Okay, here's chapter 2! Enjoy!
-Nico-
As I walked away from her yesterday, every part of me wanted to run back to her. To tell her that I love her. Heck, maybe even kiss her. But I know I can't. I just know she doesn't like me that way. The only reason that she was crying into me yesterday was because she needed someone to cry on. I feel so much anger at those jerks who tried to assault her. But, in a way, I'm happy that this happened. I'm happy that I got to hold her in my arms and have her hold me back. I'm happy that I got to wipe away her tears rather than someone else doing it. I could have left her there to cry, but that would be just as mean as the things the boys were gonna do to her. She was hurt and she was scared. In that burst of bravery where I wrapped my arms around her, I knew I couldn't back out. And I didn't. And I'm proud of that. I'm proud of myself that I even said the words I've wanted to say for a long time. It's always been you. I can't use the excuse that Bianca died, because I could have told her way before that. I don't even care if she doesn't understand what I said, because I know that she just looks at me like an older brother. So today is going to be very awkward, especially since I haven't talked with really anyone except for Will since Bianca died. I miss her so much, but I can't go back to the past. I've got to move forward. And now, forward for me is coming out of my shell. It must be easier that it feels because I was able to with Allie, but that is because I knew her before. She already knows me. But not what I've done to myself after Bianca died. Not even Will knows. No one knows. Except for me. And I hate myself for it. I've stopped now, but it still haunts me. That's why I wear Bianca's old jacket.
As I go into lunch, I see Allie. She's laughing along with Hazel and everyone else, like nothing ever happened. Her laugh lights up her face. She's so beautiful when she laughs. And since yesterday, she's also beautiful when she cries. Her wavy brown hair is almost bronze in the light. Her blue eyes glimmer while she laughs. Then I find those gorgeous blue eyes staring right back at me. I look away quickly and hope that I didn't blush. Apparently all of my bravery from yesterday is gone. I sit in my usual spot next to Will and across from Thalia.
"Hey Neeks," says Will using my nickname. I roll my eyes and start eating my food.
"How's it going?" he says again.
"It's going fine." I say plainly.
"Allie told me about yesterday." he says. I freeze for a second. "She broke down on the car ride home. I just wanted to thank you from both of us. I'm glad it was you and not someone else." My heart breaks at the fact that she was crying again.
"Thanks and your welcome. It was no biggy. There was no way I was gonna let her go out back with those douches."
"No, I mean about comforting her after."
"Oh." I say. I don't know what else to say.
"Neeks," he whispers. "I know you like her, or at least you used to." I feel myself blush and I know he can see it so I just nod. "Do you still?" I nod again, blushing even more. "You should just ask her then. You already showed her you haven't changed by comforting her like you would have when she was seven and she scraped her knee when I was sick and I couldn't help her. Remember that? Because I do, and so does she. She told me a year ago that she was worried you changed after Bianca died. She loved having you around, you were her second brother and best friend other than me.. It makes an impression on people when they're kind. You and Bianca both." He stops to take a breath. "All I'm saying is, just ask her. You won't know until you do." I nod and finish my lunch, unable to say anything else.
"I'm gonna head to the library. I have some homework I need to get done."
"Okay Neeks, I'll see you later." I grab my bag and go. On my way out I look back at my friends. And I see one of them looking back at me. Maybe that one look gives me hope.
"I'm gonna ask her today. I have to" I mumble to myself as I walk out the door.
—-
My last two classes were okay. I'm taking calculus as a senior this year and it's the last period, so it sucks. I'm ready to be done with the day and math is not my best subject, even though I made it to calculus. I try to do my best in my studies, because I know Bianca would want me to. I finish the homework sheet just before the bell rings, and then I head out the door.
The school is mostly empty by the time I come back out from my counselors office. The only reason I go is because of when Bianca died, but I liked it, being able to learn how to talk about my feelings out loud, so I kept going. Mr. Brunner really knows how to get you to open up, and I've even told him about Allie. I didn't tell him I'm going to ask her how she feels about me though. I'm so nervous. So now, as I walk the halls hoping not to run into her, I run into Kelly and her group of giggly girls. They are always trying to push themselves on me, asking me on dates and touching my arm in a way I would not like to be touched, especially with my scars there.
