A/N: it's nearly 6 am so work with me. I hope you like it let me know what you think about the story. Also if I have a typo do not comment laughing at it or saying something rude. I'm getting fed up and I'm about to start being rude. If you don't like how I word things skip it or don't read it. Fuck off. Anyway onto the story!:)
tw/ mentions of self harm
"You guys are fucking up the play! Get into your positions or were running 50 damn laps!" A man screamed angrily and threateningly at the young men who were on the field.
One of those men was Noel Khan as he shoved a sophomore boy for messing up their football play. The sophomore boy glared at him from under his helmet but didn't do anything, seeing Noel was bigger and taller than him. The boy's name was Alexander and clearly, he wasn't Noel Khans biggest fan and the feeling was mutual.
Right when they were gonna try again the coach got an important call and told them to get a water break and he walked off to the bleachers.
One of Noel's friends jogged up to him. "I'm planning a huge party. Alcohol, weed, pool, and hot tub. I'm trying to throw the party of the year." His friend Josh said taking off his football helmet to reveal his sweaty face.
Noel took his helmet and smiled hugely. "Hell yeah. Let me know if I can help. I can get the alcohol and some weed if you need."
"Bet! I'll let you know tomorrow but You know what they say, the more the better!" He said before changing the subject. "So I know this girl that's been trying to get at you for a minute man."
"Is she hot?" Noel asked interested.
"She's a hot redhead with a banging body dude. Her name is Bailey and she's new." Josh said almost enviously.
"Give me her snap so Stephanie doesn't find out," Noel says already planning ways to have sex with Bailey without his girlfriend finding out.
"You're still with that freshman girl? She hasn't let you fuck yet?" his friend asked incredulously.
"She's a tough cookie to crack. But I think I'll have her soon. I'm going to keep her around so I can have a constant fuck source though." Noel said smirking at his friend.
"I need to find one that's as stupid as her so I can be where you are at," Josh said enviously and yet happy for his friend.
"I know one of her friends that is desperate for attention. I can send her your way? Her name is Clarissa." Noel said knowing how boy-crazed and desperate his girlfriend's friend was.
"Oh I've been eying her for a while. I'll let You know some stuff later," Josh smirked before adding. "Hopefully she's dumber than Stephanie. I don't think I can hold out for as long as you."
The boys laughed before the coach came back.
A while later Josh invited Noel back to his place but Noel declined.
"I have some errands to run for my mom and stuff. Plus gotta see Steph."
"Alright man, if you change your mind you know where I am. But I hope you bang her soon." Josh chuckled before saying his goodbyes.
Noel turned and walked off the campus.
" I hope she does let me soon. If not I'll get another while I wait." Noel muttered to himself before texting his girlfriend.
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Courtney sat in her office debating on whether or not she had the patience to deal with his mom today. Ariel was talking about how she wanted some girl time with her daughter-in-law when she got off work.
She looked at the clock, time was passing by way faster than she hoped.
it was already time for her appointment with Stephanie, the last one before she went home.
Her phone buzzed and she saw a text from Abraham's mother.
Ariel: I'm in a spa mood then after we can get some sushi. I'll see you after work
"Speak of the devil" Courtney muttered after reading the text.
"Courtney, your last appointment is here, is it okay for me to send her up?" The front secretary buzzed in.
"Yes send her up," Courtney said taking a deep Breath in collecting herself.
Soon Stephanie walked in the door and gave Courtney a friendly smile and sat down.
"Hey Stephanie, how are you doing?" She asked the teen also giving a friendly smile.
"I'm okay and you." She said shortly
"I'm okay just tired. Anything in particular you want to talk about?"
Courtney saw Stephanie debate something in her head before she spoke. "One of my friends is dating this guy and he wants to have sex with her. I told her she should wait till she was ready… But my other friend said that she should do it or he'll find someone else to. What's Your opinion on that?"
Courtney listened to her and nodded before speaking knowing what to say immediately.
"You're right. She should wait until she's ready. There are multiple reasons for waiting but your friend should respect and understand. If he's not willing to wait then that shows his character." Courtney answered knowingly.
Stephanie thought for a moment. "But they're so cute and perfect together and they mean a lot to each other. So would that really make him a bad person if he didn't want to wait to take their relationship to the next level?"
Courtney had suspicions that she was talking about her relationship but chose not to say anything.
"A lot of things seem perfect but a lot of things are clouded by this love and feelings for the person. If it was the other way around she wouldn't want to force him into anything he wouldn't be ready for right?"
"Yes of course." The teenage girl said absorbing the words of her therapist.
"So why shouldn't he do the same, otherwise it's being forced. which isn't pleasurable." Courtney continued informing her, hoping she'd connect the dots.
"I guess so... I'll tell her. I know she's been thinking about it. so I wanted to ask someone who wouldn't overreact." Stephanie said with a nod.
