assholes?" she hollers, causing Red and Gloria to head over to them.

"What are you boys doing that's making Nicky so pissed off?" Red asks sharply. "How is Lorna involved in this?"

Their eyes widen and Nicky smirks when she can see that they fear the lunch ladies. "N-nothing," Christopher stammers.

"Lorna and Nicky are close, they'd obviously gossip to each other, like chicks do..." Joey trails off when Red's nostrils flare. She and Gloria appear to be livid, just as Nicky is.

Gloria crosses her arms across her chest and quirks up an eyebrow while chuckling humorlessly. "Nah, I've only known this girl for six days, and she's usually happy and smiling. You up to somethin', Red and I can sense bullshit liars a mile away...so tell us the big secret! We love juicy shit."

"These wimps are plotting to torture Lorna tonight, but I'll make sure she doesn't get the message!" Nicky bursts out.

"Thank you for telling us, honey," Red murmurs, while glaring coldly at Christopher and Joey. "I hope you don't have to buy lunch from the cafeteria today. We don't doctor up the food for specific students just because."

"That punishment is better than prison," Gloria adds. "Now, why don't you run off to whatever you got next?" They're gone by the time Gloria finishes her sentence, and Nicky laughs.

"That was awesome, but now they won't eat it and get what they deserve!"

"Oh, but we'll just give them shitty food tomorrow!" Red exclaims with a devilish glint in her eyes. "Why don't you find Lorna, hmm?"

"Yeah, 'cause I wouldn't put it past those mothafuckas to still trick her...just make plans with her!" Gloria suggests.

"That's what I was thinking, too." On her way to Lorna's history class, Nicky sees her curled into herself against her locker, whimpering and breathing rapidly as tears drip down her cheeks. Nicky's heart breaks at the state Lorna is in. She cautiously sits beside her crush.

"Now I know how Blanca feels," Lorna mumbles in a soft, uneven voice. "It's not only that slut keeping us apart...CO Ford is in on it, too...I went to Atlantic City with Christopher this weekend...I met him there early to surprise him and we were gonna ride the sailboat at sunset, but Angela interrupted us, and CO Ford said he'd put me away if I did it again. Why do people of authority gotta wreck kids' lives?" She glances up at Nicky questioningly and sniffles. Her eyes glisten with moisture.

Nicky wipes a falling tear of mascara from the corner of Lorna's eye. "Uh...CO Ford is nothing like Piscatella, kid. Did you break a law or something?"

"No!" Lorna shakes her head. "No, I didn't! He told me I was stalking Christopher, but I'm not!"

"Why would he say that, then?"

"I dunno...I don't see the big deal, really! All I wanted to do was have a nice date with my boyfriend far away! Jeez!"

Nicky sighs heavily and pulls Lorna into her arms. This girl is so delusional and it kills her. She doesn't even bother mentioning to Lorna what Christopher and Joey were going to do to her before Red and Gloria stepped in. It's not like Lorna would believe Nicky anyway. "I'm sorry that happened...but I was thinking we could hang out with the rest of the cheerleaders at Ms. Jones' house tonight...just to practice there, because remember, you said any of those perverted teachers could come and watch us? Maybe it could make you feel better!"

"Oh yeah...sure!"


"Red, it's time to go!" Lorna calls out into the kitchen's backroom. She doesn't know what's wrong with the Russian woman. Red had been ignoring her at lunch, as well, and she thought maybe Red was just busy, until she spoke to everyone but Lorna.

Red continues to retouch her lipstick in her makeup mirror. "I'm not taking you anywhere. You're getting a ride from your parole officer."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Didn't Nicky tell you? I'm done with this bullshit you're pulling, what with the getting yourself a restraining order put against you! Get the fuck out of here."

Lorna's heart drops because of how Red is acting. "I'm sorry...I didn't ask for that! Please, you gotta forgive me!"

"Apologizing doesn't mean shit. I don't have to do anything. You caused it to happen. Just go!" Red shoos Lorna away.

