Jaime Cox

 

 

Nic’s Night Out

 

            Once upon a time there was a young teenage boy named Nic, whose mother had just remarried.  Nic was about to enter his junior year of high school and could not wait for football tryouts and practice to start.  Nic’s mother had just remarried last month to Mike, who Nic believed to be a real jerk that has two kids, Jon, who will be a senior in high school, and Jenn, will be a sophomore.  Nic always saw Jon and Jenn as two of the most stuck up people that he ever knew.  They thought they were always better than everyone else.  He still can’t believe that he is now related to them. 

Nic was a  shy guy who never liked to bring attention to himself.  He was real laid-back and very good looking, with blues eyes that sparkled like sapphires and chestnut brown hair, but did not have a girlfriend.  Nic was very athletic and spent most of his spare time practicing for the next sporting event.  Tomorrow is the first day of football tryouts and Nic was the star quarterback for the Spartans.  The team was counting on him this year to take them all the way to the state playoffs.  Nic was psyched about the upcoming year.

 The alarm goes off, beep, beep, beep!  It was 6:45 A.M.  Nic had to be at tryouts in an hour.  He got ready and went downstairs for breakfast.  Guess who he found sitting in his chair at the table, you got it, Jon, who was also dressed out for tryouts.

  Nic stated, “What are you doing up so early and in those clothes?”

 Jon replied, “Oh I’m trying out for quarterback on the team, Dad said I could.”

            Right then Nic’s new step dad walked into the kitchen and informed Nic that he had too many things to do around the house today to go to football tryouts.  Nic couldn’t believe what he heard.  That jerk let his lazy son go, who couldn’t even throw a football, but he had to stay home to do Jon’s chores!  Nic hated his step dad.  Nic knew the reason his step dad did this to him was because he didn’t want his stepson to outshine his own kids.

  “I can’t stand him!” Nic thought.  “He is taking everything I love away from me. First my mom and now sports! What else does he want from me?”

Nic went to the river where he always went to think, and there sat the girl he admired most, Kayla.  Kayla was a year younger than Nic, but they had known each other forever.  Nic thought Kayla was the prettiest girl he had ever seen, but was too shy to tell her.  She had long shiny golden hair with beautiful blue eyes.  Kayla loved Nic, and she had always imagined being with Nic and hoped one day he would ask her out on a date.  They never told each other how they felt though.  They just always remained friends. 

When Kayla saw Nic coming toward her, she called out,

 “Why aren’t you at tryouts?”

  “Jon’s dad won’t let me”, Nic replied.

  Kayla knew how much Nic hated his step dad and how he really hated Jon and Jenn.  Kayla really felt bad for Nic.  He had been through so much, first his dad dying when he was a freshman in high school, and then his mom remarrying, and now having the worst stepfamily in the world.  She only wished she could help Nic. 

Before Kayla could console Nic, Jenn came running down the bank yelling for Nic,

 “My dad told you to mow the grass and do the trimmings, so you better go do it!”

Jenn could see that Nic and Kayla really liked each other and she was going to make sure they wouldn’t be together. 

Nic told Kayla,“I better go before I get into too much trouble.” 

Kayla was so disappointed that Nic had to leave and that he left her there with Jenn.

The school year began and Nic didn’t get to play football.  His step dad wouldn’t let him go out on Friday nights, and wouldn’t let him tryout for basketball.  He informed Nic that Jon wanted to play basketball and that brothers should not challenge each other for the same position, and since Jon was a senior, he got to play.  Nic was furious, he had finally had enough.  He went to his mom and told her everything that was going on.  Nic explained to her all the things her husband was making him do and how he had let Jon do everything and wouldn’t let him do anything.  His mom got so upset; she just sat there and cried.  She knew she had ruined Nic’s life, but she was honestly too scared to talk to her husband about it.  This marriage was not how she planned for it to be. 

