"No! Get away from me, don't touch me!"
I shot right up with tears streaming down my face. Several emotions rushed over me, and shivers raced down my spine. Thank goodness it was only a dream, a horrid dream. I searched around in the darkness, trying to locate my phone. When I realized it was under my bed, I glanced at the screen. It was 3:49 a.m., and I doubted I'd be able to fall asleep again. Taking a few gasps, I tried to settle myself, opting to watch a movie instead. However, my attempt failed, and after only 10 minutes into the movie, I fell asleep again.
Waking up and realizing that today marked a week before summer vacation, with exams finished and summer about to begin, instantly put me in a good mood. This would be the last bit of fun we could have before college acceptance letters came out, followed by finals and graduation. I bolted out of bed with a smile on my face and music playing (despite a restless night's sleep). Nothing could ruin today. As I rushed downstairs, the smell of bacon hit me. Dylan was busy making it (I questioned whether or not I should eat it). Dylan's cooking skills weren't the greatest, but the scent was too seductive, leaving me with little choice.
"Morning. Coffee?" he scowled and stared at me with red, puffy eyes.
"Aren't you a ray of sunshine?" I teased, knowing Dylan hated sarcasm so early in the morning, which made it even funnier. We death stared each other for a minute until he gave a roaring, brassy cough.
"Are you sick?" I couldn't help but laugh at him.
"Don't even start. I'm skipping school today. I need my strength and energy because the coach asked me to play for the basketball team tonight. We're starting pre-season for football earlier than usual so we're ready for the season after the summer holidays."
"So I assume I need to tell your coaches and teachers that?" I got annoyed when he assumed I'd do his dirty work for him.
"Please? And please tell Elaina that I'm thinking of her and tell her I love her?"
"So why can't you text her? You have a cell phone." All I received were puffy red-eyed death stares, and I sensed that was my cue to leave. At school, they divided the parking lot into three major areas for teachers, students, and the captains of the different sports. After 10 minutes of trying to find a spot, I collected my books and laptop before getting out and walking to the first period. As the day continued, nothing weird or embarrassing happened, and my frame of mind remained positive. Elaina was in a pleasant mood (apart from missing Dylan). Lunch came, and the cafeteria special was chicken à la king. Yum.
"So what's your proposal for the summer? We need an adventure, Liv," Elaina said before taking a bite of her food.
A slight grin popped across my face.
"I was thinking of Florida?"
"Nevermind, we do that every year."
"That's true. Where can we go to get more audacious and life-changing experiences? Life is way too boring at the moment."
"Oh! What about Lake Lusaka? We own a cabin there, and we're still members at the golf club?" I shrugged.
Elaina had an enormous smile on her face. "Brilliant idea! You're a genius, Liv! We will have so much fun."
"I'm sure Dylan will enjoy it. He can invite Jay, and it will just be the four of us?"
"Ah no. What about a girls only trip? We don't have to be on our game 24/7 then? I want to relax. Please? No boys?" A sound of desperation thrived in my tone.
"That sounds nice. Okay, this is exciting now. I'll speak to my aunt." Both satisfied with our arrangement, we continued eating. The last period couldn't come any faster, and the lack of sleep was catching up to me, making my eyes heavy. Why did I even bother taking History? It's so boring.
The last 15 minutes of the lesson were free.
Everyone cheered and talked, and while lying down on my arms, something light hit me on the head. As I looked up, I saw a ball of paper in front of me. I opened it, and it was a note from Khloe, which read:
'Hiding your face in shame? Good, you should. Remember to leave Jay alone. He's mine.'
I stared at her with a smirk on my face. I scrunched the note back up into a ball and walked towards her desk. She death stared me as I stood right in her face. I dropped the piece of paper.
"Whoops. I just dropped the shit I was very close to giving!"
