SEH Senior Year

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The week after I got my first letter, I got the second one. The week after that, I got the third one. Now, I was getting weekly letters from Matthew Ward’s ghoul and protégé. The main idea of the letters was the same. Matthew was watching over me like a hungry cat watching a lonely goldfish in a tank. Nick called Detective Morgan to ask about Matthew’s current condition. He was still in prison and in a few months he was going to be transferred to a higher-security facility where he would spend the rest of his days reflecting on his life and mistakes. Hopefully, he would be able to find peace and repentance because his soul really needed it.

We knew now that Matthew was not the culprit, but who else could it be? I wanted to suggest Emily again, but I was trying to avoid another argument with Nick because he always took sweet innocent Emily’s side. I could not afford to lose him over Emily’s foolish and psychotic ass even though I was sure it was her. I just didn’t have any evidence. All I needed was one bit of proof, but the b***h didn’t leave any for me to exploit.

In the meantime, I avoided my locker like a nasty infection and resorted to toting around a giant bag with all my books in it.

When another Monday came, I hoisted my bag over my shoulder and walked down the hall with Kitty, past the lockers on the way to class. We both glanced at my locker, thinking another letter had probably magically made its way in there.

“I know it’s that stupid tramp!” Kitty told me. She was extremely upset at the fact that Emily was getting away with it. “Did you see the way she hugged Nick after he won Homecoming King? She’s always trying to hug him for no reason whatsoever. I hate that little slut.”

“I know it’s her, but we don’t have any proof and I don’t want to fight with Nick again. We’ve been arguing over the same issue for days now. It gets tiresome after a while. I just want her to stop reminding me about Matthew’s existence. Sometimes, I can’t even sleep at night thinking that he really might be watching over me with those horrible, evil eyes.”

“Hey, guys!” Madison called out, catching up with us. When we didn’t greet her with our usual affection, her constant smile quickly disappeared. “Why the long faces?

You got another letter from Matthew’s little b***h?”

“I haven’t checked and truthfully, I don’t want to.”

When we got to class early as usual, we found Nick in a deep conversation with Emily. God, I hated that w***e and her constant affection toward him. She would intentionally hug him or lean on his arm whenever she saw me nearby. Emily knew how much I hated those stupid little actions. I took several deep breaths because I had to calm down. I could not let Emily see how much her taunting affected me. I could not let her win and make me look like the villain in Nick’s eyes.

“Look at that little b***h,” Madison murmured. A very visible frown appeared on her face. We immediately turned around to see what she was so angry about. Emily was laughing and twisting a strand of her hair with her fingers while she felt one of Nick’s biceps. “What a lowlife tramp. Can’t she see Nick isn’t available?”

“Apparently not,” I answered, turning to face the front of the class.

“Forget that cheap version of Allison and let’s try to find out who’s sending you those letters,” Kitty told me.

“Okay,” Madison said, pen in hand ready to make a list, “who hates John?”

Kitty grinned. “You know what would be a shorter list? Who doesn’t hate John?”

They giggled their little hearts out. I, on the other hand, was baffled at the fact that she would say such a thing about me. I had no idea that people hated me that much.

What did I ever do to them? “Why would you even say that, Kitty?”

“John, you’re a great guy,” Madison started. “But let’s be real, several girls, and even guys, hate you because you’re Nick’s baby.”

“Anyone would love to be in your place,” Kitty continued with a slight smile. I knew that she felt guilty for saying it because she gently rubbed my shoulder.

“Can we just focus on the mysterious notes?” I wanted to avoid talking about the people who hated me for no good reason, even though Nick was a very good reason.

We looked at each other for a few seconds, contemplating deeply. Matthew was the only suspect that I could come up with besides Emily’s ugly ass. “Matthew.”

“Jessica hated you,” Madison told us. “She and Jacob are attending Saint Peter’s Town’s Community College. We should drop by to see them one of these days and say hi.”

“How about Allison?” Kitty suggested.

“I don’t think so.” I shook my head. The girl had changed a lot since last year. She was presently dating another senior name Brad. Something about that relationship had made her friendlier and happier. She was always smiling now. “She changed a lot after she began dating Brad.”

“Yeah, that guy’s hot,” Kitty answered with a nod. “Then it’s Emily.”

Madison and I also agreed. We knew it was her, but we didn’t know how to prove it. Why did we think it was her? Emily was the only thing missing last year and the only one to invoke Matthew’s name. No one else had.

