Trouble in Paradise

Chapter Two

Meanwhile, upstairs, Nico and Rebecca are having a heated conversation while the events after their departure from the basement took place.

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Rebecca walked quickly into her bedroom, ushered Nico inside, and then closed the door behind them. The cherry blue walls seemed to contrast the tense atmosphere as Nico turned to face Rebecca.
"What were you thinking, just showing up here? I didn't invite you...I haven't spoken to you in like, a week!"
Nico ran a hand through his hair.
"Sorry about that, I've just been busy lately..." he trailed off, leaving them in an uncomfortable silence. Rebecca rolled her eyes and sighed. "Are you going to talk to me or what?" Nico looked up at her. "Yeah, uh, here's the thing...I want some distance between us...not because of you or anything! I just," he chewed on his lip, looking for the right words to say.
"I really want to put school first, and get my grades up, and I can't be having any distractions along the way."
"So I'm nothing more than a mere distraction to you?" Rebecca asked annoyedly. "I understand you wanting to prioritize school, but... I thought we had something going."
Nico stepped towards her, tried to touch her face. "We do-"
Rebecca slapped his hand away. "Please leave," she said in a firm voice.
She could barely believe this was happening, she thought they would have been together for a long time.
She practically looked right through him as Nico opened his mouth, then closed it. He stepped back, widening the growing gulf between them. Rebecca crossed her arms and gestured towards the door.
He slowly left, put on his coat and boots, and left without any goodbyes.
Rebecca took a moment for herself after Nico left.

Breathe.

She quietly went down the stairs into her basement, and people shouted their greetings at her.

"Yooo Rebecca where have you been?"

"Rebecca, my son, how did it go? Are you okay?"

"FIRST PLACE BITCHES! SUCK IT KEELY!"

Rebecca gave a small smile and waved it off. "Guys I'm fine, it's all good." Some people were convinced by her assurance and continued with their party shenanigans, and others were not.
Peyton still sat in his corner, sitting comfortably between the couch and the wall. He examined her, looking for signs of distress or anger. All he saw was a blank slate, a face void of any negative emotion. She seemed to be fine...but where was Nico?
Peyton got up and padded out of the room, up the stairs and onto the main floor. It was all quiet, except for Rebecca's parents talking in soft voices in the living room. There were no foreign boots by the door...so had he left already?
Without thinking, Peyton tugged on his boots hurriedly and ran out the door. Outside, the snow was blustery, making visibility not that great. Peyton's fingers were already cold, and his teeth started to chatter as he stared vainly into the thick snow falling faster before him, trying to discern a shape, or a movement...
There!
A dark silhouette was just at the end of her driveway, about to turn.

"Nico!"

The figure paused, and turned back. Peyton jogged to the end of the driveway, nearly slipping on the patches of ice coating the pavement. As Peyton approached, he could tell something was amiss. Nico's jaw was clenched, and his eyes looked tired. He stood there as Peyton crossed his arms to try to keep warm. He had forgotten his coat inside.
"W-What happened in there??" Peyton couldn't help from stuttering as the cold chilled him right to the bone. Nico scoffed and looked away into the snow storm around them. Thick flakes of snow were in his hair, on his shoulders, and on his eyelashes. Peyton couldn't help but notice these things as Nico started to speak.
"It's nothing man, go back inside."
Peyton rolled his eyes. "No, it's something. Come on man, just tell me what it is, Rebecca won't say anything. Did you do something?"
Nico frowned. "No I-...I just told her that I needed a little break, for school and stuff. You understand, don't you? I mean, relationships can be a pretty big distraction."
Peyton shook his head.
"Not Rebecca. She's different, she's special, and she's super picky about guys. You're lucky she even looked your way in the first place."
The snow was stinging Peyton's skin, but he felt warm with anger and bitterness.

"When you have something or someone special, you don't let them go."

And with that, he turned on his heel and stalked back inside. He wrenched open the door, his numb fingers screaming in protest upon touching the cold metal. Once inside, he stood there for a moment, listening to the laughter and talking downstairs. He thought about Nico, standing in the snow outside, looking worn down and petulant.

Peyton snorted.

He's like a child.