Second Hand [manxboy]

Chapter 8

"I thought you washed your uniforms on the weekends," Yakov commented as Nico dragged his uniform out of the dryer and up to his room.

Nico slowed guiltily. "I got an unexpected stain on it. I had to wash it." The day before, Mac had insisted he keep it on while they had done it. Mac had been trying to work some interesting things in.

"Oh. You could have had a maid do your laundry," Yakov suggested.

"I'm not inept, I can do my own cleaning. I don't like bossing people around," Nico grumbled.

"Oh. Okay. Well. I'll see you in the morning," Yakov said.

Nico retreated into his room, and Yakov slunk back to his own study. Miroslav straightened up in his chair. "The Colombians are causing some issues," Miroslav said. "How's Nico?"

"Acting a little off, but no matter. What's wrong with the Colombians?" Yakov asked.

"They say we're cutting in on their sales; their territory. Should I set up a meeting to resolve this?" Miroslav suggested, already pulling out his phone.

"No. We're not doing anything different than usual. Just keep a closer eye on our distributers that work near the Colombians." Yakov waved it off. "And Nico still wants to get his ears pierced. I've been trying to put it off, but... oh shit. His counseling too." Yakov settled down into his desk chair. "I'll ask him about it tomorrow and set something up for next week. And where would someone get their ears pierced?"

Miroslav chuckled slightly. "Good luck with the counseling... and any tattoo shop can pierce ears too." He stood up then and smoothed down the front of his suit. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Yakov grumbled a goodbye and set himself up at the computer.

***

"So we'll see you tonight for tutoring, yeah?" he said, patting Nico familiarly on the back.

"Uh, sure. Five," Nico reminded him placidly.

Amy caught up with him in the hall. "Hey. You want to hang out later?"

"I think I'm hosting tutoring at five, but until then I'm free. I canceled with Mac since I can't do the whole session," Nico said.

"Oh really? Not that he's wearing on you?" Amy pried knowingly.

"He's still trying to get more out of it," Nico grumbled and shrugged. "But you can just catch a ride home with me."

"Okay. Let me text my mom and let her know she doesn't need to pick me up." Amy whipped out her phone but went left for her next class.

When school ended, they met outside again. Nico found Adrik lounging outside against the car. Amy and Nico got into the back seat.

"I'm going to see if I can get Miroslav to sit in on the tutoring," Nico plotted quietly on the way home.

"What? Dude, all the guys I've seen around you that speak Russian are scary," Amy protested. "You want to scare everyone?"

Nico opened his mouth, but then closed it again. "True. But, I still am going to ask Miroslav to sit in."

Amy rolled her eyes with a soft smile. "Whatever, lover boy."

Nico smacked her from across the seats. Amy promptly smacked him back but twice as hard. "Hey," Adrik called from the front seat. "Calm."

Nico and Amy both rolled their eyes and leaned away from each other. Adrik finally pulled up in front of Nico's house and dropping the two teens off. Adrik left to park the car as Nico let them inside. He acknowledged the maid with a smile before going with Amy up into the study room.