Yellow Hearts

2.11

"Aiden- I know I seen you this time. Stop taking from the bank!"

"I'm not, I'm only taking what I landed on."

"You took 200 extra than you were supposed to!"

"Oh come on mí amor is just playing the game."

"Don't act like you're not cheating too!"

"I don't know what you're referring to."

The group sat in Aiden's room playing Monopoly. Aiden was the banker and he and Tyler continuously fought over him cheating.

Was he cheating? Yes.

Was Bonita playing along while he paid her under the table? Also yes.

"Aiden... I'll be the banker from now on."

"Tyler."

He groaned and handed over one of his monopolies. "Screw you Aiden."

"What did I do?!"

"You landed on my property, you owe me 1200." Ashlyn smiled slightly.

"Why is everyone attacking me?!"

"It's the karma from cheating." Taylor said as she made a bracelet. "Bonnie, your roll."

She shook the dice and tossed it on the board. Double 6's.

"Fuck yeah!" she grinned as she landed on Boardwalk. "Monopoly, hand it over Logan."

"Okay you gotta be cheating cause there's no way–"

Bonita giggled and Logan handed her the card. "That's four now– Aiden, why are you biting my arm??"

"No reason, I just like you."

"SBG?" Ashlyn ignored the interaction happening next to her as Ben explained Aiden's biting "habit" and looked at Taylor's bracelet.

"The school bus graveyard." she explained. "I figured it was where we all hung out the most... so it felt right adding it. Like a group name or something. It became a safe place. A home for all of us I guess... I miss it."

Ben tapped her leg. "We'll make it back."

"...well, I mean, we've always been in a bad situation. Since Savannah anyway." Logan said.

Bonita resisted the urge to say, "I've been in bad situations since I left Brazil but that's me."

People should be happier that I have so much self control...

"What made it bearable wasn't really where we were but more that we had company during it."

And I got a boyfriend out of it so W for me.

"...I also miss it though."

"Same."

"Bonnie, you spent more time at the mall with Aiden than you ever did in the graveyard."

"Literally not true."

"Basically-" Aiden cut in. "We've just got to make this place entertaining till we can get back to the graveyard."

"...right. And how are we gonna do that?"

"Dunno yet."

"...how about we each add a color to those." Ashlyn spoke up. "And we can re-make them when we wake up too."

"Oh... sure." Taylor handed her the bracelet she was working on. "Here."

They passed the bracelets around, each adding a bead to it (Bonita had Aiden hold up the pink beads to her hair to find the right shade) and, once they were done, laid down together.

We'll do it. We'll make it out... for now we'll do the best with what we can.

☺︎ ☺︎ ☺︎

"So have you thought about it?"

"Can I not have my lunch in peace?"

"Well we can't very well talk about the weather can we?"

Bonita threw her paintbrush (one that had been purposely dried with paint to sharpen) at his head scratching his cheek as he dodged.

"Be nice Bonita."

"Fuck that- I'm sleep deprived, hungry, and bored and you're asking me about that stupid deal."

"As soon as you tell me I'll be out of your hair. And you're in desperate need of that."

"Be happy I still need this fork."

"Yes yes whatever you say."

He wasn't wrong about her hair though; it grew like a weed and was down to her thigh now instead of just her waist. If only she could see Aiden he might braid her hair, make it less of a nuisance.

"Whatever I guess I'll take your deal. I wanna get the fuck outta here already."

"Of course. Yesterday you said the details could wait. Since you've agreed I'm sure you'd like to hear them now."

Bonita made a go on gesture with her hand as she ate her arepa.

Maverick wasn't kidding when he said he gave her everything she wanted.

Blah blah blah, same thing Ben told us, sure I'll join your little vigilante group who'll probably betray us. What's wrong with your shady ass uncle suddenly being involved with the government in an entirely different country and only now deciding to speak up about the corrupt-ness?

"Are you listening?"

"Yes Tío."

"Good then do you still agree?"

"Yes."

"Perfect. By the way do you remember the people who were in the observation room when you were sent to talk to Mister Matthews?"

"Vaguely."

"They're now in our comatose unit."

"Our" and you're totally not involved in this containment-grippy sock vacation bullshit.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. They went to sleep last night but never woke up. Their vitals say they're alive but..."

"He thinks that we can potentially open 'rifts' between our two dimensions."

Rifts... is it possible that I...

"That's strange." they said instead. "What do you think happened?"

"Maybe you opened another rift." he smiled. It wasn't the normal grin she was used to seeing on her uncle but it was fitting of his role there. "And if you learn to control it..."

"I can take this place down?"

"For lack of a better term, yes."

"Interesting. Tell Alex I'm done with my food. I think it's time for you to leave anyway."

"Right. Goodbye Bonita."

"Goodbye."

If I opened a rift then, is it possible I've done it before? Back at the Sorrel house they didn't see it before me and Ashlyn heard and felt it. But maybe she has no blame to take, maybe it was me. Maybe I can get them out of this by simply...

...getting myself out of the picture.

"Bonita, I'll take those." Alex took their tray and headed for the door. "There are no tests today so I'll see you at dinner."

"Thank you Alex."

"Of course."

I'll take this down... and stay inside when I do it.

______________

Bonnie being self destructive counter: ∞

also I'm not trying to replace Ashlyn or anything but the way I've written Bonnie so far including them feeling the phantoms presence makes it so they could very well be in the same position Ashlyn ends up in yk

and Aiden biting Bonnie just randomly has me dead like I genuinely don't know where that hc came from