heartstrings

Chapter 25

Evangeline
November 25th 2017

"Bye mum, I'll be back later!" I grabbed the door handle, eager to finally get to breakfast. The aroma of sizzling bacon and fresh coffee was already on my mind, making my stomach growl in anticipation.

"Tell Cassidy I said hi, will you?" My mom's voice carried a mix of concern and curiosity, as if she sensed something amiss.

Fun fact, I didn't tell her that I was meeting up with Nic, but she didn't have to know that. It was a small rebellion, but it felt significant. Cass was the go-to excuse for, well everything.

"I will, Mum. Bye." I flashed her a reassuring smile, hoping to mask any hint of deception.

Stepping out of the car into the crisp November wind, I immediately regretted my outfit choice. The cold bit into my legs, and I pulled my jacket tighter around me. The mini skirt I had thought was cute now seemed like a bad idea, but it was too late to change. Each step towards the breakfast bar felt like an icy challenge.

When I finally reached the breakfast bar, I spotted Nic right away. He was sitting on the steps, one hand deep in his hoodie pocket, the other scrolling through his phone. His relaxed posture contrasted sharply with my shivering.

"Hey, smoker boy! Who are you waiting for?" I called out, my voice breaking through the morning quiet. His head snapped up, and a bright smile spread across his face, warming me more than my jacket could.

"Oh, you know, just this really annoying girl I know." His eyes twinkled with mischief.

My smile widened, the cold momentarily forgotten. "Oh really? What is she like?"

He played along, his grin never fading. "She's just weird, really annoying, talks way too much and—" His words were cut short by the sight of my shivering. "Obviously freezing, so let's get inside, shall we?" He extended his arm, and I gratefully took his hand, feeling a rush of warmth.

Inside the breakfast bar, the air was filled with the comforting smell of breakfast foods and the murmur of conversations. We found a table by the window and settled in. A waitress appeared promptly to take our orders, her notepad ready.

As we waited for our food, Nic and I talked about everything and nothing—the latest school gossip, our favorite TV shows, and our plans for the weekend. The conversation flowed easily, but a nagging question tugged at the back of my mind.

Halfway through our meal, two familiar faces approached our table. "Oh my god, hey queen." Liam's voice was unmistakable, full of its usual cheerfulness. He stood next to Jaden, both of them waiting for me to respond.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?" I asked, genuinely surprised.

Jaden's eyes flickered between Nic and me, but he kept his thoughts to himself. "Just grabbing some breakfast," he replied casually.

Liam, however, was more direct. He finally turned his attention to Nic. "So, who's this?" His tone was laced with a hint of sarcasm, but he tried to keep it light.

"Oh, right. Liam, Jaden, this is Nic. He's Matt's friend—you know, Lacy's Matt. Nic, these are Liam and Jaden, really good friends of mine."

Liam gave Nic a measured look, a blend of warning and welcome in his smile before he turned back to me. "That's nice. Well, I'm starving, so we're gonna go, but have fun on your little date."

I tensed at his words. We still hadn't defined what we were, and the ambiguity was starting to stress me out. Casual hookups were not my style, especially with someone I'd kissed more than once. I was either all in or all out—no in-between.