Sequel to Jeopardy
Last year, Nick said the last thing she ever thought she'd say to Steve Harrington: "Now this is all over, you and I can go our separate ways. We never have to see each other again." And she really thought she meant it.
After eve...
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Nick was hoping, like everyday, that her school day would pass without a single eventful moment. Her hopes were quickly ruined when none other than Steve Harrington was loitering around outside Nick's homeroom. It wasn't even his homeroom. He shouldn't have been there. Yet, there he was. Right in Nick's way.
"Hey," he said as Nick approached him, holding up a hand in a half-arsed wave, "Nick," he said again as she ignored him, "Nick!" he said again and Nick was forced to stop walking and pay attention to him. It was mildly better than walking into and pretending he wasn't there and that some invisible barrier stood between her and the classroom.
"What do you want?" Nick spat. Steve tugged at his collar and muttered something Nick didn't care enough to try and decipher. She groaned and tried to side step him but he reached out to grab hold on her wrist before she could get past.
"Look," he said, his hand springing away from her once she'd stood to face him, albeit reluctantly, "I just want to say, after everything that happened...you know, last year-"
"Get to the point Harrington," Nick rolled her eyes, "I don't want to be around you any longer than necessary." Nick tapped her foot impatiently.
"Yeah, that's part of what I have to say." he mumbled.
"Then say it!" Nick was seconds away from barging past him and hoping the rest of her day wasn't spoiled by this interaction.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay." Steve said at last, sounding like he'd had some internal conflict before he could say those words to her, "About everything that happened before, you know, everything that happened. I mean, I was kind of a dick to you at school and, well I-"
"Yeah," Nick interrupted him, her voice dripping with spite, "I get it. 'It's nothing personal. It's just high school.' But it is personal, Steve," she folded her arms, slightly enjoying watching him shift his weights between feet and uncomfortably avoid her gaze, "Because everyone you said those things to in high school is a person."
Steve had awkwardly shuffled away from the door in his attempt to look busy and not pay attention to Nick's scathing comments. Nick walked around him and into the classroom.
"Sometimes you forget that there are real people on the end of all your horrible comments," she said, turning around to add one last comment before she took her seat. She may have been angrily saying anything that would get to him but that, she really meant that. Nick took her seat and hoped no one would bother her for the rest of the day. Except maybe Frankie. She liked Frankie.
*
"You sure you don't need a lift anywhere?" Nick called as George skipped off. He stopped in his tracks to answer her, hopping up and down impatient to head off again.
"No, I'm going to sit on the back of Dustin's bike," he explained.
"You sure?" Nick asked. George groaned and stopped walking again, "Cause I can drop you off somewhere if you want?"
"Nick," George sighed, "I'm fine."
"You sure, cause-"
"Nick!" George interrupted, laughing a little at his overbearing sister, "I don't need dropping off anywhere. Besides, I thought you said you were going to a party," he said, wiggling his eyebrows and grinning and Nick rolling her eyes but she smiled anyway.
"Stop that, you look like a maniac," she smiled at him and he wiggled his eyebrows harder, "And the...get together...doesn't start till late," she said, avoiding using the word 'party', "so I can drop you anywhere you need."
"Nick, I'm fine," George said earnestly, adjusting the straps on his backpack.
"Okay," Nick sighed, "Have fun trick or treating."
"Have fun at your party," George said back, stressing the word 'party' and wiggling his eyebrows again.
"It's not a-"
"You don't have to pretend I'm a baby, Nick," George interrupted, "I know what a party is. Just...drive safe," he nodded, sounding way too grown up for his age. It made Nick a little sad that he'd grown up so quick.
"What are you, my dad?" she teased, making them both laugh, "Have fun kid!" Nick called back, causing George to stop in his tracks for the third time.
"You have fun kid!" George called back. She chuckled to herself and watched George run across the parking lot to meet his friends, only starting the car when he was out of sight.
Nick looked up at the rear view mirror, just to check she could still see out of it correctly and nearly had a heart attack when she saw Frankie pulling a face at her from outside the back window.
"Jesus, Frank," she said, a hand flying to her chest, "You scared me!" Nick unlocked the car door and Frankie jumped in the passenger seat. She wasn't inviting her in, she just wanted Frankie to be able to hear her but Frankie got in anyway. "What do you want?"
"I'm coming to yours," Frankie said, not really explaining just saying what was going to happen.
"Oh really?" Nick raised an eyebrow, "When did I invite you?"
"Right now," Frankie grinned, "Come on! We have a party to get to and we need to prepare!"
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