Nicole’s POV

I met Mike at the parking lot.

“Hi” he said as he walked to me and hugged me.

“Hey” I said, inhaling his scent. God did he smell good!
I still have no idea what he smells like. It’s hard to explain. I guess he just smells like him.

“So you’re coming over today right?”

“Yeah of course. I already told my parents. And they’re cool with it. They’re happy I made a friend already. Though not so happy that’s you’re a guy” I laughed a bit as I said the last part.

He laughed too.

“Yeah, I can imagine. But trust me, the chicks are worst then the guys”

“Yeah, I know that already” I said quietly, thinking back to past years of school, but not quiet enough.

“There are some mean bitches out there, huh?”

“There sure are”

“Anyways, I think we better get to class earlier today. At least in my case” he laughed
“C’mon” and grabbed my hand taking me with him

~At lunch time~

I was actually starting to think high school wasn’t so bad, when you had a friend.

After our last class, which was Geography, we went outside to spend our lunch time outdoors.
We found a nice spot underneath a tree and sat there.

“Ugh, I’m so hungry!” Mike yelled.

I laughed, he was such a freak, he would yell out randomly for anything.

“Shh!! You’re gonna draw to much attention!”

Great, now I was the one screaming.

“Sorry. It’s just that I’m starving. And I freak out when I’m starving!”

I laughed again.

“Here” I said handing him a bag a chips and a coke from my backpack.

“OMG! Thank you Nicole!! You’re my savior!!” he yelled again.
Now it was official, everyone outside was looking at us with a look that said “Freaks”.

“Look what you did” I said

“What? I stole your food?” he asked eating some chips and smirking.

“Uh, yeah. But beside that. Everyone just stared at us like we’re some freaks”

“Well, my darling. I’m sorry to inform you, but that’s exactly what we are”

“Ya think?”

He smiled, and with a dead serious tone answered
“I know”

~After class~

Mikey’s POV

“So, where do you live?” I asked her as we were heading to my house.

“Not far from here actually. Like 5 blocks from here I think.”

“Yeah it’s not really that far.” I smiled to myself.
Thinks started getting awkward, especially when we didn’t have any thing else to say. We walked in silence the rest of the way.

“We’re here” I said leading the way onto the porch.

I went to open the door, but it was locked.
Weird.
I thought Gerard was gonna be here.

“Don’t worry I got a key” I said reaching into my pocket.

“Oh, so you’re parents are at work?”

Nicole’s question got to me.
How was I going to answer without sounding sad or even crying?
Well I couldn’t be too happy saying that.
What was I gonna say?
‘Oh right, I didn’t tell you. My parents are dead, ain’t the cool?’

I founded the key in the pocket of my jeans and opened the door without answering her question.
We both walked in, me closing the door after she did so.

“Umm, actually….my parents…died last year”

I watched as her face expression changed, going from a curious to a sad one.

“Mike, I’m so sorry” she whispered

“I’m not gonna say I’m okay, but it’s not that bad”

“Mike, I’m really sorry” she said and inched closer and hugged me tightly.

I wasn’t going to cry.
Not again.
Not today.

“Really you don’t have to…..be sorry.”

She let go of me and so did I.

“So, if you’re parents aren’t ‘here’, who do you live with?”

“My brother, older brother Gerard. He was supposed to be…”

Just as I was saying this, the front door opened and he came in with some bags from the grocery store.

“Gerard?”
I don’t know why I said that, but I guess I just wasn’t expecting him. I guess I was kind of hoping he actually listen to what I told him yesterday and decided not to embarrass me by not being home.

“Hey, Mikey. Mind helping me with this?”

I went over to where he was and helped him carried the bags to the kitchen.
When we finished with that, he finally seemed to have noticed that we’re weren’t the only ones there.

“Oh, hi” he greeted Nicole.

“Hi. I’m…”

“Nicole, yeah I know”

God no! Why does he have to do this to me. Especially after I told him ‘DON’T EMBARRASS ME’ !?

“You do?”

“Yeah, my brother told me, yesterday” he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Right” she smiled awkwardly while saying this.

“I’m Gerard by the way…but you can call me Gee” he said extending his hand.

‘What the hell is wrong with my brother? Only I call him like that.’

Nicole shook his hand. And looked at me.

“Ok, well, now that you guys met each other I guess I’ll go show her my room.”

I left the kitchen with Nicole behind me, and went upstairs.
And went we got to my room, I closed the door behind us.