Lucas

Nikki gave me a lot to think about.

I want to hold her hand.

I do.

But I spent very little time thinking about it.

After grocery shopping for Carter's mother, we put the groceries away and played video games. I went home, showered, and ate with Logan and my parents before playing Uno. It was fun... until I lost... to Logan.

"Lucas!" A hand grabs my shoulder. "What did you do?!"

My ears! I insert my pinky fingers into my ears, trying to scratch at my ear drums. Julian yells something at me, shaking some papers at me. I narrow my eyes. "What now?" I shove him away. "I apologized. You were there." Julian's frightened eyes bring me to a stop. "What did I do?"

"Nikki she's - "

A shiver runs down my spine. "Is she okay?!" Crap, that was high-pitched. I clear my throat nervously. "Is she... okay?" Not that it makes me any less pathetic.

"No! She's in the newspaper!"

Did not expect that.

"That is my fault why?" Knowing her reputation, the newspaper club is probably celebrating her contribution to the library or mentioning her high grades. Something not unknown to this Nikki worshipping school.

"Lucas!"

"What?"

"Come to earth!"

A pop goes off in my ear. I wince, repeating the ear canal intrusion. "What is so important that you're bursting my ear drums?!" My fingers dig into my ear, trying to relieve the tension.

"This!" Julian holds out the school newspaper.

The headline says "NIKKI'S PARENTS? MORE LIKE ADOPTIVE PARENTS!" And in the smaller text, it says "Nikki's Aunt is a Bully" and "Slept with Lucas".

Oh, no.

"Besides the bad writing, this has you written all over it!" Julian shoves the paper in my hands.

"What?" I shake my head in disbelief. "You think I did this?"

His eyebrows are pulled together in fake sadness. "Well I -  " The corners of his lips lift in a scowl. "Of course, I do!"

A twirly nervous thing appears at the pit of my stomach. Memories jump at my brain in an unorganized fashion.

Taking Victoria to my home.

The fight in the school parking lot with her friends.

And —

I told Victoria when I was trapped in a car with her!

How did I forget it that fast?!

"I thought she would keep quiet!"

"Looks like she didn't!" Julian pulls at his face. "I don't know how to fix this, man. I don't know how!"

A couple students are shooting curious glances at us. I try to remind calm but my body sweat is preventing me from relaxing.

"Yo!" Carter calmly walks over to us, sipping on a coffee. "This is nuts, have you seen it?" He holds up the newspaper. "These kids have such an imagination."

"No, Carter." Julian deadpans. "I'm using the exact same newspaper you are holding for toilet paper."

"Gross." Carter grimaces while taking a sip.

"It's a lie, dumbass!"

Carter tsks. "Language." He grins.

"I messed up!" The gravity of the situation hits me. I fall to my knees and clutch the strap of my bag. "She's gonna hate me forever!" I feel my face scrunch into sorrow.

I can't stop picturing the future disappointment and betrayal on Nikki's face when she finds out. If she hasn't found out already. Just thinking about makes me feel so bad, as if someone kicked my nuts.

"It's true?!" Carter drops his coffee cup.

A huge puddle of it drops onto my chest and on the floor. I shiver at the unexpected coldness of the drink.

This human trash has milk in a coffee cup.

"So you didn't make it up?" Julian's eyes crinkle into disappointment. "Is this the secret she told you?"

Holding my wet shirt away from my chest, I nod.

"She's adopted?!" Carter exclaims.

This catches the attention of our onlookers. A couple of them rush towards what I believe is the newspapers in the bathroom or in the main office. Why can't they mind their own business?

Feeling a gaze burning holes in my scalp, I turn my head to lock eyes with the culprit. The quirk of the lips and twirl of the blonde hair confirm my suspicions.

"Victoria!" I can't gain control of the emotions that erupt inside my chest. My body shakes in what I know is anger and disbelief.

"Yes, dear?" Her eyelashes flutter.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I whisper yell.

