Running Wild in the Night

Brian's POV

Jimmy pulled into my driveway and soon, we all got out. During the whole ride from his house to mine, Nikki didn't even say a word. Hell, I literally had to look in the back seat just to make sure she was alive or something. Instead, she just sat there, reading a book, Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

"I'm doing that book for my senior paper," I said as I walked to the front door.

Nikki looked up and stared at me. "Really? I did this book for my senior paper."

I nodded and held the door open for her. She walked in and Jimmy followed. "Hey, Brian, Jimmy. Who's your friend?"

Sitting on the couch was my step-mom. I looked at her and said, "Oh, hey, Suzy. This is Jimmy's cousin, Nikki. Nikki, this is my step-mom, Suzy."

"Nice to finally meet you, Nikki. Brian says wonderful things about you," Suzy said, getting up and holding her hand out to Nikki.

Nikki stared at her hand for a moment before she shook it. "Nice to meet you too," she said in a quiet voice.

After the introductions with the rest of my family, the three of us headed into the basement, aka our practice room. We had a couch there and that's where Nikki was, just sitting there. She looked a bit out of it and really tired. I don't know, she just did.

Jimmy was setting up his drum kit and I took the moments to get a good look at Nikki, to really study her. She had these amazing green eyes, porcelain skin that seemed to be so smooth, an amazing body......god, she had what every girl wanted. And yet, she tried so hard to ruin her life.

I felt bad for her, living a life that she did. Nikki is a genius but she made a stupid move and fell into the addictions of heroin. Jimmy's told me that she had overdose once and was brought back with shots of adrenaline to the head. Then there's her father: that self-centered asshole that ruined everything for Nikki. How could any father just put his daughter into a mental hospital and think nothing of it. Hell, according to Jimmy, he's in jail and still thinks that Nikki should be in that looney bin.

Well, she doesn't. She's smart, amazing, beautiful.........everything that I find attractive. But I know for a fact that I can't ask her out. Not just because she's Jimmy's cousin, but she is scared to trust anyone. It's amazing how close she is to Jimmy despite everything. He's the only person that seems to have any effect on her.

"Why are you staring at me?"

I blinked and saw that Nikki was looking at me with those amazing green eyes. "Uh, just thinking. Sorry, I tend to stare off and I guess I was staring off at your direction," I lied.

She nodded and went back to her book. "Jimmy?"

He looked at her and asked, "Yeah, Nikki?"

"My grandfather called."

"Why?"

"He wanted to tell your mom that when I turn 17, I have to go to Van Nuys and have a talk with him."

"Oh."

I wonder why she found it so important to tell Jimmy that her grandfather called.

After a few minutes of being lost in my thoughts, the rest of the guys and Val came down the stairs. They helped set up while Val took a seat next to Nikki.

"You do amazing drawings," Val said to Nikki.

She stared at her and asked, "You've seen them? I don't recall showing anyone my old drawings."

"Jimmy show them to us."

Nikki looked at Jimmy and got up. "I lost that talent long ago."

With that, she walked up the stairs. I was about ready to follow her when Jimmy held me back. "Don't."

"Why?"

"If there's one thing I know about my cousin, it's that she prefers to be along right now. Let her do that and she'll come back."

Nikki's POV

I just sat on the bench on the front porch. It bothered me that Jimmy showed those drawings. It bothered me because I can't do anything now. I don't see things the way I used to. I can't see a finished painting or drawing anymore. I can't do anything anymore.

Ever since I got to Huntington Beach, I always wondered why my aunt and uncle decided to take me in. I'm so problematic. I'm a walking train wreck and they still take me in. Why?

Do they pity me?

Do they honestly care?

Why? That's all I want to know: why.

To me, it makes no sense. I'm a fucking fuck-up and they still take me in.

I still don't get it.

"Hi!"

I turned my head, looking at the source of the voice that pulled me away from my thoughts. It was a little girl around five years old. She looked a lot like Brian so I figured she was his sister or something. "Hi," I replied back.

She sat next to me and said, "I'm McKenna, Brian's little sister."

So I was right.

"Hi, McKenna. I'm Nikki, Jimmy's cousin."

"You're pretty."

Me? Pretty, no I'm far from pretty. I've already said I think that I'm a fucking fuck-up. "No, I'm not pretty. I'm just average," I answered.

"No, you're pretty. Why else would Brian talk about you a lot?"

"He talks about me? What does he say?"

"That you're pretty and amazingly smart and that you're really sad all the time."

"That's nice of him to say all those things."

She smiled at and pulled out a piece of paper and a marker. "He also says you're an amazing drawer so I was wondering if you'd draw me something."

"I haven't done any drawings in a long time, but I can show you a little magic trick."

Her eyes lit up as she gasped. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Will you hand me the piece of paper?"

McKenna did what I asked and I stared drawing something. When I was done, I folded the picture back up and then un-folded it. "Oh my gosh!"

Brian's POV

McKenna started running down the stairs, screaming for me. Being the worried older brother, I stopped playing and ran up to her. "What's up, McKenna? Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

"No, but I met Nikki."

"What do you think of her."

"She seems sad all the time but she showed me a magic trick!"

Nikki doing a magic trick that seems unlikely. "What did she do?"

"She drew something on a piece of paper, folded it, unfolded it, and the drawing came to life! See!"

Then McKenna opened her hands, revealing a purple butterfly.