Save You As I Save My Life (Jasico)

Chapter 4: I'd Love To.

Nico inhaled deeply, staring at the halls. Boys and girls were laughing and joking around, pushing each other and clutching backpacks tightly. NO one even glanced at Nico, and he bit his lip, glad for that. If anyone noticed him, they may try to talk to him, and....gods forbid that from happening. 

Nico, however, noticed a lot of people. Reyna, for example, and that boy who had been there with her, Frank. There was a short girl, a freshman it seemed, clutching Franks hand and blushing, though her dark skin covers it. 

"Great. First class....." He whispers to himself, and then inhales again, taking a step forward. 

Then he bolts for his class, zipping through crowds and crowds of people. 

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"Mr. di Angelo? Could you come here, please?"

Nico freezes in the doorway, gulping hard. He turns around and flinches, walking back inside. First day, and he's already in trouble? That had to be a new record.

"I notice you sat through class staring at your knees. Are you okay, sir?" The teacher sits on his desk, looking at Nico with mild concern. 

"It's...my first day here sir. I'm sorry, I was a little distracted. It won't happen again-"

"It's nice to know that, Nico. I...Didn't ask you that, however. I asked you if you were okay."

Nico looks up, and then nods. "Fine." He fakes a smile. The teacher sighs and shakes his head. 

"No, you aren't. I happen to have talked to your mother, about your situation."

"Which one?" Nico says, and then freezes, shocked at himself. "I-I-I am sorry sir, I meant no disrespect."

"It is okay Nico. Or.....should i say Nicole?"

Nico flinches into a desk, his knees hitting the back of it. 

"That....Isn't my name anymore. I'm no longer that girl I left in New York. I...I-I'm Nico di Angelo now, sir..."

Nico feels tears in his eyes, and he looks at his feet. "I'm Nico."

The tall teacher sighs. Then he nods, and smiles. 

"Nico, look at me. I didn't mean to pffend you or..or make you cry. I just wanted to ask....Would you like to speak out for us? At our yearly anti-bullying ceremony...?"

"NO!"

Nico blushes, and then claps a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell...But sir, I don't think that's a good idea. At all. Yes, I am transsexual, but I wish to keep that a secret here. I was tormented for it at my old school, and no matter how much you assure me there will be no bullying or teasing, there always is. Someone went as far as to spray paint 'fag' on the side of my house and my locker. I...if you don't mind...."

And with that Nico is crying again, remembering every little jibe, every prod at his sexuality, at his gender, at his life. 

"Mr. di Angelo, I believe you should go to the nurses office and sit for a while. I realize it is your first day. But....perhaps you need to clean up."

"No sir. I will be fine." Nico wipes his face on his sleeves. "I'm used to it, anyways." NIco casts a broken smile, and then turns away to collect his things again. 

"Mr. di Angelo?"

"Yeah?" He looks over his shoulder. His teacher is holding out a slip of paper. 

"The bell rang ten minutes ago."

Nico accepts the piece of paper and rushes out of his class, to his next one. 

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His day went smoothly until lunch. He couldn't see anyone he knew, but he did know it was mixed grades lunch. There were seniors and freshmen joking around with each other at tables. 

Nico glanced around, trying to spot a familiar mop of yellow hair or black hair. Instead, he gets pushed gently on the shoulder. He looked up, and saw the person he least expected. Frank, the boy who was at Reyna's house when he visited. 

"F-Frank, right?" Nico stutters, staring up at the senior in surprise The Asian looking boy nods, blushing slightly. 

"You...Haven't seen Hazel or...R-R-Reyna, right?"

Nico shakes his head, glancing around once more. Frank sighs and closes his eyes. 

"They must have left. Great." Frank sighs once more, glancing down at Nico and then at one of the empty tables. "Do you...want to sit with me?"

Someone behind them crashes over something else, and then a voice shouts "NICO!"

Frank and Nico look at each other, and then behind them at what happened. 

Jason is on the floor, groaning, with a chair flipped over behind him. Nico holds in laughter when Jason scrambles up and over to them. 

"Hi hi! Can I sit with you?" And then, without giving them time to answer, yanks them down to a table. Nico nearly throws his lunch everywhere in surprise. 

"Jason! Hey man." Frank grins and high fives the tall blonde. "Have you happened to see Reyna or Hazel?"

Jason shakes his head and casts a look in Franks direction-one Nico can't decipher-And then grins again, eyes widening. 

"SO NICO! How do you like your first day so far!" 

Nico shrugs, suddenly interested in the floor. He didn't want to tell Jason that teachers had asked about his transexuality in every class. Or, that it seemed, the students knew about it. They would whisper and point at him in the halls.

"We have the same next two classes, just letting you know." Jason murmurs, and Nico looks over at him. 

"Why would I want to know that?"

"Don't change the subject, answer the question."

"Good. I mean....well, yeah. Good."

Jason narrows his eyes, but Frank intervenes. 

"Perhaps, you should let Nico eat his lunch, Jason." Frank mutters, and Nico nods. Jason huffs and turns away. Nico chuckles and imitates him, stealing glances at the blonde. A couple times they catch each other looking, and both blush, turning way quickly. 

"OH my god, you are both so gay for each other." Frank huffs, glaring at them from across the table. 

Nico stares at Frank, not amused, and then turns to Jason. 

"Will you walk me to my next class? I don't know where it is."

Frank coughs into his fist, and mutters 'Just fuck already' and then stands to throw out his trash.

Jason smiles and nods. "I'd love to."