Courtney was going to say something else but Stephanie interrupted.
"How's your marriage going?" Stephanie quickly changed the subject and also wanted to play matchmaker with her therapist and her uncle.
Courtney was taken aback by this unexpected question. " I-um it's okay. But we're talking about you right now."
Stephanie must've realized how forward that was. "I'm sorry I was just trying to ask cause the last time we talked about your marriage you said you were unhappy. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything."
Courtney nodded. "It's fine. And we're working out our problems. Anyway, I wanna take a deep dive into why you are here..." Courtney noticed the teenager shifted in her seat but she continued.
"So tell me do you know why you're here or do you have a guess as to why you are here in your opinion?" Courtney asked her clicking her own to be ready to write what the blonde teen said.
Again Stephanie shifted in her seat. "Well, I guess my mom walked in on me trying to cut myself... I've never done it before though. I just saw that on a bullying thing, people cut themselves to feel good. I had a really really bad day that day and I guess I wanted to feel good too I guess..."
Stephanie explained.
Courtney started to talk to Stephanie but Stephanie was too into her head about what started it all.
-Flashback a year ago and a half ago-
"Let's do a TikTok video. Ashley and Clarissa come stand here and do that one dance I saw earlier." Bianca said to her friends. They were at the park after school and she was waiting for her boyfriend to come hang out with them, mainly her.
"Oh well, where do you want me to stand?" Stephanie asked standing up from the park bench she and her friends were just previously sitting on. She walked over to them excitedly.
"Sorry. The dance only needs 3 people. so I chose Ashley and Clarissa." Bianca said dismissively to the blonde.
"But we saw people doing the dance with more than 3 people?" Stephanie exclaimed to her 8th-grade friend.
Bianca rolled her eyes. "It looks more appealing this way. Besides, you know I want to be Tiktok famous like Addison Ray. Stop trying to steal my spotlight."
Stephanie sighed and sat back down feeling put out.
"Hey, we can do two vids with her in it so she can be in it? It's not fair that she has to." Ashley tried to immediate things.
"Ugh, it's my TikTok video! why does it matter? I just wanted it a certain way and she doesn't fit the role. Get over it already. She doesn't even care." Bianca snapped.
Ashley was going to interject but was interrupted by Stephanie.
"It's okay. Really." Stephanie lied with a smile even though she felt upset. This was a constant thing with Bianca.
Ashley sighed while Bianca looked smugly and started the TikTok.
Stephanie watched them dance and they laughed and did the dances together. She felt extremely alone.
Stephanie heard footsteps approaching and she turned around and saw Bianca's boyfriend Noel. He was the popular kid at the high school. A lot of people like Ashley said he was weird for someone like him dating someone their age. But other people thought it was cool that Bianca scored a popular high schooler. They've been one week strong and Stephanie was happy for them even if Stephanie told all her friends she liked Noel before Bianca even met him.
"Hey. How come you're not doing the video with them?" Noel said sitting next to her closer than normal but Stephanie didn't notice.
She realized her friends didn't know he was there. She turned back to him and just gave a dismissive smile. "I didn't make the cut so I'm supporting from the sidelines."
Noel looked her up and down but Stephanie didn't see it since she was watching them dance. "You definitely shouldn't be on the sidelines. Too beautiful." Stephanie gave him a shy smile. He was so nice to try to make her feel better.
"Noel! Why didn't you tell me you were here." Bianca said jogging over to them. She purposefully bumped into Stephanie on the way there but didn't say anything, she just sat in his lap. Stephanie frowned excusing it was a clumsy accident, so she let it go.
Clarissa smiled at Noel and tucked her hair behind her ear flirtatiously as she walked to the benches and sat down. "Hi, Noel."
"Hi," Ashley said bluntly before sitting next to Clarissa.
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Later on, they went to Stephanie's house. Noel went home, Ashley went home and Clarissa went home. Now it was just her and Bianca.
They sat on Stephanie's bed watching a show till Bianca broke the silence.
"I saw you flirting with him. Do you still have that stupid crush on my boyfriend?" Bianca asked with her eyebrow raised.
Stephanie was taken aback. She never flirted with him, that was totally against the girl code. However, she did have a crush on him still.
"No, I wasn't. what the heck. If anyone was it was Clarissa." Stephanie defended herself.
"I saw how you were smiling at him!" She accused.
"What the fuck do you want me to do frown at him?" Stephanie snapped.
She squinted at the blonde. "If I catch you with him, I'm turning everyone against you. You won't have any friends."
"Well, you won't cause nothing is going on." Stephanie felt her stomach drop at what she said. She didn't know why Bianca was being so mean to her. Not even just now, it's been happening for awhile.
"Good." She replied before looking at the TV.
