After three weeks of being at her new school, Amaya managed to land in detention another three more times. All courtesy of Nick of course.

The second time was when he made her late to class. His new little flavor of the week spilled milk on her on purpose cause he told her it would please him if she did. The dumb trick actually did it, and so Maya had to rush off to the bathroom to get the stain off her blouse but to no avail. So, Ms. Santos gave her afternoon detention.

Her father wasn't happy she managed to get two detentions but when she tried to explain, neither him nor her mom wanted to hear it. Chris couldn't help her cause he was at basketball practice.

The third time was when he almost hit her with his car again. This time, fed up with being blamed for his actions, she picked up the nearest thing she could throw, which was a stray piece of concrete rock, and threw it at his windshield.

It cracked, but not broke. Which was a bummer for her.

They then go into a screaming match in the parking lot.

Maya entered her home at 5 pm, instead of the usual 2 pm because she had yet another after school detention. All cause Nick thought it would be funny to play a prank on her during chemistry and mix the wrong chemicals in her tube and beaker when she wasn't looking. The teacher blamed her, when her and her new friend Monica, tried to explain many times that it wasn't her.

Maya tried to quietly sneak in but it didn't work cause as soon as she tried to sneak pass the kitchen, her dad calls out, "Amaya. Grace. Johnson."

Uh-oh. Full name. She was in trouble.

Amaya sighed and turned around to face him. Her dad was sitting at the dining room table, watching tv while her mom was fixing up dinner. "Where have you been?" He asked, deadly serious.

"After school art class with Monica," she hoped he wouldn't catch her in her lie.

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He asked. "So why did I️ get a call from the school saying you were to serve yet another detention today?" He asked.

Damn it!

"I️-"

"That's the fourth one in two months Amaya!" He slammed his fist on the table. "What the hell is going on with you?"

"It's not me, I️ swear! It's this stupid boy at school that keeps messing with me except he never gets in trouble and I'm the only one who gets caught!" She quickly explained.

"So you weren't late to class?" He asked.

"I️ -"

"And you didn't break a car window?"

"I️ didn't exactly-"

"And you didn't endanger anyone in chemistry class?" He crosses his arms.

"Now that one wasn't on me!" She pointed out.

"I️ don't want any excuses Amaya. Blaming others for how you react and your actions is irresponsible and childish," he lectured. "Are you acting out cause we moved? Do you miss your old school and friends?" He asked.

"What? No!" She scoffs. The look on her dad's face says it all. "I mean, yeah sometimes but that-"

Her dad holds a hand up, cutting her off. "Amaya, listen to me," he commanded, making her cross her arms and pout. "I know you were happy with the move, but what did you want me to do? Let you starve just cause you didn't feel like moving?" He asked, making her slightly fool her eyes. "Until you've decided to stop acting out, you will not be getting a cent from me or your mother," he stated, making her jaw drop.

"What? You can't do th-"

"Yes we can. You're seventeen now, you're old enough to get a job and make your own money," he says. She stands there, fuming. "Do you understand?" He asks. Silence. "I️ said, do you understand?" He repeats, annoyed this time.

"Yes," she grits out.

"Good....now go call your brother and tell him to join us at the dinner table."

* * * *

Nick tried to enter his house as quietly as possible, shutting the door behind him as softly as he could. It was 1 A.M. on a school night and he knew way better than to be hanging out so late at night. But he was hanging out with Stephanie Reed, who invited him to her house cause her parents were gone all week. She broke into her parents liquor cabinet and offered him something to drink and then one drink turned into three which eventually turned into seven and then one thing led to another and before he knew it he was passed out on her bed by the time 10 p.m. hit. He spend the last two hours sobering up by pumping water bottle after water bottle into his body before getting into his car and speeding off before anyone could notice he was gone.

But when he arrived, he noticed Harry's car wasn't parked out front, making him mentally cheer as he figured his stepdad must've taken a night shift. So here he was, trying to quietly climb up the stairs when the living room lights practically blinded him as they came on. He covered his eyes until they slowly adjusted to the brightness and he realized that Harry was sitting right there.

