ni-ki had mildly—if not completely—ruined you. He was the golden boy athlete, while you were the textbook definition of a goody-two-shoes: always turning in your work on time, correcting the teacher when they slipped up.

People didn’t exactly love that about you—you were a little too nerdy for their taste. But the one person who didn’t seem to mind was ni-ki. In fact, he had the biggest crush on you. You could say he fell first… but you? You fell harder.

He’d been pining after you since junior year prom. That night did something to him—maybe it was the way you laughed, or how you looked in that dress—but from then on, he was a goner.

The only problem? Your dad. Strict didn’t even begin to cover it. Dating was out of the question under his roof.

But ni-ki didn’t care. He wasn’t trying to win over your dad—he only had eyes for you. Every move he made, every effort, was to get you to like him. Your parents were the least of his concerns.

You’d tried countless times to explain to your dad that ni-ki wasn’t like everyone else—that he was different, that he cared. But every time, your words hit a wall. The only response you ever got was the same cold dismissal of “He’s a bad influence.”

You dated him in secret anyway. Ni-ki never held back when it came to your dad’s disapproval.

“I mean, seriously—who hates someone just because they sneak out or occasionally get high at parties?” he’d say, half-laughing. “It’s just me having fun. It’s not like I’m dragging you into it.”

“You know how my dad is—he’s strict,” you mutter, as Ni-ki slings an arm around your shoulders. The two of you walk side by side toward the soccer field, your usual lunch spot—tucked away on the far end of the turf, well out of sight from nosy eyes and wandering teachers.

“He’s stressing for no reason,” Ni-ki says with a casual shrug. “It’s not like I’ve ever made you do anything bad. The worst thing I’ve done is steal your first kiss.”

You roll your eyes, but your smile gives you away.

Your dad eventually found out about the secret relationship—and to no one’s surprise, he completely lost it. The argument had been loud, sharp, and final. As punishment, he grounded you for the entire holiday break, locking you in your room like a prisoner in your own house. No phone calls, no outings, no ni-ki

So when Ni-ki texted you, asking if you were free for a date that weekend, your reply came quickly— “I can’t. I’m grounded. Completely stuck. This sucks.”

You barely had time to toss your phone onto the bed when a sudden knock echoed from your window. Your heart jumped in your chest. You froze. Slowly, you peeled back the curtain—only to see Ni-ki standing outside, grinning like he hadn’t just broken every rule in your father’s imaginary handbook.

“What the heck are you doing here?” you hissed, fumbling to unlatch the window.

He climbed in with zero hesitation, brushing off his jacket like this was a totally normal situation. “I don’t care if you’re grounded. We’re having a date,” he declared with that same reckless confidence that both annoyed and enamored you.

You panicked, immediately glancing at the door and lowering your voice to a sharp whisper “Are you insane? If my dad sees you—”

“Then he sees me,” ni-ki shrugged, already pulling a small paper bag from his hoodie. “but that doesn't mean I'm gonna be deprived of my cuddles and kisses"

He didn’t even give you a chance to say another word. Before you could form a full sentence, he leaned in and pressed a quick peck to your lips—then another, and another—grinning each time as you tried to shove him away in a mix of panic and disbelief.

“Ni-ki—seriously, you—”

Another kiss.

“Stop, I’m gonna get in so much trouble—”

And another.

He pulled back just enough to meet your eyes, his smile softening into something more certain, more stubborn. “I don’t care,” he said so simply like it was the easiest thing ever