Can We Fall In Love Now? [Nicole Row]

Chapter 29

I don't know why I dragged Nicole to the bathroom. I wanted to be with her, after our last encounter, after not seeing her for months on end. Now we'll be months on end, seeing each other with parent (or more like brotherly) supervision. It might have been unfair to us both, what with neither of us knowing our sexualities.

I grinned at her as I leaned against the sinks. "How have you been, Sunshine?"

Nicole gave me one of her wonderful smiles, and she leaned against the wall across from me. "missing you," She replied, and from the way her smile grew I knew I was blushing.

"Well, er-" I fumbled for my words for a moment, then lightbulb. "Can't say I wasn't feeling the same." Nicole hummed for a moment, and we stood in comfortable silence. I finally stepped away from the sinks, looked up at her. "I really did miss you." I replied as I wrapped my arms around her in a full hug, much like a child would hug their parent's legs.

Nicole hugged me back, "They keep calling me the baby of the band, I need your help."

"You're only like, three years younger than Brendon he can fuck off." I mumbled, resting my head on her shoulder awkwardly.

We pulled out of the hug, and Nicole groaned exasperatedly. "I know. And you're only like, five years younger than me. You're more baby than I am."

I blushed, and Nicole grinned. "No- stop." I interrupted, but she continued.

"Do you like being called baby?" She teased, stepping forward.

"Nooo?" I responded, the word coming out like a question.

"Aww, Addy likes a different nickname than Addy. Maybe you can be my baby." She joked, obviously, but my face got more red and she took another step closer. I felt myself leaning closer to her, and she looked up at me, our faces getting closer and closer until, for the second time, I kissed Nicole Row. This time it was quick, a feather-light touch between our lips. The third time we kissed, it was hungrier. She pulled me closer, and I leaned down slightly, eyes closed.

I pulled away first, face looking more like a tomato than a person. And when Kiara from the Strings walked in, Nicole and I both pulled away quickly, and politely smiled. Unfortunately, she smiled and said, "We've gotta get to the bus, remember?"

I, for one, was disappointed. Nicole just nodded, and I figured it was an overprotective-brother type of thing. We left the bathroom, and walked into the bus. Brendon stared at us from the bunks, his gray hoodie on and left unzipped, product still in his hair. "Took you guys a while." He stated curtly.

Nicole responded before I did. "Wow, you surprised we have a life too?"

"No. Just curious about what you two were doing."

"If you've got a problem with your sister and I talking, you and I are gonna have a bigger problem." Nicole said this, and internally I flinched. I hadn't been able to talk yet, and secondly, Nicole and I had kissed. For lack of better words, my lips still buzzed from where she touched me.

Nobody else knew this though, and the rest of the band watched them.

"I don't have a problem with you talking."

"Well, enlighten me. What do you have a problem with?" Nicole wrapped her arm around my shoulders, and for once in her grip I was uncomfortable.

"I don't have to explain that to you." Brendon replies vaguely, and I looked back at the band.

So it was overprotective-brother stuff.

Dan rescued me from involvement by giving me a bag of chips, and we sat away from the two. Better to ignore it than be involved, I would know. Even though I was involved.

"I think you do."

"No, I don't. I don't like you two hanging out."

"For what reason!"

"Because you-" the bus fell silent, tense, and I ate another chip. Dan glanced at me before copying.

"Because I what, Brendon?"

"You're not like her. You're all rough edges and low, you jump and dance."

"And Adeline doesn't?"

"No. She's better." A simple response, but it might as well have been the declaration of war. Nicole's face got red with anger not unlike how mine got red with embarrassment at that comment.

I grabbed my phone and walked off of the bus without looking back. I sat on the ground a few feet away, legs splayed out and head tilted upwards. I played my music, the audio blaring through my shitty iphone speakers. Soccer Mommy's 'Cool' played softly, and I shifted so that one knee was propped up, my elbow resting on it.

I closed my eyes, hearing the argument between my brother and my maybe -lover through an open bunk window, which means that they'd moved into the bunk area and closed the door. Brendon liked to confine fights, I'd learned during his freshman year of high school (and my sixth grade year).

It sucked.

The song moved on and I flipped my hood up, laying down now. I hummed softly, phone resting on my chest, and Snail Mail's 'Heat Wave' played. Crickets became background noise, the argument fresh in my mind and drowned out by my phone.

I didn't look up as the door to the bus opened, and closed. I looked to my side after a second and saw both Mike and Dan. Zack followed suit a second later. They sat next to me, and I pat Zack's knee. "Never change, you guys." Dan hummed a small response, and Zack just gave my hand a small squeeze before letting go. I saw Mike lay down too, and I didn't feel alone anymore. I know I never have been, but it's been too long before today that I'd had anyone.

The others laid down with us, and my phone played soft music until Dan stood up, looked at us. "I think they're done." He announced softly, and I checked my phone to see that it had been an hour and a half long fight. I also had a text from Brendon telling me to stay away from Nicole, but he was too late. I felt my lips self-consciously before standing up, and Dan glanced at me, falling back with me as the others walked into the bus. "Don't kiss her in front of him." He spoke softly before patting my shoulder. I grabbed his hand, looked up at him helplessly.

"I'm not gay." He paused. He nodded. He walked inside.

I stood for another moment before turning off my music, and climbing into my bunk. From above me, Nicole let her arm drape over the side of the bunk, and I reached up tiredly. I held her hand gently, the only acknowledgment of each other being her small squeeze of my hand, her thumb rubbing over the back of my knuckles.

A/N
You've been quenched xoxo