Chapter 11

Adien POV

It's been a long and enjoyable night, other than the fact I just embarrassed myself. Damn these nightmares of mine. I bet he practically pissed himself laughing after I fell asleep. I'm just glad he didn't laugh in front of me. It's almost frightening how much I've started trusting him, I shouldn't be getting this close to anyone; I'll only end up getting hurt.

I wake at 10:21 it's late for me I usually wake up around 9:15 on a weekend and 6:30 on weekdays. I look beside me and see a silhouette for a moment, I smile at Nick's sleeping face, it looks peaceful.

I'm ecstatic he actually agreed to sleep in my bed after my nightmare.

I just couldn't face the darkness myself. It wasn't as bad as I thought would be, I thought it would be awkward but it felt normal as if we'd been friends for years. Which is strange in itself, but I've never really had a friend.

*knock knock*

I hear my mother and panic.

"Good morning sweetheart, do you and Nick want to come down and have breakfast? Can you both take a quick shower now?" she entered, totally unfazed about how we were both sleeping in the same bed. "After breakfast, I need to run some errands."

"Okay, mum. I'll just wake Nick up and we'll be down it 30 minutes tops. How was the party?"

"It was amazing, I'll see you downstairs" she replied, already walking out and closing the door behind her. I stand up, stretching my frozen limbs and basically crawl all the way to the bathroom.

I turn the hot water and watch as the steam evaporates. I look into the mirror and see the bruise it's nearly gone, faded to a pinkish colour. I've always healed quickly, its a superpower of mine, but I still hate the reflection in the mirror. For the first time in a while, I don't feel like scrubbing my body of my pain and watching it disappear down the drain. For the first time in a while, the shower is just a shower.

As I enter my room half naked, I'm surprised to see Nick laying the bed in only his boxers.

"Hey, my mum is cooking breakfast so feel free to go have a quick shower," I stride in, trying to act casual. Don't look down, Adien.

"Thanks..." We stay in silence for a while,I didn't realise I was staring at his...crotch. I mean it's not my fault, he's practically naked with only his briefs to cover himself. It's impossible not to look.

"Like what you see?" he smirked making me blush. He doesn't seem to see the impact of his words. A little piece of me dies and floats to my feet. It's hard to breathe...

"No!" I shout a little too loudly, a little too aggressively and maybe there was a hint of denial. Only encouraging him to smile wider. It felt like I was in a boys locker room.

"Whatever, I'll take that shower now." I walked out, he takes the towel from my outstretched arm. "Thanks, feel free to join me in the shower,"

I redden throwing a pillow at him, making him laugh. I shake my head and quickly dress, fitting into my black skinny jeans, black t-shirt, and a hoodie.

Nick comes back quickly and by then a heavenly smell is wafting upstairs and making its way into my room.

"God, I'm hungry," I moan flopping onto my bed.

"You said it, I don't think the dying whale of a noise my stomach is making can get any louder" Nick groans probably clutching his stomach and pulling his clothes on at the same time. I'd promised not to look, so it's a complete guess.

We...Nick finally finishes and we head...more like sprint down the stairs. Our noses guiding us.

"Good morning, you're just in time." Mum turned, plating the grilled bacon onto the plate. "This way, I bet you're both ravenous,"

We enter the dining room, set on the table is a breakfast made for gods. There was pouched eggs, grilled bacon, toast, pancakes, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, maple syrup, and chocolate waffles.

"You were eating lots of junk food from what I could tell and you both need something to balance you out" she grinned while playing the bacon on the table.

"Woah, Mrs. Lester this looks delicious, thank you so much," Nick exclaimed eyes wide.

"Thanks, mum."

"You boys are too kind, it's just a thank you to Nick for coming. You're the first friend Adien has brought over" she spoke her voice cracking at the end as if she's going to cry. "Sit down before the food gets cold, I need to go to work so you boys do whatever you want and don't worry about cleaning up"

Mum came around ushering us into our seats and pouring us both some coffee. Before kissing us both on the forehead. I truly do love my mum.

"Bye" we both choir, just before the door slams shut. I forgot to ask her if shes eaten and a sense of guilt eats away at me.

"Your mum is amazing," Nick exclaimed before moaning at the food. "This is probably the best food I've ever tasted, did your mum cook it all?"

"Yes, she did. She has forbidden me from getting shop bought pastries it's a rule in the house, one of the very few rules. She doesn't keep me on a tight leash," I explain, resisting the temptation to moan at the God-given food.

"What about your dad?" He asks regretting it immediately as he sees my reaction "I'm sorry, it was a stupid question."

"No, it's fine he...left before we moved here" I lie trying to make it seem real. I think I succeeded. "What about your family?"

"There's nothing much to tell, it's just me and my parents. They're boring and plain that's why I hate taking people over to my house," he spoke but I could see something in his eyes, something that told me he was lying...hiding something from me. For a moment I thought I was going to ask what it was, but just like me I know some things are secrets better left untold.

"Well that doesn't matter my mum loves you, you can be over anytime, she might even ask you to move in" I laugh making him laugh too. "I think she lied about going to work, I think she went to a foster home; She wants to adopt"

"Oh wow, that's cool" he strained a smile.

