The Mistake

Revealed

***

Samantha

Alex stared off into the road, both hands on the steering wheel as we drove through the pitch black street. Twenty minutes had passed since we left the party, and it was getting late. I peeked at the rearview mirror at Nick, his head leaning against the window as strands of his messy brown hair fell into his face. I could see the weariness etched on his face even with his eyes closed.

My gaze traveled back to Alex when I felt the car roll to a stop at a gas station. "Why did we stop?"

"I'm going to get him something to drink." Alex replied with a low voice as he shifted the gear to park. "I'll be right back." I could see the stress on his tight shoulders as he opened the car door and walked out.

I sighed as I watched him walk into the convenience store, bright but occasionally flickering neon lights displayed 'Open 24/7" just above the entrance.

Alex deserved more than Nick, I could see that now. Only Alex could still try and be there for him despite everything, but Nick didn't care. He never cared for anything except himself.

A stir in the backseat made my gaze turn to the mirror once more. Nick's eyes opened sluggishly. He was still drunk, his head swaying slightly as his eyes tried to focus. When he finally landed on me through the reflection, I was speechless, unsure of what to say. "Where's Alex?" He asked, his voice a low, gravelly rumble.

I swallowed. "He went to get you something to drink." Nick readjusted in his seat, he groaned softly as his hand reached out to rub his neck. "Are you okay?" I asked softly, turning around to see him, the cut across the bridge of his nose reminding me of the way he and Pete were grappling on the ground just a few minutes before.

"I'm fine." He answered in a hard voice, and I regretted even bothering asking him. My lips pressed into a tight line as I thought back to Pete, squirming on the ground as he clutched his nose in pain. He was a good friend of Jacob's, and he was a nice guy.

"Why did you get into a fight with Pete?" Nick's eyes traveled to meet mine then and my breath hitched; even though they were tired and red-rimmed, his gaze still penetrated into mine. He said nothing for a second, then looked away, his adam's apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed.

"I don't remember." He said. Whatever it was, I was sure Nick had been the one to start it. He probably just needed a punching bag as an end to his booze-filled night.

I really didn't want to say anything else to him, but I felt the words scratching at my throat as I thought of Alex. I couldn't stand Nick treating him like this anymore.

"You really need to talk to Alex, Nick." I said. "You didn't mean what you said-"

"-Stop it. Stop acting like you know me, Sam." He snapped coldly in a low voice. "You don't know shit about me."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't." I replied. "I just know you have a habit of messing everything up, and people end up getting hurt because of you. But you don't seem to care about anything besides yourself, don't you?"

Something in his cold expression shifted when I said that. His eyes widened the slightest bit and his gaze turned vulnerable for a split second, taken aback. I turned back around, heart racing. I couldn't hold his gaze when he looked at me like that. Why did I say that? It was like the words spilled from my mouth without thinking.

Every thought froze when he spoke. "I guess you're right, Sammi." He said. Softly, almost fragile in a way. "I keep messing up, don't I?" His voice made me shiver, it was like the sound of water when it pulls off the sand.