After the zoo we were all tired from walking around all day. It was around five o'clock and Shawn carried Hunter on his back again, only this time he was asleep. I held onto Shawn's car keys and his jacket as we walked over to his car. We all walked close together and once we got to his car I opened it, opening the door for Shawn so he could put my brother in the back seat.
"I swear this kid sleeps way to much." I shook my head and Shawn laughed.
"At least he'll grow faster."
"That's why Jacob is short, he doesn't get enough sleep." I said and my brother groaned.
"Hey, I'm not short." He got into the car next to my sleeping brother.
"Whatever you say." I rolled my eyes and closed the door. I opened the driver's side door and got in.
"Woah you want to drive my car?" He gasped.
"Yes because only I know where we're going." I winked and he smirked closing the door and running over to the other side so he could take a seat in the passenger seat. We all buckled our seat belts and I adjusted the seat along with the mirrors before turning on the car.
"I love your car." I said and we both laughed. I drove down the streets and made it to the highway, making my way to our destination. Shawn held my right hand in his left while we all listened to the music that played lightly in the background.
"Nicole, where are we going?" My mom asked and I smirked.
"That's is a surprise madre."
I drove a bit more on the highway, getting off after a few minutes and making a right turn into the city. I parked in a parking structure and both my mom and Shawn looked at me with a confused look on their face. I chuckled and we all got out of the car before I woke up Hunter who was still sound asleep. He woke up with a smile on his face and I chuckled, helping him get out of the car and fixing his messed up hair. Shawn grabbed my hand and my mom held on to Hunter's while they all walked in front of Shawn and I.
"Where are we going?" Shawn whispered in my ear and I smiled.
"To dinner, a place we used to go to when we first got here." I explained to him.
"What's it called?"
"Amelia's, we actually know the owner, she was a great help to us and she was the actual reason why my parents wanted to start the diner."
"Do you think your mom remembers?" He asked and I shrugged.
"No clue, to be honest I almost got lost getting us here, but I didn't want to say anything." I said and we both laughed. We walked further down the sidewalk and I could see the small restaurant in between the massive buildings ahead of us. As my mom got closer I could tell she was slowing down and she stopped in her tracks, looking back at me with a smile.
""You remembered." She said and I nodded, a smile on my face.
"Of course I did."
Shawn held the door open for us and we all piled in, being greeted by the smell of home style Mexican food. It was small restaurant, filled with enough seats to fill it, but the bright yellow walls made it pop. One of the hosts I had never seen before seated us and we all took a seat in the large, round booth against the wall.
"I have been craving Amelia's enchiladas since two years ago." Jacob said as he flipped through the menu and I chuckled, nodding in agreement.
"What's good here?" Shawn asked.
"Literally anything, just depends what you're in the mood for." I shrugged.
"You're right." He nodded and flipped threw the menu, his tongue poking out of his mouth a bit as he was concentrated. As I opened the menu I heard a loud crash followed by a loud scream. I looked up and saw a very familiar face making me smile.
"Lici, Nicky!" Ariana's loud voice filled the restaurant and I laughed, getting out of the booth along with my mom. "Girl get in here!" She invited me to a hug and I laughed, hugging her tightly. I let go so we could do our handshake, surprising myself that I still remembered. She hugged my mom, almost squeezing all of the air out of her before saying hi to my brothers as well.
"Ariana, this is Shawn, my boyfriend." I said and Ariana shook his hand.
"You act like I don't know who this is." She chuckled. "I'm Ariana, nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you as well." Shawn responded.
"Damn Nicole I haven't seen you in two years and you bring me your boyfriend, just wait until Ma sees."
"I know it's been a while, but it's for good reason trust me." I nodded.
"We need to catch up sometime, I miss my Nicky." She pouted and grabbed her tray from the table. "I'll be right back, I'm going to tell Ma." She smiled and walked into the kitchen leaving us to ourselves.
"So Nicky?" Shawn chuckled and I playfully shoved him. I rested my hand on his shoulder and played with his hair as I finally decided what to eat.
"It's nice that your brought us here Nicole, thank you seriously." My mom spoke as she hugged Hunter.
"Of course mom." I winked.
"How come you guys never came?"
"Nicole was always busy, and we knew that." Jacob responded. "She did a lot for us, even if she was tired."
"But I promise things are going to change." I nodded. "For the better."
I kept brushing through Shawn's hair as I rested my head on his shoulder, staring out the window onto the city street. My thoughts were soon interrupted when I heard a voice in the background.
"Ariana, I don't have time to be out here." Amelia said and I turned around, making eye contact with her. She still looked the same, her short, black hair with tan skin and her curvy body. I simply smiled and got up.
"Is that really the Ortega family?" She squinted, making us chuckle. I gave her a kind hug before my mom and brothers did the same. Her and Ariana grabbed a chair and took a seat in front of us while we sat back down. "And who is this?"
"Well, this is Shawn my boyfriend." I introduced her and her eyes went wide, making us all laugh.
"Boyfriend? Lici did I hear her right?"
"Yes you did." My mom nodded.
"So where have you guys been these past years, Ariana and I missed you guys."
"Its a really long story, for another time, today we are here to be with people are matter to us." I smiled and looked at everyone. We conversed about Amelia and Ariana, how their lives have been seen we last saw them. Ariana was my age and her mom was a bit older than mine. We had met them when my dad drove by one day and noticed a restaurant opening, he was always like that, curious and always making new friends.
Once he met Amelia he came back home to the apartment with the grand idea of buying and owning a diner. He was so excited. I miss him.
"You okay?" Shawn whispered as the others talked and ate.
