One Week Later...
Nic pov.
Must. Tell. Mom. No Kendall. Her name is Kendall. Good news! I break out into a run from my coach. I've been back for about a week, and things are really lookin up. I hurry around a corner inside the school halls but bump into somebody.
"Ow!" the person yells. I look up and smile.
"Sorry CC." I say. She says she hates it but deep down I think she loves it.
"You really can't remember my name can you?" she says with a 'scowl.' I know it's fake. "Colby. Say it with me now, Colby." she says slowly. I still have this really goofy grin attached to my face.
"Aite CC. But I can't stay and talk, see ya tomorrow." I say helpin her up and runnin off again. I'm makin good time. Stayin to all the front streets like Kendall made me promise...although she said that rule wouldn't apply until I'm allowed to travel alone. Oh well. The fusion office is only like, 6 blocks or so from the middle school so this isn't that bad. Specially when you're feelin like me. Alright, I'm about half a block away and I can see the big ass buildin.
"Gotcha!" I hear and feel my body bein lifted off the ground and onto somebody's shoulder.
"The hell?! Put me the fuck down!" I yell.
"Watch your mouth. Now, this doesn't look like the way to Erica's does it Nic?" he asks. Uh oh.
"Don't be scarin me like that Jack!" I say. Then I remember. "And I was gonna wait for ya but I just really needed to run." I say. He lets me off his shoulder but still keeps me under his arm. He's like carryin me so my body is sorta...layin down. "Could ya put me down?" I ask. He nods and lets me back to the ground. I sigh and turn to the car.
"No, we can go see Kendall. Erica is there anyway." he says. My face brightens and we get in the car. The whole while I'm rushin him cus it really shouldn't take this long to drive half a block. He just smiles in amusement. "What's got you so giddy?" he asks. I smile and bounce a little waitin on the elevator.
"Coach sa-" I stop when the elevator opens. He shakes his head getting on behind me and we're quiet until we reach the right floor. When we exit we can hear Kendall, Bianca, Erica, and even Greenlee laughin at talkin.
"Hey little man." Greenlee says comin over to me. I hug her quickly and start bouncin again.
"What the heck is he doing?" Bianca asks laughing.
"He's doing the snoopy dance. He does it when he's excited." Kendall replies. She's laughin too so I stop to catch my breath. "So what's up?" she asks.
"Coach said I can start in this weeks game! Dude, I'm gonna be playin with the big dogs!" I say. They chuckle and Kendall speaks up.
"Aren't they all eighth graders?" she asks. I nod but look at her like 'so?' "Well then wouldn't they be little dogs?" she asks. I scoff.
"Uh no. Some of those kids are friggin huge!" I say. And it's true. It'd take two of me to fill some of their shoes.
"You're just tiny." they all chorus.
"Oh ha ha. Don't mock me ladies and jack. I'm gonna get real tall one day then you're gonna be sorry." I say. They chuckle a little cus they doubt it. I mean, I'm barely Maggie's height. But that's alright. I think I'm tall for my age. "So am I still hangin at Erica's?" I ask. Everybody gets quiet and share nervous glances. "What?" I ask. See, I was s'posed to wait for Jack to pick me up today so I could spend a little one on one time with la Kane. But I got excited.
"Well Nic, I spoke with you're lawyer this morning..." Kendall trails off at my frown.
"I have a lawyer?" I ask. She nods but I don't say nothin else. I'll ask her later.
"Yes. And he told me that...that social services will be by to get you soon." she says. I frown. Wh- oh. oh. I slump back in my seat I had grabbed and blow out a breath.
"Where are they gonna take me?" I ask. She kneels in front of me.
"Not far. You're still gonna be able to go to your school and everything." she says. I scratch the back of my head quickly. Not cus it itches, that's just somethin I do when I'm frustrated.
"Why can't I just stay with you?" I ask. I just got back home now I gotta leave again? This is bullshit!
"Because I'm not your legal guardian." she says.
"And?" I prod. She wasn't my legal guardian before.
"Both of your parents are dead Nic. I can't...there's a process." she says. I nod waitin for her to continue. She doesn't.
"I already have a legal guardian. If my dad died I went to his girlfriend..." I trail off when she walks in the room. Kendall frowns.
"Who?" she asks. I laugh but it's empty.
"Lena." I say simply. Lena looks like a dear in headlights and turns to Bianca.
"What are you talking about?" she asks trying to play innocent.
"You know exactly what I'm talkin bout." I say. She shakes her head.
"Why would Michael give me custody of his son? We were not that close. Bianca, my lav, I told you this boy was trouble." she says.
"Oh don't start goin all out with you're 'I'm so innocent look at me and my annoyin accent' bullshit. You know that in his will, if I'm still a minor when he croaks, custody is handed over to you." I say standin up. I'm not gonna let this woman try to trick them into believing her.
