4

The remainder of the school day passed extra slowly for Nicole. Her mind couldn't stop spiralling for even a moment. By the time she trudged her way out the school doors, she was ready to crash. The warmth of her bed was a seducing thought—and she could not wait to finally be home, be at peace, and forget about all this day had to offer. 

Little was she expecting Seth Lee to be propped against the side of her car, sitting in wait. 

"What do you—" 

"My place at six." He didn't offer another word before walking away, going to his own car. Nicole stared at the back of his head with her mouth hanging open. 

Audacity. 

He didn't leave any room for her to protest. 

When Seth got to his car where his other friends stood, Jason looked at him. "What was that about?" He eyed him curiously, unnerved by Seth and Nicole's newfound—acquaintanceship, or whatever it was. 

"Nothing." He waved off his friends as he got into his car. "See you lads tomorrow." 

He also didn't leave his friends much room to question him. As he drove off, the other boys shared odd looks with one other, equally as confused. 

"What is going on?" Parker mused. 

"Hell if I know," Jason muttered, watching as Seth pulled out of the parking lot. "Since when do they even talk?" 

"Apparently as of now," Logan shrugged. 

"Something's obviously going on with him and Nicole," Parker snickered. "Can't say I saw that coming." 

Jason snapped his head towards Parker. "That—that would never happen." 

Parker quirked an eyebrow, eyes bemused. "And if it did?" Jason's irritation was far more than just noticeable—and hell if Parker wasn't going to take the opportunity to rile Jason up even further. 

"It wouldn't," Jason scoffed, shaking his head. "It just—it wouldn't. You guys know Nicole. Hell, she hates all of us." 

"I didn't do anything," Logan mumbled quietly, though nobody was listening to him. 

"And you'd care, would you?" Parker asked, amused. 

"Of course, I wouldn't! I'm just saying." 

"Well," Parker exhaled a breath as he pulled out his own car keys and turned to leave. "For someone who doesn't care, you sure hell seem awfully opposed to the idea of Nicole and Seth. Just saying." 

"Wha—" 

"See you later, dude." 

Jason's mouth was left hanging open as he watched Parker snickering away, walking to his car. He turned towards Logan, hoping he would say something, anything, that would reject Parker's notion. 

Logan shrugged softly, offering a sheepish smile. "A tad obvious, my friend." 

"Oh, for fuck sake." 

—

Drew glanced at his sister oddly while the two sat in the lounge room watching tv. "You're awfully quiet, Nik." 

Nicole gnawed on her bottom lip, only glancing at her brother for a split second. "I'm just tired. Long day." 

Drew frowned as he leaned forward, hands folded between his legs. He eyed her warily, not being able to keep his mouth shut for he had been for quite some time now. "Something's off with you, Nik. The past month or so—you're just—so quiet, all the time. Reserved, perhaps." 

Nicole sighed as she turned to look at her brother. "I've just been busy—with school. My classes are crazy hard this semester and I'm totally failing Algebra and—" 

"You're not lying to me, are you?" He cut her rambling off. 

Nicole paused, her chest tightening. She had secrets she couldn't tell her own brother, her best friend. She had gotten involved in more than one thing that she had no way out of, now including this ridiculous truce with Seth. As much as she wished she got get everything off her chest, no good would come from telling Drew. The last thing she wanted was to drag him into the middle of it—in fact, that was the opposite of what she was trying to do. 

"Of course not," she forced a smile. "I've just been totally swarmed with school and—I don't know. Just keeping busy, you know." 

"Right, of course," Drew nodded, convinced. "Alright. If you ever want to talk—you know I'm here, right?" 

"Of course I do." Nicole smiled faintly before glancing at the clock. Seeing as it was quarter to six, she reluctantly stood up. "I got to head out. I'm—going to Serena's." Another lie that tore at her chest. 

"Drive safe, sis." 

Seth's house wasn't far. She had gotten there in minutes—and instantly was greeted by a whirlwind of flashbacks that she had not been anticipating. Memories locked away that hadn't been thought about in years. 

"You're it!" A younger Nicole exclaimed as she tagged Seth on the shoulder.