Nic’s mom looked right at Nic and said,

 “I am so sorry for doing this to you, I never meant for our lives to be this way.  I really didn’t know what to do and your step-dad had threatened to ruin our lives if we ever considered leaving.  I was afraid to ask how he was going to ruin our lives.  I am so so sorry  Nic, please forgive me!”

 Nic just sat there, hugged his mom and wondered if the threat was just a scam.  He knew then that he was just going to have to suck it up, be strong, and protect his mother.

            Jon, Jenn, and Nic were on Christmas vacation.  This used to be Nic’s favorite holiday, but that year he just didn’t seem to be very jolly or festive.  He knew that if he asked for anything specific that he wouldn’t get it, but Jon would.  So, he decided to not say a word and asked for nothing.  He didn’t want anything from that jerk anyway.  As Nic expected, he woke up Christmas morning, went down stairs, and found Jon and Jenn unwrapping what it seemed like thousands of gifts.  Nic found one present with his name on it from his mom.  Nic’s mother was so ashamed and could hardly keep the tears from rolling down her cheek .  Nic knew that this was not his mother’s fault, so he opened up his present and there was a navy blue polo shirt. Underneath the shirt was a card.  Nic made sure no one saw the card. 

He put the lid back on the box, walked over, and gave his mother and kiss on the cheek and replied,

 “That was exactly what I wanted!”

 His mother’s face lit up, she smiled and then winked at Nic.  Nic was eager to see what was inside the card, but he didn’t want his stepfamily to see.  He had decided to excuse himself so he could go try on his new present.  He ran upstairs and locked the door.  He tore open the box and found the card.  He opened the envelope and inside was a one hundred dollar bill with a note.  It read,

            “To my loving son,

                        Merry Christmas my baby boy, I am so sorry for the pain I have put you

                        through.  I am trying really hard to figure out a plan to make our lives

                        better.  Be patient with me son.  I am so proud of you and I love you.  You

                        have made you father proud as well.  Remember he is watching over you. 

                        Stay strong!  I love you sweetheart, and I am deeply sorry for the life you

                        are having to live.  Please don’t give up on me!

                        I love you,

                        Mom

            Nic finished the letter and said a small prayer asking for his dad’s help.  He then placed the letter in his desk drawer, put his new shirt on and went back down stairs to help his mother with Christmas dinner.  This was the most alone Nic had ever felt on Christmas.  He missed his dad and his friends and family, but most of all, he missed spending time with Kayla.  Every time he had a chance to talk to her, Jenn or Jon would interfere.  Nic would give in and walk away leaving Kayla sad and worried about her best friend. 

            Spring had finally come and the flowers were blooming and the trees were budding.  The school year was coming to an end.  Baseball tryouts had come and gone.  Jon was the pitcher and the team had a losing record of zero and eight.  Nic was at home doing his and Jon’s chores.  Prom was coming up on May 1st.  Nic had always wanted to take Kayla to the prom.  He would dream at night about her being dressed in a long blue sparkling dress with her long blonde hair flowing in the breeze as they danced all night.  Nic decided to go to his mom to ask for help on how to ask Kayla to the prom.  His mom was so excited.  She knew Nic and Kayla would make a terrific couple and was thrilled when he came to her to ask for advice.  What Nic and his mom didn’t know was that Jenn had overheard the entire conversation.  She ran to Jon and told him what Nic was planning on doing.  The next day at school, Nic was eating lunch with Kayla as usual.  He was trying to get his nerve up to pop the question.  When all of a sudden Jon, came over and asked Kayla to the prom.  He then told her that if she were waiting on Nic to ask her, it would not happen because he was not allowed to go.  Kayla was heart-broken.  She wanted so badly to go with Nic, but if she didn’t say yes to Jon then she knew her reputation would be ruined forever.  No one was ever supposed to say no to the star quarterback and pitcher, even if he wasn’t any good.  So she had no choice, she accepted.  Nic’s heart sank; he thought he had lost his Kayla forever.  He was too late; Jon had taken her heart away from him.  Nic thought she had given up.  In the midst of Nic’s heart breaking, he took a deep breath and congratulated Kayla on her invitation.  After school, he went straight home and locked himself in his room.  He had lost the love of his life forever, and the worst part of it was, he had lost her to his hateful stepbrother who cared nothing about her.  Nic skipped dinner that night and wallowed in his sorrow.  He felt like his life was over.  His mother had heard the news and she was just as disappointed as Nic had been.    

