Holstering High School 2 (The Walking Dead Game - Alternative Universe)

12 - Four's more than a crowd

"How could he say those things?" Nick whimpered. He lost every sense of attempting to be manly and just let himself fall into my arms. I tried to comfort him by hugging him back and rubbing his upper back for support.

"You've got to ignore him. He's not worth it." I didn't know what I was saying. I didn't know about his dad, about his mom. To be honest, I just wanted out. I didn't want to get involved with something I shouldn't but I just wanted to be there for Nick.

"He used to hit me...and my mom. I felt stupid, why couldn't I help her? He was always drunk, coming in and swinging the bottle around. He hates Pete, Pete was always trying to play the good man. Mark didn't like it one bit, but Pete didn't like him always hurting his little sister so he would always try and get him to piss off. He never did, he kept coming back. It was only when she was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer he knew his job was done. I blame him for her death. It was as if that's all he ever wanted, for her to be gone. He couldn't kill her himself but when I cancer hit, he didn't have to." He mumbles into my shirt as warm puddles of tears form on my shoulder.

I found it strange how Nick referred to his dad with his first name, Mark. Then again, he didn't deserve the title of dad.

"He's not going to come Nick, even if he does you're bigger now. You can stop him if he tries to hurt you" I tell him trying to reassure him.

"These were the sort of times that I would turn to my mom for advice" he weeps. A single tear found its way down my cheek, dropping off my chin. I felt sympathy for Nick. For a few years he never really had a female figure to guide him, it looked as if in the past couple of months I had been that female figure. I didn't mind.

"Look, you need to enjoy your birthday. Not this." I shake him on the shoulders trying to get him to listen, snapping him out of his upset trance.

"I'll go have a shower." He sighs finally releasing his grip from me. I look him in the eyes and make sure he stays down for a second.

"We can sort this out, nothing bad is going to happen from this." I say, I wasn't lying but I wasn't telling the truth either. I had no idea what could be around the corner. I kiss him gently and he pulls away harshly.

"Yeah" he mopes before lifting himself up on his crutches and taking himself up the stairs.

I didn't want to disturb him. He obviously had this 'showering with one leg out of the bath' thing in the bag. I walk over to the counter and read the card over and over again. Maybe, just maybe I could understand the mysterious man that is Nicks dad a little better. But nothing came about it, other than the fact he hated Pete and various vile comments you would only ever see from a Fox News broadcast.

A loud crash was heard from upstairs. I paced up the steps coming to Nicks rescue. I knocked on the door loudly.

"You alright?" I ask as I put my ear to the door.

"Fine" he shouts back over the noise of running water. I didn't want to go very far just in case he needed my help. I was terrified of him hurting himself if he slipped over or some other stupid shit. I sat on the top step waiting for him to come out. He took over half an hour, I was getting impatient sitting on my phone sieving through my social media timelines. Suddenly the door lock clicked and he hobbled out in clean clothes.

His hair was fluffy and still slightly wet. I had to admit, it looked good. I stood up and walked down the stairs waiting for him to come past me. He went and sat on the couch once again and flicked on the TV. I went into the kitchen and pulled out a beer. It may have only been 11am, but I think he needed it. I passed him the cold beverage and a gives me a little smile.

The hours pass by quicker than I thought. Nick spent ages flicking through the channels in silence whilst sipping on this one beer he held close. I sat close by him, but I wasn't cuddling him or anything. He needed his space and that's what I gave him. But then the door knocked and Nick gestured for me to open it.

I stood up and cracked the door open revealing who I least expected.

"Hey Clem, we came to say happy birthday to Nick" Luke smiles. His hand wrapped around Rachel's.

I look at Nick for an answer and he sits up and nods. I open the door a little bit more.

"Hey, come in" I tell them ushering them in inside the house. I give Rachel a little smile. This couldn't be that bad right?

They both flick off their shoes and Luke hands Nick a birthday card.

"Hey thanks man" Nick fakes a smile and opens up the card.

"So, do you want a drink?" I ask them, trying to be good at this whole hospitality host thing.

"Yes please, what are we having?" Rachel says calmly. She really was different, it still scared me a little bit.

"Coke? A beer? Water? Juice?" I listed some of the options I was aware of.

"Beer" Luke announces chuckling at his best friend sat on the sofa.

"I'll just have some coke" Rachel smiles once again and rubs her stomach. There was totally a bump now, she couldn't hide it. The seed of Luke. Ergh.

I grab them their drinks and hand them over. I slump myself on the couch and wait for a conversation to arise. Luke and Rachel take their place on the other couch.

"Thanks for the voucher man" Nick lifts up an iTunes voucher and grins. Hopefully Rachel and Luke's appearance made him a little happier, allowing him to forget about his dads card just for a little while so he could enjoy his birthday.

"So are you doing anything for your birthday?" Luke asks him.

"We were planning to go to the cinema, I think" Nick turns around and confirms it with me to see if his idea was right. I nod.

"Yeah, you can come I guess?" I ask, I didn't know if Nick wanted them to come but he just smiled, as if he was about to invite them too. Rachel and Luke looked at each other before answering.

"Sounds good" Luke lifts up his beer and grins.

"Let's just get these drinks down and I'll drive" I announce. I didn't want to be the one to drive and be responsible for everyone but in reality I was the only one who could drive. Nicks leg was messed up, Luke had drunk that beer and Rachel couldn't even drive.

"A plan, I like it" Nick gives me a look. It wasn't aggressive, it was casual. He shruged.

Finally after everyone had finished the drinks I pulled Nick up off of the couch. He didn't kiss me like usual, I didn't blame him. He probably still felt a little distraught from his dads message.

We all clambered into my small car. I drove steadily to the cinema trying not to kill the four people inside. In fact, there was five people. If you included Rachel's baby.