Chapter Text
Jecka wasn’t a scheming bitch. Don’t get her wrong, she found it entertaining watching Nicole break the unfortunate person of the week. However, she just didn’t have the energy Nicole had to fuck with other people's lives. All this in mind it took her about a week to completely forget her plan to expose Nicole as a lesbian. What can she say, she had better shit to do? It wasn’t her fault her mediocre boyfriend provided a more immediate dopamine rush than arguing with Nicole. Him and the drugs she was on whenever she was with him.
It wasn’t until Ari was bothering while she was smoking that she remembered. Like really bothering her. ‘Pity listening cause your best friend abused them’ being pushed to the limit kind of bothering her. So, she decided to get something out of it. “What was Nicole like when you dated her?” She asked so bluntly it took Ari a moment to react. And react she did her face immediately scrunched up as she yelled “What the fuck Jecka?”
Okay so maybe asking about someone's ex- abuser wasn’t the most tasteful move but Jecka was tasteless. “Like I mean I know she was just generally shitty but like, behind closed doors what was she like?”
Ari sighed and leaned against the school wall. “I don’t know maybe just as mean as in public? It never got any better just because people weren’t around, I thought that would be obvious.” Her tone was tight and moody but there was an undercurrent of relief.
“Once a raging bitch always a raging bitch. Yeah, I know. I mean like you stayed for so long, why? She had to be doing something right. Was the sex like really good or did she fulfill some emotional need?” Ari’s face does something downright pathetic just then. Did being nosy make Nicole feel shitty? Because Jecka feels pretty shitty looking at Ari just then. Then again, she was pretty sure Nicole hadn’t felt empathy since... ever.
“Both?” Ari responded quietly after a moment. “I mean she would treat you like shit but you’d feel amazing because she chose you. She chose you to treat like garbage. It’d be this intense high when she treated you nicely but when it faded...” Ari bit her lip so hard it looked she was about to split it open. All of a sudden Jecka remembered her little fight from sex addict recovery. Did Jecka know any good therapists? Good question.
She realized Ari had still been talking, whoops. “And suddenly you realize maybe you like getting treated like the scum of the earth but she’s already moved on to her next victim! Then you start talking to her best friend because you’re chasing it. You’re chasing that fucked up feeling.” Jecka missed like six pages and a soap opera while tuning out, what the actual hell? When Ari turned towards her, she looked like she was on worse shit than Jecka which couldn’t be true. Again, what the hell?
“Do you know what it’s like to not be able to say anything? Because the moment you open your mouth, you’re back in sex addict rehab.” Jecka no longer felt like a shitty person. Actually, she was normal. She was just a normal girl doing tame drugs with her mediocre boyfriend. She was not whatever the hell Ari and Nicole are and she severely regretted meddling in this.
“Uh yeah, shit sucks.” She mumbled and it’s like Ari realized she’d been talking to a person for the past five minutes. “Sorry, um, sorry. You can tell me to shut up or hit me or-” The words tumbled out of her mouth like a defense mechanism. “Not doing that” Said Jecka sharply and Ari just stands there awkwardly.
Finally, she seemed to regain function in her brain. “Um right yeah... so why do you ask?” It started to get really awkward and Jecka wanted out. “I forgot somewhere between your abuse kink and sex addict rehab.” She responded. “Cool cool.” Ari muttered. Jecka gave her a good look up and down, “Do you go to therapy?” She finally asked. Ari looks miffed but responded nonetheless. “I did and it didn’t work.” Jecka nodded and took another drag of her cigarette before putting it out. “Okay try crack next time.” And like that Jecka walked away.
One week of peace goes by before she realized walking away did not work. “Jecka, did you convince Ari to go the counselor again?” Nicole said as she slammed her lunch tray on the table. Jecka didn’t even blink. “No, I told her to try crack.” All she got in return was a petty glare. “Good idea but she didn’t and now I have to go counseling with her again!” Nicole groaned. “You both need it.” She muttered. “Crack or counseling?” Nicole asked. “Is both an option?”
Nicole looked at her exasperated. “How does crack and counseling go together?” She asked flatly. “What? You’re crazy enough to need a batshit combo like that.” Jecka said defensively. “With this counselor? All that combination is gonna get me is assaulted.” Nicole dug her finger into the table to accentuate her point. “Damn you’re right. What about crack and lesbianism?” Jecka tilted her head and smiled. “You know I’ve tried both separately but maybe together will fix me.” She responded with a flat look. “See?” Jecka took another bite of her sandwich. She saw Nicole roll her eyes out of the corner of hers. “I was being sarcastic dipshit” Nicoles tone was flat. “No need to be rude just because the closet is see through Nicole.” Jecka returned Nicoles earlier eyeroll.
“That’s it you’re coming with me.” Nicole was smiling when she said it and that is never good for the other party. “To the closet? No thanks I’ll save that for someone hotter.” See Jecka was deflecting, sure, but she was being honest. There are a few female celebrities she would have switched teams for but that’s normal. No biggie. “No to counseling.” Nicole explained and Jecka looked at her like she just murdered her pet cat. “Not cool Nicole.” She responded. “Accusing your friends of being gay isn’t cool, Jecka.” Nicole crosses her arms “It is when you’re right.” Jecka muttered and finished her sandwich.
