My jaw clenched so hard I feel as if my teeth may all crack. My hands tighten around the steering wheel so tight, my knuckles turn white.

"Because he left the day after."

Well, fuck me, because this kid is about to get his ass kicked.

I know I may not be the most gentlemanly person, I only do one night stands, but I don't take girls virginities and then disappear the next day. If you ask me, what he did is worse than anything I have done.

It was one thing to know that Nikki isn't innocent anymore in that sense, but now that I know she didn't enjoy it the way she should've, it tears me apart from the inside out. My whole brain is urging me to find this fucker and knock him out cold. Nikki may just hate me more after that, but I could careless. No one should get away with that. Not on my watch.

As I climb out of my car, my whole body tense and rigid, I slam the door shut and start walking towards the school.

My eyes are set on Donaldson as he talks to a few of his pals on a bench, but that plan is crushed when Angelique decides to step in front of me.

I shiver in disgust when she puts her hand on my chest, looking up at me seductively.

I wish she was Nikki right now.

"Hey, Colten," she purrs, my lips turning up in a grimace.

"Hi," I try to smile, taking a step back and letting her hand fall. Her hand doesn't have that nice feel to it like Nikki's. Nikki's is warm and soft while I can feel how cold Angelique's hand is through my shirt.

Her smile drops for a second before its back up. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tonight?"

"Actually," I lie. "I have plans tonight. With someone."

"Who?" She questions, her eyebrows furrowing angrily.

"Someone." I look around, my eyes landing on Adam, making sure he's still there.

"Is it another girl?" She asks, but I'm not paying attention.

"Mhmm," I hum and she gasps. "Look, I gotta go. I'll...see you later."

I leave behind an angry Angelique and start stalking over to Adam who is just chatting it up.

"I know that's-" he's in the middle of explaining something to his buddies, when I grip his arm and pull him from his seat.

I'm in his face. "You're lucky I didn't find out what happened between you and Nikki this summer, because if I did, I would've killed you."

"What are you talking about?" He nervously asks.

He should be nervous.

"I'm talking about your little game with Nikki," I growl. "She told me what happened...all of it. You leaving, how you met-"

"Why would she tell you?" He glares at me.

Think of something, fast.

"Because I fucked her the other night," I smirk and let him go as the horrified look crosses his face.

No one has seen our interaction and for that, I am grateful. The last thing I need is for Jackson coming after me because I tried beating up Adam for his sister.

"And I want to let you know something," I lean in, making his eyes widen. "You will never have her, ever."

With that, I push him slightly, making him stumble back before turning on my heel and walking away.

I should punch him. I should fucking break his nose for touching her! I should kill him. God, do I want to feel his bone cracking beneath my fist. But, I refrain myself, once again.

Jackson notices me as I make my way closer to him, looking worried.

"How is Nikki?" He asks, I feel like punching him now.

First her parents never being around, then Adam hurting her and now her best friend and brother! Like fuck, when is it going to stop for her?

I now know why she's being rebellious. At first I thought it was just a stage, something to tick me off along with her brother, but now I know that she's doing it to mask her feelings.

And her feelings - well, she feels betrayed by everyone she though loved her.

I know the feeling.

•••

As I walk to fourth hour, I feel like my mood is being brightened just when thinking about Nikki. And I think it's going too be a pretty good day...that's until she walks into the class seething.

"You!" She points at me, stalking over to my desk, and standing over me. "What the hell happened this morning?"

I squint my eyes. "I gave you a ride to school."

"Don't play coy, Colten," she snaps. "I know you talked to Adam."

"Oh," I nod. "Yeah, I wanted to beat him up."

"Why?" She asks incredulously.

"Because of what you told me in the car, duh," I roll my eyes.

"So it's okay for you to tell him we slept together?" Her eye twitches.

She's hot when she's acting crazy.

"Yes," I smirk, sitting up enough to where our noses are almost touching. She tries to move away, by I grab her arm, holding her in this position.

"Why?" She breathes, her eyes focused on my lips. I don't mind, because mine are located on hers.

"Because I do want to fuck you," I whisper making her choke on air. I smirk. "Don't act like you don't want me, either, because I know you do."

The bell rings suddenly, deflating the lustfull air around us. Nikki moves away and I stare at where she was just a second ago.

