𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐂𝐄, 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐙

three, ray ray and rue rue p.2

RAY RAY AND RUE RUE p.2
sticks and stones will break my bones

Ray groans as he wakes up, his body sore as he moves to get out of bed. He doesn't know how he got home in the first place. He doesn't even remember what happened last night. Ray stands in his bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror. He examines the red bruise on his cheek, and a big bruise on his abdomen.

"Oh shit."

He eventually got Kat to help cover up the bruise with makeup, her questioning how he got it. Ray didn't give a straight answer, but he gave her a vague one that will suffice for now. He wore a dark green hoodie to school with his hood over his head.

Ray walks through the bustling halls of East Highland High, practically shoving everyone out of his way by broadening his shoulders. "What the hell, Ray? You almost knocked me over." Maddy snaps at him. Maddy notices the stoic look on his face, the tense shoulders. "What the hell happened to you?"

Ray shakes his head and looks away, "Nothing." Maddy wipes his cheek, smearing the makeup on it. Ray slaps her hand away, "What the fuck Maddy!"

"It's nothing, right?" Ray clenches his jaw, "Ray, I fucking care about you, and if you don't tell me-"

"Yo! Ray!" Smokey calls from down the hall. He makes his way towards the two. "I'll talk to you later, Maddy." Ray walks to the bathroom and shuts the door. It opens once more, revealing Smokey. "Ray, listen to me, alright? For one second." He spoke out in a hurry. Ray stared at him with an unreadable expression, his brown eyes blank from any emotion.

"Okay, so, I know I fucked up with Jason but I was just trying to help you out man." Ray nods his head, for a second there was silence between them. A loud smack echoes in the bathroom because of Ray's hand connecting with Smokey's cheek. "Ow! What the fuck Ray!" Ray grabs him by the collar and pulls him close.

"I don't give a fuck about Jason or his little fucking club. I give a fuck about how you knew that I was struggling with my own shit but still put me in the damn illegal boxing ring." Ray hissed. "You took advantage of me, Smokey. That whole speech you gave me at ringside about how I should embrace my anger, that's all bullshit."

Smokey shakes his head, "No, no-"

"Yes, yes-" Ray interjects.

"No, no Ray-"

"Yes. Fucking yes! You used me man! For a quick fucking buck!" Ray exploded, shoving Smokey. Smokey straightens his shirt, choosing his next words very wisely. "I'm not using you. You're my best fucking friend." Ray sighs, rubbing his eyes. "I know this is a bad time, but Jason texted me this morning. He wants to talk to you." Ray washes his face in the sink, makeup running down. "Tell Jason to suck my dick."

The bruise is still there on his cheek, obviously. He makes eye contact with Smokey in the mirror, who notices the bruise. Smokey decides not to say anything about it and continues with the topic at hand, "I'm just saying, be on the lookout." There was more that Smokey wanted to say, so much more. But he knows Ray almost too well, he needs his space.

Ray and Smokey had a lot of falling outs when they were younger, but this one was pretty serious. I wouldn't say Ray lost his trust for Smokey, but knowing Ray, he's really pissed off at him. I mean, shit, I would be too if my best friend put me in a underground boxing ring run by a Californian version of a mafia.