"No, babe." She chuckles, her eyes connect to the growing crowd before they settle on mine. The piercing gaze causes a coldness to wash over me. "What did you do?" Her tone deepens. "I told you not to mess with me." Her hand slaps my chest, a loud chortle rings in the air.

I whisper yell, "I literally have no idea what you mean." My hands shake with anger.

I want to hit her.

"Is that right?" Her eyes are watery now but no tears fall down. "So you're telling me, you didn't confess to Nikki at the grocery store?" Her voice is low.

My hands itch to hit something. "It's not what you think." I have no words. I end up repeating the cliché words of a caught man. "You misheard."

She grabs my collar and pulls my neck until we are at eye level. "I know what I saw, Mabry. Do not act like I am crazy."

Her eyes look a little crazy.

"You humiliated me in front of your little friends." Her eyes lower. I take notice of the throbbing veins in her neck. " And you know what?" Her voice is eery tight, as if she was holding back a scary action.

"No?"

I felt bad for the rumors I sparked with my words. I felt bad that I hurt her. And bad that I had no self control. I was going to apologize and find a way to make it up to her. Because, after all, she was my first crush. It didn't last long but it meant something to me. I don't know what but it did. Now... I want to show her just how angry I can get. I want her to know these hands can hurt everyone.

For her.

"I told you I would end her. Not even her majesty will be able to shake those nasty rumors about her." Her smirk widens. "Besides, I never liked her anyway. Kinda of... slutty." She crosses her arms over her chest, her head high, like she won.

Whispers, whistles, and "oh's" erupt behind me. They fill the hallway and create a tension that raises the temperature to ninety degrees. I don't have to turn my head to figure out who it is. The faces of the crowd, the involuntary quiver dancing in my spine, and cold sensations slapping my face. It's like someones dumping buckets of cold water on my face.

"Hey, you're in front of my locker."

Nikki's voice.

"So?" An arrogant, condescending voice speaks.

Even though everything in my brain is telling me to leave and switch cities, my head whips around to see the scene. My breakfast forces vile liquid to rush up my throat. Nikki's surrounded by cheerleaders. Her pretty face is full of curiosity but also annoyance. The cheerleader's don't look any less annoyed. They are eyeing her like the way Carter eyes sandwiches. Like she's prey. They exchange mischievous glances. A dreadful feeling fills my chest and I take a step in her direction.

"I don't think the girls will like you defending a slut. Especially the girl who you cheated on me with." Victoria sings in my ear.

"How can you show your face?" One ridicules with a disgusted face.

"It's school." Nikki forces her body in between two cheerleaders. "My locker is right behind you." Her lips lift in a sickly sweet smile. "So... excuse me."

"You're not excused, hoe."

"What?" Her eyes furrow. "What is going on?" Her hands rise in shock as if she were trying to piece things together.

"So you're going to act like you don't know?" Another cheerleader asks.

Did they practice asking these questions?

"Yes." She nods her head, eyebrows set in a tighter line. "Because I just got here and I don't know what you are talking about." Nikki crosses her arms, eyes set on the cheerleader sneering down at her. "Care to explain?"

"Wow."

"Unbelievable."

"Slut." One coughs.

This time the crowd joins in. They whisper words and hold out their phones, recording the moment. I want to yell at them to stop. To leave. But my shoes are stuck on the floor. I lean to the side, hoping my right foot catches my body before I hit the floor. All that happens is a stumble towards the person in front of me.

"So you did not sleep with Lucas?"

Nikki uncrosses her arms. "Are you still on that?" Her eyes roll to the side. "This is a waste of my time."

The cheerleaders gasp.

"And I lost my patience with whatever this is. Everyone knows he likes Victoria." Her head tilts to the side, mouth sneering. "Now move so I can take my books out my locker." The words come out through tight teeth.

The cheerleaders, as if they shared one brain, band together in front of her locker. "See?" One cheerleader says to the other. "She's denying it," Another says. "Which means that she slept with Lucas." She continues.

Whispers.

