Not So Simple

Chapter twelve, Bowling and Burgers

I wake up by the sound of banging on my front door, lazily I walk over to open it.

I find Jazmine standing there with a bright smile on her face. She is dressed in a mid-thigh length sundress, with spaghetti straps and a sky blue flower print. Of course she added perfectly matching wedge sandals with the cutest bubble braids. To top it all off she has stunningly natural makeup on, little gloss and mascara.

Meanwhile I'm standing here in sweats and a sports bra and bed head.

"Ready for bowling?" Jazmine's excited voice breaks me out of my thoughts.

I look at her and smirk, "yeah Jazmine, I'm going to the bowling alley in a bra!"

"Oh for fucks sake just call me Jaz...Jazmine is too long and boring!" She starts with a groan.

"Someone woke up in the wrong side of the bed..." I mutter before turning around to change.

***

Jaz, Conner, Andrew, Nick, and I just finished our game. We did it in teams, Jaz, Conner, and Nick verses Andrew and I. And man did we beat the hell outta them! By over 50 points!

We all now sit at a booth waiting for our burgers. Nick on my left with Andrew on my right. Across from me is Jaz, then Conner beside her.

"We totally crushed you guys!" Andrew exclaims with a smile of victory on his face. He turns to me and gives me a huge hug, "we make an awesome team, don't we A?"

"Haha, sure do A." I say, a content smile on my face.

"Oh shit! Y'all have the same initials! A and A! Haha!" Jaz smiles thoughtfully.

"Foods here!" Conner announces with the cutest grin ever.

As we all dig in, I turn to Nick. Noticing his quietness, making me concerned. "You alright?" I ask, poking his arm playfully with a tesing smile.

He chuckles and grabs my wrist, preventing me from poking him again. "A-okay." Nick looks into my eyes. The piercing green, full of amusement. Not letting go of my wrist nor breaking eye contact he smears ketchup on my face.

"What the fu-"

"Oh, Alice...you've got a little something." He says rubbing more all over my cheeks.

"Oh, you're cooked!" I say before grabbing a piece of ice and dropping it down his shirt. He alarmingly yells in surprise and sprints to the men's room.

After about twenty minutes I get concerned and knock on the door.

It creaks open to reveal his face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ruin the moment or anything I just-" I'm cut off my the warm feeling spread threw my body as his hand rests in my cheek. He has a small smile on his face and looks at me and says, "Don't sweat it."

We continue to look into each other's eyes, I swear we were about to kiss when I here a throat clear and turn to see Conner.

He looks at us and awkwardly coughs, "I- uh, need in the washroom...you're-uh, blocking it..." Conner slips through the door and left us standing there. Us both knowing the moment was ruined he releases his soft grip and we both make our way back to Andrew and Jaz.

Jaz raises an eyebrow at me and smirks, "a quickie was it?"

"Jazmine!" My cheeks burn at her statement. "No, no, I-"

She burst out laughing, a long with Andrew. Of course Nick can't help but smile, leaving my cheeks to burn and a smile to graze my lips.

***

We talked about the most random things, from school to which emotion from Inside Out Two is our favorite. We laughed and chuckled, then eventually called for the check.

This beautiful women, probably early to mid twenties came with the check. At the sight of her I felt Nick tense up...did they have some sort of history?

"Nick! Baby!" The women says in excitement and disbelief. "I miss you!"

My hand that rests on the table, Nick quickly grabs. The brilliant smile on the young women instantly vanishes at the sight of our hands. If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now.

"Clairia...hey...everyone this is Claire, my uh-"

"Girlfriend." She cuts in, with a sweet smile pointed towards me and our interlocked hands.

"Ex." Nick coughs out, tightening his hold on my hand. "Ex-Girlfriend, Claire we talked about this."

"So you leave me for her!" She yells in disgust, eyeing me. Now other people in the restaurant have turn to look at all the commotion.

"I-" I try to say, but Nick cuts me off with a hand squeeze and a, "Alice" which seemed pleading. "Yeah." I breath out. Conner, Jaz, and Andrew all look at me in surprise. Jaz's mouth wide open.

The waitress hands us the receipt and stomps away.

I hear Nick let out a breath, he didn't seem to know he was holding.

"Thanks." He muttered in my ear.

"No problem," I turn to everyone else, "I am single though so don't go spreading rumors." I look at all of them, receiving 'yeps' and nods.

***

Nick drive both Conner and me back to our place. There's tension in the air, and for some reason Conner isn't attempting to break it.

We sit in silence, me squished in the middle of the bench seat. Nick driving, and Conner squishing me on my right.

I start laughing.

It was the only thing I could think of!

Soon I was joined by the cutest chuckle from Conner and a deep chuckle from Nick.

I laughed so hard that tears ran down my cheeks and to the point where I was holding both Conner and Nick's knees for support.

"Way to break the tension!" Nick says through chuckles.

"Yeah! That's my job!" Conner says, half offended but fully amused.

"Well you weren't doing anything to try and break the tension!" I say, defending myself but a stupid grin on all of our faces.

A/N:
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