Thank you for beta'ing, A Star In My Universe! Warning: some violence and mentions of torture
carajo-fuck
"¡No te puedo creer que estés en otra cita!" Flaca exclaims. "¿Qué estás haciendo, citas rápidas?"
I cannot believe you're on another date! What are you doing, speed dating?
"No, mira, el chico del sitio web...él y yo no hicimos clic, pero luego conocí a otro hombre...y es mucho más interesante! Además, habla español muy bien. No tengo que trabajar duro para entender su inglés."
No, see, the guy from the website...he and I didn't click, but then I met another man...and he's just a lot more interesting! Plus, he speaks Spanish very well. I don't have to work hard to understand his English.
"Oh, wow! ¡Que te diviertas! ¿Cuándo crees que vas a volver a casa?"
Have fun! When do you think you're coming home?
"Estaré en el bar hasta que cierra, alrededor de las cuatro de la mañana. ¿Estás de acuerdo con eso, o debo ir a casa de Maritza y recogerlo?" Theresa asks.
I'll be at the bar until it closes, around four in the morning. Are you okay with that, or should I come to Maritza's and pick you up?
"No, no quiero arruinarte ni interrumpir tu tiempo..."
No, I don't wanna ruin or interrupt your time...
"¿Como te sientes?"
How are you feeling?
"Estoy bien, tomé analgésicos para poder disfrutar esta noche y tener un sueño reparador después."
I'm fine, I took pain relievers so I could enjoy tonight and have a restful sleep afterward
"Bien, bueno, adiós, ¡te amo!"
Okay, well, bye, I love you!
¡Yo también te amo!
I love you too!
Flaca places the phone face down on her nightstand and rolls over as best she can to face Maritza, who's giggling at what she'd just listened in on. She pulls the pale green covers up and over them both and turns off Flaca's bedside lamp. "Well, the online match wasn't a success, that sucks."
"I know, dude, but she still managed to get kinda wild..." Flaca and Maritza grin at each other. "I'mma ask her all kinds of questions tomorrow about how it all went!"
"Ohh, good plan!"
Having Nicky crash at the Morellos' apartment proves to be not only enjoyable for Lorna, but helpful, too. So far, she'd taken out the bug infestation with some kind of spray, assisted Lorna and Franny with dragging their father out of his bed and into his wheelchair, washed their mother's soiled bedsheets while they cooked breakfast, she's had the perfect comebacks to Mikey's weird humor, and fixed their broken dryer and leaky showerhead with Mr. Morello's old tools, and it's not even noon yet. The sisters got two extra hours of sleep. They'd never seen the house look so neat before and their previously wrecked appliances now are working as good as new.
"See? It's easy!" Nicky proclaims as she replaces the light bulb in Lorna's room. "Righty tighty, lefty loosey."
"Franny normally does that, but she's just been very busy!"
"Well, now you know how to do it yourself. You got anything else that needs fixing?"
"Yeah, actually...the shower clogs. You should be an electrician when you grow up!"
"Eh, maybe!"
"Seriously, you're the woman version of everything I'd want in a man!"
The blonde girl kneels down next to the tub of the shower and starts working on clearing the drain. Lorna watches her as she sits on the counter, swinging her legs from side to side. She can't figure out how Nicky's doing this job, but she starts giggling as Nicky's jeans start to slide down, along with her royal blue underpants.
"What?"
"Nice, you got a plumber's butt crack!" Lorna teases her.
"Aw, shit," Nicky grumbles, hooking a few of her fingers through the belt loops and pulling her pants up. She turns around and smirks at Lorna. "Were you turned on?"
"Ew, no! That is not attractive, I was joking! I can get you a belt, if you'd like."
"Okay, thanks!"
By the time Lorna returns with it, Nicky is pulling out the drain with a bunch of wet brown hair attached to it. "Here's the culprit, kid."
"Oh, gross! Fuck...do we have cancer, me and Franny?" Lorna asks worriedly. "That's what happened with our mother after the leukemia, so she had to get a wig, and I'm also lookin' after this lady in the hospital who lost all her hair due to the same thing."
Nicky takes the white belt from Lorna and puts it on. "I'm sure you're both fine...hair falls out in the shower, even if you're perfectly healthy." She yanks the hair off the drain, throws it away, and washes her hands.
"How do you know that?"
"Surfing the web and reading up on home maintenance really helps. Also, I've had experience!"
"Lorna, Nicky, Tricia, five minutes til your waffles are ready!" Franny calls from downstairs.
"Oh, I gotta get her up," Nicky tells Lorna, and they both go into what's now her room. Nicky strokes the conked out younger girl's hair and gently kisses her cheek. Lorna smiles at how sweet Nicky is with Tricia. "Wake up, little sis! Franny made us all waffles and Lorna helped her a bit."
"Uhhh..." is Tricia's sleepy response. "I'm tired...fuck off!"
"You've had ten hours of rest!"
"Bitch, you woke me when you got outta bed!"
"Hey, don't be rude to our hosts! You're so lazy!"
"You shouldn't talk to your sister like that, it's disrespectful," Lorna adds.
"It's okay, Lorna, I got it from here." Nicky places her fists on her hips while turning to the other blonde. "Tricia Miller, you are not laying there all day like a lump on a log! It's bad for you. Do you want me to throw a cup of cold water in your face?"
"Sorry...I'm up," Tricia says, rubbing her eyes open and stretching while yawning. "I just can't believe I'm about to have some real food made by good people!"
"Yeah, me neither, kid."
"You are both very dear friends of mine, so it's hard to see you two fighting," Sister Jane starts out when the service ends. Gloria and Sophia are sitting on either side of the nun in a pew.
"Well, then tell her to keep her child under control," Sophia mutters.
"Shut the f-" Gloria begins, but then stops herself from swearing since they're inside a church and in the presence of a nun. "You're wrong!"
"This is the problem, she's got a mouth full of curse words...her son has really learned from the best!" Sophia huffs and folds her arms across her chest.