"But I was just it," he groaned.

Nicole sighed as she felt for the boy. She hesitated a moment before deciding to help him. "Jason's hiding behind the counter." 

"Hey! That's cheating!" Jason exclaimed, jumping out from his hiding spot when he overheard Nicole telling Seth. 

Nicole rolled her little eyes. "You told him where I was hiding too, Jay." 

A quiet grumble sounded before Parker came out from his hiding spot underneath the table. "You guys suck at this game. Why don't you both just be it?" 

Nicole and Jason shared a look before smiling toothy smiles. Collectively, the two began counting while the other boys ran off to find new hiding spots. Once they had finished counting to thirty, they uncovered their eyes. 

"Where could they be?" Nicole thought aloud.

"Parker went in the backyard," Jason said, grinning.

"How do you know?"  

"I looked," he shrugged, admitting his dishonesty.

"But that's cheating, Jay!" Nicole gasped. Considering they both just got outed for cheating in the game, she thought they'd play an honest round. 

Rolling his eyes, Jason beamed a toothy little grin before motioning towards the back door. "It's just a game, Nik. Should we go get them or what?" 

Nicole sighed as she gave in. Nodding her head, the two quietly began tiptoeing to the door. 

"Together?" Jason asked, turning to look at her. 

Smiling, Nicole nodded eagerly. "Together." 

Jason stuck out his hand which Nicole grabbed before the two ran out, running behind the shed hand in hand and yelling "boo". Parker shrieked in surprise as he jumped up from his hiding spot. 

After ringing the doorbell, Nicole tapped her foot impatiently. She didn't want to begin imagining what Seth could possibly want from her. 

"Ah, she's here." When the door pulled open, Seth beamed his charming smile. "Nicole," he greeted, the faint nod of his head. 

Rolling her eyes, Nicole pushed past him and stepped inside. To hell with manners. 

Seth quirked an eyebrow as he watched her; waiting, waiting. Nicole huffed a breath before stepping back outside. "Sorry. May I—come inside?" 

"I knew you couldn't do it," he laughed as he stepped aside, pushing the door open further. "Come on in, Palmer." 

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes as she kicked off her shoes before subtly glancing around. It looks the same as she remembered it to be. Spacious and open yet a snug feel to it. Welcoming, yet intimidating, all at once. 

Seth watched her, eyeing her movements carefully. 

Nicole turned to look at him, face straight. "Why am I here, exactly?" 

Seth didn't say a word as he began walking, and Nicole followed suit. He opened the door to his room; familiar. Narrowing her eyes, Nicole reluctantly stepped inside. She glanced around awkwardly, unsure of what to do. 

"You can sit," he said, hardly rolling his eyes. "I told you I'm not a monster, Palmer. I don't bite." 

Again, she spun to face him. "Look, if this about the truce—" 

"It's not what you're thinking," Seth muttered, almost irritably. Grabbing a stack of stapled papers off his desk, he tossed them on the bed. "Go ahead," he motioned his head towards the pile. "Take a look." 

Narrowing her eyes, Nicole grabbed the papers. She scoffed disbelievingly. "The Contract of Seth's Lodging?" 

He shrugged. "Sounded cooler than bedroom." 

Nicole sighed tiredly as she looked at him. "What is the point of this? Is this really all that amusing to yo—" 

"We agreed to this truce," Seth cut her off, tone straight. "I promised no... funny business. Peace of mind, yes?" 

"You really did this in the last—what—" she glanced at the clock on his wall. "Two hours? Three?" She didn't know how much of this was a joke, and how much of it was serious. She could hardly read the guy. 

He shrugged, again. "Give or take. Much of it was copy and paste so don't let it feed your ego, Palmer." 

Another eye roll from Nicole. She looked at the papers again, grimacing as she quickly flipped through the numerous sheets. "What exactly... is written in this?" 

"Just the terms and conditions of our truce." Seth propped himself down on his desk chair, leaning back with ease. Amused. "

Nicole gave him a flat look. "You can't expect me to read the million pages you've just tossed me. Sum it up, would you?" 

