Best Mistake ★ Nicholas Chavez

Eleven | first love

 

flashback continues

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"Wake up, Happy birthday, habeebti!" Amara was abruptly awoken by her mom's cheerful tone. "Nick is here," her mom smirked, teasing her.

"What?" Amara groggily woke up, still trying to register her mom's words. "Come on, it's your 18th birthday. He's in the living room," her mom continued.

"Mamaaa, I look so bad right now. Why did you let him in?" Amara groaned, feeling unprepared.

"Shut up," her mom reprimanded her playfully. "You look good. Just brush your teeth and come." Her mom had already met Nicholas as Amara's boyfriend and adored him. She might like him more than she likes her at this point.

Amara rushed to the bathroom, still half-asleep. She quickly grabbed her toothbrush, squeezing a bit too much toothpaste in her hurry. As she brushed, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, her curls a wild mess. Great, she thought. Her curls were unpredictable, and today of all days, she needed them to behave.

After rinsing her mouth, she wet her hands and tried to tame the frizz, gently scrunching her curls with water. She considered grabbing some curl cream but decided against it — Nick was bound to her in this condition soon anyway, and she didn't want to keep him waiting.

Satisfied with the small improvement, she stepped out of the bathroom and made her way to the living room. As she approached, she could hear her mom and Nick chatting, her mom's laughter filling the room. Peeking around the corner, Amara spotted them sitting on the couch, Nick looking relaxed and at home, casually talking with her mom like they'd known each other for years. It made her smile, seeing how easy he fit into her life.

Taking a deep breath, she walked into the room, hoping her hair didn't look too chaotic.

As Amara walked into the living room, Nick's eyes lit up. He stood up immediately, holding a massive bouquet of pink peonies — her favorite. Her heart swelled at the sight of him, and she couldn't help but grin.

"Happy birthday, baby," Nick said softly, stepping toward her. Instead of kissing her on the lips, he leaned in and pressed a warm kiss to her cheeks, glancing at her mom out of the corner of his eye. Amara couldn't help but chuckle at how careful he was being in front of her mother.

"These are beautiful," she said, taking the bouquet from him. The sweet fragrance of the flowers filled the air, and for a moment, she forgot all about her messy curls and groggy state.

Her mom watched them with a knowing smile, clearly loving the whole scene. "You two are adorable," she teased, making both of them laugh.

"Thanks, Nick. I love them," Amara said, her cheeks still tingling from his kiss.

"I'll leave you two be," her mom said with a playful wave, grabbing her keys to run her errands. As she reached the door, she turned back with a teasing grin. "And don't do anything 18 plus, yeah? I don't care that you're 18 now," she added, winking at both of them.

"Mooom," Amara groaned, her face flushing with embarrassment while Nick chuckled beside her. They haven't done it yet, technically she hasn't done it with anyone, and nicholas was more than willing to wait for her till she's ready.

"Sorry, couldn't resist!" her mom laughed before finally heading out the door, leaving the two of them alone.

As soon as the door closed, Amara turned to Nick, shaking her head with an exasperated smile. "She's never going to stop teasing, is she?"