Suddenly, Nick stood up from where he was sitting down with Emily and walked over to us, looking upset. We immediately ceased our conversation. He took a deep breath and sat down behind me, his usual spot. After another deep breath, he leaned in to me. “Please, don’t make it too obvious, John. Emily noticed,” he murmured between clenched teeth.

I immediately sensed his anger and got a chill. “Noticed what?” I decided to play stupid instead of fighting with him again. At that moment, Mr. Klum entered the room smiling cheerfully. The tiny bald man was our Religion of all Cultures teacher.

“John, please, I don’t want to argue with you over this silly and stupid issue again.

Stop it with your immature jealousy. I don’t want Emily to think bad about you. I want the two of you to get along. She’s going to think that you’re just a really jealous and spoiled brat.”

That was it. My anger rose to the point that my entire body was shaking uncontrollably. I had reached my boiling point. Nick made me flip the f**k out by taking her side yet again. He needed to see Emily for who she was: a fake b***h. But I knew why he couldn’t see the real Emily Roberts. Nick, like the rest of the guys, turned into a bubbling i***t whenever he saw an enormous pair of breasts. I tried to control myself, but I had had enough of Nick.

I stood up in the middle of the class and turned to him. He and everyone else looked up at me. “If you so much f*****g care about what that b***h thinks,” I screamed at the top of my lungs and pointed to Emily’s skanky face, “then you should go and sit behind her!”

Everyone’s mouths dropped open including Nick’s. Mr. Klum turned to me. “Mr.

Ames! What did you just say?”

I turned to face Mr. Klum and picked up my schoolbag. My heart was beating so fast and my hands were sweaty and cold. I had to leave. Before storming out of the room and slamming the door, I glanced at everyone in the room. They were completely paralyzed. No one ever expected me to explode or worse, yell at Nick Wild Hawk.

Walking down the hallway, I heard the class murmuring. I also heard when Mr. Klum ordered Nick to stay in his place. Apparently, he tried to get out of class and chase after me. My heart was about to explode. I had never spoken to Nick like that before in my life and I did not how his reaction was going to be. I had always listened and followed him like the perfect little boyfriend. Now, I was completely alone and afraid.

Desperately needing quiet, I made my way to the empty cafeteria. I wanted to cry, but from pure anger and rage. Nick had always believed what I told him. Why did he refuse to believe me about Emily? I sat down at my table, looking around. Quiet. That was exactly what I needed to think properly. Elbows on the table, I rested my head in my hands and took a deep breath.

At least my two best friends believed me. What would I do if I didn’t have them by my side? Absolutely nothing. They were like my blood sisters and best friends at the same time. With those thoughts circling in my head, I began to cry.

* * * * *

At lunchtime, the sound of the buzzer echoed throughout the hallways of Elite High. Soon Nick and the others would flow into the cafeteria to refill their stomachs.

My heart was beating really fast now at the thought of facing Nick. I knew he would be angry at me for yelling at him in front of everyone. That little act was a huge bruise to his ego and badass reputation.

As the students poured in, they glanced at me and immediately began to chitchat among themselves. They were definitely talking about the fight Nick and I had a few minutes ago. Gossip spread like wild fire in Elite High thanks to cell phones and the Internet.

When all the tables were full, I saw Nick entering the cafeteria. He looked like a savage bull in the middle of an arena. Emily was running up behind him while Madison and Kitty were running up behind her. I took some deep breaths and prepared myself for the worst. I was going to face him now and in front of everyone else again.

There was no going back.

Nick stopped in front of my table and I stood up. “Why the f**k did you talk to me like that, John?”

Every person in the room turned to face us. Emily, Kitty and Madison froze behind him. My body stopped functioning for a few seconds. I could not move a single muscle or breathe. I had never seen him that angry before in my life and especially, towards me. I had to be strong for myself. I had to prove to Nick that I was strong enough even to challenge him.

“Nick―” Kitty began.

“Shut the f**k up Kitty! This is between us.”

I glared at him. “Don’t talk to her like that! At least she believes me.”

“Stop acting like a jealous, spoiled brat! I’ve told you a million times before that Emily is just a friend and she’s innocent.”

Everyone was quiet. I think I heard a pen drop on the other side of the room along with a few lost words. Even the lunch ladies stopped dishing out food to watch the spectacle unfolding in front of them.

“I’m not jealous of that ugly b***h!”

“Don’t call my friend that!”

“Guys, please!” Emily stepped between us. “Relax. Fighting and yelling won’t solve anything.” She turned to me. “I don’t get why you hate me so much. You forgave Kitty for sleeping with Nick, didn’t you?”

