Becoming Mrs. Bryant

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

Aubrey

It was the early hours of the morning, and we had all managed to stay the night at Maddie's place. Zach hasn't been home in who the hell knows how long actually, he's spent the in-between at either our home or Hailey's. Though he did return his mom's car and leave her car key under the welcome mat. Hopefully she found it before some rouge did.

I made a light groan noise as I stretched, cracking a whole lot of bones. I looked around, noticing I was on the floor, and saw that everybody else was asleep. Well, I thought everybody else was asleep, but then I had heard murmuring coming from the kitchen. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked around, trying to make a quick head count and see who was missing.

"Nick."

"I know you don't want me to," I heard him say in a whisper as I waddled to the kitchen, creeping around the corner, "but I have to. He's my brother mom."

Okay, so this was about Rico. I should've gone back to my spot to lay down, but I was nosey and really wanted to know what Nick was planning on doing.

"Yeah, they all advised me not to say anything" Nick said to his mom as he spoke into his cell. "But, I don't think I can do that. My whole life I've wanted a sibling, come to find out I had one."

As I leaned my head around the corner a little more, a spider web fell into my view. "Ew!" I exclaimed, jumping around and right into Nick's view. "Ew, ew, ew! Get it off!" Nick looked at his phone.

"I'll call you back" he whispered, "bye."

Nick seemed to immediately know what it was that I was referring to, as he grabbed a cloth off the edge of the sink and dampened it, wiping my face after.

"Calm down," he said, "it's off. You're good."

"Make up session?" Hailey asked, walking into the kitchen. "Do I see two pals getting into the spirit of friendship once more?" Nick and I chuckled.

"I was actually just talking to somebody on the phone when Aubrey started panicking about a little spider web." I scoffed, "that thing was fucking massive!" I exclaimed, prompting careful laughter from both Nick and Hailey. "Nothing little about it."

"Anyways," I changed the topic, "I see you and your mom were talking about Rico. What's going on?"

"I don't think I can tell you," Nick bluntly informed me, "you were the one that advised against it after all." I nodded, "yeah, I figured it was that. But look, I understand why you want him to know."

"Do you?" Nick asked, and I nodded.

"I mean, the dynamics of you two's relationship will change, for the better most likely." Nick nodded, "yeah. I just, don't want this to be a secret. I'm drained, tired of keeping secrets Aubrey."

"I believe you" I replied, "trust me, I do."

"I mean, you and Rico are like, cool with one another now? Right? Why don't you plan a day to hang out? Aubrey and I could accompany you if that helps you feel more at ease" Hailey suggested.

"Aubrey?" Nick asked, "are you okay with that?"

"I'm sure Nova wouldn't mind me hanging around you" I told Nick. "In fact, I think it would make her happy. Im in, but let me do the asking when it comes to Rico, I think he and I have the best bond out of us three." Hailey nodded, "well I'm dead last, and I'm sure Nick's nervous enough... so yeah. You do it."

***

"Hey!" I said as I leaned against a wall, having been waiting for the football team to leave the locker room. "Can I talk to you for a second Rico?"

"Uh, yeah Aubrey," Rico answered, "what's up?"

"Look, I know this may sound real crazy, but Nick, Hailey, and I wanted to hang out with you." Rico furrowed his eyebrows, "that does sound a tad bit crazy" he said, "Why you three out of all people?"

"Nick is over the whole bullying you thing. He actually thinks you're pretty chill, and he appreciates you being there during that whole Latrell situation. I wanted to hang out with you two because you helped me in a way too. As for Hailey, she's heard a lot about you but barely knows a thing. So she just wanted to form her own opinion." Rico looked unsure.

"I don't know" he said, "this is just really random."

"Rico," I groaned, "I just drove three freaking hours to come talk to you. You probably didn't know this but our friend died, and we were up in Orlando burying him yesterday. We stayed a little longer to comfort his girlfriend." Rico folded his lips in.

"Man, I'm sorry Aubrey," he said, his voice seeming a little raspy, "I didn't really know that."

"Look" Rico continued, "I'll chill with you guys, but it has to be in a place that I'm comfortable at. Like, we can chill at my house? In fact, you can meet my sister! Her name is Julie, I think you might like her."

I smiled and nodded, "maybe I will. But thank you."

Nick

"May I know why we're making our way back to Tallahassee right now?" May asked as we all crammed into the car. Well, we all as in Zach, Hailey, Nova, and her. Lewis and Jason were taking Jason's car. "Why not wait a few days?"

"I would tell you why" I began, "But you might try to stop me. And quite frankly, I don't wanna deal with that." The back seat got quiet for a moment so I looked into my rearview mirror to see what was going on. "What?" I asked upon seeing the girls' heads all huddled up.

"Nick, you can tell us" Nova insisted, "we'll support it as long as it doesn't physically hurt anybody." I did a small chuckle at Nova's words.

"Well, Aubrey, Hailey, and I are gonna hang out with Rico at his house tomorrow."

"Huh?" May, Nova, and Zach all asked.

"Hailey you knew what he was talking about and you acted confused?" Nova asked, "really?"

"Hey" Hailey argued, "in my defense I wanted him to say it hisself. That wasn't my place."

"I mean, you are going" May said, but Hailey had an argument for that to. "It is his brother," she said.

"Man" Zach spoke, "just be careful, both of you. If you need to, bring mace or a knife or something. I don't know. You don't know what this man is capable of doing, especially in his own home."

"Oh don't worry" Nova chirped, sounding ecstatic. "Aubrey always carries pepper spray. My little chili pepper with legs." We all laughed.

"Allllright" Hailey said.