"Darklight!"
"Gah?! What-what?" Nicholas jolted awake, lifting his head from his desk as Sydney's voice rang in his ear.
She leveled him with a look. The look. The 'are you finally going to tell me' look.
Nicholas blinked, still not fully catching up.
"Will you finally fill me in on what happened yesterday? And have you made a plan on how we're going to do the confession, which, might I remind you, is T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W?"
Today was Thursday. Meaning the dance was but a single day away.
Nicholas waved her off. "There are still some things that need to be done." He stuffed his things into his bag the moment he realized class ended and bee-lined out the door.
These past two days, he hadn't slacked off. Ever since the request had been made, he'd kept a careful eye on Lillie—something he had never bothered with in the past. He wasn't sure why. Probably to pinpoint the rare times she was actually alone, moments where he could shove Average-kun her way.
This time, though, he needed her alone.
And he'd found his opening.
During lunch, there was always a brief gap, just a minute before class started, when Lillie went to the restroom. Even though her friends wanted to tag along, she always refused, scolding them that they couldn't risk being late.
Of course, she always ended up late herself.
Nicholas hadn't been able to verify every time, since, unfortunately, he had his own life and classes to deal with. But it was enough.
So now, Nicholas stood outside the restroom, waiting for his target.
There was something very specific he needed to ask her.
And it wasn't lost on him that this was the second time in two days he'd been caught lurking around the girls' restroom. A very concerning pattern. One he prayed wouldn't continue. Otherwise, people were definitely going to think he was a pervert.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for Lillie to emerge, snapping Nicholas out of his weird train of thought.
But when he actually saw her, he paused.
She looked… off. Distressed. Dazed, even. The sight made him hesitate for a moment, but the question it sparked—what happened in that restroom?—gnawed at him too strongly to ignore.
Nicholas had no idea how to call her attention properly, so he defaulted to what he always did.
"Yo." His monotone greeting cut through the hall.
"Ahbrhaggh?!" Lillie nearly jumped out of her skin, startled by the sudden voice. "O-oh, Nicholas, it's you." She forced a nervous smile, quickly smoothing her hair.
And just like that, the distressed expression was gone, replaced by her usual cheerful mask.
Nicholas's eyes narrowed. He could practically hear the cogs grinding in his head. Something wasn't right.
"Just call me Darklight. Everyone does." His tone was casual, but his face told another story, serious, sharp, and searching.
Lillie gave him a quick smile and turned to leave, but Nicholas shifted, stepping in front of her path.
"There's something I wanted to ask you." His voice was firmer than usual, the kind that demanded pause.
She blinked, then tilted her head, curiosity tugging at her expression. "Alright. I'll hear you out."
The bell had rung long ago. The hallway was empty now, leaving only the faint echo of their voices and the dull hum of silence. Nicholas opened his mouth ready to ask the question he had planned, but instead, the words that slipped out were different.
"…Are you alright?"
Lillie stiffened. For a moment, her carefully worn cheer faltered. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture that betrayed more than her words. "So you saw that." Her smile was fragile, trembling at the edges. "You don't need to worry about it."
Nicholas's brows furrowed. "That's not good enough."
He should have been probing her digging for the little details Average-kun needed to win her over. But he couldn't. Not when someone stood right in front of him, clearly hurting. He wished he could just let it go, turn a blind eye, but once he saw pain, it anchored him. He had to help.
"You don't need to worry," she repeated, softer this time, her gaze flicking away as though the tiled floor might swallow her whole. Then she looked back at him, lips curling into a half-joke, half-plea. "Just… keep what you saw today a secret, okay? That I'm not the innocent little girl everyone thinks I am."
Her attempt at levity carried a brittle edge. She forced a small laugh. "That doesn't mean I'm a bad girl, mind you. It just… becomes a bit too much sometimes."
Nicholas studied her face, the tightness in her smile, the way her shoulders sagged just slightly. Stress, he concluded. Maybe where she came from, she wasn't as popular. Or maybe something had happened—something that sent her spiraling behind closed doors. Either way, she wasn't ready to talk.
"…Alright," he muttered finally, stepping back from the subject. For now.
Once her posture eased again, Nicholas decided to push forward with the real question.
"So… are you interested in dating?"
Lillie froze, then arched a brow, her lips curving into a sly, teasing smile. She leaned closer, eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh? Could it be you're asking me out? Now that you've seen a different side of me… are you interested? Or maybe," she lowered her voice, feigning scandal, "you're planning on blackmailing me?"
Her playful tone might've fooled someone else, but Nicholas saw it. Despite the grin, her eyes flashed with something sharper—fear.
He cut her off before she could run with it. "Not at all. Honestly, I'm kind of repulsed by your fakeness."
Her grin faltered, lips parting in a quick intake of breath. That flicker of fear lingered before she masked it with a pout. "Meanie." She turned away with a dramatic huff, arms folded. Then, as if it was the most casual thing in the world, she glanced back. "So… I'm guessing I'm going to get confessed to tomorrow, then?"
Nicholas kept his expression blank, though inwardly he gave her credit for putting the pieces together so quickly. "Possibly."
"Mm." Her smile returned, sly and knowing. "Then tell them this: Lillie is not interested in dating anyone, no matter who it may be."
He grimaced but inclined his head in thanks. "Got it."
She started to leave, but then stopped, turning back with a playful finger raised. "Oh, but don't tell them it came from me. That doesn't sound like something Little Lillie would ever say, y'know?"