"Don't you think you're being a little harsh?" she asks, but Red doesn't answer her. "You can't just give me the cold shoulder...that's immature!" After a minute of Red not saying a word, Lorna shouts, "You stupid bitch baby!" and storms out of the room, on the verge of tears.


"You're gonna be okay, Diablo," Blanca whispers softly to her boyfriend while nestling into his side, but not so close that she hurts him. "Te amo, mi amor."

I love you, my love

"Novia, te amo tambien."

Sweetheart, I love you, too.

Blanca strokes Diablo's cut cheek with the back of her hand and gently joins her lips with his. He catches her face in his calloused hands and tenderly kisses the bruising around her eye.

"Tres días serán demasiado largos sin ti, pero lo visitaré cuando pueda. ¡Piscatella se suspendió, eso es lo mejor que pueden hacer...pero Red y Gloria y sus compañeros de trabajo lo van a terminar para siempre!

Three days will be too long without you, but I'll visit whenever I can. Piscatella got suspended, that's the best they can do...but Red and Gloria and their co-workers are gonna terminate him for good!

He smiles up at her and caresses her hair lovingly. "Sólo me importa que no te haya hecho más daño. Siempre te protegeré, mi hermosa chica."

I just care that he didn't get to do more damage to you. I'll always protect you, my beautiful girl.

She grins at his touch. "Sí, pero no te quiero muerto."

Yeah, but I don't want you dead.

Blanca and Diablo are canoodling in the water under the dimly lit sky, their naked bodies locked together in a romantic embrace. They move through the water, Diablo holding Blanca against him as he fucks her hard. She tries so hard to keep her orgasm from making her scream too loud, and instead, lets out silent, heavy pants. She gasps when she reaches her climax, and he pulls out of her when she calms down from her high.

"Ohh, dios, que fue tan bueno...mmm..." she murmurs, and then giggles underneath her palm. Blanca leans down and nuzzles her face into his neck while nibbling on it. Diablo rubs his hands up and down her back.

God, that was so good...

"Eres tan linda cuando vienes...todo el tiempo, en realidad."

You're so pretty when you come...all the time, actually.

Blanca chuckles against his hairy chest lightly and trails her fingertips along the rough stubble on his cheeks. "Irónico que digas eso, porque yo estaba fea hasta el año pasado...María dijo que me parecía Frida Kahlo con mi unibrow, pero ella sólo estaba siendo agradable...cera que cada vez que los pelos pequeños comienzan a crecer, y justo después de nuestro pequeño baño, voy a ducharme, secar y enderezar, así que no parece que haya un arbusto en mi cabeza. No voy a ser intimidada más...no después de Joey me engañó a ir a esa casa con los maestros espeluznantes y casi toda la escuela estaba allí...así que incluso si usted y nuestro equipo están bien con mi belleza natural llamada, no soy. Nunca me permitiré ser apodado Blanca la Bestia-nunca más." she says firmly, not willing to allow herself to show weakness because of her lousy past.

Ironic that you say that, because I was ugly up until last year...Maria said I looked like Frida Kahlo with my unibrow, but she was just being nice...I wax it every time the little hairs start to grow out, and right after our little swim, I'm gonna shower, blow dry, and straighten so it doesn't look like there's a bush on my head. I won't get bullied anymore...not after Joey fooled me into going to that cottage with the creepy teachers and almost the whole school was there...so even if you and our crew are fine with my natural so-called beauty, I'm not. I will never allow myself to be nicknamed Blanca the Beast-ever again.

"¡Te amaría de cualquier manera! Puedes hacer lo que tu corazón desee, pero si alguien te llama así o hace lo que hizo ese pinchazo, los golpearé, lo sabes, querida."

I would love you either way! You can do whatever your heart desires, but if someone calls you that or does what that prick did, I'll punch 'em out, you know that, dear.

"Sí, pero también tuve mujeres matones, como te dije, Piper Chapman fue la peor."

Yeah, but I had female bullies, too...like I told you, Piper Chapman was the worst.

"Si yo te conociera en ese entonces, yo les habría robado a los ciegos mientras estaban armados y te defendían verbalmente."

