The Secret She Kept

Secret No More

We went down to my kitchen, and I asked Nick to grab me some instant pancake mix. As he turned to the pantry door, without a shirt, might I add. I admired his gorgeous body, his back and shoulders are broad and muscular, and his skin was lightly tanned. He handed me the bag of pancake mix, and I pulled a bowl out of one of the kitchen cabinets, "You know how to bake/cook?" He asked with his eyebrows raised. "Just simple things, like these, eggs, and grilled cheese," I say mixing a cup of water with the pancake powder. "Can you put chocolate chips in them then?" He asks with his adorable puppy face on, pleading with me. "Definetely, I'll make sure to put extra in yours, you need to gain a little weight anyways," I smirk poking him in the stomach playfully. He laughs and pokes me in the stomach too. After making four pancakes, each with extra chocolate chips, I put two pancakes on paper plates. I handed Nick the syrup along with his plate and a fork, and sat down next to him. "Mm mm! They're so good!" he says after drowning his pancakes in syrup and taking a bite. "Thanks, but I only mixed the powder, chocolate chips, and water together," I say shoving a forkful of pancake into my mouth. He was about to respond when my mom walked into the kitchen, "Morning Willow, Nick," she yawns nodding at Nick and smiling at me. Her face lights up when she sees I have the pancake mix out, "Could you make me some?" She asks sitting at the table with us. "Sure mom, Nick? Why don't you go on up and take a shower, I'll be up in a few," I ask nudging him so he would get up. "Ok, don't be to long," he says trudging up the stairs. When I hear my door close I get up to make my mom's pancakes. "So, umm, I told Nick about my...issue," I tell my mom trailing off. "What?! Why?!" She whisper-yells at me. "Because, I felt like he should know and I thought he can help me get through moments when I start to change," I reply calmly. She takes a deep breathe before answering, "Ok, well it's your secret and if you choose to tell people that's your business, and I'm glad you two are that close." "Thanks for understanding mom, I really am glad you didn't get too mad at me," I say placing her pancakes down and giving her a hug. She smiles and says she's proud of how mature I'm being with my secret. I tell her I'm going to go up to my room and hang out with Nick, and that he was going to spend tonight as well. I walk up to my room and see, what a surprise, a shirtless Nick. "As much as I love to see you shirtless, I would highly suggest you put a shirt on of some sort, before I start to drool all over you and not be able to stop staring at your abs," I smirk walking over to him and throwing a sweatshirt toward him. "Well, as much as I love to see you staring at me, I will put a shirt on for the greater cause that is studying," he states puffing out his chest and pulling the sweatshirt on. I pull out my notes and he grabs his backpack. "Hey, since I have some Kit-Kats left, how about we make a reward system, if you get a problem right, you get a candy, if you don't and I get it right I get to kiss you and I get a candy," He says dramatically pulling out the bag of candy with a goofy smile on his face. "Sounds promising, but will there be a time when I get to kiss you?" I ask tilting my head as if I was a puppy looking at a strange object. "Hmmm, ok, how about if you collect 12 candies then you can kiss me for 12 seconds?" he suggests shrugging his shoulders. "Ok, you got a deal!" I say enthusiastically. "Let the games begin, and may the odds be ever in your favor," he laughs quoting a line from Hunger Games. What is 2(3)-4+12-x=x? I think about it for awhile, slowly working it out in my head, "7!" I blurt out after 5 minutes of thinking. Nick glances down at the answer sheet and smiles "Winner!" he yells, tossing a piece of candy at me. We go through all or notes, I lose 3 times and Nick decides to kiss me for 10 seconds each time. He ends up with 3 pieces of candy, and 30 total seconds of kissing me. I end up with 15 pieces of candy and the same amount of kiss time from him. I figure 15 candies, 15 seconds for kissing. So I lean toward him and kiss him for 15 seconds straight, lightly draping my arms around his neck and smiling against his lips. "Woa..." he says a little breathless after being kissed that long. "Yea, woa, but best study time ever!" I say breathing heavily and leaning against his side. He wraps his arms around my shoulders and I inhale his amazing scent, it was like salt and pepper was mixed with fresh laundry and possibly a lite hint of colonge. I loved it, it comforted me and made me a little sleepy. I began to nod off when he whispered, "I love you, babe, no matter what you're like." I fall asleep with that happy thought in my head and him gently playing with my hair and whispering sweet nothings in my ear.