"Your kid scared Aleida's...not on purpose, but he oughta know better and quit the moment she lets out that first wail. Maybe he's deaf, but come on, did he not see the tears comin' down her cheeks, or is he blind, too? My Benny was being protective of her. He went about it wrong, yes, but he had recently discovered his mother's boyfriend, who he'd been living with, was an abuser who wouldn't take no for an answer," Gloria snaps. "He didn't realize that not all guys are like that!"
"Okay, now that you've discussed your problems, please allow me to step in. As mothers, you need to teach your children right from wrong. Growing up under the influence of your boyfriend from Hell is no excuse for such behavior, Gloria-you're a positive role model for your son. Educate him that we do not hit our peers-we use our words. As for you, Sophia, Michael does need to realize that we must treat our friends kindly, and part of that is not continuing an action that is upsetting them to the point of tears. Whether or not you or him or Crystal knew of this little girl's PTSD, if someone is crying, ask them what's wrong and immediately stop. It is not okay to go ahead and do whatever you want. What you four should do is bring the kids all together, sit them down for a talk, and try to explain in simple terms why violence is not a solution and that awareness of people's emotions is important."
"Okay, but Christina didn't do nothin'," Gloria says.
"Michael could ask her why she didn't like that game, and he'd apologize when she gives her answer. She doesn't need to explain it in full detail, but children need to be given a reason. Even 'I'm afraid of people chasing me and yelling' is a good one."
Gloria nods in understanding. "Alright, so where should we do this? I don't want our other kids to listen in."
"How about mine and Crystal's house since Michael is an only child?" Sophia asks.
"That's fine."
"The girls took so many pictures of us last night! Aren't we adorable?" Lorna asks while showing Nicky the photos and flipping through them.
"Oh yeah, hey, check it out, in this one, we look like a couple!" Nicky says while tapping her finger against an image of her holding a smiling Lorna around her waist and kissing her cheek.
"Whoops, was I supposed to look surprised, or should you have posed for the camera like I was doing?"
"I forgot, but this sure is cute!"
"I know...we better not put that on Facebook, though...Christopher would get the wrong idea and be all jealous!"
Nicky rolls her eyes internally. "Maybe we should, to let him see what he missed out on."
"No, I feel bad now. I cheated by letting you do that."
"Come on, it's not like it turned into anything! Besides, get real...he won't give a shit! If anything, he'll be relieved that you moved on with someone else."
"I didn't, though! He would be furious...we promised each other that no one would stand in the way of our relationship."
Nicky groans while rubbing her temples. "How come you hate me so much?"
"Why would I hate you if I let you in my house? I did you a fucking favor!"
"I didn't ask you to! Damn it, Lorna you confuse me so much!" The brunette appears to be perplexed. "You act loyal to this guy who doesn't deserve a second of your time, by the way. If you love each other so much, then why do you care who I sleep with?" Lorna crosses her arms and scoffs while looking down at the floor. "I see the way you get upset when I talk to other girls...like last night, when Alex was flirting with me, jokingly, may I add, and giving me compliments, you seemed jealous, almost." Nicky scoffs while shaking her head. "What is it? Are you secretly in love with me but pretending he is your boyfriend because you're afraid to come out?"
"I ain't a lesbian, Nicky. I was raised Catholic."
Nicky lets a small, disbelieving chuckle escape from her mouth. "Sure, okay."
"Christopher is my boyfriend!" Lorna insists. "Alex has a girlfriend...she shouldn't have eye-fucked you and said that shit!" She jabs a finger into Nicky's chest and pouts. "That's why I got a little pissy."
Nicky raises her eyebrow while folding her arms across her chest. "Is that so?" She walks toward Lorna until her knees bump the shorter girl's thighs, and Lorna backs up to the end of her bed. She sits on it, but Nicky stays standing. "They're not really getting along these days. If you're really not into me, though, that's fine, I'll, uh...have some fun with Stella or Brook...or maybe a threesome."
Lorna's eyes flash with anger and she grits her teeth while balling up her fists. "I thought Brook was with Poussey, and who the fuck is this Stella bitch, huh?" Nicky makes an attempt not to snort with laughter, but it doesn't work. "How many cunts do ya do in a day, ya goddamn hooker?!"
"I banged her for drugs, but lately, none." Nicky tosses her hands in the air. "Why do you even give a shit?"
"Have you been tested? You were on the streets for years!"
"Yeah, duh, I don't want me or other girls to get STDs! I learned that in seventh grade...so I made sure to always carry around condoms. I don't need 'em anymore now that I don't do dick or prostitutes. I just keep it within the school."
Lorna shudders. "That's still disgusting."
"Who are you to call me a slut when you're the one who's always having sex with her boyfriends before marriage? Doesn't that go against your faith?" Nicky chortles when Lorna glares at her. "Not such a good girl now, are ya?" she asks while placing her hands on either side of Lorna's hips. "You want me all to yourself, just admit it."
"Fuck you!" Lorna growls while speedily scooting to her pillow.
"I'd love to. Your hole is my goal."
"What the-I never thought I'd say this to a girl, but you are the cockiest chick I've ever met!"
"Yeah? Well, you're an arrogant snob!" Nicky fires back.
"I am not! How could you say that?! I allowed you to live in my home."
"You're acting like I belong to you or something! I don't. We're not even girlfriends," Nicky says bitterly. "Straight girls don't get envious when their female friends fuck other people or make passes at them!" She grabs the phone with the picture of herself and Lorna and shows it to her. "Straight girls don't look like this when they're with their best pal of the same gender unless they're drunk!" She slams it down on the nightstand. "Why the fuck are you doing this? Either you like-like me, or you have no romantic or sexual feelings for me at all and are just using me as some kind of sex toy!"
"I don't gotta tell you shit!"
