Vivian's POV
It feels like time is going by so slow. Nick just got the chicken out of the oven, and still has a couple more things to make. I've stayed by Nick's side the whole time, while my mom and Jason talk amongst everyone that is here. Nick's parent's showed up, but Danielle didn't come. She had something to do with her work.
Noah is just sat in the living room, playing on his phone. "Is this all he has done since he has been over here?" Nick looks over to me, pulling the oven mitts off of his hands. "Pretty much. He hasn't spoke to any of us much, just stepped outside a couple of times." He puts the homemade maccaroni in the oven, closing it once more. "I forgot to tell you one of the most important things from that night.." I say under my breath. I feel like I'm gossiping.
"He didn't pull out, Nick. He admitted that he knew what he was doing, so it wasn't an accident." His eyes go wide, and he then looks over towards the living room, catching a glimpse of Noah. "Are you serious?" I nod my head. He looks pissed.
"I don't know what to say, Viv. This is literally beyond me. I've done beat his ass once over this kind of bullshit. That apparently didn't work very well." I look at Nick confused as to what he's talking about. "What do you mean? When did you beat his ass?" I take a shot of the whiskey that I bought. I hand one over to Nick, and he shoots it back before responding. "I guess it was the last time he hurt you. He came over here late as hell, and told us what happened. I got fed up with his bullshit, so I beat his ass and told him to get his shit together." My eyes are wide this time. That was why he was all beaten up before I left? Nick defended me?
"I didn't know you did that. Noah wouldn't tell me anything..." I respond, just looking at Nick. It may be the liquor talking, but that was the sweetest thing I've heard. It starts to make me look at Nick in a different light. Am I reading this all wrong? Does Nick like me? My thoughts are interupted once Jolly walks into the kitchen.
I break my gaze away from Nick to listen to what Jolly has to say. "How long is it going to take you man, I'm starving!" He pats Nick on the shoulder, looking at the food on the counter. "This is how Thanksgiving always goes, and you know it. You starve all morning, just to get full off of one plate." They laugh amongst each other, and I walk away from them.
That was completely weird...
Everyone else seems to be cooped up in the living room, just watching the TV and chatting. But Noah is no longer in the same spot. I begin to look for him, but I'm stopped by Nick who calls me into the kitchen. "Can you help me real quick? I'm just trying to get all of this food ready." I nod my head, and help him with whatever he asks.
I pull my phone out to check it once we're waiting on the last thing, and I notice a text from Nathan.
Nathan- I hope your thanksgiving is well :) Attactchment: Image
It's a picture of Nathan and his kids... This is the first time I've seen anything of his kids, and they're adorable. I feel bad for doing what I've done to him. Especially since he is acting so nonchalant about it. I stare at it for a moment before responding. I choose to take a photo of Nick and I. He holds up his hands that are covered with oven mitts, and I hold up the next shot of mine. I send the picture, and let him know that my day is great.
I think my alcohol tolerance has gone up, since I've taken about 6 shots and I don't even feel a thing yet. Nick and I get all the food set up on his giant dinning table, and call everyone in to eat. Noah comes in from the back door, looking blitzed. I stare at him confused, but I don't question it.
I sit next to my mom, and Noah is on the opposite end of the table next to Folio. However, even with him as far away as he is, he smells like pure weed.
I look over to Nick, who also is already looking at me with the same expression. Okay... So it's not just me who smells this... Nick looks back over to Noah, who begins to make his plate as everyone passes the dishes around the table. Nick clears his throat before standing up from the table. "Uh, Noah, can I talk to you real quick?"
Noah hands over one of the dishes, and stands up to follow Nick outside. Mom leans over to me as she takes the next dish out of my hands. "Is he okay?" She whispers in my ear. I shrug my shoulders, unsure of how to answer her question. Once we're done passing everything around, I head to the kitchen to make me a drink with my liquor. I put it in one of Nick's tumbler cups, to kind of mask what I'm drinking.
Fuck... I didn't think of how my they were getting back home...
I shrug my shoulders to myself, and continue to sip on my drink. Nick soon comes in from the back door, but Noah isn't behind him. Nick looks extremely angry. He walks straight up to me, and grabs my arm lightly, pulling me out of my chair to follow him. He leads me over into his bedroom, and shuts the door.
"He's fucking getting high. He's been getting high this whole time." Nick grits through his teeth, pacing back and forth. "What?" I ask him. "Noah had a problem with this a while ago. I don't know why I didn't think about that until now. He was addicted to getting high. He made it his whole personality; completely acted like a different person because of it. My parents helped him stop years ago. It sounds stupid, I know. But he is pure proof that you can get addicted to weed."
I never took Noah to be that kind of person. It feels like I'm learning something new about him everyday. "I made him leave. I told him that as long as he's doing what he is, I won't be his friend. I'm done with his bullshit." I stare at Nick as he's still pacing angrily. You can tell how much he cares about everything, and everyone.
