I just want you guys to know that next week I won't be active at all.

I'm leaving the country for 7 days and will be working most of the day, every day, and won't have WiFi most of the trip.

Please don't expect; messages to be answered, comments to be replied to, chapters to be updated, etc., etc., etc.

However!!

This week I plan on having at least two chapters up.

Maybe even three.

I want to make sure you guys have something to read while I'm away so I will work diligently on that!!

Oh! And this chapter is going to be, like, 90% dialogue. Sorry if it gets confusing, I'll try to keep it as clear as possible!!

Anyhoodles,

Enjoy!!

- Nico_Solace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

»»Nico««

The next morning when we arrive at school, Hazel joyously bounces off of the motorcycle. Her curls fly wildly when she pulls the helmet off and shakes her hair.

Smiling fondly, I shake my head at her and take the helmet from her hands. "What has you in such a good mood?"

"I dunno." She replies, extending the letters while rocking on her heels. She bites her lip with a smile, looking behind me. "But I do know your boyfriend is coming over here."

No way Caleb would dare set foot on high school property. I think in confusion.

I put a cigarette between my teeth and light it, turning around to find-

William Samson Solace walking toward me with that stupid grin on his face that I hate.

"Hey, Nico!" He calls to get my attention.

Grimacing, a cloud of smoke forms around my head and I flick away the excess ash from my cig.

Hazel giggles wildly and waves, running off. "Have fun, Neeks!"

"Haz! Haze- fuck." I groan.

"What's wrong?" Solace asks when he gets closer. His brow furrows in confusion and he looks down at me with an adorable little pout on his lips. He reminds me of a puppy trying to be intimidating.

"Its nothing. Why are you talking to me?" I snap.

"Oh. I was just making sure I'm going over to your house today for more help on my essay. Unless, that is, you want to come to mine?"

"Are you asking me out, Solace?" I say jokingly, puffing more smoke out of my mouth.

He turns a mesmerizing shad of red and mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like a 'maybe.'

"No," he says instead. "I was just asking, y'know, in case you wanted a change of scenery."

"Change of scenery?" I snort. "No, thanks."

"Hey, Will! Why don't you stop talking to your boyfriend and come hang with your real friends?" Will's girlfriend- Josie Miller -calls teasingly from across the courtyard.

I feel myself turn a bright red and my hands ball into fists, successfully crushing my cigarette.

"She's right. You should go; your kind doesn't associate with my kind, remember?" I say in an attempt to school my anger.

"Well, maybe I like challenging social norms."

"I most definitely don't. I'm already a freak here, don't want to ruin your 'perfect reputation'." I roll my eyes.

"O-okay... If you're sure." He begins backing away slowly, walking toward his friends. "See you after school, Nico."

With an annoyed look, I walk off, heading toward the bleachers.

---

When we get home, I instantly notice the mess.

"Shit." I murmur, moving to clean up the dirty dishes and straighten out the couch.

"Wow, Nico is actually cleaning! This guy must be pretty important to you." Hazel jokes, leaning on the door frame to the living room.

"Not in the slightest. I just think it's kinda gross to write a paper in front of old, leftover strogonoff."

Hazel hums, playful smirk still threatening to tip her lips. "You've never cleaned up when Caleb is coming over. Never even acknowledged the mess when you're sucking his face off next to week-old pizza."

I feel a blush tickle my cheeks and go back to cleaning. "Caleb is different."

"How so?"

"He's a complete slob. He wouldn't say shit because he doesn't give a damn. Now, Solace, I don't know him. I don't know what he's like. So I'm going to clean up a bit."

"Uh-huh. That's what it is. Whatever. Have fun with your boyfriend. Just... Don't shag on the couch; I have to sit on that thing, too."

"I'm not cheating on Caleb!" I call after her as she saunters to her bedroom

"I thought you and him were casual." She laughs.

"We are!" I reply.

"Then it wouldn't be cheating." She throws over her shoulder.

A knock sounds on the door and I stand up straight.

"One second!" I call, dropping dishes into the sink and spraying Fabreeze across the couch.

Once it smells decent enough, I put the canister back in the cabinet and open the front door.

"Hey." Solace smiles winningly at me.

Standing this close to him, I finally realize how much taller her is. He had to be at least seven inches taller. I'm only 5'5" so it's not that hard to be taller, but still. He's probably somewhere around 6'3". Perfect kissing height; he would just have to lean down a bit and I would-

Stopping that thought there, I open the door wider and let him in. He looks at me knowingly and I have a feeling that thought made me blush horribly.

"Living room again?" I ask, clearing my throat.

"Yeah, if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

Walking into the living room and setting his stuff down, he begins pulling out his paper and all other necessary utensils.

---

Leaning over Solace's shoulder to point out mistakes in his rough draft, I begin giving him pointers.

"So, don't add this in the final draft at all?" He says, scratching out a sentence.

