MIDNIGHT RAIN | nick nelson [on hold]

Chapter Nine

Once Shawn deemed Charlie ready for the game on Saturday, they headed their separate ways. Charlie walked into the locker room to change, but Venus pulled Shawn back so she could talk to him again.

"I'm going to ask you a super personal question, but I do not want to offend you," Venus told him, "Are you into boys too?"

"Yeah?" Shawn looked amused, "Isn't that obvious?"

"Wait, are you out?" Venus asked, her eyes wide.

"I mean, I didn't have a dramatic announcement or anything. But like if people ask I just tell them I'm pansexual," Shawn shrugged, "I don't know how you didn't know, I'm not subtle or anything. I was making out with some year twelve guy at Harry's party on Saturday before I collected little-miss-breakdown over here. You owe me for that by the way, he was a smoke show."

Venus wrinkled her nose as Shawn tapped her nose lightly, "Don't say smoke show."

"Don't interrupt my hook ups then," he teased.

"How did I not know?" Venus asked, "I thought we were friends."

"Because you're obsessed with you and just you," Shawn grinned, "Is that it? I need to change too."

"Yeah," Venus nodded, "Am I still the best kisser though?"

"By a mile," Shawn told her with a wide grin, before disappearing into the locker room.

~~~

Nick:
you can't ignore me forever
please talk to me

Venus: I just need some space right now
I'll talk to you when I'm ready

Nick:
im sorry

Venus sighed as she put her phone down, leaning her head on Tao's shoulder as she stole some of his chips. Charlie was practicing rugby with Shawn again, nervous about the big game coming up against St. John's, so he was missing in action with the small group. Venus decided to eat lunch with the boys, knowing that she had been pretty neglectful of her friendship with them. 

Venus' mood had been considerably worse since the party and her argument with her mother. Everyone noticed it, including all her friends. Charlie and Tori, who knew her best, were perfect. They distracted her best they could and kept their beds wide open for Venus to sleep in. Venus ended up staying with them for the week, avoiding her own house for as long as she could. Isaac and Tao could sense her bad mood from a mile away, but they didn't really know how to deal with her when Charlie wasn't around to keep her grounded. They loved her but she was pretty unpredictable.

"I bet Charlie's eating lunch with Nick again," Tao commented, "He's been eating lunch with him a lot."

"God, not this again," Venus groaned, moving her head off Tao's shoulder.

"Well, they're in the honeymoon phase," Isaac commented with a smile.

"It's not even like they're dating," Tao rolled his eyes.

"Unless they are," Isaac smiled, making Venus eye him curiously. What did he know?

"I mean... Look at them," Tao spoke, as Nick and his friends walked by, "It's a bad idea to even walk near them, let alone actually befriend one of them."

Venus sat up straight, glaring at Tao, "You know I'm friends with Nick as well. He's nice, Tao, but you wouldn't know that because you're not making the effort to get to know him."

"Charlie's putting himself in danger just because he has a little unrequited crush," Tao said before turning to Venus, "And you're letting him. Back me up, Isaac."