"Hey Nico." Kelly says in her valley girl accent.
"What do you want Kelly?" I reply coldly. She frowns.
"Oh that's no way to talk to the only person that likes you in this school." She puts her bottom lip out to look pouty. "How about you, me, and homecoming?" She says smirking. The other girls crowd around me until I'm in the middle of a half circle against a locker. Kelly steps closer. My heartbeat picks up speed. "And then we could do, you know, other stuff, after." She gives me her best seductive look as she touches my arms.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I say, my voice almost an octave higher than usual.
"Oh c'mon, of course you know what I mean." She does a double wink as she traces her hands up and down my arms.
"Could you please not touch me." I ask, trying to keep out any anger from my voice.
"Hey Kelly!" I hear someone yell. Kelly turns around and I see Allie standing behind them. "Go find s-some-one of y-your own brain m-mentality to p-pick on. There are p-plenty of guys that are as s-stupid as you are." she stutters. Kelly looks her over, gives her a middle finger, and turns back to me. Allie looks stunned.
"Don't listen to little stutter-face over there. Pay attention to me." She says and then she's all pressed up against me, her hands crawling up my arms ever so slowly. My heart starts beating faster as I know I can't do anything. If I push her off, she could use that as assault or something. So I have to let her do what she wants to. Her hands brush my shoulders off as I see Allie go into action from behind. Kelly is ripped off me and pushed to the ground. Allie looks furious as she looks down on Kelly.
"He told you not to touch him, didn't he." She says venomously without stuttering. "Now let him go or you'll have to deal with me. I can report you to the police for touching him when he didn't want to be touched. And Nico has the witness on his side, if you wanna go to court about it." Her eyes gleam maliciously at Kelly and the other girls. Kelly uses some colorful curses I would rather not repeat towards Allie before leaving in a huff. I peel myself off the wall as Allie takes a deep breath.
"That was really brave of you." I say to her. "I know you still have social anxiety. But thanks, for saving me, I guess." Allie looks at me for a few seconds, and it seems like her blue eyes are staring into my soul.
Why didn't you push her off?" she finally says. "Do you like her or something? Or did you like the attention?" It sounds like there is a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Does it look like I like her?" I slide down to the floor with my back against the locker and hang my head in my hands. "She's been bothering me ever since sophomore year. I can't physically push her off me because she could use it against me. I don't know what makes her do it, there's plenty of other guys besides me."
"I can see why she does." she says quietly. I look up to find her with a slight blush on her cheeks.
"What do you mean?" I ask. She slides down next to me.
"Well, umm." she pauses. "Uh, Nico, I don't know if you know this but you are, um," she blushes a lot. "kinda good looking." she finishes. We both blush a lot.
"What do you mean, kinda?" I ask with a little bit of bravery. I want to hear what she says.
"Well… you were always a cute kid, but, uh, you kinda turned into the attractive emo kid." she says and blushes a lot. I feel the blush on my cheeks too. She thinks I'm attractive. She wouldn't think that if she saw my arms though. That's okay though, I don't have to show her them. So with my wonderfully fast quick thinking, I say something back.
"Uh you are too." I say and we blush again. "I mean," I quickly say, "you're the cute kid turned cuter. Not emo." I say nervously. She waits for a moment and I see the gears turning in her head.
"So you think I'm cute?" she asks, looking up through a curtain of bronze waves. I gulp.
"Yes," I squeak. I clear my throat. "I mean, yes." I say in a more sure voice. Allie smirks and her eyes light up. I smile back at her. It's now or never. I take a deep breath and I see her do the same.
"Hey Allie, can I tell you something?"
"Can I tell you something?"
We both speak at the same time, and then we blush for what seems like the thousandth time.
"You can go ahead," I say, trying to be the gentleman. She takes a deep breath and turns red. Like really red. I can feel my heart beat pick up speed.
"Well, um, I-I understand if you don't fe-el the same wa-ay, but I um," she pauses to hide her face in her hands. I look at her intently. If she goes where I think she goes, then I could be the happiest guy at school.
