Rescue Me (A Faberry Fic 💁🏾‍♀️)

4. Words Do Go a Long Way

(Wednesday)

When Quinn spotted the rest of The Skanks in the Ford, a deep frown was set in her face and her walk mirrored her unsettled attitude.

She hopped onto the bed without assistance, sitting across from Ronnie. Sheila and Courtney were up front with Courtney at the wheel.

"Hey, bitch," Ronnie greeted. She pulled Quinn's head up close and ruffled the younger girl's hair.

When she pulled out of the headlock, Quinn ignored her friend and continued to scowl, holding the bag slung over her shoulder closer to her waist.

She noticed that the car was still in park, sloppily in front of the school's entrance. She wanted to get home, or get to Mercedes's home. She wanted to take back her words to Rachel because now she had to get a job. She wished she could wash away the emotions that betrayed her just as easily she washed excess dye out of her head.

"Why the long face?" Courtney asked as she was turned around, facing Quinn. There wasn't concern in her voice—there never was—but more agitation.

"No reason. Just drive me home."

"You actually want to go to Mercedes's house? You sure you don't want to go to The Dungeon with us?"

The Dungeon was what they called a place in the Lima Movie Theater where Ronnie worked. She would regularly take guys back there until the rest of her friends found out about the place and made it their smoke shack.

The offer made Quinn's mood turn 180 degrees. "Actually, yeah." She slapped the side of the truck hard, feeling the cold metal sting her soft palm. "Let's go."

When Courtney lurched the car forward, Quinn sat still on her bench, supporting herself with her arms by her side.

She looked up at the girl in front of her who was scrolling through #dirtbike posts on Instagram.

"Is your job hiring?" She asked Ronnie with conjured up confidence. She was quiet enough so that the rest of her friends couldn't hear the question. But Ronnie's eyes sprung up at the strange question.

The girl half smiled before resting her phone on her thigh. "It will be once I quit. Which ain't gonna happen," she laughed until going into a slight choking fit.

Quinn didn't smoke everyday like Ronnie did. Like Ronnie was now. She hoped it would never grow into an addiction and that her esophagus wouldn't go out as Ronnie's was already succumbing.

"I can definitely hook you up with our cashier, Adam. He's 27," Ronnie shrugged. That's not the oldest The Mack had been with.

Quinn scrunched up her nose briefly. "No, thanks."

"I thought you needed money?"

"I'm not going to steal from my favorite movie theater."

"Suit yourself," Ronnie said with a distant look in her eyes and a half burnt cigarette in her fingers. She picked her phone up once more, simultaneously pulling long drags and scrolling without double-tapping.

-
The four of them had been sitting in the smoke-filled Dungeon, utilizing the small fan on the corner of the counter. Quinn was struggling herself to see through the thickness in front of her. If it wasn't for the little ventilation at the top of the room she probably would've passed out by now.

"You know, nobody does this anymore." Sheila spoke first. "Smoking is considered gross nowadays."

A chorus of disinterested disagreement from the other three girls followed the words.

"That's fucking dumb," was the last coherent thing heard in Ronnie's cracked voice. The 20 year old put out her cigarette in her own pink ashtray before standing up. The movie theater was open but this screening room never got cleaned, which is why they so easily had access to the small projection room.