The Way I Loved You.

The Way I Loved You, C5

Chapter 5

Nick ruffled his tousled brown hair in frustration, his eyebrows scrunched up a little, the way they do when he was thinking something. A groan escaped from his lips as he watched Scarlet who was standing few feet away. She seemed deeply engaged in some sort of conversation with James, smiling and nodding at something he was saying. Nick could easily tell that she wasn't faking the interest, knowing that she wasn't good at faking anything at all. She was like an open book --- Nick could read her emotions and mind easily, and effortlessly, the way he had been doing for years.

But what really bothered him was what was going through his mind --- he couldn't figure out the strange feelings he had been having lately, and he didn't like it. He likes to know what he wants and well, everyone hates feeling lost, and that was exactly what had been haunting him lately.

And James's sudden interest in Scarlet bugged him, in an odd way. No guys ever noticed Scarlet, he knew it sounded bad, but somehow the idea made him feel... sick.

He should feel happy for Scarlet, he knew he should. Scarlet was like his little sister and he didn't want her to get hurt --- they don't really know James. He could be up to something, right?

He leaned against the wall and stared at those two happily chirping birds. A pang of mixed feelings hit him like a tidal waves --- annoyed, disappointment, worried, upset....

Could it be... jealously?

Nick let out a stiff laugh just thinking about that. It sounded ridiculous. Outrageous. Wouldn't it be sick, to be jealous of your sister's boyfriend? Exactly, you don't.

Except Scarlet wasn't exactly his little sister, either.

He was caught up in this own whirling mind when Scarlet showed up next to him, grabbing and tugging him on his left arm. He jumped a little before snapping back to his senses, looking down at Scarlet who was smiling up at him. "Let’s go home." She said and started dragging him to the entrance of the school.

The bus left ten minutes ago, so they were forced to walk. It wasn't long until Melissa came up to them, looking nervous. Melissa was a kid who lived across the streets and unlike them, she rode bikes to school every single day. Nick wondered how he managed it... it wasn't exactly a short distance from their houses to the school.

"Hey, Melissa." Scarlet chirped, still looking flustered and happy from whatever James and she had been talking about.

"Hey guys." Melissa said without looking at Scarlet. Instead, she looked straight at Nick with her big pleading brown eyes, and they knew she had a favor to ask. "Noelle asked me to go to her house," She said quickly, her voice wavering in excitement. She looked like she was about to burst from happiness anytime soon.

"Yeah...?" Nick said, wasn't sure where this was getting.

"If you guys are walking…" Melissa continued cheerfully, "Do you mind taking this old thing home for me?" She said and tapped her fingers impatiently on her old, red bike.

"Um..." Scarlet began.

"Please? I gotta go, thanks!" She looked back over her shoulders at Noelle anxiously who was chatting with a bunch of girls. She crossed her arms and stared at them, then narrowed her eyes slightly, her lips curled up into a smirk.

"Alright." Nick hesitated and said.

"Thanks!" Melissa chirped and bounced on her way back to Noelle and her army of wolves. Scarlet rubbed her fingers on the rusty, broken brake on the bike and frowned, "You seriously gonna take this home with us?" She asked Nick, pointing at the old thing.

Nick only smiled.

"We'll ride it."