Ok, so some people have messaged me, concerned that Nikkie was gonna get between Zach and Cammie, so I decided to stick a little love interest in there for Nikkie, enjoy!
I cautiously crawled through the ventilation shaft, reaching the end in 30.2 seconds. I quickly unscrewed the cover and placed it beside me. This was going to be a piece of cake.
Grant POV
I lifted Nikkie up into the ventilation shaft, man she was light! Or maybe I'm just really strong. Anyways, after 37 seconds we noticed the vent being removed carefully. Nikkie carefully poked her head out, surveying the room expertly. I swear I saw her smirk. Nikkie's head suddenly disappeared, and seconds later she vaulted out of the shaft, reaching for a support beam on the ceiling. She sat dangling there while looking expectantly at the wall we were looking through. A second later her mouth began to move as her voice rang out from a speaker in the control panel.
"Whats my target?"
"Oh, yes.. eerr... the portrait of the blue house, south side of the room." Mr Smith replied.
All out head swiveled to find the painting he was talking about. Our eyes moved back to Nikkie who was harnessing herself to a rope. A moment later she began making her way across the ceiling, carefully swinging through the room. When she made it to the beam beneath the painting, she began tying the rope to the beam.
"Two minutes, Miss DiCaprio."
I saw her nod as she gave the rope a tug before free falling over the top of the beam.
Nikkie POV
I finished tying the knot on the supports just as Mr Smith gave me the two minute warning. I checked the rope once more before diving off the beam. I came to a rough stop and turned to examine the painting. I peeked behind it, weight sensors, dang. I searched in my pocket for a piece of gum and began chewing it ferociously. After 12.7 seconds of chewing, I carefully removed the piece from my mouth and grasped the painting with my other hand. I carefully slid the painting off the rack, while adhering the gum at the same time. No alarm. I relaxed and let go a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. I quickly clambered back up the rope, well as best I could while lugging this painting anyways. I then carefully made my way over the beams until I was as close as possible to the vent I had come through. I took a deep breath before leaping back into the vent. From there it was just a matter of making it back through the labyrinth of tunnels. Ah! Found it! I popped my head down and was met with my class mates expectant eyes. I grinned and passed the painting to Mr Smith before sliding out of the hole in the ceiling. I landed on the floor and looked at Mr Smith.
"Not my best work, but it'll do I suppose" I stated, half disappointed in myself and half cautiously reminding myself not to give too much of myself away. I walked over and began putting my jeans back on while other people went.
30 minutes and 27 seconds later
Class had ended and we were on our way to lunch. We were walking back towards the cafeteria when Macey posed an interesting question.
"Hey, Nikkie, did you ever work with anybody when you stealing junk?" I cringed, at the thought of the things I stole being referred to as 'junk'.
"Nah, I usually preferred to work alone. But I have been known to work with as a team every now and then." I couldn't help but chuckle at the memories.
"With who?" Liz squealed. "Was it a boy?" I could feel my cheeks flush and bowed my head, embarrassed.
"So it was a boy." Macey smirked knowingly. "Were you two like, an item?"
My cheeks were burning as I mumbled a timid "maaayyybee.." to the ground.
"What was that Nik? I didn't hear you." They were enjoying this way too much.
"I said maybe! You don't even know if there is a boy." I growled, annoyed.
"Well did you at least use protection?" More snickers.
"Eew, no! We never got anywhere near that! How disgusting!" I almost hurled my breakfast at the thought of Carter and I doing something like that. I could feel them struggling to contain their laughter.
"So there is a boy!" I sighed in defeat.
"Yes, there is a boy, his name is Carter Ford. We met when I was ten and he was eleven." I looked up, and their all staring at me, their mouths hanging open.
"What?" I asked them, concerned that they were going to start attracting flies.
"You went out with the Carter Ford?" They asked me incredulously. Now it was my turn to laugh.
"Well technically we never broke up so we're still dating." They stared at me some more. I stared blankly back at them. "Whats the big deal about Carter anyways?" This time Jonas answered.
"Well, Carter is kind of an enigma to, well, the world. No-one has ever been able to catch him. He's-" Suddenly Jonas was cut off by my cell phone ringing. I checked the Caller ID.
"Well speak of the Devil." I muttered.
"Who is it?" Cammie asked.
"Carter" I replied. "He's probably concerned after I didn't come home Tuesday." I flipped the phone open.
"Hello?"
"Where the hell have you been? Do you know how worried I was?" I cringed.
"Listen, Cart, I am sooooo sorry, but that museum I was working, well things kinda changed."
"Changed? Changed how? We've hit that museum twice before! It should be as easy as taking diamonds from the French National Bank!" I chuckled at that.
