The second semester had finally started. Sawyer and Ashtray walked down the hallway, hand in hand.

They stopped once they reached Sawyers locker. Ashtray leaned on the locker beside hers, looking at his phone while Sawyer unlocked her locker.

"Who's that?" Ashtray asked, his eyes were on Rue, Jules and a boy.

Sawyer turned her head noticing, "Oh that's Eliot. He's Rues new friend."

"The one she's been occupied with lately?"

Sawyer lightly chuckled, "yes that's the one." She closed her locker.

"They met on new years?" He asked.

"Yea." Sawyer nodded her head. She was skeptical of his question because he already knew the answer.

"New years." Ashtray let out as a smirk slowly appeared on his face. Sawyer turned red. She lightly smacked his arm, laughing.

"I'm gonna head over to the weight room." Ashtrays looked down into Sawyers eyes. God those eyes. And that smile.

"Okay. What about next period though? It starts in a few minutes." Sawyer intertwined her fingers with his.

"I know, I know but I have a lot on my mind and I'm just gonna skip it today."

Sawyer took a breath. "I promise I won't start skipping classes it's just a one time thing." Sawyer nodded but he could tell she wasn't convinced, "I promise."

"Okay, I trust you. Just don't do that to yourself. It's not my grades and future it's yours." Sawyer gave a warning look.

"I know, and I care a lot about my future." Ashtray let out a smile. He moved his face down closer to Sawyers. His breath hitting her ear, "It's really sexy how much you care."

Sawyer brought her hand to her mouth trying to hide the smile the was forming on her face.

"What are you doing after school today? Maybe I can come over and we can binge love island." Sawyer grinned.

"Today's not a good day." His mouth twisted.

"You've been saying that since new years, and we agreed no more secrets, but I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

Ashtray paused. Sawyer could see him hesitate before opening his mouth. Just as words were about to come out the bell rang.

"It's nothing you need to deal with. I promise mama." Ashtray planted a kiss on Sawyers head.

"Okay." Was all she let out. Ashtray smiled at her one last time before walking off.

        Hours had passed and Sawyer found herself walking to MILK. Ashtray offered to pick her up but she refused because she wanted to walk and reconnect with nature.

As she was walking in the distance was what looked like Cassie standing at a corner.

"Hey cass!" Sawyer lightly shouted and gave a small wave. Cassie looked over smiled at Sawyer.

Just as Sawyer was about to speak again a truck pulled up next to Cassie. Her eyes batted between the truck and Sawyer. Cassie didn't saying anything, and got inside.

Sawyer was very confused. She didn't see who was driving, but Cassie had her own car and McKay definitely didn't drive a truck.

      Sawyer arrived at MILK and made her way inside. The first thing she noticed was Lexi leaning against a freezer looking at Fezo and a random blonde girl that was sitting behind him.

Everyone snapped their heads in Sawyers direction. She frowned darting her eyes at everyone.

Why was it so silent and awkward...

"Hey.. I'm Faye..." the blonde girl beamed at Sawyer. She spoke at a rather slow pace, "You must be.. Lawyer right?"

Sawyer frowned and immediately glared at Fezco. He lightly chuckled and put his arms up in surrender.

"It's Sawyer you dumb fuck."

Sawyer snapped her head behind her. Ashtray was glaring at Faye. He had an evil look in his eyes.

"Oh yeah. Sawyer. Hey sawyer." Faye corrected herself, giving a genuine smile to Sawyer.

"Hi." Sawyer gave one back.

Ashtray made his way over to Sawyer, standing behind her. He rested his arms on her shoulders and they wrapped around her neck.

"Hi Lexi" sawyer looked over at her.

"Hey Sawyer." Lexi smiled.

"Yo sorry I didn't get to say goodbye on new years." Fezco apologized to Lexi.

She smiled at him. But it quickly faded when she Saw Nate's dad appear in the corner of her eye.

What the fuck is going on.

"Good evening." Cal calmly let out glancing at everyone.

"Sup man." Fezco carefully watched Cal walk around the store.

Sawyer and Lexi looked at eachother. They were both pretty confused at this whole situation.

Sawyer took a step away from Ashtray and turned her head to look up at him. She didn't say anything all she did was furrow her eyebrows together, causing him to Shrug at her.

The room was silent.

Not a single word was said.

All you could hear was Cal walking around, and picking up items.

As he made his away around the store he individually made eye contact with each person that was in there.

Once he locked eyes with sawyer she couldn't help but think back to the conversation she had with him a few days prior.

Sawyer was walking home from school. She had both her air pods in and she was enjoying the nice hot weather.

A car pulled up beside her. She stopped in her tracks realizing that it was Cal Jacobs.

He rolled down his window.

"Sawyer Bennett?"

She hesitated but slowly nodded her head as she took an air pod out.

"Look I'll make this quick and brief. I know that you know what happened to my son. And I know you and your boyfriend have some kind of involvement with this."

"What are you getting at?" She rudely let out.

"I'm saying that you guys will not get away with this. And I'm asking if you could tell your boyfriend and his brother to leave my son alone."

Sawyer knitted her eyebrows together. "Leave your son alone?" She repeated, chuckling, "do you even know who your son is?"

