Beneath Your Beautfiul

Chapter 6- Sweet Dreams

"Hey you." Nick said as he stood up from the squatted sitting position he was in.

"Hi." I said, voice cracking as I was still trying to hold back tears.

I was expecting this scenario to end in 1 of 2 ways. Either he was going to see me crying and run while he still had the chance or he was going to be the awkward outsider who attemps but fails at comforting the opposite gender with clichés like "I'm sorry" or "it's gonna be okay".

Neither of these situations actually happened though.

"You been crying?" Nick said in that sexy yet annoying way that white boys who think they're black say things. Like not being racist at all here, white kids do this all the time and I really wanted to say, "You feel it's too hard to say 'have you been crying'? Do you honestly think you're a gangster? No. Stop. Speak correct grammar."

Instead I said a blunt, "Yes."

Again, my intellectual word choice is off the charts.

"That's good." He said just as blunt.

I almost choked out a sarcastic laugh as I said, "Really," really rudely.

"Yeah," he said, "It means you're human."

"Umm do you always think humans are not human?"

"Sometimes it's hard to tell." He said smiling.

Okay pause.

Why do I always analyze what Nick says on some deep, philosophical level?

Like, he's a basic football dumbass right? So why do I feel like he speaks in riddles or on some deep level of human psychological emotions?

"Taylor?" He said confused. I think he was saying something else.. I just had a mind wandering time-out.

Maybe it's just that whenever i'm with this guy I hang onto every word he says, therefore analyzing every word he says in a way thats completely different than when others talk to me. Or maybe its just because i'm a girl and my job is to overthink everything.

I should really get a pay raise for this.

"Sorry what?" I said rubbing my foreheard. My face still hurt and i was tired and I just wanted to sleep this week away.

"I was just saying the reason i'm here is because you left your jacket at my house."

"Oh thanks," I said taking my dark brown sweater from him. I was going to tell him it was a sweater not a jacket but I decided against it. "You know you didn't have to drive all the way out here to give me this."

"You're right I didn't have to, but maybe I wanted to see you?"

"Well," I said shrugging, "I don't know why you want to see me because all i've done so far is lie to you."

"How so?"

"Well for starters this isn't my house.." I said pointing at the sorry excuse for a house we were standing near, "I live in the Pearl District, this is my cousins house that I stay at sometimes. Also I knew who you were before we met because you dated my best friend over the summer, Tasha Collins?"

He didn't say anything for awhile and I was pretty sure he was done with me and was about to leave like everyone else I knew.

"So Tasha knows about us?"

Us.

He was speaking of himself and I as one.

"Er," I stuttered, "not really.."

"I don't understand," He said, "Why would you pretend like this was your house?"

"I- I don't know," I said stuttering again. I swear I don't have a stutter, my words just catch in my throat sometimes when im nervous. "I was afraid you wouldn't like me if you knew the truth."

"How could I not like you if I didn't even know you yet?"

"It's not like it's a rare thing."

He was silent again and I really didn't like it when he was silent.

"So why aren't you at your real house right now?"

"I'm not exactly um, 'welcomed' there." I said air quoting with my fingers.

"Well it looks pretty dark here, is your cousin home?"

"No she's gone for the week on a business trip and I forgot to ask for the house key before she left. I was hoping the garage would be unlocked." I started rambling on. This is just a great day for being social isnt it.

"Where you gonna sleep?" Nick asked looking genuinely concerned.

"Uhh, my car has some pretty comfortable seats if i'm being honest here."

Nick laughed and scratched his head in this really adorable way I noticed he does a lot. "Oh c'mon you're not seriously considering being a hobo tonight."

"Where else am I going to sleep?"

"My bed?" He said smirking.

"Cute." I said rolling my eyes and opening the door to my car.

"Wait," Nick said catching the door before I could close it. "I'm being serious, you can have my bed and i'll sleep on the couch."

"Thanks but-"

"My mom and Elena live there with me, you think i'd try anything with them around?"

"Nick I-"

"It'll just be one night and then you can sleep in your car all you want but tonight you look like you could really use some good sleep."

"Are you calling me ugly?"

"Are you kidding me, look at you, I'd have to be blind to call you ugly."

"Fine." I said after thinking about it.

"I'll give you a ride." He said and we both got in his truck.

Nick's room was small yet warm. It wasn't clean (what teenage boy's room is) but it didn't smell bad or anything. His walls were a basic white with an awkward stripe of red circling the top and there was a double bed tucked in the corner. with sheets and worn out blankets on it.

"I know it's not the Hilton but it's better than your tiny car." Nick said behind me. I didn't notice I was standing in the middle of the room taking it in when he appeared in the doorway.

"It's nice," I said "I really appreciate this."

"It's not a problem," Nick said leaning against the doorway. "You need anything before I go?"

"No thanks, I'm really tired I think im just going to get some rest. See you in the morning?"

"Yeah, sweet dreams."

I smiled as he left and then I wondered something.

I wondered if there was more to this guy than I gave him credit for when we first met. I wondered if maybe I had been a little unfair and jumped to conclusions.

And then I felt like an idiot.

I had jumped to conclusions about him and he didn't even get the chance to judge me for who I really was. I was such an unbelievable ass and I'm really suprised he doesn't hate me.

But maybe,

just maybe..

if he doesn't hate me.. maybe I shouldn't hate me either.

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I didn't have a chance to edit this so sorry if there are any grammar errors!

-Natalie