"You are late, again..", a fake-furious Mareva said when she opened the passenger door.

"I'm so sorry Mar! I was with you-know-who and lost track of time".

Nick was looking at Mar with his famous puppy eyes but since these two were best friends from the first day they were born, she was the only girl  he couldn't charm.

"Don't puppy eye me, you know it never works".

"I would have been saved from so many troubles if it did".

"You can only wish".

On Nick's old Chevy they made it just in time for the last bell and got separated until lunch. Their normal school routines were as different as their personalities but they adored each other and never cared about all the gossip their unusual, for the high school standards, friendship attracted.

"I just don't understand what you like about her", Mar was saying while eyeing the popular table under the oak tree.

"You really want to know?" Nick replied with his mischievous smile.

"Ew, no!"

"Don't ask then".

"It's so annoying that you don't care she is keeping you a secret".

"Everyone has a secret. You missy know that better than anyone". Nick pointed at Mar's nose as she tried but missed to slap his hand.

"She has her reasons for what she is doing and I have mine to not care", Nick continued.

"But Nick, you care.. I can see your blank stare everytime she walks by with her hand holding someone else".

"That is her business, not mine. And you are wrong, I wouldn't care even if she was holding a gorilla's arm. So just stop this conversation please", he said finally.

He never wanted to really talk about this subject and Mar was getting more and more annoyed. They could talk about anything, even sex, now why he was being so secretive about his girlfriend?

At first he didn't even tell her about it! She accidentally discovered them in his room in a steamy make out session.

Mar was late for her literature club and burst into Nick's room without knocking because he had told her that he was going to sleep and she needed his car keys to make it on time.

Thankfully they both had their clothes on. Well most of them anyway and she wouldn't even care to say anything, except grabbing his keys and yell a bye while closing the door behind her but then she registered all of the girl's features and recognised who she was...

Let's just say that Mar didn't make it to literature club for the first time since the common flu in December! But eventually, somehow they managed to make her swear to keep their relationship a secret.

"You will be late at the school's committee meeting", Nick said while chewing his tuna sandwich.

With a quick glance at her wristband she could see Nick was right.
"Damn it, you know you won't be unhooked until you talk to me", she warned him by

"I won't, so just get over it".

"Nick? You know I love you right?"

"You are a pain in the ass sometimes Mar".

"But that's why you love me!"
She gave him a quick pinch on his cheek and turned away.

"Please don't lose track of time again. After school mum asked me to babysit Anne", she yelled while running towards class.

Nick ate the rest of his sandwich alone. Mareva knew him too well, and any attempt he made to distract her never worked.

Of course he cared but what else could he do?

*****
Hi!
This chapter is a quick introduction to our first lead girl, Mareva and her best friend Nick.
What do you think about her?
Who is Nick's secret relationship?
We will find out soon, but your guesses may change this story's outcome...

So comment and if you like this story please vote!

Thank you,

Mary Lou Soyer