Fisticuffs and Unwelcome Home-lives (Part II)
<Now playing ‘The Dead Can’t Testify’ by Billy Talent>
Yuffie was hurt.
She was sad.
She was horrified.
But most of all, she was angry.
And she knew just who to blame for this.
Yuffie: Let the rain fall down,
Let it fall to the ground.
Let the rain fall down to the ground.
Hannah Baker was dead.
Yuffie: And the birds don't sing
No, they don't make a sound
When you're six feet underground.
One of her best friends was dead… and nobody gave a shit.
Yuffie: Well, they cast me out
When the word spread around
That I never sang in the church.
Bryce was still here.
Hannah: And it took one night for the town to decide
I'm afflicted by the curse!
He raped Jessica.
Both: And the rain falls down,
Let it fall to the ground.
He killed Hannah.
Both: And the birds don't sing
No, they don't make a sound.
And he was still here!
Both: So I look to the sky, tell me why?
Tell me why, do they all get to live and I have to die?
They didn’t care.
Nobody cared about what happened to Hannah.
The only reason they were sad that the “school tramp” was dead was because nobody had brought popcorn!
Hannah: So they marched me down to the center of town
With their pitchforks high in the air.
And, Yuffie knew nobody actually gave a shit about Hannah because Bryce told people what he did.
Hannah: I was chained and bound with a blindfold around
So the judge wouldn't catch my stare.
He… Bryce told people.
Hannah: And they hung my soul from the gallows pole,
But the witch they never found.
That mother fucker told people what he did to them and STILL NOBODY DID ANYTHING TO HELP HER!
Hannah: So to those who don't fit society's mold,
Learn to swim or you will drown.
Uh-uh.
Like hell was Yuffie letting that asswad get away with this.
Yuffie: And the rain falls down, let it fall to the ground.
So, when nondescript junior Clay Jenson (TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY) confided in her about the tapes Hannah had left him, Yuffie took her chance.
Hannah: And the birds don't sing
No, they don't make a sound.
It took time to convince Jessica to speak up considering the fact that she couldn’t remember everything that had happened to her that night, but it didn’t matter. Because Bryce fucking Walker was finally getting what he deserved.
Both: So I look to the sky, tell me why?
Tell me why, do they all get to live and I have to die?
Bryce got expelled… but that’s not where Hannah Baker’s story ended.
Both: And the angels sing,
Let it shine, let it shine!
Dry the teardrops from my eyes!
Because the guys who knew what Bryce did (Flash fucking Thompson!-), including the ones who actively participated in the bullying (stick it up your ass Monty (TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY )!) got off with a mere slap on the wrist.
Yuffie: And the bells will ring when the blind lead the blind!
Hannah: 'Cause the dead can't testify!
And it pissed. Her. OFF!
Hannah: And because I can't take an eye for an eye,
In the afterlife I'll haunt you 'til you die!
In the weeks since Hannah’s death, Yuffie failed to get her late friend’s dying words out of her head.
Both: \Yuffie\ And the rain falls down, let it fall to the ground. (Hannah: Let teardrops hit the ground!)
\Yuffie\ And the birds don't sing. No, they don't make a sound. (Hannah: When you're six feet underground!)
Hannah: So I look to the sky, tell me why?
Tell me why do they all get to live, and I have to die?
“You’re a good kid.”
Hannah: And the angels sing,
Let it shine, let it shine!
Dry the teardrops from my eyes!
“You’ll be okay.”
Hannah: And the bells will ring
When the blind lead the blind
'Cause the dead can't testify!
“Just, promise me you won’t make the same mistakes I did.”
…“I promise.”
Hannah: And because I can't take an eye for an eye,
In the afterlife I'll haunt you 'til you die!
Stop it.
Hannah: And the angels sing,
Let it shine, let it shine!
Dry the teardrops from my eyes!
I’m sorry!
Hannah: And the bells will ring
When the blind lead the blind
You asked me not to tell! And that’s what I did!
Hannah: 'Cause the dead can't testify!
WHAT THE FUCK ELSE DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?!
Bryce is gone!
Mr. Porter is getting sacked! What more do you expect from me?!
Do you want me to make them pay? Is that it?!
Hannah: And because I can't take an eye for an eye-
Flash was Walker’s right hand man, do you want me to hurt him? Make him suffer like you did? ‘Cause I’ll do it!
I will!
I’ll fucking do it!
Hannah: In the afterlife I'll haunt you 'til you die!
Alright then,
Yuffie: Die!
Storming into the boy’s locker room, she glowered at a, now dressed Flash, who simply stared back at her alongside the other bemused half-dressed teenage boys staring back at her.
