Forbidden | BxB

06

Brayden's phone went off and he grabbed it off his dresser. Nicholas watched as his friend's eyes widened. Brayden stood up and walked out of his bedroom. Nick got up as well and followed him.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Brayden shook his head and walked into the kitchen.

"I just... I fucking forgot something and now I need to go," Brayden rambled while picking things up from the counter. He threw away the trash and put the dirty dishes into the sink.

"Can I come with you?" Nicholas asked while crossing his arms and he leaned against kitchen table.

Brayden shook his head. "No, it would be better if you just– fuck!" Brayden accidentally dropped the glass cup in his hand and it shattered. Nick walked over and grabbed the broom. "I need to do this alone," he continued.

Nick swept the shards off of the floor and into the trash. Brayden sighed and leaned his head onto the counter. Nick cautiously walked over to him and put his hand on his back.

"Well can I at least know where you're going?" Nick said quietly, trying to hold back his annoyance.

"You're gonna get mad," he responded and rubbed his face.

"What did you do?"

"I lied to you...about my father," Brayden whispered.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked.

Brayden faced him and sighed. "My father isn't really on a business trip in New York," he said, "I mean come on, what kind of business trip takes two months, Nicholas?"

"Then where is he?" Nick questioned.

"He's been in a rehabilitation center, trying to get better. I need to pick him up." Nicholas took a step back from his friend and Brayden reached out. "I'm sorry, okay? I know I should've told you–"

"Why didn't you? When did we start keeping secrets?"

He shrugged. "I was too embarrassed to tell you."

Nicholas harshly laughed. "Embarrassed? You stumble into my house the other night to tell me about how you're trying to fuck Shelby King yet you're embarrassed about your father, of all things? I'm your best friend. I trust you -- I tell you everything... What else have you lied to me about?"

Brayden bit his bottom lip. "Nothing! That's the only thing... And don't be like that. About Shelby. I know you think she's an airhead–"

"Don't even get me started about what I think Shelby is...God, Brayden. Does anyone know about your dad? Anyone at all?" Nicholas asked.

Brayden scratched the back of his neck. "Your parents..."

Nicholas put a hand on his head and nodded. "I'm going home." He turned on his heel and Brayden heard a crunch. Nicholas flinched, mumbling an ow. He had stepped on glass.

"Jesus Christ, Nicholas. Let me see your foot," Brayden sighed. Nicholas bent over and pulled the stray shard out of his skin. It started to bleed. Brayden took a step closer to him but Nick moved out of the way.

"I'll live," he spat and continued to walk out of the house. "Leave me alone."

"Come on, why are you making this such a big deal?"

"You knew keeping this from me would make me upset," Nicholas said as he opened the front door. "Yet you still chose to do it."

Brayden watched as Nicholas got into his car and turned it on. And soon, he was speeding down the road.

—

"You okay?" Alex said as Nicholas sat down on her couch. Nick shrugged and she wrapped an arm around him. "Wanna talk about it?"

"I'm sorry," he said, "I feel like a nuisance for coming here to talk about my problems."

Alex laughed and hugged him tighter. "Trust me, if I thought you were a nuisance I would've already told you to leave."

Nicholas smiled and kissed her cheek. "I love you so much, did you know that?"

"Yup, I mean who doesn't love me?" she giggled. "But I love you too."

"I, for one, hate you," Tasia, Alex's one-year-younger sister, said as she entered the living-room. "But don't worry Nicholas. My hatred doesn't extend to you."

Nicholas laughed as Alex flipped her off. "She has a crush on you, you know?" Alex told him. Tasia's eyes widened and she threw a pillow at the blonde.

"I do not!" she squealed.

Nick laughed and Alex had a smirk on her face. "All she does is stalk your Instagram on her free time."

Tasia jumped out of the chair she was sitting on, her face flushed red. She left the room and ran up the stairs, slamming her door closed when she reached her bedroom.

"Now, back to our conversation," Alex said, twisting out of his hold to look at him fully. "Let me guess. Brayden?"

Nicholas looked around the house, noticing her mother in the kitchen and her father eating his lunch. "Can we go for a walk?" he asked. Alex nodded, knowing that whatever he's going to tell her probably should be said in private.

The two seventeen year olds stood up and walked out of the house. Nick stuck his hands into his pockets and Alex put the hood of her jacket up. It was cold outside.

"He called me last night," Nick started, "He was drunk and out of it. Brayden need me to pick him up so I did. I brought him home and he wanted me stay to with him."

Alex nodded at him as they walked down her road, telling him to continue. Nick looked down at his feet as he talked.

"He kissed me before he went to sleep," Nicholas said with a shaky breath. Alex's eyes widened.

"Wow."

"Eventually, he told me what had happened at the party and he was confused, he was so fucking confused, Alex." A tear slipped from his eyes just thinking about it. "He wanted me to kiss him and touch him and I just, I couldn't. Not when he was drunk and confused. But I just wonder if maybe I did kiss him, how would have this morning played out? I don't know what I would have done if we kissed or... or did more and then I woke up to Brayden admitting that he's been lying to me this whole time--"

Alex stopped Nick and he looked at her. She placed a small kiss on his lips and she pulled back just as fast as she did it. He furrowed his eyebrows curiously at his small friend.

"Alex I'm–"

"Not into girls? No fucking duh," she laughed, "But it calmed you down, didn't it?" Nick rolled his eyes and tried his best to fight his smile. She saw right through him. "You did the right thing, you hear me? You're a good person Nicholas Holland, you really and truly are."

"It just fucking sucks," he admitted with a long, sad sigh, "I've done so much for the idiot and he never has once said thanks. I love him and he means everything to me but I feel like a burden to him. I mean, come on... I've known him for forever and he doesn't want to tell me about his father's issues? Or rehab? Does Brayden think I'm just some judgmental asshole?"

"Screw him," Alex said, "Forget him. You're not an asshole. Judgmental...sometimes but definitely not an asshole!"

Nick laughed sadly and rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks... And that's easier said than done."

Alex gave him a hug. "Yes, but I'll be here to help you. I'm always here."

"I know," he murmured.