"I um," she says again. She looks up at me quickly. "I um kindalikeyou. Like a lot." she says and looks back down at the floor. She sighs. There it is. I'm the happiest guy in school. I'm pretty sure I'm grinning like an idiot as she continues speaking, still looking down.
"I kinda have for a long time, and I still do. I was working up the courage to tell you the summer that Bianca died, but then, when that happened, I didn't wanna bother you with it. I mean you had just lost your sister. And then you kinda backed away from all your friendships except for Will, and you never even came to our house anymore." she says. "I understand why you shied away, but I knew I could never tell you after that. I lost my chance. The only reason I'm telling you know is that I just need to get it off my chest. It's been weighing me down for a long time. I just knew I couldn't have you, I'm not good enough." she says. I can see tears welling up in her eyes. My smile disappeared about two sentences into her explanation. She stands up to go. "I should probably go. It doesn't seem like you have anything to say, anyway." she says and wipes her eyes. Why did I ever let myself shy away from my friends, who would have been there to care for me! I'm such an idiot! She's already about two steps down the hall when I get up and grab her wrist.
"Allie, wait." I say. She turns around and looks up at me with glassy eyes. I gently put my arms around her and pull her close to me. She hesitates before she wraps her arms around me under my jacket. Every place she touches me tingles with electricity, just like it did yesterday. "You didn't wait to hear what I had to say." She nods and squeezes me a little bit tighter, like she'll never get to see me after this. I take a deep breath.
"Allie, I don't know how you didn't see it, but I liked you too back then. I was going to tell you how I felt that summer too, but I chickened out. Then Bianca died and I didn't want you to see me. I was broken, and I didn't want to burden you with that. With taking care of all my feelings and mood swings. I would have been so embarrassed, and sorry that I put you through what I was going through." I stop, and hold her at arm's length. The tears are still in her eyes.
"So you don't like me like that anymore?" she asks, her voice cracking. Crap, I forgot to say that part.
"No, Allie. You were one of the people who helped me get through this. You made me want to be a better person, and go back to my old self after Bianca died. I know Bianca would want me to move on after her death, and you helped me do that from afar. Allie," I say and I cup her cheek in my hand. There was a single tear running down her cheek and I wiped it away with my thumb. And before I knew what I was saying, I said it. "I never stopped loving you." I caressed her face as another tear trailed down her cheek.
"You, you love me?" she says as she looked into my eyes. Here it goes. I take a deep breath. I look down to her beautiful, pink lips and slowly tilt my head down to hers. Before our lips touch, I stop moving forward.
"Allie, it's always been you." I whisper. Then, our lips touch, and a fire ignites between us. Her lips are so, so soft. I slip my other hand down to her waist to pull her closer as our lips melt together. Her hands move from around me and up to the back of my neck. One of her hands goes into my hair and curls it around her fingers. I move my hand from her cheek into her soft, wavy hair. Flush against one another, our lips move together in unison, caressing each other gently. Just like what a first kiss is supposed to be like. Not long enough later, she pulls back to catch her breath. Her cheeks are tinged red and her lips are a little puffy. She's so beautiful. We both jump slightly as we hear slow clapping coming from down the corridor. We look up to see Will, Percy, and Jason watching us intently, grins on their faces. Will was the one clapping.
"It looks like our ship has sailed, hasn't it boys." he said with a grin on his face. I blushed and looked at Allie, who also has very red cheeks. "How bout it Nico, you can take her drive her home today, it looks like you guys have some things to figure out." he said grinning. Then he, Jason and Percy turned around and left.
"How about it, Sunshine?" I say with a grin. She blushes and smiles at me. "Do you want me to drive you home today?" She nods. I lean down and give her a kiss on the cheek before I pick up her backpack. "C'con, I'll show you to my car."
Reviews are appreciated! I've decided that this is going to be the end. I had liked the idea of going further with the story, but I have a story I already started and planned to be long so I kinda need to finish that. So I think I'm gonna change this to completed. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! ~kalisfandomstories1004