Chapter 15

"And you're telling us he wasn't even wearing his Ugg boots?" Josh asked, a mix between shocked and offended.

I rolled my eyes at him. I'd been doing a lot of that tonight. "For the hundredth time, they are not Ugg boots."

"You bought cheap knockoffs? I thought you were loaded Nik!" he replied, shocked again.

"THEY ARE NOT UGG BOOTS," I exclaimed, while my friends all laughed at me.

Tyler, Josh, Blake and I were at a little pub hanging out.

Their girlfriends were having their girl's night out, so the boys decided to hang out together too, and they invited sad little single me.

I wondered for a second if I ever had a girlfriend, whether or not she'd get along with my friends.

She'd have to...

This was such a foreign concept to me, though. Never before had I thought about the fact that someone I would like would need to get along with my friends. I never had friends before.

"It's fine, be in denial, that's not what's important here. You were dressed up to see a girl," Tyler said.

I glared at him, and sipped on my beer. I was only allowed two beers tonight. This was my first. I was savouring it like a pretentious man tasting wine. "Okay, so this is the exact reason why I didn't tell anyone I was doing an assignment with a girl, because I knew you'd all react like awful parents that read their kid's diary and assumed they know everything, when that diary is in fact a decoy."

"Weird childhood, but okay," Josh said, shrugging.

"Is he deflecting enough for us to think it means something?" Blake asked.

I sighed, glaring at the ceiling this time. "I'm going to poison all of you and no one will ever catch me. You'll all die, and they'll think it was natural," I breathed, not talking to them exactly.
"If you kill the three of us, it's going to be suspicious man," Josh pointed out.

"Don't be suspiscious, dooooon't be suspicious," Tyler started to sing, jumping on his seat.

"Are we thinking like Pathology re-enactment?" Josh asked.

I looked at Blake, confused. "What's he talking about?"

Blake shook his head, used to this shit. "A weird movie when doctors play a game of killing patient without leaving any trace."

"ARE YOU GOING TO INJECT THE POISON THROUGH MY EAR?" Josh suddenly yelled. Luckily, the music was loud in the pub, because otherwise we'd be getting weird stares. "So, they don't find the hole left by the needle?"

"I'll go back to med school just so I can kill you perfectly Josh," I answered his, grinning.

"I don't know, seems like a lot of work when you can just bash our heads in somewhere where there are no cameras," Tyler said, before taking a sip of his beer.

"I'd prefer to be killed in a fancier way," Blake added.

"Yeah, like if I'm murdered, I want something either super weird or super fucking elaborate," Josh agreed.

"I want people to be really disturbed when they hear the way I died if I'm murdered," Blake continued.

The friends I had...

"I want a true crime documentary on my murder," Josh grinned.

"Issues. Y'all have a lot of them," I said.

Tyler winked at me. I faked a gag. "Kill me weirdly daddy."

"Look me in the eyes as you pour cement in my mouth," Josh said, well, kinda moaned it really.

Blake had been taking a sip of his beer. He almost chocked on it.

"What the fuck?" I asked, shaking my head.

Josh grinned, proud. "I don't know, I'm just making stuff up."

I still shook my head at him. "Honestly, it's a miracle you haven't been murdered in a disturbing way yet."

"My next New Year's resolution. I have high hopes of being murdered next year," Josh said, making finger guns.

I rolled my eyes at him. "He needs help," I told my two other friends.

"We all need help," Blake pointed out.

True. I couldn't argue with that.

"We don't need help. We need to be violently killed by his soft hands," Josh said, trying to stroke my face. I slapped his hand away, making him laugh.

I glared at him. "I'm getting concerned."

"Only getting?" Josh asked, "I'm disappointed with myself if you're just beginning to be concerned."

"You guys seriously need your girlfriends to reel you in," I mumbled.

"Are you implying our girlfriends are like adult supervision?" Tyler asked, a hand pressed on his chest, like I had hurt him.

I snorted, sipping more beer. "Yeah, kind of."

"And what about you, is your assignment partner your future adult supervision?" Blake asked with a smirk

I crossed my arms over my chest, pouting. "I hate all of you."

They seriously needed to drop the Esther deal. They didn't even know her.

"I think there might be something with Chloe. You know, friends with benefits turned girlfriend. It would make sense," Tyler suddenly said.