If I knew you back then, I would've just robbed them blind while armed and stood up for you verbally.

Blanca swoons inside and rests her head on his shoulder as she kisses it. "¡Eres un verdadero hombre para eso!"

You're a true man for that!

She gives him a hand job until he gets as rigid as stone, and then, he circles his thumb around her core, making her feel amazing. It brings her back to their first time, when he'd pleasured her to the point of not being able to think about anything except for how good he was at this. Everything around them fades, and the only thing she can see is Diablo's smoldering chocolate brown eyes, full of lust and love for her-and only her. If someone had told Blanca after the Joey incident, that a handsome guy would sweep her off her feet like Prince Charming and melt her frozen heart, just in time for her quinceñera on November thirteenth, she would've laughed in their face and flipped them off.

"Mierda, por favor sigue," she begs him. "Aaah..."

Fuck, please keep going...

Diablo kisses her strongly, biting her lower lip and chewing on it as he pumps his fingers in and out of her lower region, and it's even better. Blanca moans while tipping her head back into the water, only to her hairline and grips onto his shoulders. He's keeping her upright into a floating position. He moves his other hand to her cheek and tilts her chin to the side. He bends down and sucks on her neck, successfully giving her a hickey and a beard burn, all at once. He then hoists her further up his body and starts licking her breasts rapidly, as fast as he's finger-banging her.

"Sabes tan bien..."

You taste so good...

"Sí, te gusta mis tetas," she teases him.

Yeah, you just like my tits.

"Lo amo cada parte de tu cuerpo."

I love every part of your body.

"Lo sé."

I know.

They gaze into each other's eyes fondly and Blanca smirks when she thinks about what they'll do next, which is oral sex at the pool side, but desire, warmth, adoration, and playfulness suddenly turns into darkness, cold, hate, and fear as a large shadow looms over them. She feels Diablo tense up and shield her with his body as Piscatella raises a hockey stick and strikes her boyfriend with it, quickly causing a laceration to form on his face. Blanca is soon covered in goosebumps and shivering as she tries to get them both out of the water, but it's impossible to run from this ogre of a man.

"I'll kill you two!" Piscatella roars. He tosses his weapon to the side, gets into the pool, the last thing Blanca sees is his fist aimed at her. The world turns black for a few seconds.

The next thing she knows, Piscatella is dragging Diablo out by his hair and kicking him over and over as he keeps repeating, "¡No toque a mi chica otra vez, monstruo!" She assumes that Diablo had tried to defend her honor by fighting that asshole, but of course, Piscatella is tougher than him.

Don't touch my girl again, you monster!

Blanca struggles to leave the pool and plans to use the hockey stick to get Piscatella off her boyfriend. She can barely see and she's lightheaded because she'd been hit so hard, and she doesn't have a good grip on the ledge, as her hands are shaking so badly. Diablo groans, holding his bloody penis in pain, and Blanca shrieks when she sees it in such a weird angle. "Stop, you're hurting him! ¡Déjalo en paz! ¡Alguien, ayúdenos, por favor!" She scrambles out, not caring that she's hurt and most likely bleeding after scraping her knee and left side on the pavement. "Someone help us, please!" she repeats in English.

Leave him alone!

Piscatella tosses them back into the pool and pushes them down, his large hands wrapped around their necks, choking them. "No luches," she rasps to Diablo. A person can't stay alive for more than four minutes underwater, so Blanca plans to hold her breath until Piscatella believes they're officially dead.

Don't struggle.

One hundred and twenty seconds later, they hear him go away, and they come up for air, wheezing and gasping raggedly while grasping onto each other. "Ay dios mío," she breathes out, sobbing. The water is turning red, and it's really scaring her. They swim to the stairs, stumble out of the pool, and Blanca races to grab their clothes as fast as possible. Diablo is so weak that he's just laying there, groaning in agony, and Blanca is also faint, but she can still get her legs to move. She helps him into his boxers, jeans, and sweatshirt, puts her bra and underwear on, and then dials nine-one-one.

