It’s times like this that I almost wish I had friends outside of Nok and my sister.
Maybe I can consider it now that I’m thinking of staying. I just have to convince Willow.
“See you later,” I whisper against Nokosi’s lips when he leaves me at the door to my classroom. He’ll be there to pick me up when I’m done too. I fucking love how involved he is and hope it never stops.
Lilith: Want to come to Astoria with me after school? If you’re feeling up to it?
Willow: I dunno… my head is pounding.
Lilith: Please? If you get too tired, I’ll bring you straight back. Promise.
Willow: Fine. But only because I could use some new makeup.
Lilith: And nail polish.
Willow: That too.
Lilith: And a bikini or something to swim in. Nokosi wants to take me to the beach on Saturday. You can come?
Willow: No fucking thanks to that. I thought we were chilling on Saturday?
Lilith: It’s his only day off this week. I figured you wouldn’t mind swapping to Sunday?
Willow: Whatever.
Lilith: Don’t be a needy bitch. I deserve to have a bit of fun.
Willow: Do you? Do we? How long until our past catches up to us?
Lilith: I’m ending this conversation.
She doesn’t text me again and I don’t her. Instead I pay attention to the teacher and look around the class to scope out my peers. Maybe I can be friends with one of them.
But then friends ask questions and questions sometimes answer themselves.
No. It’s better that I stay secluded, and when the school year ends, I can just vanish into the woods with Nokosi and stay there forever.
Right?
As expected, Nokosi is waiting for me at break. We make out for a while by the lockers, ignoring the disgusted groans of those around us.
“Did you speak to your mom and sister yet about staying?”
“No, I haven’t really seen Mom,” I reply, walking my fingers up the buttons of his shirt as he peers down at me with those acorn-colored eyes. “And my sister is too… fragile right now. But I’ll bring it up soon, I promise.”
“Make sure you do.”
I smile at him and wag my brows. “You really want me to stay.”
“That obvious, huh?”
Giggling quietly, I kiss him again, humming when our lips collide. “What if I stay and you get bored of me?”
“Then I’ll throw you off the res to be with the rest of your white trash brethren,” he jests, linking our fingers together and biting on my lower lip. “Don’t worry about the future.”
It’s my past that scares me, I think but definitely do not say. The future will always be uncertain, but my past is definite and there’s no running from it. Not really.
“What happened to you, Nok? Will you ever tell me?”
He tenses. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m attuned to you in a way I don’t understand, but ever since we met I just know there’s something there. Something you’re hiding from the world. Something you’ve never told anybody.”
His smile fades entirely. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Okay,” I reply and shrug my shoulders. “But I do. And I can tell right off the bat when somebody is damaged. Let me help you.”
“Stop sucking face,” Payne cries and hooks an arm around Nokosi’s neck, yanking him away from me. “It’s disgusting.”
I give him two middle fingers. “Your face is disgusting.”
“Yeah, right, I’m prettier than this douchebag. You’re just sad you didn’t meet me first.”
“Devastated,” I mumble sarcastically and Nokosi winks at me over his shoulder, seeming to have forgotten the conversation we were having already. Or perhaps he’s choosing to ignore. I think I might have pressed too soon and in all honesty I’m not sure why I think I’m worthy of his secrets when I hold tight to so many of my own.
“I’ll be right behind you,” I call after them as they continue to goof around on their way to next lesson.
“Miss Deville,” Bromley yells, making me and many others turn to see what he wants. He pants as he catches up to me, ignoring the jibes coming from the other students about his weight. “I forgot to say that Mrs. Plumley wants to see you in the office.”
“Why?” I cringe, annoyed.
“I don’t know, nor do I care, but you’re to head there immediately.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” I grumble, turning back the way I just came.
“Less attitude, Miss Deville, and maybe you’ll make more friends.”
“Less burgers, Mr. Bromley, and maybe you won’t look eight months pregnant,” I retort and watch his face turn beet red as students cheer around us, some laughing, some oohing, one even shouts, “ROASTED!”
I stomp past him, flipping my pink hair over my shoulder as I go. It could use another coat of dye. Something else to pick up during our shopping trip later.
“Savage,” a boy from the year below me calls as I’m stomping past. He also smacks my ass making my right butt cheek sting like a bitch but raises both hands defensively when I glare at him. His smile soon fades when he sees something over my shoulder. I take in his face, putting him down as a potential— NO. No. I’m not doing that. Not anymore.
I grin, flashing my teeth when Nokosi grabs the boy by his hair, making him whimper, and throws him to the floor as though he weighs nothing.
“That’s what you get,” a nearby girl says to the kid who is curled into the fetal position on the floor. I recognize her to be Mackenzie, I share a couple of classes with her. She likes my hair. “Touching girls without their permission. Scumbag.”
Nokosi spits at the guy and wraps me under his arm again. I lace my fingers through his that are hanging over my shoulder. “Can’t let you anywhere alone,” he whispers in my ear.
“Guess you’ll just have to escort me everywhere then.”
After he bites the ear he just whispered into, I squeal and pull away, giving a friendly nod to Mackenzie who is standing by an open locker. I’m guessing it’s hers. I’m surprised to see the inside door full of article cutouts of the School Sigil Searer serial killer. She must be obsessed too.
“We should introduce her to Bobby or Joseph. They’d get on great.”
Nokosi glances behind him to see what I just saw. “She’s hot, they’d dig her.”
“Don’t call her hot,” I admonish, frowning. “I’m the only hot girl you know.”
“You’re not hot. You’re scorching. Roasting. Metal couldn’t withstand your heat.”
“Shut up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Laughing, I tuck my hand into the waistband of his school pants, grab his boxer briefs and pull them as high as they’ll go. I have never heard Nok squeak so high-pitched.
I run all the way to the office, his footsteps close behind. By the time I get there I’m a mess of hysterics, tears streaming down my face.