ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ sᴛᴜᴅᴇɴᴛ (ɴɪᴄᴋ ɴᴇʟsᴏɴ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ)

chapter 7

I sighed and shut my phone off. Nick was blowing me up with apologies. I just want to be petty. I want to be angry for a little longer.
    I got up and started getting ready for Charlie's birthday. I slowly got ready, thoughts of what happened clouding my mind. I wonder if he's going to Charlie's party.
    "Y/n, you almost done?" Riley called from downstairs.
    "Yeah!" I responded while walking down the stairs.
    “Great. Listen, I don’t know what happened with Nick, but please let it go for at leasy today. Charlie’s been having a difficult time lately and I want today to be good for him,”
    I nodded, “Yeah, I’ll put it aside for today. Just tell Nick to leave me alone, tell him not to talk to me unless he has to, please?”
    Riley sighed, “Yeah, I will, what the fuck happened to you guys?”
     I pursed my lips, “A lot. I’m not comfortable talking about it right now. The only reason Tao and Elle know is because they saw it happen,”
    “Okay, whatever it is, I can tell it’s bothering you. I’m sorry it happened,”
    I smiled at Riley, “It’s okay,”
    “I love you,”
    “I love you too Ri,”
    “Now lets go! I have a boyfriend to celebrate,”
    I laughed and followed him out the door the his moms car, who agreed to drive us to the bowling alley.
    After a short ten minute ride we got the bowling place and I took a deep breath before opening the door. Put it aside. I’m here for Charlie. Be petty, not bitchy. I opened the door and smiled when I saw Tao and Elle getting drinks.
    “Y/n!” Tao cheered when he saw me and ran up to hug me.
    I laughed, “Hi Tao, how’s you?”
    “I’m good!”
    Elle walked up, drinks in hand, “Hello Y/n, we were just getting drinks for everyone, I got you your favorite,” She said, handing me a cup full of my favorite drink.
    “Awh, thank you Elle,” I said and kissed her cheek because I couldn’t hug her without drinks spilling, she smiled in return.
    Riley left when he saw Nick, Isaac, and most importantly Charlie in a bowling lane. I looked over and sucked in a breath when I saw Nick looking our way.
    “Are you sure you’re okay with this Y/n/n (if you have a nick name)?” Tao asked, looking towards Nick.
    “No, I’m not. But I’ll get over it, this day is for Charlie, not my pettiness,”
    “Okay, well if you need to get out for a second just tell me,”
    “Okay, can do,” The three of us went and grabbed the drinks and walked over to the others.
    “Y/n!” Charlie cheered and hugged me.
    “Hi Charlie! Happy birthday!” I said, handing him a gift bag.
    “Thank you!” He thanked, setting down the gift where others were.
    I looked at the score board and saw that they just finished a game. Nick won. Hm, well he won’t win again.
    “Hello Y/n,” Isaac said.
    I smiled at him, “Hello Isaac, how are you?”
    “I’m doing great, thank you for asking!”
    I smiled in response. Nick cleared his throat awkwardly.
    “Let’s play another game shall we?” He asked and everyone agreed.
   
    “Y/n! How are you so good!?” Tao complained as I got my second strike in a row, everyone nodded in agreement.
    “I used to play all the time with my dad back home. We lived right by a bowling alley and we’d go there every weekend. We used to get discounts because we went so much. This is the first year I haven’t bowled until my fingers felt like they were about to fall off,” I smiled at the memories, I quickly wiped a tear from my eye. “But, today is not a day for reminiscing, it’s a day to reminisce about in the future, yeah?”
    “Oh yeah, I’ll be so happy remember an American beat my ass in bowling in the future,” Tao said rolling his eyes.
    “Awh, you’ll think of me when I’m gone?” I said, giving him fake puppy eyes. He scoffed and everyone laughed.
    “All that doesn’t matter when I’ll win,” Nick said, grabbing his bowling ball.
    I scoffed, “In you’re dreams Nelson,”
    He winked at me, “That you are,” My mouth opened as heat raced up my neck.
    He threw his ball and landed a strike. He cheered, his arms going up in the air. I rolled my eyes.
    
    We finished, I just barely beat Nick, which I rubbed into his face.
    “I’m going to get more drinks,” I said, seeing multiple empty cups. Elle tried giving me money but I refused.
    “I’ll go with you,” Nick told me, Riley’s eyes widened but he didn’t say anything. I glared at Riley as Nick got up and followed me.
    “Hey, just the same, refills,” I told the lady at the desk, she nodded and left.
    “Y/n we need to talk,”
    “How was your date?” I asked, not looking at him.
    Nick put his head down. “I didn’t go,”
    I laughed at the irony, “Great, good fucking job Nick Nelson, you stood her up. You’ve hurt two people in the matter of a week. Good job,”
    “I didn’t just stand her up. I told Imogen I couldn’t make it and I’m going to meet up with her tomorrow to tell her I don’t like her, I like someone else. I like you y/n,”
    I sighed, “Then why’d you say yes to her?”
    “I was just, I was stupid. She asked me, and all our mated were standing there urging me to say yes, and to be honest, I don’t know how to say no. And I was going to break it off with her yesterday but her dog died and I felt bad. Y/n, I really like you, please please please forgive me,”
    I sighed again, “Yeah, I forgive you. Let’s just, wait on us though yeah?”
    “Us?”
    “We’re just friends. Just friends that may or may not make out every once in a while yeah?”
    Nick laughed, “Okay, just friends that make out every once in a while. Sounds good,”
    I smiled, “Good,”

5/16/22