I guess they knew each other when they were young; they didn’t remember that though, and it didn’t really matter; not that young people don’t matter, but their history really happened during high school, and after high school, I guess.
Nate and Nikki really met their freshman year; they were fourteen years old. It was around the second week of school and Nate was on his way to class just after lunch. Nikki walked by him; he noticed her, even though there was nothing special about her. She wasn’t wearing makeup or earrings; she proudly sported an old sweatshirt and an average pair of jeans. Her hood was on, a dark frame for her face, and her smile. After she had passed, Nate smiled to himself. He felt the same way as when he saw good things happen and realized the world wasn’t completely shit.
Nikki didn’t notice Nate, not until he tripped her in the hall. To be fair, he didn’t trip her hard, and she knew it. She turned around, smiling, “Hey Dickfuck, don’t be rude.” He smiled back and walked away. She turned around grinning; a trip was by far the most original pickup line she had ever heard.
A week later, Nate walked straight towards Nikki. She was eating lunch and focused on her sandwich, she didn’t notice him until he had sat down next to her. She was impressed, because she was eating lunch with her friends, and to the best of her knowledge, Nate didn’t know any of them. She looked at him, and saw the he had a slight frown, but she could tell he wasn’t unhappy. Curious, she asked, “Sup G?”
Nate looked around the table for a second, briefly analyzing her friends, and finding none of them predator-like, answered, “I don’t like anybody I know, we should go to homecoming.” She nodded.
Homecoming was good, certainly not an outrageous affair. They didn’t magically fall in love; they didn’t fight; nobody spilt food or drink; nobody got felt up. One good thing did happen. At the end of the night, when Nate dropped Nikki off and walked her to the door, before Nikki went in, she turned around, jumped up and kissed him on the forehead, and then hugged him tight, tighter than most hugs, and whispered, “Hey, you seem cool.”
The rest of their freshman year was good; they didn’t date, not officially, but they began hanging out consistently. They both knew they were more than just friends, but they were happy not to rush into anything. If it felt this good; it should probably take a while.
The summer before freshman year was pretty uneventful, except for one notable change. Nate, and consequently Nikki, discovered a euphoric drug called marijuana. They only smoked a couple of times, but they enjoyed it; it was relaxing.
Homecoming-time sophomore year Nate was confused and didn’t know why he was confused. He wasn’t confused about Nikki, he understood how he felt about her. But he was still lost. He called Nikki, and spoke as soon as she answered, “Hey babe, I need stability. Can we make this, us, a relationship?” She nodded and somehow, he heard.
Sophomore year happened quickly; they were high a lot. For some reason, she didn’t care. Somehow this relationship worked for them; they didn’t need to high to hang out, but they could hang out high and maintain their emotion. In some sense, it was perfect; it was balanced. There was one night, when Nate and Nikki were hanging out at a friend’s house, smoking and watching TV. Nate looked around, glanced around at his and her friends before he looked over at her. Through his hazy vision, he saw her smile and wink at him. He loved her.
The summer before junior year was fairly uneventful, except they spent their first night together. Both pairs of parents knew, which was a good thing. As they lay in bed, Nikki felt Nate’s warmth. She smelt his apple-shampooed hair and felt his pajama bottoms. She kissed him on the cheek. She loved him.
During the autumn of their junior year, Nikki freaked out. She said she didn’t know what was happening, but she needed a break, she needed some time. She asked her parents to send her somewhere, for two weeks or so. Her parents flew her to New York, where she stayed with her grandparents. Nate was sad, but he was ok. He smoked a lot, spent as much time as possible with friends, and did his schoolwork. He only cried once, on homecoming night, as he wondered where she was.
Nikki came back from New York and immediately called him. As he picked up, she cried, but not loudly. All Nate could her was her breathing heavy, and he knew what it meant, so he nodded, and somehow she heard him. They were back together.
In the spring of their junior year, just after Nate’s soccer season had ended, Nate freaked out. He was worried in a different manner however; this relationship had been too easy, he didn’t know if he really loved her, and the relationship was so good it didn’t feel right if he didn’t love her. He told her he now needed a break, and because she was Nikki, she understood. She was sad, but she had had her doubts, and trusted Nate to figure out what he needed to.
He drove around his town for two days, he’d smoke occasionally, but not often and mainly he would just think. He remembered how he had thought the relationship had been so good that it was wrong if he didn’t love her. He realized this meant that he loved her; he smiled; he was happy; Nate wanted to love her.
The next day he called her, and they met at the park. As soon as he saw her, he hugged her hard, and spoke quickly, “Nikki, I love you. In our relationship, stupid shit happens, stupid romantic movie type shit. We should be together.” They kissed.
The summer before senior year was perfect.
Homecoming of their senior year was fun; they got high for it, the first time they had gotten high for a school function. The black lights were exceptionally spectacular. After the dance, they drove to Nate’s house. But they stayed in his driveway, and rolled down his windows, and slow danced while listening to Kanye West. They felt too cool. They felt their arrogance level rise.
Graduation was a big moment; they had made it. Again they got high, they were happy and cared less about what people thought. They’re parents threw a big party for both of them, a joint graduation party. They giggled together as they wolfed down brownies and cookies and hamburgers. They had the munchies.
They did not attend college immediately. The summer after they graduated, they kissed twice and moved to New Zealand together to work on an organic farm.
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