2

Rushing up the stairs as soon as she arrived home from school, she was in a hurry, to say the least. Forgotten it was Monday. She hadn't made it out the door again when her older brother stopped her.

Drew leaned against the wall, a questioning look on his face as he watched his sister scramble to get her shoes on. "Headed out?" 

Nicole blinked, slowly lifting her gazer to look at him. "Yes." She threw up a silent prayer that he wouldn't ask any more questions. Not right now. She didn't have time. She was late as is. 

"Where?" 

Nicole scoffed. "Come on, big brother. No need to worry about ole' me." 

Drew rolled his eyes as he pushed off the wall. "Right on. Don't be home too late, yeah?" 

"Yes, sir." With a mocking salute, she was out the door. 

—

Leaning back in the wheeled chair, Jason threw a basketball in the air before catching it, again and again. "Why is it—that she must be the topic of our every conversation?" 

He sat in Parker's room, along with the rest of his friends. 

"Dude," Parker muttered disbelievingly. "You're the one who brought her up. Again." 

When Jason glanced at his friend, eyes narrowed, he had missed the ball that in return, landed on his head. He cursed out in pain, rubbing his head. "Whatever," he gritted, ignoring what had just happened. "Where is Seth anyway? Wasn't he bringing the pizza?" 

Parker forced a cough to cover up his snickering. "No idea. He said he was picking up his sister—from dance practice or something. I don't know." 

"Why didn't—" Jason caught himself, cutting himself off. "Anyway..." He desperately glanced at Logan, hoping he would be the sensible enough one to change the topic of conversation. 

"The fall fling is soon," Logan said nonchalantly. "Any plans?" 

"What do you mean?" Jason laughed. "We always go as a group, yeah? Kind of—pathetic, if you ask me but it does the trick." 

"We don't go as a group," Parker grimaced, eyes trained on the tv screen where he and Logan played a video game involving escaping a mad killer. "You and Seth always drag along some—rando—who spends the whole night incessantly whining. Frankly, if you're going to bring someone, you both could do us all a favour and choose someone tolerable, at the least—" 

"Alright, alright," Jason hollered loud enough to cut Parker off. "I get it." 

"This is why Logan and I go as each other's dates," Parker joked, snickering faintly. "Better than whatever clueless bimbo—" 

"Alright, relax." This time, it was Logan's turn to cut Parker off. He paused, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth as he concentrated on the game. "Name-calling not needed but Parker has a point." 

"Safe to say the lady pool at our school is—less than appealing." 

"Whatever," Jason rolled his eyes, growing tired of their complaints. "It's about getting laid." 

"There's more to life—" Logan and Parker spoke in unison. They paused, turning to look at one other with wide eyes—causing them to die in their game. Both cursing when they looked at the screen again, all to see their characters being slashed to death by the killer. 

Jason stared at them oddly, eyebrows furrowed. "What the—" He blinked frantically. "Maybe you guys are meant to be." 

—

Nicole had gotten home much later than anticipated. Slow movements, as quiet as possible—she attempted to avoid her brother, hoping he may already be asleep and wouldn't catch her coming in so late. He had an overprotective nature, needless to say. When she saw he wasn't in the lounge room, she sighed in relief. Tip-toeing the rest of the way up to her room, she was sure she made it back to her room with a clear path. 

Quietly shutting the door behind her, she leaned back against the door and sighed out a breath. It was when she turned the light on moments later, that she screamed in surprise. 

"Shh!" Drew jumped up himself. "God, Nicole! Mum's asleep!" 

"What the hell are you doing in here?" She whisper-yelled back, staring at him wide-eyed. 

"It's past midnight, Nicole," he responded flatly. "Don't tell me you were watching Gossip Girl reruns with Serena herself." 

Nicole rolled her eyes as she dropped her bag and flopped onto her bed. "Don't be such a narc, Drew. You know me," she offered an innocent smile. "I could never be up to anything—bad—oooo—" 

"Oh, shut up." Rolling his eyes, he turned to leave. "Just—I want you to be careful, you know that, right?" 

"Of course. Always." 

Drew offered a faint smile before opening the door to leave. "Goodnight, sis." 

"Night." 

As the door closed behind him, Nicole's smile slowly fell. Her heart ached as her brother's words echoed in her head. 

She hated having to lie to him, of all people. 

—

"You look nearly dead." 

"I feel nearly dead." Nicole sighed as she pressed her forehead against the cool locker, eyelids heavier than usual today. The thought of being cozy in her bed right now could make her cry. 

"She always looks nearly dead," Jason commented, smirking as he walked past the two girls. Nicole turned to glare at the back of his head as he walked off. 

"Why is he always everywhere?" 

"How do you deal with him?" Serena, Nicole's best friend, asked. She grimaced as she turned to lean against the locker beside Nicole's, watching Jason who disappeared down the hallway. 

Nicole only shrugged in response. Her movements were sluggish as she opened her locker and began drawing out books. 

Serena turned to face Nicole, narrowing her eyes at her. "Why are you so glum lately?" 

Another response from Nicole who could hardly elucidate her mind enough to figure out which books she needed. 

"Mute?" 

... 

"Nicole—you in there?" 

Nicole was blankly staring into her locker, not finding an ounce of energy within herself to just speak. She wasn't entirely sure she was awake right now. 

"God—I can't with you right now." Frustrated, Serena shook her head and turned to storm away. She was getting late to first class anyway. Nicole finally managed a chuckle which Serena obviously hadn't heard. So dramatic. 

The hallways started to clear out as the first bell was about to ring. Students bustling off to class, lockers slamming shut behind them. 

Nicole was not nearly prepared for her first class of the day—Algebra 2. The class she dreaded the most, the class she was most horrible at. She wasn't even sure why she had chosen this class seeing as it wasn't a requirement. 

Walking down the mostly vacant hallways, she halted to a stop when a voice sounded behind her. 

"I know where you were last night." 

She spun abruptly. 

Seth Lee stood before her, a faint smirk playing on his lips. Eyes narrowed as he watched her carefully, almost like he was analyzing her. 

"What?" Nicole scoffed, eyebrows furrowing as she watched him approach her. 

He crossed his arms over his chest, his signature smirk never fading. "You know what I'm talking about, Palmer. No need to play dumb." 

Her hands grew sweaty, a lump forming in her throat. Surely, he's just messing with her—but why was she becoming so anxious? "I don't know what you're—" 

"Now Nicole," he continued, voice low. "Let me repeat myself." He took another step towards her, close enough for their chests to nearly be touching. Nicole instinctively moved back but Seth only continued until her back was pressed against the lockers. 

Nicole's chest began tightening as she stared up at him. He was close enough for his warm breath to fan across her face. 

Seth moved his head; his cheek brushed against hers, lips right next to her ear. 

"I know where you were," he said quietly. His voice was so low and taunting, Nicole could have physically shivered. "I know what you were doing." 

Nicole was frozen in spot, her eyes wide as she watched him back away. Smirking down at her, Seth straightened his posture. 

"What do you want?" She muttered out, her voice hardly present. 

"It could stay between us," he said calmly. "Unless of course, I decide to spill your little secret." 

And just like that, he tossed a final smirk before disappearing from her sight.