"Why does it bother you? I'm not remotely in love with those girls. I care about Alex only as a friend, but Brook's too chatty and Stella is gross!" Nicky pauses to inhale and exhale. "If you're up for dating me or whatever, that's cool. You can test me out, see how you like pussy and boobs."
Lorna bites her bottom lip while her eyes travel up and down Nicky's face. "It's not just anyone's that I'd be interested in...I ain't some whore!"
"You're getting warmer," Nicky whispers huskily into Lorna's ear, and the smaller girl sighs heavily while closing her eyes. "Who's do you want to try?" Nicky places her flat palm into Lorna's hair and makes a tight fist, and the Italian rolls over to lean her blushing cheek into Nicky's hand.
"Harder!" Lorna mumbles, so Nicky pulls on her hair with a bit more force than before without hurting her, causing her to moan softly.
"Hold on..." Nicky undoes Lorna's jeans. She goes back to tugging at Lorna's curls, not enough to pull strands out, but just lightly yanking on them until she squeals, while sliding her hand down Lorna's underwear. She spreads her labia and starts rubbing along her g-spot. Lorna starts panting as the friction of Nicky's fingers makes her vagina wet. Nicky thrusts her hand into Lorna's center over and over again while peppering her inner thighs with rough, hickey-inducing kisses.
"Oh, god...yes..." Lorna breathes out. "Fuck, you're so good..."
"Come, baby...you gotta come!"
"Faster, please!" Lorna begs Nicky while clenching her whole body up so much that her legs begin to shake and open even wider. "Ohhh...ohhh...ohhh!" she's shrieking, and she sounds incredibly sexy while doing so. "Aaaah..." Lorna arches her back and curls up her toes, but then she relaxes when the wave of her orgasm crashes over her and her wetness spills onto Nicky's fingers. "Aaaah...oh, god..." She's so beautiful, and not just because she gave into sex. "I feel like I'm in a slutty romance novel," Lorna murmurs.
Nicky licks her fingers free of Lorna's cum. "Delicious." She gazes down at the girl she's passionately in love with.
Lorna grabs the front of Nicky's shirt roughly. "Taste me again."
"Gladly." Nicky tears off Lorna's undies and pants and grips her thighs. She shoves her face into Lorna's soaking folds and places her top lip above the tiny girl's clitoral head and her tongue rests on Lorna's vaginal entrance. She begins licking up and down her pussy in a rapid motion.
"Mmmm...oh, fuck, don't stop! Oh, yeah...yes! Yes! Yes! Aaah..." Lorna squeezes Nicky's head between her legs while bouncing up and down with her screams of pleasure, and Nicky grabs her jiggly breasts beneath her shirt. She gives Lorna's huge tits a nice massage and pinches the other girl's nipples with her thumbs and index fingers. Down below, after Nicky's tongue laps up Lorna's sweet juices and her lips kiss and suck every part of skin there, Lorna's walls clench and then she explodes, filling Nicky's mouth with her release.
"Who ever thought you'd screw a no-good slob pervert, huh?" she asks while Lorna's still coming off her high.
"How was it fucking a bitchy housewife?"
This makes Nicky laugh. "Your insides are like jello, just like you told me!"
Lorna pushes her off the bed. "Knock it off!"
"No can do..."
"Someone's coming up the stairs! Hide behind my clothes!"
Nicky stands up fast. "What?! Your family knows we're friends and I live with you guys!"
"Get in!" Lorna instructs Nicky as she opens her closet door quickly and slams it shut just as fast. There's a knock on the door. "I'm kinda busy right now!"
"It'll just be a second!"
"Okay, fine, but I'm bare under this towel!"
"Lorna, why are you naked?" Alex is asking, and Nicky stifles a giggle under her palm.
"I don't have any clothes!"
Alex opens the closet and peers inside. "You have plenty of clothes! You've got shirts, blazers, skirts, hi, Nicky, pants, socks..." Behind Alex, Lorna is facepalming. "Oh, shit, did you-"
"Alex, you can come back another time!" Lorna tries to push the taller girl out of the room. "I need my fuckin' privacy!"
"Wow!" Alex just sighs and walks away without saying another word. Lorna slams her bedroom door shut.
Nicky guffaws loudly and Lorna hurriedly gets dressed. "Stop it!" she hisses, but Nicky thinks the whole thing is a riot.
"At least it wasn't your parents or siblings!"
"Yeah, we're so lucky it was only Alex!"
Nicky can't help but throw Lorna a wink. "We were lucky already, babe. Hey, you're still blushing like a schoolgirl!" she teases her favorite girl. "I am too, it was amazing! I'm gonna start calling you shortstack from now on."
"Why? You're not much taller than me."
"God, short and stacked is definitely my type...and that's what you are."
Lorna tosses a pillow at her, and Nicky can tell she's unsuccessfully fighting back a laugh. "Zip it!"
"Okay, shortstack."
"They really fucked?" Maritza asks Alex incredulously.
"Oh, yeah, Lorna had her birthday suit on and Nicky was in the closet. Daya did a few fist pumps when I informed her of this news."
Maritza starts giggling. "Flaca! You lost, along with Blanca, Maria, and Pennsatucky! Nicky and Lorna had sex! Alex just reported it!"
"Dios mío, no way!" Flaca hits Maritza playfully. "Alex, you for real?"
"Hell, yeah!" Alex does a victory dance. "We won!"
"Yes!" Maritza squeals happily and starts clapping. "Sucker!" she says jokingly to Flaca while pointing at her.
"Ugh, you don't gotta rub it in," Flaca grumbles. "I'm happy for 'em, though."
"Same, but you know what this means, right?" Alex snickers while grabbing Maritza and giving her a noogie. "We get free pizza!"
"Dude..."
"Nah, don't back out!" Maritza instructs Flaca. "You girls gotta buy us pizza. You can get your own if you want, too."
"I know, that was the deal."
"Daya's grounded, so you can just bring her a few slices, but the rest of us are going out for lunch on you four!" Alex exclaims. "I love cheese, pepperoni, and sausage!"
