Love is in the Air

Chapter 7

NICK'S POV

We all exchanged numbers, split up, and went after Eve.

We agreed to meet back at eight if we didn't find her.

And we didn't. It's eight fifty and I'm sitting, miserable.

I ruined everything.

Holly, Eve's best friend, sits down next to me.

"I hope you know she didn't leave because of you." She whispers. "I know her better than anybody. She left because of him."

"I know." I mutter. "I just wish she wouldn't cry over him. He's horrible, and I feel bad."

"Don't feel bad. She'll come back.

HOLLY'S POV

I've been parked in the woods for hours, crying in my car.

My windows are cracked.

The sun is completely gone and it's black out.

I finally stopped crying.

This taught me a lesson.

That in life, lied to, and left out, and talked about, and hated, but in the end, you have to decide who is worth your tears and who isn't.

And Caleb is not worth my tears.

Nicholas is.

I take a deep breath and start the car. It's 11:37.

I drive out of the woods and stop at a car wash and get it cleaned. I have a black Cadillac SRX and it's way too nice to be dirty.

I stop at Mom's to wash my face and brush my hair and teeth, and then I head to the park.

I park back in my usual spot, shove my hands in the pockets of Nick's jacket, and walk onto the field where everyone is.

I find my family easily.

Nick is talking to Holly, and he looks really upset.

Holly looks up at me.

Nick turns around when he sees her looking behind him.

He stands up.

He opens his mouth to say something, but to everyone's surprise, I just walk right into his arms.

I feel his body tense up, and then relax. He hugs me back, burying his head in my hair.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"For punching him?" he asks, pulling away.

"Yes." I whisper.

"I mean...I thought you were mad at me."

"No." I shake my head. "I wasn't. I'm not."

I want to tell him how much he means to me, but I keep my mouth shut and sit down on a blanket.

He sits next to me.

Holly goes about her business.

"So..." Nick mumbles. "What would you say if I told you I wrote a song about you? Is that weird?"

"No." I say. "That's cute."

"I was trying to find a way to put how I feel about you into words and I was struggling."

"I wanna hear it." I say.

He hesitates.

"Now?"