Skeleton In The Closet

Chapter 4

"What's wrong, Max?" Neil asked him with a quizzical look on his face.

"You told Nikki! That's what's wrong!" Max said, his face getting reddish with anger.

"Nikki!" Neil started. "I told you not to say anything about it. You promised you wouldn't."

"Yeah, I lied." She casually said, shrugging her shoulders before talking a sip of coffee.

"I swear to God, Nikki!" Neil started.

"Kids, kids, kids. What's with all the yelling? Neil's father asked as he entered the room wearing nothing but his blue & white striped boxers & an open bathrobe, ragged with age & use.

"Ahh! Dad, go put some clothes on, for Christ's sake!" Neil yelled at him, covering his eyes with his hand while Nikki & Max did the same.

"Okay. Okay." His father said, turning around to go to his room & make himself appropriate. "Geez, a man's home is supposed to be his castle. Oi."

"Well, I've wasted enough time sitting around, & I don't wanna chance seeing Neil's dad in his underwear again." Nikki said as she stood up & began stretching. I'm gonna go for my morning jog. You two coming with?" She said, fishing her water bottle out of her gym bag.

"You know I can't jog, Nikki. It makes my asthma flare up." Neil explained for what felt like the millionth time.

"Then we can just walk, Neil." Max said as he stood up, offering Neil his hand.

The three of them set off on their little trip around the block, Nikki running while Neil & Max walked together at a slow & comfortable pace. The spring morning air felt nice. Max's hand made its way to Neil's & they continued walking with their hands intertwined. It was a quiet morning. There was no sound except for the songbirds & Nikki teasing the two for holding hands when she lapped them yet again. Neil's house had a lot of perks. It was in a more upscale neighborhood, & at least 3 miles away from any of their classmates. It's a wonder the bus even stopped there at all, really. Max laid his head on Neil's shoulder as they continued walking. It was a nice feeling, not having to hide anything. Max closed his eyes & let himself get lost in the moment until Neil let go of his hand & put distance between the two of them. "Max, look alive!" Neil whisper screamed.

"Huh? What's wrong, babe?" Max asked.

"It's Nerris. Over there." He surreptitiously pointed to the nerdy girl standing across the street talking to Nikki. "What's she doing at my house?" Neil nervously asked.

"More importantly, did she see anything?" Max added. They walked over to the two girls & joined the conversation.

"Good morning, Nerris." Neil said. How are you today?"

"Oh, hi, Neil. Hi, Max. I'm good. I'm just bringing over the book Nikki asked me to borrow. She said she'd be at Neil's house, so I borrowed my dad's car & came or here to give it to her."

"I didn't know you had your drivers license." Neil told her.

"I actually... don't. Just my learner's permit, but both of my parents are gone right now so I figured there's no harm in taking my dad's car for a little drive. What he doesn't know won't kill him." She said casually. "Speaking of which, I gotta get going before my parents DO get back, so I'll see you guys Monday." She said as she turned to walk to her car.

"Bye, Nerris." Nikki said. "See ya on Monday. I promise I'll take good care of the book for you." She said as she waved.

Nerris waved back as she got into the car & started the engine, turning around & driving off back home.

Neil & Max simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. Looks like Nerris didn't see anything. "Nikki!" Max started rather angrily. "Why the fuck would you tell her to come on over without telling us?"

"Yeah!" Neil added. "What if she saw us?"

"She didn't see you." Nikki assured the neurotic nerd. "Even if she did, Nerris doesn't gossip. Besides, it's not like she has anything against gay people. She hangs out with Ered all the time, & Ered has two dads."

"That's not the big issue here Nikki." Max scolded her. "The big issue is that we could have been seen." He continued.

"But you weren't, were you?" Nikki asked rhetorically.

"I. We. You. Just. Just nevermind." An exasperated Max sighed. "What book is so important that you're willing to risk mine & Neil's privacy in the first place anyway?" He asked.

"Common Sense." She responded.

"(Something you seem to lack.)" Max said under his breath before Nikki continued.

"I'm supposed to read it for English, but there's no copy in the school's library."

"There's a copy of it at the public library." Neil responded.

"Yeah, but I have too many fines. Can't rent any books until those are paid off." She said, rocking back & forth on her heels.

"Then why don't you pay them off?" Neil asked, confused.

"Well, I kinda let them build up for a while, so I can kinda never show my face there again."

"It can't be that bad." Max responded. "How much do you owe? $2? $3?"

"Hehe, a little more than that." Nikki laughed nervously as she spoke.

"Well then how much do you owe?" Neil asked.

The green-haired girl waiqted a few moments before responding. "... Last time I checked it was somewhere around $157.31." She said with a nervous smile.

"Christ, Nikki!" Neil exclaimed. "How the hell do you rack up that kind of debt?!"

"By watching a nature documentary on caribous, impulse renting every book that even mentions them & then losing all of them..."

"That's really fucking stupid, Nikki." Max added as he grabbed Neil's hand & began walking inside, leading Neil behind him.

"What are you doing, Max?" Neil asked, his face turning beet red.

"I'm still tired. I'm going back to sleep & you're coming with me."

"O-okay." Neil responded as they entered the house, Max slamming the door behind them.

"I think those two crazy kids are gonna make it." Nikki jokingly said to herself before squeezing water from her bottle into her mouth & continuing her jog.