SUMMERTIME ↣ NICK ROBINSON

08.

chapter dedicated to can-you-like-not

NOVA rested her chin on Nick's shoulder while he swiped right on his phone, looking through the pictures they had taken at the museum. Inside his phone camera roll were several pictures of themselves posing next to the light bulbs; some pictures they were making faces, in others just smiling while looking directly to the lens.

Nova stretched, removing her head from his shoulder while she closed her eyes and made a grunting sound, leaving Nick without the sensation of her being there at all. She then looked at him once her arms fell on her lap and her eyes were open.

"What do you want to do next?" she asked.

Nick pursed his lips and looked at her, then at the street, then at the kids rolling down a small hill, and thought while biting his lip. There wasn't much to do since them hanging out was a last minute thing, they didn't have much money on their pockets or anywhere to go. It just came out of the blue.

But Nick had absolutely no problem with sudden hang outs with Nova.

"I don't know, I can drive around and see if there's something to do." he proposed after a while and glanced down at her.

Nova looked at the ground and nodded her head slowly, while making an approbation face. Then, her blue eyes met his.

"Sounds good." she shrugged.

"Okay," said Nick, nodding his head the same way as Nova did.

Nova smiled at him before standing up, followed by her offering her hand to help him stand. Nick grabbed her hand and she pulled him up.

They walked over to Nick's car and got inside, he started the motor and soon they were driving around the streets of hot Florida, rocking their head to the beats of The 1975's CD.

Nick clutched the steering wheel as he looked straight ahead while Nova was staring out the window, tapping her fingers casually to the rhythm of Girls.

Out of nowhere, Nova spoke with excitement.

"You know they're coming next month?" she said.

Nick looked over at her to catch her staring at him, expectantly waiting for an answer. He knitted his eyebrows together, processing what she was talking about until he realized it was about the band whose songs were blasting on his radio.

"Are they?" said Nick, contagion by Nova's excitement while he raised his eyebrows.

"Yes!" she said quickly "we should go!"

Nick bit his lips "wouldn't they be bored?" when there was no answer, he turned to look at a confused Nova staring at him "the others, I mean, I know they're not into that kind of music. Garret told me." he shrugged as he said the last part in almost a whisper.

"Well, they don't have to go." said Nova, pressing her lips while thinking. She looked at Nick, and he felt his heart skip a beat when she said, "it'll be our thing."

He looked back to the road, trying to contain a huge smile that was threatening to burst out at any moment, but he failed miserably as he spoke and his teeth were clearly visible on his grin.

"Sounds good." he said happily.

Nova giggled silently and looked down, while Nick thought. He thought about her, and how he really liked her. It wasn't just a normal high school crush that would soon be forgotten once a girl with better hair, or better skin, even better personality crossed his way. But Nick didn't even think that was possible.

To Nick, Nova wasn't just a girl who liked to party, drink and smoke. Nova was to him the girl who randomly asked you to go to museums or to go star sighting while drinking rum, the girl who liked the type of music her friends would never listen to –not even by mistake–, the girl who liked to sleep more than staying out late, the one that thought how anything could turn to be more fascinating if it was expressed correctly. He had finally realized the Nova he met at Wes' summer party was just a façade.

And it was at this right moment, driving around while she told him to turn left, that Nick realized, he had fallen hard and fast, with no straps to cushion the fall.

He came back to his senses once he realized that they were entering an automatic car wash. Nick gave Nova a questioning look while she just smirked confidently while she put money on a small metallic box. A small circle light turned to a green color and the yellow gate went up automatically. Nick slowly drove inside once it was fully up.

He approached the big metal frame and put the car in neutral once the wheels of his mom's light blue Chevy were on the platform. The platform began moving the car to front, and Nick waited until the machines finished spraying the water to question Nova.

"So, why are we here?" he asked, looking at her.

"I sometimes come here when I'm sad or just a lot on my head." she began "somehow, it helps me think, there's really no distractions and really not anybody to talk to." she scoffed silently and looked down "I know, sounds ridiculous."

"No, it doesn't." said Nick perhaps too quickly. Nova looked up from her lap and stared into his eyes, while a small gape formed between her bottom and top lip. "I mean –sometimes you really need to be on your own to know what is really going on with you, or the things that surround you. It's good for you."

He noticed how once he was done talking, Nova was staring at him with an expression he couldn't quite get, but it was a mixture of incredulous and amazement.

She pressed her lips before talking "that's accurate. I didn't think you would understand."

Nick shrugged, not getting what she was saying "why not?"

She sighed "because, most of the time, it feels like nobody really understands me. I mean, I have friend that I know I can trust, but I really can't call them and talk about my problems at 3 a.m. and I worry about how ridiculously emotional I can sound, and how they will always say 'just go to sleep, you'll feel better tomorrow' and leave me there in the darkness of my room to wonder what the hell is wrong with me."

Nova sighed and closed her eyes, finally feeling the relief of letting out all of what stressed her most: being open. But now, she was like a birthday gift with wrapping; the wrapping was finally torn apart, and everything that was left was what was inside the box.

She opened her eyes slowly, realizing how the cup of water that was what kept her up at night, had spilled. She looked over at Nick, who gave her a sympathetic smile. He placed his hand on the passengers' seat.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Much better," said Nova, nodding her head rapidly as she looked at Nick.

Nick gave her a genuine smile, and then proceeded to move the blonde hair out of her face. He put the blonde strings behind her ear, and unconsciously left his hand placed on her cheek. Nova looked at him, not removing her eyes from his at any time, and so did Nick. He had noticed what he had done, but his hand wouldn't budge. It was like their eyes were stuck staring at each other's like glue, just like his hand that was placed on her face.

Slowly, he inched forward, pulling Nova softly and closer to him. She didn't even try to stay still on her seat.

Just inches away, he took a last glance at her to notice how her eyes were closed, and with a fast and nervous pounding on his chest, he finally closed the small space between them and lived the moment he had been dreaming of since he first saw her as he delicately pressed his lips against hers.  

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word count: 1,344 

YASSSSSSSS finally Niva's kiss!!!!!! I've been waiting so long for dis I luv them I luv them I luv them. Anyways, chapter dedicated to can-you-like-not, thanks so much for the support!!

ALSO took me  F O R E V E R to update bc school, but here it is!!

Thanks for reading, commenting and voting <3

-maye