Nevermore

Chapter 01

N I C H O L A S

Nicholas was running away from home again, and his parents didn't mind in the slightest. In fact, they were the ones who had suggested it in the first place.

With autumn came another school year. Another season of yellow and orange leaves, of hot coffee by the fireplace, of watching the pouring rain from the classroom windows. Another time to see old friends again and be buried underneath the load of studies. But for Nicholas, it was another chance to escape home.

The journey from the train station to the front gates of Berrington University took almost an hour. It was the same place his own father had gone to years ago to study law, and he wanted Nicholas to follow his footsteps. To disobey his father had been no easy decision, and certainly no easy task, but becoming a lawyer hadn't been the path Nicholas wanted to take. He had wanted to become a writer for as long as he could remember.

It's an understatement to say that his parents hadn't been pleased when Nicholas decided to study Literature, but at least he was going to the same university which his father had suggested in the first place.

The day was darkened by a drizzling fog and the rain poured mercilessly against the cab's windows as it finally slowed down to a halt outside the courtyard.

"Need help with the luggage?" the driver asked, looking behind his shoulder at the young boy in the backseat.

"No, it's fine, thanks. I've got it," Nicholas said with a smile, a dimple appearing across his cheek and his brown eyes lightening up. He then paid the man and got out of the car.

The cab driver had found the boy rather odd during his short time with him; Nicholas Pierce was way too cheerful for someone who was starting a second tiresome year at university. He never seemed to stop smiling, with a spirit so bright that it could shame the sun.

Having forgotten to bring an umbrella with himself, Nicholas quickly ran to the back of the car underneath the heavy rain and opened its boot, taking his trunk out with difficulty. He then made a run for the front doors of the dormitory building that surrounded the courtyard, his chestnut hair already soaking wet. Although he came to a sudden stop when he heard someone calling his name.

As soon as Nicholas turned around, a smile crept through his face when he saw a tall boy approaching him from afar. The boy's hands were handsomely placed in his coat's pockets and his usual smirk was playing at the edge of his lips.

"Enjoying the rain, are we?" Nicholas called out to him loudly over the sound of the storm that was brewing on.

"What rain?" the boy said mockingly, his smirk growing as he shrugged his broad shoulders.

Typical Shawn Anderson, Nicholas thought with amusement.

"How was summer?" Nicholas asked, mirroring his grin as he shook Shawn's hand.

"Other than the time my brother laughed while drinking milk and spat it all out through his nostrils, it was quite uneventful, thanks for asking. How was yours?"

"The usual," Nicholas said as he held on to his little smile, swallowing up every word that he wished to say instead. "Can we go inside now, or would you rather enjoy the beautiful sunny day?"