Not So Different Pt.2

Nicki was on the floor, on all fours, frozen, her body shaking and her eyes were shut as she was making a silent prayer. She got on her knees and put her hands together.

"Please don't kill me, please. I'll go back upstairs and you can take whatever you want.  You can take everything. I won't say a thing. Please don't kill me. Please ." She cried out to the man who was standing in front of her, beacause of the darkness she could only see a black shadow.

"Get up." The man talked, his voice was bloodcurdling and Nicki shook from fear. She opened an eye making sure she heard right  because she was expecting to hear a gunshot.

"Get up." The man repeted and Nicki jumped on her two feet. And as soon she was on her feet she looked up at the tall figure and saw that the man had a bandana covering his nose and his mouth along with a beanie so the only part of his face that you could see was his eyes.

"Turn around."

Nicki did as told and that is when he took notice of the item in her hand and chuckled. He reached for it and as he snatched the object out of her hand his hand brushed against Nicki's and it sent Chills up her spine .

"An umbrella,really ? What were you thinking ?" 

As he said those words he grabbed the back of her neck causing Nicki to hiss in pain.

"I could have hit you with it if I didn't forget I had it." Nicki mumbled immediatley regretting it as she felt his grip on her neck tighten. The burglar pulled a gun out of nowhere and not long after Nicki felt a cold metal at her temple, she was ready to scream but the hand that was previously at the back of back of neck flew over her mouth.

"Keep it quiet. Don't make a sound or I'll kill you." Tears started streaming down Nicki's face as she could view her own death.

"Understood"

 Nicki shook her head up and down in fear.

"Good, now lead the way to the safe. And don't try nothing stupid." Nicki walked slowly and uneasily given that her body was pressed to her agressor's who had a hand over her mouth while his other hand held the gun to her temple. As she walked, the only thing that she could focus on was the barrel she had on her temple and the bullet that would come out of it. She thought 'He's gonna kill me, I'm helping him take my dad's money and then he'll kill. That man will kill me anyways, might as well try and save my dad's money' but the cool metal at her temple reminded her that it was real life and not some movie she had watched before so she wasn't about to take that kind of risk. 'And maybe if I collaborate it can save my life'. Nicki walked them upstairs and she walked up the corridor and past her parents room hoping they would hear something and come and save her but her father being the heavy sleeper he is and he mother sleeping with earplugs it was impossible, they walked until Nicki stopped in front of the Jackson Pollock.

"Why did you stop? Is it here ?" The burglar whispered in Nicki's ear and she vigourusly shook her head up and down confirming the safe was behind the painting. The man ripped her robe off and used  a piece of it to tie her hands and used an other one as a gag. When he was done with her he sat her on the floor and put his backpack down and pulled a machine out of it it wa sa small thing that he put over the safe's keyboard, he typed on some keys and the safe opened, Nicki watched amazed as he took a few bundles of money out the safe and put them in his backpack then he took  a few pieces of jewelry and put them in the bag too before reclosing the safe and taking his machine back and puting it back in his backpack which he zipped up. He put the painting back at its place. He then turned around and looked back at Nicki who was on the floor and silently crying her eyes out. He stood there looking at her for a second, he looked as if he was thinking about what he should do with her and in Nicki's head it was clear, he was gonna kill her . She shut her eyes and started crying harder the gag being the only thing keeping her quiet . She was waiting for the gunshot that would put an end to her life but it didn't occur. And Nicki opened her eyes when she felt her arm being yanked on. The burglar pulled her up from the floor and undid the gag before placing his hand at her neck.

"You gon go back to bed and when they find out their stuff is missing. You haven't seen a thing."

"Ok. Ok . I won't say a thing . It never happened. " Nicki chocked out eagerly shaking her head up and down and sobbing. 

"Good because, otherwise I know where you live."  The burglar said pointing his gun in her direction he then sighed heavily before grabbing her arm and swirling her around, he then untied the fabric from around her wrists and turned her back around still holding on her wrists. That's when he really saw her face, puffy and reden eyes the pleading look she was giving him. It made him feel bad and he noticed an other thing she was beautiful and she looked so innocent, he felt bad for making her go through this, it wasn't how he usualy did things, she just happened to be on his way, she was at the wrong place at wrong time. 

