The football team and cheerleading squad were doing a pep rally during lunch for their first game back. The other football players were jumping around, trying to get everyone hyped, while the cheer squad did the dance they'd been practicing.

Gaia looked around the cafeteria at her friends. First, she saw Lexi looking at Rue and Jules but turned around to watch the squad dance. Gaia flashed a smile at her, and Lexi reciprocated.

Her eyes traveled towards Rue and Jules, who were giggling and laughing. They both started teasing Gaia and imitating her, which she returned with a middle finger.

Rue and Jules hated pep rallies but were happy to support Gaia. Plus, she looked cute dancing in that cheerleading outfit.

After that, I made eye contact with Kat and BB. While BB was dancing by the table, high-fiving the footballers, Kat gave me a thumbs up.

Kat was so thankful to have Gaia in her life. She didnt know what she would have done if she had to face that situation alone. She sometimes wished she had Gaia's aura; it was so bright and alluring.

Unfortunately, scanning the room made her lock eyes with Nate, who was already looking at Maddy and Gaia. He gave Gaia an up-and-down look and a small smile. It was the most genuine smile she'd seen from him in a long time. Gaia gave him a curt smile back and went back to her dance. Nate's eyes didn't leave Maddy and Gaia for the rest of the rally.

After cheer practice, Gaia, Maddy, and Cassie walked to Gaia's car, talking about her relationship with Fez.

" So, how is being a trap queen going" Maddy joked. The three girls were holding hands like a throuple. If you didn't know them, you would think they were.

" it's great. He's so sweet and kind. He respects my thoughts and is so supportive" Gaia smiled while expressing her feelings.

Fez had really helped fill a hole in Gaia's heart. Even though she loved her friends, she really wanted to have someone to love in a relationship.

" Awe, that's sweet, GG!" Cassie jumped up and down and clapped

" Yeah, Yeah, Whatever! what about the sex? is his dick good?" Maddy smirked and wiggled her eyebrow.

" Maddy!" Cassie exclaimed

" Cassie, it's OK. She wants to hear about my sex life so she can have something to masturbate to when she thinks of me. " Gaia jokingly told Cassie, which resulted in Maddy playfully pinching me.

Cassie was just laughing at their interaction.

"To be honest and don't laugh... I think I'm addicted to his dick," Gaia said, bowing her head in shame. Maddy doubled over in laughter, almost needing to be held up by her friends.

" you don't understand. I haven't felt like this since-" Gaia cut herself off.

" since what?" her two friends said in unison.

Gaia had stopped herself because she was going to confess how she hadn't felt like this since dating Nate.

" Since Samantha," she lied.

" Do you still have feelings for her ?" Cassie questioned.

"I care about her, but I'm not in love with her. Fez is the only person for me right now. I'm addicted to how he makes me feel. " She answered honestly.

Maddy and Cassie both smiled at her answer. They both knew that feeling.

" If how he makes me feel is how Rue feels on drugs, then bitch, I don't blame her ass!" Gaia burst into laughter while Cassie and Maddy shook their heads in amusement, walking through the parking lot.

" bitch, you are fucking crazy," Maddy shakes her best's friend shoulder.

Cassie walked in front of the girls to meet up with Mckay and hug him.

Maddy and Gaia kept joking about her and Fez, utterly unaware of Nate's unmoving eyes locked on them.

Nate was jealous of Maddy in a way. He would fucking kill to have Gaia look at him like she used to. Even though they both hurt Gaia, Maddy got to redeem herself and be in the orbit of Gaia Williams.

Nate snapped out of his thought and called out," Yo, Maddy." Both girls jerked their heads toward him.

"What?" Maddy asked with attitude.

Gaia chuckled under her breath, but Nate saw and looked at her with slight anger. He noticed her bright pink designer tracksuit with extremely short shorts. Instead of sneakers, she had slid on. She had a fresh manicure, which pleased him. He wasn't complaining about the view, but he knew perverts would look at her.

He looked back at Maddy, who had folded her arms, waiting for his response, "Let me take you out tonight."

"why? I hate you," she replied, shaking her head. Her defensive demeanor melted away.

"I know."

Gaia looked at both of them, trying not to laugh. " let me go before you guys start fucking" she joked.

She hugged and kissed Maddy and said goodbye. Then she looked at Nate and said "bye Nathaniel" as politely as she could muster up.

Gaia had concluded that putting energy into dragging Nate was a waste of time. She hoped her best friend would dump him, but until then, Gaia decided to keep it cute and try to ignore him.

