Before the Morning [BEING EDITED]

15 | Her Guitar

We just passed by a tree. Send.

Oooh there's a girl on the sidewalk with ice cream. Send.

Now I want ice cream. Send.

Do u have ice cream. Send.

"Are you spamming him?"

Nora looked up. "Maybe," she said. Willow shook her head, and she grinned.

They were almost at Nolan's apartment building now—just a couple streets away. She'd been periodically updating him on their ETA since leaving Willow's house. Okay, well, updating was a strong word. More like informing him of goings-ons. Very important goings-ons.

He hadn't texted back yet. Maybe he wouldn't at all. But that was okay. She would keep "updating" him anyway.

We're a street over now. GET REAAADDYYY

Nolan was sitting on the front porch when they pulled into the parking lot. He stood, and she laughed. "Oh, he didn't," she said.

"What?" Willow asked.

Nora tossed open the door. "Nolan Haynes!" she said. "Is that ice cream?"

He reached the car and handed her a pint of triple chocolate chunk ice cream and a metal spoon.

"What?" Nathan gasped and twisted around in his seat. "Where's my ice cream?"

Nolan settled next to Nora and buckled his seat. "Sorry, Mr. Sison."

"Nathan."

"Nathan."

"You have to request it," Nora said. She dished out a spoonful of ice cream. Yum. "You're the best, Nolan. Seriously."

He shrugged. "It was Caleb's idea."

"Gimme some of that, would ya?" Willow reached for the ice cream and Nora handed it over.

"Hey, hey." Nathan nudged Willow as she scooped some. "Be a pal and share, yeah?"

"No. You have germs."

Nathan gasped, and she laughed.

"I'm glad you decided to come," she said, turning her attention back to Nolan. "It'll be fun."

He nodded, but he didn't look sure.

"You'll get to hear the band live on stage," she said, wriggling her eyebrows. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Unless you count next week. And the week after that."

He chuckled. "You guys are playing?"

"Mm-hmm!" She smiled. "Not an original tonight, though."

He nodded.

The trip to Holy Trinity was filled with laughter, ice cream, and music. When they arrived, they went straight for the sanctuary, which was already filled with teenagers. Andy, Max, and Erin were already on stage, laughing as they drank water from their water bottles. There were some groups clustered around the room, joking around and chatting before Ryan's sermon. And, of course, some people had decided to sit down. Nora smiled. It was funny, really. How everyone gravitated to the same spots, even when unassigned.

"Look who's here!" Andy called as they approached the stage. Nolan shifted awkwardly as they reached the landing, and she gave him an encouraging smile. "And you brought No-No!"

"Good to see you decided to come, dude," Max said.

"Thanks," he murmured.

"And don't worry," Willow said. "The nickname will die eventually. Five years ago, one of the kids called me Wiggy. I didn't hear the end of it for, like, two months."