Love With No Filter - Book 1

24: NICK

I didn't sit around once Sophie left my room after dropping that bomb on me. Instead, I packed up all my shit and left without a single word to my family. Annoyingly, the first flight back to New York wasn't until the next day but I'd rather spend thanksgiving evening in a crappy motel than return to my childhood home.

That place I used to call home felt cold and the memories I had growing up there were tinted. Neither one of my parents cared for me or Sophie, but they revelled in our successes. So that's when I decided that once I made a name for myself, they would never see a single dollar of my money in their lifetimes.

I click open the front door of my apartment, expecting to find it dead silent, persuming Inez is still with Stacey, but alas, I'm welcomed with loud vibrations and thumping of music.

The lyrics soon pick up and I recognise it as Ugly Heart. My sister was obsessed with the song when it first came out. Actually, I distinctly remember Inez and Sophie singing it together in her bedroom back when they were still friends. My heart tugs at the memory, now knowing that the friendship is down the drain.

I want to call out Inez's name, but I have a feeling she wouldn't hear me even if I screamed so instead, I drop my bags by the front door, closing it behind me and head down the hall towards the main room.

I then get a glimpse if brunette hair dancing across the kitchen. Inez is standing there, looking in the refrigerator, back to me. Her hair swishes around behind her as she sways from side. She's wearing small red pyjama-shorts and a white tank top, probably not expecting any company. And I confirm that theory when suddenly she breaks out into song.

A loud "I wonder does it blow your mind" echos around the kitchen and I smirk. She doesn't sound bad, just overly enthusiastic and noisy. Our poor neighbours. Leaning against the door frame, I fold my arms as she closes the fridge and moonwalks over to the counter, still not registering me.

"Ok you're pretty! Your face is a work of art!" She yells, louder than before.

Damn right your pretty, Charleen.

I feel a strange sense of guilt in the fact that I've robbing her if these moments alone. Living together meant that she never got to dance around the kitchen in her pyjamas singing white girl bangers at the top of her lungs. And because of this, I choose to keep my mouth shut and let her have this moment. At least until she notices me. Which she does.

Inez twirls around, her eyes meeting mine for a brief second, and then she's clutching the counter, the egg she was holding in cracked open on the floor with a loud "Fuck!" coming from her lips.

She glares at me, slapping her phone aggressively to stop the music, "What the hell, Nick!"

The smirk on my face only widens, "Don't stop on my account Sweetheart." I wish she wouldn't, I have an amazing view of her ass in those tight shorts, but I don't voice this.

"How long have you been standing there?" She demands, but her body language shows that's she's embarrassed about being caught enjoying herself.

"Don't get all shy on me now. These walls aren't that thick Inez, I'm sure the neighbours heard plenty more than I did." I laugh.

She hides her face in her hands, groaning loudly. "Just pretend that didn't happen."

"Hell no. This is way too good to drop. Sorry Charleen, I ain't letting this go."

"You're an ass." She burners from behind her fingers but this only makes me laugh. As I approach the kitchen, I peer down at the mess she made with the egg.