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Chapter 9

Nicky was always curious; he couldn't help it! He always had the want and need to find out the truth. That's why he couldn't sit still when Aaron vanished. He didn't want to wait for his best friend to be wheeled out on a stretcher with a white sheet draped over his body before attending his funeral a few weeks later with everyone giving him sympathetic looks. Mr Peterson on the run. Nicky didn't care how much trouble his curiosity got him into; he just needed to know Aaron was safe...that he was ok.

Nicky fought the thoughts of 'it's your fault' and 'you are a coward' for a very long time pushing anyone away. He was angry and disappointed that Aaron never followed them and that they were never free together. He was the only one who escaped, but he knew that freedom would come with consequences. He knew he would be plagued with guilt 'how could you do that? He felt so ashamed like some sort of freak...that's what Harry thought.

He would relentlessly taunt and get under Nicky's skin calling him a coward. Nicky could never hide from the insults. Like a scared animal, he was cornered, but even animals bite back when they are baited. And when he did bite he was the talk of the school for weeks. People would come up to him and try to make him act 'wild' again anything from throwing paper to screaming insults at him.

And then the incident happened. The incident that made him see what he truly was after all the grownups started to label him as 'violent' and that he had a 'short fuse'. He would stare into his eyes in the bathroom mirror and regret everything he had done. There was no curse on this town, he was the one who made terrible things happen. It wasn't Aaron it never was. He was the ONE! Why was he always ruining people's lives?

That's why that punch felt so satisfying.

The reason he kept punching was because of how it made him feel. He felt powerful, he felt...unbeatable. Punching and screaming was some sort of strange release like all the anger he had been holding up inside himself was finally allowed to escape. He remembered the stench of blood filling his nostrils. The sound of skin hitting skin. He would normally be sickened by this sort of violence but he felt satisfied seeing Harry bleed on the floor sniffling and crying like the baby he was. It was pathetic but it made him want to do it again and again.

The counsellor had talked to him about healthy ways of expressing his grief like keeping a diary or talking to other people about his pain. She had recommended a few youth groups that held free therapy seasons. In the end, all those seasons did was make him feel like he was a problem that needed to be fixed. He would angrily storm from the office with the councillor saying under his breath how it was "bullshit"

His life was shit, the world was shit...

He. Felt. Like. Shit.

The universe had decided that feeling guilty wasn't good enough! It decided that in order to completely break him it would make him and his best friend fall out! He remembers the hateful words both parties hurled at each other while Trinity and Martiza stayed neutral and supported them both. "You are so selfish," he remembered Enzo shouting at him with hatred. Nicky had looked him in the eyes, tears threatening to spill over his cheeks. "I..." the words got stuck in his throat Enzo just looked at him.

Nicky wasn't able to understand Enzo's anger at the time. Something in him just changed. Even though he still played basketball for the school, something (or someone) seemed to have changed him. He was less tolerable and would snap at people more often. He would roll his eyes whenever Nicky brought Aaron into the discussion like he had no regard for the subject. Nicky didn't know if it was jealousy or hate for him like he only stuck around to get close to Trinity but he really didn't know.

'I wonder how Trinity is doing?' He asked himself. He remembered how she would help keep them all level headed and tried to calm Nicky down. She didn't give a damn about anything but keeping her friends safe. She was so sweet with her braided hair and purple skirts. She knew his pain after all she lost Lucy and always tried to defend him pushing Enzo's shitty actions back on him.

Maritza looked so different...in a positive way! She had ditched the blue hair letting it grow out to her normal shade of brown. She was wearing a couple beads in her hair. "Did you hear about the murder?" He asked, trying to make small talk. He remembered when he had a crush on her but those feelings quickly fizzled out when she married Thomas. Maritza looked up nervously "oh yeah I did..." she was quite Nicky sighed "you remember Sam right?..." Maritza nodded "yes he worked for Thomas he was a security guard" Nicky nodded. "I was planning to try and see how he was doing, but-" Maritza cut him off.

"Let's go see him then."

Nicky's jaw dropped. He had to put his cup down quickly before he dropped it "w...what?" Maritza looked at him with seemingly emotion "Lets go visit Raven Brooks" Nicky felt his chest tighten. "You know how I feel about the place, Mari," he snapped. He really didn't want to leave, but the look Maritza was giving him made him weak. "Please?" She asked, drawing out the word like a toddler asking for a toy. "I heard Trinity works near there, a visit wouldn't hurt!" Nicky rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He wasn't on board with the idea but...seeing Trinity again would be pleasant if he did miss her.

"Ugh," he moaned. Maritza gave him the puppy eyes "fine..." he admitted defeat and gave in "We can visit but that is it!" Maritza nodded enthusiastically, standing up and grabbing her purse and walking over to the door. Nicky followed and grabbed his denim jacket. It wasn't very dark out, the sun was just setting and anyway something about driving at night was nice! Therefore, he reluctantly got his keys and followed Maritza through the hallway and into the elevator where he saw his car on the roadside.

The city always seemed to come alive at night with lights and people dancing all over, cars driving up and down the road. These were people coming from work or preparing to take on the night shift. He unlocked the car, opening the door for Maritza. She climbed in smiling Nicky sitting in the driver's seat next to her he plugged his keys into the ignition. His palms sweaty as he pulled his car from the curb and started down the road slowly.