As Nicki readied for bed her phone went off. After school in the library works for me. Gerald. Nicki replied, sounds good, be sure to have your math book, scrap paper and a pencil. Soon after she hit send a reply came in, Yes Miss. Boyle, LOL Gerald. Nicki laughed. She normally didn't go for boys in her own age, but Gerald was sweet. She heard a knock on the door, "yes." she looked up from her book to see her mom poke her head in. "good-night."
"Night mom, oh mom I am tutoring Gerald Walters in math tomorrow after school is that okay? If I don't he's going to flunk and get booted off the basketball team."
"Okay, want me to pick you up afterwards?" Erin told her.
Nicki shook her head, "that's okay I'll just take the bus."
"Okay make sure you text me when you are on your way. Night Nic."
"Yes wardon." Nicki dryly told her.
Erin laughed.
^*^*^BB^*^*^
The night had been pushed back as the sun peeked over the horizon. Nicki slapped her alarm clock, anther restless night. It was becoming habit. Always the same dream, eyes just staring at her. Nicki shuddered.
"Nicki you up?" Knocked Erin.
"Yup, be out in a few minutes. The one good thing is she didn't have to worry about picking out her clothes. Uniforms took care of that. She applied some make up perked her hair up a bit, the short pixie cut she kept was easy and simple to style.
"Hey," Nicki greeted her mom as she went for a bowl of ceral.
"Sleep well?" Erin asked, the question was double edged and her mother had done it on purpose.
"Pretty much." She answered, it wasn't a complete lie more like a partial truth.
Erin raised her eyebrow. "I heard you whimper in your sleep."
"Guess I had a bad dream." Nicke shrugged, finished her ceral and snagged her book bag. "Takin' the bus this morning, love you, bye." Nicki was out the door.
"That girl," griped Erin.
^*^*^BB^*^*^
Nicki slipped off the bus and walked the rest of the way. "Hey Nicki." A familiar voice called. Nicki stopped and turned to see Donna Moore running up to her.
"Hey. So when do you start tutoring Gerald?" Donna asked.
"Today after school." Answered Nicki.
The two girls walked in together, "I'm telling you this could be a blessing in disguise."
"How so?"
Donna rolled her eyes, "for someone who is so smart you sure can be braindead sometimes. Use it to your advantage. Get to know him while you tutor him."
"Come on do you think that is going to work?" Nicki asked her friend as she turned the dial to her locker.
"Sure just strike up a conversation with him, ask him to walk you to meet your mom or to the bus stop. Guys love doing things like that. Gerald is a real gentlemen." Rattled Donna.
Nicki just stood there with her mouth gapped open staring into her locker.
Donna turned to her friend, "Nic what's wrong?" Donna peeked into the locker to see the roses. "Who did that?" She asked looking past her friend saw him. "Wyatt!" Growled Donna as she ripped the flowers out of Nicki locker. Sending petals floating to the floor. She stormed over to the trash can throwing in. "Nicki, I got rid of them." Donna comforted her friend.
"He...he...he was in my locker." Nicki stuttered in a hushed voice. "He was in my locker."
"Look you can share mine." Donna started grabbing things from her friend's locker. Nicki just stood there in disbelief, finally she turned to face Wyatt, "why? Can't you just leave me alone?" Nicki sobbed.
"Look you'll share my locker which is far away from that weirdo." Donna assured her friend.
Nicki turned to Donna, only thing Nicki could do was nod to her friend. Maybe it was time to tell her family? Come clean. The downside to that she thought- thirty five thousand baby-sitters. Her mom calling her every half hour to make sure she was okay. She'd never breath again. Trapped that is what she would be. No. Besides that he'd only given her flowers. He'd only been staring at her. Nothing physical. Nothing to show that he was a threat.
"Have you told your mom about Wyatt?" Donna asked.
"No, its bad enough she still has my great-grandfather babysitting me when she goes out to social events. Do you know how humiliating that is?" Nicki asked in pure frustration.
"Are you serious? I mean you're what? Sixteen?"
"Thank you. That is what I've been saying. If she knew about Wyatt she'd lock me in my room nail my window shut and put a guard on me. I'd never see daylight again. Besides I don't think he's violent. So really right now there really isn't a need to sound the alarms. Maybe now he'll get the message. I'm not
interested."
"I hope so."
^*^*^BB^*^*^
Nicki was silent for the rest of the day with the exception of when she was called on. Wyatt kept staring.
"Hey Nicki," Gerald greeted as he walked up to her.
"Oh hey Gerald you ready for some hard core math turdoring?" Nicki joked.
"Yes. I really don't want to get kicked off the team."
"Won't happen. I won't let it." Nicki told him. "Well lets get started." The two took a table in the back of the library. "Okay so where are you having the most trouble?" Nicki asked looking over his class notes and work. "First off when you take notes try and keep them more organized. Like this." Nicki showed him her notes.
