Fisticuffs and Unwelcome Home-lives (Part I)
Barely 20 minutes in, and Gary Oak had never been more bored in his life.
Tapping his electric pencil against the desk, he looked away from the wall clock slowly ticking by and stared down at the blank sheet of lined paper staring back at him, dark brown eyes boring into the sheet of paper as if it could reveal all of life’s secrets to him if he glared at it long enough. Letting out a slight groan, the brunette looked up and took a look at the other equally listless students surrounding him.
Momo was erasing and rewriting things as she went, Yuffie was tapping her feet as she fiddled with her No. 2 pencil, Mercury wasn’t even trying to write anything, Flash was sitting back and using the end of his pencil to pick at his straight white teeth, Luna was drawing what looked like two caricatures of Mario and Luigi doing the polka (kinda weird, but whatever), Alice alternated between staring up at the clock and fiddling with the ends of her fingerless black and white stripped gloves, and Aria… he smirked. Aria was drawing a picturesque landscape, occasionally blowing a stray lock of long dark hair out of her pretty, pale face.
“Spicer.” He whispered, leaning next to the red headed boy beside him. “You’ve got anything written down yet?”
“Nope,” The goth replied flatly, not even bothering to lift his head up from the desk. “I’m drawing a blank.” Red eyes narrowed at the paper, hissing. “Give me something good to jot down goddamnit.”
“I know someone who’s got something good.” Gary smiled, leaning back in his seat he called out. “Hey, Montgomery, whaddaya got going on that we don’t already know?”
“Fuck you, Oak,” She said, not bothering to look up from her sketch. “And, you’re not even supposed to be talking.”
“C’mon,” He coaxed. “why don’t we go over and shut the door? Can’t have a good time with big, bad beard and loud spying on us all day.”
“The door is supposed to stay open.” Momo cut in in a hushed tone.
“Can you not talk?” Alice sighed, rubbing her temples. “I actually want to get this done before the end of the day.”
“Why can’t you guys just shut up and write your damn paper?” Yuffie sighed.
“Suck a dick, Yuppie.” Gary muttered.
“What did you say to me?!” The freshman snapped, standing up from her seat and looking ready to throttle the upperclassman.
“Guys, please!” Momo pleaded, placing a hand on the smaller girl’s arm. “Can we not talk so loud? I don’t want to spend another Saturday in here because you guys wouldn’t shut up. I have better things to do with my time.”
“Like what?” Mercury scoffed. “Sticking your nose inside your math textbook all day and galavanting with the dum-dum squad?”
“As if you’re one to talk.” The dark haired girl shot back. “Ditching every third class of the day four days a week to down keggers and nail unsuspecting girls in the backlot of a gas station.”
“Oh yeah,” He began, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Because I wanna be just like you, Yaomomo. A sheltered rich bitch with no regards towards the rest of the world, and who’s sole purpose in life is to wait on her hand and foot.”
“Would you all shut the fuck up already?!” Alice yelled.
“OI!” Alvin yelled, as he stormed into the library. “What the hell’s going on here?”
“He-”
“You know what?” He said, cutting Yuffie off. “I don’t give a damn what you were bickering about. What I do not see you doing is sitting in your seats and writing out those essays I told you to write.”
“Not all of us were standing up.” Luna interjected.
“That I can see,” Alvin stated. “I’d like the rest of you to follow in Lovegood’s example. At least she knows how to pay attention and follow instructions, unlike some of you.” He said, giving a pointed glare over at Yuffie, Momo, and Gary.
“Now sit down, shut up, and write your damn essays.” He warned, before walking back to his office.
Upon leaving, Gary smirked and leaned back in his seat.
“Hey Montgomery~” He sing-songed.
“Yes, Gary?” Aria snipped, looking torn between screeching at the brunette or outright throttling him.
“What was it like banging the new English teacher?”
That did it.
