Nova and Quinton: No Regrets (Nova #3)(36)
Author: Jessica Sorensen

“Tristan, you’re not… I mean, you’re not doing…” I scratch my tattoo as I inch up to his side, wondering if accusing him is the right thing to do. I know if my mom had accused me back when I was getting high I would have either lied or gotten pissed. But I also feel like just letting it go means I’m not caring. “You’re not doing drugs again, are you?”

His expression hardens as he glares up at me. “Is that what you think? That I’m sitting here getting high?” He spreads his arms to his sides and glances around the clean living room. “Does it look like that’s what I’ve been doing?”

I shake my head, but something still doesn’t feel right. “No, but I saw that Jazz guy put something into his pocket.”

Tristan gets a confused look, like he has no clue what I’m referring to, but the realization crosses his face. “Oh, that was his lighter. He was going to smoke in here, but I told him to put it away,” he explains.

I fan my hand in front of my face. “It smells like he did.”

He presses his lips together, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “Fine. If you want to know what’s up, then yes, he smoked in here. Sorry for breaking the rules.” He’s mad at me and I open my mouth to say… well, I don’t know, but he reaches forward and threads one of his fingers through the belt loop of my jeans, pulling me toward him. His anger turns to dead seriousness as he looks me straight in the eye. “Nova, I swear to you that I’m not doing drugs.”

I study him, something still off, but ultimately I nod. “All right, I’m sorry for accusing.”

“I forgive you, but only if you’ll watch a movie with me.” He yanks on my belt loop and pulls me forward until I stumble onto the couch beside him, pretty much landing on his lap.

I start to move off him, but he yanks me back so I am sitting on his lap. My lips part and my eyes widen as he snakes his arms around me, the scent of cigarette smoke and his cologne surrounding me. “Tristan, I—”

It’s at this moment that Lea decides to stroll into the house. As she shuts the door behind her and turns to face us, her expression changes from elated to shocked.

“Holy hell.” She takes in the sight of us and her jaw nearly drops to her knees.

I press her with a look, begging her not to say anything to make the situation worse. Help me, I mouth.

She takes the hint and then, being the awesome friend that she is, says, “Nova, can I talk to you in my room for a minute?”

I gratefully nod and then get up from Tristan’s lap like it’s on fire. Then Lea and I leave the living room with Tristan giving us a weird look as we duck down the hallway. Once we’re in Lea’s room and the door is closed, she spins toward me with her hands on her hips. “Holy shit.”

“Yeah, holy shit,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief as I pace her room.

“What the hell was that?” she asks, unbuttoning her black plaid coat.

I shrug, counting the number of nail polishes she has on her vanity, not really caring at the moment that I’m reverting back to my bad habits. I’m stressed out and I need relief. Just a minute or two and then I’ll stop. “I have no idea what happened. One minute I was making sure everything was okay with him and the next he’s pulling me down onto his lap.”

She tosses her coat onto her bed, frowning. “I knew this was going to happen.”

I stop pacing and look at her. “How?”

“Because I can see it in his eyes every time he looks at you,” she says, unlacing her boot as she sits down on her bed. “He likes you. And I mean like-likes you.”

I want to argue with her, but only because I don’t want to accept the truth. “I know… he had a thing for me once a year or so ago.”

“I think he’s never gotten over it,” she says, kicking off her boot. “But the question is: do you think of him that way?”

I immediately shake my head. “No, Tristan’s just a friend.”

“Are you sure?” There’s accusation in her tone. “Because you don’t really crush on guys and I’m starting to wonder if maybe you just don’t realize when you have feelings for someone.”

“I know when I have feelings.” I sigh and sit down on the bed beside her. “I’ve had them before once… twice.”

She wiggles her foot out of her other boot. “With Landon. And.…?” She waits for me to say it, even though she knows.

“You know it’s Quinton,” I say, pulling the elastic out of my hair and combing my fingers through it.

“How would I when you never say it?”

She’s right. Way too right. I never say much aloud unless it’s to my camera.

“It’s hard to say it sometimes,” I disclose, side-braiding my hair and securing it with an elastic. “When I don’t know how he feels or if I’ll ever see him again.”

She takes a shimmering, knee-length black dress off a hanger. “I’m sure you will.”

I shake my head as she steps deeper into the closet to change. “I’m not so sure. Every time I talk to him… it seems like he thinks that it might be too hard to see me again… he keeps saying one day down the road but I don’t know…” I rest back on my elbows and sigh.

She steps out of the closet, wearing a tight sheer black dress with sparkling heels. “You could always just ask him.” She reaches for the silver jewelry box on her vanity.

“I don’t want to push him,” I say, sitting up. “He always gets uncomfortable whenever I say something about visiting him.”

“You don’t need to be pushy when you ask.” She takes out a black diamond earring and clips it on her ear. “Just make it a question and be okay with whatever answer he gives you.” She puts the other earring in and then does a little twirl with her hands out to her sides. “How do I look?”

“Super fancy.” I stand up. “Where are you going?”

“Out.” She winks at me as she collects her purse.

I hurry and cut her off as she strides toward the door. “No way.” I span my hands out to the sides, trying to block her path. “Enough with the secrecy. Fess up.”

She rolls her eyes at me as she reaches for her coat on the bedpost. “I’m just going out with some friends.” She drapes the coat over her arm. “Jesus, Nova. You need to chill out.” She pushes past me, but halts before the door. “Look, I’m your best friend so I can say this. Do yourself a favor and let Tristan know where you stand, wherever that may be.” She grabs the doorknob and pulls the door open. “And let Quinton know where you stand. It’ll be good for you, I think.”