Nikki doesn't react. I can't tell if she's angry or confused. She just eyes them with her lips set on a straight line. "Is this because I haven't talked to any of you?" She scoffs.

"You're adopted too... right?"

Nikki's expression drops. And so does mine. Because I've only seen her hurt expression once. The day she confessed she used to like me at the party. And the day I realized I may... that I like her too.

Her throat clears quickly. "Where did you hear that?" Her eyes, though wavering, stay on the group of cheerleaders.

"Lucas, duh!"

Her face drops once more.

This causes a round of laughter to erupt within the crowd.

The cheerleaders laugh like they caught her. "Not so tough now, huh?" A cheerleader sneers. "Now the school knows who you really are."

The crowd chants loud. "East Hampton! East Hampton! East Hampton! Yeeaaah!" The chant they yell at the school games fill the air. The cheerleaders join in too. They have victorious smiles on their faces.

A bystander pushes Nikki towards the cheerleaders and they push her back. Nikki stumbles and another cheerleader pulls her by the wrist but another roughly pushes her back by the chest. A hand reaches over and pulls her hair. Another kicks her on the back.

Nikki cries out in pain.

Surges of negative energy fill my chest. My body burns with rage. But my brain is battling with my feet. My feet are itching to move to her aid but my brain is telling me to hide.

"STOP!" Nikki doesn't look her herself.

A slow silence grows.

Her eyes are red, wide and angry. She exhales. "I may be - " She gulps, eyes locked with a cheerleader. "I may be adopted but that doesn't mean you can push me around." She places a hand on her chest and pats it, panting. "I - " Breath. "I will not let you bully me." Her back straightens.

"Like your aunt was a high school bully?"

"A murderer?"

Oh no.

Her mom.

Nikki's hand reaches at the neck of a cheerleader.

The crowd gets rowdy. I can't understand or see what is happening anymore. Everyone is jumping or moving around in excitement.

Click. Click. Click.

Flashes go off.

Something tells me to move and do something to protect her.

Desperation allows me to move. I grab the hoodie of a person and pull it back hard — until the person falls to my feet. I do it again — until I see the head of my person. My ears are deaf to the curses and anger thrown at me. I continue until I am at the front.

Wyatt is holding her wrist, staring down at Nikki with determined, scrunched eyes. Half of Nikki's body is leaned up against Wyatt's. They look like they are having a silent conversation with each other. Darren is standing protectively in front of Nikki. Unlike his usual weak and shy posture, his arms are out with his palms forward, ready to take a hit.

"What is this?" Xavier guffaws. "The nerd! Look at the nerd!" Laughter fills the hallway.

Nikki stands on her two feet.

Wyatt uses his body to cover her. "Shut Up!" Wyatt roars, his chest rises with each breath. He eyes him down. "If you lay a hand on Nikki or Darren, I will end you." He looks at the crowd. "All of you!" His voice echos.

Whispers.

Xavier loses his smile but his eyes are full of humor. "Lockwood, what is this?" Xavier's hand reaches in Wyatt's direction.

Wyatt moves his body away and pulls Nikki and Darren with him.

"What is this?" Xavier grins. "Charlies Angel's?"

"Come on, Wyatt." A cheerleader calls him, eyes concerned. "Just leave them be. They aren't worth your reputation."

Wyatt closes his eyes. His eyes move behind his eyelids as if he were considering his options.

"They are."

The jocks, cheerleaders, and the crowd boo them.

Boo. Boo. Boo.

"Everyone! Class now!" A microphone rings from the corner. Shuffles and pushes from bodies blur past my eyes.

I can't advert my eyes from the red, pained face of my person. Her palms are on her forehead, her eyes are staring into space, and her lips are quivering.

"I said get to class!" Mrs. Heathers comes into view.

She yells something in my direction but I can't make sense of it.

Mrs. Heathers rushes past me to yell at the remaining bystanders.

My eyes connect with hers.

That's when I notice her watery eyes.

"Lucas."

Her voice sounds hurt.

I did that.