My Mentor ♤

Jacinta

6 months.

It's been 6 months here.

Visitors are allowed to visit you after 6 months into the program.

But my parents aren't coming.

Even if we were closer to home, they wouldn't bother. They are too busy managing Leon's sports and academics.

But Nichols' mom is coming to visit, so I am on cleaning mode. Cleaning every corner of our room, from top to bottom. Nick is at his desk, playing something with his friends.

"Nick come on! I need you to help me clean up."

"Why should I? It's just my mom, you know her, I know her, we don't need to clean like the president is coming over."

I groan and continue sweeping around our rug.

I prepare a light charcuterie board, with nice cheeses, fruit, and crackers. Being a student, especially unemployed, it was hard to find the money to get the perfect cheeses, but what we have is going to have to do.

It's time for her to come over.
I put on a nice cropped button up and light blue jeans. Nichols and I wait at the door.

"Hello Miss Rivera! Welcome in, it's nice to see you again." I hug her.

"Hello Jacinta, it's nice to see you again too!" She hugs me back.

"Hey mom, I can take your jacket and purse." Nichols puts his hands out to take her coat, but she waves him off.

"No need, I am capable of doing it myself." She hangs up her stuff, takes of her boots and walked over to sit on the couch.

I bring the charcuterie board and place it on the coffee table.

"Oh my goodness, you didn't have to make this!" She exclaimed.

"Oh no, it's wasn't a problem. Please, enjoy." I grab a cracker and walk back into the kitchen to clean up and make some coffee.

I could barely hear what Nick and his mom were talking about. It wasn't my business anyways.

I brought the coffee over and handed everyone a cup. I sit down and engaged in the small talk.

"So Jacinta, how's your family back home?" Nick's mom asks, taking a sip of coffee.

Honestly I haven't talked to them in a while. I didn't care, I didn't want to hear all the great things Leon did with me gone. I didn't want to hear that Mom wasn't proud of me and that everyone didn't need me. It doesn't feel good to hear your not needed, or that things are better without you.

"They doing well. How are you? Have you been in good health?" I smile a bit and run my finger around the lip of my coffee mug.

"Oh of course. I recently stared getting into going to the gym. I love it, the amount of hot bulky men is very nice. It's hard to not feel a certain way while doing planks, seeing all the men in the back working out, grunting. Its..."

I see Nichols' eyes widen while he sip the coffee.

"Okay mom, thank you. I don't think I told you about my new job, I'm working at..."

I zone out. I should really make my feelings to Nichols and Oliver clear. I don't want them to be confused. I have to say something.

Nick stops talking and we are all in silence.

"Miss Rivera, has Nick ever had a girlfriend?" I say looking down into my cup.

I hear Nick turn and look at me.

"Oh yes, about 2 that I can remember. He was very bad at choosing partners, they weren't very nice girls. Both smoked, did drugs, abused him." She starts to tear up. "He reported them to the police, but they said it was 'discipline' and that he must of deserved it. He just continued to stay with them as they cheated and beat him up. He has permanent scars from their attacks. He shouldn't have gone through it, he was too nice of a kid to deserve it."

She's crying. Nick's head was down, staring at the floor. I pass Miss Rivera a tissue.

Once the emotions died down, I took a deep breath.

"What if I dated Nichols? Would you allow it?"

They both look at me with teary eyes, slightly started by the abrupt question.

"What?" Nick slightly whispers.

"Yes, I would, you seem genuine. I feel you would be able to care for him with the level of respect he deserves. I always thought you guys would be good together, ever since the tutoring lessons years back." She chuckles.

"So, Nick, do you want to date?"

(A/N: If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, please let someone know. It's very common for abuse by women to men to get ignored. That's what I put it in the story, to bring awareness that not only men are creepy. Women can be creeps too. Trust no one.)