I stop him from pacing, and hug him. "I'm sorry Nick." He hugs me back, and his hug is warm and inviting. What is wrong with my brain? Seriously. We pull away from each other, and Nick suggests we head back out to everyone. We take our places at the table without saying anything about the situation, rather join in the random conversations around us.
Once dinner is done, I'm feeling the liquor pulse through my body. I make my way over to Nick, who's cleaning up some of the mess. "I think I fucked up." I look at him, as I stand extremely close to him. A smile appears on my face, and he's confused. "The liquor. I can't drive home. Not with my mom in the car anyways." Nick laughs to himself, shaking his head.
"You can stay here, if that's what you're asking." I jump for joy, happy that he will let me stay. He laughs at my reaction, and continues with dishes. I find my mom throughout the house to let her know what's going on. "What? When did you start drinking? You know you don't have to stay here, I can drive us all back." She says, seemingly aggravated.
I legit didn't think about that. I kind of want to stay... "Oh, I have to talk to Nick about some things. That's why he offered that I stay." Mom raises her eyebrow at me, but takes the keys from my hands. Her and Jason soon leave, as well as Nick's parents. Leaving Jolly, Folio, Nick and I.
"Dude, did you know that he's been doing that?" Nick asks Jolly, referencing the weed. "Yeah, he told me not to tell anyone. But didn't tell me why." Jolly responds. Nick huffs, and tells him the same thing he told me. "I didn't know that. He hasn't seemed different to me." Jolly shrugs his shoulders, disagreeing with Nick's statement.
"Because you're the one giving him a place to stay. Do you know about the shit he's been doing to Vivian?" Nick gets a little angry, hopefully at the situation rather than at Jolly. Jolly shakes his head no, and Nick goes on a tangent about everything that has happened up until now. I stay silent, watching as Jolly looks suprised.
"Viv, I'm so sorry. I didn't know he was doing that to you... Which I guess in a way I did. From the song we created recently together." My eyes widen, thinking about whatever Noah could've said within this song. "Are you talking about that last song you asked us to put some instruments to?" Nick asks. "I want to hear it." I say outloud. They all look at me, not saying a word.
"I don't think you want to." Nick says to me. "I don't think it could be all that bad. I mean, he sent me a song warning me that he was breaking up with me before it happened."
Nick sighs lightly, and leads us all to his room to access his computer. He pulls up a file called "Bad Decisons", and clicks play. My jaw drops once the chorus comes around. Not only does his vocals sound great, but this is literally what our situation feels like. It gives me mixed feelings about everything. Does he still want me? Or does he just want the "bad decisions", which would be just sex?
Once the song is over, all of the guys look at me as if they're waiting for a reaction. "Fuck 'em." That's all I can say. We all bust out into laughter over my statement. Jolly soon leaves, and Folio disappears into his room.
Nick and I are left sitting in his bedroom, with the door open. I take in my surroundings, as well as Nick who is sat at his computer doing random stuff. This weird feeling I got from earlier is still lingering. Again, could be the alcohol. But I feel the need to find out. "Thank you for standing up for me." I say, breaking the silence.
Nick looks up at me, as I'm standing next to him. "Anytime. Don't get me wrong, you weren't always right in every situation. But you could've been treated better than you were." I take in the way that he looks. I've never noticed how lightly colored his eyes are. His long hair, as well as his gauges.
Without thinking, I begin to lean in to kiss him. My lips land on his, and I don't feel him replicating the kiss. I pull away, and we both start to speak at the same time. "Viv, I don't-" "I'm so sorry!"
"I don't feel that way about you. I'm sorry if I made you think that way." Nick says, and I feel extremely embarassed. "No, no. I read the situation wrong." I chuckle nervously. "I've also been drinking, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I cover my face, and fall back onto the bed behind me. What is wrong with me?! I just made everything awkward.
"It's okay. Hey, look at me." Nick moves my hands from over my face. "I see you as a bestfriend. Sister almost. As cliche as that sounds. Everything is fine, we can act like this didn't happen." He pulls me up to my feet, and gives me a hug. I shake off the awkward feeling, and he offers to show me some of the drawings he's been working on.
"This is an album of things I've actually tattooed on people." I click through the photos of tattoos, and I'm stunned. I completely forgot that's what he does. "Dude, I definately have to get you to do something on me at some point." I tell him. His art is amazing. Linework is great.
We lounge for the rest of the day, and I decide that it's better that he takes me home being I'm pretty much sober now. Once in my driveway, I give him a hug to thank him for everything. "And when I'm not thinking weirdly of things, we definately need to hang out more. Something like a sleepover or something. I'll make you be a girl for a night!" I laugh as I open the truck door. Nick agrees before I shut the door to head inside.
I have to get my life together. I have to do better.
I don't mention anything to mom or Jason, but just spend the rest of the night with them talking about their wedding plans, as well as plans for the next few days. Mom makes me agree to looking for a job tomorrow, and I soon go to bed to rest.
A/N:
I have a little bit of time now, so hopefully I can get out more chapters over the next week! Hope you all are enjoying this so far! :)