"Oh my gosh, me too!" Maritza says excitedly.
Pennsatucky's foster mom is estactic, as Alex, Daya, and Maritza had been, but Blanca, Maria, and Pennsatucky are so shocked that they don't speak for a while until the winners crack jokes.
"I've been in your boat, you know," Piscatella says to Nicky and Alex after gym class, "having a crush on a straight person. Just pop 'em one."
"We're nothing like you!" Nicky snaps. Evil motherfucker, she mentally adds.
"Carajo, he's back," Blanca mumbles while leaving the locker room in her physical education uniform.
"I'd like to see the three of you in my office, now!" Piscatella demands. "That means you need to leave, Ramos," he orders Maritza.
"Nah, see, I don't go anywhere without my friends." Maritza keeps a tight grasp on the other girls' hands.
"I just told you to do something, and you're challenging me?" He forces their joined hands apart, throws her over his shoulder, and walks down the hallway in a brisk manner, tripping Blanca in the process.
"Put her down!" Nicky and Alex scream in unison, but he ignores them. Maritza wiggles to get free, but she can't go anyplace until he rips her off of him and onto the floor with a thud. They hear her whimper and gasp in agony, and then, she runs away.
The monster returns to where the other girls are reluctantly sitting opposite his desk and he locks his office door. The cruel stare he gives them makes Nicky's skin crawl and she shivers instinctively. Alex and Blanca take hold of her hands, one on each side. Before she can even breathe, he strikes her hard across the face and she yelps in both shock and pain. Blanca instantly claps her hand over her mouth while her eyes pop wide open just as Alex yells, "What the fucking fuck?!" She jumps to her feet, but Blanca yanks her back into her seat.
"Now is not the time to be a hero!" she mumbles.
The slap stings immensely and Nicky's cheek feels like it's on fire. The wind is literally knocked out of her for a few seconds. She lets go of Blanca's hand and holds the side of her face where it hurts so badly while groaning and trying not to cry. If his plan is to weaken a strong girl like herself, she won't allow that to work.
"Want me to break your arm next, you filthy cunt?" he asks nastily.
Alex puts her hands up. "I'm good, thanks."
"You're all in huge trouble. Two Fridays ago, Joey Giordiano reported to me that you spoke to him condescendingly."
"¿Qué?" Blanca asks.
What?
"You turned him down, quite rudely, may I add. Furthermore, you and your little gang started making fun of him for his ways of flirting."
"He was being a dick!" Nicky informs him.
"Yeah, we had a right to!" Alex continues. "He's a serial player, a total jerk, and he destroys straight girls' hearts."
"That isn't against the law, but verbal abuse is. Bullying is forbidden at this school."
Nicky rolls her eyes. "Are you fucking kidding me right now?" she mutters.
Blanca scoffs. "Ain't nobody did shit when that happened to me, and I had it a lot worse."
"Yeah, so did I, in fifth grade, and I had to go to a different school," Alex chimes in.
"I'm not here to listen to your sad little stories. Ugly girls get picked on, that's how it works. Real men like Joey don't deserve it. You're getting two months of detention!" He clenches his large hands into fists. "Now get out of my office before I punch one of you in the mouth so hard that it makes blood spatter, and trust me, I'd love to do that," he threatens them in an eerie tone that causes Nicky's blood to run cold. She and Alex scamper away to Frieda's classroom and Blanca goes to the gym begrudgingly.
"Sorry we're late," Nicky apologizes to their teacher. "Piscatella was being a fucked-up asshole!"
"What'd that prick do?"
"He berated us for rejecting this idiot who breaks chick's hearts on the regular," Alex explains.
"Maybe he's sweet on the kid, but that's no excuse for being an abuser." Frieda gestures for the girls to sit down and faces the rest of their classmates. "The bear is back, and when the time is right, I'm gonna shoot a poison-injected dart into his tree trunk of a neck!"
"Why not just do it now?" Gina wonders out loud.
"Yeah!" everyone agrees.
"Patience is key, my children."
"Diane, would you stop walking away from me?" Lee shouts as he practically chases her down the school hallway.
"No! Leave me alone!" She doesn't even spare him a glance and moves faster.
"You're acting childish! I'm trying to have a relationship with you and our daughter. This time, without Fahri's interference, in fact, he recommended for me not to do this-"
"Then you should've taken his advice!" Diane cuts Lee off abruptly. "I will never take you back, ever! I won't have you as a friend, even, she doesn't want you near her, and you disgust me so much that I wanna throw up whenever I think your name, let alone see you!"
"She needs her father in her life!"
"Alex fucking hates you, now don't bother me again!"
"She didn't tell me that," he argues. He attempts grabbing her wrist, but she twists away from him.
"Get off me, you asshole! This is all your fault!"
"I'm making an effort!"
"Choke on your earrings and stab yourself with your guyliner instead! Let go of me!" She tries to tear his hand off her forearm, but his grip is too strong. "Oh my god, I gotta go teach!"
"Nice try, your boss told me it's lunch time."
Diane gives Lee a hard stare. She refuses to look frail in front of him. "We're in a crowded area and people are looking. I suggest you cut it out now before I kick you where it really hurts."
"Hey, she just said to knock it off!" Charles demands as he makes his way over to them. "You want me to have your ass arrested?"
"Who's this, your new boyfriend?" Lee asks while finally backing off. Diane answers by giving him the finger. "Whatever. You and your spawn aren't even worth it. I've got tons of hot skirts lining up at my door."
"Thank you, Charles," Diane murmurs gratefully while hugging herself and strolls to her classroom with him close by her side. "I'm okay."
"You're welcome, I'm glad I came just in time!"
"Same here."
"Heya, CO Ford, you got yourself a girlfriend?" Nicky asks him teasingly while she and her posse walk by them.
"We're just friends," Charles tells her. He turns to Diane. "I apologize, I must never have told you...I'm a correctional officer at a girls' juvenile delinquent center."
