It was the day after Gaia spent the night at the Howard's. Gaia had stopped at the gas station to fill up her car. As Gaia lets an attendance fill her tank, she hears someone knock on the door.
" Will I ever know peace?" she mumbled as she cracked her window.
Gaia was in a perfect mood and didn't feel like engaging with Nate.
" Hey, GG," Nate Jacobs looks into the car with a smirk.
Nate saw Gaia's car in the gas station and decided to make a U-turn to fill up his car with some gas and talk to her.
" Nate, why are you bothering me? Can you please not ruin my mood?" Gaia questioned while folding her arms.
" I haven't even said one word to you yet" He rolled his eyes
" I know you, Nate."
"Oh, I know you do," he replied, making her roll her eyes.
" what do you want, Nate?" Gaia was already exhausted from this interaction.
" I just want us to be friends," Nate said truthfully.
" Why do you want to be friends?"
" Because of Maddy. Look, I really love Maddy, and I hate that her best friend hates me. I know for a good reason, but I want to repair our friendship. Please?" Gaia looked into his eyes and actually saw the sincerity in them.
Before she could answer, she spotted a familiar car parked across the street that caught her attention. She couldn't distinguish the figure in the driver's seat, but the customized car was all too familiar. She sat there frozen until her body started to shake. Flashbacks began to come to her, making her zone out.
Nate sees her eyes glaze over and looks at her, confused. He follows her eyes to the car and immediately knows who it is. It was Harvey Johnson.
Nate hated Harvey Johnson with a passion for apparent reason. He wanted to kill him to this day. He's the main reason they aren't together anymore.
" You already moved on from the drug dealer back to him? " Nate snarked.
Gaia didn't answer, which made Nate's anger levels rise.
Nate shook his head, scoffing," You're still pining over a guy who fucked you and then threw you out like trash? You're pathetic!"
Gaia finally snaps back to reality.
" fuck you, " Gaia spat out as she rolled up her window and sped off.
Nate cursed himself for letting his anger get the best of him. He looked back at the car with uncertainty.
" Is that actually his fucking car?" Nate thought.
He knew he would obsess over this question for the rest of the day. So he decided to approach the car to confirm the driver's identity.
As he started to close the distance, the car abruptly sped off, leaving Nate flabbergasted.
"I'm not saying I'm in love. I'm just saying I really, really like him." Jules explained to them as they walked to Gaia's car.
" Come on, Jules! not the Catfish!?" Gaia protested.
"Wait, who's a catfish? ShyGuy118?" Rue asked with a slight bitterness.
"He is not a catfish, and his name is Tyler." Jules laughed.
"It doesn't really matter. Both are little fuckboy names." Rue scoffed.
" Yeah. Sounds like a chad type of name, to be honest." Gaia expressed while Rue nodded in agreement.
" He's not. For real, like, he's so sweet." Jules gushed.
" Is this how I sound when I'm talking about Fez?!" Gaia pretends to throw up, making Rue laugh, and Jules playfully hits her.
"What school does he go to?" Rue asked
"St. Mary's," Jules responded.
"Ew. Private school."Rue made a gagging noise, making Gaia burst into laughter.
" Rue, you're just jealous." Jules teased back.
Aside from that being a really shitty thing to say, it's also not true. She'd just been acting weird all week. Both me and Gaia notice it.
" I'm not jealous," Rue protested.
" I am. I'm missing my window to fuck you !" Gaia joked. Jules's face went red at the statement.
" Aren't you with Fez?" Rue laughed nervously.
Gaia is one of those people who could make a monk break his vow of abstinence. So when I got a vibe that she could potentially like Jules, and Jules kind of liked her back, it made me worry that they might end up together and I would lose them both. Fuck I hope that doesn't happen!
" He hasn't asked, so I'm technically single. And my motto is don't let your friends with benefits stop you from hooking up with a hot bitch!" Gaia sent a kiss to Jules, which made her go even redder.
" you're making it hard to say no, GG! " Jules flirted back.
Jules couldn't deny that she liked the attention she got from Gaia. She had never thought about being with a woman, but something about Gaia made her reconsider. She was just so... alluring. The only girl who made her feel a similar emotion is Rue.
"Wait, has he shown his face?" Rue asked to stop the flirty back and forth.
" No, but I got a dick pic!" Jules said.
"NO face pic but a dick pic?" Gaia questioned.
"Wanna see it?" Jules asked.
Gaia, Rue, and Jules were at the lunch table, discussing the mystery boy's picture.
"I mean, it's huge, right?" Jules looked at both of us for our approval.
" Mm..." Gaia and Rue said in sync. Rue was holding the phone as they both looked at the penis.
Jules rolled her eyes slightly. "Don't front. It's a big dick."
" I'm not saying it's not, but we can't confirm that," Gaia expressed. She took out a bag of Wingstop and started to eat.
Rue nodded in agreement " Yeah, GG is right. It may be, but we can't really tell 'cause it's just fucking floating in space."
"So?" Jules asked, confused.
Gaia rolled her eyes at the blonde.
