Outer Masks - Chapter 17: The Aftermath

Two Days Later  

Rory had finally grown the courage to come back to Peach’s townhouse but could not bring herself to ring the doorbell. 

So here she stood for the last ten minutes, trying and failing to lift her arm and press it, afraid of what Peach would say to her once she answered the door. 

That’s if she even answers the door. Fuck, why do I kind of want her to pretend that she isn’t home again? Rory thought, still staring at the door. 

“What are you doing here?” Rory froze when she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her, especially as she could hear the barely constrained anger tinged within it. 

When Rory turned around, she saw Barry Salinger standing at the bottom of the stoop, an annoyed expression on his face as he stared at Rory. 

“I’m here to see-” 

“Don’t you think that you have caused enough problems for my little girl?” Barry asked, not letting Rory respond to his first question. “Everyone is already talking about... about it. She doesn’t need more eyes on this mistake by having you creep around here.” 

Rory flinched, a quiet fury building within her, “Look, I understand that you’re a man with certain beliefs, but I’m sure Peach is experiencing the worst moments of her life right now and doesn’t need you making her feel like a disappointment.” 

Barry bristled, “You dare-” 

“I do.” Rory said giving him a flippant shrug, “You can't even say that Peach and I were caught kissing and now a picture of it is circulating online. Instead, calling it a mistake, is that what you’re going to tell Peach if she lets you inside?” 

“My daughter isn’t a man repelling dyke! I don’t know how you’ve corrupted her into thinking she is, but that ends today.” Barry said, his eyes burning. 

Rory glared at him, but did not raise her voice, not wanting to sink to his level while fighting the urge to punch the man in the face. “I’m starting to see why Peach is so fucking terrified of being open with who she is. Must have been hard growing up and having such a shadow of ignorance like yourself hanging over her.” 

Barry’s face turned as red as a tomato, his body shaking with rage, but before he could give any type of retort, the front door opened. 

But the woman who opened it was not the one either of them wanted to see. Beck had an awkward smile on her face as she looked between Rory and Barry. 

“Hi...” Beck said, scuffing her foot against the ground. 

“Are you having relations with my daughter as well?” Barry asked, a sneer gracing his lips. 

Beck’s eyes widened, “W-what?! N-no, of course not, we’re just friends!” 

“Where is Peach?” 

“She’s upstairs in her room, but-” 

Beck was no longer able to hold Barry’s attention once she had given him Peach’s location, and he pushed past Beck, entering the house and not sparing the women behind him another glance. 

“He’s scarier then I thought he’d be.” Beck muttered. 

“You haven’t met him before now?” Rory asked. 

“He’s always busy whenever Peach’s takes me her family home. And well, I don’t think he would even want to meet his daughter’s poor friend.” Beck admitted. 

No, he’s definitely not the type to rub elbows with people outside his tax bracket. Rory thought, “Is Peach doing okay?” 

Beck grimaced, causing Rory’s heart to sink, “Annika, Lynn, and I have been trying to show her that this isn’t the end of the world, but it isn’t working. Well, she started to perk up a bit when Lynn showed her that a lot of people have been reacting positively and sending kind messages, but a few hateful ones knocked that right out of her.” 

Rory frowned, fearing that this would be the case, “And her dad is only going to make things worse by reinforcing all that shit.” 

This only served to worry Rory further and made her scared about what Peach would say to her after this. 

“It might not be that bad.” Beck said, causing Rory to scoff. 

It will be.  

Rory wanted to go inside, to be there for Peach when her father inevitably said something rude, hurtful, and homophobic, but did not want Peach to lash out at her, seeing it as her invading her personal space and private moment with Barry. 

“Can you just tell Peach that I was here, and that I need to talk to her?” Rory said tiredly. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to-” 

“Yeah, I’m sure. Just keep looking out for her.” Rory said before walking down the front steps and heading for her car. 

Rory could feel Beck’s eyes on her, but she did not turn around, seeing the pity in Beck’s gaze angered her more than she cared to admit. 

While she was still pissed off over Beck cheating on her brother, Rory knew that she did not deserve to have Rory explode on her because of Peach being outed. 

Should I come back in a few hours? Would she even want to see me? I can only imagine what bullshit Barry is saying right now to make her keep her distance even more than she already is. This fucking sucks.  

As Rory drove off, she thought about everything that had led up to this point and she hated how lost and unsure she felt.

~X~

Peach sat on her bed, her blanket wrapped around her body, leaving only her face visible. 

Nothing made sense to Peach, and all she could feel was the dread and shame that had begun to build within her. 

When she heard the bedroom door open, she had been expecting to see Beck again when she tried her head, and she was filled with fear when she instead met the gaze of her father. 

“Peach.” Barry said, standing at the foot of his daughter’s bed, staring at her. 

