Next day
Nico got out of her dad's car and adjusted her sweatshirt and walked in.
She saw everyone seated in a circle.
"Hello there, I'm Larry. What's your name?" A man said.
"Im called nico." She said.
"Mommy must've not given Nico hugs. With a name like that. Whew." A kid sneered. Nico glared at him and got in his face.
"You wanna repeat that.. Rudy?" She asked him and tapped his name tag. he shook his head no.
"You don't know me. So next time you decide to comment about something you don't know about, especially if it pertains to me." She smiled. "I have no problem kicking your ass in front of everyone here. We clear?"
He was silent and shaking.
"Taking your silence as a yes."
A pair of kids were looking at her with smiles. She nodded in their direction and looked away. She took a seat.
"So nico. What brings you here?" Larry asked her.
"My dad is worried about me and guilt tripped me by using my dead brother." She said and glanced up then down.
"You seem to push people away. Why is that?" He asked.
"I don't make strong bonds with people because they always leave." She said.
"You seem to have a lot of anger. Did you speak of a brother earlier? Tell us about him." He said and Nico sighed.
"My older brother Jack was born with Down syndrome. He lived to be 20 and died last year." I said.
"How are things at home?"
"My mom is an alcoholic and my dad is Himself. Are we done here?" She asked.
"What."
"You've played you 20 questions with me. Am I done here? or do you wanna continue asking extremely personal questions about my misfortunes?"
He shook his head and smiled. He stood and walked over to her.
"I know you're hurting." He said and put his hands on her shoulders. "You're putting on this hard tough girl act while you're outside of here but in your room, you're not hiding who you actually are." He said and rubbed her back.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." She said and smiled.
"I'll see everyone tomorrow hopefully." He said. Nico got up immediately and sat down on a curb. She pulled out a cigarette and smoked.
The same two kids were still staring at her.
"You two need something?" She asked.
"Ricky." A boy said and looked into her eyes. He gave a smile and held out his hand. "And this is Junie."
Nico shook his hand.
"You know smoking isn't good for you." he said and smiled.
"No shit." She said and hit her cigarette again.
"You coming or?" He asked.
"Uh what?" She asked him.
"We usually go to the old bridge and hangout. Come with us." He said.
"Actually Rick. I can't go tonight."
"What? Why not?" He asked the other girl. She looked at nico and him and smiled.
"I got a family thing tonight. I'll see you later Ricky."
"Bye bitch." He said as she walked away.
"So it's just us nico." He said holding out his hand.