A minor eye roll from Seth himself before he began, "It states that so long as you do as I say, I will keep your confidential information hidden from the light of day." Judging from the mockery in his tone, it was more than evident how much fun he was having with this—which only irked Nicole further. 

"Do as you say?" She raised her eyebrows. "That better not include—" 

"Article six on page three." 

Confused, Nicole flipped to the page and read aloud, "Though Nicole Palmer must do as I, Seth Lee, say, as I in return keep her secret to myself, I, Seth Lee am forbidden to make any pass at Nicole, including using her or touching her in a sexual manner. Both parties agree that Nicole Palmer is exempt from doing as I, Seth Lee, say so long as it is in an intimate manner and makes her uncomfortable—what—Seth—" Nicole stared at him bewilderedly. "This is fucking insane." 

"Your words darling," Seth said calmly, staring back at her evenly. A twinkle of amusement played in his eyes. "Whore toy, as you said. We've got that concern covered in the contract." 

Nicole huffed a frustrated breath. "Yeah? And what if I'm not comfortable doing something else under a different category? Because this specifically states it being in an—" she cringed slightly, "intimate manner."

"Next article. It states I cannot make you do other things you aren't comfortable with—as long as there's an acceptable reason." 

Nicole stared him down. "You really have this all thought out." 

"I'm not a monster, as I've said—and frankly, this was never meant to be so darn complicated." Seth sighed loudly as he folded his hands behind his head. "Any other concerns?" 

Nicole gritted her teeth as she continued flipping through the contact, briefly skimming some sections. She could hardly make sense of what she was reading, just finding the whole situation far more than ridiculous. 

"Ready to sign?" Seth asked, smirking as he stood and held out a pen. 

Nicole looked at him again when a thought occurred to her. she squinted thoughtfully. "Technically, this means I have to listen to your every command until—well—forever." He was pulling the strings and like a puppet, Nicole was somehow willingly signing up for exactly that. None of it was sitting well with her—yet she was desperate to keep her secret. At least with this contract, she knew Seth couldn't randomly, without warning, expose her to everyone. 

"I suppose that's true." Far from phased, Seth was beyond enlivened by all of this. 

"I'm not signing a fucking death sentence, Seth!" Nicole shook her head, exasperating. "This is—this is fucking insane! You could hold this against me for—well, as long as I bloody well live." 

Sighing heavily, Seth lowered his hand. "Good God, Nicole. Page ten, article twenty-two. Once we graduate high school, the contract ceases to exist." 

Nicole's eyes remained narrowed on the boy. "That's still two years but—why just until then?" She was more than curious as to what was in this for Seth. He could have asked for anything, really. He could have done anything with the privileged information he knew—yet he was asking for her. For her to become his little drudge. To answer his every call. 

"After high school, we both go our own ways," Seth explained dully. "What am I going to do revealing your—little secret then? High school is different. I could ruin your reputation, your friendships, your—" 

"I get it!" Nicole cut him off sharply. "You could very well still hold it against me, though. The blackmail wouldn't have to stop." 

"I won't." 

"I don't believe you." 

Seth ran a hand down his face, growing impatient himself. "Maybe if you read the darn thing—" he shook his head. "It states that when this contract is ripped—by me, anything that is related to it or what it states will also cease to exist. I won't speak of, nor mention a thing." 

"But—" 

"It states that this whole truce is done the day we graduate—unless of course it is decided before then that I chose to disregard it." 

Nicole sucked in her bottom lip, thinking. "I have to wait between the span of two years to get off the hook? You don't think that's—a tad excessive?" 

With a shrug, Seth offered a charming little grin. "It's all in front of you, darling." 

Sighing, Nicole held out her hand. "Where's the pen?" 

"'Atta girl." Seth handed her the pen, watching as she messily signed her name. "I'll get you your own copy shortly." 

Nicole stared at him as he tucked away the contract, mentally trying to find some other way out of this whole mess. 

Underneath the facade Nicole had been wearing, there was a face nobody could see—and Seth, he had discovered it. Little did Seth know, sometimes a facade could be worn on top of another entire facade.