The walk home is quite chilly and quiet seeing as Nicholas isn't there to talk to me. When I get home I go into my room and start getting ready for bed. Eventually my parents come in to see how I'm doing and we end up talking about Jeremy and how nice it was to have met his best friend. Then we say goodnight.
In the morning when I wake up I go and take a shower and then I head to the kitchen and have breakfast with my parents. The walk to school is quite cold so I try to distract myself by listening to The Smiths on my phone. I am disrupted when I see Nathan approaching me quite fast with a look of anger on his face. As he draws near I pull the earbuds out of my ears.
"Well well well, if it isn't suicide boy's little sister."
Nathan says harshly falling into pace beside me. I roll my eyes.
"What do you want?"
I sigh.
"Let's see..."
He says as he sticks his foot out in front of me causing me to trip, falling onto the cold concrete.
"What the hell!?"
I say pulling myself off the ground.
"That's for kneeing me in the balls."
He says.
"And this is for defending that punk yesterday."
He says as he shoves me backwards. When I think I'm totally about to fall over someone steadies me. As I look back I see Nicholas.
"Leave her alone."
Nicholas hisses as his hands are on my shoulders.
"Or what?"
Nathan spits back. When Nicholas is about to pounce on Nathan I scream,
"STOP!"
Nicholas holds himself back. I can see his chest rise and fall rapidly, obviously angry. Nathan spits on the ground at Nicholas's and my feet before turning around to leave. Once Nathan's gone Nicholas spins me around and looks into my eyes.
"Are you alright?"
He asks, semi examining my body.
"I'm fine."
I sigh.
"Thanks for catching me."
I continue.
"I promised to protect you right?"
Nicholas adds with a wink. I giggle and we walk to school together.
When I enter my art class that afternoon I smile when I see Nicholas.
"Mind if I sit?"
I say gesturing to the seat beside him. He smiles and says,
"Go for it."
When class starts Mr. Howard gives us our assignment for the day,
"Today your assignment is to choose a partner and draw them, being sure to focus on the lights and darks."
As soon as Mr. Howard says "partner" Nicholas looks at me and says,
"Partner?"
I grin and nod.
As Nicholas and I are sitting across from each other drawing each other I try my best not to look like a total fool. I also concentrate on getting his neck tattoo drawn right.
When we're finished drawing we're supposed to swap and critique each other's work. When I see the picture Nicholas drew of me I'm really impressed. Nicholas is an amazing artist. Jokingly I say,
"Good job, you got all of my ugly in it."
Expecting a laugh or a smile from him I'm shocked when he looks up at me with a straight face and says,
"I think you're beautiful."
As I blush we sit there awkwardly and Nicholas clears his throat.
On the walk home from school Nicholas walks with me. He gives me his phone number before we part our separate ways. Him going home and me visiting Jeremy. As odd as it might seem I talk to Jeremy's head stone.
"Mom and dad met Nicholas last night."
I tell him.
"They really like him."
I add. I end up rambling about my day and then I randomly add,
"I really like Nicholas Jare."
I sigh. After standing in front of his head stone in silence for a little while I kiss my hand and touch his headstone and I head home.
That night as I'm watching TV with my parents I can't stop thinking about what Nicholas said to me in art class. Eventually I build up the courage and text him.
Me: Hey, I have a question.
Nicholas: Fire away.
Me: Did you really mean what you said in art class today?
Nicholas: Of course I did. I used to always tell Jeremy how pretty you are and he would just say "Dude, shut up that's my little sister."
By now my stomach is full of butterflies. All I can think of as a reply is,
Me: LOL! He really said that?
Nicholas: Yup :)
That night I go to bed with a smile on my face for the first time in awhile.
