The Romance In Our Rivalry

18 | Light Weight

Nick

Once I arrived to the party, I regretted it entirely. I couldn't shake off the idea of Nova cheating on me. That's all my mind could focus on as I sat in the poker room, watching some of the guys make big bets without understanding how to even play poker. Occasionally, a couple would walk in and out of the room, overwhelming me even more. That should've been Nova and I tonight.

I kept checking my phone, thinking Nova would text me apologizing or just wanting to talk, but she did neither. It seemed like she didn't even care.

"Geez Nick, you look tense" George approached me.

I shrugged, "love issues bro" I replied casually, not catching myself until I had already said it. I didn't want people to know Nova and I were having problems, but I guess it was okay given I haven't specified what the matter in question was.

"I hear it" George responded, though he wouldn't understand because I honestly can't remember a single time that George has had an actual girlfriend. Not a talking stage, or a woman of the week... a real, locked down, girlfriend. He pulled a flask from his pockets, I looked at him with a "not this again" face. From past party experience, it seemed that I was like the lightest light-weight alive.

"Dude, come on!" George pleaded. "We're all a team, we won't let something bad happen to you. If you start feeling woozy, one of us will bring you home." I shrugged, I mean, could things get any worse than the way I'm feeling at this very moment anyway? I honestly don't think so.

***

Brynn

"Why is Nick here but Nova isn't?" I asked Leigh. A perk of being a core member of the Norwood Newsletter was being invited to a lot of fun events, no matter how "cool" or "uncool" you were.

"I don't know" Leigh admitted, looking around the atmosphere, "but Aubrey and Jason are both here, so I guess it gives them a point on Nova and Nick."

"Not really" Sophie added, as she looked across the room and watched what appeared to be a blackout drunk Nick barely able to keep himself together. "Aubrey and Jason didn't come together, and it seems that Aubrey's been trying to avoid him this whole party."

I raised both eyebrows, "oh wow" I voiced, not even noticing that until it was pointed out, "you're right, Soph. It seems like she had. The more you know."

Jason

"Nova ain't come with you?" I questioned Nick, who seemed drunk, although I wasn't sure.

"Man, fuck that bitch!" he exclaimed, which surprised me... but also confirmed my "drunk" assumption. "I don't need her. I don't need a hoe."

I raised an eyebrow, "you two broke up?"

"Not yet" Nick said, leaning over on me. "She made out with Aubrey. Tell me Jason, is Aubrey a good kisser? Do you think I kissed Nova better?"

"Uh, I don't know what kissing you would be like, nor do I wanna know," I began, "but yeah, Aubrey's not a bad kisser." I was now being extra attentive to the conversation. Nick was one of those people that told secrets when they were drunk. He would go on and on, talking about things that he would never speak on in normal circumstances.

"Hey" I continued, "this whole Nova and Aubrey kissing thing, when was it?" Nick drunkenly looked as if he was thinking, but I'm sure that he wasn't.

"Today" he slurred, "after the game. Aubrey went somewhere and Nova followed. When Nova came back, she had a hickey and smeared lip gloss."