New In Town

I Didn't Know Growing Up Meant Dying Inside.

After an extensive conversation with Nik about Superheros and the like, I hear my phone ringing. When I recognize Gives You Hell by AAR I know that it's not Danni but Austin calling. I pick up and hear him on the other line.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Av? Where are you?" he asks worriedly.

"At a friend's house, I stayed the night. Sorry that I didn't call you but Tina called Danni and told her what happened." I explained.

"Oh, is Tina your friend's name?"

"No..." I trailed off a bit, "That's my friend's mom."

"And does your friend have a name?"

"Yes, his name is Nik." I responded and was met with silence.

"So you slept over at a guy's house. I swear to god Av, if he fucking touched you-"

"No! No! No! He didn't do anything! I was having a panic attack and he was the one who got me to calm down." I rushed out, my face most likely rivaling a ripe tomato in color.

"You let someone near you?" Austin sounded genuinely surprised.

"I really didn't have a choice. He's the one who carried me into the house. I guess I didn't let him leave once he put me on the bed in the guest room." I sighed. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, I just didn't know where you were and if you were okay. So I'll let you go."

"Loki Doki. Talk to you later Aus." After hanging up the phone, Nik gave me a curious look.

"Was that your brother?" he asked.

"Yeah. He was a bit worried 'cause he didn't know where I was. He also almost threatened your life. Nothing serious."

"Nothing serious? First you threaten to castrate me, now your brother wants to murder me. What the hell is up with your family?" Nik shivers when he says the word 'castrate' and I just laugh.

"Well, my parents died in a car wreck shortly after Danni turned nineteen. She's now twenty-six, Austin is twenty-two, and my eighteenth birthday is in about a month."

"Oh wow, you were only 11? And what day is your birthday?"

"Yeah. I didn't know what was going on at the time. And my birthday is on April 25th."

"Cool, mine is in a week."

"Then I'll have to get you something. Wish me luck..." I said.

"Why?"

"Because I have no idea what to get you. I've known you for about a day and I'm basically broke. So, this will be difficult."

"Nah, you don't have to get me-"

"Shhhhhh. I will figure something out." I stopped him mid-sentence by putting my finger to his lips. He just sat there looking stunned for a few minutes and the burst into full on laughter. "Why are you laughing at me?"

"You looked so determined but you had this really funny look on your face." I huffed and turned away.

"I'm hungry. Let's go get food." I stood up and walked out of his room.

"Wrong way." Nik said, turning to the left, away from me.

"Right...." I said and followed him to the kitchen.

"So you two are finally awake?" Tina asked.

"We have been for a few hours." Nik replied.

"Oh, alright." She continued cooking for, most likely, Eve and herself. "Would you guys like some breakfast?"