"I'm not going to school today."

Nico held his phone tighter against his ear. "Why?"

Faust's silence was enough of an answer.

Nico curled his free hand into a fist. "Stop lying to your girlfriend, Faust."

"I haven't seen Anya in a year," his best friend said almost pleadingly. "She remembers me. I just—I just know that I have to do this. I want to do this."

"And what did you tell Thea?" Nico asked, unable to keep the venom dripping from his voice. "She was torn up over what happened at the pep rally, Faust. You need to talk to her and apologize."

"I know what I need to do," Faust answered lowly. "Thea's fine, I already talked to her. Just—just don't tell her about this yet."

Nico clenched his jaw.

"Please," Faust said.

"How long will you be gone?"

Faust paused for a moment. "Two, three days."

Nico rubbed his forehead. "Fine. But I'm telling you right now, Faust. You're going to regret this."

His best friend exhaled deeply. "I'll decide on that. Thanks, man. I owe you."

Nico shut the engine of his car and stepped out. "Be safe."

"You too."

JJ met him at his locker. He looked strange—the usual wide smile on his face was missing, and he wasn't approaching Nico with a massive bear hug that crushed him to the bones. JJ looked worried. Nervous, even.

Nico arched an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you? Why aren't you in class yet?"

The blonde sighed. "Where's Faust?"

"Going to Belham," he answered curtly. "What's wrong?"

He shoved his phone in Nico's face. "This isn't good."

Nico's eyes had to take a second to adjust to the screen lighting. His eyebrows furrowed when he recognized the school paper's website. The article title: Faust Carter: Northvale's Basketball Hero stood out in big, bold letters, and Thea's name was written underneath in a smaller font.

"Take a deep breath first," JJ told him. "Then scroll down."

Nico took the phone in his hands. With a frown etched onto his face, he said, "I don't understand, what's the big—"

The comments section was alive and unforgiving. With each new derogatory word thrown at Thea, Nico's eyes grew harder, harsher, and fire suddenly burned in his blood from the fury he felt. Thea didn't deserve this. No one deserved this.

Nico threw his arm back, but JJ was faster. The blonde snatched his phone back and gripped his wrist. "Calm down. I know you're angry—I'm angry, too."

"You have no idea how fucking mad I am, JJ," Nico said with a laugh. "Let go."

"Don't do anything stupid, then," JJ snapped. "You almost smashed my phone."

"I'll smash your fucking face in—"

"I'm not the one you're supposed to be mad at, Nico. Part of this is Faust's fault, but assholes can be assholes when they want to be."

Nico yanked his arm from JJ's hold and looked at his friend. "Where's Thea?"

"She went in the staff room a few minutes before you came in," he said. "Sutton tried to stop her."

"You're basically telling me they let her read all that bullshit. She's going to believe them. Why the fuck didn't you—"

JJ shook his head. "It's not my place. Whatever the staff decides to do with the comments, let's trust them. Sutton isn't going to let this go. Also, we can't protect Thea from everything, Nico. She's not a kid, she needs to know these things. But she's going to need someone, and we'll be there for her. Simple as that."

Before Nico could respond, a door down the hallway suddenly slammed shut, and Thea rushed out, darting across the halls and making a beeline towards the exit of the school. Nico could tell she was crying.

His heart ached. "Follow her."

JJ blinked. "You're not coming with me?"

"No," Nico said, shaking his head. "She doesn't trust me and she'll feel worse than she already is. Just go after her and make sure she's fine."

His friend didn't question him any further and went after Thea.

Nico took a deep breath. "Fuck."

As much as he wanted to be with her right now, he knew he couldn't be.

With shaking fingers, Nico took out his phone and typed a message to Faust. Look at the school paper's website.

Faust didn't reply.

*

Nico couldn't sit still in class.

Under the table, he texted JJ. Updates, dumbass. What happened? Is she okay?

It took a few minutes for JJ to respond. Chillax, bro. We went out for yogurt. :D

Nico bit his lip, a bit of relief washing over him. she still crying?

Nah. calmed down already. it's because of my charm ;)

He let out a heavy sigh. okay.

You know...

Nico's eyebrows drew together. What?

Thea's scarf looks awfully familiar...

Nico blinked. He raised his head to stare at the empty space on the board as his memory of seeing Thea run down the hallway earlier replayed over and over again in his mind.

She was wearing his scarf.

In his realization, a violent coughing fit made its way out of Nico's throat. His hand flew up to his mouth as a couple of students turned to look at him in annoyance. His teacher raised an eyebrow and paused for a moment, but let him be and continued with the lecture.

Nico was sure his ears were red.

His seatmate elbowed him. He looked concerned. "Hey. You good?"

"I'm fine," Nico bit out, shrugging him off. He cleared his throat and said once again, in a more stable voice, "I'm fine, thanks."

When he looked at his phone again, JJ had sent him numerous text messages, and he'd figured it out:

It looks like yours

I remember asking to borrow it because i was freezing, then you wouldn't let me, then I gave you shit for it, then you smacked me because your mom knitted it for you and you don't want anyone else touching your shit

wait

it's yours, isn't it

HOLY SHIT IT'S YOURS

WAIT

WAIT WAIT WAIT

DO YOU ACTUALLY...LIKE THEA?

OHMYGOD ARE YOU PINING OVER OUR FRIEND'S GIRLFRIEND? NICO

NICO HOLY SHIT

Nico inhaled sharply. He quickly replied back, incessantly tapping his fingers on the keyboard, heart racing. shut up, shut up, shut the fuck up. I gave it to her because she was cold, okay? from a friend to another friend.

His anxiousness spiked as he watched the bubbles over JJ's chat dance.

don't even TRY to lie to me, NICANDRO ROMERO. you wouldn't give that fucking scarf to anyone and i'm HURT that you let her borrow it. you didn't want me touching that thing even when i was cold :( im MAD

Nico sighed loudly. you're such a big baby. Aren't you with Thea? Why are you on your phone? you're supposed to be cheering her up.

SO YOU DO LIKE HER

NO I DON'T FUCKING SHUT UP

then you wouldn't care if I told her it's yours, right? she doesn't seem to know it's yours ;)

Nico gritted his teeth as his fingers typed furiously on the keypad. Don't. JJ. No.

Admit it, then.

There's nothing to admit.

Alright. I'll tell her it's yours and i won't tell you what she's doing with it, either.

His eyes grew wide. What do you mean? what is she doing with my scarf?

Bye, Nico. :D

JJ. JJ, get back here.

No response.

Nico gripped his phone tighter. JJ FUCKING FORD

No response.

He shut his eyes.

im going to piss on you then torture you then kill you until there's nothing left of your soul yesilikeherdon'ttellfaust happy now?

There was a smug grin on JJ's face in his reply. i knew it ;) and i'm not stupid. Obviously, i'm not going to tell Faust. tbh, i think you and thea look cute together.

STOP. DID YOU TELL HER IT'S MINE? WHAT IS SHE DOING WITH IT

Relax, bro. I didn't tell her ;) also, might not tell you. this is fun. :D

JJ THAT'S NOT FUCKING FAIR WE HAD A DEAL

YOU ALSO THREATENED ME IM SCARED IM GOING TO USE THIS FOR BLACKMAIL DONT SCARE ME EVER AGAIN

Nico felt like pulling his teeth out. I WILL PUNCH YOU WHEN I SEE YOU

i love you too!!! also, this is payback for letting me freeze >:( see you at lunch, hothead :D

Nico took a deep breath and counted from one to ten.

JJ knew his secret. He was so screwed.