Stephanie couldn't help but hope that Bianca's parents would pick her up soon.
"You didn't answer my question." Her voice sounded out.
The blonde looked at Bianca and frowned. "What question?"
"Do you still have that crush on him?"
"No." She lied for the sake of their friendship.
"Good. Cause that would make you a little skank." She said squinting her eyes at Stephanie for good measure before turning to the tv.
End of flashback
"Stephanie?" Courtney's voice pulled her from a painful memory.
"Y-yeah sorry, I was just thinking about something," Stephanie said apologetically.
"It's okay. I was just letting you know that people who cut only find temporary happiness. And it's dangerous and addictive." Courtney says writing some notes about the teen.
"Yeah, that's what the nurse told me at the mental health clinic my parents took me to," Stephanie says twiddling her thumbs.
"Yeah... so do you still feel like you're in that dark place you were that day?"
Courtney saw she thought for a moment before Stephanie answered. "No, it's a little better.
—————————————————————————
Courtney came home after work and was hoping for a small moment to herself but unfortunately, she saw her mother-in-law on the couch with Abraham watching a soap opera.
"Hi! How was work? I bet you are so tense. Perfect timing for what I have planned." His mother smiled.
"Well, when do we have to leave?" Maybe she could get a small nap in.
"You have enough time to shower, don't worry." The older lady says before turning to the TV.
Courtney inwardly sighed and walked to her room and grumpily grabbed her clothes and showers.
As she felt the hot water streaming down her back she wondered how Duncan was. How he was doing? What was he doing? They haven't spoken since yesterday when he was at her place along with her friends.
She felt a weird feeling in her chest at the thought that he was thinking about her.
Suddenly a sharp banging sound on the door scared her and she almost fell.
"Courtney! It's been 15 minutes hurry or we're going to be late!" Ariel called out.
Courtney was fuming now and rinsed off before she stepped out of the shower.
She dried off, got dressed, and just brushed her hair. Walking into the bedroom she put sandals on and walked to the living room where Abraham and Ariel were sitting in.
"God you took forever. We still have time if we go down Jackson avenue ..." Ariel muttered before walking out the door.
Courtney promptly ignored her husband who she was very angry at when he told them to have fun as she walked out the door.
Suddenly she saw Gretchen in the hallway approaching them. "Hello, Courtney and you are?" She asked with a fake smile.
Courtney scowled at the old lady. However, Ariel introduced herself not seeing Courtney's coldness towards her. "Hello, I'm Ariel. Courtney's mother-in-law. And you are?"
"Oh, you're the mother-in-law. I'm Gretchen Courtney and Abraham's favorite neighbor. It's such a shame I don't see you more around I know Courtney gets very lonely and always has people come over." She smiled at Courtney and in that moment the wife's heart dropped and she clenched her fists.
"Oh, I suppose it's because of how hard my son works." Ariel smiled politely before giving Courtney a look.
"Anyway, Gretchen we have to go. We actually have plans." Courtney plastered a smile on her face.
"Oh sorry, I don't want to waste any more time. I'll leave you two be. We should talk sometime I always keep up with gossip that happens around here." Gretchen smirks at the mother-in-law before waving and entering her apartment.
"What an interesting character," Ariel said before walking down the hallway with Courtney in tow. Little Did Courtney know the gears were turning in her mother in laws head.
—————————————————————————
"We're planning on meeting up soon but I'm not gonna say where just in case you guys want to be nosey," Clarissa said boastfully into the group face time. Stephanie, Clarissa, and Ashley were on the phone 3-waying.
"Yeah have fun finding the janitor." Ashley cackled.
Clarissa glared at the phone. "You're always so negative!"
"Don't worry! I'm hoping the best for you and so is Ashley. Even if she won't say it out loud." Stephanie chimed in to better the conversation.
"I'll tell you the details after but I'm sure you know what we'll do," Clarissa smirked before winking at the camera.
"Ugh. Whatever..." Ashley said.
"So Noel's friend is throwing a party on the 15th. Please tell me you guys can go" Stephanie changed the subject.
"I can't. My moms aren't going to let me go, I have to go to a family thing. My sister said she has some major news." Ashley said apologetically.
"I don't know…I heard Bianca is going to go and I definitely don't want to see that train wreck," Clarissa said.
"Please, please, please. I have to go with Noel as his girlfriend and nobody that I care about will be there!"
" hmmm actually I can go, but only if you promise to be my wingwoman!" Clarissa says.
Ashley looked at the friend weirdly before rolling her eyes. "I thought you were scared of Bianca."
"I'm not scared of her! I just don't like her!" Clarissa snapped before a voice was heard in the background.
"Clair come get your dinner!" A female voice yelled.
"Ugh, I have to go eat dinner. Text you later? Bye." Clarissa declared before hanging up the call leaving only Stephanie and Ashley.