Her mouth dropped, and she turned pale. The entire class laughed (I saw it in a movie and tried it). I spun around, collected my books, and walked away. It was such precise timing because just as I walked out, the end-of-the-day bell rang. Chuffed with myself, I walked with a smile on my face towards Elaina to tell her what had just taken place.
"I can't believe you said that! Well done!" I received a high five from her, and she looked impressed. We walked towards the change rooms so Elaina could get dressed for cheer practice. I stood outside waiting.
"Well, Well. Here's the girl who went at it with my girlfriend?" Jay high-fived me, then hugged me. We stood there for 2 minutes, laughing about the incident. I rushed to the football field to inform the coach that Dylan would miss practice, and when I walked back, two soft, warm hands covered my eyes. The unexpected gesture had sent a jolt of electricity through my entire body, making my heart race and my cheeks flush with excitement.
"Guess who?" A rough voice, tinged with a hint of playfulness had asked, his warm breath brushing against my ear. The scent of his cologne, a mix of musk and leather, enveloped me, causing my senses to go into overdrive. I could feel the weight of his hands, firm yet gentle, blocking my vision. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity, and for a fleeting second, I found myself lost in the sensation of his touch.
"Nick?" When he revealed himself, that familiar mischievous smirk danced across his lips. Those piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. The intensity in his gaze was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was as if he could see right through me, peering into the depths of my soul, unraveling the secrets I kept hidden. There was a magnetic pull between us, a connection that had always been there, but had somehow intensified during his absence.
"Dammit. You know me too well!" He replied, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone, as if he enjoyed the fact that I could read him like an open book. In that moment, I couldn't help but be drawn to him even more. His bad boy persona, the black leather jacket, and the aura of mystery that surrounded him were all part of the allure. But underneath it all, there was a soft spot for me, and I couldn't deny the warmth that spread through my heart at the thought. He and I go way back, and apart from Dylan, he's the only other guy in my life that I love. He's been there through my breakups, bullying, my father's death, and one of the most traumatic events of my life. He's seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, and he, too, has had a tough life (abusive and alcoholic parents don't even cover half of it). Ladies and gentlemen, meet Nick Rhodes, the Everstone's bad boy.
"You're back! I can't believe it! It's you!" I grabbed his face just to make sure I wasn't dreaming. He kissed me on the cheek and gave me a long hug.
"Yep, I'm back for good now. So get used to it. What's it been? 2 years? You haven't changed one bit." He made a 360-degree turn around me and winked. He had always been such a flirt. He was sexy, and he was well aware of it.
"How was South Africa?"
He glanced down at the floor with his hands in his pocket. I could see that it was something he didn't want to talk about.
"It was fine. My parents are there now, and they're living there for good." He looked up at me, and his jaw clenched.
"Well, it's for the best! Come, let's go, Elaina will freak when she sees you. Wait, where are you living now if they're still in South Africa?"
He looked at the floor once again while we were walking and uttered something.
"Who?" I demanded.
"Well, this is a hilarious story... see, there's this person in this school, and..."
We stopped walking, and I turned to face him.
"And? Well? Who is it?" Our eyes locked for a moment, and that incredible smirk covered his face again.
"Jay. So guess what? We're neighbors now!"
I smiled. I didn't know whether to be shocked or excited.
"No way? I think I might like this arrangement." I gave him my best smile. As we got to the change rooms, Elaina just stood there. No movement, not even a twitch. Her mouth was open, and she looked stunned. I clicked my fingers in front of her eyes, and she snapped out of her zone.
"Nick!" she shrieked and ran to him, giving him a bear hug.
"You're alive!" she grinned and just stared at him in disbelief.
"I am. Didn't think you guys could get rid of me, huh?" He brushed his hand through his hair. Elaina and I just stared at each other and laughed.
"Well, it's nice to see you again. I have cheer practice, and I'll swing by later at your place, Liv?"
"But I..." Before I could object, she interrupted me.
"Don't worry about cheerleading practice; we will discuss it later!" She nudged me, smiled, and walked away.
