Safe With Me

|20|

          
                                          •Will•

Going back to school after the amazing weekend I had was causing me dread. But ironically, Nico, was the light at the end of the tunnel. On our date yesterday he told me he was ready to come out at school. I finished tying the laces of my shoes and headed for the door. Nico and Hazel were walking out and Nico was smiling to himself. I jogged across the street and greeted Hazel with a brief 'hello' and a wave, then pulled Nico into my side, kissing his temple.

"What a lovely day isn't it, Neeks?"

"Will, is your brain in there?" He knocked on my head. "It's the end of February, snowing, and fucking 7 degrees. Check your definition of lovely."

I smiled. "Well, my definition of lovely is you so I guess I'm all up to date." His cheeks turned red.

"Damn you Solace and your ability to make me blush with your corniness."

"Well, I try."

We talked about random shit on the way to school and then then we reached the crosswalk that would take us across to where the school is at.

I held out my hand. "You ready, Nico?"

He took my hand. "Probably not, but I love you, so I can't really be any readier."

"I love you too."

We walked into school and I had to laugh. All this buildup and nervousness and literally no one paid attention to us. We got a few side eyes, but I guess when you aren't the popular kids, no one really gives a shit. "We're idiots." I stated as I walked Nico to his locker. "Yep," he said.

~~~~

"Neeks, are you okay?" I asked as we walked through the park after school.

"I'm Fine."

I sighed. "So you're feeling insecure, neurotic, and emotional."

He let out a shaky laugh,"I guess that's one acronym for the word fine."

"I'm serious, Nico, talk to me. What's going on?"

"Nothing, Will."

I stopped and my grip slipped from his hand to his wrist, pulling him to a halt with me.

I led him to a park bench and sat down facing towards him.

"Nico." His eyes drifted to the snow covered branches of the nearby trees, soft white powder occasionally drifting to the ground.

"I don't know, Will. Just a little scared I guess, everything's been so fast lately, school, family, us. I'm just worried."

"There's something else. Nico, I'm your boyfriend, please talk to me."

"It's stupid, Will."

Anger rose in my throat and came out with the words I spoke. "What are you so afraid of, Nico?"

"Losing you!" He cried.

"Nico," I said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

He laughed a bitter laugh. "That's what they said too. My mom, Zoë, Bianca. They all leave, you will too."

"Nico, is it coming up soon?" I asked.

"This week," he confessed.

I knew the death anniversary was hard on him, Hazel told me herself, but I didn't realize it was this hard.

"Your sister?"

He nodded.

"Nico, I know you think I'll disappear. But there is no way in Hades that I'm going to let go of you. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"I know. I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Me too."

I pulled him into my side and kissed his forehead. (Forehead kisses kill me <3 :)

Nico and I spent the rest of the day doing random stuff in the city. We got ice cream where we went on our first date, went to the bookstore, and then just walking in the chilly weather.

"Will," Nico said.

I squeezed his hand. "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being a really good boyfriend."

"Well you make it easy Nico, who wouldn't want to be a good boyfriend to you," I replied. 

He stopped walking and pulled on my hand. I turned to face him, a small smile playing on my lips.

Then in the midst of hundreds of people, with the snow falling in fat, heavy flakes, on the corner of Troutman Street & Wyckoff Ave, he grabbed me by the collar of my jacket and pulled my lips to his. I opened my eyes for a brief moment and saw Nico with closed eyes, and flakes of snow on his long eyelashes. My eyes fluttered closed.

The kiss felt like one out of a movie, but it really wasn't. People didn't stop go let us have our moment and clap or cheer like you imagine. New York City continued to hustle and bustle, people continued to go about with their lives, they brushed past us and knocked Nico into me.

But I didn't want a big screen kiss, I just wanted him.

Hey guys. I know what you're probably thinking, oh look it's that bad writer we haven't seen in weeks. Well sorry for my hiatus. I've been really busy with basketball and school and we had exams a few weeks ago. I'm sorry this is a short chapter but I thought I should get a chapter up.

And I thought you all should know I'm ending this book at chapter 25. There will, however, be an epilogue after chapter 25.

Thank you so much for reading, commenting, voting and supporting me.

- m o r g a n