CHEYENNE

A WEEK LATER

THURSDAY - 10:45 a.m.

Fezco and I have been seeing each other a lot more often other than him just sneaking into my room every other day. He come's and pick Rue and I up after school and we just smoke and chill at his place or go get something to eat. Rue is a big supporter in us being together by the semester is up. (Which is in like three weeks.)"So you just gone tell your dad you at Rue's?" Fez asked me through my AirPods. I went back to school last Thursday , I have a free period... That I kinda made up because I don't like my Health class nor teacher. "Yeah, my dad's clueless." I laughed. "Alright, I've seen your pops. That's a very big man." He says. "He's a big teddy bear. The beard just makes him look scary." I laughed. "Still" Fez says. "You scared?" I teased him. "Nah, it's the principle" He says."And the principle is...?" I asked him. "He'd only try and kill me because he hasn't met me yet and has no clue who his daughter is sneaking off to see every other night Principle..." He says. He left me silent. "You still there?" He asked me. "Mhm..." I say staring off into space.

I was sitting in the library and I saw Nate walk in with some of his football buddies. "I gotta question." I asked him. "Oh here you go with these questions, wassup?" He asked. "What's your beef with Nate Jacobs?" I asked him while still looking at Nate. He sighed on his end and didn't say anything. "Fezco?" I whispered. "He's a bitch." He says. I nodded. Perfect answer Fezco. "Alright." I laughed. "He is, he may be big and tall but he still a lil bitch." He says. "I'll take your word for it." I say looking at Nate and he was gone, where the fuck did he run off too that quick. "He ain't bothering you at school, is he?" Fez asked me. I smiled as he asked that question. "If he was, what would you do?" I joked. "Teach the bitch a fucking lesson." He says and my heart melted. Come on Fezco I like what im hearing. "We'll no lessons will be taught because he's not a fan of me." I say smiling. "That's what I like to hear." He says. I put my head down so no one would see me cheesing like a fucking loser. I lifted my head up and Nate was standing in front of me. I jumped like I just saw a ghost. "Cheyenne?" Fez says in my ear snapping me back. "Hmm? Oh yeah, I'm gonna have to call you back..." I say to him. "Alright, I'll see you later." He says. "Yeah, see you later." I say hanging up.

"Yes?" I asked while looking at Nate. "My dad wanted me to invite you and Spencyr over for dinner tonight." He says. "This feels like a set up..." I say bringing my knees to my chest. "How? Both of our dads will be there getting drunk off their asses and my mom is making baked ziti it's the best" He says. He seems sincere... That's scaring me. "Hmm, why?" I asked him. "Why? The fuck you mean 'why?'"He asked me. I tried not to laugh. "There it is the dr. jekyll and mr. hyde attitude. Nate why do you try so hard to be my friend when we both know we have absolutely nothing in common so why do you keep pushing?" I asked while standing up and leaning over the table to get my point across. He had this grin on his face that was kinda scary but it kinda turns you on. Did I just say that??? "Because, our Dad's are best friends. And I think we should become close friends." He says licking his lips but it wasn't a sexual lip lick. I just stared at him. "Look, I just wanna fresh start after my dad telling me you might be an actual nice and fun girl." He says shrugging. Not Cal talking about me... I'm honored. "What time is dinner?" I sighed. "Seven, you need a ride?" He asked me. "Don't push it..." I say glare and point at him. He laughed playfully. "See you at Seven Calloway." He says hitting the table before walking away. Wait... Did I just befriend Nate Jacobs?

***

2:30p.m

"Wait..." Kat says. I glanced up at her. "Your dad won't let you come to a party because he's doesn't trust you to come back home?" She continues. I pointed and nodded at her. "That's how I see it." I say agreeing with her. "What would you do if you were back in New York?" Maddy asked me. "Oh my mom wouldn't care." I laughed. "So your dad is just a jew..." Maddy says. I laughed. "He actually is." I lie. "Oh shit. Im sorry." She says with a disgusting look. "I'm fucking kidding. He's still shaken up over Spencyr, which I can understand but I have probably walked all around New York with little to no problems happening to me." I say telling the room. "Little to no problems?" Maddy asks while raising an eyebrow. I gave her a blank stare. "It's New York, the subway will give you an experience and a story to always tell." I say pointing at her. "So what are you gonna do? Not come to any parties during party season? The school year is still fresh." Kat says. I didn't even think about that. I shrugged. "I don't know." I laughed. "Bitch you're coming to a party this year. October is right around the corner and costume parties are lit." Maddy says smiling in my face. My jaw dropped. "You had me at Costumes baby" I say sitting up straight and fixing my hair. The three of us busted out laughing.