"Her attitude is getting more unbearable over time." Ashley huffs.
"Well I'm just trying not to lose another friend so maybe we'll talk to her about it? I don't know." Stephanie said thinking about Bianca briefly.
"We didn't lose a friend. We lost an enemy. Bianca was shit. And Clarissa clearly is jealous of you and starting to turn toxic." Ashley pointed out bluntly.
Before Stephanie could reply Ashley's mom knocked on the door before peeking her head in. "Hey, time for dinner."
"Okay, mom," Ashley replied before waving at Stephanie, who waved back before the call ended.
Stephanie rubbed her temples as the unwanted thoughts of Bianca came to her head.
Flashback
"He's been acting distant lately... he said it was losing the spark between us and wanted to fix it. It's only been 2 weeks since we started dating." Bianca asked the girls at a sleepover. Well was a sleepover since Bianca was sneaking out to hang out with Noel.
"Try talking to him maybe he's going through something?" Stephanie says trying to help.
"Maybe this is a good sign to find someone else." Ashley chimes in.
"Nobody asked you." Bianca snapped at Ashley. Stephanie pasted Ashley's back so they wouldn't argue. Ashley bit her tongue for Stephanie and Clarissa's sake.
"Well, I heard lots of girls in high school are having sex. Maybe that's why." Clarissa shrugged and Bianca frowned.
"That's a stupid idea. I haven't dated him for that long." Bianca lashed out at her friend.
"Hey calm down!" Ashley interjected being fed up with her shitty attitude.
Bianca sighed "Sorry I just really like him and it would suck for us to break up."
The girls looked sympathetically at her before nodding understandingly.
"It's okay today will be a great night." Clarissa smiled.
Bianca's phone dinged and she knew it was Noel saying he was outside.
"Bye ladies, I'll see you at school on Monday," she said before climbing out the window. That was the last time the girls were friends with Bianca thanks to that night.
What they didn't know was...
Bianca got in the car with Noel and his friends and drove to the party. As the party went on she felt how distant Noel was being and she just heard Clairissas words. "Well, I heard lots of girls in high school are having sex. Maybe that's why."
"You okay?" Noel asked.
Bianca couldn't believe she was about to do this but she nodded. "Can I get you alone? Maybe a bedroom with complete privacy?"
"Yeah here," Noel said and led her up to an unoccupied bedroom.
Bianca took a deep breath before smashing lips onto his. Noel complied and kissed her back. Little did she know, the mental gymnastics he did to make her do this finally worked.
Soon Noel got the thing he wanted... her body and Bianca was laying in bed thinking their relationship was saved thanks to how affectionate Noel was being. It was a pity she couldn't have been farther from the truth.
After another week of Noel having sex with Bianca, Noel was getting bored and had his eyes on his next target. Stephanie.
Bianca didn't tell her friends she had sex with him, instead she kept it to herself knowing she'd look like a hypocrite if she told them.
Noel soon confronted Bianca with "screenshots" that he told Stephanie sent of Bianca cheating on him with his friend Josh. Noel paid his friend to lie about it. She pleaded that those were fake and that Stephanie was ruining their relationship cause she had this crush on him but nothing she said helped.
She was crushed as he left her alone and single.
Bianca was livid and felt betrayed by her now ex-friend Stephanie. She was going to make her life miserable.
End of flashback
"Hey, Steph. Your dad invited me over and I thought that would be great since I didn't feel like cooking. " her uncle Duncan said walking through the open bedroom door.
Stephanie rolled her eyes. But smiled. Before remembering her therapist. "So I went to therapy today."
Duncan just nodded knowing she was going to bring up the crush that he had. "that's good. How was it?"
"It was heavy but helpful. Anyway, have you talked to her today or at all about her marriage?"
"Um no? That's not really something I want to talk about." Duncan chuckled before sitting on her with her.
"Well, you should. She told me that she and Abraham were working things out. You need to wow her or something before he fixes their problems." Stephanie exclaimed.
Duncan sighed "That's none of our business Steph. I doubt she's going to leave her husband for me." Duncan said doubtfully before standing up.
Steph was going to reply but Duncan cut her off. "Also it's time for dinner."
Stephanie rolled her eyes before standing up. " how would you know if you Don't try?" she asked him before walking off.
Duncan just shook his head but he felt his heart sink thinking of the seed of doubt his niece unknowingly planted.
Working things out...
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A/N: wow I'm beyond elated to update this. I can't wait for you to see the next chapter!!! Tell me what you think of Bianca. Clarissa and Ashley. Do you think Stephanie is a good friend?
What do you think of Noel and his friend Josh? And what do you think Abraham Ariel and Gretchen are planning
But on a different note happy new year. Kinda sad cause it's back to my super-busy schedule. Hope you guys are Doing great and thank you for the support !!
- Courtney m