𝓣𝐎 𝓣𝐇𝐄 𝓜𝐎𝐎𝐍 | 𝙜𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙

xxii. airport security

i giggled at him before hand motioning him to follow me. "maybe we can get a drink and some pastries at starbucks while we wait?" i proposed. i watched nick swiftly nod his head in response before we roamed the airport terminal in hopes of finding the nearest coffee joint.

"you knew him for almost 10 years?" i blared with my foam cup of hot tea in my hand. nick and i had been sitting at an empty starbucks for roughly an hour now. after we conversed about the differences from america compared to europe, we slowly transitioned into the topic about the so called 'dream team' and how their friendship blossomed.

"yeah. i met dream when i was what..." i watched nick as he looked up and propped his elbow against the metal starbucks table. as the texan slouched into his cheek among his fist, he began to ponder. " i think i met him when i was 11 or 12 years old? our friendship of 9 years hasn't broken since then," nick concluded while looking back at me with a warm smile.

"that's like my best friend kate and i. i've know her since we were babies! our friendship has been going strong even through long distance," i avowed as i began to slouch in my seat. as i pressed the palm of my hand onto the cold metal of the starbucks chair, i felt the freezing touch rush from my fingertips to my arm.

"oh, kate! yeah, i know kate," nick hollered with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

i furrowed my eyebrows out of confusion until i recalled what the pair had commented on my most recent instagram post. "oh my gosh! neither have you have told me!! what is going on between you two? you both made me feel like i was interrupting something from your comments last night," i whined as i gripped onto my tea out of eagerness.

nick had just taken a swig of his coffee before testifying, "we are nothing but friends. we actually met mutually because of you and george."

"uh huh. 'nothing but friends'," i hooted while lifting up my hands to perform air quotes with my fingers. "i'm not buying it! how did you guys even begin talking in the first place?" i bleated as i put my cup down onto the coffee table.

"well, a few days after your incident with george, dream called george to ask him what was up. after a tugging of heart strings i assume, dream had persuaded your man into seeing you. however, i knew that you wouldn't answer me if i had asked you where you would be, so i texted kate through insta. sooner or later, we just found ourselves talking a lot. she's really cool, you know? i really like her she's-" nick began rambling. i watched him as everytime he said my best friend's name, a wave of red pigment would take over his pale cheeks.

i smirked to myself before cutting him off, "so you admit it! you do like her!" i nearly yelped in the empty airport terminal. i saw nick look around our surroundings in fear, almost as if he was anxious if some random pedestrian heard me.

"yeah, yeah. o- okay, whatever. maybe. just- just d- don't say anything!" nick fumbled. i have never seen him so flustered before, so i took this opportunity and ran with it.

"uh huh, okay. you know she's staying with us in the airbnb, right? clay let me bring her along. you better have brought your big boy pants in your luggage if you're going to ask her out during this trip," i jeered with a smirk never leaving my face.

"you mean she's staying with us for a week and a half? like... sleeping and eating in the same house as us for multiple days in a row?" nick uttered. i laughed at his shocked facial expression whilst he swallowed a huge gulp on nervousness.

"yes, that's exactly what i mean. why else would i tell you to pack your big boy pants?" i snickered before bringing my tea cup up to my face. i watched nick fidget with the brown paper coffee sleeve that surrounded the base of his cup, it was imminent that he was anxious after i broke the arirbnb new to him. "listen, nick. i wouldn't be teasing you this hard if she didn't like you back. i know kate, and i know that you have a chance with her," i gushed before i took a sip of my drink.