While they wait for the ambulance, Blanca throws on her pants, blue shirt, and black sweater. He lays his head in her lap, and when the paramedics come, he's lifted onto a stretcher and she rides in the back, sitting by his side and holding an ice pack against her eye. He kisses her hand and squeezes it, and she beams. "No tenías que quedarte conmigo."

You didn't have to stay with me.

"Quería."

I wanted to.

"Tienes que volver allí y decirle a alguien para que podemos obtener justicia por lo que nos pasó."

You have to get back there and tell someone so we can get justice for what happened to us.

"Lo sé, lo haré, pero no puedo dejarte cuando no sé si morirás conmigo."

I know, I will, but I can't just leave you when I don't know if you'll die on me.

Blanca stays with Diablo long enough to get her various injuries wrapped in bandages and she finds out that he's now infertile, but nothing worse than that. It still makes her shudder, to know that Piscatella almost ended both of their lives. She hails a cab back to the school and limps along to the girls' locker room to take a shower. When she's finished washing herself, she blows her hair dry and straightens it while staring sadly into the mirror. She doesn't bother putting on eye makeup, as it'll be too irksome, but she applies lipstick and dabs blush on the apples of her cheeks. Her movements are slow, and she doesn't recognize her reflection. She's been alone at school before, but not so far this year. She wants to join Maria at their usual meeting spot, but her feet can't get her past the next girls' bathroom, before she breaks down. She backs away from the door with trembling breaths, yanks a paper towel out of the dispenser, runs it under cool water, and pats her aching eye. When she gets another glance at herself, she sees a lone tear run down her cheek. She delves even further into her panic attack and takes her frustration out on the stall doors.

A quiet sniffling sounds behind them, and Blanca turns around to see Lorna blinking back tears. She hands Diablo some painkillers and water, and Blanca helps him sit up to take them. "Why are you crying?" Blanca asks the volunteer nurse.

"Sorry, I've got empathy up the ying-yang. You two are just really cute together! It's so beautiful!" Lorna gushes while clasping her hands together. She wipes a Kleenex underneath her eyes and blows her nose. "You've got a real man, Blanca. He hurt himself, protecting you!" Lorna squeaks and spins around, grinning merrily. "That means it's meant to be. Christopher beat up Joey for me, you know. It's all over school." She gasps. "Maybe we could double-date!"

Blanca raises her eyebrow in disbelief. "I heard they were arguing over Angela."

"Pfft, that's what she thinks, but he was defending my honor. Anyway, how did you guys meet?"

"I took care of this old lady and he was her hot gardener," Blanca replies, while still staring at Diablo with pure love. "It was mutual attraction at first sight. He gave me this head nod through the window while he was mowing the lawn, and I just couldn't look away. We smiled at each other, and when I went outside to help Millie into her car, we talked while he put her wheelchair into the trunk, despite her demanding for me to drive her to wherever she needed to go. He was about to kiss me, I think...but we got interrupted."

"Aww!" Lorna squeals behind her, pressing her hand over her heart. She fans herself and gets a dreamy expression on her face. "That is so heart-meltingly cute, up until the cockblock, obviously! Oh my goodness! Then what?"

Blanca grins craftily. "We both lost our jobs over it, but whatever. She was crabby, anyway. She blamed him for distracting me, and then we made sweet love in front of her in the middle of the night. We made sure to wake that bitch up."

Lorna cackles. "Oh, well, maybe Christopher and I should do that next time, just to show Angela that we mean business!"

"Are you sure he wants to? I don't really see you guys together-"

"We're dating!" Lorna interrupts her. "We are, but Angela put some sort of spell on him, like a hex! I have no idea why! She didn't have a meet-cute with him, I know that for sure!"

"Uh-huh, okay, you're perfect together!" Blanca pretends to agree with Lorna. "The only problem is, witches don't exist...it's not like she can perform magic."

"Well, no, silly, but it's like this. She's holding him hostage in her basement and is forcing him to be her boyfriend. It's sad!"

