Chapter Text
No matter how hard she tries, Nicole can’t help herself from watching Jecka twirl her cigarette between her fingers. It’s a simple motion that really shouldn’t be this mesmerising; she’s seen every stupid party trick from horny guys before, and Jecka had only begun learning it to look sexier for the older guys who show up uninvited to Kelly’s parties, and that arrangement had only lasted until one of them got arrested for possession. They don’t even go to Kelly’s parties anymore, and yet Jecka still spins it deftly, lit end never daring to touch her skin and fingers in full control. As if she wasn’t a poser who’d only started smoking a year ago. As if the only audience for it wasn't Nicole.
Sure, Nicole had only started watching because she’d needed a laugh at someone else’s expense, and what was funnier than seeing an idiot burn themselves? The novelty had worn off far quicker than she’d hoped, though – Jecka’s in-pain face was sadder than she’d expected, and her odd resilience for the skill had been… weird to watch. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to congratulate her for burning herself less or laugh at how proud she got when she did a trick right.
Now Jecka’s hands remain perfectly unscathed, she still gets that cute smile, and Nicole still watches. The thought of turning away crosses her mind occasionally, but it’s always dashed within an instant. She can’t look away at this point. It’s embarrassing.
Jecka finally brings the dart up to her mouth. It’s only when she breathes out a hazy cloud of smoke that floats slowly to the roof of Nicole’s room that the odd grip the motion has on her leaves, and she’s able to be herself again.
“You can be such a bitch, you know that?” Nicole sneers.
Jecka doesn’t even bother looking her way. “I’m not sharing, Nicole. I paid for this shit with my own money.”
“As if. You haven’t paid full price for anything in months.”
Jecka shrugs, moving the pack of cigarettes away from Nicole. “There’s too many barriers at the gas station for flirting to really work. I’m only a 10 from like, right up close.”
“Whatever,” Nicole scoffs.
Jecka exhales another cloud of smoke, mercifully close to her so Nicole can inhale some second-hand smoke. It’s barely enough for her head to spin, and she hopes that Jecka can see how pissed the edging is making her.
“Besides,” Jecka says as she taps the cigarette against Nicole’s windowsill, leaving a pile of ash on the wood. “I’m still mad at you for today.”
“The fuck? Why?”
“You can’t make up rumours about your ex who you abused. It’s like, a party foul, or something.”
“Yeah well, you put a stop to that, so does it even matter?”
Jecka glares at her. Nicole stares back, undaunted. Eventually, Jecka concedes.
“Why do you even care? I thought you were back to being straight.”
Nicole shrugs, ignoring the odd feeling in her chest that rises at her words. She really needs a proper smoke. “It’s the principle behind it. She can’t just parade her new boyfriend around like that. People are gonna think she won the breakup and I am not letting a bitch one-up me like that.”
“She doesn’t even like guys, Nicole.”
“So? As if you haven’t done worse to your exes.”
Jecka glares again, intense enough to burn a hole in the side of her head. Nicole doesn’t try to contest her this time. “Ari’s different and you know it. One of my exes is working as a fucking security guard now.”
“At a club? What, is he one of those freaks who only lets girls in if they give him an eyeful or something?”
“Nah, he does it if he cops a feel.”
Nicole groans. “Gross.”
“Yeah, and Ari isn’t like that. You could lay off her at least a bit.”
“I mean, you don’t know-“
“Nicole!”
“Fine, whatever. I’ll leave her alone. Happy?”
Jecka takes a moment to pretend to think about it before she smiles and shuffles onto the bed. “Happy enough, I guess.”
She pulls the remains of the cigarettes up to her lips, eyes fixated on Nicole’s as she moves. Before Nicole can comment on it, Jecka takes a drag.
Then she leans down close to Nicole. Her subsequent exhale is targeted, eyes never leaving Nicole’s as she breathes out, the smoke tickling Nicole’s lips. It crawls down her throat and bleeds into her lungs, drowning her in the sensation. She almost thinks she can taste Jecka’s chap stick – cherry flavour, she knows – and then she shudders.
She lets out a sigh as her head spins. It’s not enough to distract her from the sight of Jecka’s red cheeks, or from her own thoughts about wanting to see them way more often, but it’s easy to pretend it does.
