Going 78 Miles Per Hour | ✓

Epilogue | The Next Journey

VIERNES
7:59 PM

Reid Harlow

The first thing I noticed when I came home for dinner was Presley wasn't here.

Nini said he got caught up at school, due to some extracurricular activities he had to attend to, but I knew that was a fucking lie.

He just didn't want to see me.

The absence of his presence was noted, and I couldn't stop myself from sparing glances at the empty seat, but having spent some time around the table and catching up with everything going on with the rest of my family, it helped dragged me away from most of my thoughts. We discuss the most relevant things: how moving in with Dahlia has been, when will Claudia finish her program, and Ariah's new dance recitals.

After finishing, we headed to the backyard for some outdoor adventures. Sebastian and Nini are watering the plants, with some help from Claudia and Ariah, while Nico wanted to sit with me.

He asked me to read one of his books.

It was a comic book I wasn't too familiar with—and to be honest, not that interested in—but when Nico stared at me with his green eyes and a pout that reminded me awfully of a dog, I couldn't resist. Plus, I left him to pursue a relationship that wasn't worth it in the end—so I guess this is my trial and error of making it up to him.

We sat under the pavilion and Nico wanted to sit on my lap. The graphic is spread out before us, on the table, as Nico is eagerly leaning over the table trying to admire the drawing. I had the responsibility of reading the font.

"Hey," I look up, mid-sentence in the comic, to spot Claudia sliding into a seat. Her eyes are trained on me, a hand on the armrest, as she studies the interaction between Nico and me.

"Hey." I greet back in return, turning back to the comic and finishing the last line before placing my full attention on my sister. "You finished helping Nini?"

"Yup," she nods, glancing over her shoulders, "and to be honest, she didn't really need help—as you could probably see."

I follow her gaze to spot Nini and Sebastian having a blast with the hose. Sebastian somehow managed to obtain the tube and begin spraying Ariah and Nini with the nozzle. They're running around like children, with laughter in the air, while Nini is struggling to get her gardening utensil.

I chuckle at the sight, and Claudia's gaze returns back to me. While Nico is busy flipping through the pages and spoiling most of the action that happens within the next few pages, my sister stares at me with an intense gaze—trying to study me.

"You know you don't have to fucking do that anymore. You can just ask me."

She snaps out of her thoughts. "Right," she sucks air through her teeth, "it's a habit."

I roll my eyes. "I don't have anything else to hide. You basically know all of me."

"I'm just used to you having your guard up," she confesses, "when you're willing to tell me something... it feels weird. Off. Like you have another secret you're hiding."

"I learned Spanish."

"I know that." She says with a roll of her eyes. I smiled half-heartedly.

"Dahlia didn't. She was half-surprised, half-upset I didn't tell her early."

"Did you tell her why?"

"Yeah," I nod, "and that's when she forgave me."

Claudia shakes her head, a small smile lingering on her lips. "I like that girl. I think she's good for you."