“Thompson,” She said, voice low and face half-shadowed by her long bangs. “we need to talk.”
Mercury smirked over at Monty and kicked back, as he and the others curiously watched their exchange.
“What about?” He asked in disinterest, pulling up his pants.
“You killed Hannah.”
The room fell silent.
Flash scoffed and shook his head, but Yuffie didn’t budge. “It’s true.”
Dark eyes narrowed, Yuffie stormed up to him and started poking him in the chest as she said, “Bryce told you what he did to her and Jessica, and you did nothing. You all just stood by and let them bully her into an early grave; I bet you didn’t even bother telling Justin about what happened to his girlfriend!”
The jock gently pushed her away and returned the glare with equal vitriol. “I didn’t know about Jessica.” He sneered. “And, all Bryce told me was that he hooked up with Hannah.”
“You and every other asshole in this school!” Yuffie retorted.
“Look, kid-”
“I’M NOT A KID!” She yelled, startling a few of the guys. “You killed my friend! You let Bryce get away with God knows how much and you did nothing to stop him!”
“Forgive me for not listening to a hysterical fourteen-year-old.”
“A real man would.”
The air in the locker room shifted (or, maybe it was just the heat dissipating?) as the athlete’s face hardened.
“Excuse me?”
“A real man would’ve stepped in and defended Jessica.” She glowered (an impressive feat considering she was a head and a half shorter than him). “A real man would’ve stepped in at Homecoming and helped Hannah. A real f-man, would’ve grown a pair and reported Bryce, but you didn’t do any of that. None of you did anything to stop him! You’re not men, you’re just a bunch of testosterone-laden pussies with no spine who wanted bragging rights about tapping Hannah’s ass. Which,” She smirked, then leered, “I highly doubt any of you did, since you need cocks for that.” Yuffie smiled sweetly, “I could lend you a couple of fake ones since you need them.”
Mercury threw his head back and let out a cackle as some of the other boys shrank back/balked in indignation. Freezing when an incensed Monty slammed his locker shut and stormed over, only for Flash to hold out his arm and stop him.
“You really want to start this, Kisaragi?” He asks.
“Damn right, I do.”
“Sorry, but I don’t negotiate with terrorists.” He smiled patronizingly. “Especially pint-sized one’s.”
“Then man up, Eugene.” She glowered. “The backlot, after school.”
He smirked. “You’re on shrimp.”
And thus, with a sarcastic handshake, their fates were sealed.
=/=
“And then she proceeded to thoroughly kick your ass.” Alice deadpanned, causing the others to burst into laughter.
“She did not kick my ass!” Flash defended, red in the face, as they continued laughing. “I went easy on her because she’s a shrimp.”
“And, yet she still kicked your ass.” Mercury chuckled.
“At least I acted on my own account.” He shot back.
“And, just what is that supposed to mean?” The freshman asked with a raised eyebrow, leaning forward so she could look at him better.
“C-Don’t give me that Kisaragi,” Flash scoffed. “you’ve never liked Bryce to begin with. Everybody knows that the only reason you said what you said was to get back at him for what happened to Hannah.”
The girl’s smile fell, and her jaw tightened. “You know what?” She said lightly. “Maybe, you’re right. Maybe I did decide to say my piece to get back at Bryce for what happened to Hannah and Jessica.
“Maybe I was just sick and tired of people giving one of my first friends – my only friend, lewd glances and side-eyes over a couple of rumors and a photo a guy took of her underwear.
“Maybe I was pissed when I found out that she downed an entire bottle of sleeping pills because nothing could really be done about what was happening to her, and she thought that was the only way to make the pain stop.
“Maybe I was sick and tired of seeing Bryce fucking Walker prance around campus like he owned the damn place, while my friend suffered in silence, and then took her own life, with no one other than me actually giving a shit!
“Maybe I was sick of feeling like I couldn’t do jack shit about any of what was going on!
“Maybe I wanted that perverted sonnuva bitch to get the fuck out of my school before anybody else got hurt!
“MAYBE I WANTED ONE FUCKING SECOND TO NOT FEEL LIKE I WASN’T A USELESS PIECE OF CRAP ANYMORE!”
Silence.
During her rant, Yuffie had stood up from her seat.
They stared at her, the stunned looks on their faces ranging from torn to sad, from guilty to pity.
The small, dark-haired girl, now flushed and sober, was leaning over and panting slightly from her rant.
After a moment of silence, Mercury spoke up, “Did it help?”
Yuffie looked over at the steel-haired boy. “What?” She asked between puffs.
