Vicky

The last school bell of the day echoed through the school, filling my ears with joy. Before the teacher dismissed us, I already had my bag gripped in my hand. He told us we were allowed to leave so I got up out of my seat, and made my way out of the classroom before anyone else. I waited outside so that Aleysha could catch up with me.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" She asked me when she joined me.

"Because I want to get home and hang out with, Nick," I replied and started walking towards our friend's classroom. She followed.

"Oh, that's right it's been a month since you went out. Do you have anything special planned or are you just gonna hang out?" She wondered with her blue eyes wide in complete interest.

"Just hang out probably," I answered, just as Nick, Jess and Kaitee walked out of the classroom one after the other.

"Oh, look he's here," Aleysha said.

"What? What have I done?" Nick asked confused.

"Nothing, lovebird," she giggled.

"I am right to be confused aren't I?" He asked.

"We were just on about that we have been together for a month today," I told him.

"Oki doki," he said.

We waited for Bella down at the bottom of the corridor, before we set off for the school bus. She had better be here soon or we would miss it. A few seconds she arrived with Diego.

"Let's go," she said when she reached us so we did just that and started walking outside.

Nick was now talking to Diego as they walked up to head and Aleysha and Jess seemed to be having a conversation too, so it was just the three of us walking along not speaking.

"Can you believe that we are going to be in six-form next year?" Kaitee asked turning to face me, her short red hair bobbing slightly, breaking the awkwardness.

"School has gone so fast, it doesn't feel like two months ago, I was at a different school," I said.

"I still have nearly a year and a half before I get into six-form," Bella added. Her and Diego were the youngest of the group. They were in the year below the rest of us.

"I know, it'll go fast," Kaitee said.

"Not fast enough," she disagreed.

Outside the bus was just pulling up at the stop.

"See you later, Nick," Diego said.

"Laters."

"Erm bye, Bella," he said.

She walked towards him and awkwardly held her arms out to him. They hugged each other briefly and stepped away from each other.

I remember Bella telling me that she had feelings for Diego but she was scared to tell him. It looked like he felt the same way to me because of the tone of his voice and how he hugged her. Hopefully, they would tell each other how they really feel soon. He then turned to the rest of us and said goodbye. Diego's aunty would be here to pick him up soon. It was the same with Aleysha and Jess; their parents were picking them up. We said goodbye to them as well.

We climbed on the bus and showed our passes.

Sometime later the bus reached the village and was close to Nick, and Bella's house. Bella was already beginning to get up but Nick stayed sitting, turning to me.

"Come on, Angel," he said. I looked at him confused. We both had said that we were going to go home first and meet up later so I didn't understand why he was asking me to get off with him.

"I asked my mum if you could come around and I have an amazing surprise for you," he told me.

"Okay," I said.

"Are you coming? We're going to end up missing our stop if you don't hurry up," Bella moaned.

"We're coming now," Nick replied. We stood up and said goodbye to Kaitee before we followed Bella off the bus when we reached the stop.

Bella walked ahead of us as the both of us tagged along behind holding hands. The street was quiet, just like it was every day because it was mainly elderly people, who lived on this street so they rarely left their houses.

Nick and his family was the only family who lived on this street. There was also Mr Greenwhich who ran them farm next door, I hadn't really seen him much so I never spoke to him but Bella told me he was very nosey. Some things I didn't believe when Bella told me because she didn't really like many people, and got annoyed quite easily.

As if he knew that I was thinking about him, he came out of his front door. His grey hair looked messy and he wore light blue jeans and a shirt. He looked over at us, with a stern look. Then focused his attention on me, for a while until he moved his eyes too, Nick.

"Have you got a problem? Why don't you take a picture of them?" Bella shouted at him.

"Bella, stop being rude," Nick ordered.

"I'm not the one being rude, he is. Staring at you two is rude," she said.

"But he isn't doing any harm to leave it," he told her.

"Who's she?" Mr Greenwich asked.

"Are you stupid as well as rude? You must have seen her before," Bella said. She must really dislike him.

"I have seen her before but I don't know her. You really are a horrid girl," he said.

"Only too terrible people like you and the only reason you want to know who she is is that she's holding hands with, Nick. If she wasn't you wouldn't have even asked. You haven't before."

"I was just wondering, there is no need to be like that," he said.

"I'm called Vicky and I am Nick's girlfriend," I told him because if I didn't they would still be arguing.

"Really?" He questioned tilting his head.

"Yeah," Nick replied firmly.

"Well see you later," he said and we walked towards Nick's house.

When we stepped inside their house, Bella turned towards us with an annoyed face and spoke.

"Why the hell did you talk to him? He doesn't even care who, Vicky is? He was just being nosy," she told us.

"It's called being polite, Bells. You should try it sometime," Nick said.

