Friends Don't, But We Do

11. In Your Bed

I ate dinner with the Patrick siblings for the second day in a row. Their parents weren't home so Nolan ordered some pizzas and between the four of us, leftovers will probably be minimal.

"Aimee and Maddie! There's pizza here!"

The two girls come down the stairs a few moments later, expressing that they're starving. Aimee pulls out the chair next to me, but in the same moment Nolan returns from the bathroom and slides into the chair. Aimee scoffs and slaps the back of his head but he only smirks back at her, then looks at me for a shared laugh.

As the night went on and the sun started to set after 8pm, Aimee asks one of her older siblings for a ride to one of her friend's houses. Maddie agrees quickly, saying that she'll drop her off before she heads to the bar.

"Speaking of the bar," Maddie says and turns to me, "wanna come, Teagan?"

After the emotionally draining day I had, maybe going out to a bar with Maddie and her friends will be good for me. I agree, and Maddie claps.

"Hey," Nolan interjects. "Who else is going?"

Maddie starts listing off her friends and he interjects again, "So just a bunch of girls?"

She rolls her eyes and nods.

"Well don't you think a guy should be there? In case anything happens?" He says.

Maddie and Aimee both laugh at their brother, and I smile softly when he looks at me in confusion. They're just teasing. "Is that guy you?" Maddie asks.

"Geez if you wanna follow Teagan everywhere she goes, you could just ask," Aimee adds.

My cheeks burn up and so do his. "I'm not following-"

"Yeah, okay bud. But you can come if you want," Maddie states, letting him off the hook for now.

Maddie lets me borrow clothes to wear out so that I don't have to go home and change. "You're probably gonna stay over tonight anyway, aren't you?" She asks with a smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I say quietly and trying not to sound too eager, making sure her bedroom door is closed.

She goes back to her closet, pulling out a few shirts for me to pick from. "You don't have to hide it, Teagan. Pretty sure everyone knows you two are dating."

"What!?" I screech. Everyone? "We aren't." I can feel the heat rise to my cheeks as I stare at her with wide eyes.

Maddie laughs and flips her blonde hair, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone if you wanna keep it a secret. But I think that it's cute and-"

"No, Maddie- we really aren't dating," I interrupt, sitting down on her bed and biting my lip. She spins around to face me and her face drops.

"Oh? Really? I'm sorry, it just seemed like you guys are. Since he's been home I don't think he's seen any other girl but you. I was kinda excited actually. I'm pretty sure Nolan's been in love with you since high school," she blurts, then quickly covers her mouth. "Oh.. and if you guys aren't dating, I probably shouldn't have said that."

Nolan... loved me in high school?

"He dated Tyler in high school," I respond, dismissing her claim. We were close back then, but not like we are now. Back then he spent as much time or more with his guy friends than with me. Now, everything's different.

She rolls her eyes and tosses some tops at me. "We both know that meant nothing."

I shrug. It obviously meant something because he was so hurt when they broke up. But before she can say another word about it, I escape to the bathroom to try some outfits on.