We finish the rest of the meal in pleasant silence, stuffed like turkeys by the time we greedily finish our 4th helping. It's beyond me how there are leftovers.

"I can't move" Nick burps, wiping his mouth slowly and resting his other hand on his stomach.

"I don't think I'm going to be eating anytime soon," I say humorously but I can't laugh it hurts too much.

"Can we just sit here a while before we start tidying up?" Nick asks

"Yeah sure, but before then we can sit and sit and sit until it all goes down?

Maybe then we'll be able to function again.

"Agreed"

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

We sat for 30 minutes before we started clean. Nick's doing the dishes and drying and I'm sweeping to the rhythm of the music. I have an obsession with a mixture of Kodaline and 'bad bitch music' now apparently.

We finally finish, feeling drained. I let out an exhausted sigh, dropping into the sofa and switching on the television.

"I've had more fun today than I have in a while, promise me we'll do this again sometime"

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

It's Monday and the majority of the weekend was spent with Nick. It was fun, we actually got to know each other and I helped him some more with his work. I sit on the sofa looking at the watch waiting for Nick. He said he'd pick me up every day from now on.

I hear a car and jump up, grabbing my bag and looking one last time in the mirror.

The drive to school is full of arrangements for the upcoming weekend and plans to study.

I smile the whole way, it feels good to know you have a friend in the world and you're not completely alone. It's been years since I felt this way. To be truly honest, I don't think I've ever felt this way.

We arrive at school early as usual.

“Hey, remember I have a basketball practice today, so come to the basketball court after school. I'll take you home after," he spoke halfway towards the school entrance. The school is deprived of life, like a ghost land.

"Okay, bye" I shout across the hall as we walk in opposite directions. I head to the library; my safe haven.

I sit and read my book in silence, almost missing the bell. It's a long trudge to class and the overcrowded hallways are suffocating me.

Another day of school...another day of hell.

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

I make it through school without any trouble, I haven't seen Nick yet, but I will soon. The last bell rings signaling the end of school, I shoot out of the class and weave my way to the basketball court it's at the other side of the school so I take my time, taking in the crumbling victorian building and the chipped paint.

As I arrive I notice all the guys are already changed and playing. I've always loved sport, I just lack any athletic skills, at this point walking up the stairs is the closest I get to cardio.

I get there and catch Nick's eye, casting a wave of relief, its as if he was scared I wouldn't turn up.

"Where's coach? He should be here," Jared the co-captain asked turning to face everyone.

Jared was the type of popular guy you could approach and feel comfortable with. He had dark hair, green eyes, high cheekbones and eyelashes that could pass as extensions.

"I don't know but we need someone who knows the game well enough to at least watch and see what we're doing wrong" some other guy replied shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey, you...what's your name?" Jared called looking straight at me "Yes, you" he said after I looked behind myself, realising there was a wall then pointing to myself just to make sure. Way to embarrass myself.

"A...Adien" I stutter making some of them snigger. Thankfully Nick glared at them. My insides wobbled.

"Do you watch basketball? Do you know the rules and all?"

"Yeah, I love basketball. The rules are pretty simple."

"Then can you help us out?" Jared spoke softly obviously realising I was shy and slightly scared.

"Yeah, I guess," I say not knowing whether to regret my decision or not.

By the end of practice, I'm really getting into it. Nick looks really hot with his tousled hair and his ripped muscles. Crap did I just think that? I hit my head trying to get it to work again.

All the other guys are patting me on the back and say things like:

'Well done mate,'

'You should come next practice,'

'You did great!"

It's weird how a couple words of encouragement can affects you so irrevocably. It was like being seen after being invisible your whole life.

"Listen up guys, I'm having a party on Friday and you're all invited, even you Adien. Tell everyone and by everyone I mean everyone, also bring alcohol." Jared laughed after his announcement jumping down from the bench though it didn't make much of a difference in his height. He made a basketball look like a baseball, though he wasn't intimidating in the slightest. He reminded me of a panda, huge but cuddly and sweet.

They finish changing out of their sweaty kits. Before I know it we're all in the car park chatting and laughing about nothing in particular.

"That was fun," I say happily jumping into Nick's car.

"Yes it was and you're coming next practice even if I have to drag you," Nick exclaimed, throwing his kit into the back.

He smelt like sweat, something about that smell awakened something in me.

"Did Jared really mean it when he said I could come to the party?" I quiz curiously.

“Yeah, he really likes you and he was saying how he didn't know why he's never spoken to you,"

"Well tell him I said thank you and also I'm not coming," I say flatly, not even giving it a second thought. The thought of all those teens drunk and horny was chilling.

“First of all, why don't you tell him yourself? He asked me to ask you to sit with us at lunch tomorrow. And secondly, you are coming to the party" he spoke in a matter of fact tone.

"Firstly, thank you. I usually stay in the library so it'll be nice to sit with you guys and secondly why in the hell would I go?" I utter loudly, overpowering the radio.

"Because I'm on a mission" he spoke heroically.

"And what is the mission?" I ask mockingly crossing my arms and staring at the side of his face. Bemused.

"A mission to break you out of your shell...say goodbye and good riddance to your old self. People have been missing out on you for too long"...