Nickolas:

"Wait!"
I yelled out.

I don't know why I did but seeing her walk away like felt wrong, it made me want to call her back.
She was always embarassing herself in one way or the other and it was fun to watch.

"I'll think about helping you but what do you have to give me in return?."
I said, not really because I wanted anything but more because I enjoyed the way she scrunched her face and cocked her head when she was confused.

"I can sit with you at lunch?"

I started laughing again and her cheeks flushed, giving it a pinkish hue.

"Think of something better you can give me, then we can talk"
I said, walking away.

I heard her loud huff of annoyance and I smirked a bit.
She was fun to tease.

........
"What's with you and my sister man!"
Jerry yelled pushing link.

I watched, bored from Jerry's bed.
This had been going on for as long as we were friends.
Jerry always thought link was violating the bro code by hooking up with his sister, link always thought Jerry was an idiot.

"I said nothing happened!"
Link yelled back, his muscles tensing to strike.

Jerry was never a fighter, but when it came down to his family, he would battle the devil himself.

"Stay the hell away from my sister"
Jer poked link's chest with his finger, pushing him back.

The tension in the room was as thick as tar.

Link glared at him, before saying words that would've made even me angry -and that's saying a lot.

"How sure am I you're not asking me to stay away from her because you want her for yourself, you're not really related after all"
Link spat.

Not two seconds after his accusation, Jerry's fist went flying straight into link's face, hitting him in his left eye.
"She's not a thing you idiot!"

Link stumbled a bit before he regained his balance and realised what just happened.

With a cry, he charged towards Jerry, his only intent being to cause harm.

"ENOUGH"
I yelled, stopping him before he seriously hurt Jerry or their friendship.

They both froze at my command.
They always listened to me, that's how it had always been since childhood.

I stood up and stayed in between them.
"I think you should leave"
I said to link, daring him to argue with my eyes.

He sent one final glare in Jerry's direction, before picking up his blue and white jacket and storming off.

I looked at Jerry and remembered link's accusation.

It was true that they weren't related by blood but by law.
Jerry's mother got married to kira's father when they were still kids, so the topic of them being unrelated never really crossed anybody's minds.

Except for the tell tale British accent that Jerry had and Kira didn't, they were practically related.

Jerry didn't seem like he was in any mood to talk, so I excused myself, promising myself to talk to him later.

I pulled into our driveway, the engine of my baby quieting down as I pulled to a stop.

I got down from the car and walked away, hearing the satisfying 'beep beep' sound indicating the locking of the car.

I made my way to the house, inputting the four digit code in the small electronic panel in the wall.
It slid open soundlessly, letting me in.
The evening sun seeping through the large glass windows set an orangish glow on white walls of the hallway, I looked around the living room and saw no sign of my dad.
I sighed, not that I expected him to be here anyway.

"Back so soon, boy? "
Brenda said.

I turned around and gave her a smile.
"You can't get rid of me that easily"

She turned her nose away, trying to look haughty, her hands on the hips of her grey gown.

"And here I was thinking I could have the whole mansion to myself."

I grinned widely.
"You'd die of boredom without me around, Brenda."

"So you think"
She said and I laughed.

"There's some food in the fridge for you, warm it up and eat something, look at how thin you've gotten!"
She exclaimed, shaking her head at me disapprovingly.

I gave her a sad smile, she knew why I wasn't that much of a big eater.
Brenda had been our caretaker for as long as I could remember, she was always just there for me  when my parents weren't.
She was family, more than just hired help.

I nodded at her and made my way up the stairs, the many disapproving haughty faces of all the rowan ancestors following me up till I finally reached my room.
All I wanted to do was collapse into the bed but when I opened the door, the strong scent of perfume hit my nose.

I frowned, how'd she get in?
Lying on my bed in nothing more than one of my looser dress shirts and her wavy hair pushed to one side, was Shelly.

She grinned when I walked in.
I frowned again, how'd she get over here that fast from school?.

"What are you doing here?"
I ask.

"Came to see you babe, your parents are out soo you're all mine. "
She squealed.

I frowned again then she walked over to me and draped her hands over me.

"I missed you nicky"
She cooed, running her hand through my hair.

"Shelly"
I warned
She stretched up to give me a kiss and I didn't argue, giving her what she wanted and soon we were both lost in each other.

The harsh sunlight struck my face, penetrating my eye lids and warming up my face.

I groaned as I threw my hand over my face, shielding my eyes.

Sunlight?....... Morning.

I shot out of bed, realizing the time.

I rolled over, expecting to meet my grey duvet and soft pillows, instead I met Shelly's face, her lips parted ever so slightly, her partially covered chest heaving up and down.