"Oh, it's okay," Diane says, feeling awkward now. She can't tell him details of her sordid past, not until she talks to Alex first. The minor stunts she'd pulled as a kid, such as shoplifting, graffiti, and underage drug and alcohol use, are bad enough.
"That's where I recognize you from, you came to the school to try putting the beasts behind bars! I thought I knew you from somewhere!" Alex realizes aloud.
"Yeah, I'm sorry it didn't work out..."
"You're Red's connection?" Daya asks, and Charles nods.
"Holy crapoli! You're the dude that went out with my mom, Theresa?" Flaca wants to know. He nods again. "Huh, what a small world!"
Diane can't believe it, and she giggles because it's so funny. "It certainly is!"
"Hello, Ms. Vause, how are ya?" Lorna pipes up.
"I'm great, thanks. You girls have a nice lunch!"
"We will, bye!"
Diane and Charles wave at them as they leave.
"How are you dealing with the morning sickness?" Lorna asks Daya quietly while they're in line for lunch.
"I've been sniffing lemons, drinking ginger and peppermint tea, and eating crackers, pretzels, Jell-O, and flavored popsicles. Gloria and Aleida are giving me lots of tips!"
"Oh, that's good!"
They spot Mr. Bennett asking Aleida if there are still eggs left over from breakfast. "I think you've had more than enough eggs," she answers him curtly. Gloria bursts out cackling, Aleida sniggers at her own lame joke, the girls keep their faces stoic, and Daya's cheeks burn with mortification.
"What's so funny?" Red wants to know.
"Nothin', they're bein' stupid," Daya mutters and grabs her tray. Luckily, Red forgets about it when Nicky passes her, looking extra terrible, probably because of detox. She keeps sniffing and insists she doesn't have a runny nose. Daya has a feeling it could be from cocaine. The effects had just started.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?"
"Yeah."
Alex goes after the blonde, and Red whispers something indistinct to her. She nods in understanding.
As soon as the girls sit down, Alex says, "Red told me that we have to let her know if something's seriously wrong with you, Nicky." This time at lunch, Maria and Blanca are eating with Ouija and Ramona. They tend to switch between groups.
"Well, nothing is, so..."
"Okay, good! We need to find her if you're in trouble, that's what she also said."
"Why did she name herself Red, by the way?"
"Her lips, nails, and hair are bright red! That's the only explanation I can think of!" Lorna replies.
"Yo, that's so weird that Charles is friends with Diane, Theresa, and Red! There really aren't that many decent men in any of the boroughs!" Maritza comments.
"It's just sad," Lorna murmurs.
"I know. Anyway, isn't it strange that Piper's family is keeping all her stuff and neatening up her room as if she's still around?" Daya asks.
Nicky and Pennsatucky make disgusted faces. "Yes," they mutter in unison.
Alex lifts her shoulders up and down. "A little, but I guess people grieve in different ways."
"I don't find it all that odd," Lorna admits. "I'd do the same."
"Are they waiting for her ghost?" Maritza asks.
"I dunno." Flaca props her chin up on her fist. "Yo hey, my mom gave me my allowance, but it's real big and I don't wanna buy fuckin' candy with a one hundred dollar bill, ya know? So maybe one of you could help me out? I'll pay you back the hundred. I feel bad asking because none of us are loaded except Maritza, and I can't be a moocher..."
"Sure, how?" Maritza wants to know. "Don't worry, I can lend you cash anytime."
"Well, like, give me ten tens or five twenties...or even twenty fives."
Maritza nods her head yes. "Of course."
Flaca smiles with glee. "Thank you!"
"Hey, I'm learning how to draw manga...how'd I do?" Daya asks while showing her friends the picture of herself.
"Excellent!" Alex praises her.
"Wow, you're good!" Lorna puts in.
"You should totally do a mural outside school!" Maritza recommends.
"Oh, that'd be so cool!" Flaca agrees.
"I did street art, too...we could work on it together, perhaps?" Nicky asks.
"Definitely!"
"As long as it ain't graffiti," Lorna says. "That shit freaks me out."
"It's kinda the same thing," Alex lets her know.
"Oh...well, since Nicky and Daya are doing it, I'll love it! They're not scary!"
Daya beams at their compliments.
"I need to use the bathroom," Nicky tells them weakly while blinking rapidly. Her speech is slurred and she starts to sway on her feet when she gets up. She holds onto the edge of the table for balance. "Whoa..."
"We'll go with you," Lorna says. The girls all put their hands on the blonde's back for support and they head to the restroom. Nicky starts to go the wrong way, appearing to be very confused, but they steer her in the right direction.
Once Nicky enters the bathroom with the girls, her body turns limp, her knees give out, and she drops to the floor, but Lorna and Alex catch her before she can fall on her head. Her skin feels clammy and it's covered in a fresh sheen of sweat. She's completely white and tremoring like she's having a seizure, and it frightens Lorna. The others look alarmed as well. "I'm so dizzy," Nicky whimpers, writhing around in Lorna's arms. She sniffles and jerks violently a few times. Her brown eyes pool with tears. "Help me...I wanna die so bad..." Lorna can feel Nicky's heart pounding against her lap.
She does her best to keep Nicky calm by combing her fingers through her golden, silky hair, but Nicky continues quivering. "You're not gonna...I'm here...we all are. You'll stay on this Earth forever, you hear me?"
"You need to get her to a toilet or the sink," Pennsatucky instructs Lorna. "She has to get all the poison out of her system, or she'll choke on on her own puke. She's obviously been speed-balling, taking cocaine and heroin all at once so she could be alert for the high." This is unfamiliar to Lorna; she'd just assumed that Nicky wasn't feeling well last night, and the illness came back just now.