"I'm sorry, so sorry." He said squeezing her hands before running away and Nicki didn't even had the time to process it that he had disappeared. Nicki stood there shocked her back to the wall, she couldn't believe what had just happened but the only thing she could do was thank the lord for still being alive. She slid down the wall and let the tears flow down her cheeks as her head was burried in her knees.

~~~~~~~~ The Warehouse, Comptons,  L.A 00:45 ~~~~~~~~



"What ? Nigga you messed up, I'm sure she done called the cops by now , we're sc.." Drake cut Chris off.

"No, no I don't think so, and even if they do, we good, they have nothing, no effraction, no fingerprints and she doesn't have the slightest idea of what I look like, damn nigga chill." Drake said throwing the bundle of cash he had in his hand on the table with the other ones.

"He's right, we good for now, we shouldn't hit that spot again though." Future commented.

"Yeah, but Drizzy you should have put a bullet in her head though or I don't know kidnap her or something. " Chris said pacing the room.

"Chill out my nigga, we good." Future tried to convince him.

"Besides, if I had killed or kidnapped her, it would've been worth."

"Ok, ok, I trust y'all."

"Good, now take me home nigga, I gotta get some sleep before school."

"Aight, let's bounce.









~~~~~~~ The Kodjoe's, Bel Air 7a.m ~~~~~~~



Driiiiiinnng, Driiiiiiiiiiiiinng, Driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. Nicki's alarm went off and Nicki turned it off, she was up already, she stayed up all night, she couldn't sleep after last night's events , she was affaid he'd come back again and kill her, and the events couldn't stop playing in her mind.

She got up from her bed, and then went to her ensuite bathroom and did her morning routine which consisted in releaving herself, brushing her teeth, taking a shower, drying up, applying oil and lotion to her skin, doing her hair and make-up and getting dressed. Once she was dressed she got her bag and shoes and grabbed her phone before getting out of her room still thinking about what happened the night before. When she passed by the Jackson Pollock she stoped and just stood there in front of it last night's even replaying in her mind, she could see herself on the floor crying, the burglar pulling her up, the gun pointed in her direction, she could hear the icy voice "otherwise I know where you live" it kept repeting. " I'm sorry, so sorry" . She heard and that's the first time since las tnight  that it hit her, what kind of burglar apologizes to the peole he just robbed ? 

"What's wrong with you girl ? Stop day dreaming it won't get you nowhere. Hurry up before you're late again."

"Sorry mother." Nicki walked past the paintng and ran down the stairs. She got in the kitchen to find her "breakfast" which consisted in an apple and some orange juice on the table. She sighed and looked over her shoulder before walking to the cabinets and opening one of them looking for something more to eat.

"What are you doing ? Breakfast's on the table you don't need anything else . Eat it and I'll drop you off to school so you won't go to McDonald's and get your junk food, I'll pick you up after school also." 

" Yes mom, Nicki sat at the table and silently ate her apple."

"What ?! You're not gonna give me your speech about freedom and tell me how you're an adult and you have rights and all that ?"

Nicki shook her head no.

"Oh well, that means you finally got through your head that I and only I take the decisions here."

