school. You see the truth through the lies. You don’t follow along like some sheep blinded by the butts of the herd in front of him.”
That was definitely true, and it was something many of them didn’t hesitate to rub his nose in. Being different was not easy, and it made him a constant, moving target for teenage hatred and ridicule.
Trying not to think about it, he guided her through the Quarter to where their condo was. She parked out front and turned off the car.
“You really do live close to school,” Casey said as she got out and then opened her trunk for him to retrieve his backpack.
“Yeah, I really like it here.” It was a vast improvement over his last home where the guy across the street had been shot and killed in a drug deal gone bad. “Can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
She screwed her face up. “Don’t you ever think about traveling?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Why should I? Everything I could possibly want is right here at home.”
His comment shocked her. “You are extremely complacent, aren’t you? Don’t you ever want more?”
Nick looked up at the three-story building in front of him where his condo was one of nine. It was spacious and he had his own room and bath. Not to mention, all the neighbors were really nice and friendly. So her question baffled him. “I have more than I need, and that’s plenty for me. There’s nothing else to want.”
Gaping, she crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t want to visit Paris? London? Tokyo? Is there really no place on earth you’d like to see?”
He glanced at the green shutters and steps, and thought about his mom. “I guess Rome.”
That seemed to stun her even more. “Really? You like gladiators or something?”
“Nah. Not for me. My mother would love to visit the Vatican and maybe catch a glimpse of the Pope. It’d be the single biggest thrill of her life.”
“Even bigger than when she had you?”
Nick stifled a shiver at the horror his mother must have felt over his birth. He hadn’t even been born in a hospital—because they had no money. She’d delivered him on his aunt Menyara’s couch. There was no way that could be a happy memory for anyone, except the cleaning company. “Having me was no picnic for her, I assure you. While she might not regret it, I know it’s been hard for her. So no, I don’t put having me in the same thrill bank as her meeting the Pope.”
She tsked at him. “What am I going to do with you? Your mother is lucky to have a teenage son who talks to her, never mind one who respects her and doesn’t backtalk her all the time. Trust me, that makes you the best son imaginable.” She closed the trunk. “There’s a whole world out there, Nick. One that’s filled with adventure and sights the likes of which you can’t imagine. I love New Orleans, too. But there’s so much more to visit and learn about. Why confine yourself to one town for the whole of your life?”
Now that she mentioned it, that was what he’d done. He really had never once considered leaving New Orleans, except during their evacuations during hurricane season. And even then, he couldn’t get back home fast enough.
Maybe he should think about more.…
Casey sidled up to him. “So, can I meet your mom?”
He hesitated. “Why?”
“So that the next time I invite you out, you won’t have an easy excuse to blow me off.” She pressed herself against him, making him real uncomfortable again.
“You are very forward, you know that?”
She smiled a smile that turned his blood into lava. “There’s nothing wrong with going after the things you want, and I want you, Nicholas Gautier.”
Yeah, the devil is sitting on icicles today.…
And eating ice cream from his own hand.
Still, he couldn’t believe what she was saying to him. “A little over a year ago, you didn’t even know I existed and I sat behind you in four classes.”
She made a sound of supreme annoyance. “How many times do I have to
That was definitely true, and it was something many of them didn’t hesitate to rub his nose in. Being different was not easy, and it made him a constant, moving target for teenage hatred and ridicule.
Trying not to think about it, he guided her through the Quarter to where their condo was. She parked out front and turned off the car.
“You really do live close to school,” Casey said as she got out and then opened her trunk for him to retrieve his backpack.
“Yeah, I really like it here.” It was a vast improvement over his last home where the guy across the street had been shot and killed in a drug deal gone bad. “Can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
She screwed her face up. “Don’t you ever think about traveling?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Why should I? Everything I could possibly want is right here at home.”
His comment shocked her. “You are extremely complacent, aren’t you? Don’t you ever want more?”
Nick looked up at the three-story building in front of him where his condo was one of nine. It was spacious and he had his own room and bath. Not to mention, all the neighbors were really nice and friendly. So her question baffled him. “I have more than I need, and that’s plenty for me. There’s nothing else to want.”
Gaping, she crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t want to visit Paris? London? Tokyo? Is there really no place on earth you’d like to see?”
He glanced at the green shutters and steps, and thought about his mom. “I guess Rome.”
That seemed to stun her even more. “Really? You like gladiators or something?”
“Nah. Not for me. My mother would love to visit the Vatican and maybe catch a glimpse of the Pope. It’d be the single biggest thrill of her life.”
“Even bigger than when she had you?”
Nick stifled a shiver at the horror his mother must have felt over his birth. He hadn’t even been born in a hospital—because they had no money. She’d delivered him on his aunt Menyara’s couch. There was no way that could be a happy memory for anyone, except the cleaning company. “Having me was no picnic for her, I assure you. While she might not regret it, I know it’s been hard for her. So no, I don’t put having me in the same thrill bank as her meeting the Pope.”
She tsked at him. “What am I going to do with you? Your mother is lucky to have a teenage son who talks to her, never mind one who respects her and doesn’t backtalk her all the time. Trust me, that makes you the best son imaginable.” She closed the trunk. “There’s a whole world out there, Nick. One that’s filled with adventure and sights the likes of which you can’t imagine. I love New Orleans, too. But there’s so much more to visit and learn about. Why confine yourself to one town for the whole of your life?”
Now that she mentioned it, that was what he’d done. He really had never once considered leaving New Orleans, except during their evacuations during hurricane season. And even then, he couldn’t get back home fast enough.
Maybe he should think about more.…
Casey sidled up to him. “So, can I meet your mom?”
He hesitated. “Why?”
“So that the next time I invite you out, you won’t have an easy excuse to blow me off.” She pressed herself against him, making him real uncomfortable again.
“You are very forward, you know that?”
She smiled a smile that turned his blood into lava. “There’s nothing wrong with going after the things you want, and I want you, Nicholas Gautier.”
Yeah, the devil is sitting on icicles today.…
And eating ice cream from his own hand.
Still, he couldn’t believe what she was saying to him. “A little over a year ago, you didn’t even know I existed and I sat behind you in four classes.”
She made a sound of supreme annoyance. “How many times do I have to
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