Behind

Chapter 11

I didn't feel like protesting, so I put some shoes on and climbed into Bart's stolen vehicle again. "Where are we going?" I asked meekly.

"Just to a family diner down the road. It looked interesting." He smirked at me. "And so do you."

"Not now." I choked out. Nash became quiet and we drove in silence to the diner. We walked in the door and freely to a booth. I assumed the facility was family run because it just illuminated with that warm, homey feeling. I sat across from Nash and he leaned in towards the center of the table. 

"I should probably mention that the rest of the crew is coming in half an hour, so it's technically not just you and I for long." 

"Oh, okay." I pulled my hair to one shoulder. "What about the girls?" 

"I told you, the crew, and they're part of the crew." He said it sort of strictly and when he realized how he had spoken he grabbed my hands from the table and held them in his two larger grips. He smiled warmly at me, a smile I rarely ever see. 

An older lady came over to us with a pad of paper. "What can I get you guys to drink?" 

"Just a water for me." I smiled.

"Root beer." He flicked his head towards her. "Thanks." She smiled at our joined hands and spun on her heels to the kitchen.

"So explain to me what happened." He looked at me with an eager gleam in his eyes.

I shook my head. "I should wait until Bart and Gilinksy get here so that I won't have to explain it more than once."

Nash nodded and agreed. I pulled my hands apart from his and sat back in the booth. I smirked and he squinted his eyes at me, confused.

"Why don't you explain your little black eye to me?"

His face went pale and he widened his eyes. "Oh, this? Ah, it's nothing. I just-"

"Don't wory," I interrupted. "Taylor explained everything." His face changed from pale to beat red in an instant and I couldn't fight the urge to let out a laugh. 

I looked out of the window and I saw a car door slam, it pulled away after they exited. Aaron and Nicole walked towards the entrance laughing together. Huh?

"That wasn't half an hour." Nash mumbled negatively. 

"Ayyyyyye!" Aaron boomed throughout the restaruant. A few old couples perked their ears up to the sound and I noticed that Nicole's hand was entwined with Aaron's. I thought that Carmina and Carter were the only ones that were having some sort of fling? 

I eyed their knotted hands and Nicole blushed at me. "Mind if we sit with you guys?" Aaron asked.

Nash jerked his head backwards, indicating that he wanted me to sit on his side with him. I slid out of the booth and into the other side. I felt Nash's arm curl comfortably around my neck. I should be protesting but nothing in my body felt angry, I felt a complete serenity right now.

"Where's the others?" Nash asked. 

"I thought they were coming, we're a bit early." 

"Yeah," Nash said shortly. "I know." He rubbed my shoulder with his thumb and his shoulder tensed up. Across the table, Aaron smiled down at Nicole.

I thought this whole situation was weird, we're practically on dates with our fellow gang members. It shouldn't be this way, it has to be against the rules somehow. 

"Maybe I'll text them." Aaron spoke up, grabbing his phone out of his pocket with one hand, his other attached to Nicole's. He texted quickly with the skill of one hand's thumb.