𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 (javier peña) ✔️

chapter two: new years eve

"Likewise, and be nice to her, Javi. She's nice enough to go to a party with you, even though she doesn't even know you well" Benny said with a grin to his friend.

"I'm always nice" Javier replied and put his hand on Novas back again. Because even though Benny was dating one of the waitresses, Javi knew that Benny wouldn't shy away from flirting with Nova.

"Well uh, I'll leave you alone for a moment, I have to look for my date. The others are at the bar" Benny then said with a grin and left.

Javier just sighed, "Sorry about him"

"What? No it's okay, he seems nice" Nova replied.

She wasn't feeling uncomfortable, but still a bit weird. She didn't really know Javier but decided to go to a party with him anyway. Maybe she was too careless? After all, he could be a psychopath or something like that. Shit, she thought to herself. Maybe she shouldn't have texted him.

"Are you okay?" Javier then asked, noticing that Nova was getting quite nervous.

"Ah, yeah. I guess I just need something to drink" she replied.

"Sure, we can get something downstairs if you want. Then you don't have to get to know the others all at once, I don't want to overwhelm you" he said with a small smile.

"Yes, sounds good" she replied.

Down at the bar, Javier ordered a beer and Nova a non-alcoholic cocktail. She decided to hold off on the alcohol until she felt a bit safer.

And apparently, he noticed it, "Hey uh, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable" he told her and scratched the hair on his neck.

"Don't worry you didn't" she replied with a smile.

"Are you sure? We can leave and go somewhere else, if you'd like that better? Or I can take you home? Well uh bring you home, and leave then, of course"

"No it's okay. It's just that I really don't know anyone here. But I knew that from the beginning, so it's not your fault" she replied with a smile.

"Okay, well you can get to know me a bit more before you meet the others?" he suggested and took a sip of his beer.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan" she said with a smile.

"You can ask me everything you want" he said, also with a charming smile.

Nova thought about it for a few seconds. There were probably a few things she should ask him. But his age seemed most important to her right now.

"Can I ask how old you are?"

He nodded and took another sip of his beer. Because he was sure that now, he would ruin his chance with Nova. She seemed pretty young and he was definitely too old for her.

"34" he then said.

She nodded and also took a sip of her drink.

"And you?" he asked again.

Please be not that young, he thought to himself. She's definitely not a minor, he's pretty sure about that. But still, she's probably way too young for him.

"I'm 25" she told him.

He exhaled in relief. That's not too bad, right?

Wanting to know more about her, he started talking again. "And you work in the flower shop?"

"Yeah, sometimes. My parents own the shop and I help out sometimes. Mostly on the holidays tho. But if I'm not helping out, I'm still going to university, well medical school to be exact" she replied.