Sheets | ✓

TWENTY-NINE

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." The two-letter word was a panicked chant in my head. "Just my fucking luck!"

I gulped when Nico's brows furrowed, his eyes flicking between me and my sister, before turning to his friends. The downward slant of his dark eyebrows only increased when he turned back to me, concern evident on his face. 

"Wes?" Jamie asked again, prodding me in my side. "Do you know them?"

"U-Um, they're upperclassmen. From my school. I think. Uh, I didn't know them too well though," I managed to get out, my voice scratchy. My hands were clasped in front of my fingers nervously wringing themselves out like wet, sweaty towels. 

"Hmph, it's probably a good think that you didn't know them too well," Jamie muttered under her breath, ignoring the lecherous gazes some of Nico's entourage were boring into her. A little uncomfortable, Jamie pulled some of her hair in front of her shoulders, shielding her robust cleavage that she usually had no problem showing. Still, Jamie did not slouch nor cower away, and instead just made an effort to ignore the seedy remarks some of the guys made. 

Apart from Nico, I only knew two others by name; one was Colin Jennings, a tall, muscular gym-rat that had far more substance in his biceps than his brain. Though a bit of a neanderthal, I had no real issues with him, since out of the whole group (including Nico), he was probably the most approachable out of all of them. A dopey, lazy smile was always on his face, and despite being the bulkiest out of everyone at school, he never used it to bully others, but probably only because he was too lazy to do so. The other person I recognised was Isaac Masters. Back when he was still in highschool, for someone like me, he was someone I wanted to steer clear from. Much like the Nico I thought I knew before, he was a womaniser and a troublemaker, but far more cruel than Nico ever could be, both then and now. He was good looking, though always considered second only when compared to Nico, but his eyes were a little too cold, and his aura a little too intimidating. He was considered Nico's best friend, and I guess, he probably still is.

I don't like Nico standing beside him.

The Nico that I had come to know did not look right standing next to someone like Isaac. Nico, who was surprisingly gentle and kind - though sometimes teasing and blunt  - did not seem that way beside Isaac. It had been a long time since I was reminded of who Nico was, and somewhere along the way I had realised that the Nico that I snuggled with in the pool shed, that cooked me pasta and stayed up talking to me in late-night phone calls, was not the whole Nico. There was a Nico that I didn't like. A Nico that scared me. That Nico was one that called Isaac a friend, a friend who was currently striding up to Jamie with one corner of his thin lips pulled up and eyes rolling up and down over her ample curves.

"Ugh," Jamie gagged, giving me a look and a barely-hidden eye roll.  Isaac, of course, was too busy looking at her boobs to notice her expression of disgust, and only stopped walking towards her when he could lean over her smaller stature, the sour scent of his cologne washing over the two of us in waves of nausea.

Finally looking up at Jamie's face, which was drawn down in displeasure, Isaac only smiled to show his straight, refrigerator-white teeth. 

"You look bored," he said, glancing at me with a chilled smirk. "Want to ditch your boyfriend here and come with us? I'll definitely show you a good time." I saw Jamie's throat bob up and down as she swallowed her vomit, taking a step back towards me. 

"I'm good, thanks," Jamie said coolly, staring at Isaac without budging. 

"Aw, don't be like that, babe," Isaac snickers, reaching out to grab Jamie's thin wrist, tugging on her arm a little. "Leave that little twig behind, he could never satisfy someone like you."