The Trials of a New Beginning

Is This The End (Continued)

Nikki's Point of View

After school, I head to the front entrance to meet up with everyone else. I grab my things from my locker and head down the hall. We have to go the Principals office in 30 minutes, so that's all we have to come up with a plan. On the way, I run into the last person I'm sure any of us wanted to see.

Mackenzie: "Hey Maxwell. How are you?"

She sneers and laughs. Her eyes shoot bullets into my head.

Nikki: "I'm doing just fine, but I'd be doing better if you got your face out of mine."

She just laughs and her eyes turn evil and dark as she speaks.

Mackenzie: "Oh, Nikki. I can make this all go away...if you give me Brandon. Brandon will be in the clear, and I'll take back what I said."

I scoff. She's stupid. Like Brandon would ever even hook up with her.

Nikki: "Even if I did break up with him, what makes you think he'll ever turn to you?"

She laughs and smiles. She flips her hair across her shoulders to her back swiftly.

Mackenzie: "I have my ways... Trust me."

She hissed.

I wanted to keep Brandon safe, but to go to this extent to save him...I don't think I could hurt him like that. But if I don't do this, he might get expelled. I don't want to lose him, but either way I have to let him go. Should I take the risk?

Mackenzie: "I can see the wheels turning in that little head of yours, Maxwell. Think long and hard about what you want. About what Brandon wants."

I have to be honest with Brandon. His emotions and thoughts aren't mine to decide. I shouldn't be deciding for him, he's his own person. But what am I going to do? Mackenzie has evidence imprinted on her face. Literally. I have no evidence to prove Mackenzie wrong...unless....OMG that's it! I smile.

Nikki: "You're crazy. I'm not letting out have Brandon. Like I'd let you have him. Call me selfish, call me stupid, call me insane. I don't care anymore, Mackenzie."

Her eyes widen and turn darker than ever.

Mackenzie: "You'll regret this, Maxwell. And when I'm watching you walk out of this school, I'll be laughing in your face. Even with you away, I'll make your life a living nightmare."

She gave me a sinister smile and laughed. She sounds like an old witch from all those fairy tale movies. I roll my eyes.

Nikki: "You're not going to get away with this, and I'll make sure of it."

She just glares at me, sending shivers through my spine. She scoffs and sashays away in her designer heels. OMG! I hate I when she does that. I keep walking to the entrance, texting Zoey and explaining how I might be a little late since I ran into Mackenzie. After that, I went to the bathroom. I wanted to fix myself up, since I could practically feel my feathers being ruffled. I'm probably a mess.

Was I crying? I look into the mirror and realized I had been crying while I was talking to Mackenzie. How demeaning. My face was red and splotchy. I had to clean up, I couldn't let anyone know she hurt me this bad. It's okay. I'll get her back. We all will.

Forget the plans we came up with. I've got a Plan A. This might actually save Brandon and I. Then again, if Brandon actually DID slap Mackenzie, then we'll have a few problems...

I try not to think about it too much as I splash the sink's water in my face. I hope everything will be okay. I dey my face and finally look in the mirror again. Fresh and clean. Hopefully I wasn't TOO long.

I finally meet up with them outside after what seems like hours, but in reality has been 20 minutes. Brandon's the first one to see me and he comes up to me quickly. He grabs me and pulls me into a firm embrace. I feel my own eyes widen in shock but I quickly recover and return the embrace.

Brandon: "Are you okay? I was worried."

Nikki: "I'm fine. Sorry I worried you so much, Brandon."

He looks down slowly at me and nods. He blushes for a second and gives me a quick kiss before he lets go of me. I see the girls coming up behind him and wave.

Chloe: "Where have you been?"

Zoey: "What happened with Mackenzie?"

I stand up a little taller.

Nikki: "She threatened to..."

I look at Brandon and he seems to be listening intently. I take a shaky breath in and a wobbly breath out. I feel heat rise to my face and I look away from Brandon and try to focus my attention on the girls. And then I can't help by look down. I shuffle a bit, and I feel nervousness out a veil over me. I can't believe I'm going to say this out loud to them.

Nikki: "She...um....threatened to get Brandon....expelled...."

I sneak a look at Brandon and his eyes are wide and his cheeks are pink. The girls seem shocked as well. The next part is what I'm most embarrassed about.

Nikki: "And I said she couldn't take him away, and I said I would rather have him here with me than lose him to her. I'm sorry, Brandon..."

Brandon's eyes seem filled with shock, but not in the way I thought they would. I thought he would be angry because I was being selfish by not letting him decided. He looked at me and his face seemed so full of concern and love my heart skipped a beat. I look to Chloe and Zoey and there's tears in their eyes that shock even me.

Chloe: "OMG! So deep and sweet!!!! I'm so glad I'm your friend."

Zoey just smiles hugs me. I didn't understand.

Zoey: "You'd literally leap to the moon and back if it meant you could keep Brandon, wouldn't you?"

She eases out of the hug and looks me in the eyes. She stings out her tongue teasingly and pats my shoulder.

I feel heat rise to my face. Brandon comes towards me and pulls me into a harder but more loving embrace. He kisses me and I sneak a look at him, and he's crying. He stops kissing me and moves his head, resting his chin on my shoulder. He whispers into my ear.

Brandon: "Thank you. I forgive you. I would've been selfish too, Nikki. I love you."

I simply smile. Even though he can't see it, I'm smiling. This plan A will work. If it doesn't, I don't know what will.