Daniel

Nicholas

I bit into a piece of toast and and tugged at the leather bracelet on my wrist, staring off into space. Suddenly the alarm clock on my phone went off making me jump and then curse as I almost spilled cranberry juice all over myself. The alarm clock was set for times like that, when I would get lost in my thoughts. I had to go pick up Nicholas.

I stuffed the last bit of toast in my mouth and let Teddy and Zombie, our tibetan mastiff and rottweiler, out one more time before I left. They gave me puppy dog eyes as I left, making me feel guilty for leaving as I did every morning. "I'll be back guys, be good okay. Zombie no chewing on the carpet and Teddy," I patted the mastiff on the head after scratching Zombie,"watch your sister."

I smiled at them and stepped out into the chilly morning air. It was 7:45 and 67 degrees. Actually it was pretty warm, t-shirt weather. But of course I wore one of my numerous black jackets to hide my scars.

I opened the door of my old chevy, giving it a practiced yank. You had to apply the extra force, jerking to the right or the door wouldn't open. I climbed in, swallowing the rest of my toast and buckled up. I started the car and proceeded to drive to Nicholas' house. He was waiting outside with his nose buried in his notebook. He was forever drawing.

I pulled up alongside him and he stuffed his notebook into his bag and jumped in. Nicholas wqs a very different character indeed, with his bright enthusiasm, blonde hair and blue eyes, his role as a part of the track team and brilliant attitude. Everyone liked him. He was the only reason I wasn't bullied every day of my life. He knew me better than I knew myself. He was exactly what a best friend should be, and I liked to tell myself I was good to him too.

"watched a great new movie, man" he said, buckling.

"oh yeah?" I pulled out of the driveway, looking at him out of the corner of my eye. Nicholas watched a great new movie every night.

"This one is different. It's called Beyond and I really think you would like it. A guy in it reminds me of you.

"Oh great, does he die in the end?" I shook my head as he said,

"well he gets shot but-"

I interuptted, "I'll check it out tonight."

He nodded and sighed, picking off dog hair from the seat, the dashboard and now clinging to his clothes. I grinned, you could never get away from it. I had long stopped caring how it showed up on my faded black clothes.

"Did you do the Algebra and English homework?" he asked

"Of course," I said, turning hard at a particularly sharp corner.

"Did you undxerstand the algebra?" His voice was innocent.

I shook my head and admitted ",no." He gave a sigh of relief and pulled a thermos of coffee from his bag and began sipping at it.

Soon we were pulling into the school and I grabbed my bag from the backseat, swinging my long legs outside onto the wet pavement. I yawned widely and stretched my arms, prepared for another day of my junior in high school, unaware of the events that would happen today. Events that would lead to many changes in my life and those around me.