Chapter thirty: Ketchup (Emma's POV)

Halfway through the shopping trip, we had ditched everyone there and decided to meet Zo and Landon at the closest restaurant which really wasn't too far since everyone was here at Brickell City Centre anyway. 

Currently, Nick and I were just walking around aimlessly, rocking our held hands back and forth and talking about random things. 

"I taught you that," he looked at me. 

"No, you didn't," I scoffed. 

"Yes, I did. I showed it to you and you got all curious as to how the hell I did it and demanded that I teach you," he laughed. 

"Nick, you did not teach me how to do that," I rolled my eyes. We were talking about this trick that we knew. You take a garden hose, and if you press the nozzle the right way and hold it up in front of the sun, it forms a rainbow. 

"Yes, I did," he nodded insistingly, "Go back down memory lane," he gave me a pointed look. 

I thought about it long and hard when the memory hit me. We were in his backyard, fooling around with the hose, spraying water all over each other. I remember now. I had the hose and I drenched him head to toe. He grabbed me and snatched the hose from me. I remember my back being pressed up against his chest while he locked me in and showed it to me. It was so fascinating to see it the first time. A little rainbow made whenever we wanted. 

"Oh yeah, that's right," I nodded, "You did teach me," I laughed as we walked into a restaurant and got a table for four. 

Landon and Zo joined us after a while. I was sitting beside Nick with the other two opposite to me and we were all enjoying our food. We had ordered two baskets of fries, splitting one between the two of us. As we were eating and talking, we all suddenly stopped when Landon took the ketchup bottle and put it all over his fries. 

"No!" Nick, Zo, and I shrieked in sync. A few people turned to us with surprise and confusion. 

"Landon, what are you doing?!" I took the bottle from him before he drowned his fries in ketchup. 

"What?" he asked in confusion. 

"You don't put ketchup like that!" Nick facepalmed. 

"Landon, you put it on the side," Zoey groaned, looking at her now ruined fries. 

"Oh, come on," Landon rolled his eyes. We all looked at him in disbelief. "There are so many people who put it like that," he deadpanned. 

"Landon, if you put ketchup everywhere, where the hell do you grab the freaking fry from?" Nick huffed. 

"What?" he asked in confusion. 

"Babe, you put it on the side, that way whoever wants it can dip into it," Zoey whined. 

I turned to Nick when she called Landon babe. Glad we both took notice. 

"But that's just more work," Landon groaned in response. 

"Landon, what about the people who don't take ketchup with fries?" Zoey questioned. 

"They're crazy," he shrugged. 

True, but Zoey is one of those people. "I don't take ketchup with fries!" she exclaimed, now offended. They began arguing and Nick and I sighed in sync, leaning back in our seats. 

"So, how's your day been so far?" he asked while turning to me. 

"Great, you?" I asked. 

We all spent that entire day walking around Brickell City Centre and around it, hanging out, getting some coffee, taking pictures and we're now back at the hotel after dinner. Over the course of the day, Nick had been acting very lovey-dovey and boyfriend-y. 

I was getting a little worried because I thought I heard him and Landon talking about asking her to be his girlfriend but I'm not sure if that was Landon talking about Zoey or Nick talking about me and I hope it was the former. 

If he asks me to be his girlfriend then it's over, because I'm not ready to get back into a relationship. 

We walked to our rooms, hands still locked, and sighed while I leaned against my door and he stood in front of me. "Night," I smiled up at him. 

"I'm coming in," he said while following me inside. I set my phone down on the desk before sitting on the edge of my bed. He sat on the floor in front of me, his back facing me before he put my hands in his hair. I chuckled while running my hands through his hair while he sat there in silence. 

Should I ask him about it? 

"So um-" I cleared my throat, "I heard you and Landon talking about asking someone to be someone's girlfriend," I said casually. 

"Yeah, he's planning on asking Zoey," he said while I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. 

"Oh," I sighed in relief. 

"Why?" he opened his eyes and looked up at me. 

"No reason, just curious," I shrugged while lying. I stood up and grabbed my pajamas, heading into the bathroom and throwing them on before opening the door and tying my hair up in a bun. 

"You sure?" he asked and came inside while I was washing my face. 

"Yeah, why else would I ask?" I asked while drying my face and grabbing my toothbrush. 

"I don't know," he mumbled, leaning against the wall. 

I rinsed my mouth and our eyes met in the mirror. "Why else would I ask, Nick?" I chuckled. 

"Maybe because you're scared I'll ask you," he said nonchalantly. 

I stared at him through the mirror, biting my tongue. "Why would I be scared of that?" I questioned. 

"Would you not?" he asked, stepping forward. 

"Nope," I lied with a shrug. 

"So, if I asked you to be my girlfriend right now, you'd say yes?" he asked while placing his hands on the sink from behind me, keeping his eyes on mine through the mirror. 

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" I asked, somehow managing to come off as calm and collected. 

"Are you saying yes?" he arched an eyebrow at me. 

I sighed in defeat while turning to face him. "Don't ask, Nick," I whispered. 

"Why not?" he questioned. 

"I'm not ready," I mumbled. 

"You don't trust me?" he asked. 

I stayed silent, thinking of what to say. "I do, just not as much as I should," I said hesitantly. 

"Even though I told you I didn't cheat?" he questioned. 

"You didn't, but that doesn't mean you won't," I looked up at him hesitantly. 

"I could say the same thing for you," he arched an eyebrow at me. 

"Yeah, you could," I nodded, "You can say whatever you want, it just doesn't change the truth," I shrugged. I would never cheat on him. 

"Doesn't that apply for me too?" he asked. 

"Of course it does," I sighed, "I just-" 

"Don't trust me enough," he finished for me. 

"I just need some time," I whispered. 

"How long do you want me to wait?" he asked while tucking my hair behind my ear. 

"I don't want to make you wait," I shook my head, "Leave when you can't wait anymore, Nick," I huffed. 

"I'm not gonna leave," he grabbed either side of my face and shook it lightly like he was shaking sense into my head. 

"You can't wait forever," I laughed humorlessly. 

"I won't have to. Emmy," he chuckled. I looked up at him. "I won't have to," he repeated before kissing my forehead. "I just have to let you know that I'm falling for you," he whispered while my eyes snapped up to his. "Again," he mumbled. 

"I-" I opened my mouth to tell him that I was falling for him too but he didn't let me speak. 

"You don't have to say it," he shook his head, "I know," he nodded with a small smile. 

I grabbed his shirt and pulled his lips down to mine, kissing him hard. His hands fell from my waist while he steadied himself, grabbing the skin before one arm wrapped back around me. 

"You mean a lot to me, Emma," he mumbled, his lips brushing against mine as he pulled away, "That's why I'll wait," he whispered, "You wanna come to my room?" he asked, resting his forehead against mine. I nodded. "Okay," he said before kissing me shortly, before taking me to his room, grabbing my keycard for me. 

We walked into his room and I crashed on the bed while he went to change and brush his teeth. 

He came back out and lay beside me, tucking my hair behind my ear while staring at me. 

"Are you just gonna stare at me?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. 

"Yeah, is that okay?" he asked. 

I nodded, "That's okay." He pulled me closer, still staring at my eyes. 

"You're going cross-eyed," I chuckled. 

He laughed before his eyes fell to my lips. "I really, really like you, Emma," he whispered while leaning in, our lips almost touching. 

"I really, really like you too, Nick," I mumbled before his lips fell on mine. 

All I felt was a fire in me.

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Chapter thirty

Next Chapter: Six flags

They're going to six flags and someone just really enjoys roller coasters and more importantly, kissing on them.