I guess I can stop calling them Maddy's clique because they seem to be on their own things. We're all have one class together and that's Art. Cassie is actually not in class. Maddy is walking back and forth from the fabric room to the hall. Kat is out in the hall tracing out a funky design for a ceiling tile. Lexi is knitting. Nate isn't in class either. Rue  is sculpting something with clay. And me? Oh im on the floor watching Kat trace her design. "Cheyenne, you know you have to do something in my class to pass." Mrs. Leonard laughs while standing in front of me. "Yeah? I did." I laughed while leaning on the wall. "The daily board prompt isn't enough hun." She says shaking her head. I sighed and followed her back into the room. "You have a vinyl project you started painting." She says pulling it out. "The newspaper project which is amazing and should be finished." She says pretty amazed about. "And my favorite one, you're Tarot recreation of The High Priestess and you used your sister's face." She says handing the last one to me. "These? These... They we're just thoughts, I have no inspiration to do them anymore." I say looking at it. "Take them home and bring them back on Monday." She says. "Not you giving me homework." I sighed. "Indeed I am, daily prompt sketches aren't gonna help you pass that much longer." She says handing me the other two projects as the bell rung. "I mean it." She says pointing at me I put the project's in my backpack and headed out.

As I was walking out the class I ran into Nate. "Watch out" We both tell each other before walking different directions. "Wassup Homie." Rue says putting her arm over my shoulder. Wassup, how's your clay going?" I laughed while looking at her hands. "...Somewhere." She says nodding. "My house or your house?" She asked me. "I have dinner plans tonight, my dad texted me at lunch...Forgot to tell you..." I say biting my lip. "Wait... So im supposed to go home and do nothing?" She says stopping in her tracks. And her tracks were right where the door hits closed. "Rue!" I say covering my mouth and helping her up. "That hurt... Real bad." She groans while holding her head. "I mean you can go get high?" I whispered to her so nobody heard me. "Then what?" She says. "Rue go hang with Jules, I know she probably hates me for how much we hang out." I tell her. "I don't know we usually end up arguing and I just go home." She says kicking a rock as we walked to the store. "Why?" I asked her. "I don't really wanna talk about it." She says shaking her head. "How's Spencyr?" She asked me. "She's... alright, she doesn't really wanna leave the house unless she's with me." I say. "Then why doesn't she come to School? You're there." She says. "I'm not in her eyesight." I say shaking my head. "Oh..." She says now understanding. "Has she thought about online?" she says. I scoffed. "That girl would not do that" I laughed. "She'll come to school eventually" I say walking into the store.

I didn't see Fez at the counter. I walked to the fridge and peeked through. Fez was sitting in a beanbag chair. I knocked on the window and waved. His eyes lit up and he jumped out of his seat. "I have never seen that kid move that fast for anyone ever..." Rue sighs. I stepped back as the door swung open. "What's going on?" He says hugging me. "Heyyy" I say hugging him. "Wassup Rue" He says hugging her. "Wassup" She says going into through the door before it closed. "How was school?" He asked me. "God you sound like my dad when you ask that" I laughed while walking to the blunt wall. "I mean, that's where you be." He says in a duh tone. I squinted my eyes at him. "It was fine, i passed my Algebra quiz with a ninety two. Got an eighty four on Rue's and I History presentation. Um what else am I missing, Oh I accidentally hit Nate in the face with a volleyball." I say leaning on the counter. "That's what I like to hear." He says hugging me. "And okay scholar" He says acknowledging my academics. "You aint shit." I laughed. "I am the shit. What time am I picking you up from Rue's?" He asked me. Oh fuck! "Yeah, about that..." I say nervously smiling at him. "What?" He says with a confused look on his face. "My dad texted Spence and I and said he's taking us out for dinner and I don't know what time I'll be back." I say. Disappointment came over his face, im sorry love. "I'm sorry..." I say to clear up the awkward silence. "You're all good, it's not your fault. Go enjoy time with ya Pops." He says rubbing my back. "You're not mad?" I asked him. He shook his head. "Like at all?" I asked. "Not mad at all baby" He laughs while kissing me. Yes! That's what I really missed. "Like at all at all?" I say as we broke the kiss. "Cheyenne..." He says turning his head. "Okay!" I say throwing my head back.

