Till death do us part

4.

I woke to the sound of car doors opening and closing.
"Nik, you gotta wake up." Austin says somewhere next to me.
He helps me out the car with my stuff and leads me into his house.
It was a nice looking place. Not big but not small. Just big enough.
I take a look around. It smelled like vanilla and cinnamon.
We stopped in the living room and Austin let me sit down on the couch. Then he walked off, calling for his mom.
Christian walked into the living room from somewhere and then sat down next to me.

Silence

" so what really happened, Pocahontas? " he says while looking down at his phone.
I looked at him. "My parents made me leave and I came here to find my gramma . . ." I say hoping that he won't ask why or anything.
" why didn't you just say that the first time?" He says looking away from his phone and at me.
" I don't know. . ."  I say.  Because I was embarrassed and didn't wanna worry you.

"Austin told me in the car what happened ---"

"Then why would u ask 🧐"

" I was just tryna see if you would tell the truth this time. Anyway Austin tryna see if you can stay with us till we can find your folks"

. . . No no no.  I cant stay here. I don't need them worrying about me. Especially their mom. I'm just another mouth to feed. Another kid to worry abt. I know my mom wouldn't agree to me bringing some kid home and asking her to take care of them.

" you guys really don't have t---"
"Yeah we do. And try telling that to Austin. I mean where else would u go"

. . .

"Its just until we can find yur gramma. Its koo." Christian handed me a bag that had all that stuff I got from the gas station in it. " I think this is yurs"

Right. I haven't eaten all day and I was  pretty hungry.

Almost 20 minutes passed before Austin came back around the corner with his mom.
She gave Christian this look and he immediately got up and left and Austin went with him.
Oh boy.
Now me and their mom (whom I've never met before) were alone together in the living room.
I don't know why but I felt like I was in some kind of trouble.
I was so nervous I could feel sweat crawling down my face.
" you must be Nikole " she said taking a seat in front of me.

" yes ma'am." I say hoping she doesn't hear the nervousness in my voice.
She was almost my height just a bit taller and she wore her hair in a messy bun. Honestly she was pretty. I could see where her sons got their charm from.
" Austin told me about your situation. You can stay here until we can figure something out. Okay?"
"Thank you so much." I say. Even tho I don't feel too grand about staying here.
Austin's mom smiles kindly at me.
"How old are you." She asks
"13" 
"Jesus" she mutters under her breath.
Then she regained her posture and smiled again.
"Are you and Austin. . ." I knew right away exactly what she was trying to say.
"Oh ,no.  . ." I say laughing kindof.
Austin has a girlfriend. I thought she would've known that. . .
"Oh" she said " he talks about u alot that's why I asked but yur pretty though. I like your hair."
"Thank you😊"
"Mhm. Anyway it's nice to finally meet you. I want you to feel at home while you're here okay."
"Its nice to meet you too. Thankyou."
She smiles and nods before getting up to call Austin.
He came around the corner so quick I wondered if he had been standing there the whole time.
She mouthed something to him and walked into the kitchen.
"Let me show u around" Austin says.
I followed him around the corner. It was a hallway where there was a game room, his mom's room, a bathroom and the laundry room."
The game room was koo. They had a ps4 and xbox set up in there.
Past the kitchen which opened up to the living room there was a set of stairs.
Upstairs was a loft and 3 rooms.
Austin's, Christian's, and a guest room.   Each room had a whole bathroom in it so like ... has so. It was a nice place.
"So this one is yours" Austin says pointing to the guest room.
It was as simple as a bed, night stand, closet, and bathroom. But the set up was cute.
"Thanx Austin." I say but with sincerity this time. Because I truly am thankful. I would finally be able to sleep and shower. In peace. Not having to worry abt walking or what to eat.
"Anytime Nik, but I'm gonna give you a few minutes to yourself. And I think my mom is making spaghetti tonight sooo"
"Okay, I'm. . .I'm gonna take a shower... and yeah..."
"Aight" he smiles and walks back downstairs.
I watch him walk away.
He was just so. . . (Sighs) I've had a crush on him for a very long time but when I told him that ( a very long Time ago) he said we weren't "on that level" 😭 but it was true we barely knew each other back then.
And Austin isn't a person who just makes friends with just anybody right off the bat. He has to really know and trust you first.
Which really surprised me because most guys that I know would ask me out and not even know my name yet. But with Austin it wasn't like that and that's why I like him so much. But after a while he found himself a nice girl and I think he forgot that I even had feelings for him in the first place. It kinda hurt for 2 seconds and then I was happy for him. Good move cuz after I didn't show any signs of jealousy that's when he opened up more. He talked to me more. He started caring. That's when I realized I didn't need to have a relationship with him because what we have now is better. Something I noticed is that friendships last longer than relationships.
When you break up with someone they drop u and that's it they don't wanna have nun to do with you. And that's coming from experience.
But with friends you can argue and you can fight a thousand times and still make up.
I'd rather have that than loose him forever.

