Enigma

Nick

There was soon a knock at the door. Nico stepped away from Julian and ran over to it. She opened it and was happy to see Fab standing there...with his rather tall friend beside him.

"Hey, Nico." Fab greeted her with a soft smile. "Is it cool that I brought Nick? He's my ride and I'd feel shitty making him wait i-"

"Shut up, it's fine!" she laughed, then turning to Nick. "Hey, Nick." she extended her arm and shook his hand. "I'm Nico."

"Nice to finally meet you." Nick chuckled, looking down at her with a smirk.

Nico couldn't help but to notice how lovely and blue his eyes were. "You too!" She stepped aside and ushered them in. "Come in, come in."

"So...what did you need us for?" asked Fab.

"That." Nico pointed to Julian, who was passed with his face pressed against the hardwood floor. He was drooling as he mumbled something inaudibly in his sleep with a furrowed brow.

"Is that the new guy you've been talking about?" Nick elbowed Fab with a surprised look on his face. "Looks like a lot of fun."

"Yeah," Nico answered for him. "...I told him to come see me at work so we could hang out, but he walked in super wasted and threw up in a trashcan! So I took him back here and I can't get him up the stairs...that's where you guys come in."

"Just leave him there." said Nick. "I mean...he kinda deserves it—showing up to a date drunk."

"No!" she protested. "That's horrible! Just look at him..." She knelt down beside him and sighed. "Poor thing." She then turned back to Nick and scoffed. "And it wasn't a date."

Fab sighed and walked over to Nico, then kneeling down beside her. "Let's get him upstairs then."

"Oh, thank you, Fab!" she cheered, kissing him on the cheek. Fab looked away to hide a bashful smile.

Nick rolled his eyes and strode over to assist. He and Fab lifted Julian up, putting one of his arms around each of their shoulders. Nico ran ahead to open her bedroom door and to get him some water.

"Thanks so much, guys." Nico said as Nick and Fab dragged Julian in, setting him down on the bed. Nico sat next to Julian and carefully removed his jacket, then laying his head down. He muttered a few times that he was fine and could walk home, but the teenagers only laughed at him as they watched him lose consciousness again.

"You're too nice for your own good, Nico." Fab said, crossing his arms as he watched Nico gently dab Julian's forehead with a damp cloth.

Nico laughed at his statement and shook her head. "Can you guys stay over tonight?" she asked, looking down at Julian with a sigh. "If he chokes on his own puke and dies, I won't have a ride to the hospital."

"Sure, whatever." Fab chuckled, turning to his friend. "Nick?"

"Alright." Nick shrugged. 

"We can watch movies and order pizza if you like?" asked Nico as they backed out of the room. She turned the light off and left the door ajar.

"Let's go to Nikolai's." Nick said once they'd reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Who's Nikolai?" she asked.

"You'd like him." Fab said. "He's kinda quiet, like you. He goes to Nick's school."

Nico laughed. "I'd love to meet him, but maybe another time. I can't leave Julian by himself in his current state." she explained, leading the guys into her living room. "You guys can go."

"Nah, we won't ditch you." said Nick, falling onto the couch. "Like you said...you'll need a ride if he dies."

"I like you already, Nick." Nico smiled down at him. "I'm gonna go check on Julian. You guys can order a pizza. My dad left money on the kitchen counter, okay?"

"Nico, it hasn't even been five minutes." said Fab, joining Nick on the couch with a smile.

"I know!" she laughed. "I'm just worried about him. I barely know him, so I'm not sure if he's okay or not."

"Too nice!" Fab chuckled. "Where's your phone?"

Nico walked over to the stairs. "Kitchen." she said, then jogging up them. She gingerly walked into her room, flicking on a dim lamp and she tiptoed inside. She looked at the mysterious boy asleep in her bed and sighed. She was yet to figure him out.

Julian's brow furrowed and he bit down on his bottom lip as he began to toss and turn. Nico watched him confusedly and leaned in closer. He whimpered softly in his sleep and squeezed his eyes shut tighter as if were in pain or something.

"Julian?" Nico shook him softly. "Jules, are you okay?"

Julian jerked awake and immediately started hyperventilating. Nico quickly offered him the glass of water she'd put on the nightstand before and he gulped it down in seconds.

"Julian, are you okay?" she asked, sitting on the side of the bed. "What were you dreaming about?"

Julian said nothing and sank back down under the covers. He mumbled something to himself before falling back asleep. Nico didn't know what to think of the situation, so she just sat for a little while longer to watch him.

When she thought he'd be okay, she quietly stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the door open once again.

"Yo, Nico!" Fab called out. "Pizza!"

"Ssh!" she hushed him, pressing a finger to her lips as she walked down the stairs.

"Oh, right...sorry." Fab chuckled. "Pizza!" he finished in a whisper-yell.

Nico giggled and joined them on the couch. "Better."