Best Mistake ★ Nicholas Chavez

Five | the past

"When you start as friends, it's hard to say you're never going back
If I'm not the one, then I'm the best mistake you ever had"

Best Mistake - Ariana grande & big sean

(in this story Amara and a random rapper😭)

—••—

As Nicholas waited for her, he felt a surge of emotions coursing through him. The memories of their past were still fresh in his mind, and he wanted to kick himself for suggesting their spot to meet at. He tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach as he watched her approach. She finally arrived, and he looked up, meeting her gaze. Her casual "hey" and the way her lips curved into a subtle smile, it was still the same as it was when they were together.

"You're on time, as usual," she remarked sarcastically.

He cleared his throat, trying to push aside his conflicting emotions.  "Yeah, always punctual."  As he watched her take a seat, his mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Should he greet her with a handshake? A hug? Or should he simply nod? Before he could decide, she sat down, rolling her eyes at his sarcastic comment, just like she used to do.

Nicholas couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat as she rolled her eyes at his sarcasm, just like she had always done. The familiarity of her reaction was both comforting and painful, reminding him of the history they had shared together. For a moment, it was as if time had never passed and they were still together.

As they sat there in silence, the tension in the air was almost palpable. Time seemed to slow as he studied her, noticing every little detail that made her who she was - her full, pouty lips, her big eyes that held a hint of stubbornness, the way her hair framed her face, and the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air. It stirred up long-forgotten feelings deep within him, and he had to fight the urge to reach out, to touch her soft skin, to hold her close. But instead, he swallowed the lump in his throat, his heart pounding in his chest.

Finally, Nicholas couldn't take the silence anymore, the tension between them making it almost impossible to breathe. He cleared his throat, the sound breaking the heavy quiet. "So, you wanted to talk?" he said, his voice sounding shaky even to his own ears.

Nicholas swallowed, trying to steady his voice as the silence stretched on between them. He could feel his palms getting sweaty, and his heart thudding in his chest. He needed her to say something, anything, to break this unbearable tension. 
"Come on Mimi, we can't just sit here in silence all day," he finally said, his tone softer than he intended.

"Yes, we do need to talk." She said, her voice steady and professional, but inside, her heart was pounding. When he called her "Mimi" - the nickname he used to use during their relationship - her chest ached, and she had to remind herself that they were no longer together.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, her hands clenching in her lap. Hearing that nickname, after so long, was taking a toll on her. But she tried to maintain a neutral expression, not wanting to let him know how affected she was. 
"We...we should talk about our professional relationship," she began, her voice steady. "We need to be professional on set."

Nicholas nodded, his eyes locked on her face, studying her expression. He could see the subtle changes that the nickname had caused - the way her hands fidgeted in her lap, the way her eyes darted away when he tried to meet her gaze. He knew she was affected by it just as much as he was, but neither of them wanted to acknowledge it aloud. "You're right," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.