"Yeah, I just got caught up in my thoughts." I smiled and patted his thigh, continuing to eat and listen in on their conversations. As we ate Amelia and Ariana went back into the kitchen so we could finish. We were left in silence, eating our food and only hearing the music playing in the background.
After we finished the bill was brought to us and I quickly snatched it out of Shawn's hands while he gave me a stern look.
"Nicole."
"No Shawn." I said and took out my wallet, placing my card in the check holder and giving it to the waitress. I chuckled as I looked at Shawn's cranky face and I kissed him on the cheek. "I invited you guys, not the other way around.
The waitress soon came back with my card and receipt, putting it away in my bag.
"Thank you mija for dinner." My mom smiled, placing her hand on top of mine.
"Of course mom."
"Thank you hermana."
"Thanks ugly." Jacob added.
I chuckled and nodded as we all stood up so we could leave. Amelia and Ariana came out a final time and we said our goodbyes, my mom making plans with them before we could leave. Shawn held on to Hunter's hand as we walked back to the car and I took Shawn's car keys out of my backpack, unlocking his car once we got there. I decided to drive again so Shawn could sit back for a bit. Luckily I did because he fell asleep once I got onto the highway. I laughed as I turned over to see his mouth slightly open.
"Jacob."
"Yeah?"
"Do me a favor and take a picture of Shawn please." I chuckled and I saw him smirk from the rear view mirror. He grabbed my phone from the cup holder and went on my camera, taking a bunch of pictures of Shawn.
"Nicole, let him sleep." My mom laughed along with us.
"Okay you can stop." I chuckled and Jacob put my phone back. We had finally arrived at the apartment after a few minutes of traffic on the highway. Everyone got out of the car except for Shawn who was still asleep and I turned off the car. I ran my hand through his hair, hoping to wake him up slowly. He moved his head to turn to me and his eyes fluttered open.
"Aw my poor baby was tired." I pouted my lip and chuckled.
"I was up all night last night." He sighed and sat up.
"Why hun?"
"I have no clue, I was writing and thinking of music video ideas." He blinked a couple of times and stretched his arms out.
"You can take a nap in my room if you want." I offered innocently.
"No it's fine, I'll just go." He shook his head.
"I don't want you to go." I pouted playfully.
"I have to Nicole." He sternly said as he sighed and looked out the window.
"Are you okay?" I furrowed my eyebrows, not knowing why his tone changed.
"Yes!" He pinched his nose. "Look, I'll text you when I get home."
"Sure." I said in a blank manner and opened the car door to get out. He got out at the same time and I reached in to give him a kiss, but he turned his head so I kissed his cheek instead. I thought nothing of it and he got into his car, rolling down the window.
"Tell everyone I said goodbye for me."
"Yeah." I nodded as he started his car. I stood back as he left, a confused look on my face. I shook it off, walking inside and taking the elevator up to the apartment. Once I got there I opened the door to see my brothers on the couch watching tv as my mom popped some popcorn in the kitchen.
"Where's Shawn?" Jacob asked and I closed the door.
"He had to go, but he sends his goodbyes."
"How come?" My mom asked.
"He was tired." I shrugged and began to walk upstairs. "I'm going to do some homework." I sighed, confused at the encounter I just had with Shawn. I changed into my pajamas and took out my backpack, catching up on some homework that I had this past week. I put on my glasses and pulled my hair back in a pony tail, concentrated on my math homework. I had light jazz music playing in the background, humming to the beat and trying to figure out the formula.
I did my homework for a good three hours until I finally finished, sighing in relief. I grabbed my phone and set my computer on my bed, watching some videos on Youtube before I would have to go to sleep.
As I was in the middle of watching Shane Dawson, the video paused and my computer began to ring. The camera popped up and so did Shawn's contact name with it. I rolled my eyes and ended the call, continuing to watch the video before getting another call.
I ended it once again, not wanting to talk at this moment and I received a text message.
Sexy Shawn: Nicole, please answer.
I'm not answering.
Sexy Shawn: Please.
Damn it.
Me: Why?
Sexy Shawn: Because I said please?
Me: Are you going to snap at me again?
Sexy Shawn: Just please, call me.
I sighed, pressing on his contact and calling him.
"Hello?" I asked.
"I meant facetime me." He said.
"This is enough for now."
"Look I'm sorry."
"No it's okay I get it." I cut him off.
"Nicole, seriously." He sighed. "I'm sorry I left so abruptly, I was just really tired and when I'm really tired I get annoyed."
"Okay." I blankly said.
"Nicole I'm sorry, I get it was an asshole thing to do." He apologized and I shook my head.
"Yeah it was, but it's whatever."
"Are you mad?"
"Mad, no, frustrated, yes. Only because you could have simply said you were tired and not in the mood instead of having me think you were mad at me for no reason."
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine, I'll talk to you tomorrow, I need to go to bed."
"Okay, I'm sorry hun , really." He sighed. "I love you."
"Mhmm." I hummed and hung up. I brushed my teeth and washed my face before crawling back into bed and turning off my light. As I closed my eyes I heard footsteps come closer to my door and it opened, revealing my mom in her pajamas as well.
"You're going to sleep?" She came in, closing the door behind her and sitting on my bed.
"Yeah, I'm tired and I have work after school tomorrow."
"Okay, what time do you get out?"
"Nine, so don't wait up for me." I pursed my lips, frowning.
"I'll leave you some food out if you get hungry." She slightly smiled as she offered compassionately.
"Okay, thank you mom." I smiled.
"Goodnight." She kissed my forehead. "Love you."
"Love you to madre."