"Grey" Fezco O'Neill x black fem reader

11- Cracked mirrors

Trigger warning: Mentions of abuse, Maddy being chocked by Nate.

You weren't sure what was worse, the fact that you and Rue couldn't find Gia or the fact that you missed Rue's many calls because you were busy fogging up Fezco's car. Regardless, right now your little sister was nowhere to be seen, not answering her phone and had to be home by ten. As if tonight wasn't eventful enough, you hadn't seen anything yet.

While Jules and Rue walked around yelling Gia's name, you hung around the rides you knew she liked and waited until the riders came out and searched for Gia. Which is how you found yourself at the carousel, watching along with many other people as Cassie rode the horse. Literally.

Fuck, you were never gonna take molly. Being her friend and just a good person, you wanted to warn her somehow, but there was no way for you to stop the ride. And if you yelled her name, you'd be taking the last bit of dignity she had by telling the others watching who she was. Not being able to watch any longer, you forced yourself to walk away and continue looking for Gia. Truthfully you had no idea where to go next, you managed to find yourself around trailer home's and porta potty. Soon you heard a familiar giggle and some type of arguing.

"Calling my mom a cunt. What the fuck is actually wrong with your fucking brains?"

It was Nate.

"I think you're overreacting."

And Maddy. You hadn't realized what was really going on until Maddy was pushed against on the trailers with a thud and Nate's hand was around her neck. Chocking her.

"You're fucking dead to me. Fuck you."

It only lasted a minute, maybe even less. But you still, you stood there in horror, frozen by what you say. Incapable of moving, you felt painfully numb, unable to breath or pull yourself out of this sudden feeling of being stuck. They continued to talk, Maddy bought up the pictures that she saw on Nate's phone. The ring of your phone pulled your mind out of this blur, and quickly you picked it up. Not wanting to be seen or heard by Maddie or Nate. It was Rue telling shed found Gia and that you all needed to leave now. Your feet started to move, and eventually you'd caught to your sisters.

The walk home was quiet. Sure, Gia and Rue talked, but you just focused your energy on walking and breathing. Ignoring, or at least trying to ignore, the replay of Maddy wheezing as Nate chocked her. It played over and over on an unstoppable loop, and it made you sick. Seeing her like that, all those things you'd been trying to repress all came to surface and the moment you were alone at home you burst into tears. Silence the sound of your sobs by crying into the teddy bear Fezco had won you just a while ago.

Now, what had happened was that morning, Maddy went to school. And Maddy's first class was intro to Calc in room 202, which unfortunately was in the upper left wing of the school. Now, if it was a normal day, Maddy would have just take off her hoodie. But since Nate chocked her, Maddy woke up three hours early, applied more concealer than a burn victim, and tried her best to cover up. To compound the problem, she also suffered from a drop in serotonin from the Molly she took at the carnival, got depressed, and therefore hadn't had anything to eat or drink the entire weekend. Plus, she actually was on her period.

Ready to leave class in defeat, sure you bombed another calculus test, you went to wake Maddy, who you thought had just fallen asleep during the test. But just like the carnival, everything happened so fast. And soon there were paramedics and police officers, and you were being questioned by principal Hayes about your best friend's relationship.

Truthfully, you could understand where Maddy was coming from. You spent months hiding bruises with makeup and bullshit stories about being clumsy. There was a thick air of shame around it along with guilt, pity, and frustration. You didn't tell anyone what you saw, the same way you didn't tell anyone how the same thing happened to you. It was far too complex for to explain or reason even to yourself. You just couldn't do that to Maddy, even though it was probably the right thing to do.

Although it was hard and frankly triggering to watch Maddy be silent and defend Nate with her every breath, you stood by her. Mean mugging, all the lingering eyes that set and stared at her in school. And letting her come over after her and her parents, mostly mom argued.

She said your name in a sob. "I need to come over, like, right now." She begged.

And a few minutes later, a distraught Maddy was moping in your bed. Still in the same close you saw her in a few days ago. Neither of you said anything because there wasn't anything to say. She'd heard enough from her parents, the people at the police station and those frankly gut-wrenching videos at school. All she needed, all she wanted, was comfort. To know that someone who she cared about was on her side. And you were. You'd always be there for her, and she had always been there for you.

"I fucking love you." She whispers.

"I love you too." You tell her as slow tears fall from your eyes. "I always will."