Just Friends || h.s.

48

***Song: Trauma by PARTYNEXTDOOR

• • •
Madison

It's been three days since I read the journal, and I still couldn't stop thinking about it. I probably read it four times over that night, trying to process every word, every letter, every syllable.

There weren't that many entries, but they sure as hell were effective at making me feel something.

He was still in love with me when he moved here, and that was over four months ago. But does he still love me now? A lot can change in four months, and I did not want to bring my hopes up to be disappointed. Yeah, we had sex and made out a few times, but love doesn't have to be there to be attracted to someone.

I was even more eager to get back home just so I could see him, so I could tell him I love him with my entire being.

My flight was tomorrow morning, and I still had the entire day of today ahead of me. Harry and I texted a few times in the few days since I read the journal, but I never told him that I read it. Again, I wanted it to be something I tell him face to face.

I was sitting on the couch in the living room eating a bowl of oatmeal between Nonna and Anna with the baby, the four of us being the only ones awake and watching Friends.

Nonna reached over at the table and grabbed my phone when it started ringing, and she showed me the screen.

"Answer it." I tell her, urging her to keep the camera on her face so Nick could see her first.

She tapped the green icon, answering the call and waiting for the FaceTime to connect.

"Buon giorno!" She exclaimed the moment Nick's face appeared on the screen. His eyes lit up and he grinned.

"Aurora!"

"Hello, darling. How are you?"

"I am well, thank you. And how are you, you beautiful woman? You look absolutely stunning." Nick flirted, and I rolled my eyes.

"Quit flirting with my grandma." I say loud enough for him to hear.

"Fuck off." Both Nonna and Nick tell me at the same time, making me lean back in surprise.

"Well then." I mumbled, going back to eating my cold oatmeal.

"I am doing very well, Nick. Congratulations at the Olympics! You guys earned gold, a million percent." She nodded, slapping my phone in means to high five him through the screen.

"Thank you, Angel." Nick winked, and I nearly gagged on my spoon as I stood up to go wash my bowl. "I never get tired of hearing your accent."

"Stop it. I'm blushing." She chuckled. "Who is behind you?" She pointed out as I approached the back of the couch and I look at the screen to see there was, in fact, someone behind him.

"Riley. We are all at her place right now having dinner consisting of Chinese food." He answered.

"Without me?" I gasped, wrapping my arms around Nonna's shoulders from behind and poking my head into the camera view.