Rue ran out and Ash wasn't too far behind her. "Come on we gotta go" Rue says speed walking out. "Tell your crackhead ass friend she can't get shit free over here, we run a place of business." Ash tells Fez and I. I looked at Rue and she was standing outside the store telling me to come on. "You know Crackhead are very friendly and fun right?" I say messing with him. He glared at me for a hot second like he was about to jump at me. "How much did she take?" Fez sighed. "About a hundred in pills and two hundred in coke." He says. "Ayo Rue!" Fez and I say. "For Real?! We don't need it all right now." I say walking to her. "Stocking up!" She says. I busted out laughing. "You did not just say that." I say shaking my head. "I did." She says seriously. "Do you have three hundred dollars?" I say looking at her. "I did not take three hundred worth of shit." Rue says smacking her lips. I turned and looked at Fezco. I shrugged my shoulders because I don't know what to do. "Come here Rue..." Fez sighs. Rue sighed and then walked back into the store.  Fezco held out his hand and Rue handed him everything she stuffed in her pockets. I laughed because it just kept going. Fez put it all on the table and split 70/30. The 30 was Rue. "Bro come on!" Rue says smacking her lips. "Like Chey said you got three hundo?" He asks her. "Ooo your little girlfriend said this, shut up." She says taking what Fez left her and walked out. My jaw dropped. "Don't be mad at me for your brokenness. I'll call you" I say blowing a kiss to Fez before catching up to Rue.

***

7:15p.m.

"Spencyr let's go!" My dad yells up the stairs. "Yeah! Dad doesn't wanna miss his date with his boyfriend Cal!" I yell after him. He hit me in my chest and looked at me. "Ow, I was kidding." I say rubbing my chest. "None of that tonight." He says shaking his head. "It was a joke oh my god." I say sitting on the back of the couch. "Damn, we don't have to be on time for everything." Spencyr says coming down the stairs. "Oh we know, look at your attendance." I snickered as I walked out the house. "What's up with you today?" My dad asked as he closed the door.

Pfft I don't know, I haven't smoked since I got out of school, im going to Nate Jacobs house, or I can't see Fezco tonight? You pick father. "Nothing, im chilling." I say shrugging as I got in the front seat. "Well whatever this chilling is... Change it before we pull up." He says starting the car. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. "Why do we gotta go to Marsha's?" Spencyr says. My head whipped to my dad. "His wife's name is Marsha..." I say holding my mouth open trying not to laugh. "Yep." He says. "Marsha, Marsha Marsha..." I say laughing. "They kinda do act like the Brady Bunch too." Spencyr laughs. "Yeah yeah, get all of your guys' comebacks and remarks and so called jokes out now." He says turning down street. I turned around to Spencyr and we both started laughing.

We arrived to the Jacobs and Spencyr linked arms with me as we walked up to the front door. Dad knocked on the door and Cal answered. "Ayeeee What's up!" Cal says bear hugging my dad. "They act like they didn't just see each other." Spencyr says in my ear. I smirked and nodded. "Hey girls" He says hugging us. "Hey Cal, my friend." I say loud enough for Nate to hear. "Dinner just finished up." He says closing the door. Pretty modern, daddy's money but wife decorated looking home. "Nice house." I say looking around. "Thank you" He laughs. "And this is Marsha." Cal says putting his hand on her shoulder. I heard Spencyr snort and a grin appeared on my face. "Oh! You're Cheyenne Your dad and Nate have been telling me so much about you!" She says hugging me. My grin dropped as I  looked at Nate confused over his mother shoulder. "Nate really? I'm shocked." I say with a sarcastic look on my face. He rolled his eyes like a drama queen. "Why don't we start dinner." Nate says walking over to the table. I done got him worked up in his own home... Oh I love it.

