change of pace || puckerbray
mitchellpuckerman:
Mitch hadn’t seen nor heard from Jenn since the note the blonde left at her apartment. In fact, Jenn hadn’t been at school the past few days, either. All the texts Mitch sent the blonde’s way had gone unreplied, the calls to voicemail. Sure, she was worried, but she wasn’t going to show it. The talk of Mitch and Jenn hadn’t died down, either, more than likely due to the word of Ian. There were slurs thrown in Mitch’s direction, talk of slut and “side ho” that Mitch didn’t let faze her. It wasn’t the worst thing she had heard about herself.
She had tried to stay low at school. Go to class, spend lunch under the bleachers and go right home afterwards. There was a time or two where she wandered to the pier, just hoping that maybe Jenn would meet her there during one of their lonely nights. Because that’s what Mitch was in the days of Jenn’s absence: lonely. Jenn had changed Mitch’s life around in the few days they knew each other; suddenly the brunette was opening up and talking more to someone than she had in the past few years. And when it suddenly stopped, it sparked a sense of loneliness in Mitch.
It was another morning of Mitch sending Jenn a text, hoping for a reply only for it to turn up blank. It made the girl wonder if she should stop trying; if Jenn was purposely avoiding her. But that made her wonder what she did wrong. But she went to school again and was on her way to her locker when he showed up out of nowhere.
She was pushed against the lockers, a forearm against her throat. “What, do you keep her hostage now?” He snarled, Ian’s face close to her own. She struggled a moment, gasping for air before gaining her senses and pushing him off of her.
“No, you asshole. I don’t know where she is.” But that was a good thing. If Ian didn’t know what was going on, then that means that Mitch wasn’t the only one Jenn was avoiding. In a roundabout way, it was a good thing.
“You’re a liar. And when I find out exactly where you’re keeping her, you’re going to get your little dyke ass beat.”
“Stupid empty threats.” She mumbled, brushing off her jacket as if it’d get his touch off her. She continued on to her locker, hoping to get through the day without any more drama.
It was later that day that the whispers happened. She had heard them as she made her way to the doors of the school; whispers of Jenn and hair. Talk that the blonde was back; that she was silent. And if it were true, well… Mitch wanted to find her.
She entered the cafeteria for the first time since she got the tour of the school at the end of break. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for that familiar glance of blonde hair and just hoping that she found Jenn before Ian did. Because she wasn’t afraid to beat his ass if he did. But she found her, near the back of the cafeteria, sitting alone. She walked quickly, passing by the group of Jenn’s friends where the whispers weren’t whispers but loud talking and it took all she had to not tell them to shut the hell up. But she kept walking until she got to the table and, with a smile, she took a seat next to the girl.
Hopefully Jenn would talk to her.
“Is this seat taken?”
The past few days she was over at her sister’s for a while. There was a bunch of family drama that happened and Quinn finally let her little sister stay the night at her place and they, honestly, had the best time together like they did when they were little. She helped Quinn trim her dead ends and watched crappy movies with her until it was 5 o’ clock in the morning. It was the best time she’s had since she met Mitch. There were nights that she wanted to reply to her friend but Quinn had confiscated her phone and told her she couldn’t have it until there was no more drama on her mind; just the thought of the two bonding again.
They talked for hours and hours until Jenn brought up a subject. “Quinny..” She began quietly. “I want something.. new.” She explained to her sister what she wanted to do and why she just wanted to do something out of the blue, like they used to. The sisters were adventurous together. While she was there they went to towns away from their hometown and partied there and went out walking until Quinn’s phone was almost dead so she could get an Uber back. Within minutes the girls were giggling and Quinn was asking if she was truly ready for this. “Yes..” Jenn took a deep breath in.
The scissors clipped off an inch.
Then another.
Then another couple inches.
Next thing you know, her hair was up a little by her chin and she felt like a new person and looked like Quinn when she left her parents place.
When the girl finally came back from her little break, all eyes were on her and the whispers started up again. Mainly about her and Mitch but occasionally about her new haircut and how different it was. Some liked it and some missed her hip length hair. Her friends were trying to get her to talk about her and Ian and her and Mitch but she strutted by and went to her old friends she used to hang out with. Over her break she retrieved her phone back for a moment and asked for forgiveness. She was on their last chance but they loved her dearly enough just to let her be sitting with them before school but not enough to be sitting with them at lunch. The girl sat in the back of the room with a tray of food she played with her fork.
The familiar voice made her grin and she was definitely glad to see her.
“Mitch! Go ahead and have a seat.” She chirped, offering the seat to the other then ran her hand through her hair. She was almost losing her mind at the new change of friends and all the talk about her.
“How are you? I’m guessing Ian has been bothering you about my whereabouts?” She grinned, taking a sip of her chocolate milk. Her heart started to warm up and her smile grew wider as the other sat down. “I’m guessing you want some sort of explanation as to why I’ve been gone and haven’t been replying. I can tell you for a fact that it hurt not saying anything but Quinny made me do it. She didn’t want Ian coming around. She hates him.” She rolled her eyes, the smile still on her face.