𝓦𝒶𝓇𝓈𝒶𝓌 || 𝐅𝐞𝐳

VIII

Fez had gotten away with a serious crime during Jade's last week.

Attempted murder.

"Woah woah woah." Fez stopped Jade when she tried walking by him, blocking her from going further into her house. They (he and Rue) had been waiting for her for almost an hour and he'd usually start nagging her about being late. "Why the fuck are you crying?"

But today was different.

"I'm not. See?" Jade tried smiling but it just made her cry more, rolling her eyes and huffing. "It's stupid, I'm overreacting."

Jade had a hard time picking up on things sometimes. And, unfortunately, this was one of those times.

"What happened?" Rue walked over to comfort her but she jerked back, which was also unusual. She loved hugging Rue.

"I just need to use the bathroom real quick." She managed to slide past them as her phone rang, taking a deep breath and answering it after walking into the bathroom. "Hello?....no, I'm sorry, I just-.....I felt uncomfortable and he didn't-.... ...I don't know anymore.....you just sat there and let him-.....what?"

Fez and Rue were listening from the other side, Rue covering her mouth as she slowly started to understand what happened.

"I didn't like it.......no, I didn't like when you did it either and I told you.....I did!......I'm not mad, you're just not listening!.....Mace, I didn't like it at all!" She sounded exasperated. Trying to explain how she felt to the guy she'd been talking to was like talking to a dead ant to her.

Because, according to Jade, a brick wall would have more of a response.

"Well at least he stopped, Mason! You just kept go- I DIDN'T- I didn't like it." She stopped herself before she could yell, glancing over at the door. "And you continued. I told you and you told me to just relax."

I was standing next to death himself that day.

Fez looked downright murderous when he put everything together.

"I'm not saying that.....we aren't even dating, why would I?.....and if we were, I still wouldn't ....you don't even mean it.....because you did that to me......yeah, and you were gonna let your friends do it too......if that's how it's supposed to be, then no thanks...... whatever." She ended the call, taking a shaky breath before she could cry again. She splashed water on her face, opening the door with a smile. "Sorry for being so dramatic."

Fez's face was blank, watching her hug Rue and talk about something.

"I gotta go." He mumbled, patting Rue's shoulder as he passed.

"Seriously? Are you staying out all night?" Jade groaned and followed him to her door, Fez pausing before shaking his head.

"I'll come back, your mom's working a double."

"Promise?" He turned to her, looking her over before nodding. "Okay, I'll leave some food in the microwave for you."

I don't know the details of what he did exactly.

"You see her?" Mason was crying and shaking, one eye squinted as he looked at the picture of Jade Fez was showing him. "You're not gonna touch her again. Don't talk to her, don't even look at her. Because next time, you won't be spared. You should thank her."

He let him drop down in disgust, wiping what blood he could get off onto Mason's shirt.

"She wouldn't tell me everything you did if I asked. Be grateful."

But I do know that Mason was never heard from again.

"He- what the fuck happened?!" Jade hissed lowly when she saw the blood on Fez's hoodie, yanking him into her house and closing the door. Rue tiredly peered over the couch, not that either of them noticed. "Okay, just- fuck, man!"

"He won't do it again." Fez mumbled when she came back with an ice pack and rag, Jade wiping at the blood on his hands.

"What are you talking about?! What did you do!" She was glancing over at her front window, almost like she was expecting the cops to pull up to her house for him. Fez caught her eyes, turning his hands to hold hers. "....no..."

"Mason. He knows better now. He won't touch you again."

"You could go to jail, Fez! Not juvie! Jail!" Jade was upset that he'd done something reckless for her, yanking her hands free and going back to cleaning the blood from his. "Why the fuck would you do something like this!"

"It don't matter. Just know he won't touch you again." He shrugged, stooping down so they were making eye contact. "It's not like he'll tell."

"And what if he does? What then? What would I tell Rue? Ash?" He shrugged again, not flinching when she pressed too hard on his knuckles. "You're so...ugh!"

Rue's eyes went wide when Fez kissed her, nearly gasping when Jade didn't immediately slap him. Jade did jerk back, face scrunched.

"Don't try and sweeten me up, stupid."

"You're pretty when you're mad."

"Did he fight back or somethin? What the fu- do you have a concussion?"

And that night was the first time I'd ever gotten remotely close to seeing that crazy Fez Jade knew.

"I'm perfectly fine, ma." Fez mumbled, inching closer to her. Jade huffed, eyes rolling as she twisted the rag in her hands.

"Well, you did defend my honor." He laughed before kissing her again, Jade gripping the rag and kissing back. "Don't do no stupid shit like that again."

"No promises."

"Stop ki- the damn child is right there!"

And the next day, it was like nothing happened. They were back to arguing and fighting like they always did.

No lingering touches, no longing stares. No hints that they'd kissed the night before.

I would've thought it was all a dream.

"Get off my neck, playboy." Jade pushed Fez away from her, Rue gagging when he didn't move. "Look, you scarrin my child."

"Fuck up."

If it weren't for Fez getting more touchy when he was stressed. He'd usually just lay on her to relax.

Then, Jade started leaving from him with hickies.

"What's that?" Maddy squinted when Jade walked back over from Fez's corner at the party, gasping and snatching her head to the side. "Bitch, is that a hickey?!"

"Say sike right now."