SUMMER HEARTS // Quackity X Reader

20

On the walk home from class, you put your earbuds in and lost yourself in the music, trying not to think about the project too much. You had completely finished your section of the work, and you were pretty proud of it. It had taken you a while, and between working and your other classes, you had had to use quick moments between other things to work, but you had still done it. 

 Tercero had done next to nothing, and after class today, you had a feeling that he wasn't planning on doing anything at all. And (rightfully so, in your opinion) it made you mad. 

There was more at stake than just a midterm grade here. Part of the program that let you come to Mexico in the first place required you to maintain a certain grade point average, and failing this midterm would compromise that for you. You might have to go back to America early if you got a bad grade on this.

You didn't want that at all. 

Mexico had been amazing so far. Spending your days in a town with friendly people, in the warm sun and fresh air was magical. You had learned so much since you had been here too - in your classes and in Spanish, but in other areas as well. 

Reconnecting with Nieve had been wonderful. There was a difference between living with someone than just visiting with family, and you had gotten to really form a relationship with her that you wouldn't have with any of your other family members. 

Living with Nieve and Reyes also gave you hope about your own future. Were they particularly well off? No, but they made ends meet. Their life was simple, but they were happy. You saw it every time Reyes looked at Nieve with a soft look in their eyes as she went about whatever she was doing. You saw it in the way Nieve draped herself over Reyes at every opportunity she got. They were so in love with each other and the life that they shared that nothing else mattered. You wanted that. 

You wanted that with Alex. 

Alex was possibly the best part of coming here all together. He was just about perfect - considerate and thoughtful, funny without trying, and genuinely nice. The fact that you had managed to get him after just writing your number on his coffee cup still amazed you, and that you had hit it off so well.  It was like the stars had aligned for a few minutes to cause him to walk into your work that day. And god were you thankful for it.

If Tercero and this stupid project ruined everything for you, you were going to be really upset. 

Still, the walking and the music made you breathe deeper, calming you. You would just deal with it. If you had to do the whole project by yourself, then so be it. 

You pulled your earbuds out as you entered the apartment building and made your way upstairs to the door. As you walked into the apartment, Nieve was in the kitchen, with a teapot full of boiling water. She looked up as you walked in, smiling. 

"Hi babe." She said, pouring the water into a mug. Her smile fell. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." You said, waving off her concern. "Just school stuff, don't worry about it."

Nieve tutted. "Here, put your bag down, sit down, I'll make you a cup of tea." She filled the teapot with water again and set it to boil, dropping a teabag in her own mug. 

You slid onto one of the barstools, resting your bag on the counter and laying your head down for a moment. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nieve asked.

You sighed. "You remember Tercero?"

"Your friend from that one class." She said, sipping at her tea. "The one with the earring."

You huffed out a little laugh. "Yeah, that guy. He's possibly the worst project partner ever." 

The teapot on the stove started to hiss and Nieve took it off, pulling another mug out from the stack of clean dishes in the sink and pouring the hot water in and adding a teabag. She brought the mug around the island and set it in front of you before sliding into the barstool to your left. "Is he not doing it?"

"I mean, he is, but the bare minimum." You said. "And I want to say something to him, but he gets moody and touchy and I don't want him to completely quit on the project. But honestly..." You sighed, taking a sip of your tea. 

Nieve hummed thoughtfully as she waited for you to continue. 

"I kind of wish I had found someone else in this class." You said. "I mean, I'm thankful that Tercero was helpful and nice for the first couple of weeks because it would have been really hard to adjust without him, but he's kind of weird when I talk about Alex and I think he really only wanted to be friends with me because he thought I was easy."

Nieve frowned. "I'm sorry babe, I know how that is."

"Men." You groaned. 

"Agreed." Nieve said. 

"Except for Alex." You added. 

"No exceptions." Nieve said, sipping at her tea. 

You laughed, smiling at your cousin as she set her mug down. 

"Seriously though." Nieve said. "You should talk to him. You're both university students, he should be able to handle a conversation about this. And if he still isn't really doing anything after, talk to your professor about switching partners or working by yourself."

"You're right." You said. "And I should."

"But you're not going to." Nieve said, looking at you pointedly. 

"But I'm not going to." You sighed. "Because I'm scared."

Nieve patted you on the shoulder sympathetically. "You'll get there eventually. Just stop worrying about making people mad. He's being a jerk, so be a jerk back to him."

"I don't know if I have it in me." You said. 

"You have it in you." Nieve said.

You glanced over at your cousin. "How do you know?"

"I know." She said, smiling thinly as she sipped her tea.