Untimely Love (Book 3)

♠Chapter 5♠

After the awkward scene, they dropped the subject of love altogether and I told myself I should probably stop socializing if that discomfort is what I'd have to live through every time.

Not long after I told them I had plans and left. I did have plans—they didn't start for hours but the underlying tension that I was probably the only one feeling, was too much. Twice now, had Angelica seen me in that state and that didn't sit right with me. I couldn't handle anyone seeing me like that, let alone a stranger seeing it twice. So because of those events, I ended up driving to Columbia instead of subwaying like I wanted to at first.

My hangout with Nate turned into me, Nate and Sean which I found out at the last minute because it got lost in the group chat. It didn't bother me, the more the merrier anyway.

"He's not getting off that phone for the rest of the day," Nate said, looking at me, "just so you know."

I snorted and shook my head.

Sean walked ahead of us on the sidewalk, not quite lost in the crowd of people but close enough. He'd been talking to Carlos on the phone for the past twenty minutes. I was sure he forgot he came out with us and a few times we had to stop him when he kept going when we were supposed to turn somewhere else.

We were on our way to the nearest park with takeout from Subway, Chipotle and a Chinese restaurant Nate wanted to try.

"If anyone can make long-distance work, it would be those two," I said, nodding. A second later I had to jog to catch up to him and drag him back with us so we could cross the road.

We settled on the grass under a huge tree that gave enough shade that we wouldn't have to move for a while. We took our food out of the bags all while regretting that we didn't bring blankets. It's not like we knew we were coming here when we met Nate at his dorm anyway.

"Can't believe y'all are on a date right now," Carlos said over the phone. It should've been mocking but he looked disappointed more than anything (Sean had switched their call to facetime when we sat down).

"You jealous?" Nate said as he chewed, smirking at the phone.

"Fight me."

"I would but you're not here."

Sean and I leaned back with a collective, "Ooohhh."

We laughed and fell into easy conversation about classes and just being away from home really. Nate told us about the clubs he was already a part of and a few stories that had me blinking a few times because he'd only been here for a week and his life was more exciting than most of ours.

He had a job on campus as an IT assistant. Hearing all of that showed me just how bland my life was. I'd been in New York for months and I don't even have a part-time job. That had to change. Plus it would get me out of the apartment more—I could be doing something constructive with my time.

Carlos got food at some point and joined us because according to him we were making him hungry.

"I'm thinking of getting my nose pierced," Nate said.

Sean and I looked at him but said nothing—just kept eating.

Nate nodded, more to himself, and jerked his head to shift his hair back. "I want a few actually but I'll probably get my ears done first."

I glanced at the studs in his ears. "More?"

"Yeah," he breathed, taking a bite of his burrito bowl. "Probably about two more in each ear."

Sean was grinning wide as if Nate said he discovered Mars. "Do it."

I eyed my best friend and tried to picture him with that many piercings. "Won't know unless we see it."