other places, other faces x NICK AUSTIN

14

we pull up to the restaurant. nick turns off the ignition after parking and sits there diligently without yet opening his car door. "if you don't want to be here, i'll say you're sick and we can go." he says sternly.

"i do."

he's unimpressed. "you say that but it really doesn't look like it y/n."

"nick, i promise i do, it's my anxiety, please nick." i say looking at him as my eyes water, him just staring forward. "i just needed to calm myself down earlier." i turn my whole body so that i'm completely facing nick as he doesn't move or say anything. "this is also a really bad time to mention that i have an eating disorder.." nick turns to look at me. puppy dog eyes. i look down playing with my hands in my lap as nick reaches over to hold my hand. i look up at him again. "we'll say you had a big lunch, come on." he says getting out of the car and walking around to help me with daya. i think i might love him. no, stop it y/n. you can't love him yet, don't be stupid. you'll scare him away and he'll leave you. he holds your hand as he pushes dayanara is her pram towards the restaurant.

as we walk in, he gives my hand a light squeeze as you turn to face him and he smiles. you all sit down at the white table, you next to nick. everyone makes small talk while checking out the menus and deciding upon what to order. you order a small vegetarian nachos. "only a small, honey aren't you starving after the long drive up?" she once again asks a very revealing question. "oh no, i had a really big lunch so i'm still quite full." i say in response. nick puts his hand on the top of my thigh after moving his chair a bit closer to mine, comforting me. a small amount of time passes and the food is delivered to our table to which everyone digs in. i pause every couple of minutes having to help daya eat her soft boiled baby potatoes and carrots.

"so y/n, where are you from?" jo anne asks.

"uh australia." i reply after wiping my mouth with a serviette.

"i told you that's what her accent was." greg speaks up looking at her and laughing.

"well i wasn't sure." she responds as we all laugh.

"i moved out here, i think ten months ago, to be closer to kouvr." i say.

"nick, is that the girl alex is with, she's not from here either is she, oh what's it called?" jo anne replies.

"hawaii." i simply state, "i went there a few years ago for school exchange for a year and ended up staying with kouvr."

the night finished and it was actually alright. we said our goodbyes and jo anne actually mentioned that she'd like to go out again some time.