Nicki didn't even bothered answering, she just focused on her apple even though her mind was far away. One question kept coming to her mind . 'Should I tell them ?'

~~~~~~~~~~~ UCLA , L.A : 10 a.m~~~~~~~~~~

"And do not forget to read through the next chapter for next class." Mr. Carter the business teacher yelled as the many young adults were all walking their way out the classroom right after the bell had rung.
Drake hurried to put his stuff in his bag before mingling with the crowd of students walking out of the room, the mass of students walked down the school halls adding to the crowd that was already there, Drake was making his way to the library given that he had a free period, he was supposed to meet up with Future to study. Future or Nayvadius was Drake's neighbourg and his best friend they'd known each other since diapers and they been inseparble since then, they did everything together, that was his partner in crime.

"Nicki what's wrong with you ? You been walking around looking like a zombie all morning." Nicki's friend Ciara asked her worried.

"Nothing, I'm good, I just had a rough night, I couldn't sleep. I just need coffee." Nicki gave her friend a warm smile and held up the cup of coffee she'd just gotten from the vending machine. 

"Well, drink it fast then because I'm starting to get worried." Cassie said and they remain walking in direction of their next class, as Cassie was rambling, Nicki wasn't paying her any attention, she was walking staring into space, her mind wasn't there but she was called back to Earth when her head bumped into something hard she felt wetness all over her chest as her coffee was spilt all over it. She looked up and was met with hazel orbs which se briefly got caught up in. She quickly snapped back to reality.

"Oh my god, I am sorry , I wasn't looking where I was going." Nicki apolopgized in a small voice, she was extra shy and never talked to anyone except for her friends and this kind of encounter where the type that got her completly ill-at-ease.

And moreover the person she bumped into was kind of intimidating to her he was a tall guy therefore he was towering over her, his jaw was clenched. But after she talked his face softened and he stood there staring at her embarassing Nicki even more.

"No,no, it's my fault. I'm so... I apologize, I wasn't looking either." Drake stuttered a bit, he had recognized Nicki and started panicking, it wasn't the first time he'd seen her at school but when he saw her last night it didn't hit him, he was just now realising that it was the girl  he robbed the night before.

"It's nothing." Nicki answered looking up at him his voice sounded so familiar she tried to recall where she heard it, that's when she realised who she had bumped into, it was Drake, everyone in the school feared him, they all had something to say about him, everyone had their own story, but most poeple said he was a drug dealer or something, but nobody knew if it was true or not no one ever spoke to him because of where he comes from. And to think that she almost thought it was the voice of the burglar from the night before. 'i'm being paranoid right know'

"No, I feel bad, you have coffee all over your top" Drake said obviously feeling bad. He felt bad for bumpin into her of course but mostly he felt bad for what he did to her the night before, sure he didn't mean to do it, but still he did it and the poor girl seemed so innocent and nice, he had never really talked to her or anything but you could tell she was nice and was innocent, she didn't deserve to go through what he put her through.

"It's, okay, I'll just go clean this up." Nicki said about to walk away. Drake pulled his hoodie off, and called after her. 

"Hey, here take it, I think your shirt is ruined. " 

Nicki turned around and looked at him then at the piece of clothing in his hand and back at him not knowing what to do. 

"Take it." He smiled at her . 

"Well thank you." Nicki slowly took the hoodie out of his grasp.

"That's the least I could do." He said as she walked away 'that's the least I could do' he slowly repeted to himself walking in the other direction. He got to the library and went to join Future. 

"Hey". He sat down on the chair across from his friend and put his bag down. 

"Hey man." Future looked up from his textbook. He looked at his friend who was frantically rubbing his hands over his face. 

"Yo, what's wrong with you ?"

"Man you won't even believe it." Drake brushed his hand over the back of his head.

"What is it ?"

"It was Nicki man, it was Nicki."

"It was Nicki what ? Nicki who ? Nicki from here you never even talked to her ?"

"Nicki from here yes. It was her ! " Right then Drake started to panick.

"Nigga, Imma need you to calm down, and explain. It was Nicki what ?"

Drake looked around them making sure they weren't being listened to.

"The girl, from last night. It was her ."

"For real ?" Future exclaimed rather loud. And a few people started looling at the pair. 

"What you got a problem ?" Future asked and every one turned their head.  Drake nodded ane proceded to tell his friend about the events that just occured. 

~~~~~Meanwhile in the bathroom~~~~~

Nicki took her shirt off an was pulling Drake's hoodie on when Cassie spoke. 

"You're really gonna wear this ?"

"Yes, what's wrong with it ?"  Nicki asked. As she rolled the sleeves up. 

"It's Drake's ! You know what they say about him."

"It's comfy and we both know that whatever people around here say isn't necessarily true besides it's just a hoodie. It can't hurt, and I don't have a choice."

"If you say so." 

"And I look good in it, don't I ?" She asked looking in the mirror, she wasn't allowed to wear hoodies unless it was to do sports, her mom would've fainted if she seen her dressed like that. 