"Yeah, and you don't want to keep that sentence too long." I press my cheek to his shoulder and point at the next set of words. "Otherwise it'll be a run-on sentence and Mr. Dynard hates run-ons. Maybe cut it up with a semicolon here or a period-" I cut off when there's an unexpected knock at the door.

Realizing I'm practically laying on top of him, I dart away from Solace and yell to Hazel.

"Haz! Get the door!"

"'M busy! You get it!" She replies.

"And I'm not?"

"You're closer!" She sing-songs.

Groaning, I stand. I tell Solace to wait a moment and go over to the door.

---

When it opens, there's a flash of blonde hair and mossy-green eyes before lips are attached to mine in an unexpected kiss.

"Hey, babe." Caleb says sweetly against my lips.

Yelping in surprise, I push Caleb back. "What are you doing here?"

"Missed you. Thought I'd bring you a snack and we could watch a movie in your room."

"You mean you're horny and want to fuck me." I deadpan, shooting him a blank look.

He returns an evil smirk. "Something like that."

"Yeah, well, I'm busy. It'll have to wait." I try pushing him out of the door.

"What, too busy for me?" He laughs.

"Yes! I have someone sitting in my living room right now. I'm tutoring."

Caleb snorts. "C'mon, Nico, please?"

"No." I hiss. "Go back to your dorm and fuck your damn hand!"

"But why, when I have a hot piece of ass like you?"

Refusing to blush at the sort-of-compliment, I push in his shoulders again. This time far more forceful. He doesn't budge, again, and I stop fighting to scowl.

"Caleb, seriously. Not now."

"Nico?" Solace calls. "Everything alright?"

Caleb arches an eyebrow. "You didn't say it was a guy."

"Why does it matter?" I snap.

Instead of replying, Caleb pushes past me and into the living room. Trying to stop him, I grab quickly at his bicep. He shrugs me off, completely ignoring the fact that I even touched him.

"Caleb!" I call, rushing after him.

When I get into the living room, Caleb is sitting on the recliner across from Solace and glaring. Solace looks utterly confused and keeps shooting me nervous glances like, who is this guy?

"Nico," Caleb starts. "Why don't you introduce me to your... friend."

"He isn't my friend." I growl.

"Fine." Caleb hisses. "Student."

"Solace, this is my... yeah, this is Caleb." I don't really know how to describe Caleb. Boyfriend? Lover? Friend with benefits? One-off gone wrong? "Caleb, this is the guy I'm tutoring, Will Solace."

Solace nods politely, but Caleb keeps his scowl steady.

"Nico, I'm going to head into your bedroom. Hurry up here, yeah?" Caleb doesn't let his eyes leave Solace as he addresses me.

When he gets up, he turns us so he can look right at Will and smashes his lips to mine filthily. I groan in discomfort and try to push him away, but he holds me tighter and shoves his tongue down my throat. Angrily I shove him away. I wipe my lips and feel them begin to bruise from his force.

"What the hell, Caleb!" I shriek angrily.

"Sorry, babe. You're just too irresistible."

"Get out."

"What?"

"You heard me. Now. Out. Or I'll call the police and have you arrested."

"You wouldn't." He narrows his eyes.

"You really wanna test that?"

Eventually, his scowl subsides and he backs toward the door.

Once he's out it, I huff out a breath.

"Sorry about that." I say, flopping back on the couch next to Solace. "Where were we?"

---

The next few days are much simpler.

Solace doesn't talk to me during school hours, sitting with his friends; talking and laughing with them. I catch him staring at me once or twice but he briskly shifts his eyes down and blushes, a smile playing across his mouth when he realizes he was caught.

I steer clear of any area I know Solace will be to try and keep things as normal as possible. Most of Solace's friends have already picked up on us hanging out outside of school. They tease him endlessly and yell comments to me about things Solace and I are definitly not doing.

---

"Hey," Josie Miller says to me one day while I'm rolling a joint under the bleachers. "Your name is Nico, right?"

Confused, I reply. "Yeah. What's it to you?"

"Oh, cool. So you're the one tutoring Will." She says in an almost nonchalant voice. Almost.

"Yeah..." I say, looking up from my joint. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason." She sighs dramatically. She flips her long, silky copper hair over her shoulder and inspects her perfectly manicured nails.

Her voice is dripping in false sweetness when she continues. "I just wanted to let you know, we may not be official yet, but Will is mine. M-I-N-E. I would appreciate it if you backed off a bit, okay?"

Her wide blue eyes look at me but there is no warmth in them. They are completely stoney and cold.

Dumbstruck, my jaw fell open. "Backed off? There's nothing to 'back off' from! I mean- there's- I don't- what even- I have a boyfriend!"

Shocked, her porcelain skin colors a pretty pink. "Oh. My mistake, then. But just for future reference; he's mine."

"Have fun with him. I definitely don't want him. Now, unless you're going to get high with me, go away."

She wrinkles her nose in disgust and does an impressive flourish to turn and stomp away on those ridiculous heels.

Rolling my eyes, I turn back to my weed.