“Did nagging on Walker help?” He repeated. “Did punching Thompson help? Did getting in that fight in the parking lot help? Did any of that make those negative feelings go away?”
After a pause, Yuffie blinked and gave a quiet sigh as she sat back down. “No,” She admitted, not looking up.
“Own that shit.” He hissed.
Yuffie blinked.
“What, did you honestly think that if you just told the truth then all of the bad things would magically go away?” Mercury scoffed. “Newsflash Kisaragi, the real world doesn’t work like that. People don’t work like that. They’re ugly. They lie, they cheat, they rape, they fuck people over for shits and giggles, and they never stop hurting each other. And the sooner you realize and accept that, then the better off you’ll be in life.”
“What the hell happened to you that made you such a dick?” Aria wondered.
“The same thing that happened to you.” He returned.
“What? You screwed a teacher too?” Gary asked him.
“Wow,” Flash scoffed. “and you call me the hypocrite.”
“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” Gary defended.
“She was sixteen, Mr. Fitz was twenty-three.” Flash stated. “What happened with them wasn’t sex. And it wasn’t a secret relationship either. It was child abuse.”
“I wasn’t-”
“So Mr. Fitz didn’t manipulate you?” The jock asked, cutting Aria off. “He didn’t take advantage of you in any way, shape, or form when your grades started slipping in the middle of the semester?
“He didn’t pressure you into having sex with him? He didn’t prey on the fact that you needed somebody when your parents separated in October? Yeah, Emily told me.” Aria gawked at him. “You’re telling me that Mr. Fitz didn’t take advantage of your feelings of vulnerability back then?
“He didn’t take advantage of the fact that you were an inexperienced, very underage sixteen-year-old girl who had just moved back to the US and had never been in a real relationship before you met him?”
“What does that have to do with anything?!” Aria snapped, face turning red.
“Because that wasn’t a relationship,” Flash stated. “it was abuse. Mr. Fitz didn’t care about you, and he never did! He wasn’t in love with you! He was grooming you.”
“Ezra isn’t a pedophile!” She defended.
“He was our teacher!” He snapped. “Teachers are never supposed to look at us like that! Good fucking riddance to him, I say. I hope the son of a bitch rots in prison for the rest of his sorry life.”
“Don’t you dare talk about him like that!” Aria yelled, getting up from her seat.
“Why the fuck not?” Mercury cut in. “It’s true!”
“And why the hell does this concern you?!” Aria snarled, turning to Mercury.
“BECAUSE YOU WERE RAPED!”
The room fell deathly silent.
Aria looked like she had just been struck. Schooling her features, she began laughing nervously. “N-no he didn’t-”
“Yes, Aria,” Mercury says coldly. “he did.”
“He loves me.” The sophomore insisted.
“That’s love?” Flash scoffed.
“The hell would you know?” Aria spat. “You don’t even have a girlfriend!”
“At least I know the difference between a romantic relationship and sexual abuse.” The athlete retorted.
“And, what the fuck would either of you know about abuse?” She hissed.
“Oh, so you wanna know what it’s like at my house?” The grey-haired boy asked her as he got up from his seat. “Fine!” He snapped, backing up a couple of steps as he got into character.
All Luna and the others could do was sit and stare, the former wondering what on Earth would come next.
“This oughta be good.” Gary muttered as he settled down for the show, almost amused by all this.
“No, it won’t,” Flash said softly, knowing full well that none of the occupants in the room would be eager for this fight/conversation to continue if they knew the truth like he did.
One of the downsides of having the same PE class.
In a moment Mercury was facing his audience, play-acting the parts of himself and his father, but with less over-the-top acting.
“Dad, I need you to sign this. It’s a make-up test, ‘cause I failed my English final.” He said, as if his father, Marcus Black (RWBY) was standing at his right-hand side, holding out a make-believe piece of paper as he did so.
“How’d hic how’d that happen, boy?” He responded to himself, stepping to where his father would be, voice slurred and staggering as if he were intoxicated, and then moving back to himself.
“I didn’t study because you made me go pick up that ‘thing’ from your associate last night.” He explained, as a visibly uncomfortable Flash shrank in himself, knowing full well what was coming next.
“Oh, so it’s my fault now?!” Mercury exploded at himself in something akin to Marcus’ voice. “You ungrateful little...”
There was an audible crack as the delinquent brought back his fist and swung at the thin air that would’ve been himself, slamming it into his opposite hand for effect.
“You know something?” He continued in Marcus’ voice. “You kinda remind me of your mother when you get like this.”
“Dad, don’t,” He pleaded, with a step to the left and a quieter, more scared tone. “You promised. You said wouldn’t!”