"Why do you seem so happy all of sudden ?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nicki said readjusting the hoodie on her small frame.

"However, you need to give it back asap so you don't have to deal with him again."

"Why are you acting like that Cassie, did we see the same person ? He was nothing but nice !" Nicki defended him

"They say he's dangerous Nicki."

"Seemed like he wouldn't hurt a fly to me." Nicki said as they excited the bathroom.




~~~~~~~ UCLA , Los Angeles, 4:15 pm ~~~~~~~


"Hey mother, it's Nicki again, I've been waiting for you and I still am so yeah if you could at least call me back. Thanks." Nicki sighed and put her phone back in her purse. She had been sitting there on the curb waiting for her mother for 15 minutes now, knowing how Taraji was very ponctual it was weird, she probably just forgot about her again. She was playing with the rings on her fingers when she heard a voice speak behind her she almost had a start.


"Hey, I see my hoodie suits you."

"You think so ?"

"Yeah."

"Well thank you."

"You're very welcome, may I ask you what you're doing alone here."

"Hum, I'm waiting for my mom, she was supposed to come and get me, but I don't know where she is."

"Oh ok." They both stood there, looking at the ground.

"Erm, I could.. I erm I could give you a ride if you want to ?"

"No, no, don't bother, I'll wait."

"Are you sure ? It doesn't bother me you know ?"

"Well if you insist ?" Nicki agreed after hesitating a little bit, she knew how her mother was when she was at work she probably completely forgot about her and when she's at work she doesn't look at her personal phone at all.

"Come on." Drake grabbed her hand and lead her to his car. He knew he had just promised Future he would stay away fom her as much as possible but he couldn't help it, he felt like he owed her. But also, there was just something about her that attracted him he didin't know what it was or why it was so attractive but that's just how it was . 'Alright, I drop her home and then I live her alone, that's it.'

'I know, it's not fancy but it takes me everywhere I need to go." Drake said referring to the car as he opened the door for her.

"Your car is just fine. Thank you." She gave him a warm smile before sliding in."

"So where do I take you ?" Drake asked her acting like he didn't know where she lived. Nicki gave him her adress and he entered it in his GPS and started the engine.

"So, you're Nicki right ?"

"Yep." Nicki smiled show casing her dimples. "And you are Drake."

"In the flesh." He smiled back.

"How do you know who I am ?" Nicki asked, she had two friends in the whole shcool, she didn't do nothing outside of school and never talked to no one so she wondered how he would know her.

"Who doesn't know who you are ? You are the smartest person in the whole school."

"Yeah, right." Nicki simply said, not really liking the fact that everyone else saw her as just "the smartest girl" or a "goody two shoes" or anything else they'd call her.

"How do you know who I am ?"

"Well, I've heard about you, everyone knows you."

"What have you heard ?"

"Does it really matter ?" She didn't want to tell him all the things she's heard about him she wasn't about to say 'Well, they say you're a mercyless drug dealer, some of them even say you're a killer and so on'

"It doesn't you're right." He knew what they all said about him and didn't need a reminder, she was nice enough not to say anything so he wasn't about to push and he could tell she was ill at ease.

"You play basketball ?" Nicki asked when she noticed the basket ball on the backseat.

"I do actually I'm captain of the team, and I also play football, I'm co-captain of the team."

"Oh wow, I never knew, I don't really know what goes on in that school , if you  haven't noticed."

"And what do you do outside of school ?"

"Nothing really."

"Common, don't tell me you just sit around and do nothing, there has to be one thing you like to do."

"Well, I like to dance."

"You dance ? What kind of dance ? Ballet ?"

"Nooo, I did ballet when I was 6." Nicki laughed.

"What do you do then ?"

"I like to mix styles you know, it can go from street dance, to modern jazz, to acro dance, I just love dance every kind of dance is beautiful even ballet." she laughed, Drake chuckled.

"I'd love to see you dance."

"Really ?!" Nicki asked a bit to much exited if you asked her, he was the first person to ever be intrested in her dancing, her friends didn't really care about it, her father didn't have time for it, and her mother god if she knew Nicki was dancing and moreover doing something other than ballet or classic jazz she would kill her.

"Yes really, and you said you do street dance, I'd kill to see that, you don't look likr the type to do hip hop dance." he laughed at her.

"Yeah laugh, I bet you can't even dance."

"Me ?! I'm a great dancer, the best dancer you ever seen."

"Let me laugh."

