SUMMERTIME ↣ NICK ROBINSON

04.

chapter dedicated to @EvelynxMoran98 and @drugilinski

NICK woke up as the truck jolted forward, opening his eyes slowly to see the sun rising on the horizon. Guessing by how high the sun was, he thought it could be around 10 a.m. He sat up to find out that he was alone on the trunk, so he glanced inside through the window.

He recognized the golden locks that appeared to be at the driver's seat, humming a song on the radio. Nick appreciated her eyes through the rearview, smiling quietly to himself as he proceeded to knock on the window.

Nova glanced back, barely meeting his gaze but making sure Nick saw her smile -which he would totally would no matter what. He felt how the pickup slowed down until it came to a stop, so Nick took this as his chance to jump off the trunk and make his way to the passenger's seat.

"Good morning, sleepy head." said Nova with a smile as Nick jumped in.

Nick smiled at her comment, muttering a quiet "good morning" back. Nova began driving again as the radio still sounded.

"Nova?" Nick asked with a raspy voice.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you choose me to come all the way here?" he asked.

Nova smiled, "because somehow, I already knew you would be down to it." she said "and you weren't as wasted as the others."

Nick nodded slowly, taking in every word she had said. Had she already figured out what Nick hadn't? Had someone else figured it out and told her? Or worse, did it show too much?

"Down to it?" Nick asked, wanting an explication from her. He wanted to know what she thought about him.

"I mean, not everyone in the group can handle my spontaneous ideas of going past down town just to buy a bottle of rum." she said before looking at him.

They shared a smile that exchanged what words couldn't.

The rest of the ride back to Dan's house was quiet, Nick brain's being murdered by the alcohol making him incapable of holding up a decent conversation and Nova setting her mind to get there as soon as possible before they got up and started to make inappropriate comments about them, even if the only thing they did was drink and play 'Never Have I Ever'.

Nova pulled up and turned the pickup off, racing out of the vehicle and towards the trunk. Nick, sleepily, followed after her.

He saw how Nova stretched to gather the blankets and he mimicked her actions, grabbing the empty bag of chips and bottle. He discovered how there was still some rum left, and without thinking twice he took a shot.

"Nick, no!" warned Nova as the teenager pressed the bottle on his lips.

Nick spitted out all the liquor as he noticed how hot it was and how it tasted awful.

"Jesus Christ!" he exclaimed as he scrunched his face in disgust.

Nova giggled at her friend's discomfort.

"Why does it taste like that?" he said, his face still scrunched up.

"Because the bottle was uncapped and under the sun, dumbass." Nova said as she shook her head with a smirk.

Nick looked at the bottle and tossed it in the trash as he followed behind Nova.

"Gross."

"SO TELL US," began Garret as he pushed the buttons on the control aggressively.

"Tell you what?" said Nick as he focused all his attention on the videogame.

"Did you guys do something last night?" Garret asked.