            May 1st, the day of the prom, Jon had gone to Mitchell’s to pick up his tuxedo, and Jenn was off getting her nails and hair done.  Nic was at home with a list of projects that his step dad had left him to do.  These projects consisted of painting the house, cleaning out the garage, washing the cars, mowing the yard, vacuuming the pool, etc.  Nic had looked at this list and knew there was no possible way he could get this work done in one day.  He couldn’t help but constantly think about Kayla.  He wanted to see her so badly, but thought she had given up on him and that she was now really interested in Jon.

            “Heck, who wouldn’t be interested in a senior star player,” Nic had thought.

            Nic had given up on Kayla.  It was 6:00 P.M. and Jon and Jenn were dressed and ready to go.  Jon was supposed to pick up Kayla at 6:00.  Obviously, he was already late.

            Nic had thought, “I would never keep that beautiful princess waiting if she was my date.”

            Finally they left and Nic was all alone again.  Nic had walked into his bedroom when he saw lying on his bed, a black tuxedo with a note attached to it.  Nic opened the note and it was from his mom urging him to sneak out of the house and go to his junior prom. 

“Have fun and don’t give up on Kayla.”

 His mom wrote not to worry that she would take care of his step dad.  Nic had thought for a moment and decided to make the best of it.  He took a shower, got dressed and his mom had a boutonniere already pinned on his tux and money in his pocket.  He climbed out the window and went to his prom.

            By now, the prom was well on its way.  Everyone was laughing and dancing.  Nic knew he had better be home before midnight or his step dad would hit him for sure and maybe, even his mom.  Nic was so nervous when he walked in to the ballroom.  He saw Jenn in the mix of a bunch of girls whose dates had already left them for someone else.  Then, he saw Jon from a distance, with a bunch of jocks, but no Kayla.  Nic started looking around and began searching for Kayla.  There she was, at a table in the corner of the room with tears running down her face.  She was even more beautiful than Nic had ever imagined.  He walked over to her and before he could say anything, Kayla flung her arms around him and burst out crying.  She would not let go of Nic.

            She kept repeating, “I hate Jon, I just hate him, I am so sorry Nic, I just hate him!”

            Nic sat with her and tried comforting her.  It turned out, Jon picked Kayla up and took her to some party before the prom.  He had started drinking and hanging out with his friends.  They arrived at the prom, and he pretended like she didn’t even exist.  Kayla had been sitting in the corner for two hours praying Nic would come to rescue her.  Her prayers had been answered, her prince had come.  Nic picked her up and they danced together the rest of the night, holding each other tightly.  They cried and laughed togther.  This was the first of many nights Nic and Kayla would be together and there was nothing anyone could do about it.  When prom night was over, Nic took Kayla home and he climbed back through his bedroom window before midnight.  Nic couldn’t help the huge grin on his face.  Jon and Jenn missed curfew and their dad was not very happy.  The step dad also got a call from the school informing him that Jon was caught with alcohol at the prom and would be suspended from school and expelled from all extra curricular activities.

            Kayla and Nic secretely began dating, Nic began talking to Kayla’s dad, who was a lawyer, about his mom and step dad.  The good news was Nic’s mom was getting a divorce, and she and Nic have gotten top security to protect them from his step dad.  Jon was rejected from very college he applied to, and Jenn remained the stuck-up little brat she always was.  Nic and his mom were doing great, Nic was getting to tryout for football that fall.  He and Kayla were planning on getting married as soon as she graduated from high school.  Nic’s prayers were finally answered and his dreams had come true.  Nic and Kayla lived happily ever after.  The End.

                       

 

 

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