Page 60 of Follows with Intent

“God, this is adorable.”

“No, it’s not.”

“And pathetic.”

“No, it’s not.”

“You’re practically glowing. Where’s the dark, angsty bitch I fell in love with?”

“I’m still angsty,” Nico said. “I’m still a bitch.”

Maya hopped off the bed and kissed his cheek. “Come on. Let’s figure out a costume.”

“What about the closing dinner for the seminar?”

She scoffed and waved a hand.

“Oh no,” Nico said. “You’re going. You’ve got to go. Otherwise, Gio is going to take over the conversation, and Kaylee and Ridson are literally going to die from overexposure.”

“They’ll be fine—”

“Besides, Dr. Chapman wanted to talk to you about that summer fellowship—”

“I can email him.”

“—and if you don’t go, I’m going to stop being your friend and cut all ties.”

Maya didn’t look particularly frightened by that threat.

“Go,” Nico said, nudging her toward the door. “I’ll be fine. I’ll get my costume, and I’ll call Jadon, and I’ll keep you updated in case I’m wrong and he hates my guts and I have to go eat myself to death in a Ben and Jerry’s.”

“Text me every five minutes.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Every ten minutes.”

“I’m closing the door now.” As it swung shut, Nico sang out, “I love you.”

Maya laughed as her steps moved away down the hall.

Nico considered his options. Almost all the clothes he’d brought were professional and responsible and would have satisfied any straight guy shopping for outfits at Target. He could do something with that—like a hot nerd, maybe, which wasn’t a costume idea so much as a way to get in Jadon’s pants again. The fake glasses, maybe. Jadon had gotten a kick out of those. The real shame was that Halloween was in the fall because what Nico wanted Jadon to see was the tiny swim shorts—

Oh, Nico thought. Lifeguard. Easy.

He changed into a pair of tiny red shorts—technically, they were for running, not for swimming, but they had white trim that was cute and retro, and they made his legs look amazing. And, if Nico were being honest with himself, his junk too. He kept Jadon’s hoodie on for now; in a pinch, he’d wear it to complete the costume, but he had the thought that if he hurried, he could still get into the school store and find a windbreaker—something that a lifeguard might wear on a windy California beach. Something that he could leave hanging open, so his chest and belly were on display.

He stepped into a pair of slides and gave himself a once over in the mirror. A whistle. They’d probably have one of those as well in the school store—self-defense. And then one more idea hit him, and he dug through his toiletry bag until he found what he wanted: a moisturizing lotion with sunscreen. Daily skin care routine, obvs. But even more importantly, tonight he’d lay a thick white stripe of zinc down his nose. Lifeguard to the rescue. He tucked the bottle into a pocket of the tiny shorts (it fit, which was amazing all on its own).

Phone in one hand, keys in the other, he headed out of the dorm. Darkness had settled over everything, but light pollution made the sky seem low and flat. Oppressive, Nico thought. Like a steel lid. The air still smelled woody and wet, and even as Nico wondered about the rain, a fresh spritz caught him. He thought he heard footsteps, but when he turned, all he saw were new-fallen leaves tumbling and scraping across the pavement. He was wound too tight; too many days of looking over his shoulder (figuratively and literally). The party would be a step in the right direction. And making things right with Jadon, that too.

Unlocking his phone as he crossed the quad, he bobbed in and out of pools of darkness. He tapped Jadon’s name and put the phone to his ear. The call rang. Leaves spun and fell, and when they whispered against the brick footpaths, Nico thought again that they sounded like the scuff of soles. And then the sound was louder, unmistakably footfalls. Nico started to turn—

The blow connected with the side of his head, and his world went white. He didn’t lose consciousness, but for several moments, the connection between his brain and body lagged, and all he could do was stumble. A hand caught Jadon’s hoodie and yanked, and somehow, Nico kept his balance and managed to slip free, leaving the hoodie behind. He tried to catch himself, and then he fell as the weight of another body bore him down to the ground. Fingers forced something hard and rubbery between his teeth, stifling his cry for help before he could fully form it. His arms were forced up between his shoulder blades until he screamed against the gag. Then rope tightened around his wrists, and he could feel the change in the other body: the slackening of muscles, the physical relief. Because, a part of Nico knew, the hard part was done. It was over.

16

Jadon

---