She went over and gave Mckay a quick hug; what they didn't notice was Cassie nervously watching them. Cassie knew Gaia didn't like Mckay and vice versa, but she was insecure about how close they were.

She walked to her pink jeep and jumped in, shutting the door. She grabbed her phone and answered a text Kat sent.

Kat:

You wanna come over for dinner?

Gaia:

I'm hanging out with Fez tonight

Kat:

OK! have fun fucking

Gaia:

Fuck you

Kat:

Is that what you're saying to Fez 😏😏😏

Gaia:

Leave me alone

She scanned the parking lot to see Samantha walking to her car. Sam is stopped by the same suspicious TA woman from gym class. They started a brief conversation, and the TA gave her something in her hand. Gaia couldn't see what was exchanged, but the two split immediately.

She connected her phone and searched for something to listen to before deciding on Frank Ocean. As Gaia looked up, she saw Nate and Maddy drive past, locking eyes with him. He gave a small smile and waved before driving off.

" What do I do for my friends" Gaia sighed and put her head on the steering wheel in frustration.

Gaia entered Fez's apartment, the place that felt like an escape from reality. She heard the muffled voices of Rue and Fez arguing from the outside.

" She's probably here for some drugs," Gaia thought.

She knocked on the door, and a moment later, Ashtray opened the door excitedly, engulfing her in a hug.

" Are you hugging me because you miss me or because of the food I brought?" She reciprocated the hug.

" Definitely the food," ash joked, making her push him away playfully.

" Wait! You not staying, right?!" Ashtray said in a slightly serious tone. Gaia looked at Ashtray, confused. She had never seen him look panic.

" Oh my fucking god! what are you doing here?" Fez said, frustrated.

" Well damn. Nice to see you too. Aren't we supposed to hang out and eat food?" Gaia said with attitude.

What the fuck is his problem?

"Listen, I need you guys out of the house right now. My guy's about to come through here. I don't want you and Rue here when he gets here, you understand?" He explained. The look he gave Gaia knew this wasn't something to take lightly.

"Rue, I got weed in the car. Let's just hang out in there, and we can come back in a few" Gaia tried to reason with her, but Rue wasn't having it.

" I know Fez has something," Rue smugly said, annoying Gaia.

" Rue, get yo ass up. this ain't a joke. " Gaia walked over and tried to grab her.

"Give me drugs," Rue replied, looking at Fez. Gaia's anger with Rue grew increasingly; She wanted to smack some sense into her.

Fez's phone kept on ringing. "I could fucking kill you right now." He glares at Rue but gives Gaia a sympathetic look.

Fez called out to his brother and said, "Yo ash they here." He takes a gun out of the couch and cocks it, putting it back in.

"Look, I'm serious. Just stay right there, keep both of your mouths shut, and be cool. These dudes ain't fucking around." Fez looks mostly at Rue, and she nods her head. He looks at Gaia and guides her to the couch right by Rue.

Two scary men walked in, making Gaia immediately feel the situation's severity. Gaia looked at Rue, and Rue looked like she was about to shit herself. Gaia squeezes her hand in support.

"So this your little bitch?" The one clearly in charge said, looking at Rue.

Fezco shook his head no.

"What about this one?" Mouse points to Gaia. He moves to where he is sitting next to her and flashes a smile that sends shivers up her spine. Gaia knew she couldn't show fear to someone like this guy. He's like a shark with blood.

Fez took a long pause before he said, "Nah."

Gaia would have been hurt by his words if she didn't understand what was happening. He couldn't say yes because this guy would have definitely tried to do something to her to fuck with him.

"Well, hello there, cuties. My name is Mouse. It's a pleasure to meet you guys." He smiled while stroking Gaia's faux locs. Gaia stayed stone-faced, nodding at Mouse as a greeting.

Mouse started explaining the drugs that were on the table. " Yo, Custer, toss me that bag. All right, check it. I got a 100 OP-OC 80s, 500 Xanny bars, and 500 20s of Addy. I'm low on Vikes, so if you wanna cop some Vikes, you better cop 'em today, 'cause I got, like, 50 left. I got a quap of that Cali medicinal, and an ounce of Molly. I also got the Dianabol that you've been asking for. Custer, what's the math on that?"

"Uh, 25, 15, and 1,100, 35, 77, and 25... 7,750." his partner answers. Gaia can tell he's the weak one in the pair.

Fez hands him the money " here."

"Sure you don't want no Fentanyl?"

"Nah, man, I'm cool off that shit. There's too many ODs, and I don't want the heat."

"How about you two cuties? You ever tried Fentanyl?" Mouse directed his attention to Gaia and Rue.

"No," they both answer in sync.