“So, is this some psycho-sexual conditioning shit? You’re rewarding me for good behaviour?”
“Just take what you can get, whore.”
“Because, just so you know, you’d be the pet, not me.”
And sure, now it’s impossible to ignore the deep flush that overtakes Jecka’s complexion after that. It’s a worthy sacrifice though, considering the overwhelming rush that runs through her chest at the sight.
-
Nicole sighs. Lunch might be one of her least hated periods, but at this school, it’s like comparing her favourite sports. Some of them are funnier than others, especially when there’s potential for gruesome injury to narcissistic meatheads, but at the end of the day, they all make her want to kill herself.
“Nicole,” Jecka’s voice breaks through the fog in her brain, and suddenly she’s subjected to a horrific noise.
Crispin is sitting in front of her, droning on with that shitty lazy tone that he thinks makes him look cool. He’s been sitting there for a while, considering how Jecka looks like she’s about to rip off her ears, and already Nicole is sick of how he drones on. “Yeah, so like, I just think it’s really cool that you guys are eating. I heard about eating disorders and I was like, god, why would you do this to our women, you know?” He smiles at the sky, like it’s some profound revelation.
“Crispin, why the fuck are you still here? Do you have a fetish for being ignored, or something?”
“What do you mean, Nicole? We’re just hanging out, aren’t we?”
“I would rather hang myself than spend any time with you by choice, you disgusting fuck.”
Crispin laughs and mutters something about ‘funny chicks,’ before strolling off.
Nicole turns to Jecka. “Hey, I’ve been getting better at tuning him out lately. Maybe someday I’ll never have to hear him again.”
“So fucking happy for you, but if I had to deal with weed breath and reality show-host personality for any longer I think I might’ve choked him.”
“Hot. Why didn’t you?”
Jecka rolls her eyes. “The law, or something.”
“Boring.”
“Right? But being a prison slut would not suit me. Nepotism celebrity sounds much better.”
“Your family is famous?”
“No, but my husband will be. I’ll just leech off his fame.”
Nicole raises an eyebrow. “I feel like you’re underestimating how rapey famous men are. Do you seriously want to deal with, like, white men who get dick injections to keep it up?”
“That’s what the adopted fans are for.”
“They won’t defend you, Jecka. They’ll just call you an attention-seeking whore when shit starts coming out about him. It always happens.”
Jecka hums. “Maybe. Should I find some sorta-gay celeb- Oh god. Megan’s coming this way.”
Nicole turns around just as Jecka straightens up in her seat. She sees Megan, looking like somebody’d just taken a shit in her food. She glares at Nicole, and she’d be happy to return it if she wasn’t surprised by the person trailing behind her – Ari, who’s pointedly ignoring her.
“Hey, guys,” Jecka waves.
“Hey, Jecka. You want to come to a party Sunday night?” Ari smiles.
“Oh, sure. Who’s hosting?”
“Me. Just come by at like 7, okay?”
“Okay.”
“What, is it some sort of fucking power move for you to invite my friend and not me?” Nicole interjects.
Instead of Ari responding, Megan steps up. “If you call not wanting you there a power move, then sure. You’d just sulk in the corner anyway.”
“Oh, and what, you hire a guard dog too? Can’t even speak for yourself, Ari?”
“No, she’s right. I just don’t want you there. You’re kind of awful, Nicole,” Ari shrugs. “I just want to have fun.”
Nicole puts on a faux-sweet voice. “I can be fun.”
Ari colours. “Shut up.”
“Your party’s gonna be shit anyway. Maybe if you can stop Kelly trying to ride every dude there you might have some fun with the cleanup-“
“We’re leaving,” Megan interrupts, grabbing Ari’s arm and muttering, "fucking bitch." She drags her away without a second glance, leaving Jecka and Nicole alone.
“Can you believe this? Or, what, am I still not allowed to hate her guts?”
“I mean, she’s not exactly wrong, is she?”
Nicole almost responds without thinking, but then she catches a glimpse of Jecka’s face. Nicole scans her, taking note of her cautiously averted eyes, how her hands are fidgeting, how her voice has raised in tone.