"Yep..." Lorna's now going off the deep end, and Blanca doesn't have much more to say to her. It's just too many lies with this girl.

Lorna must be seeing Blanca through new eyes without Piper around. She has no idea how Lorna doesn't feel at all awkward around her. She was the first of Piper's friends to actually be kind to her, but Blanca thinks maybe that's just Lorna's bubbly personality and the fact that she also had been fooled by Joey.

Blanca crouches in the corner of the Pizza Hut bathroom and allows herself to cry while she waits for Maria's mom to pick them up. She picks leaves and sticks out of her hair and wipes dirt off of her clothes. She wails in anguish, stands up, and punches her image in the the mirror so hard that a sharp pain shoots through her now trembling hand. It could be broken, but she doesn't care. She hates herself.

She returns to sitting on the floor and shrieks again, but it's stuck in her throat when she notices Lorna come in. The short brunette makes her way over to Blanca and squats down next to her. "I just wanted to say...I'm so sorry for how Joey treated you."

"I'm the one who stupidly believed him," Blanca mumbles. "Popular boys and hideous girls...they don't match." She hugs her knees to her chest tightly and sobs, wanting to shoot herself for showing any emotion in front of a member of Piper's clique. Lorna could easily report this back to Piper, and Blanca would be the subject of more taunts. "Just go...please..." She flinches when Lorna scoots closer to her.

Lorna brushes a tear off Blanca's cheek and smoothes down her scraggly hair. "Oh hon, don't cry over that douchebag...he's just not worth the tears...I thought he liked me, too!"

It hurts so much, in ways Lorna would never understand. Blanca feels as though her heart is cracked and unable to be mended. There's no chance in hell anyone would want to go out with her now, but Lorna can always find someone else. Blanca can't. "Well you're pretty, of course he liked you!"

"No matter what we look like, he should not have done that to us!" Lorna insists, rubbing Blanca's shoulder comfortingly.

Blanca hiccups and wipes her runny nose with some toilet paper. "I-I just wanna be beautiful..."

"All you need for that is a hair straightener and Biore wax strips. I'd be happy to give you a makeover! I live for those!" Lorna smiles sadly at her, but Blanca isn't sure if it's genuine.

"Why are you doing this?"

"To quote my favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn, 'I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it.' Helping people in distress is my specialty. I'm real compassionate. Piper could use someone who's the polar opposite of her."

"I hope you've gotten your rabies shots!" Piper cuts in. Lorna jumps, and Blanca quickly gets to her feet, dashes out of the room, and leaves the fast food place without looking at a soul.

Lorna may be slightly mentally unstable, but she's still a nice girl. Blanca just won't talk to her about Christopher anymore. "We should let him sleep," she says, gesturing to her boyfriend. "I'll stay here, if that's okay?"

"Yeah, sure!" Lorna permits.

"Can we have some privacy, though?"

"Alright, that's fine. Feel better, you guys!" Lorna grins at them warmly as she exits the room.


"I just don't understand your issue with her!" Alex tells Sylvie when they're at her trailer park and Diane isn't home. "Piper's six feet under. It's stupid to be jealous of a dead girl!" Sylvie gives her an icy glare. "I'm sorry, but it is! What, are you afraid her ghost is gonna haunt you?"

"No...but she's still alive in your heart. You have memorabilia of her everywhere like she's a goddamn celebrity-"

"Hey, her other friends do too! Piper and I were best friends, okay? Why is that so fucking awful? I know she wasn't the sweetest person at times, but she had her good points."

Sylvie laughs bitterly. "She bullied me so much in soccer that I had to kick her in the back and sucker punch her! She made me want to commit suicide, but when my parents caught me trying to do it, they had me switch schools. When I heard that bitch died for real, I moved back here. She used to call me a she-male, just because I'm built like a dude."

"Oh yeah, she showed us her bruise from that..." Alex remembers. "I didn't know...I apologize. That's awful, what she did to you."

"Well, it's all over now," Sylvie mutters. "I don't feel like being the other girl..."

"You're not!"

"I have to go home, alright? I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Okay, then..."