Oh shit.

"Where have you been boy?" He sneered. "It's damn near 2 A.M. and you were nowhere to be found," he sat back, waiting for what's bound to be Nick's bullshit excuse.

"I️ thought you had a nightshift?" He said, dumbfounded.

Harry crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "So this is what you do when I'm on a night shift, you little shit?" He hissed. "You stay out all hours of the day and come back home late whenever you want?" He asked. Nick stayed silent, and he could tell it was angering him for every second he didn't explain himself. "Answer me!" He yelled, not caring if it woke up his mom and little brother.

Nick had the strongest urge to roll his eyes, but knew better. "I️ was at a friend's house...studying," he muttered. And that's when Harry's felt his fist fly through his face, knocking his face into the nearest wall. Nick let out an "ow!" but that didn't stop his stepdad's assault on him.

"You lying little bastard! You think I'm stupid, don't you?!" He threw a punch against his stomach, making him double over in pain. "I️ can see the lipstick stains? Or smell the cheap perfume on you! You were with some whore weren't you!" He accused. "Or was it some sissy that like to play dress up? You like those, don't you pretty boy?"

"No sir," Nick responded with a gasp.

"Calvin was home alone all day after he came home from school. You ever thought about that? What if the cops come here and find out we left him alone? I️ am not gonna let you fuck this up for me," his stepfather growled. "You want to act like a child? I'm gonna treat you like one. I'm hiring a babysitter," he states before landing one last blow. Once satisfied with the beating he gave him, he pulls out a cigarette and a lighter and lights up his cigarette, turning around and heading upstairs to his room.

Nick lied there bruised, hurt and angry. After a while, he mustered up the strength to get up and slowly climbed up the stairs and made his way to his room. Instead of changing his clothes when he got there, he flopped into his bed before groaning out in pain. He heard his door slowly creak open and he really didn't have the energy to fight with Harry anymore, so he didn't bother turning around to face him. But a light touch against his skin surprised him, making him jump.

His little brother Calvin was standing near his bed in his Star Wars pajamas, with a watery look in his eyes. "Nicky? Are you okay?" The six year old asked.

Nick sat up and made room for his brother so he could sit next to him. "Just peachy Cal," he muttered.

"Why'd you come back so late?" He wondered.

"Does it matter?" He replies, shutting his eyes.

"Why was daddy mad at you?"

"Cause he's a prick."

"Are you going to sleep Nick?"

"Yes."

"Can I️ sleep with you?"

"Mmhmm..."

Calvin comfortably snuggled up next to him. Despite being his half brother, Nick truly loved the kid. While Harry seemed to hate Nick with every fiber of his being, he definitely treats his own son better than his stepson. Probably because Nick was a reminder to Harry of how his mom cheated on him. And now the man just enjoys beating the shit out of both of them as some sort of sick revenge. But Harry never harmed Calvin, and it's not like Nick would let him anyways. He would die for the kid. And he actively fought to give him a better childhood than he had growing up.

________________________________

Soooooo...I️ have a question.

Would anyone be down to read a story about a black girl accidentally saving the life of a prince in a fictional European country and is now dragged into his royal life filled with hating ass nobles, wild family secrets, a potential love triangle, and someone secretly trying to take said prince out?? It's also equal parts funny and dramatic and it's called Royally Complicated. Let me know, and I️'ll put the first two chapters up for you guys to read :-)

Anyways! Self promotion aside...I️ know usually the guy and the girl (they got like...a lot of different names, so imma just keep it like that) usually have someone or something rip them apart, whether it's circumstances or people. But the real baddie of the 80's...is Nick himself.

This is gonna be so different because considering his home life and his non-existent relationship with his parents, Nick is gonna be his own worst enemy when it comes to love.

Thank you for reading! Keep voting and commenting cause it makes me update faster! 🥰