SUMMERTIME ↣ NICK ROBINSON

16.

4 MONTHS LATER

NICK scrolled down on his phones as he read every text Garret had been sending him since 8 a.m. after a Friday night out with him at Rory's house. He smiled as he remembered all the stupid things his cousin had done and said yesterday under the effects of alcohol, and he was also enjoying that Garret finally was lucid enough to realize what he had done.

8 NEW MESSAGES FROM GARRET

>dude, I can't

>I feel like my head had been banged against the great wall of china

>please don't let me drink again

>omfg rory just told me I tried to sex her

>is that true? please tell me it isn't

>answer you motherfucker I can see you reading all my texts

>fuck you and fuck me and fuck alcohol

>I'm never drinking again istg

He locked his phone only to hear the new message alert going off again. He chuckled softly as he stuffed the device on his back pocket. Nick looked curiously at the big variety of coffees the menu had to offer, and choose carefully. As his turn arrived, he smiled quickly at the cashier standing in front of him.

"Good morning, what would you like to take?" she said.

"Uh yeah, I would like to take a medium cup of Vanilla Cappuccino." he ordered quiet awkwardly. It was always hard for Nick to talk to strangers without sounding like a complete fool.

She scribbled on the white cardboard cup as Nick looked around the establishment. Unconsciously, he was looking for the person that once had helped him and a special girl climb to the rooftop of the venue. He sighed and then returned his attention towards the cashier, handing him the money she had claimed was the total.

Stepping aside as he waited for his coffee, another message popped up on his phone. He glanced down and read the text that, once again, came from his cousin.

>we're going out tonight it's not a question

The coffee was handed to Nick and he took a sip from the cup before leaving the all too familiar coffee shop that was yet another ghost of what had been last summer.

NICK gripped the steering wheel calmly as the car radio played a relaxing track that reminded him of the feeling when you're on the beach with the windows down, feeling the salty air on your face as the seagulls flew above on the blue skies. Instead, Nick felt a humid warm air hit his face, but he didn't mind.

"Nick," said Garret, breaking the atmosphere the song had created inside the car.

"Yeah?" Nick answered, not taking his eyes off the road.

Getting no response, Nick turned to look at the redhead in the pilot's seat, to discover him smiling at the headlights in front of him. Nick furrowed his eyebrows as Garret glanced at him for a split second, the grin never leaving his face.

"Nothing." he said and then peeked through the window "Pull over here."

And Nick did as he said. He parked the car and the two boys got out, heading towards the two story house in front of them. Nick couldn't help but feel nostalgia; the scenery of the front yard being trashed with red solo cups and some chicken wings reminded him of his first party, except the cups were toilet paper and the wings were sex dolls. He sighed before cracking a smirk, feeling the familiar sensation of warmth inside his chest as he went through the front door. It was the kind of feeling he only felt when coming from a long trip to his bedroom.

It was the feeling of being home.

The music soon filled his ears as he stood in Wes' hallway, looking around the house for a sing of his old friend until he found him on the stairs, standing next to a familiar blonde.

Nick felt his heart thump in his chest as Wes noticed him, raising his arm –which held a beer– in a form of greeting. Then the blonde turned around. He felt the nervousness go away.

It was Rory.

They both made their way down the stairs until they were face-to-face once again.

"Nick!" Wes said excitedly, patting Nick's back as he hugged him. "Long time no see!"

"Yeah, 24 hours is a lot to you, isn't it?" Nick joked.

"It's a living hell!" Wes said, not picking up on Nick's sarcasm. This made the brunet chuckle.

"Hi Nick." Rory said cheerfully, not moving from her place in front of Garret, whom was red as his hair.

"Hey Rory, how was last night?" he asked, earning a glare from Garret.

She giggled softly "good, it was good."

"Well, anyways," Wes began "I have to go check how much beer I have left, so see you around." and he left to go check on his 'holy treasure' as he used to call it.

"Garret?" Nick heard Rory say "I want to speak with you."

"Uh, sure." Garret stuttered as Rory began walking backwards "Be right there in a second."

As Rory walked away with a soft smirk, Garret turned to look at Nick.

"Okay, man, this is it." he said "I'm telling her."

"Really?" Nick asked as Garret shook his head frantically "Wow, good luck." he patted his arm.

"Thanks –oh! By the way, it's better if you stay somewhere where everybody can see you once they walk in." Garret suggested, making Nick furrow his eyebrows in confusion.

"Why is that?" he quizzed curiously.

Suddenly, Garret's facial expression softened to the next level, and yet another one of his sly smiles crept his way onto his face. He reminded Nick of that scene of Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby, where he raised his glass at Nick Carraway as the fireworks were in the background.

Never stopping to smile, Garret said happily "Just saying."

And he walked away.

Nick began thinking what Garret meant by what he had said as soon as his back had turned to face him and as he began his search for the girl he liked, waiting for him outside. But Nick didn't have too much time to wonder about the answers as the door behind him opened.

He turned around, slightly startled by the sound of the door knob opening, and as he noticed who was standing under the white door frame, staring back at him with those blue eyes he had spent all summer loving, he felt his heart become the fireworks behind Jay Gatsby on that particular scene.

"Hi, Nick." she said and smiled softly as she always did when she was with him. "It's good to see you again."