'Til Sun Beams Find You [COMPLETED]

Fifty

"Aaaachew.."

Nico grabbed a tissue as she held her foot on the brake and blew out her nose.

She was stuck in a ridiculous amount of traffic, so she took her time blowing every bit of snot out her nose.

It was the first Friday after the new year, and everybody that was back at work was ready to get home and it showed as her usual 20 minute commute was currently at minute 35.

Nico glanced at the clock on the dashboard and noted an additional minute added and grumbled, looking up at all the cars ahead of her, backed up at the light.

Her CarPlay display lit up with a call, and she saw Carter's name and smiled for the first time that entire afternoon.

"Hello.."

"Aye baby, what's up?"

"Nothing. Just stuck in traffic..." she blew out a breath before sniffling.

"You good? You sound sick."

"I am sick," she groaned, ready to get home but she had a stop to make on the way.

It helped that Sera's coffeeshop was only five minutes from her apartment.

"I knew it would happen too," she remembered standing outside in practically nothing alongside him just a few nights ago. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for my next client to get here. I should be done around 7. Jalen wanted to go out tonight, I figured you'd come with me.."

She was fine that morning.

Nico pouted her lips. "Aww, yeah I'm out.."

"It's cool. Imma try to come by still though..."

Nico shook her head 'no' even though he couldn't see her. "I don't wanna get you sick, you go enjoy your night.."

"I don't get sick," Carter told her.

She snorted, but her nose was blocked so the feeling hurt her.

Nico groaned. "I swear we had this conversation before and then you were in a coma for like three days..."

She could hear him shuffling around as he chuckled.

"That was the old Carter. New year, new me or whatever the saying is.."

"Get outta here," she laughed as traffic slowly inched forward.

She released the brake and let the car roll forward.

"What are you tattooing next?"

"Nothing big, just touching up an old tat this guy showed me the other day. His original artist kinda fucked it up to begin with but it is what it is, nothing I can't fix.."

"Look at you.." she said as she looked out her window.

There were people rushing in every direction, and Nico found herself pausing for a moment to wonder about their lives and how different theirs was to hers.

"How was work?"

"Hell. Had like a two hour meeting with my boss with heavy emphasis on working hours and being around for the entirety of it. No more half days and days off whenever I feel like," she chuckled, still remembering the way Brian paced his office for hours in front of her, beating around the bush of what he really wanted to say, which was Nico wasn't meeting his standards. "It's crazy because I feel like I get the same amount of work done despite the hours. But whatever, his company, his rules. He didn't even care about the gift I got him so you already know I'm on the shortest leash this year. I'm definitely gonna quit sometime though.."