3:15 [fezco]

eight

E I G H T - H O P E   U R   O K

"her parents hated who she loved. she couldn't wait to go to college; she was tired 'cause she was brought into a world where family was merely blood. does she know how proud i am she was created, with the courage to unlearn all of their hatred?"

---

I spent the entirety of the weekend at Fezco's house, suffering from an extreme drop in serotonin from my adventure with MDMA at the carnival. Once we got home Friday night and well into Saturday, he made it his mission to fuel me with as many Gatorades as he possibly could to make sure I stayed hydrated, as well as made me a couple of small meals to eat. I didn't leave his bed except when I had to use the bathroom, electing to stay beneath the covers and watch TikTok for hours on end.

He texted my mom Friday night, and I called her Saturday to tell her that Cassie and McKay had broken up, so I was staying with her for the weekend to provide support. It wasn't a total lie, Cassie and McKay did split up. But instead of providing comfort to my friend, I found myself hiding from the world in my bundle of depression, wearing Fezco's clothes and eating all his food. I hadn't wanted to leave until Sunday when Rue and Jules physically dragged me out from under the covers to join them at the convenience store with the boys so they could get matching tattoos. I bundled up well, hiding in a pair of Fez's sweatpants and a large hoodie coupled with sunglasses, because quite frankly all light hurt my eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay, Sophia? You look...dead." Jules laughed loudly. My left hand was intertwined with Rue's right hand, and my right hand intertwined with Jules' left as we walked toward the store.

"I am dead," I groaned. "I am never doing molly again."

"Fez told us you've been in his bed for two days straight. I think he was getting worried about you." I saw Rue smile at me through the corner of my sunglasses. "But uh, I didn't peg you as the type to do MDMA, so uh, congrats."

"I'm not," I shook my head. "I don't know what I was thinking. It felt good Friday night but now I feel like all the happiness in my life has been sucked out by one of those fancy, high-powered vacuums at the car wash."

"You know, that doesn't sound very 'Sunshine' of you." Jules teased lightly, her free hand gently pushing my shoulder.

"Sunshine is dead. I am sunless. You can call me...sundown." My laughter was followed closely by the laughter of the two girls walking beside me.

"Alright, then," Jules released my hand and threw her arm around my shoulder. "No more doom and gloom today." She scolded lightly, guiding me up the parking lot and into the store where Fez and Ashtray stood talking together in the cooler.

"Look who decided to join the land of the living," Ashtray spoke loudly, a taunting smirk on his face. "You look like that crackhead I see over on 3rd street."

"I will cut you." I threatened.

"With what knife?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Touché."

"Relax, we ain't stabbin' nobody today." Fez threw an arm around my shoulder once Jules stepped away, pulling me into him. "Rue, Jewel, y'all ready to get y'all's tattoos?" Rue excitedly nodded in agreement, sitting down in the chair where Ashtray had the tattoo gun and ink laid out on a table. She watched closely as Ashtray grabbed a pair of large black goggles, snapping them on his face.