Broken Souls (Souls #1)

Chapter 11 - Matthews

The wind picks up and on my way to school so I zip up my windbreaker. In my jeans pocket I feel my phone buzz. Quickly I fish it out and look at the text I got.

Nico: U c the pic yet?

Me: Wut pic?

Nico: I'll send it 2 u + just so u know I didn't take it.

Me: I'm sensing that I won't like it.

Nico: Remember much of last night?

Me: Nope.

Nico: Mayb this will jog ur memory.

A few seconds later I get a picture sent to my phone from Nico. I tap the photo and it enlarges on my phone screen. The sight of the picture stops me in my tracks. But, it's not because I'm standing on a table, and the reason is neither because I have Destiny in my arms. But because in the fuzzy, pixilated photo it's clear that I'm kissing Destiny. Even in the low quality photo I can see that her dark blue eyes are open wide in surprise. Many thought are running through my mind but the one that stands out is: This is bad. Followed by: I kissed Jennings girl. I press the back button on my phone and quickly text Nico as I begin jogging to school.

Me: Did Jennings c this pic yet?

Nico: Dunno.

Me: I can't even remember this happening.

Nico: Girls just luv it when the guy can't remember the kiss they shared.

Me: Shut up.

Nico: Luv u. <3

Me: Shut up.

Nico: Told u that's ur fav saying now.

I pocket my phone and run the rest of the way to school while praying that Haden didn't see the text because I know that I'll be in a heap of trouble. Or, more like just a heap on the ground when Hayden is finished with me.

...

I drop my tray beside Nico and he looks up from his phone to acknowledge me. He tucks it into his pocket when I sit beside him.

I discreetly nod my head at Hayden, who sits across from me and is engrossed with his food. Then I whisper to Nico, "Does he know about the photo yet?"

Nico shrugs his shoulders. "Didn't hear him talk about it or hear a threat about him wanting to beat you up as yet, so I'll say no."

"Think someone sent him the picture and he didn't see it yet?"

"Possible."

"I need to get that phone."

Nico leans back in his chair and pushes back his sock hat. He bites his bottom lip in thought and then his eyes light up. He's got a plan, and but the look in his eyes it's either a crazy, dumb or weird plan. I just don't know which as yet.

Nico taps the table with knuckle a couple of times to get Hayden's attention. When he looks up Nico leans across the table and tells Hayden, "Can I borrow your phone?"

Hayden looks up at him perplexed. "Why?"

Nico raises his head and juts out his chin.

Here it goes.

"I need to text my mom," he says boldly.

Hayden blinks once and then twice before speaking. "You need to text your mom?"

"Why yes, yes I do."

"What's wrong with your phone? You had it out a moment ago."

Nico takes of his stupid sock hat and runs his fingers through his thick black hair. "My phone is...um...broken. Yep. It has...crashed." Nico nods his head and smiles at Hayden. "Yes, my phone has crashed."

"Trying to convince him or yourself," I mutter.

Under the table Nico jabs me with his elbow.

"Okay, then." Hayden then tosses his phone reluctantly over to Nico.

"Muchas gracias," Nico says in Spanish with a giant grin on his face. "And my mom thanks you too, very much!"

"Yeah, yeah," Hayden says and then attacks his food.

Nico turns on Hayden's phone and slides his finger on the screen to unlock it. Then he fusses with the phone for a few seconds and turns to me to ask, "What's my mom's number?"

"How the hell should I know? And why do you need her number? Are you actually going to text her?"

"Yes, I am going to text her. I need to tell her to pick up some chips after work. We don't have any at home." Nico leans close to me like he is going to tell me a secret and says, "I went home last night, pumped to eat some chips and dip and you know what? There were no chips! There was only some dip. So do you know what I did?"

I shake my head, but knowing Nico I have a slight idea of what he did.

"I ate the whole damn dip. By itself."

"By itself?" I ask incredulously. I had a feeling that he ate it anyways but I thought that he would have used some crackers or something in substitute of chips.

"Yes. All alone."

"Well, that must have been delicious," I say with sarcasm.

"Actually, you'll be surprised to find out that the dip wasn't that amazing by itself."

"No kidding," I mumble. "Just hurry up and text your poor mother."

Nico types in a number and then frowns at it. He deletes it and then types in another number. He mumbles things like, no, that's not right, or, I think that was my ex-girlfriend's number.

After a few minutes he turns to look at me and asks again, "Are you sure you don't know my mom's phone number?"

"Yes! I'm positive!" I almost scream.

He sighs and goes back to typing in phone numbers and then deleting them. After what seems like forever he exclaims, "Got it!"

"Thank goodness," I groan.

He texts his mother to by his chips - and may I add that he sent the one text multiple times. Just once wouldn't do. When you're Nico Romero there's only ever over and beyond - and then goes to scan through Hayden's texts.

"Found the photo," he whispers.

I watch over his shoulder as he indicates to the text that Hayden hasn't seen as yet. He quickly deletes the photo and I lean back into my seat.

He hands Hayden back his phone and says. "Thank you, very much."

"Welcome," Hayden says. "That took a long time. Had a long conversation?" He turns on his phone and looks at the texts that Nico sent. "With...yourself?" Hayden quirks his pierced eyebrow when he realizes that Nico sent numerous texts about the same thing. In a monotone voice Hayden reads a few of the texts out loud that Nico sent. "Buy me some chips on your way back. Ran out at home. I need my chips." Hayden turns off his phone and looks up at Nico. "Well, that is certainly...interesting."

"Oh," Nico says, "I even saved my mom's number in your phone. You know, just in case I need to use it again."

"How generous."

Nico gives Hayden a cheeky grin and says, "Oh, you know me..."

Someone clears their throat behind Hayden and he bends his neck back - so he ends up seeing the person behind him upside down.

"Hey, babe!"

For some reason my stomach flipflops and I swallow hard.