"Lena?" Bianca says her name with hurt. Fuck that was wrong. I didn't need to do that. I could...man I'm a shit.
"Bianca I'm sorry. I- I didn't want... I'm sorry." I say. She turns to me with a confused frown.
"Why are you sorry?" she asks. I gesture toward Lena and everybody else.
"I coulda did this somewhere more private but I..." she stops me.
"The only thing you should apologize for is that language." she says.
"Sorry Kendall." I say knowin she's the one I should apologize too.
"Pass." she says. Fuckin right, I get a pass this time.
"Bianca it's no-" I stop her.
"Do I need to bring my lawyer into this?" I ask. She looks like she doesn't know what to think.
"It's true. But Bianca you must understa-" Bianca cuts her off by raising her hand in the stop motion.
"Don't apologize. Just sign over custody." she says. I frown. Huh?
"What?" Lena asks.
"Sign over custody of Nic to Kendall, and get out of my life." she says.
"I can't. We are leaving the country soon." she says.
"You're a damn lie!" I exclaim.
"Dominic!" Kendall yells.
"Sorry it's just that...she...and leavin...and...ugh!" I groan. She shakes her head.
"He can't leave the country Lena, he's a suspect in a murder." jack says. That's right! I never knew my mom would do somethin for me.
"It's been cleared by the judge." Lena says standing defiantly.
"If you take him out of the country, I'll have a warrant pulled on the both of you so fast..." jack trails off. She sighs.
"Fine. I will sign over custody to Kendall and as soon as that is done. I am leaving to take care of my mother." she says. Jack nods.
"Oh and Lena, I've been meaning to ask you, do you have any idea who would kill Michael Cambias?" he asks. I see her start to sweat. Why the hell would sh-
"Get the fuck outta here Michael!" I yell. He doesn't listen but his body freezes over mine. I look up at him and his face shows shock. I squirm to the side before he falls and see Lena standin there holdin a gun. She looks at me before walkin out. I look down at his body layin beside mine, eyes still wide with shock and I see the blood on the back of his head. I shake my head.
"Great. I'm an orphan."
"Why am I just rememberin this?" I ask myself but see everyone lookin at me like I'm crazy. I shake my head...this is crap. Somethin reall- oh yeah! My legal guardian gets Cambias. Gold diggin bitch! I look at her and I feel an all new form of hate wellin up inside me.
"Nic?" Kendall tries but gets no answer. I just stand there and stare Lena down.
"I must be going." she says. I run and step in front of her.
"No." I say. She raises an eyebrow and tries to move around me. I step in her path again. "I swear if you weren't a woman I'd beat the hell outta you." I say. No matter what she's done I still wont hit her. Not cool. But it don't mean that I can't fantasize about beatin her up. S'longs I don't I'm fine. She moves to put her hand on my shoulder. "Self-defense." I threaten knowin that even if she do, I'll just take it. She seems to think it over and lowers her hand.
"Please move." she instructs. I just shake my head.
"No." I say again.
"Nic let her by." Bianca tries.
"No." again.
"Dom-" I cut Kendall off.
"Not movin." I say shakin my head crossin my arms over my chest.
"Nathaniel." she warns.
"What?" I ask like she was callin my name. She shakes her head and steps beside me.
"What's gotten into you?" she asks. Lena tries to move again but I step in front of her. I'm not lettin this woman outta here until Jack knows the truth. But I don't wanna say it out loud. That'd kill Bianca. So this leaves me with two choices; stand here and stare her down until she cracks, or move.
"Look, what ever it is, come talk to me about it. I'll help you with it in anyway I can." Kendall tries again. I glance at her then glare back at Lena. "If Lena has anything to do with it, I'll handle her." she says and I know she would. I sigh and move.
"Don't think it's over." I say before she's gone. "Kendall, can I talk to you and Jack alone?" I ask. I don't wanna do this by myself. She nods and we move to the conference room. I sit then stand and pace before sittin again. Jack sits down patiently and I can feel the worried stare that Kendall has fixed on me. I sigh and turn to jack.
"I know... I was there when Micheal was killed." I say. I scratch my cheek slightly then run a hand through my hair. I still haven't gotten that hair cut.
"What happened?" jack asks gently. I shake my head and swallow hard. Why'd I have to be there?
"Well, after I had said all that stuff in the courthouse he jumped at me. You saw that cus then I set off the sprinklers by accident." I say. "I checked and I swear the gun was empty." I say.
"Are you saying that you?..." he trails off. I shake my head quickly.
"No. But I know who did." I say.
"Nic, I need you to tell me exactly what happened. Can you do that?" he asks. Can I?