"Why should I be polite to awful people?"

"So that you are a better person than them," I replied.

"But I am not a better person so why should I pretend to be something I'm not?"

Nobody else spoke so we made our way in further and started for the living room. Jane was sat on the sofa watching TV, she smiled at us as we entered. I and Nick sat down on the sofa next to her and Bella took a seat in the armchair.

"Hey, mum," Nick said.

"Hello, Nick. How was your day at school? No one was bullying you again today, I hope," she replied.

"Not today, but they are probably planning something," Nick said.

"I don't understand why they feel the need to bully you."

"Because they hate me."

"How are you, Vicky?" His mum asked turning to face me.

"I'm good. You?" I replied.

"I'm well thanks," she said.

Someone shouted from somewhere in the house. The voice sounded deep and annoyed.

A man who looked a lot like, Nick entered the room. His eyes matched the colour of Nick's but his hair was a little lighter in colour; it was very dark brown. Both of them looked so much more alike in person than in the photos, Jane showed me once.

This was the first time I had to meet Bella and Nick's dad. Why I hadn't met him was quite the mystery. Whenever I came over he was always out somewhere but I didn't know where. Nick never told me and I didn't ask.

"Hey, dad," Bella said.

"Hi, Bella," he said turning to face his daughter and then looked at me before looking at, Nick.

"Are you not going to introduce me?" He asked him.

"Right. Dad this is Vicky. Vicky this is my dad," Nick said in reply.

"It's nice to finally meet you. Nick's told me so much about you, only good things of course. It's good to see him happy and with a smile on his face again after- well we don't have to mention her." His tone changed from a happy to a serious one, like whoever he meant he didn't like her.

"Anyway, it's just nice seeing how happy you make him. He thinks a lot about you," he continued returning to the happy tone he had before.

He thinks a lot about me? I think a lot about him too. I haven't met any other boy like him and he's the only one to ever to take interest in me. All other boys I ever knew or liked just thought of me as the cute, clumsy, quiet girl who loved writing and would never even look twice at me but Nick sees me as much more than that. I mean he must do if he likes me and wants to be my boyfriend. My thoughts got cut short by Nick's voice.

"Dad, such. You're embarrassing me," he said.

"I'm only telling the truth. It's not my fault if it makes your cheeks go all red."

"What? No, they're not," Nick claimed.

"They are now," his dad laughed. He was right. His cheeks now looked too red for the rest of his face.

"Leave me alone," Nick said.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Jane asked me to evert my attention. I looked towards her.

"No, mum we're off out" Nick answered.

"But you must eat. Will you be back for dinner?"

"We're eating out."

"Oh, I was going to make a pie," she said a little bit disappointed.

"If I'm hungry later when I come back I'll have a little bit."

"May I go now?" Nick asked.

"Yes," Jane said.

"Okay, see you later," he said and started for the kitchen. When he returned he had a woven basket and we set off out the house.

Once outside, I turned to Nick.

He walked closer to me and put his arm around me closer to him so that our bodies were touching, but he didn't put his other arm around me because he was carrying the basket, and because of my broken arm. Then he stepped back and kissed my cheek. After he smiled at me.

"Come on, I still have that thing to show you," he said taking a hold of my hand and guided me out of his garden and down the street.

***

Finally, we came to the woods entrance and I pulled him back. No, I didn't want to go in there. What was it with this village that I found myself going into these woods all the time? It was either I had no choice or people were making me go in them.

"It's fine I promise," Nick said.

"No, I won't go in," I said.

"You're still so scared of them, even though you've been in so many times before?" He wondered.

"Yeah."

"Well, I promise to protect you from whatever monsters may lie within. I will be your knight as we venture into the scary, dark woods to reach our destination."

"You going to protect me from yourself then?" I laughed.

"I'm not a monster," he said.

"Some people would say different, you know since of some books and films."

"Do you believe I am?"

"No, of course not, " I replied moving closer to him, to feel safer when we entered.

Luckily, it didn't take a long time to get to where we were going. We stopped just a little away from the river. There was nothing here. What did he want to show me because there is nothing here?

"This is what you wanted to show me, a bunch of trees?" I asked confused.

"No this isn't it. Why would my surprise be trees? Just stay here okay? I promise I'll be back quickly," he told me.

"Please don't belong," I said and he stepped out of the trees to the river.

While he was gone I kept looking around in a circle, very fast to make sure no one was trying to sneak up on me. He returned with such a huge smile on his face and he no longer had the basket.

"Close your eyes," he told me.

"Okay," I agreed and closed them tight. I felt him hold my shoulders and I started walking. He pushed me gently, guiding me towards the river. A few steps later he spoke again.

"Stop," he said. "Alright open your eyes."

I did as he said.

What?

Wow!