"Bye Bender." I said, smirking at him.
"Not like I'm leaving forever. Hey-I'm walking ya home, Nikky-baby." He winked, and climbed up into the ducts.
"Stop calling me that!" I cried, and walked over to the railing, where Andrew, Allison, Claire and Brian were sitting.
"Brian?" Claire asked.
"Yeah?"
"Are you gonna write your paper?" she got to the point fast.
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, it's kind of a waster for all of us to write our paper, don't you think?"
"Oh…but that's what Vernon wants us to do."
"True, but I think we'd all kind of say the same thing." She shrugged.
Brian got a huge smile on his face. "You just don't want to write your paper…right?" he guessed.
"True, but, you're the smartest right?"
"Oh-" I interrupted him.
"Right. Please, Brian?" I asked sweetly.
"We trust you…" We all nodded to Brian.
"All right, I'll do it." He smiled.
"Oh, thanks!" I smiled widely, and hugged him. He flushed.
"Come on guys." Claire said, pulling Allison's shirt.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Just come on!" she got down, and grabbed both of our hands, pulling us into a private rom. She began working on Allison's eye make-up. "Do you wear make-up, Nico?" she asked casually.
"Don't stick that in my eye!" Allison cried. Claire showed her what to do real quick, and got back to work.
"Yeah…I wear it natural." I informed her.
"So…none?" she asked. I scrunched up my face.
"You have any make-up remover?" she pointed to her bag. I fished it out, and began rubbing it around my eye. They both paused when they looked at me.
"Oh…what happened?"
"Dad…Wednesday night…" I said awkwardly, touching the bruised area.
"Are you alright?" Allison asked.
"I guess. I'm sorta used to it, I guess. I just…become numb, I guess…and I feel like my body floats away. And I'm with my mom and my sister again. It makes me happy." I smiled. "Even when something horrible is happening."
"You have a sister?" Claire asked, going back to work on Allison.
"Had. Mom…miscarried…Dad made sure of it."
"Oh…what a sicko." Claire grimaced. "Let's forget about sad stuff for right now…" she shook her head, and patted Allison down, making me go up in her place.
"Why are you being so nice to us?" Allison asked her. Claire smiled widely.
"Because you're letting me!" I smiled at her.
"I'm um…I'm really glad we became friends, Claire." I said quietly. She pulled back, and smiled at me again.
"Me too, Nico." She finished on me, clearly glad about her masterpieces. "I'm gonna go see John." She said.
"Oh…" I sang.
"Shut up!" she smiled nonetheless, and walked out. Allison and I looked at each other.
"You go first." She told me.
"No…you go first." I backfired.
"We'll both go at the same time." I nodded, and hooked her arm through mine. Slowly, we opened the door and stood there, smiling. Andy turned, and his mouth dropped.
"Is it not good?" I asked, looking down. He shook his head. I slowly walked over to sit next to him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Allison with Brian. "So…you know how I was talking about the cat earlier?" he nodded. "Well…the truth is…you know how…ugh! I…like you, okay?" I hissed, smiling.
"Like…friends?" he asked.
"No! Like…" I looked around, and pushed my lips onto his. "Like that." I hissed.
"Oh…" he smiled."You look…really good." He smiled sweetly.
"Thanks. Do you think it's done…?" I asked, seeing the paper. He nodded. I put out my hand. He shook his head.
"Can't read it. For the author and Mr. Vernon only, Brian said.." He said annoyed.
"Hey! I think it's time to leave!" Brian said. I glanced at the clock.
"Let's leave." I yelled, getting up.
"Um…here. I saw you didn't have a jacket." He handed me his blue letterman jacket. I grabbed it, and smiled.
"Thanks Andy…so…does this mean…we're like-boyfriend and girlfriend now?" I asked, holding his hand. We walked down the hallway, the other four joining us. Hesitantly, we walked out the doors.
"I'll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can pick you out a new jacket." He suggested.
"I'd…I'd like that, Andy." I smiled at him. We faced each other, and smiled. "Night…I guess." I said awkwardly.
"Yeah…I'll see you later. Have a good night Nicholetta Moore." He kissed my lips softly, and ran to his car. I smiled, and waited patiently for Bender and Claire to separate their lips. I put my finger up, and looked back at the school.
This day…although I was in detention…was one of the happiest days of my life. I made friends, gained a boyfriend, fought, cried, got high, and got my abusive father off my chest. I knew now, that with these guys…it wouldn't be just one day at a time anymore.
"Nikky-baby…?"
"Coming!" I jogged down the steps, and joined Bender on my walk home, knowing that it wouldn't be my last.