I sat next to Cal and Spencyr,Nate sat across from me, Marsha sat on the other end of Cal, Dad sat across from Cal next to Nate. "Our oldest is usually here but he's out tonight." Marsha says making her plate. I made my plate and went for the garlic bread and so was Nate. "After you." He says with a grin on his face. I made a disgusting face and grabbed a piece. "So how's school you two?" Cal asked Nate and I as he looked at me. "It's school" Nate says. "It's going." I say shrugging. "Okay smartass." My dad says looking at me. "What else do you want me to say? There was nothing exciting." I laughed. "Do you and Nate have the same Algebra teacher?" Marsha asked. "Who do you have?" I asked him. "LeBlanc" He says. "Yeah." I say. "How did you do on the quiz? Both of you?" She asked taking a bite of her Ziti. "Seventy nine." Nate says. I raised my eyebrows and nodded. "And you?" My dad asked me. "If I said I would be bragging..." I trail off while looking at the ceiling. "You see what I have to go through..." My dad says to Marsha and Cal. "Come on, what did you get?" Cal asks nudging me. "Ninety two." I say smiling at him. "Whattt? Good job." He says elbowing touching me. I smirked at Nate as I took a bite of my food. "Maybe you can tutor Nate." Marsha says. I looked at Nate and he didn't like that. "I don't need a tutor Mom"He says stabbing his food. "Just a little help?" I say pouting. "I'm good." He says looking at me. "Suit yourself, this is really good Marsha." I say nodding at her. "Thank you." She smiles.

The dinner started off strong then Cal and Darell got up and went to the basement. "Im gonna start the dished." Marsha says grabbing plates off the table. Spencyr, Nate and I we're left at the table. "The Bachelor is on, Marsha come on!" Spencyr says checking the time. "I gotta do dishes!" Marsha laughs. "Dishes Smishes, do them later." Spencyr says walking into the living room. That left Nate and I. "You gone give me a house tour or am I gonna have to do it myself?" I say. "Friend?" I say with a fake smile. "You're in the kitchen, go left that's the living room. If you go up the stairs to left it's my parents and my brother Eric's room. If you go right it's my room, my dad's office, and my work out room" He says. My jaw dropped. "You're a shitty host I hope you know that." I say squinted my eyes at her. "And you're an annoying guest,  I hope you know that." He sighs. "Annoying? That's a new one." I say raising my eyebrows. "You're telling me no one has called you annoying?" He says rubbing his eyes. I sat and thought about it. Not since fucking elementary school. "Nope, doesn't ring a bell." I say shaking my head and sitting on my hands. "Well you're annoying." He says. "And?" I say turning my head. He groaned because I knew I was just annoying him more. "Are you like this all the time?" He asked me. "Most of the time, that's why you gotta warm up to me." I say nodding. "Great." He says getting up.

"You want an ice cream sandwich?" He asked while looking in the freezer. Sure. "I guess so." I say shrugging. He walked back to the table and slid it over to me. "Thanks" I say. "No problem" He says as he sat back down at the table. "I gotta question for you." He asked as he bit into his sandwich. "What?" I say as I rolled my eyes. "You wanna come to a party tomorrow night after the game?" He asked me. "I can't" I say eating my ice cream. "Why? Can't hold your liquor?" He jokes. "Oh I can, my dad just wont let me." I say. "You can't sneak out?" He asked me. "I can, but would I want to sneak out for a lame party? That's the question right there." I smile while pointing at him. "Not every party is lame just because you say it is." He says. "Mmm, I have a feeling it's gonna be lame so I'm calling it lame." I say shrugging. "Everyone will be there." He says. "Even your buddy Rue" he coos. "I'll think about it." I say to shut him up. "You know she overdosed last year." He says licking his ice cream sandwich. "Yeah... So?" I say confused. "Oh nothing, I just wanted to let you know." He says shaking his head. I'm confused on why he had to inform me on Rue's business when he's not Rue... Odd. "Thank you?" I say confused.