“Shut your damn mouth, you stupid cockslut!” ‘Marcus’ yelled, another heavy punch being thrown.
The smirk had fallen from Gary’s face as he took in the action before him, Jack and Alice looked stunned, Luna looked outright horrified and Yaoyorozu looked visibly nauseated. Aria could hardly stand to watch and yet at the same time could not tear her eyes away, and the same could be said for Yuffie. The short-haired freshman physically winced, brown eyes wide as Mercury spoke one last line in his father’s voice.
“Get me the belt!” He yelled. “Get it now! Take off your clothes and get down on your knees! Don’t fuck with me, boy! You’ve had this coming and you know it!”
“Mercury, enough!” Flash said, getting up from his seat so fast his chair fell backwards.
He ran up to him, a hand on his shoulder and nudging him back. Flash looked at him with so much pain in his eyes Mercury could feel it. He knew Thompson was aware of his home life, but he didn’t want the other boy’s sympathy or understanding. Too much had happened, and he couldn’t deal with the jock being relatively nice to him, especially not now.
“Why the hell should I?!” He yelled, getting up in the athlete’s face. “Because you don’t want to believe it? Because none of these assholes believe it?!” He asked, flinging an arm wide and gesturing to each of his fellow detentionees.
“Y-your Dad wouldn’t hurt you like that.” Aria sputtered, in such a quiet voice she was barely heard. “Even if he did, then-”
“Really?” Mercury snapped, not even bothering to let her finish. “That English final actually happened,” He told her, looking so angry and upset Aria wondered why she ever doubted him, more so when he roughly shucked off his jacket and long-sleeved shirt and showed the whole room his bare back. “And this is what I got for it.”
“Dude,” Jack breathed. “just how many tests did you fail?” The prodigy openly gawked in shock and sickened amazement at the sight of so many scars (old and new) that flowed down the upperclassman’s bare back and continued under his baggy black pants.
“Not just for failing a test.” Mercury shook his head, putting his shirt back on. “I wish that most of those were just for failing a test or a quiz. I don’t pick my laundry up off the floor, usually beer bottles or something similar, or I don’t look grateful enough for a gift.” He continued. “I don’t smile and thank Daddy Dearest for ‘the best sex I ever had’, or he thinks I made him look stupid at a job...” He trailed off, gritting his teeth and gunmetal eyes shining.
Aria and Flash looked like they were gonna cry.
That hurt Mercury almost as much as anything ever had, and given all of the crap he’d been through, that was saying something.
“You serious?” Gary asked, wondering why he’d ever started this.
“Do I look like I’m joking?!” The grey-haired teen yelled, striding past Flash to get in the junior’s face, pulling his sleeve up to his elbow and all but shoving his arm into the younger boy’s stunned face. “You see these, Oak Tree?” He pointed out a few dozen rounded, puckered pink scars on his forearm. “About the size of a Pall Mall.” He explained coldly. “That’s what you get in my house if you say or do the wrong thing within earshot of my old man.”
Then the boy lifted his right leg up onto the table and pulled up his pant leg to reveal a gleaming steel prosthetic.
“Both?” Momo breathed, wide-eyed.
“Yeah,” He replied, “Got into a car accident a year and a half ago. My dad lost his license for drunk driving and I had to spend three months on pain meds and in physical therapy. And, no, I don’t know how my old man managed to not get arrested, let alone how the hell he kept his parental rights, and honesty? I don’t really care to know.”
Aria looked shame-faced and felt worse. She opened her mouth, not knowing whether she intended to apologize or what, but lost the chance to say anything as the older student turned roughly away, running a hand back through his hair.
“Mercury...”
“I don’t want your pity, Montgomery!” He snapped at her, knocking her hand away as she reached for him. “I don’t want anything from any of you!” He snarled before turning to Flash. “How about the next time your old man comes home drunk and beats the ever-loving shit out of you in front of Jessie (Pokémon Adventures) and your mom for saying ‘no’, then you can come crying to me about your personal problems.”
“My dad doesn’t touch us!” He snapped.
“But he does hurt you.” Mercury stated.
Flash froze.
“You think I haven’t used those exact same excuses you use?” He continues. “‘I ran into a door’, ‘I slipped and fell’, ‘Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing’. I’ve been using those same fucking excuses since kindergarten, and that is the only reason I let you patch me up in the locker room during gym class. And unless you’re old lady finally gets the balls to file for divorce, you and Jessie move out, or you go off to college, then you’re gonna have to suck it up and keep living like that. So you look me in the eye and tell me that I’m wrong Thompson.”
No one bothered to say anything after that.