Him

Definition of beauty

I wake up the next morning with Nick still asleep. His position is facing me and I'm facing him. His hand on my lower back and our bodies, just inches apart.
Nick, still asleep, changes his position and just lays flat on his back, his hand at his side, and his other hand still under my shoulder. I stay in my position curled up against his side, and I close my eyes again.
But a bang of a door opens.

"Tarni." A little voice calls. I open my eyes. It's Michael.
Mom rushes to my side. "Oh honey, are you ok? Your good? No broken bones? Oh dear look at your head."
Nick wakes up and puts his glasses on, he sits up and puts his hand on my upper-back.
"Who's this?" Mom says looking over at Nick.
"Is this your boyfriend?" Tyler asks jumping like a lunatic trying to get onto the bed. Mom lifts him up and sits him on the bed. "Tyler!" Mom snaps.
"I'm Nick, Nick Trustum," Nick says holding his hand out. Mom doesn't budge. "Nice to meet you Mrs Jacobs." He adds.
She shakes his hand.
"Yes, I know your father. Tony Trustum?"
Nick shakes his head, "no that's my uncle."
"So your father is Luke?" She asks.
---
"Ok we'll study each others history later," I say sharply.
Mom coughs, "so, is he your boyfriend?" Mom asks.
I glare at her. "No he's just a friend,"
"Why have I never heard of him before?" Mom asks.
"Mom, he'll explain." I say, I look over at Nick.
"It was all my fault." He says. "I ran into her, and she fell and hit her head. The teacher wasn't there, and I needed to talk to Tarni." He says.
"Why wasn't the teacher there?" Mom asks.
"Because she was in detention." Nick replies.
"Wait, why were you in detention?" Moms glance turns to me. I open my mouth to say something, but Nick speaks first.
"Well my phone went off in class and I panicked, and threw it on her desk, and she got the blame." Nick says looking down in shame. "Ok go on!" Mom says.
"Well see I'd miss my bus, and she'd blacked out, my phone was dead, and no one was at the school. I carried her to the hospital and--"
"Wait, you carried me to the hospital?" I asked, mom looked at me, surprised as if she thought I already knew all this.
Nick nods.
"The hospitals like 3 miles from the school, and you carried me?" He nods again.
I think, I think I might be in love with this guy.
Nick stands up and grabs my hands, the shorty that I am, and the hight of the bed from the floor, makes me look like a midget since I can't touch. He helps me down, And I put on my shoes.
All of a sudden, Tara smashes through the door.
"Damn girl you scared the fricken shit out of me." She says cursing in front of my mother without a care.
She walks up to me and pulls me into an embrace, I hug her back tightly.
"I only just found out when your mom texted me, I came straight from work, are you ok?" She says pulling away.
She looks at Nick. "Nick," she says and she doesn't look impressed.
"Tara, it's ok." I say.

***********************

(Hours later)

I walk out of the hospital with my arm around Nicks waist, and his arm across my shoulder. Tara walking next to my side.
"We're out of that smelly shit hole," Nick says.
I laugh "yes we, are"
"I still can't get over the fact that you carried her all that way." Tara says shocked.
I told her everything, after mom left for work, and took the boys to school.
Tara and Nick, both are missing school today, to stay with me.

"How are we getting home?" I ask.
"Relax, I got dad's car." Tara says.
"Dude you don't even have your licence yet." I say. Stopping in our tracks.
"Yeah but as long as I don't get pulled over, the cops won't know." She says. Turning round to face me, stating out her point.
"I don't want to risk it." I say biting my lip.
"I'll drive, I have my licence," Nick suggests and Tara passes the keys to him.
"Then why didn't you drive her to the hospital yesterday?" Tara asks him. Raising an eyebrow.
"My dad took the car to work yesterday. So I didn't get to drive it to school anyways." He says. And continues walking towards the car.

We get in the car and Tara sits in the back.
"You know?" Tara starts. "You have to keep this one!" She says to me talking about Nick.
I look at Nick and he's smiling.
"I don't even think I'll have second thoughts." I say smiling.