Peach could not speak, too lost in her own fear and trepidation. 

Barry exhaled sharply through his nose, “I know about you and Walter’s daughter, I’ve seen the photo.” 

Peach's eyes widened, “Daddy, I-” 

“I didn’t raise you to act in such a disgraceful way, and now you’re running around acting like some kind of lesbian?” Barry said, spitting the last word out like a slur. 

Peach flinched, “I’m not....” 

She did not know what to say, her heart feeling as if it wanted to beat its way out of her chest, her stomach churning violently. 

“And not only that, but you allowed yourself to be caught, do you have any idea what this will do to our family’s image? My daughter, a fucking dyke! I didn’t raise you to be this!” 

Peach dropped her head in shame, her father’s words cutting into her like a hot blade through her flesh, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. 

Barry’s rant then moved on from Peach, “And you let Walter’s daughter corrupt you like this? Walter and Amber should have never adopted that little monster, should have gotten a real girl instead. But I looked the other way because I thought they would at least raise her right, not letting her go around forcing herself on people.” 

Peach did not know what Barry meant when he called Rory ‘not a real girl’ but she would not stand for him demeaning Rory, not about the woman who was far nicer than Peach deserved. “Rory didn't corrupt me, dad. And she didn’t force herself on me, she would never do that.” 

“You just said you weren’t-” 

“I’m not, I’m not gay.” Peach said, “I... It was a mistake, one that won’t make again.” 

Barry stared at his daughter, still frowning, “I don’t want you associating with Rory Hayden again, Peach.” 

 Peach scowled at her father, turning away from him angrily as she now stared at the adjacent wall. 

“Peach, I’m serious, I do not want you-” 

“I heard you.” Peach whispered. 

Barry exhaled through his nose sharply, “I don’t want to see any more mistakes from you, Peach. This is already a clusterfuck, don’t make it worse with this deviancy.” 

Peach finally felt like she could breathe when Barry left the room and slammed the door shut behind him. She finally allowed the tears that had been building behind her eyes to fall, a shuddering gasp leaving her throat. 

“Hey.” Beck said after slowly opening the door and poking her head through the crack, “I’m sorry about not stopping your dad, I just did know-” 

“You heard all of that?” Peach said, keeping her head facing the wall so as to not let her friend see her crying. 

Beck glanced at the floor, “It was kind of hard not to, your dad was pretty loud.” 

Peach sighed, “Can you just.... Beck, I want to be alone.” 

“Are you sure? I don’t think-” 

Peach closed her eyes, “Beck, please.” 

“Okay, I’ll go.” Beck said, “But call me if you need anything.” 

Peach sighed again when Beck finally but reluctantly walked away, hearing the sound of her front door closing. There was nothing that could draw her gaze away from the wall now, nothing to distract her from her thoughts. 

He... he hates me now. Peach thought as she replayed her interaction with Barry, thinking about his words and how he looked at her. 

She had always known that her father would not accept her sexuality but hearing him say so was worse than she could have imagined. Peach herself did not accept it, so why should she expect any difference from him? 

She did not know what to do as her thoughts strayed away from her father and onto Rory, a groan living her lips as she thought about woman and how she was handling everything. 

Peach had known that Rory had come to see her this morning and that she had run into her father, having heard the two arguing from outside the house along with Beck. 

The idea of speaking to Rory now terrified her because Peach did not know how she would react if she saw Rory. 

A part of her regretted ever meeting the other woman, knowing that her life would have been easier if she did not have all these feelings Rory had inspired swirling around her mind, while the other wanted Rory to be here and listen to how the other woman would try to comfort and reassure her. 

Eventually, Peach closed her eyes and laid down on her bed, falling into a restless sleep, still thinking about Rory Hayden.

~X~

A Week Later  

“Well, this is fucking awkward.” Max said as he, Rory and everyone else in the bookstore fell silent and watched Joe sadly blow out the candles of the homemade birthday cake that Ethan was holding. 

They had all just watched Beck angrily storm out of the Mooney’s after entering the store only a couple of minutes prior. 

Rory elbowed her friend’s left side, “Max, shut up.” 

“What? It’s the truth! I mean we’ve been waiting for almost an hour for the birthday girl to show up and when she finally does, she leaves five minutes later? What was the point of getting all dressed up then? A waste of time.” Max said, placing his hands on his hips. 

Rory rolled her eyes and just when she was going to retort, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Without looking at the name on the screen, she answered the call, “Hello?” 

“Rory.” Peach said breathlessly through the phone. 

Rory’s eyes widened, “Peach. Hey... What’s up?” 

Peach took a moment to respond, “It’s been a while since I heard from you. Not since...” 

“I just wanted to give you space. Unless you want me to take it back, then I totally will.” Rory hurriedly said, since when she realized what just came out of her mouth. 

Peach let out a snort, “And just how does one take back space?” 