Cal didn't respond.

"Or does your son even know who you are?"

Cal took a deep breath. Sawyer glued her eyes into his. She could sense his now nervous demeanor. And with that he drove off without another word.

      "You got any spearmint gum?" Cal looked at Fezco.

"Ion know man. The gums right here." He pointed.

Cal made his way over to the gum. "This your store?" He picked up a random pack, walking away again.

"It's a family business."

"Your parents own it?" Cal asked from the isle Lexi was on.

"You usually ask this many questions man?" Fezco glared at Cal as he neared the exit.

"Just you." Cal froze glaring back into Fezcos eyes, "they tell you who I am?" He asked referring to Lexi and Sawyer.

Ashtray looked at Sawyer and frowned, confused. He walked away and into the back room.

Sawyers eyes shifted to Lexi. She looked scared.

"Nah man." Fezco nodded.

"Are you a cop?" Faye asked with wide eyes.

"No." Cal put his hand in his pocket. He stood for a few moments staring at Fezco before pulling money out and setting it near Fezco, "just a concerned father." He left.

Fezco stood up and walked outside watching Cal drive away.

Sawyer looked at Lexi, "he confronted you too?"

Lexi quietly nodded her head. She took a breath, "I should get going."

"Okay." Sawyer, nodded understanding.

Lexi gave Faye a light smile and walked outside over to Fezco.

"Who are you?" Sawyer asked Faye.

"I live with Fez because the cops raided me and my boyfriend." Faye shrugged.

"Oh.. Okay." Sawyer was still confused, but could tell Faye wasn't going to give her the answers she wanted.

Sawyer made her way to the back room, closing the door behind her.

"What're you doing?" She walked in on Ashtray clocking his gun.

"Just in case." He put the gun in a cereal box.

"In case?" Sawyer repeated.

"The Jacobs keep bothering us."

Sawyer frowned, "seriously what is going on."

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Ashtray sat the box down.

"I've only had one encounter with him and it was very short." Sawyer sat on the couch.

"What happened to no secrets." Ashtray let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"Yeah, Faye lives with you right? That's the big reason I haven't been able to come over?" Sawyer returned the chuckle.

Ashtray brought his eyes to Sawyer.

"What? You can't handle a taste your own medicine without getting angry?"

"Shut up Sawyer." Ashtray muttered in a cold tone.

"No, we both were wrong just own it so we can move on." Sawyer shook her head.

Ashtray didn't respond. He just sat beside her on the couch.

"There's a lot more to it. I don't tell you things for safety reasons you don't tell me things because you have too many fuckin secrets."

"It wasn't a secret Ash, it just wasn't important enough for me to feel the need to talk about." Sawyer sighed.

Ashtray nodded. He didn't wanna argue. He sure had a lot more to say but it would've been pointless.

"Okay." Ashtray stood back up. He put his hand out which Sawyer accepted and stood up.

Ashtray pulled Sawyer into a hug. This hug was a long passionate one.

"I promise everything I do is for your best interest okay?" He peered down into her eyes.

Sawyer nodded her head, "Okay." She smiled.

The two made their way to his car and got in.

Ashtray quickly connected his phone to AUX before sawyer could.

"Dammit." She giggled.

"This song reminds me of you." Ashtray shyly let out as he typed a song into his phone with one hand.

Sawyer knitted her eyesbrows together intrigued.

He turned on 'You make it easy' by Jason Aldean.

Sawyer sat and listened carefully. She couldn't help but smile at the lyrics.

Ashtray drove with one hand and held Sawyers with his other.

The two sat in a very comfortable silence listening to the song.

Sawyer felt her eyes start to water as the song continued. She was more than happy to be with Ashtray. Everything about him excited her. He wasn't boring and he always showed that he cared.

"You okay?" He turned it down a little.

"Yes. I just can't process that this i-is real. I've never experienced real... love." Sawyer slowly let out.

Ashtray smiled over at her, "Well now you have. I know I've made mistakes and so have you but that's why we're good together. We forgive each other and grow together past all the bullshit."

"I don't wanna sound corny but I do love you Ash." She squeezed his hand a little as he pulled up to her house and parked the car.

"I love you too Lee." He kissed her forehead.

Sawyer grabbed her phone and got out of the car.

She opened the front door.

"Sawyer?" Leslie called out.

"Yes." Sawyer walked further into the house. She slowed down as she noticed a man leaning against the wall. Rue was seated at the table with her legs rested on it.

"Who's this?" Sawyer asked, looking at her mother.

"I'm sponsoring the little trouble maker." The man joked, gesturing toward Rue. She looked at Sawyer giving a fake smile with her mouth closed.

"She's doing better?" Sawyer softly asked. The silence and hesitation before anyone answered said it all.

"Yes baby." Leslie let out a controlled smile. Sawyer could easily tell when her mother was lying to protect her feelings and this was one of those moments.

Sawyer took a deep breath, she looked back at Rue one last time before speed walking to her bedroom and swiftly closing the door behind her.

AN
~ I have so many plot twist ideas for this story that I cannot wait to incorporate... you guys will hate & love me! Stay turned... ;)

all votes / comments are appreciated so don't be shy to speak ur opinions & ask questions!

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「unkownm122