She wants me.

I can't help, but look at Colten as he stares at the white board.

I was pissed when I heard from Adam what happened this morning, and I had every intention in cussing Colten out when I got here, but hearing what he had to say changed my mind.

He wants to...sleep with me? And he knows that I want to with him? Because I do, but I'll do anything in my power to avoid giving him the satisfaction of knowing that.

After Saturday, my mind has gone back to our kiss over a million times. Everything about him was wonderful that day. None of the guys I've kissed ever held me so warmly like he did. He made me feel all tingly and into the moment that I never wanted it to end. And then my mind wanders to the thought of what would've happened if that microwave timer didn't go off. How far would I have let it go? Would I have given myself to him like I think I want to?

As the hour flies by, my mind is anywhere but Spanish. All of it is on the brunette boy sitting next to me with his bright hazel eyes.

He knows I'm thinking about him. And I don't know if I should feel anxious about that or excited.

When he looks at me with a smirk, his eyes taking me in - I say excited.

•••

When I get home from having a friend of mine drop me off, Jackson's truck is in the driveway and I internally curse him out.

"Thanks, Veronica," I wave at her and walk up to the door. I take a deep breath before putting my 'I don't give a shit' facade up and open the door.

I guess I expected to see Brittni here to, or Colten, but it's only Jackson. He sits on the couch, his elbows on his knees while he looks down at the ground.

I let the screen door shut behind me, and this makes Jackson snap his head up to look at me.

"Nikki? You're home," he scurries up from the couch, looking surprised.

"Yeah," I say sarcastically.

I hope he doesn't think that I'm going to forgive him. I'm still extremely mad about this whole ordeal and I don't know what could help with the anger. What they did to me was horribly wrong and it just makes feel like shit.

"C-can we talk?" He asks, looking at me with hopeful eyes.

"No," I say shortly. Like hell I'll talk to him. I'll probably just end up saying something I'll regret so I think it's best to leave me be.

"Please," he begs. "I want to explain everything. Let me."

"I don't think you understand what you did, Jackson." I glare at him. "After everything that I've gone through, you decide to sleep with my best friend? I think it's completely disgusting and you're messed up-"

"It wasn't like that," he shakes his head while running and hand through his hair.

"Then what was it like?" I ask for what seems like the millionth time.

"I-I can't tell you everything-"

I laugh humorlessly. "Wow. Wow. You say that you want to explain to me what happened yet you can't tell me everything?"

"Sort of," he nods. "Brittni doesn't want to make excuses for-"

"Don't bring up that back stabbing bitch," I hiss. The words feels sour on my tongue, and I know that I don't really feel that way about her. "I don't want anything to do with you guys! Can't you understand that?"

"No, I can't!" He shouts back, his anger rising. "Because if she is happy and I'm happy isn't that all that matters?"

"You're so hypocritical," I cackle. "What if Adam made me happy?"

"I-"

"What if I loved hime more than anything? You tore him away from me for no reason and now you expect me to accept your relationship with my best friend?" I just can't wrap my head around his reasoning, ever.

"That's not the same thing," he snarls. "You're only fifteen-"

"You're not making any valid points here," I shake my head. "Brittni is fifteen too and you're seventeen. At least Adam is in my grade!"

"Yeah and at least he only wanted to get into your pants! But you know what? You probably would've let him, too!" He shouts back making my fists clench.

"Okay that's enough," Colten says, walking in through the door.

"Stay out of this," Jackson growls and Colten narrows his eyes at him.

"Not when you're talking down to her this way," he snaps.

"I'm not talking down to her-"

"I'm not doing this," I wave my brother off, heading towards the stairs.

"You're not going anywhere until we talk about this!" He shouts after me. "Nikki!"

"Go fuck yourself," I give him the bird and finish my descent up the stairs.

Even with the door closed to my room I can hear Jackson and Colten arguing. Something they rarely do.

Now that my brother has tried to talk to me and failed miserably, I'm even more pissed than before. Everything somehow gets transferred back to me and what mistakes I've made and I'm sick of it.

Jackson acts like he's this perfect golden boy and he's not. I know in my heart that he will end up hurting Brittni, it's a fact. I was trying to prevent that from happening, but since we can't ever have a civil conversation, I can't stop it.

________________