Aria stood up, stormed over to Gary and Jack’s desk and slapped him right across the face with a loud CRACK! the force of the hit knocking the front legs of the chair off the ground and careening him backwards.
“What the fuck is your problem?” She snarled. “Do you get some kind of twisted enjoyment out of acting like an absolute asswipe to anybody who’s within walking distance of your peripheral vision? Do you think you’re being funny? ‘Cause you’re not. Nobody’s laughing, or even smiling, so I’m gonna have to guess no.”
“I’m not hearing a reply.” He said, looking infuriatingly nonchalant as he rubbed his reddening cheek.
“Fuck it.” She snarled, laughing slightly as she backed away. “You-you guys want to know so badly? You really want to go through my dirty laundry? Is that it?!”
“I-”
“Stuff it, Yaoyorozu!” She snapped, causing Momo to cower slightly at her harsh tone. “At least let me say my piece…”
=/=
<Now playing ‘Put the Blame on Mame’ by Laura Ellis>
Aria: When Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked thelantern inChicago town,
They say thatstarted the fire thatburned Chicago down.
Aria Montgomery had always been a laid-back individual.
She was the kind of person who could take every unknown and curveball life threw her way in stride.
Aria: Well, that's thestory that went around
But here's the real low-down.
Or, that was how she perceived herself to be (wanted needed to be seen as-).
Aria: Put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame
From going along with her college professor Dad’s move to Iceland to hide an extramarital affair with one of his students she and her (now deceased) friend Alison (Pretty Little Liars Series) unintentionally discovered from her Mom and younger brother Mike (Pretty Little Liars Series) to keep her family together-
Aria: Mamekissed abuyer from out of town,
And that kissburned Chicago down.
to yarn-bombing a crass asshole’s car on April Fools Day after he spread a (completely false) rumor about Emily giving him an STD after she rejected him (her recently coming out probably didn't help much either).
Aria: So you can, put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame
It was who she was.
And Aria was proud of that person… sometimes.
Aria: When they had theearthquake in San Francisco back in nineteen-six,
They said thatMother Nature was up to her old tricks.
Readjusting to life in America wasn’t that difficult in all honesty.
Aria: Well, well, that's thestory that went around.
But the things that came afterwards were, well… She really needed to apologize to her mom about Meredith (Pretty Little Liars Series).
Aria: But here's the real low-down.
But, it wasn’t wholly her fault that she flirted with a cute older guy, Ezra goddamn Fitz (Pretty Little Liars Series), and decided to hook up with him in the girl’s bathroom.
Aria: Put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame
Onenight shestarted to shim and shake,
And thatbrought on the'Frisco quake.
So you can, put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame
How was she supposed to know that her brief (barely 23-year-old hook up) was going to be her new AP English teacher?
Aria: When they had a shootin' up in the Klondike
When they got Dan McGrew,
Folks wereputting theblame on the ladyknown as Lou.
Although Aria could’ve just written their one steamy interaction off as a one-time thing, she couldn’t wholly avoid interacting with him. It would make people suspicious.
Aria: Well, that's thestory that went around.
But, it’s not like the circumstances were fair for her either.
Aria: But here's the real low-down.
After all, he was her teacher.
What was she supposed to do?
Aria: Put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame
Mame did adance called the hoochy-coo
That's thething that slew McGrew!
What else could she have done?
Aria: So you can put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame, boys
Put theblame on Mame!
=/=
“So that’s you’re defense?” Jack asked, looking unimpressed. “Misogyny and weak-willed seduction?”
“At least I have a better excuse than Thompson’s.” She defended.
“And, just what the hell is that supposed to mean?” The jock demanded, turning to face them.
Looking the blonde in the eye, Aria narrowed her eyes at him and said, “Jessica Davis (TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY).”
...Now that was a can of worms nobody had expected her to open.
The summer prior, before school started up for the fall semester, four students: cheerleader Jessica Davis, her boyfriend Justin Foley (TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY), wallflower Hannah Baker (TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY), and star football player Bryce Walker (TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY) attended the last party of summer vacation at Jessica’s house.
