'Til Sun Beams Find You [COMPLETED]

Sixteen (Part 1)

Lena's upcoming wedding meant plenty of friends Nico grew up with were back in town, and particularly, one of her favorites in Angelo. Nico didn't have a lot of cousins to grew up with, she mostly just had her sisters and Jada, and as an extension, Jada's hundreds of cousins became her family as well. Most of her summers as a child consisted of her, Jada, and Angelo spending all day in the sun together, and going home only when the street lights came on.

Those family members who were in town were all heading to the club together tonight, but before that Nico felt obligated to see Angelo. When she heard from Jada that he was in town, she had all but wiped her day of any showings and offered to take him out to lunch to catch up on all they had missed since they last saw one another, ironically at Emi's funeral.

"I was upset at first, not gonna lie. It just felt like a last minute thought, and I think me and Lena not being that close since it happened was another reason it was off-putting, but I'm over it now," she promised.

She took another bite of her salad.

"It's not about me, it's about Emi. All that matters. I haven't even talked to Jada about it," she admitted, and Angelo's brows rose.

Outside of him and Carter, nobody knew that she was feeling a way about any of this.

"You think Jada wouldn't understand?" Angelo asked as he leaned back into his seat.

They were seated out onto the patio of the restaurant, and the umbrella over them was no longer blocking the sun from him. A beautiful glare shined onto his features, and particularly, the light brown color of his eyes.

She'd always loved his eyes.

"No, I'm sure she would. I just don't wanna keep hashing on it, especially if I gave Lena my blessing."

Angelo nodded. "How have your parents been? I swear I was thinking about them the other day..."

"Were you?" Nico smiled and pushed the crouton with her fork. "They're doing okay.. found new ways to fill the hole of her. Mom volunteers for a hotline. Dad coaches soccer. I think they'll be fine."

"Your mama still cook a feast every Sunday?"

"Yes.. but I only show up every other week."

"What??" Angelo's face twisted and Nico lowered her head in shame. "The way I would kill to have a home-cooked meal made every single week by my mama... I swear moving out west has changed my perspective on family."

"I get it, but it's just too much food to have every week.. and my mom is always forcing me to eat more than I usually do. I have fitness goals, you know?"

"Your skinny ass should be showing up weekly... get some meat on those bones."

Nico giggled. "There's already enough meat on these bones, okay?!" She snapped her fingers. "And don't worry about meat you aren't eating."

Angelo just smiled at her teasing words, but the mention of being skinny brought back terrible memories to Nico.

"Do you remember when Tia would compare asses with me? God, I hated her so much.." she shook her head, but the reminder sent him laughing so hard that a few nearby people turned towards them.

Out of all of their cousins, Tia was the only one that was the same age as Jada and Angelo, so naturally she spent a lot of time with the three of them, and always made it a point to pick on Nico for being so thin while she was so voluptuous as a teen.

Angelo was still chuckling at the memory. "You know she's coming too.."

"I know.. I'm hiding from her."