I take off my clothes and rap up my hair before stepping into the hot shower. It felt so good. For once I was a actually getting clean.
I got out after 15 minutes and did my 'out the shower routine'
Before getting dressed.
It was 7:56 pm already so I put on something comfortable.
Black sweat pants and tshirt instead of tank top cuz I figured it'd be too inappropriate.
Especially with 2 boys in the house.
I let my hair down and comb it out before putting in black pearl earrings.
By then the smell of spaghetti started to fill the air.
I went downstairs after putting on socks.
Austin and Christian were in the game  room. I went in there after their mom said dinner would be ready in 5.
Austin and Christian both looked up when I stopped in the doorway.
Austin paused the game.
"Your mom said the food will be done in five minutes." I say
Austin nods
"U just gon stand there all shy or u tryna play?" He says
Austin and I have always been real competitive when it comes to games.
We used to play 8ball on imessage all the time. He won most of the time but he usually only won by default 😏 and whenever I was lucky enough to beat him he be like "fight me" and I'll be like "bet" and then he be like "run it back" I don't kno why. I always end up winning again😆
I smile and walk into the room.
" what are you trying to get whooped in today?" I say fake yawning
Austin laughs sarcastically while Christian laughs fr and hands me the controller.
"Yea says the girl who don't play nun but Wii Mario and complain how it's too hard 😒"
Right but I still beat the game tho🙄
Christian put on some kind of racing game and showed me how to use the controller. The game was quick. Austin won ofc.
It was my first time playing.
When the game ended Austin's mom called us to eat.
Christian got up so quick and left me and Austin behind.
"Hey, its okay if you feel like you wanna run it back" he says while playfully punching my arm.
I smile and roll my eyes.
"Ok whatever"
"You know I'm the truth" he says
This time I laugh "okay buddy"
Dinner was quiet.
I was thinking alot abt what happened this past week. I got so lucky to bump into Christian at the gas station. If not I would have found out abt gramma moving and had nowhere to go.
When we were done eating Austin had to do the dishes and Christian had to take out the trash so I just went upstairs to 'my room' cuz ik dishes take a while. There wasn't much to do so I pulled out one of my books that I had brought with me. I had started reading 'The darkest minds' one of my favorite series of ever. I got through 3 and a half pages before I heard a knock on the door.
The door was wide open but he still knocked anyway.
There Austin was leaning against the door frame.
"You okay?"
"Yeah why u ask?"
"Nun just checking. Cuz you was lookin' a lil upset at the table. Sum wrong?"
"Oh no Its just. . ." My voice trails off.
Austin steps into the room and sits next to me on the bed.
" I just really hope we find my gramma.... or somebody." I say
He puts an arm around my neck
"We will." He says smiling reassuringly. I lean against his shoulder and lay my head there.
"So what u reading?" He said changing the subject.
"The darkest minds" I answer sitting up again.
"Is that the same book" he laughs
"Yeah"
A while ago I watched the movie and mentioned it to him cuz I liked it so much. Then I told him I would read the book cuz Honestly I hated the way the movie ended. But that was a while ago. "You still reading that?"
"Nigga what it look like?" I laugh.
"Well do you like it?" He asked
"Yeah. It's really good. Way better than the movie."
"Mm well maybe we can read it together sometime." He says
I sit up str8 at that. 😃😁
Austin stands and walks toward the door. "Oh and I'm still waiting on that rematch" he says before leaving.
I laugh under my breath.
Maybe staying here wasn't going to be that bad. After all it's only for a few days.

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Author's note: fr tho the darkest minds is the best series of ever don't care what nobody say.