"I'm not strong enough...one of you, go get Red!" Lorna orders her friends tearfully, and Maritza leaves quickly. "Red is coming, you'll be alright..." she coos to Nicky. Alex, Flaca, and Daya assist Lorna in carrying Nicky over to a stall. They sit with her and Lorna holds her hair back from her face as she vomits into the toilet bowl and sobs loudly. The girls look as distressed as Lorna feels. The brunette's stomach twists into knots and her heart rips into shreds at Nicky's anguished cries.
Red bursts in with Maritza behind her. "Let me have her, I'll give her some ice water." The older woman helps Nicky to her feet when she seems ready to stand, but Nicky collapses into Red's embrace, clinging onto her tightly. Red pats Nicky's ashen face with a wet rag. "Is this cold enough for you, honey?" Nicky coughs while nodding. Red leads her to the sink and instructs her to rinse out her mouth, and she does so.
"It's like having your period, only ten times worse," Nicky says between wails. "Oh god, I hate this..."
"Good, you remember this feeling. One drug is dangerous enough, Nicky, but two at the same time..." Red cups her face in her hands and wipes away her tears. "If I ever catch you doing this shit again, I will make life hell for you, little girl. Am I clear?"
"Mm-hm..." Nicky sniffles and mumbles, "I dunno if I can handle this," while hugging Red.
"It's a blessing you girls were there." Red wraps her arms around Nicky. "It's gonna be okay, I promise. You're not alone this time," she assures her soothingly. "We'll all help you through your withdrawal. I will rip Vee a new one, this almost killed you!"
"Mr. Luscheck gave it to me...I thought I could sleep it off, but obviously, I didn't. Can I just drink water now?"
"Of course."
Red leads Nicky out of the restroom and she looks back at the rest of the group. "Thanks for taking care of me."
"You're welcome, and we're glad you're okay!" Lorna calls out. She's on the verge of breaking apart at the thought of Nicky being gone for eternity, all because of her addiction. She sinks to the floor, weeping, and her friends cuddle with her.
"Is that better?" Red asks Nicky as the young girl gulps down her glass of ice water with shaky hands. There's this look in Nicky's eyes that melts Red's heart.
"Yeah," Nicky responds after swallowing hard. "Hey, are you sure your hair's red? It looks more purple," she teases Red, which earns her a flick of water in her face.
"Don't be rude about my dye job," Red chides Nicky. "That was Danita's fault, I'll never go to her again! Sophia is much better, but she wasn't in the day I needed it done."
"I suppose I shouldn't mention you texting with one finger, either."
Red sighs. "My boys are always saying that we have two opposable thumbs for a reason...well, if you're making fun of me now, does that mean you're back to yourself?"
"I guess so."
"I'm happy about that!"
"Uhh...you know your thing with the mafia, Red?"
"Hm?"
"I advise you not to be involved with them because it could get nerve-wracking. Someone could find your freezer with all the corpses or whatever...and if you go to prison...I don't even wanna think about it." Nicky's voice breaks a little. "You remind me of the mom I wish I had."
"Malyshka, listen to me." Red tilts Nicky's chin up so they can face each other. "I'm not going to get in trouble. As soon as it starts looking bleak, I will divorce my husband and leave all of it behind. I'll change my name and my appearance if I have to. My kids always come first, and yes, you and Tricia are very much like my daughters, so you're just as important as Vasily, Yuri, and Maxsim. I cannot wait for you girls to meet them when they come home for Thanksgiving! It will be one big, happy family, with or without Dmitri."
Nicky's eyes light up and she smiles adorably. "That's a relief! You know, that means a lot...and if you do decide to get divorced, we'll have a little something in common. My parents also had one. Did your mom drink while she was pregnant with you?"
"No."
"Mine did." Nicky rolls her eyes. "That's probably what made me a junkie. I doubt she wanted to be a mother."
"She didn't deserve a kid as lovely and kind-hearted as yourself."
"Righty-o."
Blanca comes through the doors suddenly. "Hey, I got us the vitamins!"
"Thank you," Red answers and takes them from the Latina.
"Wait, this is speed!" Nicky lets them know, just as they're swallowing it. "Jesus Christ...throw that bottle away!"
"What's gonna happen to us?" Red asks worriedly while tossing it into the trash can.
"No appetite for a while, dry mouth, lots of energy for six to twelve hours, and paranoia like you wouldn't believe. Take vitamins...real ones...and orange juice. Just don't take that fake crap again!"
"All we wanted to do was come up with a plan to kill the abominable snow-fuck and his sadistic friends...like build some Home Alone booby trap with beads and oil!" Blanca exclaims. "We needed our minds to be sharp!"
"Okay, but the fact that you would be high while doing this is as scary as it sounds. You can't think straight! You're gonna have to not do anything until you're back to sobriety," Nicky advises them.
"We didn't know it was speed...the label was marked wrong!" Red says, annoyed with herself that she had a moment of irresponsibility.
"That's why you have to actually look at the shit inside!" Nicky stresses. "I mean, imagine you pissing in a water bottle and I took a swig!"
"Hey, there's an idea!" Blanca points out. "When we come down, we'll do exactly that to 'em too!"
"Where the fuck did you even get those?" Nicky demands.
"The health office, but never mind that! The most important thing is-" Red begins, but the girls' other friends, Gloria, and Aleida join them.
"Sorry to interrupt, we're just seeing how Nicky's doing," Lorna says.
"I'm okay," Nicky lets her know with a toothy grin.
"Awesome! Carry on with what you were saying, please," Maritza tells Red.
"See, we did research on those pieces of shit, and it turns out that Piscatella and Dixon have both murdered people and Humps has a sister named Dana on Facebook and he used to be called the toad boy because he'd always bring frogs to school. This is what we'll bring them down with!" Red explains while squeezing Nicky's upper arms.
Nicky's eyes nearly bug out of their sockets and some of the others gasp loudly while Aleida hisses, "Those motherfuckers!"
"Caputo hired killers?!" Nicky asks, her eyes still as wide as saucers.
