Hey guys, sorry for the late update. I as in a bad mood. Anyway, here is the next chapter. I hope you will enjoy it.

I left the school broken. I felt like my heart, my mind, everything was shattered to pieces. I wanted to help Brandon, but he denied it. Was it because of me again? Or was it because there's truly no other way? Maybe it was both.

I couldn't look myself in the mirror anymore, I hated myself. I was the reason Brandon was in this dramatic situation, and I can't do anything about it. Nothing at all.

It was my fault, and only mine.

I let a tear escape. No, I will not give up yet. I will try anything to save Brandon. I will free him. This is a promise.

The next morning at school we wrote a test at history. Of course, I screwed it up again. Note to myself; after I get the test back, burn it. Anyway, I saw Brandon in the cafeteria in a table alone. I couldn't stand watching him starving, so I took my disk and sat next to him.

"Oh hey Nikki! What's up?" Brandon said. He still had the bags under his eyes. Who knows what time he slept last night.

"I am fine, you?" I asked like nothing was wrong.

"Okay. I am cool." He smiled at me. I blushed. That magic and loveable smile of him...awww

"Do you want...a banana?" I offered him. Brandon looked at it like it was alien.

"You sure? It's your lunch. I can't just eat it."

"It's my lunch, so I decide. Eat the banana. For me. I don't want you to starve again." I said.

Brandon tried to say something, but then he took the banana and started eating it.

"Mmm...tasty." he said. I smiled.

"Hey Brandon, I was wondering, do you want me to stay here after school to help you on your work and after that study together? I- I think that that way you will finish faster." I said.

"Nikki...you don't have to! I mean, what you will tell your parents?"

"That I went to Chloe's to study together and sleepover."

"But..again.."

"Please let me help you Brandon! I want to help you, so at least, accept it!" I said. Brandon was speechless, but then that calm smile came back on his face.

"Alright...I give in. Meet me at cafeteria after school." he said.

I smiled. "Thanks."

After the last bell rang, all the students left the school building. I left my books in the locker and took the homework me and Brandon would do together. Then I started going at the cafeteria.

I saw Brandon sitting in a table with his backpack on it. He smiled seeing me.

"I thought you were going to leave."

"Why should I? I keep my promises you know."

"Never mind. I am happy for you to be here."

I nodded. Inside my head was held a big party with music called; Brandon is happy for me.

"Alright. Should we get started?" Brandon said.

"Yes."

"Okay, we have to wash the dishes, mop the floor and clean the restrooms. Today is our lucky day. We have to do the half from as I thought." Brandon said.

"Wow, really? Let us begin then." I said.

For the next 2.5 hours Brandon and I were doing some chores that I wouldn't do in my life (but with the thought that Brandon did that everyday, that it was normal, it was his life for him, crushed my heart) but that didn't mean we couldn't have a nice chat. We talked, we laughed, that we forgot that we were working. After we finished, we got our homework and sat on a table.

"I want a snack. Are you hungry?" Brandon asked.

"Yeah. Wait, are we going to eat from the junk?" I said.

"We can't do else. I mean- I can't do else. You sure have something small to eat in your bag, right? Eat it. Don't worry about me, I eat junk food all the time." he said and grabbed an unwashed disk.

After 1 minute Brandon came back to our table. I was eating a toast I made for hunger- emergency, and besides me was Brandon with...some disgusting things on his plate.

"Brandon, what the hell is this?" I asked disgusted.

"My snack. Half eaten apple, a hot dog...with something weird on it, and a bottle of water." he said calm.

"Don't say you are going to eat this, right? OMG, I am going to puke.." To be honest, I really did.

"Sorry. Can't do anything about it." he said and started eating.

"Don't worry Brandon, I will find a way to get you out of this madness, I swear..."

"Are you still going about this? Nikki I told you-"

"No Brandon, you are not okay at all! Stop acting tough, please. Can't you see this is killing you? This hell? You can show your feelings to me, but if you don't want to open yourself, fine. Just...just think about me seeing you living like an animal. I don't want this. So I will help, with or without your opinion. That's the end of the conversation." I said. Then I started crying. Why I had to?!

"Nikki..." Brandon said grabbing m shoulder. Then he lowed his face, sad. I stopped crying, but there was still tears in my eyes. His fist was shaking.