“Oh my fucking god, you’re going to go, you traitor.”
“It’s a party and I need to get fucked up, you know how shitty this week has been.”
“You don’t even like half those girls. You hate Megan.” Nicole points out.
“Well, yeah. So?”
Nicole sighs. “Fair point. But I’m not forgetting this, snake.”
“It’s not snaking if I’m just there to steal their drinks and pills, Nicole.”
“No, it still is,” Nicole snarks, and she can tell by Jecka’s wavering voice that the guilt trip is working. “You owe me.”
“Owe you what, bitch? I’ll split whatever I take from there with you.”
“You would’ve done that anyway. Nah, something else.”
“Are you serious? The fuck do you want?”
“What’s the best part about house parties?”
Jecka takes a moment to ponder the question. “Turning the stove on high before leaving and not telling anybody?”
Nicole smiles. “No, but that’s evil. I’m impressed.”
“I was thinking from your perspective,” Jecka says, looking almost imperceivably pink. Nicole decides to ignore it. “What’s the actual answer?”
“It’s all the free shit you can take when people aren’t looking. If she’s inviting people like Kelly and you-” Jecka raises an eyebrow. Nicole ignores it and continues, “her family’s definitely not home. It’s hunting season, and you’re a fat old man with a micropenis.”
“What does that even-“ Jecka’s eyes widen. “You want me to rob Ari?”
“Robbery is when you point a gun, Jecka. You’re just taking shit. It’s no big deal.”
“I don’t know. Stealing’s kinda your thing.”
“That’s the fun part about friendship. You’re bound to have learned something from me.”
“Pretty much all you’ve taught me is that most men are pedophiles.”
Nicole shrugs. “Not that I had to teach you that, but whatever. It’ll work, bitch. Just do it.”
“Fine. What do you want?”
“Something expensive.”
Jecka sighs. “Whatever. If Ari puts me in some girl scout headlock because of this, I will kill you.”
“She won’t. And if she does, I’ll get Emily to send me photos.”
“Fuck you,” Jecka says, but when she turns to face Nicole, she sees a faint smile on her face, directed at her. The feeling in her chest – the one that feels like there’s a balloon in her ribcage, slowly floating up – returns, and Nicole forces herself to strangle the feeling.
When it’s throttled and dead, Nicole sees that Jecka’s no longer looking at her. The smile’s still there, though, and even though a strand of her hair has fallen in front of it, she’s still beautiful.
Nicole almost reaches forward to brush the hair to the side, but she catches herself just in time.
And then she realises something might be horribly wrong with her.
Shit.
-
The night of the party is simple. Nicole looks through the dresses Jecka messages her photos of, chooses the second sexiest, and suggests that for the night. Jecka sends one more photo – of herself dressed up – and by the time Nicole’s gotten the …thing in her chest under control and sent back a thumbs up emoji, Jecka’s already left.
Nicole goes through her Mom’s medicine cabinet, picks out the most fucked combination of pills she can think of without putting her in a coma, crushes them up, and within a few moments, she’s gone to the world.
It’s hours later, when her room has finally morphed back into her room and some of the cotton clogging her ears has fallen out, when her phone begins buzzing. She’s still coming down, so she thinks she might be hallucinating just a bit when she sees the contact calling her phone - Arri (gay one).
“What?” She answers.
Nicole is greeted by a much too familiar moan.
“N-Nicole,” Ari giggles. “You a-actually answered.” She moans again, and Nicole swears she had sorted her whole gay crisis out. This shouldn’t be kind of hot, right?
“Are you seriously calling me during a hookup? God, and they call me petty. I don’t give a fuck that you’re getting mediocre dick, Ari.”
“I’m not,” Ari breathes, and then she giggles again. There’s another voice in the background, muttering something, but the cotton’s still in her ears. “I just wanted to hear your reaction. Jecka?”
Nicole goes cold. Suddenly, she can hear everything, and she can hear it all too well. There’s another wet sound – a kiss, Nicole thinks venomously – before it stops. “Hey, Nicole.”
“Jecka, what the fuck? You slut, you’re fucking my ex?”