I glared at him.

"Look, we all know his adult supervision is not going to be a girl. It's going to be a dashing gentleman who's going to spoil him with Ugg boots that aren't knock off. He'll bring him to Saint Tropez on his yacht," Blake said.

I rolled my eyes. "I can get my own yacht to go to Saint Tropez."

My grandfather actually had one. I had no idea where it was accosted, but I wouldn't be surprised if it actually was on the French Riviera.

"But doesn't it feel more comforting to know your sugar daddy pays for it?" Josh asked, actually looking serious.

"Yeah Nik, don't you want to be taken care of?" Blake pressed.

"Be the little spoon for once," Tyler added.

I threw my head back, whining. "Christ almighty."

My friends all laughed, but stopped annoying me on that specific subject. We kept joking around.

Tyler's phone rang, so he went to take the call outside. Blake went to get more drinks, in the meantime and Josh decided to go to the bathroom.

I was all alone sitting at our booth.

It was a recurring theme in my life.

I checked my phone. I had one email from Esther.

I opened it, expecting to see things about our project.

Instead, I read,

Hi! This email is absolutely unnecessary, so I will absolutely not take it personally if you don't read it. In my desperate search for your full name, I came across the word nictitating which means winking, and like. I had no idea this word existed. I had no idea there was another word for winking. I feel like my whole life is a lie.

So, Nictitate/Nictitated/Nictitating, if it is your name, thank you for expanding my vocabulary.

And sorry if this email is weird. I just really needed to share this with someone right away.

Have a nice weekend! See you on Monday.

I laughed out loud all alone at the table, and actually covered my mouth not to look like a lunatic.

I replied quickly.

Hello Esther,

I did know about nictitate, not because it's my name, but because it was in a crossword puzzle once. I do crossword puzzles on the weekend. I'm an old man.

And I applaud your efforts, but you're wrong again. I'm happy this is expanding your vocabulary though.

Have a nice weekend too, and see you on Monday.

Still just Nik for the foreseeable future.

"Why are you smiiiiiiling?" Tyler asked, as he slid back in the booth, making me jump.

I closed my phone quickly, like I had been caught doing something naughty.

"Huh? Oh, funny meme," I lied. He'd have a field day if I told him the real reason. I didn't need him, and Josh and Blake to keep assuming things that were totally not true and make absolutely no sense.

I didn't like Esther.

I mean, I liked her, but not liked her. Not like that.

Ugh.

Tyler narrowed his eyes at me, like he didn't believe me.

I changed the subject, "Who was on the phone?"

"Vanessa!" He grinned automatically, saying his girlfriend's name. "The girls are done with their little night out. I shall not be sleeping at the dorm tonight."

I chuckled at his expression. "Oh yeah sure, abandon me. I thought you wanted me to be the little spoon. How am I supposed to be the little spoon if you're not there?"

"I'll be your big spoon," Blake replied, back with our drinks.

"Who are we spooning?" Josh asked, back from the bathroom too.

We drank our beers and joke around for about another hour and then everyone went back to their respective significant others.

I walked back to the dorms, wanting the fresh air. It took me a little while, but I enjoyed the peace and quiet. I was used to being alone. I'd always been alone after all. It was okay if no one was waiting for me. I shouldn't need anyone.

I plugged my phone to charge it when I finally got back to my room.

I saw I had another email when I did.

It was Esther again.

Oh see, now the way you signed that last email, I feel like you're just taunting me. I'm taking it personally.

I laughed again, but this time not hiding it. I guess being alone could have its perks sometimes. 

________________

Hello hello helloooo! Sorry! It's been a while. 

I've been busy and distracted, and I also wanted this chapter to be up last week, but I had my COVID shot and my arm hurt and I ended up not having time to write. 

Anyway! The chapter is up now. And it comes with a good news. I shall start uploading this story every two weeks. On Thursday. 

So one week you'll be getting Virgin and the Whore and the other week you'll be getting a Weird and Weirder upload. I'll alternate between the two stories.

If I manage to have more free time I'll try to maybe make it a once a week thing for both of them, but for now, I hope that once every two weeks will be good enough for you. :D

Thank you soooo much for your patience, as always. 

See you in two weeks!