Journey into love

Chapter Twenty-Five

Song of the chapter: Drip by Cardi B ft. Migos

When we got into the house, I was badly wishing for dad to get home soon so I could go home. It was just evening and despite all of my pleas all afternoon for Nico to go to sleep, he didn't budge.

After dropping us off and Jamie had to go grab something from upstairs, he and his friends were gone. He hadn't said a word to me except to nod and hurry out the door to where the two siblings were waiting.

Nico and I sat to watch a cartoon movie and then another for another two hours and while the credits were rolling, the front door came open, with Nicole walking in, bags in her hands. Jamie came in next with grocery bags in his hands too.

On seeing his mom, Nico leaped from his seat, following his smiling mom to the kitchen and waiting until she dropped the load in her hands before he gave her a hug.

"Hey sweetie." She gave me a wave and I smiled back, helping her with the groceries.

"Hi Nicole."

"I don't have your cell phone number and so, I tried to call home to tell you that I was running late but no one answered. Jamie just told me on our way in that you all went to the park." She smiled, nodding at me.

"Type it in. My phone's on the couch. Thanks Honey, I can manage." She said, referring to the groceries.

From my peripheral, I saw Jamie go up the stairs after emptying half of the bag's content. At least he was being helpful to his mom.

When I found the phone on the couch, I clicked it on and was greeted by a smiling Nicole as the wallpaper. She looked so happy, her smile reaching her eyes that I couldn't help but smile too.

I immediately clicked on the dialer and inputed my number, saving it as 'Annie'. I saw the last call that came in was from 'Mom' and before that that was 'Natasha'. I wondered how close she was to their family that I wouldn't be surprised if Jamie's dad was very nice to her and probably even cracked jokes with her.

I quickly put the phone down when Nicole strode out of the kitchen. I didn't want her to think I was snooping. Thankfully, Nico had put another movie on.

When it was time to have dinner, Jamie wasn't around and I wondered if he was avoiding me. A part of me knew that was an absurd way of reasoning because had we really even become friends? Yeah, we exchanged a few words today and it was partially because of him I got invited to his grandma's but there was nothing significant about it. Of course, it wasn't like I wanted it to be significant. Maybe I probably wanted him to stop being such a snob to me...

While we had dinner, Nico chipped in about the conversation he had with grandma in the car. What I got from this was that he was so good at retelling events and I would have to be careful when I was around him. Even though he didn't add all the phrases he didn't understand, his mom would've almost had a clear picture of the conversation. When she heard that I'd been invited to spend the whole of spring break, she beamed but she wasn't quite happy that Jamie had refused the invitation.

"Of course, Jamie has to go with you. It's going to be your first time there and who else other than someone in your peer group is meant to keep you company while Mrs Willows is fussing all over Nico?"

I opened my mouth to disagree altogether. "Um, the thing is, I don't think I'll be able to make it." I tried to think up a reasonable excuse so it wouldn't seem like I was declining because Jamie was coming along.

"Please, dear. You'll make me feel even worse than I did for inviting you to the dinner of last night that was an epic fail."

I hesitated. Nico was currently looking at me with pleading eyes. I had to look away or I was going to be giving in soon.