Hooked Up

Chapter 4 - First Snow

A week after the accident with Landon, and a month since the mess with Nick, I'm sitting at home on a Sunday evening. Landon and I have gotten along a little better lately; I honestly think he just feels bad about breaking our wall. It'll be sure to pass. The guys already patched it up and it's as good as new. No harm done.

I lay on my bed in pajamas, eating chips and reading a romance novel when my phone buzzes. I pick it up to see a text from Riley.

-Pizza and a movie at our place!

I bite my lip, thinking. I'm sure the guys are also invited, and I don't know if Nick wants to see me.

-C'mon, A! You have to talk sometime! She guesses the reason to my delayed answer. And she's right. We're never going to be okay again if we never even see each other for more than a minute. Having made my mind, I text her I'll be there soon.

I pull on gray sweatpants and a navy hoodie, gathering my hair up into a messy bun, before flying out of my room and down the stairs. I grab my keys and yell "I'm heading out!" before slamming the door shut behind me.

I get into my red BMW and drive over to Riley and Stella's apartment, which is close to the campus. All the boys — with the exception of Brett who lives with Miranda a few houses down from ours — live together a few buildings down, but their apartment is usually a whole lot messier than the girls'.

I park by the street and climb the stairs to the third floor and ring the doorbell.

"Hey—" Nick shuts up seeing it's me.

"Hi," I smile and wave awkwardly.

"I though you were the pizza guy," he says, his voice void of emotion.

"Well, I'm not," I say, stepping in and closing the door after me. We just stand there in the hall, not knowing what to do.

"We should talk," I finally offer. He nods, leading me farther into the apartment.

The others — except for Brett and Miranda who're off somewhere having a date night — are all crammed around the TV, trying to find a movie everybody likes. They all greet me, and I smile back before following Nick to the small balcony. He shuts the door close behind me to give us privacy.

"So..." I flail my hands in front of me. Nick puts his hands in the pockets of his jeans, staring at a spot above my head. "Nick, please," I plead, the awkward tension between us torture. "Can't we just go back to how things were?"

He finally lowers his gaze to me, and sighs. "I don't think that's possible."

"We could try," I say in a hopeful voice. "I really, really like you a lot and I want to be with you. I've missed you. I don't want to break up."

His eyes soften a little as he looks at me and considers it. "I don't want to break up, either," he confesses and opens up his arms to me. I step into his embrace and round my arms around his waist, holding on tight.

"Good," I mumble against his shirt.

We go back inside when we hear the doorbell ring, knowing this time it has to be the pizzas. We take the boxes to the living room and stuff or faces in as we watch Fast Five, laughing and having a good time. I'm comfortably cuddled against Nick's side, happier than in weeks.