"That would have to be Fig; she was the principal before she stole money from the school. We'll have to tell him!" Daya says excitedly.
"It just sucks that Humps was a only a loser and now he's a creepy load of garbage, so he can't go to jail..." Pennsatucky mutters.
Blanca grins devilishly and hands them each copies of the disgusting creeps' files. "We'd simply have to humiliate him and tell Dana everything he's done! He'll never wanna come back after that!"
"Good idea, but back to the actual deceased victims of Dixon and Piscatella...who were they? Like, what went down?" Flaca wants to know, and Nicky snuggles closer to Red. The haunting image of Piscatella wielding a box cutter to Red's throat flashes into her head, and she shudders. She can't let that animal or his buddies torture anyone else.
"Piscatella burned an inmate to death in a men's max security prison, which is why he was fired from there, and Dixon got bored in the war and harmed civilians from Iraq and Afghanistan, children, especially, until they were no more," Red says sadly as she holds a shaking Nicky tightly. "Precious young lives, lost, due to grenades or rape or extremely hot showers..."
"Those sickos!" Gloria cries.
"I know, which is why we have to make them gone for good!" Blanca states.
"You know, Piscatella gave us a cruel and unusual punishment this morning...me, Nicky, and Blanca, after homeroom was over. Detention, because fuckin' Joey was butthurt when we didn't accept a date with him and he went to Piscatella about it. He hit Nicky out of the blue and asked me if I'd like my arm broken when I tried to defend her. God, I hate men," Alex grumbles, "except my former babysitter and the guy who's being nice to my mom. They both seem cool."
"Then Piscatella is the first to go," Red declares, both her motherly instinct to protect and her Russian accent stronger than ever.
After school, Red lectures Luscheck about the situation he put Nicky in and threatens him not to give her drugs again, and then, she calls the police station to check if that awful Mendez is in jail yet. Apparently, his trial is still going on, but his sentence is set to be one to two years, since that's the absolute minimum sentence for sexual assault, according to New York laws. Red doesn't think this is long enough-she'd rather literally kill him with her own bare hands for laying a finger on Nicky and Lorna. She drives Tricia and her friends to Storky's for burgers and milkshakes, and then goes to her other job at the Russian Market. Luckily, she doesn't get caught for being on speed since she's very aware of what she's doing.
"Galina!" Dimitri shouts as she enters through the doors.
"Hello, Dimi..." Red peers around the tiny place where the mafia men and their bitchy wives are sitting at all the tables. She puts on her apron, tidies her hair by putting it into a low ponytail, and clears her throat to get everyone's attention. "Nam nuzhno izbavit'sya ot kogo-to...on negodnyy politseyskiy. On nashchupal...domogalsya...etikh dvukh molodykh devushek, kotoryye ochen' blizki moyemu serdtsu, i nikakoye vremya v tyur'me ne sdelayet eto pravil'no. On tol'ko ostavlyayet ikh v etot moment, potomu chto on libo uvolen, libo zanyat svoim ispytaniyem."
We need to get rid of someone...he's an inappropriate policeman. He groped...molested...these two young girls that are very close to my heart, and no amount of time in prison will make this right. He's only leaving them be at this moment because he's either put away or busy with his trial.
"Net," the mob boss refuses, and she grows angry at his cold response and lack of care.
No
"Kakiye?! Ganya, ty dolzhen ponyat'-" Red begins to protest.
What?! Ganya, you have to understand-
"Vy uzhe oboshlis' nam v shest'desyat tysyach dollarov za to, chto vy prekratili rabotu s krasivoy sis'koy Mariny, i my mozhem popast' v tyur'mu, yesli my ub'yem ofitsera zakona, dazhe yesli on korrumpirovan." His spouse and the other snooty bitches snigger away.
You've already cost us sixty thousand dollars for busting Marina's beautiful boob job, and we could get into prison if we kill an officer of the law, even if he is corrupt.
"Izbav'sya ot etogo otmorozka, ili ya budu!"
Get rid of this scumbag or I will!
"Galya, tishe..." Dmitri hisses at her, and she pushes him away. She's now going to take matters into her own hands. She doesn't need anyone's help.
Galya, hush...
"Vot i vse, ya podayu na razvod i ostavlyayu mafiyu! Eto moy restoran, i ya khochu, chtoby vse vy byli svin'i! YA ne derzhu der'mo, chto on govorit v etom okne! Eto moye!"
That's it, I'm filing for a divorce and leaving the mafia! This is my restaurant, and I want all of you pig-fuckers out! I don't give a shit what it says on that window! It's mine!
A horde of customers come into the restaurant, so the mobsters, their wives, and Dmitri hustle out. She begins to cook and everyone is satisfied with their meals. After work, she goes home to find Dmitri and the mafia there. She really doesn't want to deal with them right now-she just needs ice water and rest. She sits on the couch and tries to breathe normally.
"Galina, my dolzhny govorit' ob etom ratsional'no. Vy ne mozhete ostavit' mafiyu, potomu chto vy slishkom mnogo znayete. My dolzhny byli by ubit' tebya," Ganya says firmly.
We need to talk about this rationally. you cannot leave the mafia because you know too much. We would have to kill you.
"Pozhaluysta, ya dolzhen vyyti..." Red begs, starting to panic. She puts her hands together and whimpers, hoping they'll take pity on her. "Eto plokho dlya menya i moikh detey. YA nikogda ne budu govorit' o biznese nikomu, klyanus'! YA sdelayu vse! O, bozhe, day mne byt' svobodnym, kak ptitsa!" Sobs soon overcome her and she can hardly gasp for air. She buries her face in her hands and shakes her head. "Mne ochen' zhal', ya ne mogu eto sdelat' bol'she!"Red peeks out between her fingers to see their reactions.
Please, I need to get out...it's bad for me and my children. I'll never talk about the business to anyone, I swear! I'll do anything! Oh my god, let me be free as a bird! I'm so sorry, I can't do this anymore!
