Just A Girlfriend (BWWM) ✅

fourteen

"Can I ask why you texted me to meet at a park? Not that I'm complaining. Just... concerned." Nova didn't bother to turn around and even look at where the voice came from. I knew she knew it was me but I figured she'd be more connected to the upcoming conversation I was trying to start. "Are you okay?"

I then watched her turn to kick her foot up on the picnic table to reveal her sandals and an anklet. After taking a closer look, I realized it wasn't an anklet at all.

"What?! You kept the bracelet I gave you!" Quickly taking a seat across from her, I grabbed her foot and examined the piece of jewelry closer to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

She giggled as I almost dragged her out of her seat. "I went home to switch out my clothes and found it. I knew you'd love it so.... I wanted to see your reaction in person." I smiled at her while she blushed at me. "I also wanted to apologize for crashing your night the other day. I don't know why I showed up there. I think about it and it's so humiliating."

I quickly reached across the table to take her hands in mine so she wouldn't use them to cover her embarrassment. "I was so fucking glad to see you. It's been so long since we've hung out as... friends. You know, to do stuff friends do."

"We've always hung out as friends."

Before I could react to a sentence that felt similar to getting slapped in the face, I heard my moms car door shut then lock. We both turned to look behind me and watched Ryan drag his feet over to the bench. "What are you doing? I said to wait in the car."

He ignored everything I said and sat right down next to me. "I remember you. Nova isn't it?" She smiled and nodded while shaking the hand He held out for her. "Ryan. Christopher's little big brother. I say that because I'm the wisest one of the bunch. The amount of mistakes this guy makes. Most recent one being trap me in the car and pay me ten dollars to tell mom he took me out of the house to enjoy myself. Instead he stuck me in the car to come see you."

He squinted his hazel eyes at me and I knew my ten bucks wouldn't have got him far. "Okay, fine. Look around you. Nature and birds. Give me your phone and make the best of that."

Just when he was about to do as I told, Nova held his hand back. "Even better idea. There's this gym filled with trampolines and bouncy castles for teens. Everyone from our old school goes there now." She looked at Ryan who seemed excited about the idea. "Have you been?"

Nervousness spread across his face and I already knew what he was thinking. "No! Him and his huge group of friends think it's so lame because they're too cool for a good time. Let's take him so... he knows it's not that bad."

Ryan smiled at me while I patted his back when Nova turned to get up. "Thanks," he whispered.

"Let's go then! Why are you two moving so slow?!" She ran to the car while Ryan and I jogged and still caught up since her short legs can only take her so far. "I'll put the GPS on. Listen to music. What's your favorite song Ryan?"

"Let me type it in."

Ryan had this obsession with asking about people's past. Nova has this excitement that took over where she didn't mind the questions. It was one of those times where she was passionate about something. I didn't see much of her passion in high school but she's grown since then. She adored my brother in this moment despite having never talked to him before this in her life.

He was interested in everything she had to say. It was just the better idea. Her idea.

"My brother probably says two words to me when I see him. We've never been close. Annoy each other every once and a while as siblings do but that's it."

"My brother was always too busy for us if I'm being honest." Ryan squeezed in between us as if I was nonexistent. "What about girls? Kit was a ladies man and refused to spit any of his game."

Nova looked at me and giggled. "Only reason Kit got any of the ladies is because..." She stopped looking at me and cleared her throat. "You have to be your own person. I can't tell you how to get girls because it might attract the girl you don't want. Whoever you are, show that and she'll come."

"There's this one girl but she just got out of a relationship. How do I know that I'm not a rebound?"

"Does she talk about him a lot?"

"No."

"Does she try to change you to be someone else?"

"No."

"Has she told you she liked you?"

"In a way..."

"Then you're probably not a rebound. Don't rush or push anything and see how it goes."