My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 52

"Well, first maybe a nap wouldn't hurt." I chuckle.

"You got that right." He agrees.

"But, I want to go to Times Square." I tell him. "Mom always said she would take me one day."

He smiles. "She'd be very proud of you. Although, the whole college thing i-"

"Good way to ruin the moment," I cross my arms. "I think mom would want me to do what makes me happy. She'd say to follow my heart and it's exactly what I am doing."

I looked at Jax as he walked over smiling with big bags of chips in his grasp. I smiled to myself knowing I was lucky to have him in my life.

"I'm happy, dad. Shouldn't that be enough?"

Hesitating, he finishes putting gas and moves away from me. "Yes, but I-"

"No buts," I stop him, "Don't ruin this vacation. Not now."

Sighing, he shakes his head and looks over at Hunter. "You paid for the gas?"

"Yeah, we're all good." He gets in the car.

We all settle in and begin our drive to the big city. Jax went back to laying on me and for once the entire ride I didn't complain.

His peacefulness brought me calmness and I laid my head back, closed my eyes and let sleep consume me.

- -

Three hours later we had arrived at the hotel and while Marissa yawned away on the bed, the rest of us were getting ready to go out.

We had agreed to going to eat first and then to Times Square to sight see.

"Do you want to stay here and sleep?" Nick asks Marissa. "I can stay with you if you want."

She shakes her head, yawning. "I need food in my system."

"Everyone ready?" My dad says from the bathroom. He comes out adjusting his shirt and grabs his coat from the bed. "Reservations for Le Bernardin are at six, if we leave now we'll make it on time."

Dad made reservations to a restaurant I've always wanted to go to. It was a French restaurant and there were all types of foods to pick from. I was mainly going for the sea food.

"Jax, come on." Hunter called out for him as he was fixing his hair in the mirror.

"I'm ready, let's go." He continues fixing his hair.

"You're the only one fixing your hair right now." Hunter groans.

Grabbing Jax by the arm I pull him away from the mirror and listen as he complains about his hair not looking presentable.

We all filed into the car and made ourselves comfortable. Nick carried Marissa and Jax and I sat comfortably in our own seat with Hunter in the front.

The whole way there my eyes wandered out the window. As the sky darkened, it got colder and I let the cold air pass me as I looked out the window.

The bright lights of the buildings shone bright under the night sky. Not a single star was in sight.

People walked the streets, some in skirts and dresses, others in suits and work cases. Every time Jax sported a dog he'd squeal and point out the window in excitement.

Arriving at the restaurant after a twenty minute delay in traffic, we were all seated at our table.

"Do you know what you're going to eat?" I asked Jax.

"I don't know," he eyed the menu carefully. "This all looks weird."

Chuckling, I move my seat to look at the menu with Jax. I point to a couple of things in which he scrunches his nose and shakes his head.

After five minutes of looking over the menu again, he finally decided on getting Calamari.

"You know Éric Ripert is the chef here?" My dad speaks.

"No way." Marissa says.

"I know," I smile. "I searched it up before coming."

"Who's Eric Ripert?" Jax questioned.

We all turned our heads, almost snapping them. Jax looks around at all of us in confusion.

"Eric Ripert, the chef?" Marissa eyes him. "Cooks the best sea food and has his own Tv show. The Eric Ripert who's cooking our food."

Jax shrugs, completely unfazed by the fact we had a celebrity chef cooking our food.

"Why are we dating again?" I joke.

Smiling, he wraps his arms around me and kisses my cheek. "Because I love you, and you..." He kisses me. "Love me."

After a short while of waiting for our order to be taken, it finally is and we patiently wait for it to be brought to us.

"So," My dad fills the silence. "Jax, are you planning on going to college?"

"Dad," I shake my head at him. I knew exactly why he was bringing it up. "Not now."

"What?" He raises his eyebrows. "I'm asking a simple question."

"Uh, yes hopefully I am." He looks between me and my dad.

"Where have you applied?" He asks.

"A couple of places." He presses his lips together. "Just waiting to hear back."

"Any back in Boston?"

Jax stays quiet, fiddling around with his fingers. "Yeah, yeah for the most part."

"For the most part?" I jump in.

"Did you guys know I'm going to be in the law program over at Newton?" Hunter interrupts.

  "That's dope. I'm going to the college in Newton, too." Nick says.

  I look over at Jax as he sips on his water, sweat dripping down the side of his head. He was shaking his leg up and down and kept looking over at Hunter.

"You okay?" I whisper to Jax.

"Mmh." He nods. He gave me a small smile but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

The night carries on with small conversation and we devour our food peacefully. My dad never brought up college again nor did Jax or Hunter. When we got back to the hotel we decided to leave any plans we had for tomorrow.

  It had been a long day and drive. We agreed on resting for what tomorrow would bring. Jax, my dad and Hunter got their own room down the hall from mine and Marissa and I shared a bed while Nick took the fold out couch that was in our room.

I was about to fall asleep when my phone buzzed. Unlocking it, I smiled at the text from Jax.

Jax: I love you.

I love you, too. I replied.

I took the time to ask Jax about something that has been bothering me since we were at the restaurant.

I've been meaning to ask you. I type. What you said back at the restaurant, what did you mean about the whole college thing?

Waiting, I sigh and close my eyes as I see that he's typing. After two minutes of watching the three dots appear and disappear, he finally responded back.

We'll talk tomorrow, goodnight.

I must have read the message thirty times when Marissa forced me to shut my phone off and get some sleep. My mind was spiraling as I came up with different scenarios about what he meant. I never thought about Jax going to college.

I never thought he would go seeing as he never showed interest in it. He never once brought it up to me about what he wanted to do after high school. Fear filled my body of Jax ever going off to college and me staying back home.

  I wouldn't know what I'd do if he'd leave me.