What Are You Waiting For?

My phone started ringing at about 11 o’clock at night. I automatically recognized it as Nick and scrambled to answer it. “Hey baby.”

“Hey, sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier. I had my phone on silent so I wasn’t distracted.” Nick said, sounding sincere.

I smiled. “It’s okay, I’ll accept that as an excuse. How did studying go?”

“Good, I feel a little more confident for exams.” He said, laughing a little bit.

“It’s a good thing I wasn’t there, then.” I said, laughing as well.

“No, that’s never a good thing. I miss you.” He said, and I could just imagine his adorable expression on his face.

“I miss you, too.” I said, a small smile on my lips, that sentence making me feel happy.

“I’m excited for tomorrow.” He said, a smile in his voice.

“I can’t wait to give you your presents.”

“There’s more than one?” He asked, sounding slightly disappointed.

“Yup, and you’re just going to have to deal with it.”

“That’s so unfair, now I have to go out and buy you something else.” He whined.

“No, don’t. It’s okay, sweetie. One gift is more than enough for me.”

I could sense a pout over the phone, but we let it go, talking about random things until we both fell asleep on the phone together.

I got up early to package all of Nick’s present. I really didn’t have to get up this early, but I couldn’t sleep. I’m ecstatic; it’s our anniversary, how can’t I be excited?

“Wow, you’re really going all out for this.” Mom said, getting coffee.

“Did I not tell you what today is?” I said, stacking the containers on top of each other next to my backpack.

She smiled, pulling me into a hug. “Yes, you told me. Now go finish getting ready, you’re going to be late.”

I looked at the clock. Shit, I have ten minutes to get ready and get to school. I rushed to my room and threw on some jeans and a shirt, making sure my hair looks good. I ran down the hall to grab my things, my mom following me out to the car. We sped off and made it to school with three minutes to spare. I ran into the school and to first hour, not caring to drop my things off in my locker. I saw Riley and Nick and smile. Nick looked fine. He was alright. I worried about him for nothing.

Nick came over to help me with my things and set them on a desk.

“Why are you so late?” Nick asked, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before jumping onto a desktop.

“I woke up this morning and remembered what day it was. So I had to hurry and bake something to celebrate the occasion.” I said, slightly out of breath. I pulled out the brownies and the cookies, setting them down on next to Nick, pulling Nick off of the desk and into my arms, our lips colliding.

“Happy one year anniversary, honey.” I said, nose to nose with Nick, a big smile never leaving my lips.

Nick hugged me tighter and picked me up off the ground, twirling me in the air, making me laugh. He set me down lightly. “Thank you so much!” He said, then leaned in towards my ear. “I thought of a second present for you.” He said, a smirk in his voice as he nibbled at my ear slightly.

I smirked, giggling, pressing my lips to his once more. We motioned for Riley to come over, and we embraced him in a huge group hug, Nick and I kissing one of his cheeks.

“How are you, hun?” I asked Riley after we were all standing in our little cluster.

“I’m doing alright. I don’t even need to ask how you are, you’ve got it written all over your face.” He said, smiling as wide as I was.

That smile faded as I saw Ethan put his arm around Riley’s waist. What confused the hell out of me is when Riley didn’t push him away, but actually turned around and kissed him, having a little civilized conversation between the two of them.

What the hell happened last night that no one is telling me about?

They were laughing with each other, laughing. They don’t do that, not together, and Ethan’s laughter only comes out when it’s sadistic and rude.

It died down as they caught my confused, frustrated gaze. I was going to start yelling at them until Nick grabbed my hand and whispered in my ear, “They worked everything out last night. He called me before I called you and told me everything. Just try and be happy for them?”

He leaned away from my ear and I still had a stubborn disposition about them, looking Ethan down like a hawk looking at a mouse.

Mr. Smith came in before I could say anything to them.

“We’re talking later.” I said sternly, pointing to Ethan.

“Alright.” He said cautiously.
Good. He should be cautious. If he says one wrong thing I’ll tear him into pieces.

We all took our seats and I looked back at Ethan and Riley, seeing them talk amongst themselves. Riley’s cheeks blushed and a smile threatened my lips. I can’t let myself give into their cuteness yet again. This could be yet another game of Ethan’s. I refuse to believe any of this until Ethan proves to me that this is real.

When the bell rang, we all walked out, Nick and I going to our lockers, hand in hand.

“I don’t believe Ethan.” I said, grabbing my stuff for next hour.

“Just give it a chance, kay?” Nick said, kissing me, slipping his hand around my waist. I brought my hand up to his face, brushing his cheek softly with my fingertips.

We parted and I smiled at him. “Kay.”

I looked past Nick to creep on Riley and Ethan. Ethan pulled Riley into a kiss, but it wasn’t lustful or sex driven, I could tell. They parted, smiling, Ethan taking Riley’s cheek in his hand, talking to him, seeming sincere. Riley laced his fingers with Ethan’s, and I couldn't help but smile at the cute spectacle going on fifty feet in front of me.

I saw the twins coming down the hallway, and without warning, they shoved Ethan and Riley into the lockers. I wanted to yell, but I didn’t them to know I was watching them.

I looked back to Nick. “What the hell is their problem!?”

“Jealousy, obviously.” Nick said, squeezing me tighter against him as we watched the scene play out.

Ethan jumped up in front of Riley and defended him, yelling at the twins, something that surprised me. Okay, maybe I do believe Ethan. If he was just playing, he wouldn’t have stood up for Riley like that.

Ethan pulled Riley towards him, kissing him, looking like he was proving a point. Ethan then said something else, something that greatly offended the twins, and they walked away.

I acted like I wasn’t watching and turned to hug Nick, kissing him tenderly, my arms around his neck. He responded automatically and wrapped his arms around my waist.

I pulled away from his lips and smiled. “I’ll see you next hour.”

He gave me a small kiss before letting go. “Definitely.”

I got his lips once more before turning into the classroom, sitting in my desk, Riley coming in soon after. I smiled a big smile at him, confusing him before he sat down next to me.

“What are you smiling about?” Riley asked.

“It’s amazing.” I said simply.

“What?” He asked again.

“How much a person can change in less than twenty four hours, all because of one special person.” I said, smiling at him, knowing that I would embarrass him.

The fact became true when he hid his cheeks and couldn’t stop smiling, looking like a dork.

“You’re head over heels for him, and he is for you. The concern Ethan had for you in the hall just before was radiating off of him, his face said it all.” I said. “Not to mention the scene before Keegan and Kaedyn interrupted was one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.”

He pushed me, his cheeks beat red. “Stop it!”

“I’m just telling you that I approve. Nick told me he gave him ‘the talk’, so my work was already done.” I said, laughing a little.

“What talk?” Riley asked, sounding slightly frightened.

“You know, the basic ‘fuck with my best friend, I’ll fuck you up’ thing. Scaring him a little bit.” I said, shrugging.

“Why am I not surprised.” Riley said, smiling and shaking his head, still blushing.

I leaned to hug him. “I’m proud of you.”

His arms wrapped around me tightly. “Thank you so much, Ian.”