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     It wasn't like Eliana hadn't tried talking to Cassie.  She tried at school when they were alone, becoming concerned Cassie was hiding something from the group that she maybe didn't feel she was yet ready to share, but Eliana wanted to provide comfort in any way she could.

     So far, Cassie had just shrugged her off with her usual toothy smile and an "Everything's alright Ellie, I promise."

     Eliana tried not to think much of it.  And like every afternoon prior, Eliana decided to go to Fez's house.  It wasn't necessarily the worst habit ever, but she was beginning to walk a very dangerous line considering she and Fez still hadn't put a label on this weird exes with benefits but still very much good friends who give each other affection bullshit.

     "Ellie, you gotta go to the other room," Fez turned to the girl.  She turned her eyes away from her phone, confused.  Of course, like any other day, she looked pretty and dolled up.  Her hair was down in natural curls with a thick black headband while she wore a light purple one-piece jumpsuit that stopped above her knees and had buttons down her chest.  She had abandoned her black Nike slides by the door.

     "Why, what's going on?" the Romano girl asked, having previously not been paying attention to whatever Fez and Ashtray were conversing about.  She didn't know they had seen a truck pull up on one of their surveillance cameras.

     "Just trust me on this, alright?" he raised his eyebrows intently at her.  "Go to the other room, don't make no sound and don't come out until I say so."

     Trusting the man blindly, she gave him a nod, rose from her spot on the sofa and walked down the hallway to be hidden, still intent on listening to what was going on as best as she could.  What she heard was the door opening, something of an ongoing struggle, but she was doing her best to keep quiet.

     "So first, you come to my fuckin' job askin' all these weird-ass questions like the feds.  Then I find you out in front of my house.  What the fuck are you doin', man?"

     "You're free to call the cops," a voice she recognized as Cal Jacobs calmly answered.  She brought her hand to cover her mouth, shocked.

     Fez was quick to reply.  "Why the fuck would I do that?"

     "Well, it's either call the cops, let me go or... kill me."

     "What the fuck, man?" Fez shook her head.  Eliana imagined what he must look like despite not being there in the room with him.  "What's with your family?  Are you all just a bunch of fuckin' assholes?"

     Yes.

     "You beat up my son," Cal deadpanned.  Well, the secret was definitely out.  And blown to shit.

     "Yeah, well, he deserved it, man.  He's a fuckin' bitch."

     It was quiet for a mere moment, Eliana imagined what might be going on in there, what looks she might be missing.  Cal's eyes trailed all over the room, catching sight of the petite sized shoes Eliana had left by the doorway when she came in.  "I didn't realize you had company," Cal said, his eyes clearly on the Nike's.  Eliana's eyes widened, clutching her phone in her hand tightly.  She wasn't sure why she was so scared, but all she knew was that Cal was clearly after Fez, and that was enough for her.  Just then, Ash rose the shotgun he was holding and hit Cal in the head with it.  "Ow, fuck!  Why did you do that?"

     "'Cause you're in no position to talk shit."

     " I'm warning you.  You hit me one more... Oh, fuck!  Why don't you call the cops?  The Chief of Police, Will Greenwood... Mm-hm..." Cal grunted.

     "All right, Ash.  Chill out, man," Fez finally said.

     "Fuck!" Cal exclaimed again.  Eliana imagined his head must be bloody by now.

     "This guy don't want the fuckin' cops involved.  Watch.  Call the cops."

     "I will."

     "Dial, bitch."  Then she heard Cal grunting.

     "If you got nothin' to hide, call the fuckin' cops."  That's what made him shut up.  Eliana's heart dropped to her stomach.  She just knew he was a sick man.  And she was about to hear his confession first hand.

     "Stop, stop, stop."

     "I'm not fucking stopping.  I'm not stopping.  Call the cops.  I told you."

     "All right, man. I get it.  I know you and your drug addict friend, that girl.  You're trying to extort my son," Cal said.  Eliana rolled her eyes, gently resting her head against the wall behind her.  She couldn't even see any shadows down the hallway, so she knew they must be pretty close to the door still.  Ash probably had him tied up and at gunpoint.

     "What?" Fez asked, clearly confused.

     "Because of what I did to her friend."

     "What the fuck are you talkin' about, man?"

     "You know, the blonde."  

     Are you fucking kidding me?  Eliana wanted to throw up.  She knew exactly who he was talking about, remembering the blonde girl she had met on New Year's Eve.  The one who was looking around for Rue, the one Kat had told her all about.  And then she realized she had missed so much last semester.

