Page 75 of Science Project

Hands stuffed into my pockets, I walked up Nicole’s street toward her house. Rain splattered on me, wetting my hair and making it stick to my forehead. I yanked off my glasses and tried to wipe them off, only for more raindrops to decorate the lenses.

After walking up her front steps, I sucked in a breath and knocked on her door.

I only saw her car parked in the driveway, so I hoped that she was home.

My chest tightened at the thought of how stupid I had been by not telling her what she meant to me. I had frozen up, and … and I didn’t know what or how she would react to me showing up at her house this late at night.

But I wanted to apologize … and I needed someone after what I just did.

For Nicole, I’d kill anyone. But for Imani?

She was my friend and all, but that was Kai’s job.

When nobody answered the door, I knocked again. Rain continued to pound down on me, and I didn’t even have an umbrella to keep me dry. Another moment passed without the door opening, and I decided that she must be sleeping.

After all, it was late.

Yet when I went to turn around, the door swung open, and Nicole’s father smiled at me.

“Son, what can I do for you?”

CHAPTER

FORTY-ONE

NICOLE

“Sorry for disturbing you so late, sir,” a familiar voice said. “Is Nicole home?”

“You’re Yui’s boy, aren’t you?” Dad asked.

Eyes fluttering open, I tilted my head to the side to get a better view of the door, yet I could barely see out into the hallway. What was Akio doing here this late at night? Something must’ve happened.

And something definitely would happen if he didn’t leave soon.

Still, I wanted to get to him. I wanted him to see me, to hold me, to tell me that everything would be okay and that his parents would take care of Dad for me … even though I knew they never would. Not without payment, and I didn’t have a penny to my name.

“Akio!” I screamed.

But my voice was hoarse, and not even a whisper came out.

My body ached all over, and I could barely feel my lower half from how much Dad and his friends had used me in the past few hours. Someone grabbed my waist from behind, moving my body back and forth.

Get up, Nicole!

I pressed my hands into the puddle of blood underneath me and pushed as hard as I could. I pushed. And I pushed. And I pushed. Only to barely get a centimeter off the ground before Pick, one of Dad’s friends, flattened his hand across my lower back and I smacked down with a thud.

“Nicole’s not feeling too well right now,” Dad said to Akio.

“Can I see her?” Akio asked.

“She’s cooped up in her room. Puking.”

“I don’t mind.”

God, I don’t know whether I want him to leave before he gets hurt or to come get me …

If he tried to protest with my father any longer, I could only freaking imagine what would happen to him. Dad would snap at any minute from being pulled away from punishing his own daughter … and I would be left to suffer and watch as Dad killed him.

---