Changing The Rules

“Charlene did you forget to mention that Nicks family was loaded?” My mum whispered frantically as we waited outside his door.

“Like it matters mum” I whispered back. My mum always got like this with boyfriends, she would always check they would be able to ‘support me’ if we got married. She swore to never mention it though because it’s not exactly something a teenage guy likes to hear.

The door opened revealing Mrs Jonas who was smiling brightly as she welcomed us into her home.

“Thank you all for coming, we’re having roast chicken if that’s all right” Mr Jonas said as he took our jackets, putting them away in a cupboard.

“Oh yes that sounds amazing. You know I have the most amazing recipe I must show you.” My mum said as Mrs Jonas took her arm and they walked into the kitchen together.

“The boys are just down in the basement playing the wii; I didn’t want to disturb them. Besides I don’t think I could have gotten their attention off that silly thing.”

“You think those are silly as well? I don’t understand why people cant just go outside and place tennis rather than staying inside all day and doing ‘sports’ on TV. It’s ridiculous” My dad said. This was not something I hadn’t heard before considering my father was not one to hold in his opinions.

“You know I was telling my boys that just the other day” They too walked off in the opposite direction, leaving me by the door of this huge house not knowing where to go. There was a low muttering and scuffing off feet on the carpet. Frankie then appeared, about to walk up the stairs when he spotted me.

“Hey Frankie” I said waving at him as he continued up the stairs.

“Hey” He said quietly before walking up the rest of the stairs and heading into his bedroom, brushing away a tear as he did. I frowned, going up the stairs, knocking on his door and entering when I didn’t get a reply.

“What’s wrong little man?” I asked bending down to his level to look at his tear stained face.

“Nick and Joe and Kevin” He said through sobs, making it quite hard to understand him. I told him to breathe slightly before he started again. “They said I was really bad at tennis and that I couldn’t be on anyone’s team”

My eyes softened, sitting next to him on his bed and hugging him. His little arms wrapped around my back as some of his tears fell onto my shirt.

“They’re just jealous; I bet you’re the best tennis player. In fact I know you’re the best tennis player.” I said as he giggled slightly, wiping at his tears and hiccupping slightly.

“You want to play hungry hungry hippos with me?” He said quietly. I nodded bringing a grin to his face as he hopped off the bed and took my hand, leading me to over to his cupboard which was filled with games.

“I’m warning you Frankie, I am the master at hungry hungry hippos.” I said, wiping off some invisible dirt.

“Nah ah, that is me. I even have a nickname…I am the triple h king” He giggled as I threw my head back laughing.

“Ok ok little man why don’t you show me what you got.”

After about five minutes of playing and Frankie proving that he really was the triple h king we decided to go again because I was determined to prove him wrong.

“Frankie have you seen Charlene?” Nick asked as he poked his head into the room. Frankie and I were sitting around the side of the wall meaning Nick could only see Frankie.

“I’m not talking to you” Frankie mumbled crossing his arms over his chest looking so cute as he did so. I heard Nick groan and close the door, his body pressing against it.

“Frankie none of us meant to be rude, it’s just that we had money riding on that game and I can’t afford to lose money when I’m planning on taking Charlene out on Thursday.” He mumbled, hitting his head on the door.

“Aww” I said as I sighed in fulfilment, not knowing he was planning on surprising me. Nick’s head suddenly appeared from behind the wall, looking at me with amusement .

“What are you doing in here? I’ve been looking all over the house for you.” He said smiling as he walked around Frankie and sat down next to me, taking me in his arms.

“I was playing hungry hungry hippos with the master here. Who” I paused poking his chest, leaning back to rob him of a kiss “you were not very nice to.” I raised my eyebrows at him as he looked down, turning to look at Frankie.

“I’m sorry Frankie. Do…do” He sighed, rolling his eyes as he said “do you want to be on my team?” Frankie nodded enthusiastically, smiling at me and feeling like the bigger man.

“Well done” I said turning Nick’s face to mine, pressing my lips to his. His arms went around my waist, pulling me onto his lap as my fingers tangled themselves in his hair.

“Ewwyy” Frankie complained trying to get our attention. “Can you go and do that in your room please?” I giggled standing up slowly at the same speed as Nick, neither of us breaking the kiss. We some how found our way out of the room and into the main corridor, both of our arms still around each other. Growing inpatient to get me alone, Nick lifted me up, my legs going around his waist as he walked us to his room, still having kept the kiss going. He stumbled into the room, closing and locking the door behind him before he walked over and lowered me onto the bed, going down with me. I rolled over so I was above him, rubbing my body on his, hearing him moan, gripping my body closer to his. His cold fingers made me jump as they roamed my back, finding their way up to my bra where they played with the clip before pulling away; deciding it wasn’t the right time.

“I love you” He said stroking my cheek as I lay on top of him.

“I love you” I said, pressing my finger into his chest, leaning in to softly kiss him again. “Frankie was really upset you know.”

“I know he’s just gets so annoying sometimes” Nick said, rubbing his hands up and down my side considering I was still on top of him.

“He’s only young Nick”

“I know I know, but moving on, are you free on Thursday night?” He said, placing his hands on my upper thigh to move my face closer to his.