My entire body went numb with a cold chill. The entire room began to murmur at once. I turned to Nick and Kitty that were completely speechless. Madison had her hands over her mouth.

Emily turned to Nick. “Oh, Lord. Nicky! I’m so sorry. He didn’t know?”

Nick ignored her and went up to me. “Jaan, I―”

I ignored him this time and pushed past them. I stood in front of Kitty who was holding back her tears and hyperventilating. Tears instantly filled my eyes because I knew the answer before I even dared to ask the question. “Is…is that true?”

“John, I―”

“Is that true?” My voice echoed throughout the room. As soon as she nodded, my entire world came to an end. Nick and Kitty had betrayed me in the cruelest way possible. Looking around, I realized that everyone was staring at us and whispering together. I saw Allison gaping at me with her mouth and eyes wide open. She went through the same experience a year ago with Nick. He’d slept with her best friends too.

Why would I be any different? Now I knew how she felt that day. It was the worst feeling in the world knowing that two of the persons you loved the most in the universe had betrayed you so coldly and maliciously. That was karma at its finest because I had enjoyed Allison’s pain and torture last year. I turned to Madison. “Have you?”

Madison was crying. She turned to Kitty with a cold look in her eyes and said, “I’d never in a million years do that to you, John.”

“Jaan!” Nick said desperately holding my shoulder. “We can explain, baby. There’s a proper explanation for this, I swear.”

I turned to face him with tears pouring down my cheeks. “Why…why would you hurt me like this? What did I do to you?”

“Jaan, baby―”

“I’m not your baby!” Adrenaline surged and I punched Nick on the left side of his face.

Everyone gasped as Nick stumbled backwards, holding his jaw.

I turned around and ran towards the exit. My heart was violently thumping at the same rhythm of my feet. I ran as fast as I could without looking back. I heard Nick running and shouting behind me, but I kept running. When I reached the nearest exit, I pushed it open and stepped outside just to continue running away from my life. I headed towards the football field because I had nowhere else to go. I was halfway across the field when Nick tackled me to the ground. He spun me around and crawled on top of me. I did my best to fight him off. “Get off me, you filthy scumbag!”

“Baby, please! Let me explain.”

Through my watery eyes, I saw tears in Nick’s eyes. “Why? Why Kitty?”

“Baby, please relax!” Nick wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tenderly. I was now crying in his arms. I wanted to get away, but I couldn’t move. Nick was my rock and comfort. I loved him. Suddenly, he kissed my temple and spoke up. “Please, Jaan. Let me explain.”

I began to fight him off again, but Nick was too strong for me. I couldn’t fight a jock. That was the reason I’d needed him last year. Nick fought for me. I continued crying and trying to get away from him. “Let go of me! Please.”

“Please relax, Jaan. I can explain everything.” Nick held me tighter.

I shook my head and struggled. “No!”

“Baby, please. Relax. Don’t fight me off.”

I began to wrestle out of his grip. “Let me go, you big asshole!”

“Please, Jaan. Listen to me. I’m going to let you go, okay, but please don’t run.

We’ve got to talk. There’s a good explanation, baby. Will you listen to me?” I didn’t want to, but I knew how stubborn Nick was whenever he got something in his head. He was not going to let me go unless I listened to him. If I tried to run again, he’d catch up with me easily and we’d be back to where we started.

Defeated and heartbroken, I nodded.

Nick slowly let me go. He held my face and stared into my eyes, drying them with gentle thumbs. “Baby, it happened in the seventh grade. We were both twelve, young and stupid.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me find out this way and in front of everyone?”

“The last thing we wanted was to hurt you, love. It meant absolutely nothing to us.”

Nick grabbed my right hand and I instantly pulled it away from him. “Baby, we―”

“We?” I asked drying my tears.

“Yes, Kitty and I…or we…we just wanted to…”

“Wanted what?” My testosterone level was rising again.

Nick sighed and looked into my eyes. “Lose our virginities.”

“Oh my God!” I buried my face into my hands.

“Baby, it meant absolutely nothing! I swear.”

“Nothing, Nick? Really? You can only lose your virginity once and to someone special. How could it mean nothing to you or her?”

“Jaan, we were kids. Everyone was losing it those days and we wanted to feel…accepted or just get it over with.”

“At twelve, Nick?” I asked in disbelief. “Really? Why am I not surprised?”

“I know it was stupid! Trust me, we regretted it afterwards, but please forgive me for not telling you earlier. I wanted to avoid a huge fight.”