“Ew, no. We’re just hooking up.” Nicole hates how breathless she sounds. She hates that she can’t be there to teach fucking Ari not to mess with her-
“Why, bitch?”
Jecka lowers her voice. “I’m doing what you asked.”
“I told you to rob her, not fuck her.”
“I’m not! How else was I going to get into her room?”
“Are you fucking with me?”
“No! She’s a girl scout! Even when she’s drunk, she’s fucking paranoid.”
From the background, Ari asks, “are you guys speaking in code?”
“Do we look like bitches who use code?” Jecka responds. “Trust me, Nicole. I’m not doing this to fuck you over.”
Nicole isn’t sure what’s happening in her chest now, but she knows it feels aflame – and god she wishes she could light that whole fucking house on fire. But she’s not used to this. She was angry when she was shot, sure, but this is different. It’s…
“You better get me some real expensive shit,” she growls.
“R-really?” Jecka sounds genuinely relieved.
“Yes. And you’re giving me your Xanax.”
“Bitch I was only doing in the first place for you.” Jecka’s voice becomes light again, and the fire is extinguished.
Nicole sighs. “Fine.” She hangs up.
Then she puts her head down on the table, counting out what she has leftover before deciding, fuck it, and diving right in. Simple.
-
It’s only a little awkward when she sees Jecka in the morning, and it doesn’t come from where she expects. Truly, she doesn’t care about Ari – she never had, and that’s likely why it’s so easy to forget. Sure, Ari’s scars were hot, and it was fun having a codependent, masochist girlfriend to bully around, but she’d never actually cared about her.
The problem was that she did care that it was Jecka. Which… no, she’s not thinking about that.
Since she's not thinking about it, everything goes relatively well. They meet in Jecka’s smoking spot before school. Nicole watches as Jecka twirls her cigarette as usual, asks her, “so, you’re lesbian now?” And then things are good again.
She only even thinks about revenge when she takes her seat next to Jecka in math class, and Ari gives her a fucking ugly smirk from the front like she’d done something impressive and not been robbed. She takes about one second to debate on insulting her in front of the class, before she remembers the last text Ari had sent her.
She walks out of class without a glance at the teacher, finds a suitably empty girls’ bathroom, and presses ‘call,’ on Ari’s contact.
-
Nicole leaves the bathroom a few steps after Ari, despite their agreement to return to class at different times. She stalks behind her, watching as her steps slowly even out and she composes herself. Just when she reaches the door to their classroom, Nicole grabs her wrist and shoves her up against the wall.
“Nicole, wha-“ Nicole grins at her, letting her gaze wander. She leans in, leering at Ari, ghosting her fingers over her sides. It's honestly kind of pathetic how quickly Ari gives in, pushing her lips up to meet Nicole's, and soon they're out in the hallway, resuming what they’d been doing in the bathroom. Nicole grips the back of her neck as Ari reaches around her, and her tongue probes deeper and deeper until Ari’s knees buckle. Nicole only relents then, feeling Ari’s breaths come fast and heavy on her lips.
Nicole smirks. “Couldn’t wait for more?”
Ari darkens. “You call me out to the bathroom, fuck me in a stall, and now this? Nicole, what are you doing?”
Nicole narrows her eyes at Ari. She approaches her like a predator, focusing on a tense point on her neck. She licks it, bites it, and then sucks on the point. Ari stifles a moan with her palms.
“Just making sure,” she kisses the point as it throbs, tasting blood. “That next time you call me, it’s for something important. Like this.”
She hasn’t gotten mileage out of her sexy voice in a while, but evidently, she’s not out of practice. When she lets Ari go, she all but stumbles back into class, wobbly and unfocused and face dyed a harsh red, makeup ruined and hickey on display for all to see.
Nicole follows her in, smirking.
All eyes are on the two of them, but there’s only one person’s reaction she’s concerned with. She heads to her seat at the back, taking her sweet time as she goes.
Jecka’s pointedly not looking at Nicole. Her cheeks are flushed pink and her eyebrows are drawn tight. Most noticeably, she’s twirling her pen in her fingers like a cigarette, though her fingers are shaking, and… there it is. Her pen leaves a line of ink on her hand.
Nicole smiles.
Oh, revenge always tastes so sweet.