Complicated

Chapter 4

"Ronnie!" I screamed, she perked up instantly, carefully I ran for her as she exited her gate with Brad walking along side of her.

I couldn't help but notice the look on her face before she noticed me. It was a mixture between fear and sadness. Kind of like I would imagine her to look like when I was talking to her on the phone the night before.

"Baby!" She cried, meeting me halfway as she opened her arms, engulfing me in the biggest hug, she winced a little but shook it off. "I missed my Lahni Baby." She squealed as I heard a sob in her throat.

"I missed you more." I teared up, squeezing her tightly.

Just as she began to pull away, the guys walked up. "Careful now, I don't want to squish my nephew." She smiled, wiping at her tears while Brad walked up from behind her. Dom and Nico came up from behind me, they exchange 'hellos' doing that one armed man hug thingy.

Slade couldn't be here, even as much as he wanted to because he had to do some last minute Christmas shopping to tackle, so I let him borrow my car for the day.

Dom opened his arms to Ronnie. "Nephew, huh?" He smirked at her.

She returned his smirked as she snuggled herself in his arms. "Damn straight, Dommy Senior."

He chuckled. "I missed you, pretty girl." He smiled, kissing her forehead.

I smiled at the two of them, I loved it so much when they get along. They may fight and argue but I know they love each other at heart.

"Hey!" Nico burst from beside me. "Where's my love?!" He asked out raged.

Dom and Ronnie broke apart, laughing. "I'm coming."

"Well, then get your ass over here, Chez." He said in a duh voice.

She rolled her eyes but complied, nearly leaping into his open arms. "I missed you."

"Me too." She smiled, pulling back.

We left the airport soon after that, in need of a quick food fix.

"So, Brad. How's school going?" I asked him as we were all sat down at the nearest restaurant from the airport. I don't exactly remember the name but the sign said they serve food and that's simple enough for me.

"Pretty good, actually." He answered. "But I'm glad to have this break for a little bit."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Nico sighed in relief. "I love school but I love the breaks even more." He chuckled softly.

Brad looked over at Nico in confusion. "You in college?" Brad asked him.

"Yep, for three years straight." Nico nodded. "Ever since high school."

"Same here, except for eight. I'm finishing up my last year." Brad bragged with a small smirk. "What you studying?"

Nico eyes widened at this new information as he looked pointedly at Ronnie who ducked her head sheepishly, picking at her plate of food. Probably more than surprised at his age. He composed himself. "Actually, I'm there to get my Bachelor's Degree in finance." Nico nodded. "My dad died when I was pretty young, leaving behind a very successful company, to me."

Brad scoffed. "Daddy's money..." He trailed off, pretending to be occupied by his food.

I nearly choked on my chicken.

Simultaneously, we all turned to stare at Brad in surprise, quickly I looked back at Nico in case I had to silently talk him out of beating the shit out Brad.

What happened to carefree, polite Brad because this guy here, is an asshole.

"Yeah well, I have it like that." Nico snapped narrowly. "But before I am entitled to any that he wants me to do something for myself, not that I wouldn't have. He wants better for me than he had, struggling through life since he had kids so young. But, tell me what did your dad do to you that made you so damn bitter." He asked Brad, staring him down.

Brad cleared his throat but never spoke again through the rest of the dinner. Nico was fumed, he kept sneaking glances at Ronnie who just played with her food, losing her appetite. She displayed abnormal behavior at the dinner table, not really talking, not eating, ducking her head.

She wasn't acting like herself.

Ronnie is far from quiet and she eats like her body functions seven stomachs, something is up with her and I don't know what it is.

******

"Ronnie!" Slade screamed as we came in through the front door. He was placing neatly wrapped presents under our ten foot fully decorated tree. All she did was smile up at him and it didn't even look real. "What the fuck was that?!" He cried, walking up to us but keeping his eyes on Ronnie.

Mom must not be here if he's using that kind of language.

Nolan treaded down the stairs in full speed happily, but as soon as he saw Brad he growled angrily as he began barking viciously. Never seen him act like that before I quickly calmed him by cooing him softly.

"What?" She asked confused.

He looked incredulous. "What?! What happened to the 'shut ups' and the 'fuck offs'?!" He asked completely outraged, then something clicked in his head. "Who broke you?" He demanded from her looking around at us accusingly.

She flinched, slightly beside me. "N-no one." She shrugged, wincing a bit. "I need to use the restroom. Excuse me." She slid passed us, on her way to the bathroom.

"Excuse me?!" Slade cried after her. He turned to look at us insanely when she became out of sight. "I'm hurt she would even say that to me." Slade mocked hurt but it portrayed differently deep in his eyes you could tell that he was really concerned for Ronnie and her weird attitude. "And who the fuck are you?!" He pointed at Brad in confusion.

Nico and Dom snickered as they backed away from Brad while Slade stepped between them. "Uh umm, I'm Ronnie's b-boyfriend, Brad."

"Well, 'b-boyfriend Brad'." Slade finger quoted causing Dom and Nico to double over holding their stomachs as they tried not to laugh. "What the hell is up with our girl? Because she needs some serious cheering up."

"I don't know she was liked that when I came the other day." Brad explained.

Lie. "I talked to her on the phone Friday night, she sounded fine." I narrowed in on Brad.

"Maybe something happened after, I've been trying to cheer her up but she is just not having it." Brad spoke up softly.

"Mm hmm." Slade looked at him, not believing anything Brad spit out. "Well, you're not trying hard enough. Fix her."

I left the guys to go check on Ronnie in the restroom because she has been in there long enough. "Ronnie?" I called, knocking on the door. "Babe, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She called back, lightly. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay." I walked from the door to the kitchen in need of a ice cream fix. Grabbing the big carton of chocolate ice cream from the freezer I plopped up on the counter after snatching a spoon from the silverware drawer.

Just as I was on my third bite of ice cream Dominic came through the door laughing. "Slade is hilarious. I swear he reminds me so much of Ronnie it's crazy."

I nodded in agreement. "I know. That's why he loves it when she visits and calls because he likes talking to himself." I giggled, mouth full of ice cream while Dom looked at me weirdly. "His words not mine."

Dom walked to the fridge and snag a cold water bottle. "Don't worry, I gathered." He smirked. "But he is right, we need to fix Ronnie."

"Yeah, somethings wrong with her." I pouted. "And it's bad, too. She wasn't even this upset when her childhood crush moved across the country."

Dom began walking backwards out the kitchen with his water bottle in hand. "Oh, and by the way.." He trailed off as I looked at him waiting for him to continue. "Slade hates Brad." He smirked.

*********

A quickie ;)

Xoxo