If It's With You

022- Not him

Muna

As Nicklaus lowered into the seat beside me, the weight of the past days fell heavy on my shoulder. Even though I was mad at him, a part of me felt bad for avoiding him.

It was the same part of me that wanted to believe Julia. It might have been all Ashley and I went days ignoring Nicklaus, not giving him even a chance for us to talk.

It was not fully my fault, especially when all that had been on my mind, was the day I walked in on Carl. That was what walking in on Nicklaus kissing Ashley reminded me. It reminded me of Carl and Amelia.

There was tension in the air as my body heated beside his. Even Julia could feel it, except for Andrew who was now chuckling at what was on his phone.

Julia pressed her lips together, glancing between me and Nicklaus. Meanwhile, realizing that at any slightest movement, Nicklaus’s arm would brush against mine had the inside of me heated. And for some reason, I yearned for that.

“Why the fuck is it quiet in here?” Andrew, who seemed to have pulled back to the present, asked, glancing at all of our faces. “It’s the weekend guys, not a funeral.”

“It’s Thursday, asshole,” Julia spat back at him.

“Well, my weekend starts from Thursdays, pussy-hole.” He said, and reaching for the wine, he poured it into Julia’s glass, which he had been using ever since he walked in. He turned to Julia, “We need more glass—’ but before he could finish, I abruptly rose to my feet.

“I will get them,” I said, smiling to make my action less awkward than it was.

Andrew narrowed his eyes suspiciously at me, but before he could say anything. Julia also rose to her feet.

“I will help,” she said and Andrew shifted his gaze to her.

“Am I missing something?”He asked, glancing at Nicklaus, who didn’t say a word to him. ‘It’s just two more glasses, ladies—”

“Shut up, Drew,” Julia said, taking my hand and we strode away from the boys.

We heard Andrew ask Nicklaus if he thought we were hiding something. Nicklaus probably didn’t say any words, because it was dead quiet as we disappeared into the kitchen space.

“Okay,” Julia started as we walked towards where the glasses were safely placed. “Once we’re out there, I’ll come up with anything and take Andrew with me and you…” she said, grabbing the glasses. “You will have to talk to Nick—”

“What— no— no,” I stuttered. “I can’t— I mean—”

“Muna?” Julia moved to stand in front of me. “You guys need to talk. I mean, it was you who walked in here to talk after what happened between us at the club, which I’m apologizing for yet again.” She said the last line, placing her hand on her chest. “All I’m saying is that you’re never scared to talk, so just be that Muna I know. The Muna that will always wanna talk it out, you know.” she shrugged.

“I— I know, I’m just, I don’t know. I feel bad for— I feel like Nicklaus had not been okay. I mean, did you see his face?”

“Of course, he wouldn’t be okay and that—’

“Do you need a hand, ladies?” Andrew yelled, cutting Julia off.

Julia groaned, “Sometimes, I just wanna kill him,” she said, rolling her eyes, and I muffled out a soft chuckle. “Let’s head back.” she started walking and I followed behind her.

Immediately we got back to the table, Andrew took a glass from Julia and poured some wine into it. When he shifted it to Nicklaus, he pushed it back to him, rejecting it right away, and that made Andrew whine about him being all grumpy and angry since the week. In Andrew’s words, Nicklaus had been acting like a grumpy old lady. This caused Nicklaus to glare at him and when he faked being scared, I couldn’t help but chuckle.