A little road trip can change everything

Part 2

Josh POV

I arose before Nicole at an uncomfortable and cold 5am. I saw her shivering in her sleep, curled into the fetal position. "What the hell, I'm already awake..." I put the comforter I used to sleep with on her, and I headed to the lobby.

Hours pass before she woke up, and I'm typing on my laptop at the desk near the bedroom door. I see her slowly blinking herself into consciousness and I start to make a cup of coffee. I go back to the lobby and bring two bagels upon my return, seeing her on my laptop. "What are you doing?" I ask, feeling invaded with her on my laptop. I set one bagel on the keyboard and eye her with as much intensity as inquisitiveness.

"Calm down. I havent found your porn stash...Yet..." She says laughing. "Im just checking my emails, I'm waiting to hear back from a job. Sorry, but I really needed to know"

"Whatever." I say, sitting on the bed, consuming the bagel. "I made coffee." I say, nodding to the pot. "There are mugs in the bathroom."

"Uhg. How long have we known each other? Seriously, I thought you would have learnt by now, I hate coffee" She says looking at me, like it was obvious.

"Maybe I knew that and I just wanted to annoy you." I smile and poor myself a cup. "There's hot water, too...and a few teabags somewhere around here..." I look around, but quickly give up and return to the edge of the bed.

She rolls her eyes and gets up to go for a walk. "Im gonna go check the place out, coming?" She asks pulling on her jumper.

"Why? This place is a big square with two floors, a pool in the center, three utility closets and an ice machine at every corner. I've been awake for three hours." I say, but not as coldly as the night before.

"Well. You certainly have scoped the place out. Any place to hide incase of gunmen?" She says jokingly, laughing quietly. "I ment around town. My parents probably arnt gonna take me anywhere, so I'll do it myself"

"Sure, I drove myself here. Where do you want to go?" I ask, just finishing the bagel.

I pursed her lips, thinking. "How about we just look around the town first?"

"Alright." I remove my shirt, exposing my muscular back as I put on a long sleeved sweater. "Either turn around or go in the bathroom." I say, holding a pair of underwear I mean to put on.

She stares in shock, before shaking her head and turning around quickly, blushing.

I tap her on the shoulder. "Ready to go?" I asked, fully clothed. I ring the keys in my pocket and check for my phone and wallet.

She blows out a puff of breath. "Yea, should we go see if Ryan wants to come?"

"No, if you think I hate you...there aren't words to describe my loathe for him." I say, impatiently pushing myself around you to open the door. Her brother was worse than her.

She raises her eyebrows in amusment, "Alright then" she says, following me, but struggling to keep up with short legs. "God i'm nearly a fucking foot shorter than you, think you can slow down a bit?"

I do as she asks, matching her pace, not saying a word. We get to my car and I hand you the keys. "You wanted to explore, you're driving." I say, resting myself into the nice passenger seat.

She blinks "Josh... Im 16, i'm only on my learners" She say, giving me a questioning look.

"I guess it's a good thing that I'm eighteen with a license, then." I close my eyes and wait for her to start the car.

She sighs, gingerly starting the car and driving out of the car park

"Wake me up when we get where we're going. I didn't sleep well last night." I mutter.

"You can take the bed tonight, it's only fair" She says, looking at the sights.

I don't reply, already fast asleep.