Nic came around the the backyard of Alice's place. The group sat in the cushioned yard chairs around the fire pit, talking and laughing.
"Ugh, look what the tide washed up," Stella sarcastically wretched as Nic came over. She watched Nic settle into the last empty seat and asked, "So how was the family trip?"
"A trip and a half," Nic groaned, "I need to sleep for a week straight to recover."
"So what about another beach trip but with all of us?" Alice asked, shooting Nic a sly expression. She looked around at the others who all smiled along.
Shrugging, Nic answered, "Sure. Sounds fun."
A trip with her friends would be fun. They could be as batshit crazy as they want without fear of waking up their parents like they usually do when they hang out overnight.
Nic could also be as batshit crazy with them without having to worry about her parents judging her. Her cousins were fun and all, but her parents pulling her aside to tell her they don't approve of how they act down the shore wasn't so fun.
Nic caught Harper's gaze across the fire. There was something about it that made Nic curious. She looked like there was a lot on her mind.
Her gaze was accompanied by a small furrow in her brow. She also absently played with the strings of her hoodie.
Sure she was usually quiet but it looked like she was upset. Did Nic say something to upset her last time she saw her? It was the time she drove her home, right?
But I didn't say anything...
"Okay," Alice emphasized, grabbing Nics attention. She looked around the group and laughed, "you guys all look so scared, am I really that scary?"
"We just thought you actually had something important to say for once," Jay shrugged, only to be slapped on the arm by Evan.
"Damn," Nic chuckled, watching Alice recoil in shock.
The group descended into chatter and eventually Alice went inside and came out with gram crackers, chocolate, marshmallows, and wooden sticks.
Everyone jumped to grab themselves supplies, except Nic who just sat and waited for the others to do theirs first.
She watched as Evan let his marshmallow start melting off the stick. Jay's caught fire. Stella made a perfectly golden marshmallow.
Harper and Alice were next. Alice waved hers across the fire in a careful manner, as if she were a chef making their special dish. Harper held hers over the fire and checked it every few seconds.
When Harper finished she took the seat next to Nic. She asked, "you're not gonna make one?"
"I will. In a little."
"Okay," Harper softly replied, biting into her s'more.
A small smile formed on Nics face as she watched Harper finish her s'more. The whole group was talking and laughing, and roasting more marshmallows.
Evan and Jay were lighting marshmallows on fire and letting them fall into it, Stella and Alice were both trying to have a competition on who could make the perfect golden marshmallow.
Beside Nic, Harper watched her observe the group.
Nic turned to see she was being watched. She raised a brow and asked, "you watching too?"
"Yeah..." Harper looked away at the others. Her tone was a little sullen as she replied, "watching them."
Harper's gaze went to her lap and back to the fire not too long after. She twirled her hair mindlessly, watching the fire dance in the center of the group.
Something was on her mind. Nic knew she should ask her or talk to her about it, but there was something stopping her. She watched the others, Harper still on her mind.
She should ask. She knew that, but there were so many ways it could go and all of them seemed to be negative.
It was either Nics fault she was upset or asking her would make her not want to talk to her anymore. Would Harper think Nic was trying to make a move on her? Nic didn't want to risk it. She wasn't about to lose her friend, she just got her back.
What was she supposed to say anyway? Harper would just say she's overthinking.
Nic was always a bit of an overthinker when it came to her friends, but in the end she did turn out to be right in the past so is it really overthinking?
Her curiosity got the better of her and Nic asked, "What are you thinking about?"
——
Wow this one was short lol
So this one and the next happen at the same time just different povs bc I was writing both so I could pick one at the end but I think it's interesting to see both slides but that's just me so skip if you want to but there's arguably more pining in the next one lol
YOU ARE READING
We Grew Back Together
RomanceRather than going back to the home Harper knew for the summer after her first year at college, she had moved during the school year. After having to adjust to college she's forced to adjust to a new town and hopefully make some new friends. Nic was...