"No, they are good, bruh." Fez said and looked directly at Gaia. He wanted to pull her away from this crazy mother fucker so badly.

"Gonna let big bro talk for you?" He looked at Rue.

" I dont know," Rue replied nervously.

"What about you goldi locks? You gonna let your boyfriend speak for you?" Mouse chuckled. He placed his hand on Gaia's thigh, which made her tense up for a quick moment. The texture of his touch was that of weathered cobblestone. It made a traumatic memory pop into her head, but she quickly suppressed it. She looked towards Fez.

"Don't look at him." Mouse ordered. "Look at me."

Gaia turned her head and looked him in his eyes. He looked like a villain in a gang movie.

"You ever try it?" Mouse smirked as he looked up and down her body.

"For real, bruh. I don't want them fucking with that shit."Fez tried to speak up again.

"You know that feeling when you come so hard that you can't feel or hear shit? do you like that feeling?" He asked while playing with Gaia's hair. He was trying to scare her. It worked a bit, but she didn't want to show it.

Gaia said no, while Rue said yes.

"Well, shit. You're gonna love this." Mouse took out a knife, put a slither on the blade, and held it up to Rue's mouth. Gaia looked at Rue, pleading with her eyes for Rue to decline.

"I'm good, actually," Rue whispered. Her eyes told a different story.

Yo, for real, man. They're good." Fez looked between Rue and Gaia.

"Shut the fuck up, bitch. Ain't nobody talkin' to you." Mouse told Fez.

"Tell your big brother and boyfriend I'm not talking to him right now. Tell him, "Shut the fuck up." Come on. Don't be scared. It's not gonna bite you guys. Come on. Try it. Oh, just try it." Mouse looked at Rue and then Gaia.

"Don't be scared. Just try it." Mouse says. Gaia looked at Fez, who gave her a regretful look. Rue put the tip of the knife in her mouth and consumed the drug. She laid down, and the effects seemed instantaneous.

" you sure you don't want to try goldi locks" Mouse uses his finger to push Gaia's face toward his to look in the eye.

" I have asthma, so taking that will probably kill me," Gaia lied. She heard people who have asthma couldn't take the drug. Gaia looked for Fez for support, and he nodded, cosigning what she said.

Mouse cackled in her face, looking amused. "OK, goldi locks. We don't want someone as pretty as you dying on us, now, do we?"

Gaia turned her attention to her friend. Rue was sprawled out on the couch. Mouse took her leg and put it on top of both of theirs. He started stroking her thigh. Gaia felt a growing rage inside her. She fantasized about taking a hunting knife and lodging it into the side of his neck and shish kebab it. Gaia hated people who were habitual line steppers. She hated that he was with power, victimizing them.

Fez tightly clenched his fist in anger. He wanted to interject, but he knew what that would lead to.

"It hits quick. You like the way that feels? " Mouse asked. Fez's Grandma moved more than Rue right now.

"Yea." Rue finally responded.

"You want a couple of patches?"

"OK." Rue answer.

" Are you sure you don't want to try it, goldi locks?" Mouse whispered in her ear. Gaia just shook her head no.

"It's gonna be 300."He slid the drug into Gaia's purse, giving her a wink.

"I only have 2 dollars." Rue moaned.

Classic Rue.

" Well, just give it back." Gaia went to take drugs out of her purse.

"I got a strict no-return policy." Mouse stopped her.

"Nah, Mouse. Let me pay for it, man." Fez said.

"I thought you was too good for Fentanyl. What is it? Everybody's changing their motherfucking minds on me? If she can't afford it, she gonna have to find another way of paying me. Straight up." Mouse eyed Fez.

"OK." Rue mutter. She passed out.

"Yo, man, just let me pay for it. I got the money right here. Here." Fez restated. He took money out of his pocket and started counting the 300. Gaia felt really bad for him.

"Dang. Big brother must love you." Mouse rubbed Rue's leg," And he definitely loves you. It's gonna cost you 600 now, man." Mouse played with Gaia's hair while looking at her boobs with a smirk. She stayed strong and didn't break.

"Damn. You gonna do me like that, bruh?" Fez counted 600 and threw it on the table.

"Yeah, I'm gonna do you like that. Straight up." Mouse responded.

"Get that shit. " Mouse ordered Custer. He picks it up, counts it, and then signals that it's all there.

"There it is. It's always a pleasure doing business with you." He told Fez.

" I hope to see you again, Goldilocks." Mouse smiled wickedly.

He touched Gaia's hair and rubbed Rue once more before leaving the house.

Fezco immediately goes to Gaia and hugs her, rubbing his right hand up and down her back before asking, "I apologize for that. You good?"