" Well, you see, I was kinda umm...caught."
"You were WHAT!"
"I was caught! How was I supposed to know there was gonna be some super spy dude there who saw what I was doing!" Carter was eerily silent.
"Cart?"
"Well, where are you now? Obviously your not in prison if you still have this phone."
"Well, it turns out the spy dude who busted me teaches at this spy school for girls and he made me go there instead of prison."
"Soo, your in spy school?"
"Pretty much, ya."
I heard Carter take a deep breath.
"Carter?"
"What, Nik?"
"I love you."
Another sigh. "I love you too, Nikkie. I just wish you didn't go off getting yourself in trouble all the time. Where is the school?"
"Carter your not seriously thinking of coming here are you? They'll shoot you!"
"I've been shot before, Niks. And besides, I miss you."
Now it was my turn to sigh. "I miss you too, but it's not like you can just waltz right in here! This place has the toughest security since the Vienna job in Rome last year!" I heard Carter whistle.
"Wow, tough break. Look, just tell me where you are and I promise I'll find a way to at least visit you, please?"
"Alright. I'm in the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, somewhere in Virginia. Roseville, I think."
"Well, I just happen to be in the area. I'll see you tonight!" I opened my mouth to speak, but Carter kept talking.
"Cart-"
"Goodbye, Nikkie." the line went dead. I let out an exasperated sigh and flipped the phone shut.
"Boy troubles?" Bex smirked.
"He hung up on me!" I grinned as we made it into the dining hall."Ahh, lunch!"
7:30 PM
I was sitting on my bead, listening to 'my' Ipod while folding the uniforms that had just arrived for me. I cringed at the sight of the skirts. I was singing softly along to the song that was on when I felt the bed dip a little next to me. I sprung up off the bed and tore the ear buds out of my ears. There, sitting on my bed 3 feet away, was Carter.
Carter had straight dark brown, almost black hair. It shined in the sunlight and would be considered almost a punk look. His eyes were what I considered the most beautiful feature about him. They were a clear blue that sparkled with compassion and ingenuity. He stood at about 5' 10, a full 6 inches taller than me.
I stared at Carter as he sat on my bed, grinning like an idiot. We sat in silence for a moment before I rushed forward into his arms.
"What the hell are you doing here!" I whisper-yelled.
"I came to see you." He replied, as if it were that simple, stroking my hair.
"Are you crazy! Your gonna get yourself killed!" I felt Carter smile.
"I'm still alive, aren't I? And besides, I needed to make sure you were safe. By the way, I love the skirt." He smirked down at me and I felt myself blush. A voice from the living room of the suite brought our attention to the door.
"Hey, Nikkie! Were gonna play Twister! You want in?" Macey's voice sounded from the other side of the wall.
"Totally! Let me get out of this skirt and I'll be there in a sec!" I yelled back, hoping they couldnt sense the panic in my voice. I ran to my closet and threw on some shorts before rushing back to Carter. I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. I pulled away and smiled up at him.
"Stay here please" I begged him, giving him the full force of my puppy-dog-pout that we both knew he couldn't resist. He sighed.
"Fine, but I'm going through all your stuff." I glared at him before turning and heading out to the living room.
We decided to play boys against girls, the girls winning after Liz discovered a way to rig the spinner. After admitting defeat, the boys left to their dorms at 8:15. The door closed and suddenly they all turned on me.
Cammie POV
"Ok, spill." Macey demanded as we all backed Nikkie into a corner, surrounding her.
"Wh-what?" She stuttered.
"We know there's someone in there, or your just crazy. Who is it?" Bex demanded, pointing towards the closed bedroom door.
"How did you know?" She asked accusingly. We pointed to ourselves and said "spy." I could tell she was really beginning to hate that. She sighed in admission.
"Fine, Carter is in there." We shared an excited glance before rushing to the bedroom door, Macey in the lead. She slowly opened the door and peered inside. After a moment she stuck her head back out.
"There's no-one in there."
"Ladies."
We all whirled to the sight of Carter lounging casually in a bean bag, watching us with bored eyes. Man, he was hot! I mentally smacked myself, Zach would have killed me if he heard me think that. Judging by everyone else's tormented eyes, they were thinking the same thing. Nikkie made her way over to Carter and thwacked him in the head.
"Ow! What was that for?" He complained, rubbing his sore head.
"For disobeying me when I told you to stay in the room." She replied angrily. Carter stopped rubbing his head and looked up at her with pleading eyes.
"aw, Nik, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it I swear." Nikkie continued to glare as she eased into his outstretched arms.
"Uh-huh." She said, smiling now. It was then that she turned to us.
"Guys, this is Carter."