Darkson High

3.19

As the group settled in Jake's living room, the exhaustion from the night's chaos began to weigh on them. Nikky leaned back into the couch, stretching her legs out in front of her. "Ugh, all my stuff is at Kendra's," she groaned. "I wasn't planning on staying over."

Oliver nodded, slumped in a chair nearby. "Same here. I've got nothing but what I'm wearing."

Kendra, still in the dress she'd worn to the party, sighed. "Yeah, I didn't exactly plan for an overnight either. And I'm definitely not sleeping in this."

Jake, sprawled out on the floor with a blanket, looked over at them. "I've still got some of Nikky's clothes from the last time she crashed here," he offered.

Nikky's face lit up with a mischievous grin. "Oh, great, because Kendra and I are totally the same size," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "She's got curves, and I've got the body of a schoolboy—so helpful, Jake."

Jake frowned, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you mean by that? Having a body like a schoolboy?" He asked, clearly a little lost.

Nikky rolled her eyes, tired and not in the mood to explain. "Nothing, forget it," she muttered. Her brain felt like it was zoning out from exhaustion.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help," Jake said, his tone softening. He watched Nikky closely, noticing the weariness in her eyes. "But yeah, I've got some sweats and a couple of old shirts. Might be a bit big on you, Kendra."

Kendra laughed, her smile genuine but tinged with tiredness. "As long as it's something, I'm fine. Better than this dress, anyway." She was feeling the weight of the night, too, the tension of the truth or dare game still lingering in her mind.

Jake got up, heading toward his room. "Alright, I'll grab whatever I can find. And, Nikky, I swear, if you make fun of my wardrobe choices again—"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, 'Mr. Fashion Icon,'" Nikky shot back, chuckling as Jake disappeared into the hallway.

The room relaxed into a comfortable silence for a moment, the kind that only exists among close friends. As Jake rummaged around, Nikky's expression softened. She leaned over toward Oliver, giving him a nudge. "I'm gonna go have a quick word with Jake. You two good?"

Oliver nodded, half-asleep. "Yeah, we're fine. Just don't be too loud. I need my beauty sleep."

Nikky rolled her eyes but smiled and made her way toward Jake's room. She found him tossing clothes into a pile, his back turned. "Hey, you okay?" she asked, her tone more sincere.

Jake glanced over his shoulder and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... you know, tonight was kind of a lot."

Nikky nodded, sitting on the edge of his bed. She glanced around at the mess he was making, her expression softening. "Yeah, I get it. But, thanks for not blowing up too much back there. I know how you get."

Jake chuckled, his blue eyes glinting with humor. "I don't know what you mean. I'm always a perfect gentleman."

Nikky laughed, lightly shoving his arm. "Right. Just... don't think I've gone soft on you. I'm still mad about you not answering your phone. And the fight, too. You didn't have to go all out like that."

Jake raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll be better next time. Promise. But you know Tom started it, right? I just finished it."

Nikky sighed, used to his antics but still annoyed. "Yeah, yeah. Just try to avoid these kinds of scenes. It's tiring." Despite her frustration, there was an unspoken understanding between them—this was just Jake, and she was used to it. It was part of their dynamic, the way they navigated the messiness of teenage life.

After they finished their little heart-to-heart, the two returned to the living room. Nikky noticed Kendra watching the boys, who were still half-awake, chatting quietly amongst themselves. She sensed that Kendra had been lost in her thoughts, the events of the party replaying in her mind.

"Wanna step outside for a bit?" Nikky whispered to Kendra. Kendra nodded, and they slipped out onto Jake's back porch, the night air cool and refreshing.

They leaned against the railing, the distant hum of late-night traffic filling the silence. Kendra was still trying to process everything, feeling raw and exposed after the truth or dare game. She glanced sideways at Nikky, searching for the right words. "So, about Mike..." Kendra began, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. She hadn't caught everything that happened between Nikky and Mike, but she'd sensed something.

Nikky smirked, her eyes narrowing playfully. "What about him?"

Kendra hesitated, fiddling with her sleeves. She felt a mix of curiosity and unease. "I don't know, it seemed like you two were getting pretty close tonight."

Nikky shrugged, though her expression softened. She was guarded but willing to share a little. "Yeah, I guess we were. I mean, he's nice and all. But it's nothing serious. Not yet, at least." She didn't want to dig too deep into it—things with Mike were confusing enough without overanalyzing them.

Kendra nodded, unsure how to feel. She decided to change the subject, her brow furrowing slightly. "I saw Maggie looking all worked up earlier... Is there something I don't know about? Like, why is everyone so tense?"

Nikky's face darkened a bit, her playful demeanor fading. She realized Kendra hadn't been there for the earlier drama. "Yeah, about that... I wasn't gonna say anything, but since we're on the subject... I saw Kyle and Maria hooking up at the party. Full-on, in a room."

Kendra's eyes widened in shock. "What? Are you serious? Maggie's gonna lose it..."

Nikky sighed, her expression a mix of frustration and concern. "Yeah, I know. It's a mess. But hey, that's not our drama to deal with. Just thought you should know."

Kendra took a deep breath, processing the news. It felt like the night kept throwing curveballs, one after another. "Thanks for telling me," she said softly. She appreciated Nikky's honesty, even when it was hard to hear.

They stood there for a moment, letting the weight of the night settle over them. Then, Nikky nudged Kendra with her elbow, her familiar smirk returning. "Enough about them. Let's get back inside before Jake thinks we've stolen his precious clothes or something."

Kendra laughed, nodding. "Yeah, let's go. God knows what kind of chaos they've gotten up to without us."

They headed back inside, ready to face whatever was left of the night, and more than prepared to deal with whatever would come next.