"So, there's no way to compare scale. You know, if there's a fucking hand in the frame, at least you can be; it's about the size of an adult male hand. Or like twice the size. Or a fucking fraction of the size." Rue explained further while Gaia nodded in agreement.
" You guys! This is an objectively big dick." Jules protested.
"Well, do you have a different photo with something to compare the size?" Gaia asked.
Jules takes the phone and pulls up another photo.
Gaia exclaimed, "Damn," earning some looks.
Rue's eyes bugged out at the picture. "Wow. OK. So his penis is the size of an Evian bottle. Well, the lighting is nice."
Rue's reaction made Gaia chuckle as she took the phone to examine the picture.
" It's pretty big. I've seen bigger, but this is pretty big!" Gaia said, passing back the phone to Rue.
" Wait? Bigger? Who!?" Jules questioned.
" I'll tell you later," Gaia said.
Jules pointed at Gaia " You better. Also, like, I need your guy's help. I sent him a few pics from the school bathroom during class because he asked me to like-"
"Wait. Like, nudes?" Rue questioned.
"I can't talk about it. But I need both of you guys' help." Jules responded
" Yeah. Sure. Whatever." Rue answered. Gaia nodded.
Jules looked over her shoulder to ensure people weren't listening and then leaned in" I want, like, good, professional partial nudes. Like, classy, but not too arty. Like, like I took them with very little thought or effort but could also be in fucking MOMA."
"Yeah. It's, like, easy. Whatever." Rue said nonchalantly. Gaia looked at Rue's face and started to giggle to herself. Rue was trying to sound unbothered, but Gaia knew better.
" Yeah. what about you, GG?"Jules turned to Gaia.
" Umm, I think Rue can help you; she has a good eye for that type of stuff," Gaia lied.
Gaia wanted to give Rue and Jules intimate time together. She saw how much Rue liked her and knew she needed a kick in the ass to make a move on Jules. So she hoped this would be the moment.
" Awe, OK. so Rue? you are my photographer." Jules said, making Rue nod nervously.
Gaia said goodbye to Jules and Rue so she could go and sit with Maddy and the others. She passed by Lexi, who Gaia gave a drive-by kiss, making the youngest Howard sister swat her away.
She skipped towards the table, sitting down right after Kat sat down.
" Hey," She greeted the group. She kissed Maddy and Kat on the cheek and sent waves to Cassie and BB. Everyone greeted her back in unison and then went back to their conversation.
"We are not in love. But he did invite me to spend the weekend with him." Cassie explained.
" That's a lie. I heard you guys on the phone. It was disgustingly sweet. Emphasis on disgusting, " Gaia scoffed.
"Gaia, you're the same way with Fez. " Maddy rolled her eyes. All the other girls nodded in agreement except Kat; She looked distracted.
" Whatever! Let's get back to Cassie. Are you staying the whole weekend?" Gaia turned the attention back to Cassie.
"Yeah, like Friday and Saturday night," Cassie answered.
Gaia looked at Kat, who was occupied with the phone more than usual.
"Wait, is your mom gonna let you go?" Maddy asked
" It doesn't matter. I'll just kill her in her sleep if she doesn't let me." Cassie scoffed.
"Sounds like true love to me." BB teased.
"Whatever. She can't stop me." Cassie protested.
Gaia tuned out for a moment, thinking about Jules and that Tyler guy. She hoped that Tyler was a real guy that really liked Jules and not some crazy serial killer.
Kat finally spoke and randomly asked the group, "Do any of you guys know how coin works?"
" Hmm. No." Cassie, Maddy, and BB answered in sync.
Gaia's interest peaked. Why is she asking about coin?
" I know someone that can help you." Gaia told Kat,
" can you take me to them?" Kat asked.
" Sure! Just let me know when." Gaia gave Kat a big smile, which was returned.
Gaia was driving to Fez's store with Kat to see Ashtray
." Kat, why do you need to know about coin? What do you need to be anonymously paid for? " Gaia looked between the road and Kat.
" Nothing! It's nothing" Kat shook her head and returned to her phone.
" You don't get paid without doing something in return, so what is it? I mean, it's not like you're human trafficking, right?" Gaia questioned. She knew Kat wouldn't do something like that, but she was thinking of the worst thing she could think of so Kat would feel like it wasn't a big deal.
" What the fuck!? NO!" Kat yelled.
" Then what is so bad you can't tell me? " Gaia yelled back. Kat stayed silent. There was silence in the car for a couple of minutes.
Gaia finally broke the silence" Look, I just don't want you to do something crazy and get into trouble. I-I just care about you, and I want to have your back."
Gaia had some issues with the fear of her loved ones dying. Because her grandmother was one of the only ones she had left with her family for a long time, she was obsessed with trying to keep her friends out of danger.
Gaia looked at Kat and gave her a small smile. Kat looked back at her and sighed.
She knew Gaia was right. If there is one person in the world she could trust with this, it would be Gaia.
"OK! OK! I'll tell you! just don't freak out, please?" Kat pleaded with Gaia.
" I won't !" Gaia reassured her.