"Um you are really good." Gerald told her as he eyed her notes.
"I come from a long line of perfectionist." Laughed Nicki. "As for the work itself you need to write down an example of the problem. Like this. I also have some really great math sites that I use- I'll write them down for you."
"Thanks, knew you were the right choice." Gerald told her. Nicki blushed.
"Well let's get into this." Nicki began as the two began their first session.
^*^*^BB^*^*^
He watched them, laughing, their heads close together. He balled up his fist, gritted his teeth. What is she doing? Trying to make him jealous? She had to do that with him? He watched as she nodded. No one was going to keep them apart.
^*^*^BB^*^*^
Gerald rubbed his eyes. Nicki smiled, "I think that is enough for today."
"Nicki, I really appriciate this. Basketball is the only way into college."
"No problem, besides you have a fantastic jump shot."
He looked over at her, "you think I have a fantastic jump shot?"
Nicki smiled. "Mind walking me out?"
"No prob. Hey we've got a game next Saturday you should come."
"I might just do that. Well I see your ride is here." She pointed out.
"It is. You going to be okay?" Gerald looked around no one around.
"Yeah I'll take the bus over to my grandpa work." Nicki told him.
Gerald nodded and headed off to his ride.
^*^*^BB^*^*^
Wyatt waited until she was alone. "Nicki," he softly called.
Nicki jumped. "Wyatt." Nicki looked around she was alone.
Wyatt walked towards her. Nicki held up her hand. "That is close enough." She told him.
"Nicki I don't understand. I don't mean you any harm." He reasoned.
Nicki laughed, "you left me roses in my locker. You invaded my privacy." She pointed out.
"I was just showing you what you mean. What we are."
"Wyatt get this through your head there is no we. There is no us. I don't look at you in that way."
"Oh but you see Gerald Walters like that?" He seethed.
"You were watching me. I don't owe you an explanation but I am tutoring him."
Wyatt laughed, "please don't insult my intellegence."
Nicki had had enough. "Listen very carefully Wyatt. I come from a family of law enforcement. Both my uncles are police officers. My mom a prosecutor. My grandfather is the Police Commmissioner. You know what? None of them would be very understanding with what you are doing. In fact it would be labeled as stalking." Nicki informed him.
"I am not a stalker. I just want to be with you." He reached to grab her but Nicki stepped out of his reach.
"Really Wyatt cause you could have fooled me. What do you call it when you lurk around watching me without me knowing it? Sticking unwanted gifts in my locker? What would you call it!" Nicki nearly shouted.
"Love." Wyatt humbly told her.
"Well Wyatt I don't love you. Matter of fact I'm to the point to where I hate you. You know what Wyatt I've never said that to anther person ever. But today I felt hate. You showed me it. You best stay away from me. No more staring at me. No more unwanted gifts. Just leave me alone." Nicki hottly told him.
"This is because of your friend Donna. And Gerald." Wyatt responded back.
Nicki groaned in annoyance. "You don't get it. Let me say this one last time- STAY AWAY FROM ME! No more presents. No more leering at me during school. Leave me alone." Nicki started towards her grandpa's office. Leaving Wyatt behind.
"You'll see we belong together." Wyatt called from behind her. "I love you." He added.
Nicki felt her sick.
^*^*^BB^*^*^
Nicki finally made it to her grandfather's office. "Hi grandpa." She smiled and hugged him.
"Hi yourself. You hug me any tighter you're going to cut off my circulations." He laughed.
"Sorry." Nicki apologized.
"Don't apologize I always love it when my grandkids are happy to see me." Frank smiled.
"Hungry?"
"Nah. I've got some homework to do." Nicki shrugged.
"You alright?" Frank asked observing his only granddaughter.
"Fine." Nicki replied as she plopped down on the couch and began her homework.
Frank studied his granddaughter. She looked tired. The usual brightness in her eyes were dual. "Nicki are you sure you are feeling okay?"
"Yes I'm fine." Nicki snapped. "I'm sorry grandpa. I might be a little tired. But okay."
Frank nodded. Get anything out of Nicki was almost impossible. She reminded him of Jamie. The two were a lot a like in that aspect. Tight lipped. Took things to heart. They were both pretty tough when it came to standing on their opinions.
Half hour later Nicki was curled up on her grandfather's couch sound asleep. Frank smiled. She looked peaceful. He took his coat and drapped it on top of her. Erin was at least anther hour and half. Frank, himself had anther hours worth of paperwork. Frank had told Erin Nicki was fine. Asleep on the couch. He'd bring her home when he was done.
^*^*^BB^*^*^
Poor Nicki. Plan to post more. Right now I am in the middle of the big reveal. So once I get that written I will post more.