     "Who?  Jewel?" Fez asked.

     "Look, man, I didn't know she was 17."

     "You tellin' me you had sеx with Jewel?" Fez raised his eyebrows at Cal in genuine disbelief.

     "Who's Jewel?" Faye asked from her new spot on the sofa where Eliana had been previously sitting.  Now Faye folded an arm over the headrest, a blunt in between her fingers.

     "What the fuck, man?" Fez asked.

     "Do I know Jewel?" Faye asked.

     Eliana closed her eyes shut, wishing she had never come to Fez's house this day.  "The fuck are we even talkin' about right now, bro?" Fez asked.

     "Jewel.  Jewel.  Jewel..." Faye racked her brain.

     "I just want the disc," Cal ignored all of them.

     "What disc?" Fez felt as if his head was going to explode with all this new information.

     "Of Jewel and I."

     "Yo, you recorded that shit?!"

     "I didn't know."

     "You didn't know that you were recording?"

     "I fuckеd up."

     "Obviously, man.  Yo, who the fuck even told you I gave a shit about this anyway?" Eliana was glad Fez asked.

     "My son."

     Eliana sank to the floor, her back still to the wall as she listened.  Of fucking course Nate would make it seem like Fez had a part in all of this sick and twisted shit.  Eliana was moments away from bashing in Nate's head herself the more she listened.  She didn't have the words for the sickness she felt towards Cal.

     "Your son?  The one that's in love with Jewel?"

     Faye smiled.  "Aw, that's cute."

     "That's not cute, man," Fez deadpanned.

     "What the fuck?" this was clearly news to Cal.  "What?"

     "What kind of weird-ass father-son shit is goin' on around here, bro?" Fez asked.  Eliana almost wanted to laugh at Fez's words, but she remained quiet.

     "I'm extremely confused."

     "You're confused.  I'm fuckin' confused, bro."

     "Me too," Faye added.  Me three, Eliana thought.

     "I don't even know what the fuck you're doin' here," Fez went on.

     "Do you mind if I just leave?" Cal asked.  "I'm not gonna say a word about anything, I swear to God.  Let's just pretend like... none of this ever happened."

     "Yo, Ash, let me talk to you real quick," Fez said, nodding to his little brother to go to the side of the room so they could talk.  Which was also out of earshot for Eliana.

     "Hi... what's your name?" Faye asked Cal once they were alone in silence.

     "Cal."

     "Do you and your son, like... do you, like, fuck people together?" Faye asked.  Eliana sighed quietly upon hearing her words.  This was all too much for her.

     "Yo, check it out, man," Fez walked back into the conversation.  "Imma let you walk up outta here on one condition."

     "Anything."

     "You'll keep your bitch-ass son out of my fuckin' life, and Rue's and Jewel's, till the end of fucking time.  You understand?"

     "I'm guessing that includes the girl who left her flip flops in your doorway too," Cal suggested.  Eliana waited for anything that indicated that he might know it was her, Eliana Romano ⎯ child of Vivienne Romano, sister of Mikey Romano, a friend of Maddy Perez ⎯ who was there.  She waited for him to realize she was also there and heard everything, that she too could now blow his cover.  It wasn't unlike her mother, brother or friend(s) to be the star of drama, so it was only natural Eliana followed in their footsteps.

     Fez nodded.  "Especially the girl who left her flip flops here," he said.  "I said out of my fuckin' life so that means everyone in it."

     "I promise," Cal said.

     "Now, I don't know shit about no fuckin' disc, man.  That's not my problem.  Now get this motherfucker up outta here, Ash."

     Eliana heard Cal grunting on his way out of their house, yet she still waited until the coast was clear.  Slowly, Fez walked over to the girl, finding her with her knees to her chest just outside the bathroom door.  "Hi," she whispered.

     "How much of that you hear?"

     "Nearly all of it," she replied honestly.

     Fez bent down so he could look her in the eye.  "Come on, Ellie.  Let's get you home."

     "I don't wanna go home," she tilted her head, scanning his face for something, though she wasn't sure what.  Mostly, she just wanted to make sure he was okay.

     "You not safe here," Fez shook his head once.  "Come on.  No one's gonna hurt you."

     Her heart fluttered at his words as he held out a hand for her to take.  Shakily, she brought her hand to hold his.  "I'm more worried about you, Fez."

     "Let them try.  But no one's gonna hurt you as long as I'm alive, Eliana Romano.  I promise."

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