Across the Pond

Chapter 17

"Nico, what are we doing here?" I ask as we exit his car.

"When was the last time you were here, BC? Last summer?" he ignores my question and asks me.

"Yeah," I cross my arms and state. I wait for him to say something, but when he doesn't, I shake my head at him. "What's your point?"

"Just curious, that's all."

I take in the sight before me. Nico's house is still the most beautiful-looking house that I've ever seen, but it looks...I don't know...different. Almost deserted.

"So, let me get this straight. You left your girlfriend for the night to spend time with your friend? At your house? Yup, makes perfect sense."

He walks over to the side that I'm standing on, pressing the button on his car key to lock the doors. "First of all, I didn't leave my girlfriend, I dropped her off. And secondly, you're not my friend, you're my best friend. Sometimes, even more than that." I give him a quizzical look, and he chuckles. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Don't say things you don't mean."

"But I mean it," he says, and my body heats up at the memory of the words from when we were younger.

I find us staring at each other for longer than I'd like. "So are we going to stand here all night?" I break the silence and ask.

"I almost forgot how impatient you are," Nico remarks.

"I am not impatient."

"Uh-huh."

I swat his arm. "Nico, I'm not."

"Right..."

"You're annoying," I roll my eyes playfully at him.

"But you love me."

"Sometimes."

"Liar."

I sigh, finally letting him win this little back-and-forth. "Like I said, are we going to stand here all night?"

"No," he chuckles. "Let's go in." He presses his palm in between my shoulder blades and guides me into the house.

Nico switches the hallway light on, illuminating everything inside. The marble black and white tile floors in the hallway are so clean that I can almost see my reflection through them. The house even smells the same, with its fresh lavender scent.

"Where is everyone?" I ask.

"Mom's in the Hamptons at a friend's house, and dad's on some business trip. Obviously."

I take in my surroundings and immediately feel bad for Nico. It must be hard living in this big house all by yourself. I'm sure it gets lonely. Nico would never admit that, though.

"That mean we can scream at the top of our lungs right now?"

"Go for it," Nico glides his hand in the air and says.

I cover the sides of my mouth with my hands. "Helloooooooo," I shout. The ceilings are so high that the sound echoes.

"Damn, BC, I think you ruptured my ear drum," Nico jokes as he rubs his ear.

"Shut up!" I whack him on the shoulder and say.

"Thanks, though," he tells me. "I needed that laugh."

I smile at him, and can't help it. His laugh makes me happy. "You should do that more."

"Do what more?" he asks in between laughs.

"Laugh." As soon as I say that, his expression becomes serious and I find him staring at me. "So, why bring me here? It's not like I haven't seen your house before."

"We're going swimming."

I dip my chin down and blink a few times. "That's your surprise?"

He follows my motion, dipping his chin down and blinking a few times. "Yes."

"Nico, c'mon."

"C'mon what? What's the problem? You need to learn how to live a little, BC."

"Nico, it's almost 1 AM. And even if it wasn't, I don't have a bathing suit."

"You gotta come up with a better excuse than that."

"It's not an excuse. I don't have a bathing suit!"

"You don't need one."

"Okay," I clap my hands together, "this has been fun, but I'm calling an Uber." I reach for the phone in my back pocket, but as soon as I turn the screen on, he reaches for my hand.

"Don't. Please." His shaky tone is breaking me, and I'm finding a hard time going against him. "I need you. I can't...," he looks around the massive room, "...I can't be alone right now."

And I don't want him to be alone. As much as I want to stay here with him, it's not my place. I'm not his girlfriend. He didn't choose me.

"I'm not your girlfriend, Nico," I whisper because I hate voicing the fact out loud.

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because it's the truth. And you clearly need the reminder."

"Why can't you just be here for me? Be my best friend."

Because I can't. It's too hard. But how do I say that to him? I'm having a hard time walking away. The more distance that I physically put in between us, the more my heart breaks.

"Nico...," I try and reason, but before I can say anything else, he's holding onto my hands and standing mere inches from my face.

"Please, Bella."

I exhale and my whole body relaxes. "I'm not staying the night, Nico."

"I'm not asking you to. I just need a few hours with you. Just me and you. Bella and Nico. Like old times." He's looking at me in a pleading manner and I already know that I'm going to stay, but making him sweat it out a few more seconds won't hurt him.

"I need shorts and a t-shirt," I finally give in and say. "If you think I'm getting my clothes wet, you're insane."

The wide grin on his face right now tells me I made the right decision in staying a few more hours. He goes in for a tight hug and his touch on mine feels good. Feels right.

"Say no more," he smiles devilishly. "Say no more."