Sandy Nights | Chris Sturniolo |

Florida • 4

                 I woke up, to hot breath on my head and the sun shining brightly on my face. I open my eyes and see Chris' face smashed into my hair. I stretch my arms out a little bit, trying my hardest to not wake up Chris. "Where are we?" I say, with a deep morning voice.

"We made it to Florida, and we're about 2 and a half hours from our AirBNB." Myles answers, turning around to look at me.

We're stopping by a diner, so could you wake up Chris?" Matt says, pausing the directions on his phone. He turns into a parking lot with a bunch of different thrift stores, fast food places, and a nail salon. He turns into a parking spot and turns off the engine.

"Chris..." I whisper, shaking his arm.

"Hmm?" He says in a groggy voice. A tingling feeling started forming in my stomach, a feeling that nobody ever gave me. Especially Chris.

"We're getting breakfast." I unbuckle myself, as he takes his head off of mine, unbuckling his. I slide on the seat, getting out of the car. We walk in and go to a stand with a lady behind it. She grabs menus and walks us to a booth.

"Mak will you go to the bathroom with me?" Alahna whispers to me. I nod and walk off with her to the back of the building.

"Okay, I'll sit here by the sink." I say, leaning on the counter once we walk through the door.

"I don't need to go to the bathroom." My eyebrows furrowed.

"Why are we back here then?"

"Is there something going on with you and Chris?" She says blankly. I scoff and roll my eyes.

"Look Alahna, I know you and Nick ship us, or whatever, but nothing is going on between us. We're just close friends, have been for years. Along with you and your brother. So get out of this stupid illusion you and Nick are both in." I said kind of rudely, but I started to get on my nerves.

"Okay, sorry." She puts her hands up in surrender. I nod, my lips smashed together and walk out. Years her and Nick thought we were secretly together or we had a secret thing going on.

"I ordered you apple juice." Myles says, right as I sit down at the booth. I smile and thank him, sitting down by Chris with Nick next to me.

"Hello, I have the lemon water," She trails off, picking up the water off her tray and handing it to Matt, "Pepsi." She obviously hands to Chris. After giving everyone there drinks, she puts the tray under her arm, and pulls out a note pad, "Are you all ready to order?"

"Yes." Nick says, as everyone nods and hums out yes'. "Could I get a sourdough, bacon, egg sandwich?" The lady writes down his order.

"Could I get the same please, but could you take the Mayo off, and add avocado?" I ask, taking a sip of my apple juice.

"Of course!" She finishes my order, and looks at Chris. I lean back, and Chris' arm was behind me. Feeling his arm behind me, and being close to him made me feel, different. A feeling that makes everything stop, and the only thing I can hear is my breathing. Was Alahna and Nick right? No, of course not, Chris and I have been friends since I could remember. There was no way I had feelings for him, even if I did I would hide them no matter what, I would hate to break the friendship apart.

"Makenna!?" Everyone says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What?!" I say with an annoyed attitude.

"Would you like a refill?" The waitress asks, pointing to my empty cup

"Oh um, yes please." I hand her my cup, and she smiles, and walks away. I look over at Alahna and she puts an eyebrow up and smirks. I roll my eyes and cross my arms, putting my head on Chris' arm looking at the ceiling.