Ganya exchanges a look with all of his men and takes Red's hands off her face and places them on her thighs. She glances up at them nervously and fiddles with her dark green apron. "Perestan'te bryzgat'. YA sdelayu vam sdelku. Vy budete nosit' chip vnutri kusochka vashikh dragotsennostey, i yesli vy ne skazali nichego v sleduyushchem, skazhem, tri ili chetyre goda, my osvobodim vas, uvidev, chto vy bol'she ne yavlyayetes' ugrozoy. Tem ne meneye, my budem skuchat' po tebe."
Stop blubbering. I'll make you a deal. You will wear a chip inside a piece of your jewelry, and if you haven't said anything in the next, say, three or four years, we will release you, seeing as you are no longer a threat. We will miss you dearly, though.
Red sighs in relief. She has no other choice but to agree with this, even if she doesn't like it. She's not so stubborn that she'd be willing to die over having these men listen on in on everything she's saying. If she really doesn't want to talk about something out loud, she would just have to write it down, like Norma. She kisses Ganya on the cheek quickly. "O, spasibo! Vy ne predstavlyayete, naskol'ko eto dlya menya znachit! YA beskonechno blagodaren. Konechno, eto ochen' khoroshaya sdelka! YA poluchu chto-to pryamo seychas!" She giggles through her now happy tears, takes off her favorite necklace, the silver one with the oval pendant, and hands it to her boss. "I always wear this for good luck!"
Oh, thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me! I am eternally grateful. Of course, that is a very good deal! I'll get something right now!
Dmitri later asks her if she really wants to separate, and she says she does. Red wants to be independent and not have to play mother to a man-child. She decides to move out and stay over at Maria and Yadriel's place tonight, since that's where Blanca is getting off her high and they can discuss their idea. Also, Maria would take care of them. She'll buy an apartment for herself in the next few days, but she knows she can't be alone until all of the drug is out of her body.
She hunts down Mendez first, aiming to slice his throat upon sight, but he's nowhere to be found. He probably knows she's after him and is running away from her like the coward he is. She checks her phone and sees that she has many missed calls from Nicky, worrying about her, so she calls the girl back and recommends she concentrate on herself.
"I'm recovered! I'm with my girls, so no smack here!"
"Splendid! I'll be fine shortly."
"I know you will!"
She knows she'll survive since she isn't a junkie.
"I just wanted to ask you something...I went to your Open House and walked into your physical ed class, but had to chicken out because I recognized the giant subhuman that is Piscatella. Has that sick women-hating fuck done anything to you?" Boo asks while she and Pennsatucky are in the tattoo parlor and nobody else is there. Pennsatucky sees vulnerability in her foster mother's eyes and grows concerned. She shakes her head no quickly.
"Nah, he don't do nothin'. Some of the other girls are bothered by him, though, but not me, 'cause he's a homosexual and he really hates rapists, so he's never vandalized me. I still feel sorry for my clique, but not Leanne and Angie, because they're idiots. Why? I keep hearin' about the violence he commits on other students. Nobody does shit."
"It's victimize," Boo corrects her, "but it could be vandalize, too. Well, keep this a deep, dark secret...there was actually a time I worked at Martin Van Buren High, but I had to quit because one day, he kidnapped Red, Norma, and I...tied us up, put duct tape over our mouths. We had to watch him beat up Red. He hates ladies who fight back." Boo sighs as Pennsatucky hugs her lovingly. "Anyway, son, that's in the past. We survived, thanks to Claudette. All I give a damn about is if he's caused you any suffering. I'll make him regret it if so!"
"I'm fine, really."
Boo ruffles her hair. "Good!"
The door opens and closes as Nicky, Lorna, and Alex stroll in. "What a fuckin' long day!" Nicky groans. The three girls plop into chairs and go through the book of tattoos they could get.
"I know, it's been stressful...but can we talk fun things now?" Alex wonders aloud.
"We sure can. What exactly was this little rendezvous you kids had goin' on?" Boo asks casually, patting Nicky and Lorna's backs.
"It's none of your business!" Lorna practically hollers as she goes red.
"Come on, tell me, who started it? I bet it was you, Nichols!"
"I might have eased my shortstack into it," Nicky answers Boo proudly, and Lorna thumps the back of her hand against Nicky's shoulder. Rolling her eyes, Pennsatucky slips the older woman a ten dollar bill.
Alex raises an eyebrow. "Shortstack?"
"Don't ask, Alex!" Lorna snaps. "Shut up, Nicky!"
"Did you enjoy it, Morello?"
"Yeah, it don't count if it was rape," Pennsatucky adds to Boo's question.
Lorna blushes again. "Nicky doesn't injure people on purpose, of course I must have liked it on some level if I lived to tell the tale. I don't wanna talk about it!"
Nicky smirks. "She was screaming. What can I say, my fingers and tongue are like magic."
"I bet she loved it...Nicky does have that effect on girls," Alex murmurs. "So dirty!"
"Yep, I showed her a good time!" Nicky brags.
"That's plenty of information!" Lorna shouts. "Could we get tattoos, please?"
"Boo, enough with the interrogation," Pennsatucky adds. "It's getting a little too graphic for me."
"Okay, normally, I'm only allowed to ink people ages eighteen and up, but I'll make an exception for you guys. You have to make sure it doesn't get infected. This shit's permanent, so be positive that you really love it. You'll be extremely sore and it's going to hurt, so I suggest squeezing something...if you hold hands with someone, try not to break their bones. You might cry. I'm not exaggerating," Boo warns them. Lorna appears to be timid at this knowledge, and Nicky pats her knee in comfort. "Do your best not to think about the pain, and just breathe. Relax afterwards...it's a good thing that you're all playing hooky tomorrow! Who's first?"
Thank you for reading and reviewing, thecharmedwerewolf, A Star In My Universe, a guest, LindaAndrewsfan, cornedout, and HannahMiley1fan!