A new message pops up on Alex's phone. Wanna make up with Sylvie? Then get rid of everything to do with Piper-birthday cards, pictures, her memorial site, and other bullshit you can think of...otherwise, you'll risk joining her. xo, P

She's never wanted her mom to be home this badly.


"I'm sorry to hear that," Ian tells Flaca after she's just shakily let him know about what Fernando did to her.

"Yeah...I...I got PTSD and shit." Flaca sniffles and brushes the tears off her cheeks and out of her eyes so she can see Ian better. "I need you to sleep with me tonight."

"Oh man, that really sucks...but what were you wearing?" he asks, and she can actually feel the pain as her heart cracks.

"You know what?" she yells, standing up from her curled up position on the floor. "Now I can see your true fuckin' colors. Get out of my house, you asshole!" She pushes him out her bedroom door, but he just stands there, not letting her close it on him.

"It's a question! What's the big deal?"

"I'm breaking in front of you and you don't even care! You're blaming me that I got raped by my dumbass uncle! You're so stupid!"

"I'm just saying...men and boys want to fuck hot girls who are in something sexy, okay? You're not as tempting if you're dressed in jeans and a shirt, no makeup or jewelry, and with your hair up. That's a fact."

"How dare you?!" she hollers. "I'm not your girlfriend anymore, so your opinion no longer matters. Goodbye!"

"This is ridiculous! You're being dramatic."

"Shut the fuck up and leave before I call the police," she threatens him coldly. "It's a crime to stay in someone's house if they've asked you to go."

"Dumb bitch," he grumbles and slams the door behind him. The whole apartment shakes, and she jumps at the second noise when he exits through the front door.

While still crying, Flaca scrolls through her contacts so she can delete his number off her phone. The incoming text infuriates her. Well, he's right...it is your fault...you are a slut for letting it happen! kisses, P

She thinks of calling up Maritza, but decides not to at this moment, as she's busy with the cheerleaders. She'll do it some other time.


"It's probably a good idea that I tell you about Joey now, in case he decides to ask Maritza out or somethin'," Lorna says to Nicky. She sighs as she watches it all play out in her head. It's one of her worst memories.

She's walking to her locker when Joey strides up to her and leans back on the locker next to hers. "Hey," he starts, making her look up in surprise.

"Oh, hi."

"I haven't seen you around before."

"I'm a freshman, that's why. Do you know my friend Piper?"

"Yeah, I know everybody and everything about this school. I'm the football quarterback…I'm so glad it's my senior year. I had to repeat it, because I failed English last year."

"Oh, I'm not too good at the subject myself."

Lorna looks at him for a few seconds. Wow. He's sexy, nice, and strong with muscles, he's a second year senior, and a football player. He seems very nice. He runs a hand through his dark blonde hair. "Well, that makes two of us. We should date because you're really pretty. Actually, you're smoking hot. I got a thing for short girls with brunette locks and deep brown eyes."

"Wow…I'm flattered." Her heart leaps. "I'd like that...you and me together," she says, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. She had read in a magazine that it makes guys fall for girls instantly. It seems to work with him. She wouldn't ever want to make him feel uncomfortable. This guy is already her boyfriend and very outgoing, so it could work. "But you'd have to come to my house. My big sister is a little…" She gives him a small shrug and shakes her head.

"Overprotective? Overbearing?"

"Exactly, it's like…but I know she loves me, and that's why she's very protective of me. She doesn't let me go anywhere alone with guys. Maybe you shouldn't meet her yet. It's so soon."

"I'm extremely glad I met you, Lorraine."

"Oh, it's Lorna," she lets out a small laugh, "and I'm also glad I met you, Joey."

"Lorna…sorry. I just had a bad breakup with my girlfriend…my mind wanders sometimes," he apologizes.

"Oh, that's all right."

"Hey, make sure to come to my nineteeth birthday party next month."

"I-I'll be there," she promises.

"Yeah, everyone will be there. Well, I'll see you around…Lorna. Cute smile, by the way." He picks up her hand and kisses it. "Mind if I escort you to your next class after lunch?"