Rory blinked, “Uh... There’s a first time for everything?” 

Peach laughed and just as quickly as it started, it ended, and Peach was now speaking in a quieter tone. “I know that I don’t deserve... Can, can you come over? So, we can talk... about everything.” 

“Yeah, of course I can. But only if you're sure that you want to.” 

“I’m sure.” 

“I’ll leave now then.” 

When Rory hung up, she immediately turned to Max, “I’ve got to go.” 

“Seriously? You’re just going to leave me here in the aftermath of your brother’s relationship slowly dying?” Max asked incredulously. 

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.” Rory rolled her eyes, “Besides, do you want to come with me as I go to Peach’s so we can talk?” 

“I’ll just go ask my boy Ethan for a piece of cake; it doesn’t look like anyone else is going to eat it.” Max said without hesitation. 

As she watched Max lift the bottom of his dress so he could walk, Rory caught sight of Joe now back inside the store’s office room. 

She could see how upset he was through the window and while a part of her wanted to go inside and try to comfort him, she had been doing just that for these last few weeks and was honestly tired of listening to Joe’s woes about his relationship with Beck. 

I’ll check in on him later, I doubt anything else will happen in the next few hours or so. Rory thought, taking one last look at her brother before leaving Mooney’s. 

~X~

An Hour Later  

When Peach opened the door for Rory, she was not expecting to see the other woman dressed as a ninetieth century aristocratic British man. 

“What are you wearing?” Peach asked, unable to take her eyes off Rory and her clothes as she let her inside. 

Rory blinked, glancing down at her body before looking back at Peach with a small smile, “Oh, I’m Mr. Darcy.” 

“Why are you dressed as Mr. Darcy?” Peach asked, finally seeing why Rory’s costume looked so familiar. 

“Joe decided to throw a surprise party for Beck. It was literary themed, so everyone was dressed as different characters and authors of Beck’s favorite books.” 

Peach had honestly forgotten about Beck’s birthday, a first for her, but she was sure that Beck would understand why. “Well, Beck’s little nerd heart must have been ecstatic with that.” 

Rory huffed, “I doubt it, her and Joe got into another fight, so she didn’t stay for long.” 

“And what did Joseph do to inspire such a reaction?” 

“Do you actually care about my brother’s fuck up, or are you just deflecting?” Rory asked in turn. 

Peach sighed, crossing her arms and walking towards her living room, Rory followed her, sitting down next to Peach on the couch. 

Rory tapped her fingers against the side of her leg, “What, what did you want to-” 

“Did you really stay away because you wanted to give me space?” Peach asked before Rory could finish asking her own question. “Or did my dad say something? Or did you realize that I...” 

That I’m not the kind of person you want to or should like? Peach thought but was unable to say it out loud. 

Rory frowned, “I did, your dad didn’t have much to do with that choice, besides making me realize that anything I said after him wouldn’t be taken well.” 

Peach looked away, “What do you mean?” 

“I know your dad probably said things about how disappointed he was and to stay away from me. Would you have wanted to talk about the kiss after that?” 

“No, I wouldn’t have.” 

Rory leaned back on the couch; she wanted to ask so many things, but she did not want to overwhelm the other woman, so she patiently waited. 

“I’m sorry that I ran away at the party.” Peach muttered, “I wasn’t ready for what it meant, for how people would look at me, or how I would look at me.” 

“I get it.” Rory said, “But are you ready now?” 

Peach froze, “I...” 

Rory closed her eyes, “Peach, I’m not trying to or wanting to force anything on you, but you know that I have feelings for you, and that hasn’t changed.” 

Peach bit her lower lip, her gaze shifting to the floor as if it could offer some kind of answer to the whirlwind of emotions that she was now feeling. She had known this was how Rory felt, the other woman had already confessed to her, but Peach was still taken aback. 

“I know you do.” Peach said quietly, “But... I don’t know if I’m ready to act on it. Or even if I should. You’re... you're Rory, and I’m… I don't know what I am when it comes to this.” 

Rory smiled softly, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “You’re Peach. That’s all I need to know, and however you... view yourself or how the world views you, doesn’t change that.”  

Peach felt a knot tighten in her stomach, it was not just about Rory, not entirely, it was about everything else; her father, the knowledge that she was being judged by the world, and of making choices that would permanently carve paths she was not sure she was ready to walk down. 

“But it’s not just about what you need to know, right?" Peach continued, her voice a little steadier now, though still fragile. “I mean, it’s not just about us, is it? There’s a bigger picture, Rory.” 

Rory’s eyes softened as she looked at Peach, and she shifted on the couch, turning toward her fully. “I get it, believe me, I do. But you know, I don’t think there’s any picture that’s perfect, especially not when it comes to feelings. They’re messy and they don’t wait until we feel ready.” 

