Keeping You Safe
Over the next few days, Dylan kept a close, protective watch over Nico, looking for a sign that she'd been hurt again.
"I know what you're doing." Nico looked at him as they walked from their science lesson, heading toward history.
"What's that?" Dylan asked, feigning innocence.
"It hasn't happened again. I'd tell you if he had."
"You're still my best mate, and I'm still gonna look out for you." He smiled at her.
Nico smiled, and walked with him to class.
"You gonna sit by Peri?"
"No..." Nico shook her head. "I think I need to step back from all that... I'll still be there for her, she's my best mate, but I can't get that involved again."
Dylan nodded. "Okay. Come on..."
Nico walked into the room, walking to the other side of the class room and sat down, Dylan sitting next to her.
Peri looked around at her best friend, and slumped back into her seat when Nico refused to look over at her.
Dylan looked as his phone buzzed silently in his pocket. It was a message from Tom which read; 'how do we get those two talking again?' He quickly typed back a message saying; 'not sure Nico's a bit wary right now'
He glanced to Nico and then over at Tom, giving a small shrug at the boy, not really knowing what to do.
Nico barely concentrated through the whole lesson, her mind wandering. She missed her mum, even more so now than ever before.
The bell rand and she quickly sprang from her seat, leaving the room.
Dylan stayed for a few seconds, wondering what was going on in her head. "The hell...?" He muttered, getting up, grabbing her bag that she had left behind and he left with the rest of the class.
He eventually found her in a quieter part of the school, hidden, sat on a table just under the stairs. "I thought you said you were OK." He leaned over the railings, looking down at her.
She shrugged. "I was.. I am.."
"So... What was that back there?" He walked down the stairs and stood in front of her.
She sighed. "I want to talk to mum..." She admitted.
He nodded. "That's understandable. So why don't you?"
"I don't have the number for the hospital she's in. Grandad does, and he won't give it me."
"There can't be that many mental units in Chester. So we'll find out, and try and see if any of them will talk to us."
Nico smiled a little. "Really?"
"Really." He nodded, smiling. "And if he finds out, I'll tell him it was my idea. It wouldn't be a lie would it."
She nodded, smiling. She jumped up from the table and hugged him.
He hugged back.