Tearing Me Apart

8

We arrive in North Carolina just before dinner and Richie decides to take us to some place he found last time he was here.
"This looks suspicious" Nick mumbles as we are led up to a diner barely standing and broken boards scattered around front.
"Sometimes the trashiest places have the best food" I smile and he laughs pulling me into his side and messing with my hair.
"Go find a seat I'll order" Richie waves us off and steps around a young family to get to the counter.
"So you trust this place?" Nick asks pulling out my chair and sitting beside me.
"I mean, no not completely but Richie's alive so how bad could it be?" Nick gets that goofy smile across his face again making me giggle and him to look over my face. He's always doing that it's so weird.

Nick's POV
Her laugh fills the small diner, her eyes crinkling and cheeks pink. I can't help but stare when she does this, it's the cutest face I've ever seen. Richie throws burgers, fries, and milkshakes infront of all of us distracting me from my thoughts. I glance up to thank Richie but Hailey beats me to it with a polite "Thank you."
We all dig into our food and I have to say it's very good.
"So how did you find this place?" I ask Richie and he laughs to begin his story.
He goes on and on and I lose him, something about being drunk and hungry and some other guys, unlike me Hailey follows his story intently. He eyes scan the room and light up at some points followed with frowns at other points. Richie stops talking and she looks at me as if for a response.
"I'm sorry what?" I ask, trying to seem like I was atleast listening a little.
"Are you ready to go?" Hailey smiles when I nod. We get up and Richie pays on his way out followed by me and Hailey to the car.
"Thank you for dinner" Hailey says to Richie and he responds with a smile and nod.
"Next stop the Hailey, Richie, and Nick Building"

Richie's POV
Her hand clings to my shirt gripping it to her chest. Her face still red and eyes puffy.
"Hey we have- what the hell?!" Nick yells making Hailey stir in her sleep and roll into me more than before.
"Dude calm down let me explain you're gonna wake-"
"Be downstairs in 10" He storms back downstairs once again making Hailey twist this time letting go of my shirt and hugging my waist.
"Hailey stay right here I'll be back" I whisper to her sleepless body. I place her on my pillow and cover her up before heading to talk to Nick.
"Dude you knew I liked her how could you?!!" He's yelling again making me groan with an eyeroll.
"One, SHHHHH she is sleeping. Two, we didn't do anyhing. She had a bad dream and came in my room crying about being homesick all I did was comfort her and let her sleep."
"She was wearing your shirt."
"Check again. It's your shirt that you gave her the first night."
He looks away trying to remember and has a slight smile when he does.
"That's so cute" He smiles bigger causing me to shake my head. He is so bipolar.
"Now I'm going to go wake her up keep your signature heart eyes to yourself when she walks in you creep me out when you look at her like that."