"I don't mind," she says, her voice barely a whisper.

"Good." Then, he turns and walks away. She starts doing a little dance in front of her locker and squealing.

The next four hours pass by slowly and then it's finally time for lunch. She eats with Joey and tells the girls she'll eat with them another time.

When lunch ends, Joey holds her hand and with his other hand, he carries her books, as they walk to her class. "I can't get enough of your cute little fingers," Joey says, kissing each of them and making Lorna blush. Everyone backs up against lockers and starts whispering to each other and giggling.

"What a surprise…his new girl is a dorky looking freshman."

"What's her name?"

"They look so good together."

"God, she's tiny!"

"I can't believe he didn't choose me!"

"He's such a dick."

"She's so cute."

"He's hot!"

"Don't worry about them, baby, it's just about you and me," Joey says, rubbing circles on her arm as they stop at Lorna's class. "Love you." He pecks her on the cheek before walking away. She puts her hand to her cheek. It's still warm, and so is her hand. The feeling down there will not go away.

She considers herself a very lucky girl. Having found a chance at love at only fourteen, she just can't believe it. Joey is the star football player and wrestling champ. He's a senior and the lord of the kingdom called Martin Van Buren High. He's also Lorna's boyfriend whom she adores to the ends of the earth.

They're in his basement for their first date, and it's dark. The only light is from the moon out the window, and she can barely see him. It sets the romantic mood, which excites her. Their lips meet over and over again, and Joey starts to reach his hands up her pink skirt, but Lorna jerks away from him. "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm about to fuck you, obviously. I didn't think you needed a warning." He massages her legs and starts to inch his fingers up her thighs, but she stops his hands from going any further.

"Yeah...I don't wanna rush it, ya know?"

"I love you, though." He kisses her while running his hands under her shirt and tracing the bottom of her bra with his fingers. She squirms, hating herself because it feels so good. She knows she really shouldn't score with him.

"I know you do, Joey. It's just that I'm nervous."

"There's nothing to be scared of. Don't you love me?" he asks as he sucks on her neck while taking down her bra straps.

"Yes..." Her eyes flutter closed as he removes her bra and fondles her breasts.

"These are the biggest tits I've seen on a high school freshman, you know that? It's mouthwatering," he whispers, licking his lips, and a shiver crawls down her spine. "I'm ravenous...and horny." Lorna wants to get up, away from the temptation. She doesn't like being this dirty, and she doesn't want to get knocked up. She's not on the pill since her parents don't believe in sex before marriage, so therefore, they refuse to give her and Franny lessons in safe sex.

"Condom," she breathes out. "You...you gotta put one on. I don't have...protection..."

"I'm already prepared. I thought you were a fast girl...got into guys right away?"

"Well, yes, but, I've never had sex before..." Lorna trails off when he starts stroking her center. She's getting wetter by the minute, and now, she doesn't want him to stop, ever. "Ohh...ohhh, yes! Mmm..."

"Don't worry about that. Being a virgin at fourteen is normal. You're not expected to be experienced in everything."

They'd been drinking and the effects of the alcohol were already making Lorna's body and brain numb. "Is your head buzzing? Mine is, and I'm getting real hot..."

"I feel as fine as you look."

"Oh my goodness," Lorna giggles, and then moans loudly. She shrieks as she rides out her orgasm. "Fuck, you're amazing..."

He pushes himself into her roughly while yanking on her hair, and she's soon over the edge again. It's quite painful and there's a bit of blood, but that's how everyone's first time is, according to her friends. "Yeah, you bet I am."

She goes to sleep in peaceful bliss, but the next morning, she wakes up cold and alone on the hard floor. "Joey?" she calls out, rubbing her eyes free of sleep. She gathers up her scattered clothes and puts them on. She walks up the stairs and goes into the dining room where he and his family are eating breakfast. They look shocked to see her, and he waves. Her cheeks heat up and she instantly covers the hickeys he'd made.