"Damn"
I groaned, when I remembered all that happened last night.
I quickly hurried off to my bathroom, not wanting to be anywhere near the reminder that I broke another promise.

I quickly showered, washing off the sweat from last night's events.

I saw Shelly in my bed and I cringed and rushed out of the room, skipping breakfast and escaping questions from my parent and Brenda.

I jumped into my rover and drove out.

Mitchie:

I logged my back pack to school, after watching aunt Layla drive away with the kids in the car.

"Let's go?"
Tessa said, noticing that I spaced out for a moment.

I nodded, Tessa had been a bit nice to me lately but she still gets upset, like yesterday after school, I saw her in her room, stuffing her face with something, when I wanted to look at it, she yelled my out if her room with her eyes looking blood shot.

"See you at lunch"
She said, parting ways with me.

I looked around, I still hadn't gotten used to this many people in one place, it still baffled me.
The little bell that seemed to have powers to sound all around the school rang for the second time this morning.
I rushed to my first class, not wanting to be caught outside.

As I passed one more deserted hallway, I heard loud voices.

"You left me there for your dad to find, like some......like some whore"
The female voice seethed.

My curiosity getting the better of me, I went down the hallway.
I saw a plastic yellow sign saying 'Wet floor' but I ignored it and carefully made my way down.

"You were sleeping, it's no biggie"
I heard a deeper voice say and I could almost imagine the person shrugging.
I paused, I'd know that voice anywhere, it was the voice that gave me small shivers and made my cheeks warm.
NICKOLAS.

Now, with my curiosity on a high, I sped down the hallway forgetting all about my chemistry class.

I rounded the corner and met the red face of an angry Shelly.
"No biggie? No biggie Nick? How dare you. "

He moved closer to her, pushing her against the wall.
"I told you when I got back Shelly, I told you things couldn't get serious between us, so don't get bitchy over such a small matter. "
He growled out.

I frowned, why was he being so harsh.

"But nicky......baby I love you"
She whimpered, her voice small.

I gasped, I knew what those words meant or at least I thought I did.
Mr Grey told me that they are words you say to someone you can't live without, someone you cherish more than yourself.

She loved him, did he love her?

For some reason, my chest felt deflated at the thought.

I inched closer, wanting to listen.
I heard a sigh, then his voice softened.

"Shelly I...."
Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by my loud "Oof"
As I slipped down the floor, landing hard on my back.

"Owwww"
I yelled out.

I opened my eyes to see a livid Shelly and a laughing Nickolas in front of me.

She bent down, till she was face to face with me, her short skirt lifting up at the back, revealing a lot to Nickolas' wandering and grateful eyes.

"You just ruined one of the biggest moments of my life you bitch, I'll make sure you pay."
She whispered angrily, her long hair touching my face.

She flipped her hair and walked off, leaving me there with a hysteric Nickolas.

"Here, let me help you "
He offered, giving me his hand.

I was going to refuse him, for laughing at me but then an idea popped into my head.

I gave him my hand and he was still laughing, when I spread out my leg and kicked him off balance, then dragged him down with as much force as I could muster.

His look of surprise, just before he fell brought a weird feeling in me, I felt.........excited.

I found a small smile on my face, which slowly turned into a large grin and soon, I was laughing.

My own laughter sounded weird in my ears, I felt lighter.

He was now ontop of me, his head on my stomach.

I stopped laughing and opened my eyes to find him staring at me, suddenly self conscious, I frowned.

"What?"

He blinked for a moment.
"Nothing, I've just never heard you laugh"

My cheeks heated up again,
I didn't realize.

I frowned, to cover up my embarrassment.
Max never gave me any reason to smile, uncle grey was always talking crazy and apart from him and the old lady, I had no one to talk to but the little wall flowers.

"Don't stop"
He said, noticing my frown.

"What? "
I said, confused.

"Don't stop laughing, I like the sound."

My cheeks heated up more and my heart raced faster as I realized how close we were to each other.

He reached out and tucked my blond hair behind my ear.

"Thanks"
I muttered, a little too breathlessly.

We stayed like that for a few more seconds, before his eyes went cold and he pulled away, standing up abruptly and dusting  off imaginary dust.

"Try to be a bit more careful next time. "
He said before walking away.

My grin dropped from my face as soon as I felt his cold brush off.

I stood up and managed to avoid falling, before I made it to class.

The rest of the day went by really fast, Jerry was being his usual sweet self but Link wasn't at our table.
just like Nickolas, Shelly ignored me to the bone, pretending not to have heard when I asked for ketchup, Tessa seemed to be on edge and Kira was still Kira but surprisingly I didn't notice quiet petite Diana.
I wondered what happened to her but the sly smirk Shelly threw in my direction when I asked told me that it was nothing good and so I started to worry for her.