Hello Darkness, A New Years Day Fanfic

Part 6- WARNING, Coffee may lead to disaster.

***Nico's POV***

        I looked at the clock- it was 2:15. I figured I should probably start getting ready. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth and hair. I fixed my makeup- it was just foundation, okay?!? And looked at my outfit. Satisfactory enough, I guess. I adjusted my bracelets and swapped some, and put on my red Converse. It was only 2:25 now, and I still had more than a half an hour to wait. Ugh.

        Ash was so pretty- like, I can't even. Yeah, I sound like a stereotypical 13 year old white girl, but it was true! I just hope she isn't dating someone. Or, like, crushing, or gay or something. That'd suck! That Ali girl was pretty hot, too. I wonder if she has a boyfriend? Oh well. I pulled out my laptop and opened my Tumblr dash and YouTube. I put some Motionless on, and scrolled through my dash.

        I passed time pretty quickly, and before I knew it, there was a knock on the door. I opened the door to the girls waiting outside. Ali had some makeup on, but Ash was pretty much makeup less- well, except her eyebrows, of course. "Hi!" Ash smiled. Her smile was so pretty! I grinned back, and said, "Hey, guys. Just lemme put my computer away, okay?" I quickly shut the laptop and put it in its rightful place. Then, I turned back around to face the girls. "Lets go," I smiled. They turned to go, and I followed them down the hall.It

        We walked through the campus for a while. Ali and Ash talked leisurely of Ash's just announced engagement (dammit) and Ali confided her crush on Nikki Misery (double dammit!). I mean, I'd distance myself in that way, but I'll still try to make good friends with them.

        Eventually, we found a good place to eat. It was just outside campus- a quiet and calm little diner. We walked inside and were seated at a little cove in the corner. I liked it. A little red chandelier hung over our heads, letting a darkish light filter onto our faces. The seats were green and soft velvitey material. Freshly swept blue tiles lie under our feet.

        Ash and Ali sat a few inches apart from each other on the other side of the wooden table. They both smiled, and a waitress lady came over to take our orders. Ash ordered some coffee, as did Ali, and I figured I should follow suit. "So," Ash began lightly, "planning on coming to any local shows?" I nodded. "I'd been planning on it even before I knew you were, um, next door." I smiled goofily. A lock of firey red hair fell out of Ash's ponytail she was wearing, and into her face. She pushed it back behind her ear with a finger and sighed.

        The waitress came over and poured us coffee, smiling. I thanked her as she walked away. I'm being boring! I thought urgently. "Sorry if I'm being boring," I muttered. I didn't want to make awkward eye contact, so I looked lamely down into my coffee. "It's just that, um, well, its the real Ashely fucking Costello that invited me out for coffee and I'm kinda, um, you know. Anxious?" I continued, looking up hopefully. Ash was just smiling, and replied, "I know. It's whatever, we're being boring, too." Ali laughed. "Get used to it now," she giggled, "I'm quiet as a mouse and boring as watching paint dry." I smiled, relieved. "Hey," Ash chimed in, "everyone knows mice are cute. Especially Nikki." She paused, winking. Ali went red as a tomato, which caused me and Ash to burst out laughing. We laughed loudly and shamelessly, as Ali looked both mortified and amused whilst cowering in the corner.

         We were getting stares from many old people, alongside younger ones. An elderly couple glared at us, their eyes saying, "Stupid punks!", and a buisness confrence was going on across the diner. Some other college kids just laughed, either at or with us. Either one, I couldn't have cared less. 

        I took a step back to really look at the situation. There was me, and I bet I looked like a guffawing llama, sitting across from Ash Costello and her cute roomie. Ali's crisp, blue eyes were wide, and a drop of dark coffee dribbled down her chin. She had a pale hand on her forehead, and strands of her black hair flew everywhere. Ash was a bit more elegant. She covered her smiling mouth with her hand, and sat up straight. Her eyes were also wide, and her hair sat neatly on her back.

        I just couldn't believe it. I thought I was gonna have the singular most horrible year after being roomed with Charlie. He'd been my best friend for the past 12 years. I only stuck by his side because I'd felt obligated- and so had he. We'd grown apart. Nothing was the same anymore.

        Never mind all of that, though. The past was, well, past. And I want to live in the now. I mean, I'm finally at college. I've been working for this for as long as I've known Char. I'm gonna enjoy it.

        Back in the present, Ali was wiping the coffee from her chin and Ash was shaking her head lightly. I smiled and sighed. These people- dare I call them friends- understood me better than Charlie. Already.

        We sat, talking and laughing, for the next half an hour. We all had probably 4 more cups of coffee, and Ali was hyper as fuck. We paid the bill and walked out of the diner. A sudden wind struck us in the face, and the girl's hair went flying everywhere. "Shit!" Ash exclaimed, clearly taken aback. "It's rather windy," she laughed. Ali nodded, spitting hair out of her mouth. "Yeah, it is." she wiped the hair out of her face. She grabbed a ponytail and swept it back into a bun. "There," she declared, and continued to walk.

        Eventually, we made it back to the dorms. I thanked and hugged Ali and Ash, before walking into my room. I was about to sit on my bed, but Charlie opened the door. "Hey, fag," he growled, pushing me by the shoulder, onto my bed. Oh, great. One of his moods. "Hi," I replied, gritting my teeth as he smacked me square in the face. He kicked off his shoes and threw them in my face. "What's wrong, Char?" I grimaced as he slapped me again. "You." He glared as he punched me, repeatedly. I just sat there, not bothering to fight back. At that moment, Ali walked in the door. Shit. "Nico-" she began, but then shouted, "Charlie, what the fuck! Get off him!" Ash heard the noise and ran in through the bathroom.

        Charlie stopped punching me, and sauntered over to Ali. "Shoulda knocked, bitch," he hissed, and punched her in the face. Blood spouted from her nose, and she yelped. A fire grew in my stomach. "What the fuck, dude?!" I demanded. Charlie cocked his head. "What, pussy? Come at me, bitch!" I stared angrily into his eyes, and for the first time ever, I did.