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BITTERSWEET
:: xlvi. | we made it

"So let me get this straight." Vanessa sat up in her shared bed with jj, "Your mom still thinks you're with Will?"

"Yeah . . . " Jj replied, a scoff escaping Vanessa's lips, "I just hadn't found the time. We happened so suddenly and I don't know."

"Are you ashamed of me?"

Jj abruptly turned towards her girlfriend, "No. God, no."

"Then why are you whispering? Afraid to be heard." Vanessa rose her brows.

Jj tied her hair up in the mirror, "Because it's the morning and everyone else is still sleep." After tying her hair, she made her way to Vanessa who was still in bed, "I promise before I get on that plane tonight, I'll tell her about us."

As a smile crept upon her lips, a frown came just as quickly, "Wait —— you're leaving tonight?"

"Yeah." Jj then headed to the closet to get her work bag, "Did i not mention that last night?"

Vanessa had anger written all over her face and jj didn't need to turn around to know that. This was not how she wanted to leave it off but that's where it was heading. So in an attempt to maybe cool off her girlfriend, she turned around but Vanessa was already out the bed and headed out the room.

I guess it's true what they say, happy wife, happy life. But in this case, angry girlfriend, angry life.

• • •

Cole was now at school, she was headed to her locker after being dropped off my her mom. Ever since coming back, she thought it was going to be difficult but no, everything was easy. It was fast to go back to normal, so normal that as she was approaching her locker, those bullies slammed her things out her hand.

"We're glad you're officially back, reigns." One of them said as their friends snickered.

Something in Cole sprung. She was done, finally fed up with the bullshit. She tossed her bag on the floor before angrily making her way to them, "What's your problem? You've been targeting me since freshman year and I'm tired of it. Aren't you?"

She stepped up in Cole's face, "No. Not in the slightest."

"You gonna do something little girl?" One of the other bullies shoved Cole back.

The other shook her head, "She won't. She never fights back!"

A circle was beginning to form around them. Cole's hands turned into fists and before she could process what was happening, Cole's fists met the girl's face. In retaliation, the other bullies went after Cole and she tried her hardest to fight back. Then two people jumped in and though Cole could barley see, she caught a glimpse.

Her ride or die mates, Ashton and Arlo.

As she got lost in the midst, she was pulled out by a teacher and the principal yelling. Everyone stood, glaring at each other. Just when she thought she was finally going to get justice at this school, the principal turned to her.

"Cole to my office!"

You could hear them chuckling, "Too bad your dad's dead, maybe he could've done something to contain you. Out of control like that, im surprised you haven't met the same fate yet."

She couldn't control herself at this point. She ran up to that girl and began pummeling her again, chanting you don't get to talk about him.

That same teacher had to pry Cole off and was aggressively escorted to the principal's office. As they were making their way there, a phone call was being sent to her mother. But Vanessa wasn't around to answer, Jennifer was. So the agent took it upon herself to go to Cole's school but as another parent of Cole's.

• • •

Jj was just sitting down across from the principal, next to Cole, "What happened to your face?"

Cole lightly chuckled, "You should see them."

The principal ignored her statement and looked towards jj, "I'm glad you could make it, Ms. . . ?"

"Jareau."

"Yes, well, Cole here got into a fight. There will be great punishment."

Cole shook her head with a scoff, "And what about them? They started it. They've been after me since freshman year and you never do anything about it!"

"Watch your tone, young lady." The principal scold her.

"You watch yours."

"Suspension for two weeks." He looked her dead in the eyes.

"Whatever." Cole stood up, "I'm out of here." She then exited the office.

Jj apologized on behalf of Cole before going after her. She met the angsty teen near the school entrance. Cole didn't need to say anything, Jennifer just knew.

The bullies.

It finally got to her and Cole just snapped.

Jennifer knew that now wasn't the time to leave them. With this and piling everything else, she had to stay. Not saying Vanessa couldn't do it alone, but why would she have to when jj is by her side. It was going to be a fight with Strauss, but she was willing.

After the two got in the car, they began on their way home.

• • •

Vanessa was back at the house. After dropping off Cole, she went to her old job and couldn't get her position back. So it was time for out of the box thinking. Before she could do any of that, she wanted to check on Henry.

As she approached the nursery, she saw he was holding something in his hands. She thought it was a toy at first, which it was but realized it was an adult type toy. With jj's mother around, this is the last thing she wanted her to see.

She rushed into the room and gently took it from his hands, replacing it with one of his baby toys. Luckily, it hadn't been used because she would've cleaned his hands first. But however, the vibrator was on. The vibrator was vibrating.

After two tries, she managed to turn it off. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and everything in the world was calm again. Then she heard the front door open.

"Back!"

Vanessa didn't know what to do. She didn't want anyone seeing her with that in hand in a nursery. It was all around bad. So in a split second, she rushed and hid it behind the cushion on the rocking chair. Then went to pick Henry up from the floor.

"Let's make a deal." She held him in the air, facing her, "You don't tell mommy what happened and I'll give you gummy crackers for a week."

She took his baby noises as a yes before bringing him down and carrying him on her hip. She met jj in the living room, finding Cole and just before things got serious, Jj's mom entered.

"What happened to her face?" Jennifer's mom looked towards her from Cole.

"Do you mind taking Henry out? I'll let you know when to come back?" She asked her mom.

Vanessa gave Henry to Jj's mom. Then as soon as that front door opened and closed . . . all hell broke loose.

"Talk. Now." Vanessa's tone was stern with her arms crossed over her chest, staring at her daughter.

"Nothing." Cole mumbled, "All good."

"All good? You have a black eye and your cheek ——— a fight?"

The teen shook her head, "They had it coming."

"I'm sure they did, but I raised you better than this, Cole. And because of that, you're going to apologize."

Cole abruptly stood up, "No way! They deserved what they got. Tormenting me since the beginning? They're lucky I didn't do worse."

Vanessa shook her head, "Where is this coming from?"

Cole blankly stared at her mom and jj, "Nowhere."

The teen walked off, heading in the direction to her room.

Vanessa turned to jj, "Suspension?"

The agent softly spoke, "Two weeks."

Vanessa didn't say anything after that. She just walked out the living room, livid. She didn't understand the full story and she knew there was missing pieces, but the last thing she wanted to do was speak to Cole or to anybody.

Not even jj was going to be able to sweet talk Vanessa down this time.

a/n:
the lion finally came
to play 🦁