Somehow she ended up sitting in front of the creepy counselor while he tried to get them to ‘open up’. He hadn’t even put up a fuss the moment Nicole said Jecka was here for ‘emotional support’. From the way he looked at her chest she had an idea as to why. The first thing Nicole did was turn to Ari. “Let’s just get this over with, admit you still want me so I can turn you down already.” She said bluntly and leaned back in her chair.
The counselor intervened before Ari could start speaking. “While it is true that Ari here is still caught up on certain aspects of your relationship, we are here to work through them Nicole. Not to mention I’m sure you have some things you’re hung up on as well.” The counselors voice made Jecka want to gag. Why had Nicole trapped her here? “I’m not hung up on shit! Ari stopped existing to me the moment I got Jecka back.” Sweet, but really fucked up.
“Is it possible there might be a deeper meaning to that?” The counselor ventured. “No. I could forget like half the people in this school in a week. The only reason it’s not all is the lasting psychological damage the others gave me.” Jecka agreed with that one. Here you were either forgettable or satan. No in-between. “I meant the Jecka part. Do you think you might be taking out your feelings on Ari because of something deeper for Jecka?” Again, gag.
Nicole must have agreed because she immediately lashes out. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Do I need to restate myself? I’m just like this, always have been. Ari isn’t special.” Ari seemed to wilt perceptibly but she still said in tandem with Jecka “Once a raging bitch always a raging bitch.” Nicole didn’t even pause at the insult. “See they get it?”
The counselor took a moment and a deep breath. while Jecka was glad she wasn’t the only one going insane right then she hated that she shared it with that dickbag. “how do you feel about this Ari?” He switched tactics and turned to Ari. “I think Nicoles always treated Jecka different, nicer. I wasn’t jealous of her because I always felt like at least I had Nicole. I never needed her to treat me like Jecka cause I thought I was special to her.” God how was she third wheeling a break-up? How did she let pity listening go that far? “God you are so pathetic.” Nicole said.
“And you aren’t? Jecka doesn’t want someone who’s gonna treat her like shit Nicole.” At Ari’s words Jecka jumped up in her seat. “I have a boyfriend I don’t want her regardless!” She shouted. “Yeah, and I don’t want Jecka!” She was glad they were on the same page but also... “Ouch not even a little? I mean come on what’s the point of a lesbian best friend if they aren’t a little into you?” Nicole groaned and sunk further into her seat. “Not. A. Lesbian.”
Finally, the counselor intervened. “Girls, I think this conversation has gotten slightly derailed.” He said placidly. “You think?” They all said in unison. “We can’t move forward with all of you acting so defensively. Perhaps we should try something to relieve all this built-up aggression. Jecka is here to support you, Nicole.” She did not like where that was going. She picked up her shit and headed for the door. “Nope, I’m done. Goodbye.” She yelled as she walked out. “You can’t just-” Is all she heard before the door slammed shut behind her.
Even though Jecka left she stuck right outside the door waiting for Nicole and just a little bit Ari. There was still that guilt eating her up for starting all this when the girls were just fine before. Okay not fine but good enough. Not to mention what was she gonna do? Go back to class? Fuck that! At least here she could scroll on her phone.
Scrolling on her phone did get pretty boring pretty fucking fast. Skipping was always more fun with Nicole but she was not going back in there. She may have started this but she was not a good enough person to finish it. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait too long before Nicole also burst out of counseling, Ari following meekly behind her. She could hear the counselor saying something vaguely predatory to them before the door was shut. Nicole went right past her and for the first time, to class. Kind of deserved she had to admit.
Ari stuck around though looking at Jecka.
“We... made some progress, I think.” She said finally. “Oh, that’s nice.” She responded dismissively. Ari bit her lip before continuing, “Do you remember?” Jecka looked up from her phone. "Remember what?” Ari looked like a wilted flower jesus what happened in there? “Why you asked me all that? You seem anything but interested in my relationship with Nicole. It was odd.” Okay, fair question and Jecka immediately cleared the air. “I am anything but interested. I am the opposite of interested. I don’t ever want to go through that again!”
“Then why did you ask me?” Ari asked defensively. “Because I have this petty thing with Nicole going on, okay? I just wanted to know if you had any evidence of her being a lesbian.” Jecka responded matching her defensive attitude. “I’m pretty sure fucking a girl makes you gay.” Ari said. “No, it makes you fun.” Jecka said with a smile. She hadn’t done it yet, probably wouldn’t but she stands by what she said. “God you are both insufferable.” Ari groaned as she walked away. “And you just lost pity hour.” She said and continued on with her day.
Somehow after that shitshow she got invited back to Nicole's house. Jecka expected a week minimum of silence treatment. Turns out Nicole wanted to tell her about the crazy shit more than be mad at for it. Somewhere deep down Jecka was happy that Nicole wasn’t too mad at her for it. Like yeah, she could live without Nicole. It’s not like she doesn’t have other friends but Nicole’s fun. You don’t feel bad telling her about your shit because she probably has got something a whole lot worse going on.
Nicoles the kind of friend who’d set your exes house on fire (if it entertained her enough). You don’t just let friends like that sit in the closet. Just maybe though, she’s been going about it wrong. Maybe if she’s just really supportive Nicole will come out on her own time. Isn’t that what parents do when they know their kids gay but it’d be too awkward to say it? Yeah, this plan will work.