Still processing the events, Gaia robotically nods her head in silence.

"I'm so happy," Rue mumbled.

" I know," Fezco sighed.

Gaia immediately picked up Rue's face and opened her eyes. They were in a zombie-like state.

Fez told Ashtray, "Go flush that shit down the toilet, and go grab the Narcan, just in case." Ashtray nodded, and Gaia handed the drugs to him.

She rolls Rue to the side so she doesn't vomit and choke. Gaia checked Rue's pulse; her heart rate was slower than a turtle in molasses. She kisses Rue's forehead, takes out her phone, and calls Jules.

" Hi, sexy!" Jules sang happily.

" Jules. Listen to me. I need help with Rue. ASAP." Gaia stressed.

" What happened? where are you?" She asked worriedly.

" I'm at Fezco! Can you please pick her up? my mom's home, so I can't take her over there." Gaia begged her. Seeing her best friend in this state makes her feel a panic attack coming out.

Gaia had a severe problem of taking the blame for everything. Even things she has no control over. Like when I went to rehab, she blamed herself for introducing me to Fez. Which isn't fucking fair in the slightest or rational. But that's how she processes terrible things happening to the ones she loves.

She looked around to talk to Fez, but he had already gone into his room. She walked to his room and peeked inside. he was on the bed with his head in his hands.

She slowly came in and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around him to comfort him.

She already knew what he thought because they were very similar. Both of them had big hearts, were naturally compassionate, and would protect people they considered family to the end. I think that's why they fit each other so well. I think that's why I love them both so much.

"Please don't blame yourself. Listen, I don't blame you, so please don't blame yourself. It's not your fault, " Gaia pleaded with Fez.

" but it is. It is my fault." Fez's voice suddenly became filled with sorrow. It broke her heart to hear him like this.

"NO! Rue didn't listen to you or me! And you tried stopping it. You can't control other peoples' actions."

Gaia pulled his hands away from his face. She pulled his head up so he could look at her. "However, if you keep supplying her, it will be."

"You right... I feel like I should have cut her off a long time ago," he looked into her eyes, almost tearing up. His heart was filled with regret.

" Don't beat yourself up over this. You're doing the right thing now. That's all that matters" Gaia rubbed his cheek and placed her forehead on his. She used her acrylic nails to lightly massage his neck, which helped release the tension he was holding inside him. Every time Gaia touched him, it would make the world melt away, and only the pair would remain.

Gaia heard her phone beep and looked at it to see a text from Jules. " Jules is here. I'm gonna drive them home, and then I'll be right back, OK?"

She smiled as Fez cupped her face with both hands. She gave Fez a kiss on the forehead and went to get up but was pulled back by Fez into a passionate kiss. His kiss made her whole body feel like it was on fire, and her stomach was tied in knots. This one kiss had more than enough passion, making Gaia temporarily forget the traumatic sequence that just transpired.

We pulled apart as soon as we heard Ashtray banging on the door. " yo, stop fucking in there! Some tall blonde girl is here!" Ashtray yelled, making us chuckle. Gaia gave Fez one last kiss and left Fez in bed to drive Jules and Rue home.

While Gaia driving, Jules was in the back, holding Rue's head. Rue was still out of it.

Gaia made eye contact with Jules through the mirror and asked, " Jules, I need you to do me a favor. I need you... I need you to tell Rue that you can't be friends anymore if she continues to do drugs. You understand?' if I tell her, she's not going to listen, but if you do, she will.

Gaia knew that I was in love with Jules. Well obsessed with her, at least. Jules gave me the same feeling as drugs without the horrible side effects. The only other person I ever felt that close to was...Gaia.

Jules nodded in agreement and looked down at the drugged-out Rue with a look of familiar pain that Gaia had caught.

" does Jules have someone in her family who's a drug addict?" Gaia wondered.

They got to the house, and Gaia helped Rue into Jules' bed. She looked down at Rue's limp body and thought about how it wasn't fair Rue was going through this. Rue was always a good person, but life led her to this addiction problem. Her sadness turned into intense, uncontrollable anger. Out of all of her emotions, anger was the most insatiable. The back of her head started to heat up from the anger she felt. She quickly told Jules good night and rushed outside, not even waiting for her to respond.

She went to get something out of her purse and found one Fentanyl patch she failed to give to Ashtray. Gaia went to throw it away, but that little voice in her head told her to keep it, so she just put it back into her purse.

Gaia returned to her car, ate an edible, and drove off. She spent the ride slamming her palms into the steering wheel and screaming as loud as she could in solitude.