Smiling through the pain

Chapter Sixteen

*Nike's POV*

"Hm?" 

My eyes roam over Mindy's face as I try to stop myself from panicking. My breathing turns into a mess as I try to form my next few words. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. This will not end badly. Will not. End. Badly. 

"It's a story" my voice quivers a little. "Okay" Mindy says and sits up on her elbows. I sit up too, trying to stall the conversation. Which I began. I'm a fucking genius. I watch Mindy picking on the fur of my stuffed cat as I think of a way to carry the conversation. My confidence starts to crumble as vague memories of LA dance through my head. 

The sun. The smell of the sea. Blue eyes. Music. Lights. Lips. Blood. Me; alone in a pool of my own darkness. 

"The story?" 

Mindy's voice brings me back to the present. "It's just that it's hard for me to spill this" I mumble, picking on the skin around my finger. Mindy's thin fingers wrap around mine. I look up and see her giving me her lopsided smile. "I'll listen. Even though I'm sleepy and my head feels fuzzy, I'll listen"

"It'll be hard when you want to tell someone the darkest parts of your life. I believe in you Nike. Healing involves talking about your scars with someone you trust" 

"How do I know that I can tell someone that?" I ask.

"You'll just know" my aunt says with a smile.

"I trust you" I say, looking into her eyes. Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise but she still nods, her curly hair bobbling with her head. I take a deep breath to swallow the last of my nerves. Here we go. 

The air smelt like the sea. The sky, a rich cobalt blue had wispy clouds floating high above a girl as she skateboarded past houses. The afternoon sun beat down on her already tanned skin but she didn't mind; as long as she had her music blaring through her headphones and her skateboard, she didn't need anyone else. 

She slowed down as she neared her house, a blue and white one with a porch that was flooded with plants. But what caught her eye was the huge moving truck parked across the street. A boy and a woman stood near the back, watching the movers unload. She ever so subtly glanced at them before climbing up the steps in time with the beat. 

She pulls her keys out to unlock the door when there was a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and found herself face to face with a boy. His dirty blonde waves sat in a messy pile on his head and curled on either side of his ears. He had the beginning of a strong jawline, a slightly upturned nose, a splash of freckles. And god those blue eyes. They were as blue as the sky. 

"Yeah?" she asks while pulling her headphones off.

"Which school do you go to?" he asks. "Um... El Segundo Middle School. Why? "

"Great. My mum wanted me to ask you if you could tutor me for the first few months since I moved from Australia" he requests, going a little red as he dug his hands into his pockets. I peek past his shoulder to see his mum smiling at us across the road. 

"Sure" she replies as she unlocks her door and steps in. She's about to close the door when the boy peeked in. 

"What's your name?" he asked, his blue eyes glowing. A small smile creeps up onto my face. 

"Nike"

"Wait. Hold up. Time out" Mindy interrupts while making a time out signal. "So you're telling me a story. About you?" she asks. "Yep" I answer, looking down at her astonished face. "Damn" she sighs as she lies down on her back and rubs her eyes.