"Morning, you can join us if you want. You might want to fix your tangled bed hair and smudged makeup first, though."

Lorna chuckles awkwardly, staring down at her bare feet. "I...I'm sorry, I don't want to intrude...I'll catch you later at school, Joey!"

"Okay, bye!"

Later that week, after she'd told everyone that Joey had gotten her pregnant, she spots him exchanging money with one of his buddies while sniggering. "Told you she's easy!" Joey says. "That pipsqueak Lorna Morello...any amount of flirting makes her fall for you instantly!"

"He talked me into having sex with him, even though I was anxious," Lorna tells the girls. She forces down a sob, but tears spill out of her eyes. "It was all for a bet...and he bragged about getting the tiniest piece of meat who was only big where it counted." She hugs herself and shudders. "I wanted to kill him for doing that to me."

"I could pop him one if you'd like," Nicky states angrily while enveloping Lorna in her arms, and the brunette just stares at the black night sky out the window. "I hate him for this, kid."

"So do I!"

"Wow, what a sleaze, playing games with girls like he did!" Maritza comments.

Lorna sniffles and takes a few shaky breaths in and out. "Yeah, see, what he'd do, is if you accepted his invitation to go out with him, he'd make you swoon, call you the wrong name, and give you a sad story about how he wasn't thinking straight because he was dumped. He pretended to mistakenly refer to me as Lorraine. I should've known something was up with him when he asked out Blanca and called her Briana, leading her on for a week, only for it to turn out to be a prank of his...but I thought he would never do that to me because I was in the popular crowd."

"He's a fuckin' idiot!" Nicky says, raking her fingers through Lorna's hair. "Don't blame yourself. It's him!"

"I didn't know what was wrong with me," Lorna mumbles.

"Nothing, you're incredibly sweet and so beautiful," Nicky assures her. "That creep is the problem."

"Yeah, I mean, he's so desperate for a girlfriend...it's stupid," Maritza agrees.

"The stars look like diamonds," Lorna points out, not wanting to discuss Joey anymore.

"You're right, they do," Nicky responds, and Maritza nods while smiling.


Leon's hands roam down Aleida's sides and cup her ass as he pulls her into him gently. They share a passionate kiss just before he opens her apartment door for her. "After you, baby."

"Thanks! So...I just thought I should let you know this since we've been dating for a week now...I started school for my GED last Tuesday. I never finished high school," Aleida confesses, uncharacteristically shy. She laughs off her embarrassment. Cesar hadn't taken her seriously when she told him, and when she swore it was true, he'd told her she's changing too much and too fast. With Leon, she's afraid he'll think she's stupid for not graduating, but she's willing to take the risk. Honesty is vital in any relationship, and she can't keep lying about where she is every night, especially when he works so close to her college.

He hugs her close to his side and pecks the top of her head. "Oh, that's great! What's your major?"

Aleida shrugs. "Nothing much, just cosmetology. Apparently, I'm real good. Sorry, I'm dumb."

"No, you aren't. I'm proud of you for working towards a goal." They sit on her living room couch and he gathers her in his arms. "You'll do wonderful, my girl, I'm sure of it. I'll be there for anything you need."

The words coming from his mouth don't seem real to her, but she beams at them nonetheless. "Yeah, well, Dayanara already smoked weed, so that's my fault. She's also out late, and she betta call and tell us when she's gonna be home!"

Aleida closes her eyes when Leon strokes her hair soothingly. "Babe, relax. Teenagers wanna try that shit, and parents are there to teach them that it's dangerous."

"I wasn't...I've missed so much of her life, it's just...terrible. I'm so bad at parenting..."

"Drugs do that to people, but let me tell you something. You're doing so good. You care about her, which is an important step in reconnecting with her and your other kids."

"Yeah."

"She's fifteen...she's gonna have nights out, and if she doesn't contact you or Gloria by a certain time, give her a ring or text her. She'll have to answer."

"You're right...and at least she ain't pregnant..."

Thank you for beta'ing, HannahMileyfan1, cornedout, A Star In My Universe, and thecharmedwerewolf!