I shook my head angrily and trying not to think about his silly explanation.

“Jaan, please don’t let my whorish past come between us. That was the former Nick, remember? The Nick you transformed with your genuine love and friendship. I’m a better person thanks to you, Jaan. Please don’t let something that happened so many years ago come between our love and your friendship with Kitty. She loves you, baby, and I love you more than my own life.”

I closed my eyes tight. Nick held me once more and I continued crying in his protective embrace. He rocked me back and forth until I stopped crying.

“Nick you need to stop―”

“I’m so sorry, Jaan. We should’ve told you before. Please forgive us.”

“Stop talking to Emily then! She means no good. Look at what she just caused.” I frowned at him and crossed my arms.

Nick took a deep breath after spending a few seconds in deep thinking. “Okay, baby, as you wish. I’ll do it for us. I don’t want to lose you.” Nick cried after he said that last line.

I hugged him tight, deciding to forgive him for his and Kitty’s long forgotten mistake. I loved the present Nick, but hated the old one.

Happily, Nick scooped me into his arms and carried me to the bleachers. He hugged me tighter when we sat down next to each other. We spent the entire afternoon silently watching the other students as they endured the dreaded gym class. Everyone hated running up and down the field doing their drills.

I wrapped my arms around Nick’s arm and rested my head on his shoulder, inhaling his cologne. Nick was my world and I was his. I had regained my peace and tranquility once more. Nick kissed my head every few minutes as if to make sure that I was beside him, but I wasn’t going anywhere. Nick was mine and I was his baby boy.

No one was going to break us up. No one.

After the last buzzer, Madison found us and sat down beside me. We silently watched Nick’s teammates jog out to the football field, dressed to practice. Nick had to join them so he kissed my head a final time and stood up. “See you at six, Jaan.”

I nodded. Nick had stopped working at Agostino di Duccio’s Pizza Palace during the football season. Football always came first. Mr. di Duccio understood his situation and gave him a leave of absence for those months.

Madison let out a deep sigh. “You forgave him?”

“Yeah.”

“And Kitty?”

I didn’t know what to answer her. I forgave Nick, but I didn’t know if I could forgive Kitty. I shrugged.

“Think about it, John, because here she comes.”

As if on cue, I turned to my right. Kitty was making her way towards us. She had been crying as well. I took a deep breath. It hurt me more to know that Kitty lied to me than Nick. Kitty had been with me from the beginning of my high school life at Elite High. We had been through so much together. I was willing to walk away from Nick, but I didn’t know if I was willing to walk away from my sister, Kitty, whose tears caused black mascara tracks down her freckled cheeks. I was so confused by my unstable emotions that when she stopped in front of me, I let my heart decide. Out of the blue, I launched myself into her arms. Kitty was my best friend. I couldn’t hate her for something that occurred so many years ago.

“I’m so sorry, John.”

“No, I’m sorry, Kitty. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. At the end of the day, you’re my best friend and a sister to me.”

Kitty held me tighter. “I love you, John, and I love you so much, Madison.”

“I love you, Kitty. I love you, Madison.”

“I love you, John.” Madison proclaimed standing up to hug us. “And I love you, Kitty.”

“No more crying!” we shouted in unison.

We laughed, drying our tears away. I knew that we were going to be best friends forever. We watched when Nick walked back to the football field with his gym bag in hand. When his eyes fell on us, he waved and smiled. He was extremely happy to see us together again.

Just then, I remembered that I had to tutor James and the others. “I got to go!”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Madison asked.

“I’ve got a tutoring session.” I stood up and reached for my bag, which wasn’t there. “s**t! Where did I leave my schoolbag?”

“I picked it up and placed it in front of your locker,” Kitty told me with a smile.

“Thanks. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” I jumped down from the bleachers and ran across the football field, into the school. Inside, I headed straight to my locker. My bag lay in front of it as Kitty stated, but I had to open my locker to retrieve several papers for my tutees. The moment I opened it, another yellow note dropped on the floor.

I tried to ignore it and took out the papers instead. But when I slammed my locker shut, the note pulled me like a strong magnet. A part of me wanted to see what was inside the stupid yellow note.

With my heart thumping hard against my chest, I snatched it off the ground and shoved it inside my pocket before running off to the tutoring center.

* * * * *

Nick arrived at the tutoring center fifteen minutes past six. James and I were one of the few students left since we were working on some extra problems for his math class.

