Derek didn't pick up so I changed my mind, I will just sort it out with Nicole.

I try to dial her but I doubt she is going to answer after our last fight.

But she picks up the phone.

"Oh, you have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice!" she exclaims and I smile.

"How are you?" Nicole asks.

"I'm good, but we really need to talk," I say and I can hear her mumble something to someone.

"Oh, okay. I'm at Louis' house," she says and I am a bit surprised but I agree nonetheless.

I walk to Louis' house since it isn't far at all. I get flooded with happy memories back when I went to his house and when I used to like him. Those times feel so distant now.

How much our friendship changed, our lives. It will never be the same.

I ring the doorbell and even this simple action takes me back to when I gave his sister, Gabriela, a box of donuts with a cute little note. Everything was so back then.

To my surprise, she answers the door and immediately wraps her fragile arms around me.

"I'm mad at you!" She points to me after breaking the hug and I smile. This makes me more emotional than I thought. I missed her.

"You forgot about me." She pouts and I pull her in for a hug, kissing her on the cheek.

"I will come more often," I say despite not being sure if I mean it. I'd love to but I'm not sure I'm welcome in this house like I was before.

I go upstairs and I knock before entering because now there is the risk to see stuff we didn't even think about almost a year ago.

Can't believe it's been ten months since that morning.

Nicole invites me to enter and they chuckle. I am surprised by their good mood.

There is no Nicole, Louis, and Veronica anymore.

I think there is no going back from this.

They are both laying on the bed, holding hands and her head is pressed against Louis' chest.

I'm happy that she is over James.

I sit on the corner of the bed like a stranger because that's what I am and I can't lie but it slightly hurts.

They continue giggling and when they notice I have a serious look on my face, they sit up.

"What's wrong?"

"James threatened me," I say completely omitting Olivia because she is useless.

"What?" Louis seems irritated.

"He blamed me for y- your relationship and he knows some stuff about Derek and he threatened to go to the police if you don't go back to him," I say looking at Nicole.

"Oh. No, we aren't in a relationship. We are just seeing how things go," she says and I nod, waiting for her to address the real problem.

"Of course... What did Derek do?" Louis asks in his usual judgmental tone and I roll my eyes. Some people never change.

"That's not your business," I simply state and they both look at me weird.

"Then it's also not our business. I'm done w- with James," Nicole says and I can't believe it. She doesn't care that I have this problem because of her.

Suddenly, everything I felt minutes ago disappears and I only remember the bad times, how miserable and judgy they were. I was like them but I tried my best to not be because I was too happy and I didn't care enough to think about other people's business.

I won't deny there were good times, but God, I can't remember one single time when they were there for me, while I was there for them all the time.

"I think it's our business if you came here and say James threatened you," Nicole continues and I look at her.

"It's not your business what Derek did. I came here to warn you. I could have talked to Derek. James is dangerous," I say annoyed and she laughs.

"I am done with him, it doesn't matter anymore. I'll tell him to stop-" Louis cuts her off.

"No, I will tell him. I don't want you to get hurt," he says while reaching out to grab her hand.

I roll my eyes. Why did I think they were going to be helpful? I am in the same mess as before. I guess I should tell Derek.

I leave their room and I don't look back.

~

I am laying down in bed, thinking about all the possibilities... what can I do?

What if James is too scared to give Derek in and he just says that to manipulate me? I can't hurt Derek.

I'm not even sure what he knows exactly, and how the fuck did he find out?

I hate James, he has been in my life way too long and he is ruining everything he touches, intentionally.

I hear a sharp knock on my window and I wince. What the fuck?

I stand up and I open the curtains, I see a figure sitting near the window.

I recognize it's Derek when he slightly bends to show his face and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I run to lock the door because my mom is back from work and I turn on the music at a low volume.

I open the window and Derek gets inside.

"What's wrong with you?!" I ask and he chuckles.

"I came to rescue the princess," he teases me while pulling me into a hug and his strong cologne immediately melts all my senses and I forget what I even told him, and how he got up here.

I lose myself for a few seconds as I embrace him and I'm so grateful for having him. He is several inches taller than me and my head is pressed against his torso and I know I never want to let go.

He wraps his arms around my waist and he pulls me in for a quick kiss.

I smile while kissing him and he breaks the kiss to laugh.

"It wasn't easy to climb your window. I need a reward," he jokes and I laugh, of course.

I pull him closer by his shirt and I look deeply into his eyes.

"What kind of reward do you need?" I whisper in a seductive tone and he chuckles.

"Food," he says and I push him away.

"Idiot." I sit on the corner of the bed and grab the glass of juice sitting on the bedside table and I sip from it.

"Where have you been?" I ask a bit too protective but I can't help it. He barely answered my calls after... that interesting... night.

My breath gets heavy just by thinking about his hands all over my body.

"What are you thinking about?" he teases me while standing right in front of me, and I look up at him.

He ignores my question.

I pull his top and he doesn't hesitate, he hovers over me and I lay back. I brush my lips against his before he does and I place both of my hands on his neck.

I explore his mouth without hesitation and he does the same.

"I thought that- maybe I should thank you for your welcome gift." I interrupt the kiss and he smiles.

"What welcome gift?" he mocks me and I almost wanna shove him off. Idiot.

"Fuck you, De-"

He cuts me off by kissing on my neck and he helps me take off my top and continues kissing on my skin, the cleavage then lower to the abdomen.

He stops to look at the hickeys he caused and he smirks, pleased.

"Does my girl want a reminder of that night?" he whispers while looking up at me.

Oh, fuck.

I take off his shirt as fast as possible and he rolls over to the side, getting more comfortable then he pulls me on top of him.

We continue making out as he reaches to the back of my bra and he unclips it so fast. I can't even do that myself. It takes countless looks in the mirror to do it, let alone put it on.

This is the first time he sees my breasts and he looks amazed, I'm so used to them. To me, they are small and normal.

He continues to kiss on my cleavage, sucking on it and I'm already covered in hickeys which I like but for sure my mom won't.

Derek starts sucking on my skin lower, reaching to my nipples and I moan, I didn't even know it could feel this good.

We are involuntarily grinding our bodies against each other.

I continue moving my hips against his body and I can feel his length grow under my crotch.

While he is about to suck on my nipples, I hear a loud knock on the door and my mom calling my name.

I stand up faster than ever and I grab the shirt. I can't find my bra.

He looks so panicked and I instruct him to hide in the closet which is luckily pretty spacious since I threw away many clothes.

I go to the door and I slowly open it. She looks at me suspiciously and then checks my room.

"Why is your bra on the floor?" She raises her eyebrow and my cheeks turn red when I look back to see the bra but luckily I compose myself quickly.

"I took it off. It was too hot and uncomfortable, then I guess it fell off the bed," I say with nonchalance and she seems convinced.

"I came because I heard a lot of noise, but I'm going to bed now. Good night, sweetheart," she says and I say it back to her. I lock the door after I hear her footsteps on the stairs.

I lay against the door and I try to calm down. Fuck, that was so close. Especially considering my mom told Derek to stay away from me.

She doesn't even know him.

Derek comes out of the closet, unsure and he looks just as nervous as I am.

"That was close," he whispers and I laugh nervously.

I lay on the bed near him. My mom completely ruined the moment and I sigh frustrated.

Then I remember what James told me and that I was supposed to tell Derek.

He pulls me into his arms and we sit in silence for a while. Should I tell him? Is he gonna beat the shit out of James?

I don't gather the courage to tell him and I fall asleep as he plays with my hair.