What Love Is | ✅

03 | C O U R A G E

It had taken three days for River-rose to finally muster up the courage to even face Nico. She had Vince drop her off at his place. Vince was hesitant to do so at first because he could clearly see the shake of her hands and the paleness of her face.

No one knew of the 'lessons' Nico taught her but Vince knew that anyone telling their boyfriend that they were to get married to another would be nerve wracking.

"Are you sure you'd like me to leave Ms. Graham?" Vince asked cautiously as he looked at River, who was frozen in place on the backseat.

"Vince, i've told you before, i have like four other names you can call me. Pick one and use it... please. And, i'm alright. I'll get Nico to drop me or i'll call you if i really need you. Go home to your family."

River got out of the car and grabbed her jansport backpack before gently shutting the door.

"Alright River. And thank you," Vince said before driving away.

River made her way to Nico's door, took a deep breath and then knocked softly. She waited nervously for thirty seconds before knocking again. Soon, the sound of footsteps mixed with the violent beating of her heart. She was beginning to think running away would be the best option. Just as she turned to make an escape, the door swung opened.

"River-rose?"

Slowly, she turned around and looked up at her boyfriend sheepishly. "H-hi Nico."

"Hey babe," he said as he gripped her forearm and tugged her inside. "Where have you been? I've missed you." He nuzzled his nose into her hair.

Her heart sunk. How was she supposed to tell him now? "You h-have?"

"Of course. I haven't seen you for four days." His voice suddenly got darker. "Have you been avoiding me, River?"

"N-no, i haven't. I've be-" she was cut off when he suddenly bit diwn on the delicate skin of her neck. She yelped in pain.

"Don't lie to me. You usually text me atleast once a day. You haven't done that, why?"

"I-i'm sorry." She tried to tell him but her sentence got stuck in her throat. Suddenly, she felt the need to throw up. "I was b-busy."

He gripped her hair to angle her head up so she'd look into his eyes. "Busy, huh?"

She winced when his grip on her long, dark hair tightened. "Yeah, busy. It's ugh... family stuff." She wasn't exactly lying so she knew Nico couldn't call her out on it.

Abruptly, he let go of her hair and she sighed quietly in releif. Nico led her through his one bedroom apartment and towards the set up man cave. He tugged her down onto the couch beside him and she attempted to cuddle up into his side to get rid of the nerves but he just inched away.

She frowned and quickly reminded herself that he wasn't the biggest fan of physical contact unless he wanted to makeout or if he was teaching her a lesson.

"Would you like to do something? We can order a pizza," River offered cautiously.

Nico leaned over and kissed her neck. "Sure."

She smiled when he grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on it. Immediately calling up the pizza place, she asked for a sausage and pepper pizza, just as they always had.

When she got off the phone, Nico got up and straddled River, peppering kisses around her face.

She giggled lightly. "What are you doing?"

His body caged hers against the couch and his hands trailed under her shirt and over her chest. She fliched back slightly, not really liking the feeling of his rough hands on her sensitive chest. He wasn't always so gentle.

When she felt him push against her, trapping her, she began to feel slightly chlostrophobic.

"Nico." He continued to push into her and began kissing her neck. "Nico, no."

She started breathing heavy out of panic but he uses it as a sign to keep going. When his hand made its way to under her school skirt, she tried to move him away.

"Nico please, no!" She pleaded. "It doesn't feel good."

He quickly sprung off of her and slapped her across the face. She gasped and whimpered as she brought her hand up to her cheek.

"Haven't i taught you about saying no to me!? You can say stop with me but 'no' is off limits, yes?"

"Yes, Nico," she said quietly.

A knock on the door silenced her whimpers.

"The pizza guy is here. Are you gonna put on a movie for us?" He asked, his tone softer.

"Yes," she whispered.

He pecked her lips. "Cool."

River sank back in her seat as he exited his man cave, the guilt was gnawing away her.

She never told him that day and that was probably the worst deciscion she'd ever made.

°•○●○•°

Hazye watched as his future fiancè walked to the opposite side of her school, carrying a teachers box that was almost as big as her. He wondered how she could even see where she was walking with the box in her face and the wind whipping her dark hair around wildly.

He wished he could just go over and help her himself but he knew she was fully capable. Although, he did still worry because he had also noticed she was absolutely clumsy. He also couldn't go over and help because she did not even know him, they weren't supposed to meet until Tuesday anyway.

He admired how unbeleivably helpful, sweet and caring she was. He didn't miss how she herself had gone and asked if the teacher wanted help with her boxes. He was glad that the girl he was marrying wasn't a total douche or a gold digger. He had already come across enough of those in his lifetime.

River-rose was unlike any previous girl he had met. She was sweet and innocent and he probably wouldn't admit it out loud, but he couldn't wait to meet her and take her as his wife.

It was also a bonus that she was effortlessly beautiful to him with her 5'2 frame which was significantly smaller than his 6'3 and a half one. He found that her hair shimmered blue under certain light and he found himself entranced by it. He couldn't wait to see what it was like to run his fingers through it; if she'd let him, of course.

He hadn't yet seen her up close yet, only in the picture her father had shown him and the one sitting on her fathers desk. Just from the picture he knew that she had beautiful eyes and he wished he could finally see them up close so he could know what color they really were. He knew the pictures did her no justice.

He knew he wanted her as his beautiful bride