She's mental but she's mine.

Chapter 15

Nicholas:

"Mitchie!"
Tessa yelled, as she rushed over, the rest of them crowding around us.

I looked back at the tv, it read 'Streets unsafe as police is yet to find mental escapee, Calvin grey'.

I frowned, what does that have to do with her? Does she know this man? Was she lying to me, is she protecting him?.

I'm brought out of my spiralling thoughts as Mrs O shakes me, telling me to help them carry her upstairs.

Tessa's face looks so white, the usually bubbly kids are silent and Mr O looks uncomfortable with the whole situation. I carry her in my arms, her body feels light as her head falls back against my chest.

She looks so peaceful with her eyes closed, angelic even, with her blonde hair bouncing around  as we ascended.

"You can put her down now. "
Mrs O says, her voice soft.

I nod and gently drop her small frame down.

"Can I Uh.. Stay here for a while, in case she wakes up? "
I ask, digging my hands into my jean pocket.

"Sure honey, if you want to. I'll call Tessa up to stay with you. "
She smiles softly and I nod.

I sit down at the edge of the bed, mulling over things.
She was at the last murder. She rushed over to the first murder, her phone is covered in blood and she faints when they say some  psycho escaped a mental hospital. Why?.

"What are you hiding, Tessa kale."
I whisper to myself.

"You've known my cuz for a few weeks and you're already talking to yourself. Wow she's quite influencing."
Tessa says teasingly.

I turn around to look at her leaning on against the door.

"You know you don't have to be here right? You can just like.. Go home or something. "

"I know. "
I say quietly

"Okay. Don't get too chatty now."
She says, rolling her eyes.

I sugh
"You need something, Tess? "
I ask, my annoyance seeping through.

"Okay. What's is your problem? "

"What?"

"Yeah. Are you that desperate to get into my cousins pants that you don't even give a Shit about our friendship anymore. "

I reel back as if she slapped me.

"What!"
I ask more forcefully.

"Yeah. You've been so focused on mitchie. You don't even care if I'm around anymore, if I feel like crap, if I'm going through pain. You don't care what I've been up to and for someone I grew up with. That's upsetting. "
She huffs, with a frown, sliding down to the floor.

I frown too, my anger cooling down as I see her expression. I get off the bed and walk over to her, sliding down next to her and wrapping my arms around her.

"What we have, T. Nobody can ever replace. Nobody will ever be as important as you are."
I assure her.

She scoffs at me but I know she's back to normal.

Mitchie:
I walked over, to wave Nicholas goodbye and thank him for our non productive but still helpful study session, when the boring news that aunt Layla's husband watches caught my attention.

I didn't see anything else after 'Mental asylum breached, patient on the run.'

My heart started beating faster and when I saw uncle Grey's picture, black spots filled my vision and before I knew it the ground was welcoming my face in a quick and painful embrace.

"Someone I grew up with...upsetting. "
I frowned as snippets of somebody's conversation were coming to me.

"What we have.... Nobody will ever be as important as you are. "
I recognize the voice, that's Nicholas! That's.... Oh.

My frown deepens as his words come floating back to me.

I slowly peel my eyes open, adjusting to the bright light of my ceiling.

I frowned when I noticed Tessa and Nicholas sitting side by side, bodies pressed firmly together, in an embrace.

I cleared my throat and they quickly separated.

"OMG. Mitch, you okay? "
Tessa asked, diffusing the awkwardness in the room.

I frown
"just a bit light headed"

"A bit? You fainted"
Nicholas exclaims, with an eyebrow raised.

Why do you care?!
I wanted to ask, feeling a bit bitter at my cousin and this boy that stirred up strange feelings in me.

"Yes, I'm okay now, you can both leave"
I say, sounding sour.

"Are you okay? "
Tessa asks, I mumble a reassuring answer and she nods and leaves, pulling Nicholas away with her.

"Gimme a moment"
He says.

"Hey"
He turns my chin up with his hands.

"Are you mad at me? "

"No"
I reply sullenly

He chuckles a bit
"What's wrong? "

I frown petulantly at him, then huff before saying.

"Did you do the thing with Tess? "

"What thing?"
He asked, looking confused.

I blushed.

"Did you taste her lips? "

He frowned, then smiled. "Are you jealous? "

"I-I don't know? "
I say, not understanding the strange feeling to put a lizard in Tessa's food.

He smiles and palms my cheek.

"Quite frankly, the only lips I want to taste are yours. Over and over and over"
He says, his voice sounding strangely deep.

I was pondering this over and over and I didn't notice when he pulled me onto the bed, grinning a mischievous, devilish grin.

He was about to lean in, when I  asked
"Is there something stuck in your throat ?"

He stopped short
"What? "

"What?"

"What did you say"

"Uh... Is there something?.... "

He squinted his eyes in a glare before falling back onto the bed with the most beautiful laughter there is.

"What? "
I ask, crossed by the possibility that he could be mocking me.

"Your innocence is endearing"
He says before pulling me to lie atop him.

Even though I don't understand what he says, I smile, listening to the serene way his heart beat against my cheek, the solid feeling of his arms around my waist, the reality of the situation, the happiness I felt.

I should have known that these things don't really last.