No Good Nick (Part 3)

Part 3

*a week later from part 2*

Nick took a big breath, and slowly let it out. 

She had walked to school that morning. Jeremy had offered to drive her and Molly, Nick had wanted to be alone. Respecting her decision, they got in the car while she pulled on her combat boots and grabbed her jacket.

Now, she was crossing the field to the school. The cold air swirled around her and she buried her hands into her pockets. She tried to focus on the fabric around her fingers, on the way the leaves danced in the air... on anything but the fact that she was going to school. 

She had been back at the school for officially 3 days now. It had taken a lot of paperwork and convincing to let her back in. The principal was unsure of letting Nick back after she had confessed to doing so many cons. However, the police were able to talk to the principal and agree that she was allowed back since Nick had been doing it because adults (who were supposed to be caring for her) made her do it. With no real charges pressed against her, she was back to school that Monday.

There was a slight catch, although nothing would go on her permanent record, Nick did have to help the janitors clean up after school on Friday afternoons. She also had to attend detention for a month to make sure she was in true "good character", but Nick didn't mind all of that so much.

The worst part of it was the other students. The way they looked at her. While Nick had cleared everything up with the volunteer squad and the student council group, it didn't stop from people whispering her name in the hallways. How people would side-eye her whenever she walked by. 

Nick was just glad that she had Molly and Jeremy.

Nick opened up the doors to the school and walked towards her locker, ignoring people shuffling out of her way. She got to her locker and noticed a sticky note with messy handwriting that read: Can we trust you?

She gave a frustrated sigh and tore down the sticky note. She crumpled it up into a ball and threw it angrily into her locker. She was so sick of people. 

"Oh, hey Nick!" Molly said, walking up with the rest of the volunteer squad. Nick plastered on a friendly smile. 

While they had been a bit cautious around Nick, the months she had spent with them overpowered any fear, and they came to stand by Nick after she had apologized. She was really sorry for turning them all against each other, but now that it was out in the open, they were all beginning to come back and find better ways to communicate together. Becky had joked the experience made them better and stronger in the end. Nick wasn't so sure how much of that was true, but she appreciated her for trying.

"Hey, guys. How um... how are you all?" Nick asked awkwardly, grabbing a book out of her locker and shutting the door.

"Not too bad," came a chorus of answers, and the 3 girls returned Nick's awkward smile.

"Oh! I was wondering if you and Molly wanted to come with us on Friday afternoon to the old folk's home. They're doing a bingo night, and I told Ms. Fergson that I would beat her. She said to bring along some of my friends, I think you should come!" Becky said, looking up from her phone and showing Molly and Nick the poster.

"Yeah! That sounds awesome!" Molly exclaimed. She looked to Nick and her smile faltered for a moment. "Oh, um. Nick can't go, she has to help the janitors on Friday's."

"Oh... right. Well, don't worry. I'm sure they'll have one on Saturday!" Becky said, and with that, the first bell rang.

"Oh ,we better go," said Tamika, and then the 5 girls walked off to their classes.

Nick tried not to worry over the fact that she would be all alone for the first block.

                                                                                    ***

The days were long, but detention seemed longer.

Nick was 100% convinced that time was non-existent in the cafeteria during detention, which wasn't fair. During lunch, the time flew by, and that was the only time of her day at school she enjoyed. Eating food and being with her friends. Today, Molly had shoved 9 carrots in her mouth at once, and it was the hardest Nick had laughed in a long time.

But now, how cruel time was to her. It slowly went by and she wished the clock would just speed up for once.

1 minute.... 2 minutes.... 5 minutes... 10....15... 15 again.... 17...

Nick drummed her fingers on the table. She was trying to focus on her math homework, but it was hard when she could feel people's eyes digging into her head. She was at the front of the room, and there were 5 kids behind her. She could imagine their conversations in her head...

I heard she's the one who actually stole all our phones...

I don't think anyone should trust her. She's probably plotting right now to steal your watch...

Some friend she is. I heard she backstabbed all of the squad she hangs out with

Someone said she ran away with a million dollars before she got caught and the Thompsons forced her to come back with them...

No wonder. Her dad is a filthy criminal, guess it just runs in the blood...

"Can-can I go to the bathroom really quick?" Nick asked, breaking the quiet air. All that could be heard was the annoyingly slow ticking of the clock.

The teacher looked up at her and gave her a raised eyebrow as if he thought she was going to go run off and steal something. "5 minutes. If you're not back here by then I'm calling campus security," he muttered and returned back to his magazine.

Nick held back a snort and glared at the back of his head while she walked past. 

She ran down the hall to the bathroom and into a stall door. She locked it and sat down on the toilet seat- ignoring how disgusting it all was. She dissolved into tears all of the unsaid words swirling in her head. No matter how sorry she was, and no matter how much she was forgiven, Nick just couldn't shake the guilt.

She began to heave big sobs that made it hard to breathe, and she couldn't see past all the water in her eyes. She ran her hands through her hair and pulled her knees closer to her chest. She tried and tried to slow down her hyperventilating breaths.

I need to run... no one wants me here. Sam and Dorthy used me. My dad used me... my dad of all people. The Thompsons will break... I know they've forgiven me and love me... but what if... what if they are just like my dad and Sam and Dorthy? Then what? Then one day I'll be stuck with no one...

She tried to squeeze her eyes shut past a throbbing headache. 

This is all my fault. I hurt so many people...

She sobbed again.

                                                                                     ***

Ok, I know the ending was a *bit* angsty and the chapter was in all super short, but I have some great plans to build off this chapter :)

Love you all- thanks so much for reading! 

Take care of yourselves <3