“Oh for your ‘surprise’? Well I was supposed to be going to Matt’s but I’d drop anything to be with you.” I said, pressing my lips to him, pulling back when he didn’t return it.

“Who the hell is this Matt guy you always talk about?” He spat at me, turning into the green eyed monster.

I groaned, rolling off of him and sitting up on his bed, looking down at him.

“Nick why do you have to jealous all the time? He’s one of my best friends. He’s a friend Nick.” I said, shaking my head at how jealous and protective he got all the time.

“Well why are you going to his house?”

I scoffed, throwing my head back in frustration “Damn it Nick why do you always get like this? He is a friend. Friends meet up and considering he goes to Westlake, I can’t exactly speak to him at school. I don’t understand why you can’t trust me. Why is it so bloody hard?” He scrambled up from the lying position he had adopted and quickly took my hands in his, refusing to let go when I tried to pull away.

“I do I do, don’t think that I don’t trust you because I do. It’s other people I don’t trust.” He said frantically, not wanting be to get any angrier with him.

“Nick you should trust me enough to know that I would never let anyone take me from you.”

“I know, but I also know how teenage guys think and believe me very few want to ‘talk’. Trust me, I used to be one of those tools. I’m just jealous of all the time you spend with this Matt guy” His eyes flashed anger as he said his name, clearly not liking me getting close to other guys.

“Nick” I sighed, pulling my hands from his grip to run my fingers through my hair. “I’ve told you so many times that you can’t keep getting jealous like this. Matt is a really great friend but nothing more. I don’t like him like that and he doesn’t see me as that ‘type’. He’s known about you all along; from when you were a total and utter bastard” I paused placing both of my hands on his cheeks, smiling softly “To the guy I now love with all my heart. He would have to be a heartless, cold person to want to ruin that and I know that he never would.” Nick continued to stare at me, not even blinking just staring.

“How do you do it?”

I scrunched my nose in confusion, wondering where he was coming from “Do what?”

His arms wrapped around my back, moving me so I was straddling his hips, my arms relocating to his neck.

“Calm me down. No one has ever had the effect you do on me, it’s kind of scary actually.” He looked like he was about to ask something else but stopped himself, shaking his head.

“No go on” I prompted, smiling at him encouragingly.

“Would if be an invasion of privacy if I asked to meet this Matt guy? It’s not that I don’t trust you or anything because it really isn’t I just-”

I silenced him with my lips, not wanting him to get all worked up. I rested my forehead on his, analysing his atlantic deep eyes which could tell a million stories. “I wouldn’t mind that and I think he wants to meet you as well. But just warning you, he is very protective of me. Not as much as you but none the less” I laughed kissing his lips again.

“But are you going out with me on Thursday?” Nick asked, running his fingers up and down my back.

“Duh. We can drop into his store before we go out so you can meet briefly without all the awkwardness. Was there any particular reason you wanted to go out on Thursday?”

“Well yeah, there’s the game on Friday and there will be parties all weekend which I am being forced to. You are going to the after party on Friday right? The one at Brads house?”

“Urm did you want me to come? Most of my friends are going but I didn’t know if you wanted me all in your ‘space’.” I knew he wanted to spend time together but I hadn’t forgotten that he did have a life outside of me and that he still needed to be a regular teenage guy.

“Of course I want you there, it will be interesting having to keep my hands off you the whole night. But do you want to come back here after because it will be late and I want to be able to hold you when we’re all alone.”

“Charlene.” There was a quiet voice from the other side of the door which sounded like it belonged to Frankie.

“Yeah”

“Lunch is ready” The door handle was moving but Frankie must have soon realised that it was locked and gave up.

“Thanks little man” I called from the bed, as I continued to straddle Nick, his arms maintaining a strong grip on my back.

“You’re welcome triple h queen.” He said cheekily with a little giggle before I heard his footsteps padding down the stairs. I started laughing, turning to look at Nick who looked completely lost.

“He is a funny dude” I said getting off his lap as he still wondered what was going on. “It’s top secret.” I whispered raising my eyebrows, tapping one side of my nose and unlocking his door, waiting for him to join me.

“You didn’t answer my question. Do you want to come back here after the party?” Nick said as he reached my side as we walked down the stairs to go to lunch.

“I’d love to” I said pecking his lips, taking his hand in mine as we walked into the kitchen where our families were already bonding.

“Charly Charly sit here, sit here, I saved you a seat” Frankie said, jumping up from his chair holding out his hand for me to take.

“Hey man don’t try to steal my girlfriend” Nick said jokingly, Frankie poking his tongue out.

“If there’s one guy you need to be worried about stealing my heart, it’s him” I said winking at Nick as I took Frankie’s hand. Nick pulled up a seat next to Joe who was opposite me. It didn’t take long until I felt a foot running up my trousers. I jumped slightly, looking to Joe who was scoffing on his food before looking to his right to see Nick with a smirk on his face. Kevin looked between the two of us knowingly before chuckling to himself slightly. Frankie went on talking about loads of different games we could play later, including another run of hungry hungry hippos.

This was the first time for a good few years that I felt truly happy and accepted. And it was all down to Nick. My Romeo.