The next morning, Nick's doorbell rang as expected. Nick was ready, dressed in a pair of baggy blue jeans, a white T-shirt with a red velvet button down shirt hanging loosely on top. When he opened the door Robin and another girl stood in front of him.
"I'm Cleo," the girl said shaking his hand.
"Hi,". He wanted to be a gentleman, or at least portrayed as one, so he kissed her hand, then motioned them to begin walking. Nick walked behind the two giggling girls. He admired Cleo's poised body. Her long brown hair. He liked the way she laughed. And he really liked her eyes. They were a honey color. The day of school was as usual boring... but the hours afterwards was perfect. "Robin," Cleo whispered. The two girls were sitting on Nick's bed waiting for him to come back from David's nursery.
"What?" Robin obviously confused whispered back.
"Could you be the greatest cousin in the world and leave?".
Cleo shrugged as Robin gave her an offended look. " Why?" she asked.
"Because I have waited almost four years to just get a glimpse of Nick, and now here I am in his bed room, I want to make the best of it,". Cleo gave Robin a weak smile of hope.
Robin gave her a playful punch. "Sure,". She smiled and left.
Nick walked in about 2 minutes later. "Where's Robin?" he asked sitting himself in a chair by the window.
"Honestly, she left because I asked her too." Cleo blushed.
Nick gave her a weak kind of giggle. "Oh, well. This is kind of awkward," he rubbed his neck nervously.
"Are you sore?" Cleo asked him gently.
The sound of her voice and how innocent it was made him want her even more. "Yeah a little,". He felt weak in his knees, knots were tying themselves in his stomach.
She got up and stood behind him. Slowly massaging his shoulders. "Wow, your tense,". She rubbed a little harder.
He groaned. "That feels good," he said pleasingly. Suddenly he took a hold of Cleo's wrist. It made her heart stop. He stood up, he was almost a whole three or four inches taller that she.
Nick moved closer. What was he doing. Cleo thought. His lips reached hers. He lifted his head only slightly, enough to remember Julie's words. "I forgive you,". He smiled, and returned to kissing her.
An hour later the two felt like they had known each other forever, instead of 12 hours. There was just one thing Cleo knew that Nick did not. Robin had trusted Cleo with the secret of Nick's brother . She couldn't tell him. Could she?
"Nick I'll be right back,". She laughed struggling from his tickle attack grip. She hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Is it true?" she asked Mrs. Carter.
"Is what true dear?" Jane replied.
"That Shawn Collins is Nick's older brother?".
Jane had a look of terror in her eyes. "How did you know?" she asked tears flowing from her eyes.
"Mom," Nick asked like a four year old child. "Why?". He rubbed the back of his head.
Jane could tell he was confused, maybe even hurt.
"Mom... What the hell! Since when is Shawn my brother! Why didn't I know?" Nick screamed. He was so full of anger and rage, he flipped the kitchen table over to get closer to his mother. He heard his brothers and sisters screaming for their father. But he didn't care.
"Nicky it isn't that easy," she begged, backing away from her tall, blonde 18 year old son.
"Mom stop with your dumbass bullshit! I'm sick of it!" Nick screamed, tears were rolling down his cheeks.
"My little brother dies and you tell me I have another one. No wait you never told me, I had to find out from a complete stranger!" he screamed pointing at Cleo.
"Maybe I better leave," Cleo whispered, inching out the door.
"Yeah Cleo I think you should,". As he heard the door close, everything boiled inside of him. Anger, defeat, hatred, love. "Mother I am a god damn adult! I have a right to know theses things!". He felt a hand grab at him.
"Do not talk to your mother that way!" his father screamed.
Nick whipped his hand away. And stood in the silence. All that was filling the air, was the sound of his three younger sisters and two younger brothers crying.
"That's it, I want no part of this screwed up family. I'm leaving, and I never want to hear from you again.". Nick ran up the stairs and into his room.
He packed his things, pictures of his brothers and sisters and he just stood and stared at the photograph of him and his mother and father. He set it back on the dresser. He looked around,. His room was mostly cleared. He began to walk out, but kicked something. He looked down. Nathan's baseball. Slowly he picked it up and put it in his duffel. As he made his way out of the house , he peeked into the kitchen.
"Aaron," he called. His little brother walked over to him. "I love ya buddy. Make sure to tell David bout me and Nathan when he gets older,".
Aaron nodded. "Please don't go Nick,". He tugged on his brothers shirt.
"Goodbye," he whispered.
"Nick, please stay honey," his mother called.
He gave her a look and walked out the door.
Nick just walked the streets for a little while but then stopped when he came in front of Shawn Collins house. He shook his head but then continued. The stars were so pretty tonight he thought.
The suddenly he heard the voice. "Die," it whispered. Over and over again.
Nick stopped and looked ahead in the fog. There sat a parked car, with a man lying on the ground. He sat his bag down, his heart pounded in his chest and it sounded louder than the beat of a drum at his concerts. He walked over slowly, then kneeled on the ground next to the body. He cautiously put his hand on the persons head and turned it to face him. But all that was there , was a dummy...
"What the..." he whispered. Lights shined behind him, and he heard the gun of an engine. The large black truck began to speed after him. It hit him, he first felt the sensation of pain, but the feeling of numbness over took his body, and everything went black.