best

23

one week later.

I held Nick's hand as the five of us walked him into the private school.

I didn't start for a few more days due to the way the schools semesters worked, but I was still dreading it.

He held my hand tightly, I could tell he was nervous, but he never said anything about it.

"Where's Matthew?" He spoke as we walked him into the classroom, himself scanning the faces of all the kids.

Matthew was his best friend.

"Matthew doesn't move with you, buddy" I spoke slowly.

He looked to me, his face almost full of panic.

"It's okay" I quickly tried to calm him down, dropping to my knees in front of him.

"You'll make new friends, they're going to love you" I spoke quietly, holding his hands in my own.

"Don't leave me sissy" he immediately cried, tucking his head into my neck.

I held him tightly.

"You're going to be more than okay, it'll be a few hours and then I'll be right back" I spoke quietly, kissing his forehead gently as he teacher walked over.

"I assume this is Nick?" She spoke quietly.

"Yes, he's not adjusting to the move well-" Luke spoke to her quietly.

"I wanna go back home" he cried, looking to me as I wiped his tears.

I didn't agree with him out loud, but in my mind I did.

"Nick" Calum crouched beside me, making him tuck his body into my own.

"Look at those pretty girls over there" Calum spoke, tickling his side lightly, making him squirm away from him before slowly glancing to the girls Calum was referring to.

Calum laughed as he watched him stare to the four girls at a table, coloring together.

"Why don't you go sit with them, buddy" Ashton encouraged him lightly.

"Walk with me?" He asked me.

"Of course" I spoke quietly, making sure the teacher was okay with it before letting him lead me through a few tables to theirs.

He slowly sat beside one of them, who immediately looked to him.

"Hi" she spoke quietly.

"Hi" he spoke back, the two of them then glancing to the others at the table.

"Here" one of the other girls spoke, sliding him a extra coloring sheet.

He slowly took it, grabbing a crayon.
Calum stood beside me as we watching slowly.

Right before we were about to leave, he turned towards me and said something he's never said to me before

"You can leave now"

He didn't mean it with bad intentions, but it broke my heart.

"Okay" I played it off well, hugging him.

"No kisses" he mumbled quickly, making me pull away from him.

He was embarrassed of me.

"Bye Nick" Calum spoke, ruffling his hair for a second before leading me away.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as Calum and I walked outside, Luke, Michael and Ashton still speaking to the teacher.

"Come here" Calum laughed lightly before we got into the car.

"No" I spoke

"No?" He laughed out lightly.

"I can't hug you." I spoke firmly, knowing if I hugged him I was going to cry.

"Aubrey" Calum laughed, not unlocking the car for me to get in.

"Calum, I'm serious- unlock the car." I spoke.

"I know he hurt your feelings" he spoke, making me go silent.

"It's not that- he just- grew up all the sudden" I felt tears coming into my eyes, blurring my vision.

"Shit- soon he'll be driving and having girlfriends and getting married-" "woah there" Calum laughed, pulling me into an unwanted- but yet accepted hug.

I closed my eyes, not letting any tears fall.

"It'll be a very long time before he doesn't need his big sister anymore."