"I am...so sorry..." he said. The words came hard from his mouth. He was so sad and angry.

"Brandon..."

"I am so so so sorry Nikki...because...because of me...you are crying...sorry..forgive me.." he said crying.

I couldn't stop myself of going boom. Now there was a pool of tragedy and tears, where I and Brandon were in.

"Brandon..no I am sorry..I didn't want you to cry, omg I am so so sorry. Please, stop crying...please..because..I will cry too." I said. Then something very alien happened. Brandon hugged me. He really hugged me. The feeling was...so soft, hot but in a good way weird. Like I was hugging a bomb ready to explode.

"I...I...hate...it." he whispered.

"What?" I asked softly.

"I..hate it. This. I-I hate my life, Nikki...I hate my current state... I want it...to end..please...I w-want this to end...this...t-this nightmare..." he whispered. Then he started sobbing. Me, not knowing what to do, I patted his back with comfort. But then, I hugged him too, softly.

After some hour, we came into our senses. We did our homework, but it was late, 23:38.

"Brandon, will you go at your home, or sleep here?" I asked.

"Well, I stay here. At night it is dangerous outside, so I don't risk it."

"So, where are you sleeping?" I asked.

"In the janitor's closet. There isn't as lot of space, but if we...eh...squeeze enough we will fit. So, ehh..what do you say?" Brandon said blushed.

OMG. O-M-G!

BRANDON AND I SLEEPING TOGETHER?! THAT'S SO...SO OMG!

"Ehhh...yeah, why not? If you don't have any problem, that's it." I said.

"Cool. Help me carry the mattress on the floor." he said.

After some minutes Brandon and I were on the dirty mattress, trying to sleep. But it was hard. Especially when there are two people on it.

"You can't sleep?" Brandon asked.

"Not really. To be honest, this feels like...I don't know...strange." I said. "And I can't stand the smell of cleaning products."

Brandon laughed. "I thought you and the girls always came here." My eyes opened wide.

"How do you know? And yeah, I can stand the smell for ten minutes, not hours." I said.

"Let's say that I kinda saw you. Nothing more, nothing less." he said.

"Okay. Hey, do you know what time is it?" I asked yawing.

"Uhhh...it's 12:14 after midnight. We should sleep. Tomorrow we have school." he said.

"Brrr...I am cold." I said.

"Do you want me to cover you with a blanket?" Brandon asked.

"If there is one….why not?" I asked. Brandon got up and searched the janitor's stuff.

"I am sorry Nikki, there isn't." he stayed silent. Then he took off his shirt. "I know this isn't much, but...you can cover yourself with this." he said. He gave me his shirt.

I blushed. No, my nose was bleeding. I covered with his shirt. It was so soft and hot. Full….of feelings. But the most weird? BRANDON WAS NEXT TO ME SHIRTLESS!

DEEP BREATHS NIKKI! DEEP BREATHS!

"Thanks." I said.

To be honest, now I was pretty hot. Brandon lied on the mattress next to me.

"Brandon...you will catch a cold. You should put back on your shirt." I said.

"Never mind me. I am used to it." he said.

Then the weirdest idea ever came into my mind. I tried to make it go away, but it was stuck in my head.

"Hey Brandon...I-I was wondering...I-I heard that two people can get warm c-cuddling one another." I said. Brandon looked at me with a surprised face. He was blushing, I could tell it even in the mid- dark.

"But that's only a hypothesis, so we can't do it..I mean..." I tried to say.

"Um, Nikki...I...can't do it...well...I, well..." he said. Then he sighed. "I...I guess I can do it if you are still cold..." he said scratching the back of his head. My nose bleeded.

"Cool. Well, um..." we tried to get our hands on each other. We were laughing of our stupidity. Then, we were on the bed, cuddling each other. I started panting. Brandon's body was so warm...It had a nice feeling to it. Brandon too was...hypering.

"Okay...let's...let's go back to sleep." I said. We let go of each other immediately.

"E-Exellent idea. Sure." he said. After some hour we fell asleep.

This chapter was so romantic! Don't think something lemon, slash. Only two friends cuddling in the bed. Nothing more. Seriously. Anyway I hope you liked this chapter. Sent me reviews if you like. See ya.