When I'm With You, I Unravel

"Hey."

The flashing lights from the party reflect back in the dark. Nick looks different now, face bruised, purple specks over his eyelids. He has an ice pack but isn't using it, instead just staring at his fingertips, observing the damage he caused. 

"Brought you some Advil. If that helps any," Sophie mutters, digging for a travel size bottle out of her "night out" bag.

"Thanks, Soph."

She sits down on the sidewalk across from him, and then suddenly the fact that this is the closest they have been to each other in months overwhelms her.

"You didn't have to do that, you know. I mean your girlfriend hates you now," she mumbles. 

Ever since the fight happened, Macy's been going around the party claiming that Nick had started it. That he had picked a fight with Jimmy. That Jimmy hadn't done anything to deserve it.

"I mean of course I had to, he cheated on you." The way he's looking at her makes her heart break a little. "And it doesn't matter about Macy. I broke up with her a few days ago anyway." 

Hope blooms in her chest. "Really? You did?" 

"To be honest, I was only dating her for her amazing personality," he laughs, rolling his eyes. 

And suddenly she's laughing with him despite everything that's happened in the past few months. It feels good to be doing this again with him without all the drama, the cliques, his girlfriend, and her cheating boyfriend.

"I've been a pretty bad friend lately," he admits. 

"It's okay. We've both haven't been the best," she laughs to herself. 

"I kinda got it in my head that I could somehow get myself out of this rut by hanging out with people like her. But I kinda lost sight of what's important." He turns to her. "You. Us." 

A girlish giggle escapes her. She can't help it. That's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to her. And it doesn't help that it's coming from him. 

Him. Her best friend. Her best friend who just punched a jock in the face just because he had cheated on her.

"Oh my gosh," she exclaims, covering her mouth in embarrassment, "that totally ruined the moment didn't it?" 

"Nah. It was cute, actually," he smiles at her. 

She smiles back. 

And then he's closing the space between them and kissing her. 

She closes her eyes and thinks that this, this is the only kiss that's ever mattered.