A drunk Jessica and a less than sober Justin headed into her bedroom to make out, but Justin left after realizing that she was too drunk to fool around with and advised her to try and sleep it off. Bryce and Flash wandered into the room on accident and came across a half-couscous Jessica and a flushed Justin. Although Justin successfully convinced a tipsy Flash to leave her be, Bryce stayed behind and asked them to not say anything about their encounter. Mildly suspicious, and more than a little confused, Justin shrugged it off and left with Flash so he could guide the green-faced jock to the nearest bathroom so he could puke in peace.
Not a moment thereafter, Bryce locked the door… and raped her.
Hidden in the closet, Hannah witnessed the entire exchange until Bryce left.
Upon school starting up in the fall, wide-eyed idealistic freshman Yuffie Kisaragi met up with Hannah and decided to befriend the older girl, staying by her side. Never mind the false NSFW rumors, stares, whispers, and slut-shaming that followed the two of them wherever they went. Even as Yuffie climbed up the ladder of Sunnydale High’s student government in quick succession, alongside Yaomomo, becoming the youngest Student Council Vice President in over 23 years, the whispers didn’t wholly go away.
Then, Homecoming happened.
They won. And, while this might seem like a good thing for most High Schools, the same could not have been said for Hannah Baker.
During the victory party at Bryce’s house, after joining several others in the hot tub (in nothing but her bra and panties like the other girls) Hannah was then left alone with Bryce, who proceeded to overpower her and… rape her.
The following Monday, Hannah broke down and disclosed everything–Jessica, Bryce, the constant bullying and harassment she’d hidden from Yuffie, her assault, she divulged all of it to the horrified freshman who could only sit and gape in stunned silence.
Although Yuffie had tried to convince Hannah to tell someone, anyone about what had happened to her. Superintendent Ozpin, Principal Goodwitch, Vice Principal Torrance, the guidance counselor Mr. Porter (TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY), one teacher at the very least, but the upperclassman adamantly refused, believing that nothing would change and that it would only exacerbate the then ongoing situation.
Looking Yuffie dead in the eye, Hannah made her swear to secrecy unless absolutely necessary. And, against her better judgement, Yuffie agreed… Worst mistake of her life.
Over the course of one Semester Yuffie could do nothing but watch as Hannah mentally spiraled and physically deteriorated as the weeks went by.
One January day, Hannah quietly greeted Yuffie and gave her a silver lotus pin she had bought at a thrift store the previous day… Hannah died of a prescription drug overdose in her bathroom a few days later.
Through the use of prerecorded cassette tapes Hannah had posthumously distributed, along with Yuffie’s confession about Jessica and Hannah’s connection to Bryce, the last several weeks had led to a near total social and structural upheaval at Sunnydale High. Especially when they found out that Bryce had made several of his friends and the other members of the football team swear to secrecy over “lies being spread”, but didn’t elaborate beyond that.
“I didn’t do shit.” He hissed.
“Of course not,” Momo said in a thoroughly caustic tone of voice. “All you and several other guys did was cover for a serial rapist, and slut shamed one of his victims into suicide at the beginning of the semester.”
“All Bryce did was ask us to keep our mouths shut over a couple of rumors.” He states. “I didn’t ask questions, nor did I want to. I just did the guy a solid. And, I didn’t find out about what happened to Hannah or Jessica until after he got expelled.”
“No offense,” Mercury cut in. “But the only illegal things I’ve ever done were knocking over a convenience store last Halloween, and engaging in casual weed smoking with my friend's older brother.”
“At least I did what I did what I did because I wanted to.” The jock shot back.
“The hell are you talking about?” Yuffie demanded.
“That shit that went down in the locker room?” He said with a raised eyebrow. “Not really the most ethical thing you’ve done this year.”
“Well, that’s sure as hell not how I remember it...” Yuffie stated casually.