"Sure thing!" I shouted after her. A moment of uncomfortable silence surrounded Nick and me.
"Want a lift home?" The silence broke, and he smirked at me.
"Sure thing, let's go." The ride home wasn't awkward; he just kept asking about everybody and what had changed. When we stopped in the driveway, his hand enveloped mine, a jolt of electricity surged through me, setting my heart pounding like a runaway drum. His touch was warm and reassuring, yet it sent tingles of excitement dancing along my skin. My pulse quickened, and I could feel my cheeks flush with a mixture of surprise and delight. I glanced over at him, trying to read his expression, but his trademark mischievous smirk only deepened the enigma. It was as if he knew the effect he had on me, relishing in the power he held over my emotions. His blue eyes sparkled with a glint of playfulness, and for a moment, the world seemed to melt away, leaving just the two of us in our own little bubble of intensity.
"Damn. You're still as gorgeous as ever," he whispered. My cheeks became red, and I looked down at our entwined hands.
"Come to the basketball match tonight? It'll be fun?" I looked back up at him and he removed his hand and ran it through his black, messy hair.
"I wish I could, but I have to unpack and get settled. We can do something tomorrow night, I promise." I froze when he said the word promise. I guess there's one thing you should know about Nick and myself: we hardly fight, but his promise-keeping abilities suck. I'm one of those people who is a firm believer that when you pinky promise something, stick to it (a concept I don't think he understands too well).
"Oh, really? You're making promises now?" I raised an eyebrow playfully, remembering how he had a habit of breaking them.
He chuckled, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. "Ah, you know me too well, Liv. But trust me, this time, I'll keep it. Tomorrow night, it's a date."
A flicker of surprise mingled with excitement passed through me. "Alright, you better not disappoint me, bad boy," I teased, enjoying the banter.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Liv," he shot back, his lips curling into a devilish grin. We both exchanged smirks, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of mystery and passion in the air as we parted ways.
I walk into the house, there's complete silence.
"Dylan?" suspicion crosses my mind. I walk upstairs to find him sleeping in my room. My room. I roll my eyes as I close the door.
While busy doing homework, the doorbell rings "Coming.." and as I open the door, I see Elaina with a wide, enormous smile on her face.
"Where's my boyfriend? I need to see him and I need to kiss him? Now!"
"In my room. He's sleeping." She hugs me and runs upstairs. Giving them their privacy, I walk outside and sit on the bubble chair that hangs on the balcony. This view of the crashing waves and the salty breeze is perfection. Elaina, Dylan, and I get ready for the basketball match and as we head to my car, Jay joins us.
As we got into the car my heart couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt when I noticed Nick leaning against the front door of Jay's house, talking to another girl. He had his hand nonchalantly tucked into his leather jacket, and it seemed like they were engrossed in a flirtatious conversation.
I tried to push away the unease and joined the group as we walked towards the gym. The basketball game was intense, and the victory brought both relief and joy, but my mind kept wandering back to the image of Nick with that girl. After the game, we decided to grab some McDonald's and head home.
As we approached Jay's house again, I noticed that Nick was no longer outside, as his light in his room went off. We all exchanged glances, but no one mentioned what we had seen earlier.
"Who's the girl Nick was with, Jay?" Elaina finally broke the silence, voicing the question that was on all our minds.
Jay shrugged, his attention on his burger. "Don't know, but she's not from Everstone."
I forced a smile, trying to suppress the hurt that was gnawing at me. Nick had always had a reputation with girls, but for some reason, seeing him with someone else stung more than usual.
As we entered my house to eat our food, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. I didn't want to confront Nick about what I had seen; after all, we were just friends. I tried to distract myself with conversation and laughter, but the image of him with that girl lingered in my mind. It was a reminder that while we shared an undeniable bond, I couldn't deny the possibility that Nick's heart might belong to someone else. And that realization left me with a bittersweet ache in my chest, uncertain of where I truly stood in his life.