"Sometimes I don't even know why I talk to him!" Nicole hisses, "God, he makes me so angry."
"What did he do now?" I match my tone to her; irritated that Heath would upset Nicole during such a stressful time.
It isn't like me to interfere with a relationship that is bound to have a rocky bump every now and then but if Nicole ever comes to me with a problem, I am obligated to take her side no matter who is at fault. And I know she would do the same for me because let's face it, we only have each other and we're the only people who will understand each other.
"We got into an argument about his job."
"Nicole, you didn't-"
"Why do you always think I started it?" she tries to shield herself.
"Because I know you care about him." I recite her exact words from the night before.
Nicole is a very caring person. At times, too caring but it always stems down to an individual's wellbeing. It may ignite heavily traded fights but in the end Nicole always has to explain herself further more just so that there's no confusion or resentment.
"Admit it." I nod along.
"I just want him to be extra careful. I can't have him falling off another horse and into his deathbed."
"That's morbid." I arch an eyebrow, trying not to picture Heath unconscious and in a casket.
Nicole corrects me in an instant, "Morbid but the brutal truth."
"Giving me a bit of ma'at there?" I comment, bringing back memories of our beloved subject.
"Yes, anything that involves ma'at."
If it isn't enough of a welcome, Nicole switches the conversation and shines the interrogation light on me. Of course I'd like to update her on my job and on how Mom is driving me nuts but how do I come about Spencer? I can't just dive into it with 'Hey I slept with someone on the night of The Pigeon opening and it turns out that he's my student. And not only is it fucked up but now he has a silly innocent crush on me and I told him that I'd think about it.' Nothing in my head plays out as smoothly as I hoped it would be and I can't begin to imagine Nicole's look if she'd ever found out about my unfortunate sexy time.
"So how's Luca?"
"Do we have to talk about him?" Another topic that I don't wish to discuss.
"Yes we do."
"Luca and I haven't talked."
Surprise was the only expression smothered on her face, "Seriously?"
"Yeah, after I told him the reason why I called off the wedding he said that he'd still wait and then left. He's got it in his head that I'm secretly waiting for him to break up with Priscilla so that he and I can pick up where we left off."
"And did you two-" Nicole tries to find a more respectable word but fails "-do anything?"
"No, Nicole. We didn't. If we did, I'd tell you."
She sits back, twisting her ring from side to side waiting for the perfect amount of time for her morning tea to cool down before she envelopes that warm liquid into her chest. I would have thought that taking this job would allow me to gossip here and there but Priscilla is making it ten times harder than I'd like it to be. I'm still a newbie in this field but why the fuck does my mind think I have to obey and conform to Priscilla's way when I've done absolutely nothing to her?
"You seeing someone aren't you?" Nicole concludes, smiling from ear to ear.
"Excuse me?"
I panic while my insides pull and stretch against one another. It's half true but would coincidentally running into Spencer in the city classify as seeing? Or am I giving too much leeway to an eighteen year old? No matter how kind hearted I strive to be; I can't seem to make this stop, my incisive worrying.
YOU ARE READING
Richman High
RomansA year ago she 'practically' left her husband-to-be at the altar, Kenna Douglas finds herself back at her Mom's house and in desperate need of a job. Though luck was on her side as she lands a perfect job at a private school where she runs into her...