~~~~~~~~~

"We're here." 

"We are."

Drake got out of the car and opened Nicki's door and helped her out of the car.

"Thank you, for the door, and for the ride... and for the sweater too."

"You're more than welcome." 

"Bye Drake, it was nice "meeting" you ". He chuckled.

"It was nice meeting you too Nicki." He finally let go of her hand.

"See you." She nodded and walked towards her house, and he got back in his car and waited for Nicki to be inside before driving off. 

~~~~~~~~~ The next day UCLA, 08 p.m ~~~~~~~~~

Nicki got out of her car, today she drove herself , her mother had to go in earlly and she never came back before at least 7:30 at night so her father let her drive and told Taraji he was driving her.

Nicki went to sit on the steps at the school's entrance waiting for Cassie and Ciara.

Drake and Future got out of Future's car, Drake's father had a problem with his car so he borrowed his son's that's why Future drove him.

"Man , I'm serious, stop talking to her, you can't hang with her."

"I got it, I just dropped her off that's it, that's the least I could do after what I did to her."

"Yeah but you don't want her to know what you did to her do you ?"

"Of course not."

"Then you need to stop talking to her."

"Alright, alright." They walked to the school and saw Nicki sitting on the steps reading a book. She noticed him and smiled, he smiled back but it disappeared when he felt his bestfriend tugging on his sleeve a little bit.

"Common Drizzy let's go." Drake turned his head away from her and sped walked following his friend in the building.

Nicki frowned, she didn't understand what had just happened, she was confused, it was almost as if, Future didn't want Drake to even look at her but why ? And even Drake himself didn't seem to really want to talk to her. 'He did smile at me though' . She shrugged it off, maybe she was just seeing things. When Cassie and Ciara arrived they got to class .

"You let him take you home ?"

"Yes Cass I did, what's wrong with it ? I told you he's not who everyone say he is, he has been nice."

"Cassie, Nicki's right, you can't believe whatever you hear from people."

"Maybe but still, I think she should take her cautions with a guy like him."

"A guy like him ? Have you ever spoken two words to him ? How can you know what type of guy he is ?"

"Ok, sorry do whatever you want I'm just saying I might not know him but you don't know him either, you had one conversation with him." Cassie walked away leaving Nicki and Ciara behind.

"What's wrong with her ?"

"She's just scared, you know how she believes whatever people say."

"Yes but she doesn't need to act like that, I've only spoken with him once, and we'll probably won't talk again." Nicki said sadly.

"Why does it look like you want to talk to him again ?" Ciara gave Nicki a knowing look.

"Don't give me that look let's go."

"Oh my god you like him!!" Ciara squealed.

"I don't . And stop shouting."

"Hey whatever you do , just be careful, I know I'm the first one to say 'don't believe whatever you hear but really we never know" Nicki nodded before they separated ways.

'Why are they so pressed about this ?' she thought.

M

~~~~~~~~~~~

Nicki was walking towards the parking lot, she only had 3 classes today . She noticed Drake walking in front of her, she walked quicker to catch up to him and she tapped on his shoulder, when he turned around she felt stupid, 'why did I do that ? I don't even know what to say to him.'

"Hey" He called bringing her back to Earth.

"Hey... Erm, you want your sweater back ? It's in my car." It was the only thing that came to her mind and that sweater was the only thing they could talk about anyways. 

"You can keep it." Drake said turning back around.

"You're leaving the campus ?" She called after him.

"Yes, yes , I only had a few classes today." He turned around once again.

"I can give you ride if you want to." 

"I'll be fine thank you." Drake walked away really fast, it was as if he was avoiding her.

Nicki was left in the middle of the campus she felt stupid.

'You're leaving the campus ?' 'I can give you ride if you want to.' Stupid me. Nicki thought walking towards her car.