Just your typical college romance with fake dating sprinkled on top, along with a little sparkle of forced proximity....and oh did I mention it's her best friends brother who she'll be dating? Her best friends brother who's the hockey team captain...
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I wipe my hands with the small towel before I add the vegetables to the pan, colliding with the hot oil, making sizzling sounds. My head slightly turns to look at the car crash news on the TV, brows knitting when I find the location to be only 30 minutes from my place. A sorrowful expression forms on my face when the reporter announces the 3 victims to be only 19. My heart squeezes in pain, knowing they were probably out there to have fun, had a million plans ahead but instead this happened.
Another ten minutes pass as I prepare two plates, one for me and one for Nova since Linc isn't here today. He said he'll be out late but didn't tell me where he'd be. My guess? He's getting laid by one of the cheerleaders for his basketball team, who keep swooning over him. One of them even reached out to me, asking me to convince him to date her. Linc only laughed and said he doesn't need any random girls ruining his life.
My attention deters when the door of the apartment creaks open and I make out Nova's frame, stumbling inside, throwing her keys in the elephant print bowl on the small table at the entrance. "Aren't you back early?" I sass her, turning on the lights because the only light source is the small yellow lights under the cabinets in the kitchen.
My breath knocks out of me when I turn them on and I freeze in my tracks when I see her face. She has mascara running down her cheeks, bloodshot eyes, and trembling lips. "Shit." I move to her in two wide steps, wrapping my arms around her.
She doesn't fight me and just leans into my warm body. "Are you okay? What happened? God, Nova, you're freezing. Where's your jacket?" My concerned tone makes her snicker, resulting in me frowning.
"Have-have you seen...my-" she points to her body, "-outfit?" She sniffles and my eyes fall to her outfit. The denim skirt and a full sleeve white fitted shirt, the low neckline exposing all her chest tattoos and some on her legs too. She grins up at me. Concern rises in me and so do a million questions. Who was she with? Where was she? Was she safe? Did she drive back? Did she walk? Did something happen?
I ignore her statement, too worried to care about the damn outfit. "Did you drive? Who were you with? Did something happen?" She makes a face at me, sticking her tongue out, huffing but answering the question a moment later. "Uber and I don't need anyone. I've got myself babbyyyyyy. OoOOOoo, it's just me myself and IIII-" She sings in a creaky tone, covering her eyes from the light. Sounds like a broken record but I don't tell her that because that would end up in me with a broken nose. She wouldn't. She would. She continues her cute little song which is soo off tune.
"I just got this...outfit...it-it needed its moment, you know?" She looks up at me with a hopeful look in her eyes, lips in a small smile, melting any and all kind of worry for the moment.
My lips press to her forehead and I sigh against it, relaxing when I don't sight any bruises on her body. "Well, it's had its moment. Let's warm you up now?" I quite literally beg her and she giggles, whispering 'warm up' under her breath but I ignore it. Her body sags into mine, and if I move right now, she'll probably drop to the floor, and wouldn't even care, so I lift her in my arms, an arm under her back and the other under her knees. I carry her to the couch, laying her down so I can remove her heeled boots.
