While the Sun Shines

7.

Nick didn't particularly want to go back inside the gay bar. The only reason to be here was the free beer, and Nick wasn't quite sure if that was worth it. 

"Hey!" Nick's arm twitched when someone suddenly tugged on it. 

He turned and saw Lara smiling at him. 

"Hi?" Nick replied, the word coming out sounding like a question.

Lara moved her hand to his shoulder. Pleasant tingles shot down his arm as she leaned a little closer. "Are you alright?" she asked. 

Huh?  "...Sure." Nick frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?" 

"Okay, Nick." Lara rubbed his arm in a sympathetic gesture, and Nick's confusion only grew. Sure, he'd all but dragged Blake outside and told him off, but that was no reason to assume he wasn't alright. 

"Well, just know I'm here for you if you want to talk," Lara said. "About anything. I don't judge." 

Lara looked at Nick like she expected a certain reaction, but Nick was completely stumped. 

"Thanks," he simply replied. 

"Of course." Lara smiled and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Do you maybe want to meet up to have coffee later this week at uni? Just to talk?"

"Sure," Nick said, barely able to keep more confusion from seeping into his voice. "That sounds good." 

"Great. Let's go back inside?" 

"Uhm, okay." 

Shit. Hadn't he just told himself he'd go home? Why was he so easily convinced by a smile and a hand resting on his arm? Nick followed Lara back inside the gay bar cursing his lack of ability to stand up for himself when faced with a pretty girl. 

Nick didn't understand how he'd all of a sudden landed himself a coffee date with Lara, until she turned to him and subtly nodded at the blond guy, who most definitely wasn't one of the exchange students, standing near the bar. The same guy who'd hit on Nick before. 

"I'm so sorry we were staring at you like that," Lara apologised. "And that I teased you before. I swear we won't look and joke and make things uncomfortable for you this time. Promise. Just go talk to him, okay! Don't miss your shot because of us."

"... What?" Nick stared blankly at Lara until the dots connected. 

Lara thought he was uncomfortable because of her and her friends giggling and waving at him while he talked to this guy. She still thought he was gay and just shy about it, didn't she?

"No, I'm not—" Nick started to explain, but Lara already gave him a soft push in the bar's direction and an encouraging nod. Then she walked back to her friends and Blake, and made a show of looking the other way while dancing with them.

Nick pressed a hand to his forehead and groaned. Of course. Like he'd ever get this lucky. He definitely needed more alcohol now. 

Nick didn't even bother asking Anthony for a round and just walked up to the barman alone to order a beer. As he waited for his drink Nick glanced around the bar. 

Now that Nick was paying attention to it, he noticed there were more guys who curiously glanced at him or gave him the up and down look. Did the people around him think that he was interested? Did he give out gay vibes? Nick had never heard Sem or Blake say anything like that, but Nick supposed it was rather easy to assume someone was gay or bi if they were standing alone in a gay bar and looked around.

Just as Nick grabbed his beer and wanted to go seek the safety of the exchange student herd, the blond guy from before walked up to him.

"Hey, you're back," he greeted Nick.