Gaia had taken Kat to see Ashtray for more information about coin. She knew the kid was adept at collecting money in every way. When they got there, Gaia greeted Ashtray with a head rub, which he acted like he hated, but low-key loved it. She gave Fez a tight hug with a sweet and soft kiss. They stood, tangled up in each other's arms, almost forgetting others were around them.
Kat looked at them with longing. She wishes she could have someone in her life like that. Gaia had felt this multiple times before, which made Kat sad. Not that she was jealous, but wish she could experience that for herself.
Ashtray sent them a disgusted look, making the couple chuckle. He would never admit this, but he liked seeing them in love. He felt Fez and Gaia deserved it.
" yo, Ash, Kat wants to learn about coin," Gaia said.
"Well, it's a worldwide cryptocurrency and digital payment system." Ashtray explained.
Kat stood there, still confused. "I literally have no clue what you're talking about."
Ashtray sat there, slightly annoyed at her ignorance. "Well, there's no easier way to explain it."
Fezco pulled his focus from Gaia to Kat. "Look, why don't you just tell us what you're trying to do, and we can tell you how we can help."
Ashtray looked at Kat up and down suspiciously " Unless it's human trafficking. I don't fuck with human trafficking."
"I'm not... human trafficking." Kat looked at Gaia, Fez, and Ash.
"It's not that! Kat couldn't do something like that" Gaia backed up Kat, and Kat gave a grateful smile.
Fezco rested his chin on Gaia's head and said, "Yeah, us, neither."
Kat fidgeted a bit, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "OK. I was just wondering if it's, like, a good way to anonymously get money online."
Ashtray rolled his eyes at Kat. "That's literally what it's made for. Dumb ass."
Gaia gave Ash the death stare for insulting Kat, making Ashtray throw his hands up in defense.
Kat shakes her head, feeling stupid "Cool."
" look at the pictures Rue took!" Jules cheered.
They were currently in Gaia's bed, listening to Charlie XCX.
Jules scrolled through her phone and showed Gaia the pictures they got from the photo shoot rue, which she did early today. Jules bit her lip slightly and looked at Gaia, looking at her photos. She wanted Gaia to like them.
" Damn! You look fucking hot as fuck! If Tyler doesn't appreciate them, I'm gonna kick his private school ass!" Gaia started to pretend boxing which made Jules giggle. Gaia looked at Jules and felt a sense of dread hit her. She didn't want to have the talk with her, but she knew, for her own sanity, she had to.
" Hey, Jules?" Gaia spoke. Jules was replying to Tyler as they lay in bed together, semi-naked.
" yeah?" Jules closed her phone and looked at Gaia, lying on the side.
" I know you might get mad or think I'm overreacting, but please let me get what I have to say out. OK?" Gaia warned Jules; Jules nodded in response.
" Look, I know it's different for me than you, and I know you just want to feel normal, but please be careful. Being trans is hard, and society makes people feel like being attracted to trans people is wrong. And I know that it's even worse for trans women to date because of our strict view on heterosexuality for men. But I beg you, please be careful meeting him. I care about you and don't want anything to happen to you. I know you've done this with people and even in this town, with that guy, dominant daddy, but I just don't want you to get hurt." Gaia had gotten choked up at the end. She had seen a lot of trans women get killed by partners, and she didn't want Jules to have the same fate.
" Gaia! Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise!" Jules jumped on top of her and hugged her.
A big reason Jules liked Gaia so much was her motherly aura. People could tell she genuinely wanted the best for people, with no strings attached. When Gaia said she loved/cared for you, she meant unconditionally. Once she had a love for you, she always did, which was a blessing for the people she loved but a curse for her. Even when you do the most heinous things to her, she still wants you to be OK! Even someone like Nate Jacobs still had a place in her heart. It may have been a tiny place, but it was still there.
" If you ever meet up with him, I want you to call me so I can hide in the bushes!" Gaia pleaded jokingly, making Jules laugh, almost bringing her to tears.
" How about when I meet him, I keep you on the phone, so you can make sure he doesn't do anything crazy? Is that OK?" Jules asked as she kissed Gaia's hand.
Gaia nodded and pulled Jules into a close cuddle, holding each other with compassion.
" Can I ask you a question? You don't have to answer if you don't want to talk about it," Gaia asked.
"I trust you, Gaia. Just ask, "Jules reassured.
"When Rue was high, and you came by to pick her up, your reaction was very numb, like you've been here before. I-I wanted to ask-"
" my mom is an alcoholic." She cut off Gaia mid-sentence and blurted out the truth. Jules spilled her whole life story to Gaia, even about how her mom put her in a mental institution for being trans and her being a cutter.
Gaia was speechless. she wasn't going to judge her for being an alcoholic because sometimes people just draw the short end of the fucking stick in the genetic lottery. However, tricking your kid into going to an institution is disgusting. Gaia felt her heart break inside her body as she thought about it more.
" I can't empathize with your pain from that, but I just want you to know that you didn't deserve anything that happened to you. If you ever need to talk about your feelings or feel alone, I will be here to listen and be with you" Gaia tightened her grip on the blonde's hand, making direct eye contact.
Jules looked into Gaia's eyes, knowing that she meant every word.
This moment made Jules and Gaia realize no matter what happens in their relationship, they will always be connected.