When James saw him, he broke out into an immediate sweat. I laughed. He reminded me so much of the old me. James looked away and tried to act natural, but his entire body was shaking nonstop.

“Hey, Jaan.” Nick walked up to me and kissed me.

“Hey back at you.”

James glanced at us, but he quickly diverted his attention to his work.

“Nick, I would like you to meet James. He’s my number one tutee.”

“Really? Should I be jealous then?” Nick stretched out his hand to him.

James was hesitant at first, but he slowly lifted his one. “Nice to meet you, Sir.”

“Sir? You made me feel like I’m thirty. Call me, Nick.” Nick smiled cockily.

It was the final blow. James instantly got red and his entire body jolted backwards.

“I’m sorry, Sir…I mean Nick!”

Nick chuckled. “Well, James, I’m so sorry, but I’ve got to take my love away from you.”

James blushed even more, but he managed to nod.

I stood and picked up my schoolbag. “See you tomorrow, James. Good work today.”

James seemed to have lost his power of speech and simply nodded.

Nick smiled. He loved making little gay guys squirm. He had done the same to me last year when we were just friends. Nick gently wrapped his right arm around me and we made our way towards the exit. When we reached the main hallway, I turned to Nick. “I got another note.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but I haven’t read it.” I took the note from my pocket and handed it to him.

Nick read it to himself and handed it back to me. “Throw away this trash.”

I took the note from his hand and read it to myself: Nick is cheating on you, baby. I’m coming for you soon. We’ll be together forever.

Love,

Matthew Ward

I was now one hundred percent positive that Emily was behind the notes. I wanted to punch that little b***h in the face and mop the floor with her remains. God must have heard my prayers because Emily was walking towards us, smiling at Nick, but when he ignored her, her smile slowly faded.

Emily stopped to wait for us and when we reached her, I handed her the yellow note. “Here you go. You dropped this in my locker.”

She took it and pretended to be lost. “What’s this, Nicky?”

Nick put his arm protectively around my shoulders. “You should know.”

We continued towards the exit while Emily stood, staring after us. I was so happy that Nick finally believed me. He finally believed me! If he’d have believed me from the beginning of time we wouldn’t have fought the way we did that day. I knew Emily meant trouble for us the moment I first saw her. She’d almost caused our break-up and a falling out between my friends.

We stepped outside to a beautiful early evening and continued home. The day had been very emotionally exhausting. I almost lost two of the most important people in my life, and I just wanted to go home and fall asleep in Nick’s arms.

Suddenly, Nick turned to me with a smile. “You can really throw a punch, you know.”

My cheeks burned. “I learned from the best.”

“Yeah, but you can run faster than a speeding bullet too. I’ve never seen anyone run that fast before in my life. You sure you’ve never done any type of sports before?”

“Well, I think my boyfriend’s DNA is to blame. Can you believe that he makes love to me every single day whether he’s tired or not? I’ve got too much of him inside of me now.”

“Holy s**t! I just got stone hard.” Nick grinned. “If I were him, I would have s*x with you four times a day instead of two.”

I laughed. Nick gently kissed my left cheek and I kissed his right. “Nick? Please don’t hide stuff like that from me again.”

Nick kissed my left temple. “Never again, love.”

“It’s so great to see you together again!” A woman’s voice was coming from behind us so we turned around. It was Allison and she was jogging towards us. She stood smiling in front of us. “You guys have been through a lot already and I’ve been cheering you on since day one. Please don’t let anyone come between you. True love is so rare and so hard to find.”

“Whoa, Allison, thank you.” She sounded like my mom.

“You’re welcome, John. I know that I was huge b***h to you in the past, but I’ve grown up a lot since I met Brad. I’m really happy with him.”

The girl had changed. “I’m so happy to hear that. I had no doubts in my mind that you were an amazing individual. You just needed the right person by your side in order to grow and mature. To be honest, you and Nick were horrible together.”

Allison laughed while Nick chuckled. “We were, huh?” she said. “See you guys and take care of each other.” She took off running again and we waved her goodbye. The girl was real and down to earth now.

Suddenly, I remembered that I never congratulated her for her Homecoming Queen title. “Allison!”

She stopped and turned around. “Yeah?”

“Congratulations on your Homecoming Queen title.”

She smiled back with a wave. “Thanks.” She turned around and continued jogging down the street.

Nick and I looked at each other, wide-eyed. Even Allison was a better person now thanks to us in a strange way or the other. Nick pulled me in with one hand again, securing his love and protectiveness around me. That was the spot. That was the spot where I belonged. I belonged in Nick’s arms.