The Mistake

Burden

a/n: so sorry, it updated accidentally and I had to correct a couple things!

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I was right. I whimpered slightly as I took in my reflection on Alex's rearview mirror. My hair looked as if it had come straight out of a hurricane; it was in knots and dark brown hair was everywhere. I didn't expect it to look like some commercial where the model comes out of the water and her hair is all straight and flawless, but I did not expect this either.

I leaned back into my seat and tried running a hand through my hair. It wouldn't go more than an inch without running into another tangle. Ugh.

"It's really not that bad, Sam." Alex said with a chuckle.

"Alex, nobody likes a liar." Nick chimed in from the front seat. I could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"Nobody likes a jerk, either." I snapped.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sammi. I like you." My hand went up to rub my forehead in sheer frustration.

"Alright, guys, stop acting like little kids and help me unload the surfboards, alright?"

Thanks to the three boards they had decided to throw in the back with me, I was squished up against the car door, half under their weight. I struggled to push them aside so I could help, but I could barely get out.

Nick got out of the front seat and walked to the back. He opened the door, and since I had been squished up against it, I fell to the hard floor, landing on my butt with a yelp. He looked down at me with a bored expression and rolled his eyes.

"Sam, quit playing around and grab a surfboard, alright? Plenty of time to sit around later." He said and held a hand out while I grunted. I went to take it, when his hand grabbed hold of the surfboard that had fallen on the floor next to me instead of helping me up. Charming.

After helping unload the surfboards, I half walked, half dragged myself over to the couch in their huge living room while they were still in the garage. My body was sprawled out on the couch and I closed my eyes for a second, completely exhausted from today.

"Shit." I frowned when I heard Alex's voice coming from the kitchen, although I could barely hear what he was saying.

"What?" Nick replied.

"They just texted me that they went out for dinner, but Cassie's at a friend's house. My dad told me to go pick her up."

"Okay. So go." Of couse it was Nick who said that. No one else's voice sounded like the perfect combination of boredom, irritation and sarcasm.

"Yeah, but someone needs to take Sam home."

A pause and then a sigh. "Fine. I'll take her, but you owe me one."

"Thanks, bro." Footsteps shuffled in my direction and I rolled over on my stomach and lay my head on my hands.

"Hey Sam, Nick's driving you home. Is that okay?"

Nick was leaning against the wall, a hand in his front pocket. Nick always looked calm and composed, a smooth expression on his face. But today, his eyes kept flickering around everywhere and he would shift on his feet every couple seconds.

He must've noticed me staring, because when his eyes met mine, he stood up straight, blinked and looked at me and it almost happened. I almost caught a glance of something real in his eyes before I saw again what he wanted me to see.