I loved you from the start

Demetri was already in the back row when Nicholas slipped into the classroom, five minutes late as usual. Their English teacher barely glanced up, too absorbed in her lecture on Shakespeare. Nicholas dropped into the seat beside him, sliding a folded paper across the desk. Demetri opened it, smirking at the scrawled note: “Ready?” Demetri didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a rubber band and a small paper ball. With a swift motion, he loaded the makeshift slingshot and launched it. The projectile smacked the whiteboard, leaving Mrs. Porter spinning around in confusion. “Who did that?” she demanded, scanning the room. Nicholas leaned back, feigning innocence. “Terrible aim, whoever it was,” he whispered to Demetri, barely holding back a laugh. Demetri scribbled on the note and shoved it back toward him: “Let’s go bigger. Fire alarm after lunch?” Nicholas grinned, jotting down a reply: “Deal. Loser buys snacks.” Mrs. Porter’s eyes landed on them. “Nicholas, Demetri, care to share with the class?” “Just brainstorming,” Nicholas said smoothly. Demetri added, “You know, metaphors. Like this class is a sinking ship.” The class laughed; the troublemakers exchanged a triumphant glance. ‘Demetri high-fives Nicholas; proud of their success’ After the class; like the two troublemakers had mentioned, they pulled the fire alarm, running away as quick as they could, making sure not to get caught. Nicholas burst out the side door of the school, his laughter barely muffled as the blaring fire alarm echoed behind them. He skidded to a stop in the alleyway where Demetri was already leaning against the wall, catching his breath. “That was—” Nicholas doubled over, hands on his knees, gasping between laughs. “That was genius! Did you see Mrs. Porter’s face? She looked like she’d seen a ghost!” Demetri grinned, shaking his head. “You’re insane, you know that?” Nicholas straightened up, still grinning. “Says the guy who yanked the alarm without hesitation.” He wiped his face, eyes sparkling with adrenaline. “Honestly, you’re the real mastermind here.” “Yeah, well,” Demetri shrugged, trying to play it cool but clearly enjoying the praise, “it’s not fun without a partner in crime.” Nicholas leaned in closer, his grin turning mischievous. “Admit it—you’d be bored without me.” Demetri rolled his eyes. “Bored? Maybe. But less likely to end up in detention.” Nicholas laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. “Detention’s a small price for greatness.” He turned toward the street. “C’mon, let’s grab snacks before the chaos catches up to us.” Demetri hesitated, then followed, their laughter trailing behind them. “Man, that was fun, wasn’t it!?” Demetri said, his wide grin almost splitting his face. He leaned back against the alley wall, still catching his breath, the adrenaline from their escape pumping through his veins. Nicholas, still slightly hunched over from laughing, wiped at his eyes. “You’re insane, Dem. Like, genuinely out of your mind.” But he was grinning too, his chest rising and falling as he tried to calm down. “You can’t tell me you didn’t love it,” Demetri shot back, nudging Nicholas’s arm with his elbow. “That was perfect. No one even saw us.” Nicholas straightened up, glancing toward the school where the alarm was still screaming. “Yeah, until they check the cameras. You better hope your hoodie isn’t too recognizable.” “Relax.” Demetri waved him off. “I checked—no cameras near the stairwell. It’s like I planned it or something.” Nicholas looked at him, tilting his head with mock suspicion. “Oh, so you’re the brains of this operation now?” “Obviously,” Demetri replied with mock seriousness, his grin never fading. Nicholas shook his head, smirking. “You’re lucky you’re fun to hang around with.” “And you’re lucky I keep you out of trouble,” Demetri teased, already laughing as Nicholas shoved him lightly in response.