~The Demons Within~

"Why don't you want to listen to me? I've said that I'm sorry a thousand times but you push me out like I said nothing."

Dolores and Nicolas were both coming back from the school clinic after they had  checked the state of her back and she had pleaded with the nurse not to tell her father about it since it wasn't life threatening. He would be worried about her which could affect his progress at work. Simeon, thankfully, said that he had a short meeting to attend and so left but not after promising to return before or during lunch break.

"Dolores, say something." Nicolas turned her to face him.

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips before she could clench her teeth. She was used to all things but not Nicolas following her about like a lost puppy and asking for her forgiveness with every chance he got. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry."

"You really want to show me that you're sorry, then bring back my P.E shorts that you ruined in third grade." She demanded with a corner of her lip turned up in disapproval. The depth she could stoop to pettiness was underrated. She could be petty to every letter of the word and that, she would do. It didn't matter to her if it pleased anyone or not. Specifically the bully.

"Just that? It is a done deal." He asked, making it impossible for Dolores to believe her own hearing. Was he seriously contemplating that or was he trying to mess with her as always?

Turning away, she increased her pace, wanting to put more physical distance from him. Anything that would ruin her chances of getting her own pound of flesh should be out of the way. Still, like a lovesick puppy, he followed her every move but didn't open his mouth to say a word. Once, she almost shouted at him to back off, feeling abashed at the way the other students were staring in open shock at his behavior towards her.

She was about to cross the threshold into her class when the ringer signified time for lunch break and with a smooth swivel, she faced the direction leading to the school cafeteria hoping he wouldn't be stupid enough to follow her. Turned out, she overrated him. The cafeteria was a hub for students and if they didn't know what Nicolas was up to, they would now. She looked behind her again to see Nicolas fall into step by her side. It was an outrageous sight.

After she got her meal, she headed to her side of the cafeteria in a quick pace where she and Adelina usually sat. It was the peak of embarassment for Dolores the moment Nicolas drew out a seat in front of her, on the same table. She began to fret as she didn't want him to be spotted by Carlos or by any of the other popular kids sitting at the side of the nerds, geeks and dorks. It would be humiliating and a stain on their rep.

Nicolas felt her eyes stuck on him in shock when he sat down to have his meal. "What?"

She looked around her with her fingers wrapped tightly on her cutlery. "Nicolas," she hissed with clenched teeth, "you know you can't be on this side of the cafeteria. Stand up."

He didn't budge but sat back to relish the school's meal. If she wasn't going to accept his apologies, then he was going to be a thorn in her flesh, a constant reminder to her good conscience that there was something she was missing.

After a while, he licked his lips and looked at her indifferently. "I won't budge. Enjoy your meal, Dolores."

No other words were exchanged after that. Dolores tried her best to eat but couldn't get the food to settle in as her stomach kept making her feel uneasy, doing anxious flips. Every now and then, she spared a small look at Nicolas from the corner of her eyes only to quickly look away after realizing his unwavering stare were pinned on her.

The chair right next to her made a scraping sound and her head snapped up just in time to find Simeon sliding in. She observed that his hair appeared more tousled than usual and his eyes held a foreign emotion as he sent a dimpled smile at her but she forcefully tore her gaze away.

"How are you feeling now, Dolores?"

"Fine." She replied simply because he was less insufferable than the jerk giving him a deathly glare.

"How is your back?"

"Fine." Her replies were short and distant. So what if her back wasn't fine, he didn't have to pretend to be worried for her.

Simeon then turned and exclaimed as if just seeing Nicolas for the first time since he sat. "Didn't see you there, Nick."

"Don't you dare." Who was he to call him a name only his family did?

Simeon raised his hands in mock defense. "Chill, come on. I was just joking."

Dolores studied all of this with an amused expression on her face. It was fun watching Simeon get Nicolas riled up with his innocent, friendly gestures which seemed to get to him a lot more pissed than her snide remarks. She decided then that he was for keeps.

As if reading her mind, Simeon turned to her with a wide grin on his face. "Don't let this big bully get to you. Call me if he bothers."

There was low growl of anger from Nicolas. "If you don't pipe down, I'm going to send you to neverland."

"Alright, I give up. By the way, did you hear about Celestine?" His question was intended for Nicolas.

Dolores could swear she saw his face twitch suddenly in the fraction of a second but he went back to being indifferent about everything like before. She leaned forward in her seat in curiosity. "What about Celestine?"

Simeon's head turned in her direction as well. "You didn't hear anything about her?" When she shook her head in the negative, he continued, "She is currently in the hospital in a critical condition because of her allergy reaction to peanuts. Apparently someone put peanut butter in her meal and she ate it unknowingly."

Her eyebrows drew together in a confusing frown, wrinkling her smooth forehead in the process. That was an unfortunate incident for anyone even if they deserved it or not. But nonetheless, she thought it was impossible to know what a person's allergic reaction was unless they had disclosed it during a conversation. "What's her current state?"

"She was first taken to the clinic but the reaction grew so severe she was gasping as she had taken in a lot of it before she realized there was a trigger ingredient to her reaction in it."

"She doesn't deserve such treatment." Dolores felt downright distraught for the poor girl over what had happened to her. Nobody in the world deserved to have unfortunate incidents happen to them irrespective of whatever they might have done. She including.

Nicolas leaned forward with his fingers grazing hers lightly. He looked at her with deep understanding like he could relate to the turbulent emotions going on in her head. "No one deserves to be treated badly, Dolores, not even you."

She stared back at him like a veil fell off her face and she was seeing him in a better light. As quick as her guard seemed to fall, she put it up higher than before, drawing herself off the table and putting an end to the contact between them that instant. Her smile was brief and polite as she spoke, "Thank you."

Their gazes stayed on each other for the longest time, with none bothering to end it before the sound of throat clearing brought them out of the world they were beginning to cocoon in. Simeon kept his eyes moving back and forth from Nicolas and Dolores before he called their attention.

"You know, sometimes, certain people deserve the worst that come to them especially when they have been jerks and still plan on being jerks to more people." His piercing gaze never left Nicolas as he spoke.

"A few of them have lost all sense of redemption and deserve every misfortune life throws their way." He pinned him with a hateful glare matched with the same he was receiving.

Sensing the growing tension between the two boys and not wanting to be accidentally hit again, Dolores drew their attention towards her with a question. "What do you think is gonna happen to Carlos?"

"He is definitely getting suspended but that doesn't cause him to grow one remorseful bone in his body. He tends to become more of a monster each time he goes home." Simeon grunted, feeling peeved for having to let Nicolas have the upper hand.

"Do you think he might going through something difficult?" She found herself wondering out aloud.

"Who doesn't? We all have demons we fight but while we fight, we hope not to be overwhelmed by them in the end." It was Nicolas who spoke this time but his jaws were locked in anger as he gave a faraway look.

It was as though he gave them something to ponder upon as the table grew silent. Simeon had his eyes studying the graffiti letters on the wall behind Nicolas and Dolores simply stirred her drink with her straw, deep in thought.

She would eventually get over her own demons.

...Or not.

~~~{•}~~~

It's a rushed up update because of school.
Leave a vote if you loved this chapter
It's going to be edited later but enjoy this.

~~Tequila~~