POV Nicholas

Push away the thought. I mean, if it's important, I'll remember it eventually. Before I could even consider answering, my phone started vibrating. Seizing the opportunity to escape the situation, I withdrew my phone from my jeans pocket, only to discover that it was my father calling.

What could he possibly want now?

"I have to take this," I said, waving my phone at them. Without waiting for a reply, I walked away from them down the hallway to somewhere with fewer people.

Ensuring there wasn't too much background noise, I answered the phone.

"What took so long, boy?" he hissed, not bothering with a greeting. "Unless you want to see what happens the next time you make me wait, you will pick up immediately."

"I'm sorry, sir," I say, trying to maintain my composure. You should be thankful that I even answered.

"You'd better be." I could hear him let out a sigh. "Anyway, your sister caught some bug that seems to be going around. We called the school and notified them, but you will need to get her work and notes from the teachers."

"Is she all right?" I asked. She had been all right just yesterday.

"Boy, do you think we can't take care of our own daughter? Just do as you're told." With those words, the phone call ended.

Why do I even bother asking? Now, on top of being a chauffeur, I'm also an errand boy.

I let out a breath and turned around, only to see Emmett. Those guys hadn't left yet.

I headed towards them only to hear Emmett talking about me.

"Guys, I get that you don't like change, but he's a new kid. Plus, I have a feeling we will be great friends, so chill."

"Whatever," Rick says back, looking slightly annoyed and very bored.

As if sensing my presence, Emmett turns around with a broad smile. "You're back."

I just give him an awkward smile. I guess I will pretend I didn't hear him beg his friends to play nice.

The other two also look my way, and the unorange guy introduces himself. "I'm Raymond, but you can call me Ray. This is Richa-"

Though Rick cut him off, "I'm Rick," he says, glaring at the other guy, "and perfectly capable of introducing myself."

"As you can see, we are twins. Of course, I'm the more civilized one," Ray finishes, giving a small smile. "By the way, is everything good?" he says, pointing at my phone that I was clenching.

Relaxing my grip, "Mhh, yeah, my father just called to say my little sister is sick."

"Hey, just like our siblings," Emmett excitedly blurts out. We all give him odd looks. "I'm just saying it's an odd coincidence."

"No, it's not. You idiot, your little brother just passed on his germs to our brother," Rick shoots back.

Ignoring Rick, Ray turned to me. "Is she okay?" he asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Yeah, it's just a bug. I'm sure she'll get better," I said.

"That's good to hear, Mhh -"

"Nicholas, but you can call me Nick," I said.

He gave me a smile before turning toward the auditorium. "I think we should start heading in."

At his words, I looked at the other students only to see them making their way inside.

That's when Emmett yelled, running toward the blue double doors. "Let's go! All the good seats will be taken."

"How the hell can someone be this energetic in the morning?" I mumbled.

"I ask myself that every day," Rick said.

With that, we made our way inside.

Given the size of the double doors, I expected the interior to be spacious, and it certainly met my expectations; in fact, it's enormous. The stage is comparable in size to a concert stage, and the six rows of theater-style blue chairs seem endless as you look at them from the entrance. Even so, every seat was occupied all the way down to the stage.

"The lower level is already full," Rick says, annoyed.

"Let's go to the upper level; it's usually empty," Emmett states, already heading toward one of the stairs near us on our right.

I follow along, still shocked that a school auditorium looks like an opera house theater without the private balcony viewing rooms.

"I know it seems a bit overwhelming, but our school values the arts just as much as academics and sports. So, for those choosing to focus on studying theater, plays, musicals, or dancing-practically anything along the lines of performing-this will be their home," Ray explains as we all sit down.

"Oh, I forgot to ask," Emmett squeaks out. "What is your main study focus? Is it academics, sports, or visual and performing arts? Since we have normal classes for half the day where we learn things to prepare us for the SATs, then for the rest of the day, we do our focus subject." As he says that, I feel very confused.

"I know the whole focus subject is confusing. But it simply means that if you're in sports, that means you're focused on one of the sports this school offers, such as basketball, football, basketball, cricket, or cheerleading. In other words, you will be part of the team and participate in the matches they have in the states and internationally or participate in cheerleading competitions. There's also gymnastics and figure skating competitions, " Ray explains.

"Yes, and if you're pursuing academics, that means you're taking English, where you have to enter writing competitions or attend English lectures where you could meet writers. Then, if you're taking either science or math, you will be participating in competitions based on these subjects. The school also offers STEM and other programs," Emmett added.

"I'm sure he'll get it. If he doesn't, then he's quite slow," Rick grumbled.

"I'm good, guys," I said, thinking about what I had listed as my focus. "I'm doing music, so that means I'm in visual and performing arts."

"Wow, really? So, do you like to sing or play an instrument? Are you going to join a band or be a part of the cappella group?" Emmett rushed out with multiple questions, overwhelming me even more.

When I heard someone's voice say, "Hello, students," the sound completely filled the room, coming from every direction. I looked up front and saw a middle-aged woman wearing a black pantsuit with her hair tied back in a tight ponytail.
The woman stood there on the stage before her. Her eyes swept over everyone in the auditorium, as if attempting to memorize each and every person's face. As she surveyed the audience, the atmosphere in the auditorium grew heavy, and one could almost feel the students shifting in their seats. When her gaze finally landed on me, I felt a slight tension as her eyes seemed to pierce right through me, as if trying to read my every thought.

However, her gaze was not intimidating or daunting like that of my parents; rather, it was warm and welcoming. It felt as though her eyes were conveying a promise of a bright future.

However, that is precisely what made me feel so uneasy-those eyes brimming with promise, the same as those I have unfortunately fallen for in the past.

As I sit here, I try to avoid thinking about it, but memories of the past unexpectedly come to mind.

"Nicky, I promise you, it's you and me against the world," she whispered to me.

As I cried in her arms, I felt overwhelmed with sadness. They had left without me again. I thought that after Anne came, maybe they wouldn't be so angry with me, and we could be a real family.

However, it has been three years since they brought her home, and the only thing that has changed is that my father doesn't hit me as much unless I do something to anger him.

As my small hands clutched her sweater, she kept whispering that everything would be okay, that I had her and always would. I was grateful for that, but I couldn't help but wonder why my own parents couldn't love me. When I was younger, I believed they did, but over the years, after observing how other children interact with their families, I realized that they didn't love me. Yet, they could love her so easily.

She didn't even have to try; they just loved her. So why couldn't they love me, even just a little? I tried every single day to earn their love, but it's never enough. If I could replace myself with Juliet, I would do it in a heartbeat, but I can't. Does that mean everything is pointless? If I couldn't save my sister, does my existence have no meaning?

What am I even living for?

"It's okay, Nicky, I'm here," she said, pulling me away slightly so she could look into my eyes. "You will always have me, buddy," she said, gazing directly into my eyes, giving me the warmth I had always yearned for.

I believed her with all my heart, and that was my mistake.

*************

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