Letters From Nikita

Maybe, Just Maybe

It didn't take Riley long to reply to Nikita. To say the least, Nikita was a bit excited, maybe a tad too excited. Nikita read the list of questions, some a bit more awkward than others. She stuffed the blue envelope into her folder and headed into the school building, which seemed more like prison. Nikita spotted her best friend, James, sitting in the bleachers in his usual spot.

"What's up, lil sis?" James yelled from the bleachers. Nikita was a junior, and James was a senior. She was pretty sure she was gonna die when he graduated. James and Nikita grew up together. They first met in the 7th grade, a few years after her mom's divorce. Whenever Nikita's mother came home raging drunk or ridiculously high, she would sneak out and go to James's house to talk to him. He was her shoulder to cry on. She liked him for a long time, but he always had eyes for a girl named Alexandra; she was the biggest bitch Nikita had ever known. James deserved much more.

"Hey, kid," Nikita called out, smiling because even though he was a foot taller than her and a year older than her, he was still a kid.

"You actually showed up today!" he said.

"You know how it is," Nikita said, insinuating her mother's problems.

"Well, that's true. You hear Framing Hanley is playing 'round here soon?!" James said. Framing Hanley was one of Nikita's favorite bands. When Nikita listens to any kind of music ranging from alternative to metal, she feels like she can relate her life to the lyrics, and it makes her feel happy that someone knows how awful it can be, but at the same time, she's upset that someone else has had their own pain, similar to hers.

"You're taking me to it, right?" Nikita said smiling. James looked a little leery about it, so Nikita puffed out her bottom, newly red lip and batted her long eyelashes. "Pwease."

"Ugh, you're a pain in my ass," he said. "I don't know what I'm doing this weekend, but I'll clear it up so we can go. Okay?" Nikita was disturbed. She wouldn't make it until the weekend, but maybe, she could push it back some. She still had to resolve things with Riley, and plus, who would rather die than seeing Framing Hanley?!

"Deal. Where is it?" Nikita said, smiling.

"Claremont, I think," James said. Nikita's stomach dropped. Nikita scrambled through her folder like a maniac. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" James said. He knew Nikita more than anyone, and he was a little disturbed at house nervous she suddenly got.

"I can't tell you," Nikita said, finding the letter she had shoved in there this morning. Riley was from Claremont.

"Since when?" James was a little shocked at the fact Nikita couldn't tell him something. They had been telling each other everything since middle school, so what's stopping her now? Was it about him? Maybe she finally likes him..

"I just can't tell you here. How about after school?" Nikita said. "Mom most likely will be somewhere."

"I'm game." James said, fixing his Metallica t-shirt. Nikita and James didn't have any classes together. He was rather smart, and she didn't really try in school. She figured she would just end up like her mother, an addict who spends their life depending on others. Nothing is better than getting a head start at life.

When the final bell rung, Nikita's stomach was in knots. She didn't know how to tell James how she knew Riley. James was going to kill her before she could.

"Hey pretty lady," James said, running up behind Nikita. He threw his arm around her waist and smiled. Nikita looked up at James with a strange look.

"What the fuck are you doing? Touchy much?" Nikita said.

"Alexandra is trying to get back with me, but I told her I moved on," James said. Nikita had a disgusted look on her face. "Just pretend because she's behind us. I will owe you."