Nicholas eyed her, half-impressed, half-exasperated. "You're being extremely open with someone you barely know."
Her smile softened less mischief, more genuine this time. "Well, you already saw me in that state… and you found my bracelet. Plus, you just have that look."
"…That look?" he echoed.
"The kind of look that makes people think you'd actually listen… You're extremely kind, aren't you?" She did not wait for a response.
Nicholas had no idea how to respond. Puzzled, he just stood there, watching as she turned and walked away, leaving him alone in the empty hall—his mind buzzing with more questions than answers.
Remembering he was skipping class for this, Nicholas quickened his pace down the hall.
He knocked once and opened the door as he stepped in.
"Sorry, I'm late-Buh!"
A fist rammed into his gut before he could finish. He doubled over, clutching his stomach, eyes watering as he looked up at his teacher.
Ms. Heath stood there with her arms folded, brow arched. "Oh. Darklight. You should've knocked."
Were you just waiting by the door because you knew I'd come, woman? Nicholas thought bitterly, groaning.
"I did knock," he muttered.
"Well, then you shouldn't have been late. Go take your seat."
Suppressing a sigh, he shuffled past the staring eyes of his classmates and slumped into his chair. He forced himself upright, determined not to risk another hit.
When class ended, Nicholas waved Average-kun over. He'd wanted to talk to him alone, but of course spiky-hair noticed, and worse he dragged blond Nicholas along too.
Nicholas groaned inwardly. How am I supposed to break this news with an audience?
It was almost routine at this point. Spiky and Average-kun spun their chairs around in front of his desk, while blond Nicholas sat beside him. In the back, the two quiet idiots leaned forward just enough to eavesdrop, eyes locked on the group.
Nicholas let out a slow breath, then met Average-kun's eyes.
"So, you know how you're planning to confess at the dance?" he began. "Yeah… let's not do that."
The words dropped like a stone. Everyone froze.
Average-kun's face crumbled, eyes wide. "W-what? Why?" His voice cracked, already heavy with dread.
Spiky slammed his palms down on the desk and snarled. "The fuck's wrong with you?" He grabbed Nicholas by the collar and yanked him halfway out of his seat.
Before it could escalate, a hand clamped down on Spiky's wrist.
"Hey. I wouldn't do that if I were you."
The voice was deep, calm, and carried an edge Nicholas had never heard before.
It belonged to Haru. The dirty-blond with ridiculous sunglasses permanently glued to his face. Normally a walking joke, but now his grip was iron, his tone deadly serious.
"The fuck—?" Spiky faltered, clearly thrown off.
Haru held him there a moment longer, eyes hidden but locked on Nicholas. Nicholas narrowed his own suspicion flickering.
Then Haru suddenly let go and laughed it off. "Sorry, sorry! I was just looking out for you, man." He grinned at Spiky, thumb jabbing toward Nicholas. "I mean, come on this guy's a beast."
"I'm not a furry," Nicholas deadpanned, staring at him flatly.
Average-kun cleared his throat, voice steadier now but tight. "Can we… go back to the topic, please?"
Everyone shifted. Haru flopped back into his chair, still grinning like an idiot, though Dick gave him a puzzled stare. Spiky sat back down reluctantly, glancing at Average-kun for a signal. When Average-kun gave him a look to stand down, he obeyed.
Nicholas leaned back in his seat. "She won't accept you," he said bluntly. "She won't accept anyone. So you don't have to worry about her being 'taken.'"
Average-kun's hands tightened on his knees. "Where did you get that information?"
"Sorry. They requested to stay anonymous."
"Is the source trustworthy?"
"Very." Nicholas didn't flinch. Because it came from her herself.
Average-kun fell silent for a long moment. His shoulders slumped. "… I still want to try."
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "That's stupid. If you get rejected, it won't just be you. It'll ripple through the group. Tension, fallout… nobody wants that." He paused, remembering Sera's warning, before glancing sideways at blond Nicholas. The other boy just sat there, blank-eyed, saying nothing.
Average-kun's head lifted slightly. "…You said if."
Nicholas grimaced. "That's just a figure of speech. Listen. The point is now that I know the situation, I'm out. There's nothing I can do here."
Average-kun's voice broke again. "I thought you helped people." His bangs shaded his eyes.
"Not like that."
"Then how?!" He exploded, slamming the desk. "Are you saying I should bury these feelings forever? Do nothing?"
"Don't put words in my mouth." Nicholas's glare cut through him like a knife, making him flinch. Even Spiky shrank back, not daring to step in.
"I just told you the facts," Nicholas continued. His voice was low, sharp. "I'm not a genie. Not a miracle worker. Not a matchmaker. Just a guy who helps when he can. If you're disappointed, that's on you for believing stupid rumors. And besides…"
He turned his gaze, cold and deliberate, on blond Nicholas.
"…why don't you ask your friend what to do? Should you confess, or move on?"
The room hung heavy in silence. Nicholas didn't move, didn't blink. He was waiting. Testing him.
"…Nicholas," Average-kun finally whispered, turning to his friend. "What do you think I should do?"
Blondie stayed frozen. No answer. Just that same blank stare.
Nicholas almost laughed aloud. So he does have an answer. He just doesn't want to say it.
Pathetic.
He slung his bag over his shoulder and stood. Without another word, he walked out of the classroom.
There was somewhere else he wanted to be.