Feelings don’t wait until we feel ready. God, how many times had she tried to convince herself she could control them? How many times had she pushed her own emotions aside, hoping they would just disappear? 

“What if I’m never ready?” Peach asked, refusing to look Rory in the eye. 

A silence settled between them, thick but not uncomfortable as Rory did not immediately respond. To be honest, Rory did not know what to do, seeing where this conversation was going. 

Peach was her friend, and Rory knew how complicated it could be to come to terms with one’s identity, and she knew that Peach would have it much harder than she ever did because of the rejection, internalized shame and guilt, and discrimination she was already feeling. 

Am I willing to put myself through that? It was hard enough being Peach’s friend when I thought that she didn’t feel the same way, but now? It’s possible that Peach may never feel comfortable accepting herself, do I really want to spend years or more just waiting on the sidelines, hoping she changes her mind and gives me a chance? Rory thought, immediately feeling like a heartless and selfish person for thinking that. 

“I don’t know what I want, Rory. I really don’t.” Peach admitted, her gaze shifting back to the other woman’s face as she broke the silence between them. “But I also can’t keep pretending like I don’t feel something, even if I’m scared of it.” 

“You don’t have to have any of this figured out, lord knows I don’t but I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to.” Rory paused, looking for some sign on Peach’s face, “You don’t have to decide anything right now. Just... let me be here for you. For now.” 

Peach swallowed hard, feeling her heart race, her mind pulling in every direction at once, the weight of the decision was heavy, but Rory’s words had a way of cutting through the noise in her head. She nodded slowly, more to herself than anything, “Okay. Okay, but I’m not making any promises.” 

Rory smiled, her eyes lighting up with hope and just a bit of relief. “You don’t have to.” 

And for the first time in a long while, Peach felt like she could properly breathe and that it was alright not to have everything figured out. That maybe she could just take a step forward, even if it was shaky, and even if it was not perfect.

~X~

I want to be wrong. Joe thought as he stood across the street in his signature baseball cap and jacket, watching as Beck reapplied her lipstick in a store window. I never wanted to be wrong so badly in my life.  

Joe continued to follow Beck as she walked through the city, knowing from the texts he had seen that she was going to be meeting up with Dr. Nicky. 

I’m begging, Beck, prove me wrong. Joe took out his own phone and texted his girlfriend, asking her what she was doing. He watched as she received and read the text only to look around guilty for a second before ignoring the message and continuing on her way. 

I trusted you; I gave you my heart, and what did you do? Is there even a punishment that fits a crime of lying or manipulating like this? Of breaking someone’s heart? I guess I’m bad at picking good people, but I’m good at catching bad people red handed.  

Joe stopped walking as he reached the park, realizing that Beck was no longer in his line of sight and looking around questioningly. And when he turned around, he saw her standing before him, a look of anger and disbelief strewn across her face. 

“Are you following me?” Beck asked incredulously, “Answer me right now, were you following me?” 

Joe took off his hat, “No-no, I... I was in the neighborhood and then I-I saw you.” 

Beck scoffed and rolled her eyes, “God, stop lying. Just, just tell me why, why, Joe?” 

Joe frowned, “Because you’re being late, the secret texts, you’re acting different, Beck.” 

“You’re being crazy.” Beck spat. 

Joe was undeterred, “Are you sleeping with him?” 

“Who?” 

Joe looked at her knowingly, his head tilted to the side, “Your therapist.” 

“Oh my God.” Beck groaned. 

“Well, are you? I need to know, I want to know.” 

“No! I am not sleeping with him!” 

“Then who’s the fox?” 

“What?” Beck asked, still maintaining her innocence. 

“The fox.” Joe repeated as his voice raised, “The fox, Beck!” 

“My friend, Emma Fox, from Brown.” Beck answered as Joe rolled his eyes, “But I guess that wasn't readily available from the texts on my phone, huh?” 

Joe’s jaw clenched, he tried to step forward and reach for Beck’s hands, but she pulled away. “I told you, if we don’t have trust, then we have nothing.” 

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” Joe said pleadingly. 

“Me too.” a sad smile appeared on Beck’s face for a moment, “You and I, we’re over.” 

And Joe could only watch as Beck walked past him, not once looking back as she resolved to get as far away from him as possible. It felt as if Beck had taken a knife and stabbed him in the heart, not even Candace had made him feel this way. 

You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over. You and I, we’re over.  

Joe wanted to chase after Beck, to beg for her forgiveness and to take him back, but he was unable to move, his body frozen in place. 

Nothing makes sense anymore. How, how could you just leave me, Beck? How could you do this? And for what? For your therapist? Because I told you that I loved you and decided to pull away because you couldn’t say it back?  

Joe was already wishing that he never told Beck that he loved her, wondering if everything would not have gone wrong if he had just held those words back.